The design of the bridge looks deceptively simple. It’s made of metal, with a solid surface to step on and chain link mesh on either side for safety. But figuring out exactly how to support it took some experimentation. “It was a long-distance run with occasional sprints from initial design, through design to completion of construction,” say the architects. “Professionalism, precision, and hard work [are at] the top of the list. How else to describe the more than 100 bridge variants, the countless structural analyses and calculations, the demanding coordination of design, production, logistics, and finally the construction itself.”

To access the bridge, visitors either take the ski resort’s chairlift to the entrance, or they can walk or bike all the way up the nearly 2.5-mile-long trail. Though it takes longer to cross, the experience of braving the Sky Bridge 721 is at least slightly less scary than that of China’s Hongyagu Scenic Area, which spans 1,601 feet and features a walkway made of glass panels. China has at least 60 such glass bridges, in fact (some of which have been known to crack on occasion).

Sky Bridge 721 overthrew the previous record-holder for the official title of “World’s Longest Suspension Bridge,” the 516 Arouca Bridge in Portugal. The runners-up include the Kokonoe Yume Bridge in Japan (1,280 feet) and the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Switzerland (1,621 feet).

Sky Bridge 721 adds yet another reason to visit the Dolní Morava resort, whether you’re actually staying there or not. Previously, the area’s biggest draw was the Sky Walk Dolní Morava, a unique wooden structure spiraling from ground level to a height of 180 feet. Pedestrians climb the Sky Walk for beautiful views of the mountains as well as the valley of the River Morava. In the summertime, everything is lush and green. In winter, it’s shrouded in white, and most visitors also take advantage of spectacular skiing, bobsledding, and other snow-oriented activities.

The Sky Bridge and Sky Walk are also part of the “Bridge of Time,” an educational trail and game created as a collaboration between LESY ČR (Forests of the Czech Republic), the municipality of Dolní Morava, and the Museum of Czechoslovak Fortifications from 1935 to 1938. The Bridge of Time includes augmented reality elements and 10 educational panels, engaging visitors with both history and topics of environmental protection.

“An integral part of the game is the light fortification object at the beginning of the game (the so-called digger, “řopík”), from which you continue along a 2-kilometer-long marked route with educational panels,” the architects explain. “In order to complete the game, it is necessary to own a now-common smartphone and have access to the internet. Educational panels with tasks are arranged thematically and in time so that after nearly an hour’s easy walk along the marked trails, each visitor is brought back to the present. That is, to the starting point at the Slaměnka Hut.”

The post Sky Bridge 721: The Czech Republic is Now Home to the World’s Longest Suspension Bridge first appeared on Dornob.

Recently UC Santa Barbara engineers and Disney researchers have created a device which fluidly mimics even the best jumpers in the natural world—a robotic device capable of leaping its way up to 32.9 meters (107.9 feet) in the air.

The distance, which is approximately three times higher than the current jumping record for a robot, is undoubtedly impressive. After all, even nature’s highest jumpers have their limits; certain tree frogs can sometimes leap up to ten times their own height, while the Guinness World Record holding froghopper insect has been known to jump 70 centimeters (28 inches), in the air, accelerating with a mind-bending 13,000 feet per second. However, unlike their wildlife counterparts, robot devices do not have to worry about biological characteristics that limit how far and how often they can jump: pesky limiters like muscle power and stamina do not come into play when dealing with man-made robotic devices.

Last month, the team responsible for this breakthrough bouncer discussed their project in the scientific journal Nature, explaining their inspiration for creating the high-flying hurdler, which was designed with biological jumpers in mind: “…for decades engineers have designed jumping machines that often mimicked or took inspiration from biological jumpers…[however] general analyses are missing that compare [both sets of jumpers] across scale.” Essentially, despite advances in robotic jumpers, scientists have not been able to adequately compare natural jumpers with their manmade counterparts—at least in a meaningful way that allows them to improve upon (and perhaps expand) their natural design.

Until now.

Unlike nature’s skippers, non-biological devices can multiply their jumping prowess with add-ons like ratcheting and rotating mechanisms and other artificial means to store up energy between jumps—an insight which has propelled (pun intended) the team to create their new and improved record-breaker.

