Stuttgart City Library, Germany












Stuttgart City Library, Germany
The new Stuttgart City Library by Yi Architects was on October 21, 2011. After winning a competition for the project in 1999, the new library for Stuttgart in southern Germany has finally been unveiled. Yi Architects have shared with us the drawings and images of the project. The Stuttgart City Library was chosen in Mailänder Platz, an area that is perceived to be a future city center growing out of the location of the library. With this in mind, the architects chose to physically express the importance of this cultural center by giving the building a grand physical presence. The building takes the form of cube with an edge length of 45 meters. It is constructed out of pale grey fair-faced concrete that visually frames an array of 9 x 9 frosted glass bricks. The shell is designed as a double façade that includes the glass brick level and an inner mullion/transom façade as the thermal building shell.
The form and symmetry of entrance of the building was inspired by the “Cenotaph for Newton” by Étienne Boullée, but the heart and core of the library follows the design of the ancient pantheon. Protected by a secondary façade, the cube-shaped room is situated in the middle of the building and is illuminated by a central roof light. In the center is a 1 m² fountain that ties the space as a meditative area. The gallery hall is a five-story space, square-shaped and surrounded by a shell of books. The interior circulation is arranged in a spiral among the reading gallery areas, designed to be flowing promenades flooded with light from the glass roof. The forum, a third central room, is located below the heart. This is an event room which is in proximity to the light-railway line that crosses the first and second basement floors.
This ambitious project has caused a mixed reaction. Construction of the building was carried out three years and a cost of 80 million Euros. On the outer walls of the name "library" is set in four languages. On the north wall in German, on the western English - international communication. South side welcomes visitors in Arabic - the language of ancient knowledge, as well as in honor of the sister city of Stuttgart Cairo. On the east wall architect Yi carved names in the Korean language, putting his signature.
Multimedia City Library in Stuttgart, as the jury's decision, found new ways to develop the skills needed to use digital technologies. So, one of the first in Germany it provided in its halls with Internet access. With praise jury also noted the library information service, its search engines and programs to promote books and reading in both analog mode and the web. In particular, there has been the so-called "Day of network security," in which the theme nights dedicated to the development of new media technologies, evaluation of computer games and other aspects of Internet use. The library equipped with special sound-proofed rooms for individual or group work, as well as the 400 seat and workplaces, where visitors can enjoy the library laptops. In addition, the library offers opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to
9:00 pm, as well as a series of round the clock services. Every year there are more than four thousand different kinds of activities.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















El Angel Ecological Reserve | Ecuador












El Angel Ecological Reserve | Ecuador
El Angel Ecological Reserve is located in the canton Espejo, in Carchi province, north of the mountains of Ecuador. It houses a huge biological and ecological diversity, represented by species of plants and animals. El Angel Ecological Reserve has an area of 15 715 hectares, 585m and 4692m over sea level. It is the birthplace of many rivers that eventually deposit their water in major river basins Watch and The Angel, not in vain are considered the wet moors of Ecuador. The paramo of El Angel is covered by frailejones (Espeletia pychnophyla) giant, is a species endemic to the area, which covers 85% of the area. These plants grow on the trunks of up to 6m in height and form a forest. Their flowers are similar to the sunflowers and their leaves are hairy to protect the plant from cold weather and hard.
The reserve is home to numerous animals including highlights, rainbow trout, the frog marsupial, the jambato, duck dotted, the condor, gli-gli coot, moor Partridge, the curiquingues, the Andean gull, the giant heath, the Quilico, deer, dirty, wild rabbits, the Chucuri, the brocket, the fox, the buzzer and the turtle and other species.
Its temperature ranges between 6 and 12 degrees Celsius. Between June and October Ecological Reserve El Angel is experiencing a period of summer, with the presence of strong winds, intense sun during the day and freezing at night and showers accompanied by high cloud. In the months from November to May is the period of winter rains, cloudy and snowy days with minimum temperatures to 0 degrees Celsius.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Sculpture Athletes | Tim Tadder and Cristian Girotto












Sculpture Athletes | Tim Tadder and Cristian Girotto
Californian-based photographer has created a series of art sculptures in the form of athletes. Titled “Sculpture Athletes” these incredible are statues were created by advertising photographer Tim Tadder with the collaboration of Paris based digital artist Christian Girotto.

