ArcelorMittal Orbit is Completed

ArcelorMittal Orbit is Completed

It is twice the size of the Eiffel Tower and seventy two feet higher than the Statue of Liberty but has greatly divided opinion among those who appreciate a sublime combination of art and engineering. Yet, love it or loathe it the construction of the ArcelorMittal Orbit was completed last week.

Planned as a habitable sculpture the tower is the architectural landmark of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Its creators hope and believe that it will become another of London’s iconic structures and be climbed by generations of visitors.Work began in February and the top loop of the tower was put in to place last Friday, 28 October 2011. This had followed several days of delay as the winds had been too strong for the four man team to hoist the top ring up and slide it in to place. Its adherents, including London Mayor Boris Johnson hope that its presence in the English capital will thrust architecture in to new areas of adventure. Yet some observers find the spectacle of the tower somewhat disquieting. Its price is rather unsettling even though it had been planned and budgeted for in advance of the ravages of the economic recession which has seen budgets cut for education and health in the UK. Its £22.7m (over $US36m) cost has led its detractors to claim that it will be the most expensive (and only) publicly funded squashed rollercoaster in the UK. Yet it does have to be pointed out that 19.2 million pounds were funded by ArcelorMittal, the international steel and mining company.

Others, however, can’t wait to set foot on its two observation deck and enjoy the promised spectacular panoramic views of London. Designed by London-based and hugely popular artist Anish Kapoor, his design of ruby red looping lattices of tubular steel was the winner of a contest for the major art venture to both welcome and celebrate the forthcoming games. London Mayor Boris Johnson, who is not completely unknown for making hyperbolic statements, said “It would have boggled the minds of the Romans. It would have dwarfed the aspirations of Gustave Eiffel, and it will certainly be worthy of the best show on earth, in the greatest city on earth.” It remains to be seen whether this significant structure strikes a similar chord with the rest of humanity.

 

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House for Sale at $2.4 Million

House for Sale at $2.4 Million

It was as much a star of the blockbusting 1990 hit as child sensation Macaulay Culkin, and now the Chicago house which featured in Home Alone is having another moment in the limelight.
This time the 1920s' mansion on Chicago's North Shore is featured in real estate photographs, as its owners seek to sell it for $2.4 million.
But many will remember the colonial-style building in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka as the home of the McCallisters, and of course, the battlefield where little Kevin took on those bumbling burglers

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White Temple in Thailand

White Temple in Thailand

This temple is located in the province of Chiang Rai, in a place called Amphuar. Temple of a relatively young, its construction began in 1998. Build it one of the most famous and popular artists in Thailand Kositpipat Chalermchay, often referred to as "Thai Salvador Dali."

Mr. Chalermchay invented himself in the temple, as well as its general appearance, and every single statue. Artist builds temple in principle to their own money without attracting sponsors, that nobody could dictate his own terms. For construction, he had already spent several million dollars. Helps him in this interesting and difficult task of his brother Paketlat Chalermchay, which is the chief engineer and manages the process of construction, when Kositpipat is out.

The temple looks like sugar and really amazing at first sight! It is decorated with unusually intricate and ornate sculptures, alabaster surface is covered with pieces of the White Temple mirrors that infinitely shimmer in the sun!

Sculpture consisting of a huge set of teeth and hands reaching out, which is located in front of the stairs leading to the temple, represent hell on to the artist.

Inside the temple there are sculptures and Buddha images, but the most interesting is one of the walls. It shows a picture tells the story of the fight the forces of Light and Darkness. In the picture there are quite unusual characters, such as Neo from "The Matrix" (Keanu Reeves - actor favorite artist), a scene from "Star Wars", all kinds of robots and monsters, and above all this "outrage" Buddha and his disciples. This picture Kositpipat Chalermchay created three years. As explained by a girl-guide are unusual for a temple image, due to the fact that the artist wants to show the eternal truths understandable and close to today's younger generation language, hence such an unusual interpretation.

Around the temple a number of unusual sculptures of alabaster-SLR that capture the imagination of visitors.

Temple is located across from the White Gold, which is proving to be just a public toilet. Here's a look at the artist's extraordinary things!

Such unusual sculptures stand at the entrance-exit from the temple.

Also in the gallery, where you can see other works by the artist and buy some souvenir of the visit of such an unusual place.

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