The device is comprised of two intersecting carbon fiber legs that are inherently flexible—imagine two very thin wheels overlapping each other, connected by a central ‘spoke’ made of polyethylene that’s reeled in by a small motor. Once released, the built-up energy of the formerly compressed legs causes the robot to rocket an astounding 30 meters in the air.

For their part, the team says “[their] work advances the understanding of jumping and shows a new level of performance” that can be achieved when comparing the essential differences that exist between biological and non-biological jumpers. Additionally, they hint at the possibilities for practical applications, too—such as using the robot for transportation in space.

An engineered robotic device able to jump over 30 meters in the air could potentially quadruple its jumping capabilities on the moon’s surface; launching it into the stratosphere and unlocking unlimited potential for these robots to bridge the gap between earth and its lunar neighbor—a prospect made entirely possible by the humble tree frog and its natural jumping counterparts.

The post At a Height of Over 30 Meters, This Robot Outjumps Nature’s Most Impressive Leapers first appeared on Dornob.

Located at 111 West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, the skinny spectacle is almost like a shiny finger pointing to the heart of the verdantly green Central Park. And its location on Billionaires’ Row is certainly appropriate — the reflective exterior fits right in with nearby statuesque structures like Central Park Tower. Home to some of the most expensive residences in the world, many of these buildings are also some of the tallest in the world, and SHoP Architects’ lanky newcomer is no exception, being the second tallest in the Western Hemisphere.

Also known as the Steinway Building, the extravagant edifice is itself a residential space that’s ready to welcome prospective tenants to a real-life “Jack in the Beanstalk” living experience. But despite its alarming height, the Steinway Tower won’t be blowing over any time soon. According to SHoP, it was built using the strongest concrete in the world.

The tower accommodates one residence per floor and includes such luxe amenities as an 82-foot swimming pool, a private dining room, and a double-height fitness center with its own terrace. Grandiose and glamorous, the interiors were designed by Studio Sofield and pair perfectly with the stunning park views visible through the building’s many north-facing windows.

A project almost 10 years in the making, the skyscraper’s construction stalled in 2017 due to budgetary problems, and it was unknown whether it would ever be completed. Fast forward to April 2022, and the adding of the final exterior touches finalized its completion. Today, the slender spire has truly earned its name as it takes its place among some of the most luxurious structures on the planet.

Also responsible for The Brooklyn Tower, SHoP Architects have really outdone themselves with the super skinny Steinway Building. Impressively tapered and immaculately mirrored, the tower majestically stretches its pencil-thin way to new heights in the NYC skyline.

The post 10 Years Later, the World’s Skinniest Skyscraper is Finally Complete first appeared on Dornob.

The 105,000-square-foot property overlooking the Los Angeles area has a starting bid of $295 million, a price tag that would far surpass the current record of $238 million paid by billionaire hedge fund baron Ken Griffin for his New York penthouse in 2019.

Built over the past 10 years by developer Nile Niami and his company Crestlloyd, The One turned out to be more than he could handle, as he ended up losing the property to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2021 after incurring more than $180 million in debt.

His loss means a gain for the next space-hungry billionaire, especially as the Bel Air property has previously been valued up to $500 million. The scale is hard to fathom. The 5,500-square-foot master bedroom alone is larger than the majority of Americans’ entire houses. The rest of the mansion encompasses 20 more bedrooms, 42 full bathrooms, and seven half baths. And with many of the rooms featuring towering 26-foot ceilings, the house really lives up to its grandiose name.

“The One earns its moniker because a home of this size and magnitude simply can never be built again due to anti-mansion-ization laws that were passed in Los Angeles during The One’s construction,” says one of the co-listing agents Branden Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates. “To have 3.8 acres at the top of Bel Air with unobstructed 360-degree views from every single room is unparalleled.”

As would be expected in a home twice the size of the White House, The One includes every imaginable amenity, making it more like a private resort than a home. There are five indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a channel of water bordering three sides of the home. The exterior also features a 10,000-square-foot deck, a golf putting green course, and a 400-foot outdoor running track.

