Treehouses in Paradise: Fantasy Designs for the 21st-Century

Book Description

In September 2000, urban designer and self-proclaimed anti-architect David Greenberg launched an international competition to solicit innovative, ecological treehouse designs for implementation as hotels at far-flung resorts in Hawaii, China, Vietnam, and Fiji. Nearly 500 architects responded. This book compiles the top 99 designs, chosen by an esteemed panel of judges. One look at the fantastic structures presented here makes it clear this isn't Swiss Family Robinson territory: These treehouses are pure flights of fancy, many of which would look right at home in a science fiction film, but many of which are also ecological and use indigenous materials. Floor plans, computer-generated renderings, elevation plans, and scale models appear with the wildly creative designs, along with descriptive essays by the architects, bringing these high-tech, low-cost structures to life, and giving readers a look into an environmentally-friendly architectural future that is all too present.

Customer Reviews:

Fun ideas.......2006-08-20

This book contains the submitions for a competition to design tree houses in a tropical climate. The best way to think of the designs is that they represent minimal shelter in a benign climate. There is a plethora of forms, mostly "experimental", some very imaginative and delightful. For the most part, the designs are not finished, in that they would need considerably more details of their construction to determine how practical they would be. That detail may exist, but it is not provided in the book, and there is no place to try to reference them. If these structures were built, they do not need to be attached to palm trees, but rather suspended by posts or anchored to walls. Think of the Dymaxion house as an example.

Ignore the frothy accomnpanying text - it is full of hyperbole and general BS. Just examine the structural forms and think how they may be created. Despite the title, many of the structures would work quite well as summer structures in the US, although I shudder at the thought of getting permits if needed.

Overall, this is a reasonably good book of ideas to stimulate the imagination. Now where are my tools...

Proof that art majors are not engineers.......2006-04-27

This book is a coffee table book for Disney fans. While the creations are artistic they are not sound by any strech of the imagination. If you are looking for information that you can use look elsewhere. If you are looking for pretty pictures that defy logic and and engineering this is the book for you.

Book Description

Flora Photographica is a bouquet, a striking and extravagantly designed album of images that celebrate the beauty and pathos of flowers in all their forms. In these pages flowers speak to us with a greater intensity and more subtle modulation than in nature itself. For each bloom shown here has been observed with an acuity of vision that only the most sensitive of photographers can bring to bear.

What we see is both reality and revelation. The artist's eye decodes the flower's message and sharpens its beauty. Here are Mapplethorpe's tulips, half-metal, half-living creatures; Steichen's delphiniums, preserved in an everlasting summery perfection of blues and pinks; Atget's open-air profusion of poppies; Cunningham's magnolia, richly fertile and lush; Man Ray's surreal yet pure calla lily; Chris Enos's dying poinsettia, its colors curdling in decay.

Roses and irises, zinnias and eglantines, orchids and camellias—all submit to the photographer's gaze, in opulent still-lifes, in spare renderings of a single sprig, in elegant anatomies, and as emblems of personality in portraiture and nude studies. These are masterpieces of photographic art in an astonishing range of media, from photography's beginnings up to the present day. Full details of the techniques and processes used are elucidated in the commentaries and introduction. But, above all, here are flowers as we have never seen them before, an unparalleled display to marvel at, contemplate, and enjoy. 215 photographs, 56 in color.

Some of the photographers included are: Ansel Adams &149; Eugene Atget &149; Hippolyte Bayard &149; Cecil Beaton &149; Julia Margaret Cameron &149; William Henry Fox Talbot &149; Lee Friedlander &149; Yasuhiro Ishimoto &149; André Kertész &149; Robert Mapplethorpe &149; Sheila Metzner &149; Joel Meyerowitz &149; Duane Michals &149; Paul Outerbridge &149; George Platt Lynes &149; Lucas Samaras &149; Edwin Smith &149; Edward Steichen &149; Josef Sudek

