pixel.design™ studio

Castillos de Arena en Hormigón

jprocafort — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:24:33 +0000

Desarrollo de los frentes costeros como laboratorio de atracción turística.

El turismo es un fenómeno extensamente palpable en Puerto Rico. Sus implicaciones arquitectónicas, territoriales y culturales han transformado la manera en que se percibe, se vende y se desarrolla la ciudad. El interés de atender y atraer las necesidades de los turistas, ya sean locales o extranjeros han llevado a una apropiación extensa del litoral costero de la isla.

Estos desarrollos cercanos a la zona maritimoterrestre han ocasionado grandes erosiones en las playas donde cada vez es mas latente el hormigón que la naturaleza misma.

¿Es posible [re]pensar nuevas estrategias territoriales para atender las necesidades y el interés turístico en las zonas costeras?

Cotton Head City: [Re]interpreting Space for the Elderly

jprocafort — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:47:47 +0000

under construction.

to see full article, visit http://www.plataformaurbana.cl

Loop City by BIG

jprocafort — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:29:12 +0000

50 Creative Anti-Smoking Ads

jprocafort — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:23:42 +0000

Quitting Smoking is NOT an easy job. Most of you know that smoking is harmful, but that’s not the point. This is not about why someone should stop smoking, because “knowledge” has nothing to do with quitting if a smoker does not want to personally benefit from it. If you are trying to quit smoking and don’t know where to start, take a look at this creatives anti-smoking ads that will definitely get you thinking before you light one up.

Download / View Source

20 Inspirational Typographic Quotes

jprocafort — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:37:46 +0000

Inspiration can be found all around us. It can be perceived in many ways and variations. For many designers, Quotes are a great source for inspiration. It is amazing how a simple sentence can have so much power. Here is a great mix of typographic inspirational quotes to get your day started!

Understanding Brazil Slums

jprocafort — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:05:14 +0000

A favela is a slum, an illegal settlement built on squatted lands. Brazil has one of the worst distributions of wealth in the world and the poor have got to live somewhere. The favela dwellers build their houses out of wood and garbage, then later when they have the money, they upgrade to a home made concrete home.

There are no government schools in the favelas, there’s usually only home made water supply and sewer system and the electric is acquired by gato (a ‘cat’ hook that’s thrown onto the electric supply to siphon power). Those who are born and who die in favelas aren’t recorded – for the Brazilian government, it’s a crime to be poor.

Naturally, the poor in Brazil don’t take their fate lying down and scratch out whatever kind of life they can for themselves. With almost no education or opportunities the career options open to a Brazilians from the favelas are limited to selling on the street, cleaning houses, drug dealing or prostitution.In Rio de Janeiro, however, favelas arose on the hills overlooking the rich neighbourhoods (where else in the world do the poor get the sea views?) and this gave them a distinct advantage; with so much wealth nearby they were in the perfect position to deal drugs on a large scale.

The drug lords rule the favelas and establish a strict regime within. No one may rob or kill anyone else within the favela without facing severe punishment. Degenerative drugs like crack and heroin typically aren’t allowed in though cocaine and marijuana is readily available. The drug lords employ the youths to deal drugs on the street corners – minors can’t be prosecuted in Brazil.

There are two main drug cartels in Rio de Janeiro: commando vermelho and tercero commando. The political origins of these cartels has since become fairly cloudy but they still periodically conduct wars between each other, invading favelas and taking over the cocaine business there.

Most of the warfare in the favelas though takes place against the military police who are always making surprise raids. The MP’s are very corrupt in Rio de Janeiro and have no hesitation in shooting any young black guy they see on the street in the favela – In fact they used to have a shoot to kill policy when they got bonuses for each ‘criminal’ they killed in the line of duty. The year those bonuses were rescinded the death rate fell dramatically.

The military police are also famous for raiding the favelas, robbing the dealers of their cocaine and then ‘selling’ it back to them. The cops in Rio make next to nothing so they see it as a fair way to make a living.

The people in the favelas let off fireworks when the military police are making a raid and you soon learn to distinguish the sound of fire crackers from the gun shots that often follow soon afterwards. Unfortunately for the inhabitants of the favelas, the walls of their houses are often so thin that stray bullets pass easily through the walls.

Yet in some ways the inhabitants of the favelas don’t have it as bad as others who are struggling to make a living in Brazil. As one beer vendor told us:

“In the favela they don’t have to pay rent, they don’t pay electric bills or water. All they have to do is find food.”

Yet it’s miserable for the old as the favelas are often built on slopes and the staircases are daunting for anyone over 60. The hills were deemed unsafe for construction and in fact hundreds of people do frequently die in landslides following heavy rain.

It’s also a precarious place to live as the nature of the drug business entails suspicion and paranoia. A guy selling coconut juice told us about freedom of movement in his favela in Jaripagua:

“I have to take the bus for three hours every day just to come here and sell. But where I live I can’t visit someone in a favela ten minutes away – if someone saw me do it they would take me for a rat. Being an informant is a capital offence where I live – I saw a guy executed in the street last week in the middle of the afternoon.”