Inside, some of the space is devoted to a wellness center with an obligatory juice bar, a games rooms, a four-lane bowling alley, a 40-seat movie theater, a full-size hair salon and spa, 10 indoor and outdoor bars, and even a massive nightclub. The property also boasts a tennis court, a 10,000-bottle wine cellar, and a 30-car garage with two car-display turntables. It also includes an events space/charity pavilion, perfect for hosting the “world’s top philanthropists for charity events without ever leaving [the] estate,” according to Williams.

“Comfort is an invaluable resource, so purchasing a property with virtually every amenity available is impossible to quantify since it has never been done before,” says co-listing agent Aaron Kirman of Compass. “Supply and demand helps determine something’s value and this is one of one. The supply couldn’t be more limited.”

Calling the super high-end estate “the first & last of its kind,” Kirman says he expects the bidding to get competitive.

Hosted by Concierge Auctions, The One is up for sale without reserve from February 28th to March 3rd. Serious buyers are required to wire $250,000 and show proof of funds to qualify for bidding. More information and pictures are available on the Compass listing site.

The post America’s Most Expensive Home Goes to Auction for $295 Million first appeared on Dornob.

Deep Dive Dubai is the latest attraction added to this stunning city’s repertoire of awe-inspiring architecture. More than just a diving pool, it includes a vast, underwater city that just begs to be explored.

The previous title for deepest diving pool was held by Poland’s Deepspot, itself a staggering 45 meters deep (that’s over 150 feet!). But leave it to Dubai to take their Deep Dive spot to the next level. Measuring in at 196-feet deep, it’s so much more than a dive pool.

Currently only open by invitation only, the pool will officially open to the public in late 2021. One of the earliest divers to check out the pool was the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, himself an experienced diver who was keen to share his experience on social media as one of the site’s first visitors.

The pool itself is located inside a large, oyster-shaped structure that nods to the UAE’s prominent pearl diving culture. But while this outer structure is impressive in its own right, it’s just the icing on the cake. What really makes this diving pool so unique is its accompanying underwater city. fashioned to resemble an abandoned civilization with varying atmospheres enhanced by sophisticated lighting and sound systems. Divers can even play underwater pool in the city’s arcade.

Though its the pool’s depth that garnered it the “Deepest swimming pool for diving” title from Guinness World Records, its fabulous underwater city, onsite underwater film studio, and sheer size (the volume of six Olympic-sized swimming pools) make it so much more than your run-of-the-mill diving pool. “It’s…the deepest and largest, but the sunken city effect makes it next world order. There are so many things it’s really not fair to call it a pool,” Deep Dive Dubai director Jarrod Jablonski told CNN in July.

Divers can explore the underwater city on their own after a tour with one of the site’s skilled guides, and Deep Dive also offers courses for both beginners and seasoned divers, all with the aim of keeping the experience as safe as possible. Those who don’t want to go deep will enjoy the on-site restaurant, which allows landlubbers to watch the action via large windows and TV screens.

The Stats

• Contains 14 million liters of fresh water
• Temperature maintained at 86 degrees Fahrenheit
• Contains 56 cameras for safety, and a world-class hyperbaric chamber in case of emergencies
• Has an underwater film studio that is the largest in the region

Dubai has done it again, creating yet another architectural marvel that’s sure to attract and enrapture visitors. Deep Dive Dubai is so much more than a diving pool; it’s a chance for adventurers to explore a hidden underwater city akin to Atlantis — not lost, but brought to life in the depths of the city’s latest stunning attraction.

The post The World’s Deepest Pool in Dubai is Just One Part of a Gigantic Underwater City first appeared on Dornob.

Regina Valkenborgh fastened that beer can to a telescope at the University of Hertfordshire’s Bayfordbury Observatory back when she was an MFA student, and for the better part of a decade, it was forgotten. Then, in September 2020, principal technical officer David Campbell just happened to spot it and had it developed. The resulting image is thought to be the longest-exposure photograph ever taken. On the left side, you can make out the dome of the observatory’s oldest telescope.

