Quietly ensconced in 130 acres of woods south of Seattle is the abandoned campus of the Weyerhaeuser Corporation. Much like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, with gardens built into the walls of the palace, the Weyerhaeuser campus’ 5-story building is heavily draped with English ivy; thus the name of the complex: The Greenline. Built in… Continue reading Modern Babylon: Deserted Weyerhaeuser Campus in Federal Way, Washington
The East Cut, San Francisco: When a PR Agency Renames Your Neighborhood
Imagine that the name of your neighborhood, which has been established for over a century, doesn’t sit well with a local business association. To drum up more interest in the area–to clean things up and make it spiffy–they change the name. That’s what has happened in San Francisco, where an area was recently rebranded “The East… Continue reading The East Cut, San Francisco: When a PR Agency Renames Your Neighborhood
Incredibly High Guiyang City Skyscraper Fake Waterfall
A new waterfall cascading down the side of a skyscraper in China’s Guiyang City falls an amazing 108 meters (or 354 feet). This is nearly the same height as Zambia’s famous Victoria Falls (354 feet) and higher than Lower Yosemite Falls (320 feet) and Yosemite’s Vernal Fall (318 feet). Costing about 800 yuan ($118) per… Continue reading Incredibly High Guiyang City Skyscraper Fake Waterfall
Premium Deception: Two Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills
Deception happens seamlessly. Two Rodeo Drive is an example of a deception that successfully integrated itself into the fabric of the Beverly Hills street system. Following is what you believe Two Rodeo Drive is. It is a Beverly Hills city street, charmingly angled, with a broad staircase on one end and the hilly beginning of… Continue reading Premium Deception: Two Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills
Sands Hotel and Casino Sign in Las Vegas Was Mid-Century Perfection
When the Sands opened on December 15, 1952, it represented Las Vegas’ introduction to modern casino and hotel design. But the world wasn’t ready for it yet, as 1952 was a tender year for mid-century modern architecture: the Korean War was still being fought, Truman was still U.S. President. Few of the familiar signifiers of… Continue reading Sands Hotel and Casino Sign in Las Vegas Was Mid-Century Perfection