Tim writes on his behance account, “After seeing Cristian’s work with fashion skin retouching on behance, Tim reached out with a new concept for the talented artist’s technique. Quite simply Tim had the desire to recreate some of the most classic athlete statues from antiquity and with Cristian’s glass/porcelain skin type overlay he new the series would be strikingly unique.” We are sure you will enjoy and appreciate their stunning classic athlete statues’ work.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Incredible Aerial View of Botswana Wildlife












Incredible Aerial View of Botswana Wildlife
Stunning views of the wildlife, untouched nature of Botswana, bird's-eye view looking stunning. To remove such species from Brooklyn-based photographer Zack Seckler flew an ultralight aircraft, and with a height of less than 150 meters from the ground and captured dramatic episodes of wildlife in the salt marsh and the Makgadikgadi Pan and the Okavango Delta. Flying above the ground on a midget height, and having the ability to precisely maneuver, the man have a wonderful opportunity to create amazing scenic photography, like huge paintings. The effect is pure beauty. You can see the series at Robin Rice Gallery in New York until February 23, 2014.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Terraces and Pools of Pamukkale | Turkey












Terraces and Pools of Pamukkale | Turkey
The marvellous terraces and pools of Pamukkale ("Cotton Castle" in Turkish) located in Denizli Province of south-western Turkey, were created by mineralized water flowing from hot springs. The travertine basins were formed by the carbonate minerals in the flowing water. The pools vary in size and overlook the surrounding green countryside. In 1988 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and according to UNESCO, the supposedly therapeutic virtues of the water were used for health and religious reasons by local cults in ancient times, and the Temple of Apollo was built near a fault zone where vapors arose. Whether a soak in steamy mineral waters has any health benefits or not, the warmth of the water and the relaxation it encourages have made Pamukkale a popular destination for hundreds of years.
This place comes with a lot of ancient ruins as well, called “Hierapolis”. Some of the ruins still lay in the pool where you can swim in. Absolutely a dream for cleopatra. Hierapolis basically was a cure center because of this therapeutic hot springs. Pamukkale is one of the most extraordinary natural wonders in Turkey and perhaps one of the most attractive spot for tourists. Thousands of tourists visit this spot everyday during the summer.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Matthias Haker and Abandoned Buildings












Matthias Haker and Abandoned Buildings
Matthias Hacker lives in Dresden and studying at the Faculty of electronic media . He began photographing in 2008, a talented photographer discovered the world of photography. He is interested in architectural and interior photography as well as people, portrait, fashion and wedding photography. His series of abandoned buildings is fascinating and these empty places seems to be both quiet and full of memories. With one of a series of his works, I want to introduce you , the series of abandoned premises , which is called "Decay".
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Eye Drawings | Drawn by Pencil Colors












Eye Drawings | Drawn by Pencil Colors
Jose Vergara (a.k.a. Redosking) a 19-year-old teenager from Texas is really an impressive and amazing artist. A realistic and detailed picture of the human eye, close-up, which could be expected only from experienced masters. To create drawings, Jose uses only colored pencils, which makes his work even more impressive. He's just a talented nugget, and he is only 19 years old! Ability to convey on canvas the human eye, is considered a confirmation of a high standard. For centuries, people began to see the eyes is extremely important interlocutor - the transmission of information, and also be able to notice them the slightest movement, with the aim of understanding what actually thinking people. This is one reason why some people may start to trust other people, only after between them make eye contact. That is why the eyes are called the mirror of the soul.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















The Rock | The Restaurant of Zanzibar












The Rock | The Restaurant of Zanzibar
In the world there are plenty of chic restaurants that offer visitors a perfect service, luxurious surroundings and the tastiest food. Situated in Zanzibar a little restaurant called "The Rock" is far from luxurious establishments, but, nevertheless, still managed to become famous on the net and get your shred fame. The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar and is worth in the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean near the island of Unguja, Tanzania. It is a small white house made of clay, stone, straw and wood, which is conveniently nestled in a small coastal cliff. Modest little house surrounded by sparse vegetation, which gives a bit of shade and adds a restaurant to its natural charms.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Rua Goncalo de Carvalho, Brazil | The Most Beautiful Avenue in the World