“It was a stroke of luck that the picture was left untouched, to be saved by David after all these years,” says Valkenborgh in a statement by the university. “I had tried this technique a couple of times at the Observatory before, but the photographs were often ruined by moisture and the photographic paper curled up. I hadn’t intended to capture an exposure for this length of time and to my surprise, it had survived. It could be one of, if not the, longest exposures in existence.”

Valkenborgh’s beer can is an example of a handmade pinhole camera, a simple camera that uses a tiny aperture instead of a lens within a light-proof enclosure. They use the principle of “camera obscura,” with light from the scene projected upside-down onto the opposite side of the container. It’s one of the earliest types of cameras ever made, with early descriptions found in Chinese Mozi writings from about 500 BCE.

Early on, it was used to safely watch solar eclipses and as a drawing aid, projecting imagery onto paper so it could be traced. Pinhole cameras have nearly infinite depth of field, allowing everything to appear in focus without producing lens distortion. Because they usually involve long exposures, there’s often motion blur around moving objects. This particular type of pinhole photography, used to capture the movement of the sun over a long period of time, is called solargraphy.

A beer can may seem like a strange stand-in for a camera, but it’s hardly the weirdest ever used. People have previously turned turtle shells, human skulls, loaves of bread, pumpkins, and dumpsters into pinhole cameras. One modern master of pinhole photography, Justin Quinnell, is even known to have taken photographs inside his own mouth. And if you love the idea of using a can as a novelty camera and have a mind to stick them all over the place to capture strange and wondrous images like Valkenbourgh’s, you can buy a five-pack of “Solarcans” from B&H Photo and Video supply.

Want to build your own? You can download cool antique-looking kits of parts to print and assemble, like the Videre by Kelly Angood, or follow this simple tutorial from Instructables. Ready-made pinhole cameras include the ONDU III, available for about $160 USD.

The post The World’s Longest-Exposure Photograph Was Taken with a Beer Can first appeared on Dornob.

Voxan Wattman was initially aiming to try to set a new land speed record in July 2020, but as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their attempt was delayed. For now, the event has been tentatively postponed until 2021. Regardless of the delays, Max Biaggi, who’s been the motorcycle racing world champion a whopping six times now, is still set to be the one who rides the new electric motorcycle at the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia. The team’s goal is to reach a top speed of 205 miles per hour and break the earlier record of 203.1 mph, set in 2019 on the Motibec electric motorcycle by Japanese rider Ryuji Tsuruta.

While the attempt may been delayed, the company was too excited to keep from showing off their new bike and detailing the things that make it unique. For starters, the motorcycle’s front suspension has a double wishbone design instead of the traditional front fork. There’s also no parachute or front break to slow it down or stop it. Instead, it’s brought to a halt with a rear brake that slowly brings the bike to a full stop. Aerodynamics are improved and instability is reduced by using a this kind of brake, whereas a front brake increases the chance of crashing when engaged at exceptionally high speeds.

The Voxan Wattman has a 15.9kWh battery nearly identical to those in competing electric motorcycles, such as the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, which itself uses a 15.5kWh battery. The major distinction is that the Voxan Wattman’s battery is configured to unload most of its power in only a few minutes. By contrast, the majority of electric street bikes can be operated for a few hours on each trip. On top of that, the Voxan Wattman battery pack’s weight of 309 pounds is nearly half of the whole bike’s 661-pound weight.

The Dry Ice Factor

Needless to say, generating such a tremendous amount of power in a matter of minutes generates an unimaginable amount of intense heat. Since a conventional radiator would adversely affect the bike’s aerodynamic performance, the e-moto’s design team decided on a highly original approach to cooling with dry ice. More specifically, the frozen CO2 is seized in a reservoir inside the frame and assists in attracting the heat away from the motor and batteries.

Other Records to Consider

“Official World Record” sounds very lofty and finite, but Richard Hatfield, CEO of Lightning Motorcycles, is quick to point out the stats on his company’s renowned Lightning Motorcycles LS-218. In 2013, the LS-218 hit a top speed of 218 miles per heour at the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting the FIM and AMA records. He even produced the proof in the form of the time slip from the team’s 2011 Bonneville run, as well as a variety of other awards for attaining speeds higher than either the Voxan Wattman or Motibec.

