As seen on the Pearl, Doha...

Path to a man-made island on the Pearl...

Hotel Room Views (Netherlands)...

Eindhoven...

Wolvega...

Oldeberkoop...

Amsterdam...

The Salt Tower...

The Salt Tower
3D printed plaster, clay, salt, paint; base made of CNC milled marble. 

It's estimated that 99% of potable water in Qatar is desalinated sea water, a process that requires 5 litres of oil per each cubic meter of treated water. Most desalination plants are located along the country's west coast, resulting in the adjacent sea being approximately 30% more saline than the country's east coast. 

The design of the Salt Tower was catalyzed by the aforementioned. Placed by Qatar's west coast, the design is surrounded by a salt farm, which provides the raw material - the bricks - that make up the bulk of the Salt Tower's walls. Here, however, the tectonic support is, in a sense, 'reversed', and is actually provided by the gridded 'mortar' that surrounds the hollows that support the salt bricks. Maintaining this wall of salt would require constant upkeep. The salt farm provides the material, human labour would be needed to both fabricate the bricks and to patch the cavities resulting from seasonal rains and general erosion. The tower would act as a constant quantified reminder of the energy and effort required to provide us with one of our most basic needs.

Sketch of the Salt Tower...

More Hotel Rooms Views...

Vienna, Austria...

Siena, Italy...

Kanazawa, Japan...

Terra Cotta Row, Singapore...

A series of terra-cotta roofs snaking off Orchard Road in Singapore...

City Living - the Kottby/ Kapyla Neighborhood in Helsinki...

Kalvon/ Vasikka Saari in the Finnish Archipelago...

A Walk Down Cheonggyecheon River, Seoul...

The Cheonggyecheon river runs through downtown Seoul, forming a delightful urban addition to the city. Opened in 2005, this manmade intervention functions as an 'inverted High-Line', of sorts, forming a benign, tall, glass and steel veneered, chasm between the more exclusive north-side district of offices and shops, from the more domestically scaled cluster of commercial entities on its south-side...

The river is clearly artificial, starting from choreographed waterfall at it's eastern, city, end - flowing, babbling and gurgling, at various speeds, patterns, and exuberance down west towards the Han river, apparently about ten kilometers down the line (I never had a chance to walk that far)...

Whilst its beginning is quite 'architectural' - made up of large blocks of granite, slate, and concrete, it's outlines begin gradually to blur, fade, and restyle themselves into something a bit greener and less controlled, more casual, as one proceeds downstream...

Overall the Cheonggyecheon River is a truly admirable and courageous urban intervention that other cities, each in their own way (its spirit and collegial intentions), should aim to emulate...

Overlooking the start of the Cheonggyecheon River...

Looking back, towards the waterfall from which the river commences...

People relaxing by one of the numerous bridges crossing the river...

The river is flanked by tall buildings on both sides,  amplifying the below-ground-level-feel of the river even further...

It's become a populated route an unwinding spot...

The further down one advances, the greener the river's peripheries become...

The river from a higher viewpoint...

The river at sunset...

Details of and from the Highline - New York...

A few images from a very early morning (jet-lagged) romp along the High-line in New York. Snaking along the various horizontal stratum of the city, this extended park/ route provides a truly novel urban experience and perspective of the adjacent downtown neighborhoods... 

Above and Below: Various types of seating/ lounging options are provided that can be used for public discourse or private contemplation...

Above and Below: A few views from the High-line...

Above and Below: A few views of the High-line from adjacent blocks...