Rua Goncalo de Carvalho, Brazil | The Most Beautiful Avenue in the World
The largest in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has its world-famous landmark in the form of street called Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, which is located in Porto Alegre. This amazing beauty of street has an extension in the length of about 500 meters, and on both sides of it grows a huge amount of Rosewood trees, which are on the crown height of the windows of the seventh floor nearby buildings. According to some older residents, trees were planted in 1930, by employees of German origin, who worked in a brewery district.
These trees reach 18-20 meters in height, the bark is reddish brown, the birthplace of this rosewood became South America. When the trees are blooming, they bloom yellow buds. In 2005, construction of a mall in the area threatened the destruction of the trees. Residents protested, and they were successful in lobbying mayor José Fogaça to declare the area a cultural site that has to be preserved. The trees on Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho create a dense shaded area. From above, it looks as if a forest has filled in between all of the neighboring buildings. Rosewood trees, also known as Tipuana, are native to South America and can grow to be upwards of 100 feet tall. Their extensive root systems can be known to damage streets, sidewalks and nearby homes, but special trenching can prevent this.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















The Yellow Flowers of Rapeseed | Canola fields in China












The Yellow Flowers of Rapeseed | Canola fields in China
Luoping is a small county in eastern Yunnan, China, located about 228 kilometers northeast of Kunming near the border of Yunnan and Guangxi with Guizhou provinces. In early spring, when the yellow flowers of rapeseed (also called canola) are in full bloom, the area takes on the appearance of a "golden sea" - a show that has made Luoping a Mecca for photographers. The sprawling farmland covered in golden yellow rapeseed flowers stretching as far as the eye can see, all the way to the horizon. The best time to visit Luoping for this visual feast is in February and March, by June the show is over.
Apart from photographers, blossoming rapeseed flowers Luoping and refreshing smell of spring attract bees. Luoping is a national base for raising bees and producing honey products. rapeseed flowers are planted to harvest the oil from its seeds after the flowers have wilted after their colorful bloom once. Planted throughout China, but bloom at different times of the year, depending on the temperature of places. Rapeseed farms Luoping are among the largest scale in China.
Spring is also the season of beekeeping and honey processing. Beekeepers have tents based on rapeseed farms in spring to keep bees and harvest their honey - bees feed on the flowers of rapeseed. Hence most of the rapeseed farms are also a hive of bees in the spring and can be a little irritating. These beekeepers move to other locations within Luoping after the season rapeseed with wildflowers as raw material for their bees. most famous place to see the rapeseed flower is Jinjifeng. It is just a few miles outside the city and is easily accessible by bus. The landscape is flat, interrupted by mounds of cerritos, breaking the monotony. The plain allows the gentle breeze moves the flowers in mesmerizing sway.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Aerial Photography by Tom Blachford












Aerial Photography by Tom Blachford
Tom Blachford — The Melbourne-based photographer spends a bunch of his time travelling the world and capturing scenes that look pretty magical. Basically, Blachford can make a row of beach umbrellas look spectacular. Known for his minimalistic style and clean aesthetic with a penchant for architecture and a mirroring app, he recently shot these pictures from an open-door helicopter.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Juliet’s House | The city of Verona












Juliet’s House | The city of Verona
Juliet’s house or Casa di Giulietta is one of the main attractions of Verona with the most famous balcony in the world. Every day crowds of people make their way through the narrow archway into the courtyard to admire and photograph the famous balcony. Couples of all ages swear eternal fidelity here in memory of Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”. And all this even though the two main characters never really existed and William Shakespeare never went to Verona in his lifetime. However, Verona is inextricably linked with the fate of the two lovers. In recognition of this factor and in order to offer the countless couples who come to Verona every year a worthy location, the city of Verona bought today’s house of Juliet from the Dal Capello family in 1905. Due to the similarity of their names they declared the house to be the family residence of the Capuleti family – a new tourist sensation was created!
In the footsteps of Romeo and Juliet — Those who enter the courtyard of Juliet’s house for the first time will be struck by the thousands of small scraps of paper which cover the floor to the ceiling. All who write down their love vows to their partner and stick them on the wall will – according to the popular belief – stay together with their partner for the rest of their lives and will be very happy. Even touching the right breast; of the bronze statue of Juliet in the small courtyard will bring luck to all who are trying to find their true love. Apart from the famous love story, Juliet’s house has other interesting attractions to offer. The house delights with its beautiful Gothic style from the 14th century. In the individual rooms and halls you can find numerous exhibits from the time of Romeo and Juliet which give a good impression of life in ancient Verona.
Italy - Veneto - Verona - Statue of Juliet outside Juliet's House — Tour of Italian lakes region of Italy including Garda, Como, Lugano, Maggiore and Orta. There is some truth behind the legend of Juliet and Romeo's story - the two families, Montecchi and Capuleti in Italian, were involved in a struggle for power in Italy during the period of the Scala lords. The house in Verona known as Juliet's house was owned by the family dell Capello. The house dates from the 13th century and the family coat of arms can still be seen on the wall. A slight problem is the balcony itself, which overlooks the courtyard – it was added in the 20th century.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