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Flora Photographica Masterpieces of Flower Photography: 1835 to the Present
Ewing William A.
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SZAF5W

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Flora Photographica: Masterpieces of Flower Photography : 1835 to the Present
William A. Ewing
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 067174447X

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Flora Photographica: Masterpieces of Flower Photography from 1835 to the Present
William A. Ewing
Manufacturer: Thames and Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O3XTLA

Book Description

The Llano Estacado straddles the Texas-New Mexico border, nestled between the Texas Panhandle and the Pecos River Valley. It was described by early Spanish explorers as an arid, featureless landscape, and, according to Mexican and Anglo-Texan lore, was the last refuge of the uncivilized. The region attracted Comancheros, marauding outlaws and renegades who plagued civil society.

This book traces the history of the Llano Estacado -especially its radical transformations following the Civil War as railroads opened the beef trade, the discovery of rich oil deposits in the 1920s, and the decision made in the 1930s to tap the Southern Ogallala Aquifer to irrigate the region's farms. The authors focus in part on the consequences of modern irrigation, and concerns that the Ogallala Aquifer-a storehouse of fossil water dating back to the post-Cretaceous period-will be depleted. They conclude that the Llano Estacado is a "partially threatened" region, and explore its future sustainability.

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1999 Illinois Services Directory (Serial)

Manufacturer: Manufacturers' News, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Urban & Regional | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1582020477

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ArchiPages: A Directory of Architectural Firms, Members, Consultants, Products and Services in Illinois, 1999
AIA Illinois
Manufacturer: AIA Illinois
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IDS5B0

Book Description

"Rules of the Game: Global Business Protocol" is an essential tool for any businessperson in today's global business environment. Author Nan Leaptrott has applied her years of global business experience to present a simple, practical methodology for understanding cultural interaction today. "Rules of the Game" takes you beyond the "dos" and don't's of international business customs to the rationale and reasoning behind these actions. You'll examine the fundamental motivating factors for each culture, and the rules of behavior that stem from them. With this thorough understanding of protocol and etiquette, you'll have the confidence to approach any culture and act consistently and effectively in all areas of business transactions. Only "Rules of the Game" examines: * Points of protocol for specific countries and regions, and what purposes they serve. * How to deduce the proper protocol when you encounter a new situation. * How to develop an effective game plan for any business interaction. * The three fundamental world cultures and how to recognize them. * The basic morivating factors for each culture. * How to develop a character profile for the person with whom you will meet.

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Rules of the Game : Global Business Protocol
Nan Leaptrott
Manufacturer: Thompson Executive Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V5VJ2M

Book Description

The Thirty Years War--the first great pan-European war, and until the twentieth century the most terrible--ravaged Germany, but myth, propaganda, and historical controversy have obscured its true nature. Another perspective is provided by the private diaries, memoirs, and chronicles of soldiers and citizens who recorded their own experiences. War at the individual level is discussed and described using these sources, which are extensively quoted in their own words.

Customer Reviews:

Extremely Poor.......2007-08-30

This book would have a more accurate title if it was called "Commentary on Eyewitness Accounts of the Thirty Years War". Instead of actually letting us read the ACTUAL eyewitness accounts, of which their were many, the author summerizes and discusses them, with brief (extremely brief) exerpts from the actual accounts to support his opinions or prove his points. He burdens us with paragraph after paragraph of his own opinion on various aspects of the Thiry Years War, instead of letting us judge for ourselves by reading what was actually written by the persons who had experienced it. Completely worthless.

