mod7’s website design for the Jerde Partnership is the Communication Arts Webpick of the Day for February 25, 2008. “Inspired by programming, video game immersion and cinema, this vibrant, shifting environment has visitors meandering through space to view this architecture firm’s work.”

“Dubai-based real estate firm Omniyat Properties plans to construct a tall building in Dubai modeled after the Apple iPod. The name of the 24-story tower: iPad.”

After decades of consumer products being driven by architectural form (IKEA, Modernism, cheap Eiffel tower statuettes), will pop consumerism drastically drive the form of architecture in a clearer (or shallower) public dialogue? And what happens to the meaning of the building when the iPod is no longer the public’s object of desire?

http://www.salatti.net/ipod-come-modello-per-la-nuova-torre-progettata-da-omniyat/

I guess this isn’t a whole lot different, in concept, from past pop architectural “icons”: Longaberger HQ, Mmmm…, Lucy, Dino.

Touch screens are kinda cool, but you’ve probably never thought about one drawback most of them share: the “mouse” mentality. Most of those devices are just glorified mouse pointers. That means you can only “click” or “hover” on one tiny part of the screen at anytime.

That all changes when you go all multi-touch interaction like these dudes (and dudettes?) from NYU.

(more…)

Looks like one of my fave starchitects has hot and zippy new website:

http://www.tschumi.com/

The concept-first approach of BTA’s work is inspiring. I recommend checking out the Theoretical Works (read: unbuilt work) section first. Then be wowed by seeing that theory in action in the Projects section.

Bonus feature: check out the construction prices for each project (click on “credits”).