The Stunning Magdeburg Water Bridge | Germany












The Stunning Magdeburg Water Bridge | Germany
The Magdeburg Water Bridge or Kanalbrücke Magdeburg is a large navigable aqueduct in central Germany, located near Magdeburg. The largest canal under-bridge in Europe, it spans the river Elbe and directly connects the Mittellandkanal to the west and Elbe-Havel Canal to the east of the river, allowing large commercial ships to pass between the Rhineland and Berlin without having to descend into and then climb out of the Elbe itself. Magdeburg water bridge , whose construction lasted from 1997 to 2003 - one of the most important waterways in Germany. The need for it is long overdue , however, the First, Second , and behind them the Cold War and the division of Germany was not allowed to bring into effect a plan of construction . And only with the unification of Germany two major German channel - Elbe-Havel and Mittelland - were connected water bridge , and hence much simpler way from the inland port of Berlin to the ports on the Rhine.
It stretches for 918 meters Magdeburg water bridge caught the title of the longest bridge in the world of water from the aqueduct French Briard , which he held more than a hundred years. German engineering marvel no less impressive Germans and German guests than their British Aqueduct Pontkisillte or Union Canal in Scotland with its navigable aqueducts , one of which operates the famous Falkirk Wheel .
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Bloody Pond, Chinoike Jigoku | Beppu City, Japan












Bloody Pond, Chinoike Jigoku | Beppu City, Japan
Chinoike Jigoku is an extraordinary pond located near Japanese city of Beppu. The Japanese word Chinoike Jigoku means "Bloody Hell Pond", filled with red water. Pond water color is change according to the weather. In sunny weather, the pond color turned into orange-red, and in cloudy weather its turned into bright scarlet. During a thunderstorm, the landscape becomes a truly mystical: the water in the pond becomes like a real blood. Red reservoir is formed by a large conontent of magnesium and iron oxide in the source. The geysers of underwater cave that spew per night more than 50 thousand cubic meters of water. Water periodically fills the cave, and the magma heats, leading almost to a boil. After that, there is an emission of red water into the lake and it seems that the lake boils. This phenomenon occurs every 40 minutes. Swim in the Bloody Pond is prohibited because the water temperature reaches 90 degrees. Above the surface of the Bloody Pond produces steam, which creates the impression of being in hell.
Green foliage on the banks of the Red Pond and rising steam from boiling red water - a truly incredible sight, forcing the pilgrimage, many thousands of tourists. Beppu City has become popular among tourists since it was laid in 1924. Every year, this place is visited by about 12 million tourists from all over the world. Pond fenced small fence to protect unwary tourists.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















