The Architizer blog (via Fast Company) brings us a fascinating exhibit by theater set designer Johanna Mårtensson. To demonstrate the fragility of the man-made world, she constructed a city out of bread and then snapped a photo every day for six months to document the decay (warning: if you haven't eaten breakfast yet you may want to skip the last two photos).
For her efforts, Mårtensson recently won a Platinum A' Design Award. In her submission, she described her inspiration for the project:
"I was inspired by an article about how well the earth would do without us. Within 500 years all buildings would be half-fallen or fallen, perfect homes for animals and plants. The forrest would soon grow in cities. Buildings as well as pollutions would be taken care of by bacterias and micro-organisms. If a UFO came here in a couple of hundred thousand years, they would not see many signs of that gang of primates that once thought they were the lords of the planet."
Check out Mårtensson's decaying city:
Related Stories
| Mar 6, 2012
Joliet Junior College achieves LEED Gold
With construction managed by Gilbane Building Company, Joliet Junior College’s Facility Services Building combines high-performance technologies with sustainable materials to meet aggressive energy efficiency goals.
| Mar 5, 2012
Tishman constructing new courthouse in Philadelphia
Construction is underway for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services’ 510,000-sf facility.
| Mar 5, 2012
Perkins Eastman pegs O’Donnell to lead K-12 practice
O’Donnell will continue the leadership and tradition of creative design established by firm Chairman and CEO Bradford Perkins FAIA, MRAIC, AICP in leading this market sector across the firm’s 13 offices domestically and internationally.
| Mar 5, 2012
Moody+Nolan designs sustainable fire station in Cincinnati
Cincinnati fire station achieves LEED Gold certification.
| Mar 5, 2012
Gilbane Building Co. wins top honors at ASA Houston awards ceremony
Gilbane was also named General Contractor of the Year for the seventh time in 11 years and won the inaugural Safety Program of the Year award.
| Mar 5, 2012
Franklin Institute in Philadelphia selects Skanska to construct new pavilion
The building has been designed by SaylorGregg Architects and will apply for LEED Silver certification.
| Mar 2, 2012
By the Numbers
66 skyscrapers to built in China over six years; 1,000 questions in the Modern Architecture game; 21,000 new jobs.
| Mar 1, 2012
Intelligent construction photography, not just pretty pictures
Our expert tells how to organize construction progress photos so you don’t lose track of all the valuable information they contain.
| Mar 1, 2012
AIA: A clear difference, new developments in load-bearing glass
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.