The post Voxan Wattman: The Dry Ice-Cooled Electric Motorcycle Racing Toward a World Record first appeared on Dornob.

In fact, the Factory of Terror has earned that title on three separate occasions — and when they say it’s long, they mean you’ll be passing through over a mile of horrors stretched out among five full-length attractions: “1300 Lost Souls,” “Industrial Nightmare,” “Backwoods Hollow,” “Massacre on Mahoning,” and “The House of Nightmares.”

That’s an amazing 3,318 feet of hallways, mazes, darkened chambers, and creepy rooms full of ghosts, ghouls, zombies, psycho killers, and creatures worthy of their own horror movies. The factory was first built in 2002, but its owners, brothers John, Rich Jr, and Matt Eslich, have expanded it several times since then. Every year, they add a few more feet to keep a firm grip on the record, which had to be verified with the help of a nonstop single-take video, a professional surveyor, local fire department officials, a photographer, a reporter, and even a notary to corroborate all of the witnesses’ accounts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0zJcnFYGj0

Even those of us located too far away to experience this attraction in person can get thoroughly spooked watching the series of videos that show off what guests have in store when they enter. Too scared to walk through the house when the lights are off? Factory of Terror lets private parties book a “Lights ON Tour” to check out all the facility’s incredible props, sets, and details without the scares. You can also get a look at some of it in a series of behind-the-scenes videos available on the official YouTube channel.

“Halfway through the heart-pounding tour, patrons can take a breather and enjoy concessions with their friends at the ‘Monster Midway.’ Here, guests can also have some fun with the plethora of photo-ops. Over the years, this once quick pass-through area has emerged into a fun-filled gathering place full of activities. It also allows timid patrons time to calm down, regroup, and gather their courage to continue on.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsjZdf0mX_0

“Not only do these five attractions have some of the most highly detailed and elaborate sets in the haunt industry, [but] they are [also] paired with an incredibly talented team of scare-actors and specialty performers. The Factory of Terror employs over 130 actors and staff, in addition to more than 500 of the industry’s scariest monsters and high tech animatronics. The Factory of Terror has committed itself to keeping up with current product developments in the industry as well as the trends of the culture, both of which are reflected in the guests’ experience.”

The attraction is only up for 18 days every year, yet it draws more than 20,000 people from Ohio and surrounding states. Its closest competitor, the Cutting Edge Haunted House, is all the way in Texas. The facility is kept intact year after year, but that doesn’t mean it’s closed down altogether in the off-season. There are separate dedicated spaces for an axe throwing facility, escape games, and an events center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzzduYSlWJg

If you’re still looking for a scare once Halloween is over and Christmas decor has taken over the shelves of your local stores, have no fear: the Factory of Terror has a little something special planned for the holiday season, too. In 2017, the factory brought the mythical tale of Krampus to life, and the horned half-goat half-demon from Central European folklore brought evil elves, abominable snowmen, and other ghastly creatures along with him. Kids who have been good all year might receive gifts from Santa Claus, but according to the legend, Krampus comes to punish those who have misbehaved…

The post Factory of Terror: Inside the World’s Largest Indoor Haunted House first appeared on Dornob.

Though the structure will have to rely on some steel, 90 percent of its material palette will be wooden. To make such a feat possible, the architects are planning to use a braced tube structure, in which steel braces will be inserted diagonally into a network of columns and beams. These braces will give the building structural integrity and help it withstand natural forces like strong winds and earthquakes.

While multiple companies seem to be planning their own timber high-rises at the moment, Sumitomo’s goal is far from simple or common. For comparison, the tallest wooden tower in the world today, Vancouver’s Brock Commons, stands at just 53 meters tall. W350 Sumitomo plans to beat that height by almost 300 meters. On top of that, it’ll take up an estimated 185,000 cubic meters of space and cost a whopping ¥600 billion (approximately $5.65 billion) to produce. The building will house stores, offices, hotels, and private residences. Renderings show plentiful patios and a design that highlights the structure’s natural simplicity.