El Caminito del Rey | The Most Dangerous Walkway












El Caminito del Rey | The Most Dangerous Walkway
El Caminito del Rey is often regarded as the most dangerous passage in the world. It is located along the wall of El Chorro Gorge in southern Spain near the village of Alora. The walkway was built to provide workers at the hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls with means to cross between them, to provide for transport of materials, and to facilitate inspection and maintenance of the channel. Construction began in 1901 and was finished in 1905. The track was completed in 1905, but the discovery took place only in 1921, when the Spanish King Alfonso XIII crossed, for the inauguration of the dam Conde del Guadalhorce. Since it is often called "The Way of the King." track has a width of about one meter and rises 100 meters above the river, resting on steel rails and racks with a slope of about 45 degrees. The trail runs between the two waterfalls and Gaytaneho Chorro (Chorro Falls, Gaitanejo Falls).
It is currently in a highly deteriorated state and there are numerous sections where part or all of the concrete top has collapsed. As a result, formed a large open air spaces, which are connected only by narrow beams and residues do not even have handrails. Local government officials permanently closed the entrances to El Camino del Rey after two accidents in 1999 and 2000 resulted in the loss of four lives. Determined tourists don’t seem to be deterred by the closed entrances, though. Climbers from all over the world continue to flock to the area for a glimpse of, or an experience on, the walkway. Curiosity aside, the walkway at El Camino del Rey is still the only shortcut between the two waterfalls and this is one of the main reasons that people continuously attempt to cross the path. In 2006 the local government decided to section off part of the budget so that the walkway could be repaired but as of today the walkway is still in disarray.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















The State Aviation Museum of Ukraine












The State Aviation Museum of Ukraine
The State Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located next to Zhulyany Airport in Kiev, Ukraine. Museums across Ukraine play a vital role in preserving the history and the culture of the country, and one part of its heritage that should not be overlooked, is its magnificent relationship with the aviation industry. Because of the significance of aviation, the State Aviation Museum opened its doors to the public, under directorship of Yuriy Ziatdinov, on 30 September 2003. The museum has welcomed thousands of visitors and is one of the recommended attractions in Kiev today.
The State Aviation Museum is one of the most technically advanced museums in Ukraine, as it does not merely offer fascinating exhibits, but interactive displays. Each division in the museum concentrates on a specific time period within the aviation industry and therefore has a wide variety of aircraft and related memorabilia for visitors to explore. Some of the displays focus solely on historical aircraft such as the MiG Jet collection, the Anatra Anasal (1917-1918) and even helicopters that were used during certain wars.
One airplane that stands out, and is the pride and joy of the Ukraine Air Force, is the Tu-22M. This magnificent strategic missile carrier is part of the Backfire Collection of the museum, and its various models are displayed here, as well as their basic armament that includes cruise missiles and warheads. Helicopters and ship based aircraft that is used by the navy is also on display and the fighter planes and attack aircraft complete the collection. In total, there are more than seventy airplanes on display and the museum covers fifteen hectares to house their extensive collection.
The interactive displays allow visitors to take up passenger or crew positions on the aircraft and even get their hands on the controls of one of these mighty machines. Sitting in the cockpit gives the visitor a realistic experience of being a pilot and gives them the opportunity to let their imaginations take them on the adventure of being a fighter pilot or captain of a commercial airliner. The State Aviation Museum is a magnificent attraction that captures the history of aviation in the USSR and Ukraine.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















The Bungle Bungle Range | Purnululu National Park, Australia












The Bungle Bungle Range | Purnululu National Park, Australia
Purnululu National Park is famous for its mountain range rocks Bungle Bungle range resembling the hives. Over 20 million years, these hills of sandstone forces of nature turned into a surreal maze of orange cones, decorated with black stripes and multi-colored highlights. The name "Purnulu" in the language of the Australian aborigines means "sandstone". Unique rounded rock towers consist of a mixture of sandstone and coarse pebbles and cobbles. Striped mountain of steel due to erosion. The dark bands are more permeable to the algae that bloom on the surface, bright consist mainly of iron and manganese species that are not amenable to external influence and have a bright orange hue. Cones ghat Bungle Bungle-more like alien ships than geological formations. Some unusual shape resembles rocks spine huge prehistoric animal. Surprisingly, for a long time about this natural miracle knew only local Aboriginal tribe cue. Europeans discovered these unusual hives only in the mid-1980s.
Once over a region of flying a plane with a group of directors. After a detailed analysis of the photographs and videos obtained from surveys, unexplored land in the state of Western Australia has become known worldwide. In 1987 there was established the Purnululu National Park in 2003, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the language of the tribe cue "Purnululu" means "sandstone". Bungle Bungle-- as its original name, is a corruption of "bundle-bundle", which means "grass". During the rainy season the Australian Aborigines cue used these unusual rocks as shelters. Not surprisingly, this rugged system consisting of gorges, ravines, cliffs, domes and natural mountain ranges, has evolved into a real gallery of petroglyphs. In addition, here are the burial of the tribe.
Like us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.







Preview...















Blog Archive