Modern House by David Coleman
From the street, this home by architect David Coleman appears as a straightforward stack of modern, white boxes. Moving past the cinder block privacy wall, however, a sense of complexity unfolds. The most prominent feature upon entering the front courtyard is the massive polycarbonate wall that reveals the inner structure of the home’s walls. It produces a lantern-like effect at night and allows the home to rely almost solely on natural daylight. The roof of the home is sloped toward the back of the site, following the terraced landscape. Large sliding doors dominate the side of the house that faces the yard, creating connection between interior and exterior. On his website, Coleman says, “The material palette has been minimized to focus attention on the spatial experience.”
See more of the house after the jump.
Mercedes ESF s400 Hybrid Concept 2009
Most people associate Mercedes-Benz with luxury, power, and engineering. However, the boys from Stuttgart are also pioneers in the field of automotive safety, and in 2009 they mark the anniversary of the crumple zone (circa 1939) and the in-house accident research function (adopted in 1959). What better way to celebrate than with a concept car, debuting a number of innovations that are at the pinnacle of safety research?
This ESF, or Experimental Safety Vehicle, is based on the S400 Hybrid platform, which is a fitting choice because the S-Class typically serves as a platform to introduce the latest Benz gadgetry to the world. The ESF employs a “braking bag,” which lies in the floor of the vehicle and serves to create additional friction, slowing the car when it deems that a crash is imminent. Not all of the safety features are this conspicuous, however; the Interactive Vehicle Communication system allows vehicles passing each other to relay information pertaining to inclement weather or road obstacles. A partial LED headlight optimizes lighting on the periphery of a typical headlight beam pattern, specifically illuminating objects that most headlights would miss. As the piece de resistance, MB has created PRE-SAFE Pulse, which actually moves passengers up to 50mm closer to the center of the vehicle in order to reduce force on the upper body. The ESF debuted earlier this week at the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles Conference in Stuttgart.
See images and videos on the Mercedes ESF s400 Hybrid Concept 2009 after the jump.
Architectural Interiors by Tripod Agency
Tripod Agency is a Paris-based photo agency that specializes in architectural interiors. They collaborate with print and online media companies internationally to produce high quality images to accompany editorial content. Their focus lies primarily in modern residential properties, and their work spans several continents and countries.
See more of Tripod Agency’s portfolio after the jump.
Lamborghini Miura S (1969-1971)
The Lambroghini Miura may be the only car ever sold before the body was built. When it was unveiled in 1965 at the Turin Salon, it was its astonishing mechanical setup that stunned those in the audience. Legend has it that the overwhelming reaction from the attendees compelled Lamborghini to look to the famed Marcello Gandini to create the perfect curves for the vehicle. The amazing curves of the Miura should have been a dead giveaway that there was true magic underneath the sheetmetal; breaking from convention, Lamborghini had decided to use a midship-mounted, transversely aligned V12 that was based on well established racecars like the Ford GT40 and Ferrari P-types of the same era. With this, Lamborghini created the first production supercar, a term coined by heralded English journalist L.J.K. Setright after his thousand mile jaunt in the now legendary coupe. The S version of the Miura also debuted at Turin, albeit a few years later as a 1969 model. From a performance standpoint, it had a ported intake manifold and reground camshafts, which brought horsepower up from 345 to 365. Other subtle nuances like chrome trim on the windows and headlights, as well as power windows and air conditioning, help to distinguish it from the standard Miura model. All told, less than 350 were produced, are they still command a hefty price tag. If you’re on the east coast, look to The Stable or Champion Motor Group, but be prepared for the hefty pricetag: one professionally restored model recently sold for $375,000.
See more images of the Lamborghini Miura S after the jump.
Vienna Way Residence by Marmol Radziner
Internationally renowned architect Marmol Radziner is often recognized for his groundbreaking work with prefabricated housing. The Vienna Way Residence in Venice, CA on the other hand is a fully custom home designed for Radziner’s own family. Located on a narrow and heavily vegetated lot, the house’s plan is composed of two staggered rectangles joined in the center by a box. The box that connects the two rectangular wings is the kitchen, which acts as a centrally located core and implements a green roof planted with native grasses. The single story volume to the south contains the public oriented spaces such as the living and dining rooms. The two story volume to the north houses private spaces such as the office and bedrooms. Both the northern and southern wings have largely blank, plaster public façades, punctuated only by clerestory windows. However, both use generous floor to ceiling glass on the sides facing the home’s interior courtyards and pool. Radziner’s design creates private, intimate spaces, shielded from public view. The courtyards transform into extended living spaces, inherently linked to the rest of the house.
See more images of the Vienna Way Residence after the jump.
Land Rover LRX Concept
The Land Rover LRX Concept, if made, could be hailed as “the smallest, lightest and most efficient Land Rover has ever produced.” Unveiled last year, it was said that that this concept would be a “2.0-litre, Federalised, turbodiesel hybrid, with potential CO2 emissions of 120 g/km.” It even won the “Concept Truck of the Year” award in the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. With all accolades and engineering aside, we are also impressed with the LRX design. It has a very sleek exterior with very minimal lines. The interior is also impressive with state of the art additions. Check out more images after the jump.
Source: AB
New York Magnum
The New York Magnum is a mammoth sized collection of various New York images from some of the world’s most notable photographers. A classic photography book, “New York” is published by Gloria Luxury, but only in limited quantity – only 25 copies worldwide. The book also comes in a unique 20′ by 14′ skyscraper packaging. Photographers featured in the book are:
Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier and David Baily, exhibiting some of the most iconic images of New York alongside chapters written by such literary talents like EB White, Tom Wolfe, Anthony DeCurtis and Ric Burns, among others.
With only 25 available worldwide, it will be tough to get your hands on one. – $4,000
Via: Cool Hunting
Happy Halloween
Swipe Life would like to wish all of you out there a happy and safe Halloween.
AskMen’s Top 49 Men of 2008
Political votes aside, voting for AskMen’s Top 49 Most Influential Men of the Year has now ended. Some of the names you can agree on and some probably not. Overall, we’re proud of the list, especially with names we were unfamiliar with. Of course finding out what and who they are known for makes the list more bearable. Some names worth mentioning: Lil Wayne (48), Heath Ledger (39), Judd Apatow (31), Rafael Nadal (30), LeBron James (20), Tom Ford (12), Robert Downey Jr. (4). We’ll just let you do the rest of the reading. Take a guess at who’s No.1 before completing the list.