Eyewitness Accounts of the Thirty Years War 1618-48.(Book Review) : An article from: The Modern Language Review

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Eyewitness Accounts of the Thirty Years War 1618-48.(Book Review) : An article from: The Modern Language Review
Charlotte Woodford
Manufacturer: Modern Humanities Research Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Modern Language Review, published by Modern Humanities Research Association on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 940 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Eyewitness Accounts of the Thirty Years War 1618-48.(Book Review)
Author: Charlotte Woodford
Publication: The Modern Language Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association
Volume: 99 Issue: 1 Page: 239(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

From Pixar Animation Studios, the Academy Award winning studio that brought us such blockbusters as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo, comes The Incredibles, a hilarious, action-packed story of a family of superheroes living an underground suburban existence. The sleekly designed settings and characters were conceptualized and developed by writer/director Brad Bird and Pixar's creative team of artists, illustrators, and designers, resulting in a celluloid sensation rich with detail. The Art of The Incredibles celebrates their talent, featuring concept and character sketches, storyboards, and lighting studies, and invites readers into the elaborate creative process of animation through interviews with all the key players at Pixar. With an 8-page gatefold and fabulous color art, this stunning book the only movie tie-in book for adults will delight film-goers, artists, and animation fans alike.

Customer Reviews:

A stunning book.......2007-04-21

I saw _The Incredibles_ in the theatre, & was blown away. When it came out on DVD, I bought it immediately, & have since watched it three more times, something I've done with only a few other films of any sort.

After sitting through that delightful & well-crafted rollercoaster, what stood out most in memory was the artwork in the closing credits. And when I watched the Features & noted the artwork tacked to the walls in the studio, I needed to find out more.

The heroes of this film, for me, are the artists who created apparently most of those angular saturated-color "sketches," Lou Romano (primarily responsible for the closing-credits illustrations) & Teddy Newton (whose techniques of creating "sketches" & panels from cut-out bits of photographs). Between them, they seem to have provided half of what's in the book.

The book looks pricey until you realize that it's entirely on heavy gloss paper. I entirely recommend this to artists of any stripe (advertising, fine arts, computer rendering) & to digital renderers from programmers to detailers -- this shows you what you start with & some tantalizing little bits of evolution. And, it's simply a great bit of fun & visually amazing.

Lot's of fun!.......2007-03-20

This is a coffee-table collection of pre-production art work for "The Incredibles." If you're a big fan of the movie (like me), it's indispensible for your collection...especially if the price is right, like it was when I bought it. You won't get much in the way of the movie-type stills, so it's not for the casual fan or the kids.

Great gift!.......2007-01-10

I gave this as a present, and the gift reciever loved it so much he read it within a week of the gift-giving.

A Masterpiece In Itself.......2005-09-29

The Art of the Incredibles is an epic journey in its own right beyond the smash motion picture release from Disney and Pixar. Reading the interviews from Pixar giants like Brad Bird and John Lasseter on the impetus that began the In-cred-uh-ble (never mind) journey for the movie feels like you're sitting in a conference room at Pixar headquarters being debriefed on the joy and pain that brought an age-old story about fathers that want to be the super-heroes of their kids' dreams into a CGI medium that made its expression all the more enjoyable. The term "eye candy" doesn't even begin to talk about the content of this book, as collage after collage and drawing after drawing illustrative the evolutionary process employed by Pixar and other bleeding-edge animation studios to breath life into characters that in turn produce a realistic, enjoyable, and profitable film. I purchased this book for my brother, as he wants to be a storyboard artist for Pixar or ILM (Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic) one day. It really serves it's purpose to help him think about the creative process and realize his true potential in this field. As a CGI fan, I'm impressed by the ability of Pixar's technical team to innovate new technology (such as sub-surface light scattering that removes the "plastic look" of Toy Story and gives the human characters more human appearance) for their projects. If you're a fan of Pixar, CGI, or good art in general, this book will serve you well on a coffee table or near an artist's drawing table.

Wonderfully interesting.......2005-09-28

As Brad Bird and his team worked on creating the story and look of his proposed movie, The Incredibles, they created a wealth of different concept and character sketches, and illustrations which helped to plan and define the movie. This book combines many of those fascinating images, plus reminisces from various team members which explain how the movie came to be, and came to be as it finally appeared.