Of course, this skyscraper is not only being built to commemorate a corporate anniversary — it also hopes to change the way society views buildings in a time of environmental turmoil. Sumitomo’s mission is stated clearly in its proposal for the project: “Changing Cities into Forests: Creating Environmentally-Friendly and Timber-Utilizing Cities.” By relying mainly on wood for the construction, it almost feels like the designers are repurposing trees instead of destroying them. Just like these trees once provided food and shelter for woodland critters, they will now provide shelter for human beings in the form of this edifice. When all is said and done, the company hopes to “form a network that is linked to the biosphere of living creatures such as wild birds and insects, contributing to the biodiversity of cities.”

Critics of the company may pose a seemingly obvious argument: “how can cutting down the world’s forests help save the environment?” The answer, simply put, is that Sumitomo Forestry offers a wide scope of services. While it does supply timber, building materials, and housing, it also protects the environment by managing Japan’s reforestation efforts abroad.

Surprisingly enough, changing the way timber is currently used in buildings can also help with reforestation. Forests make up just over two-thirds of all of Japan’s land, and they’re still growing. Unfortunately, this excess of greenery is not being properly maintained. Trees planted specifically for harvest, for instance, are no longer being collected or protected. In order to keep the forests healthy and the soil nutrient-rich, such trees must be cut down and replaced with seedlings. Thanks to projects like this one, the country’s timber output can finally catch up with the forest’s growth growth rate. This means that the local carbon dioxide absorption levels will aslo become more stable. If all goes according to plan, W350 Sumitomo will help reconnect city dwellers with their natural surroundings.

The post Sumitomo Forestry Unveils Plans for World’s Tallest Wooden Skyscraper first appeared on Dornob.

The Astounding Specs

Gently swaying over a stunning canyon in China’s Hongyagu Scenic Area (which itself is located in the country’s Hebei province), the 70-ton bridge spans 1,601 feet — well over the length of five professional football fields. The walkway is made out of 1,077 1.5-inch thick glass panels and runs between two mountain peaks inside the park. In total, the bridge is 715 feet off the ground, which roughly translates to the height of a conventional 66-story building. Not as scary as the 102-story Empire State Building that King Kong scaled, but definitely tall enough to trigger a fit of vertigo.

Upping the Ante

The Hebei Bailu Group, the company that spent three years building the bridge, hopes that the structure’s swaying motions will serve to further delight visitors as they take in the incredible scenery on their way across the walkway. Yang Minghua, the chairman of the group, proudly announced, “Hongyagu glass suspension bridge marks the 2.0 era for China’s glass-bottomed bridge.”

Bragging Rights

The Hongyagu Glass Bridge has easily bested the 1410-foot length of the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, another Chinese wonder that previously held the distinction of longest glass-bottomed suspension bridge in the world. Of course, the Zhangjiajie bridge still boasts the highest span in that category with a vertical drop of 984 feet.

Chilling Moments in Transparency

Although China’s glass bridge and walkway projects have terrorized a few visitors, most of them remain undaunted.

In 2015, a group of Chinese tourists screamed in horror on the side of a 3,540-foot-high cliff in Henan after a glass panel on a freshly-built transparent walkway suddenly shattered. In the same year, a tourist in China was petrified while walking across the glass-floored Yuntain Mountain Walkway when the glass pane below his feet began to splinter. The bridge temporarily closed for repairs immediately after the incident.

Later, in 2017, a tour guide heroically led his group down the East Taiheng Glasswalk in Hubeiin only to have the glass tiles under his feet begin to creak and crack, a terrifying moment caught on video by China’s CGTN. Luckily, the incident was nothing more than a “special feature” built into the glass by the designers to shock visitors. Sensors on the walkway detected pedestrian activity nearby and triggered visual/sound effects accordingly. Unfortunately, many people (including the tour guide himself) failed to see the humor of the prank.

Windows to the Future

Eventually, the Hongyagu Glass Bridge will also offer the world’s highest bungee jump — something that’s expected to draw in daredevils from all over the world. Also on the horizon are fashion shows, which will see models strolling down the transparent walkways and showcase the 66-story drop beneath their feet.