Travelers should never attempt to enter favelas unless they have a trusted guide with them. Yes, favelas are full of drugs and guns but they are not safe places to go wandering around. Even if they did let you in to buy marijuana or coke, the police would probably catch you on the way back down.

An exception to this in Rio de Janeiro might be the favela funk parties that have become trendy. Still, you should go with a Brazilian who knows his way around and only take what you’re happy to lose.

to see full article, visit roadjunky.com

26 Amazing Photoshop Manipulations

jprocafort — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:37:46 +0000

We all know that Photoshop is a powerful tool to manipulate images right? Well this is definitely Photoshop taking over nature. Our talented friends at Worth1000 shared this 26 amazing Photoshop manipulations for you to enjoy.

Leportron 6603 | Gavh

Mechano-Squirrel | AlterThis

Cyber W’horse 1K | MatSat

Slither | MarcSTLouis

Robo-Chicken | YearoftheDragon

Cybermantis | Trit

Monkey Bot 2.0 | Dechko

S-D Z632 | Thunderhorse

Battle Snail | Claven

Ferrari Dragonfly | Terrence

Robo-Turtle | Omerican

LadyCybug | Alliex

Armageddillo | Chris

RoboMantis | Jaylee1

Robo Lobster | solipsism

Wireless Doggle | Linglie

Driller Worm | vipez666

Baluga | Eumesmo

The Prototype | Svethead

Peamanmeatinator | Chris

Overkill | Pepey78

Robolizard | Garsaelon

FlaminGr0b0t | Chris

Mechtrout | solipsism

Cyber Cat | Mandrak

Transformation of Modernity by Raquel Franklin,DSc

jprocafort — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:04:01 +0000

“Mexican Modernity” as described byRaquel Franklin, DSc in TRANSFORMATIONS OF MODERNITY: THE MEXICAN CASE

In 1949, the “Multifamiliar Miguel Alemán”, the first housing unit built in Mexico City by architect Mario Pani, introduced the multi-family high-rise building system, standing in a super-block in an arrangement containing housing, commercial, sporting and recreational facilities. The buildings, as in Moisei Ginzburg’s Narkomfin, or Le Corbusier’s Marseilles “Unité de Habitation”, were organized in a two-in-three scheme, where each two apartments occupied three floors. The zigzag organization of four of the six main buildings was inspired by Le Corbusier’s project for the “Ville Contemporaine”, as explained by Louise Noelle:

“Effectively, during his professional training, Pani attended the revolutionary lectures of the Swiss master and got to know from first hand the fundaments of the “Ville Contemporaine” and the “Ville Radieuse” (…). Specially are to be remembered the Corbusian proposal of the buildings “a radent” (zigzag) that come from the visionary plan of the “Ville Contemporaine” done in 1922 where a formal and conceptual similarity can be appreciated”.

The housing complex that best represents modern urbanism is the Unidad Habitacional Nonoalco-Tlaltelolco, also designed by Mario Pani in 1965. Freestanding buildings are arranged in an orthogonal grid, combining public plazas, gardens and commercial and educational facilities. (To download the full document, please visit Raquel Franklin).

Photographs by: Jean Paul Rocafort

Literature vs Traffic: Street Art by Luzinterruptus

jprocafort — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:47:52 +0000

Literature won the battle again against New York traffic during the early hours on the 17th February under Brooklyn Bridge in Water St. in the gentrified Dumbo district which was free of cars then.

Luzinterruptus had to change their original project in which they wanted to set up 2,000 books in a main avenue in Manhattan. But it was not possible as they didn´t find help with the licences and funding. In the end with 800 books and their corresponding lights they achieved a fabulous installation the way they like them to be – self-managed and aided by friends.

The wonderful pictures were taken by Gustavo Sanabria who we could not do without in snowy New York.

We have to say that our installation Literature versus traffic was possible thanks to Jorge Martín Vila who supplied us with all the material, found the right site and who let us stay in his house during the setting up, which lasted two days.

We don´t want to forget either Alan, who got us the books and the place for handling them. Thanks also to Kara and Alex who helped us all the time with their knowledge of the city and the transport system. We also would like to thank Craig Dykers who gave us all the moral and physical support on that cool night and provided us with drinks for withstanding such freezing weather.

We hope this first battle will be one of many which will be won against traffic: “Luzinterruptus“

Amazing High Speed Photography

jprocafort — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:44:11 +0000

Just like our pixel.design™ theme, High Speed Still Photography is a work of art, So many wonderful things take place behind “behind the scenes” and in the blink of an eye which is too fast for human eye to observe. The only thing we get to see is the after-effects of that event. High Speed Photography is a technique of capturing images at an amazingly fast shutter speed, it allows us to appreciate photo compositions from a different perspective. I know you’ll be amazed at what a high shutter speed can do to freeze a moment. Today, will introduce 30 amazing new photographs I found on a graphic design blog that reveal what the can’t see.