Overall, I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. I loved the images that the various artists created, such as concept drawings of the various characters, Bob's office, the Parr's house, and so much more. But, I must say that I even more enjoyed the insights into the movie which the creative team provides in this book. If you are a fan of The Incredibles, then you really must consider getting this book, it's a wonderful resource for us fans!

By the way, a nice addition to the book is the "centerfold," a color script of the movie provided by artist Lou Romano. Looking at it, you can see the whole movie in just a couple of pages!

Father Goose: One Man, a Gaggle of Geese, and Their Real Life Incredible Journey South

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Father Goose: One Man, a Gaggle of Geese, and Their Real Life Incredible Journey South
William Lishman
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0517701820
Release Date: 1996-04-02

Book Description

Featured on an enormously popular 20/20 segment, this heartwarming story tells of William Lishman, a reclusive sculptor, who adopted a gaggle of geese, flew with them in an ultralight glider, and actually taught them to migrate--earning himself the nickname "Father Goose." Optioned for film by Columbia Pictures. 66 color photos.

Red Knot: A Shorebird's Incredible Journey

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An informative non-fiction picturebook story of a birds annual migration

Red Knot: A Shorebird's Incredible Journey
Nancy Carol Willis
Manufacturer: Birdsong Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0966276159

Book Description

Narrated in journal entries from the point of view of a red knot—a robin-sized shore bird that migrates 20,000 miles annually, from the tip of South America to the Arctic Circle and back—this book depicts one such dramatic journey in stunningly detailed colored-pencil illustrations of the flight over the Atlantic Ocean, a landing in Delaware Bay, the northern nesting grounds, chicks feeding on hatching insects, a close call with an arctic fox, and the return home. At the heart of the story is a message about conservation: the birds stop only a few times as they travel and always in the same coastal areas where dwindling food supplies have caused a precipitous decline in their numbers over the past decade. Science concepts such as animal life cycles, climate, extinction, the food chain, and migration are introduced by information about how bird-banding and protecting the horseshoe crab—whose eggs are a principal food for red knots—can help them survive. A four-page appendix includes a map of the western hemisphere, a range and route map for migrating birds, a glossary, a timeline, and the history and conservation of red knots.

Customer Reviews:

An informative non-fiction picturebook story of a birds annual migration.......2006-07-12

Knowledgeably written and expertly illustrated by Nancy Carol Willis, Red Knot: A Shorebird's Incredible Journey is the remarkable story of one bird's migration between South America's most southern tip, and the twenty-thousand miles she must travel north to prepare a nest and raise her young. Deftly illustrated to provide young readers with an invaluable guide through a beautiful bird's long and perilous journey, Red Knot maps the Red Knot's annual migration, and includes a collection of intriguing information and facts about Red Knots including its shorebird relatives, western hemisphere geography, bird banding information, and more. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary, annual timeline, as well as a range and route map, Red Knot is enthusiastically recommended for all young readers ages 6 to 9 as an informative non-fiction picturebook story of a birds annual migration.

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Incredibles: The Script, The
Brad Bird
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Studios
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KH9PYK

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Incredible Birds (Incredible Creatures)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Incredible Birds (Incredible Creatures)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Zoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1844433285

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Incredible Birds (Incredible Creatures)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1410905276

Incredible Birds (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)

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Incredible Birds (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1410917118

Incredible Birds: Express Edition (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)

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Incredible Birds: Express Edition (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

General | Science | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 1410917207

Book Description

How do various birds differ from one another? Find out in this unprecedented exploration of the incredible creatures in the world around us. The series is divided according to animal classifications in order to establish a firm scientific basis for each title. This differentiates the series from other 'animal attack/weird animal' series and cover aspects of the curriculum in a more comprehensive way. Each title focuses on weird and wonderful examples of creatures that are not the norm after an introduction describing the animal's normal characteristics. The titles also include predatory behavior, but not as the main thrust of the book.

Incredible Fish (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)

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Incredible Fish (Incredible Creatures/Freestyle Express)
John Townsend
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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