The post Through the Looking Glass: China Unveils the World’s Largest Glass Bridge first appeared on Dornob.

Measuring 47-and-a-half feet long, 16-and-a-half feet high, and 13 feet wide, this king of the concrete jungle has gone on to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records, officially making it the world’s largest redwood sculpture.

Conceived of by Chinese architect Dengding Rui Yao, Oriental Lion honors the imperial Chinese tradition of depicting guardian lions, or “shi,” in sculpture. The concept of guardian lions, also known as “Imperial Guardian Lions,” stems from Chinese Buddhism. During China’s dynastic period, shi traditionally stood in front of palaces, tombs, and the homes of wealthy government officials. Today, some fine examples can still be seen protecting the entrance to Beijing’s Forbidden City. Guardian lions date back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and are still used as powerful symbolic and decorative elements.

Nowadays, stylized guardian lions can be found outside restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels — in China and also in Chinatowns around the world. While these protectors are usually depicted in pairs to represent the “yin (female) and yang (male)” duality of life, it seems unlikely that the Oriental Lion will be receiving a companion sculpture any time soon. Its sheer size would surely be too daunting to recreate. The lion’s sides are rough-hewn like the bark from which it was made, while its back and roaring head have been smoothed out to create a sleekness of form.

Though Oriental Lion is the largest-ever sculpture created from a redwood tree, the longest continuous wooden sculpture was completed a couple of years earlier. Interestingly enough, it was also carved in China. Created over a period of four years by Chinese artist and renowned woodcarver Zheng Chunhui, it was unveiled in Fujian in November 2013. Measuring just over 40 feet long, the sculpture recreates “Along The River During the Qingming Festival,” a famous painting by the Song Dynasty artist Zhang Zeduan.

Depicting the everyday lives of Chinese people from 900 years ago, the original artwork was painted on a scroll that was designed to be opened up by hand and looked at by unrolling it from right to left. Over the years, “Along the River” has been reproduced many times. In keeping with the style of the original work, most of these replicas were painted on parchment or paper. The painting is so famous in China that it is referred to as the country’s “Mona Lisa.” Chunhui’s massive wooden take on it features 550 people herding animals, carrying cargo, and shopping at street markets.

It exceeds the Oriental Lion in length, but because it is made up of several tiny scenes, Chunhui’s recreation of  “Along the River” is arguably the less impressive piece in terms of size. After all, nothing beats the sheer breathtaking nature of the lion’s scale and physical presence.

The post World’s Largest Redwood Sculpture Carved From Tree Trunk in China first appeared on Dornob.

Taking the new title for the world’s largest free-standing house of playing cards, this delicate new art structure took nearly a quarter-million cards to make – and 44 straight days to complete. 4,200+ standard card decks put to very non-standard building purposes.

American architect Bryan Berg was commissioned to create this unique house of cards by a luxury hotel on the other side of the world from Las Vegas – the Chinese-controlled Venetian Macau, part of the booming new gambling center of Asia.

Modeled to look like the hotel in which it is on display, the playing card structure measures thirty plus feet wide by ten feet tall and has not a drop of glue nor piece of tape to hold it together (better hold your breath!).

Want to make your own? Unless you too are gunning for a Guinness World Record, you might want to play it safe and use some hidden supports to keep your art from blowing away.

Via The Daily Mail:

“Since Macau’s casino sector liberalized in 2002, a spate of Las Vegas style gaming giants have transformed the once sleepy former Portuguese colony into the world’s biggest gaming hub. Weighing 44 stone and measuring 33 feet by just under 10 feet, the model which consisted of cards stacked without glue or tape, nearly collapsed several times. “

“This has been the most ambitious project I have undertaken to date,’ Berg said. ‘It’s really like a real construction project because you have to engineer every single adjacency and every support that’s supporting everything above,’ he added. ‘I was inspired to stack cards by my card-playing grandfather; maybe I can inspire some visitors at The Venetian Macao to try their hand at building their own structures. There couldn’t be a more fitting place to build the world’s largest house of cards than at the world’s largest resort hotel.”

The post Tallest House of 218,792 Playing Cards first appeared on Dornob.