Beta-Real Symposium

March 23, 2018 in Slocum Hall at Syracuse University.Harry der Boghosian SymposiumA diverse group of seven thinkers and makers explores the philosophical turn away from singular, knowable, stable, and metaphysical absolutes, towards a multitude of experiential, ambivalent, shared realities. Such ambivalent and unstable states have come increasingly to characterize our shared reality—from sites of contested memory and amnesia, to economic and identity politics in a globalized age of displacement, to scientific and technological revolutions.The Beta-Real names a search for alternative frameworks of understanding that might allow us to confront the contradictions of our contemporary reality. How we deal with these contradictions has social, cultural, and political implications—not only for architecture, humanities, science, society, and culture at large, but also for everyday life.Participants discuss how architecture might address and negotiate these states of contradiction. Participants present their own designs and research and discuss in round-table format how they each confront and navigate the Beta-Real.Participants: Linda Zhang, Boghosian FellowAni Liu, Artist and speculative technologist, New York, NYBiko Mandela Gray, Assistant Professor, Department of Religion, Syracuse UniversityNatalie Koerner,  Ph.D. candidate, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Copenhagen, DenmarkBryan E. Norwood, Ph.D. candidate in the history and theory of architecture, Harvard University; Visiting Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University School of ArchitectureIrene Chin, Curatorial Coordinator, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, CanadaWilliam Stewart, Ph.D. candidate, Princeton University Department of GermanYolandé Gouws, Artist, Berlin

This Fairly Normal House Is For Sale In The UK. But It’s What’s Out Back That Has Everyone Talking.

When people are looking to buy a house, most of them have mental checklists. They’ll want granite countertops, an open floor plan and lots of counter space. Some people hate split-level houses. Some prefer carpet over hardwood floors and vice versa. Everyone has different tastes. No matter how picky a house hunter is, though, they would never know how to react to this house in Birmingham, UK. It has a feature that you’ll either love or hate… but you’d never expect.

This is a 4 bedroom house that is listed for sale on rightmove.co.uk.

It is semi-detached and quite pretty on the inside.

There is a living room with a fireplace.

A large, gorgeous kitchen.

A master bedroom…

Complete with a master bath.

There is even a beautiful conservatory out back, perfect for Sunday brunch.

The backyard is also quite large. But … hey… what’s that?

Is that what I think it is?

IT IS. There is a PUB in the back yard.

There is a finished bar in the yard, complete with “ceiling spot lights, bar with rear optic shelves, tables, chairs and stools, pool and darts area, and doors into two large storage rooms with lighting and power.”

Did you hear that? A pool table.

It’s a beautiful 4 bedroom house, complete with bar. If you live in Birmingham, there is no reason why you shouldn’t put an offer in on this house. Even if you already own one. Source: rightmove.co.uk More people need to learn to design houses like this. Share this story with your friends.

Read more: http://viralnova.com/house-pub-for-sale/

Step Inside Any Of These 25 Places… If You Have The Guts. They’re Fascinating Nightmares.

Each day we are distracted by our own lives, too busy to notice what is going on around us. However, most people aren’t disturbed by the chaos. Instead, we only feel fear when there is utter, terrible silence. Stillness is unnerving, not chaos. That’s probably why abandoned buildings, former hotspots of humanity, are so intriguing. It’s addictive to think about the lives that passed through these doors, only to eventually move on and forget.

1.) Reflections at an abandoned institution.

2.) A bus being silently overcome by Mother Nature.

3.) This quiet old mill, nestled in the Bavarian Forest in Germany.

4.) Sand dunes that have overtaken houses in Southern Namibia, Africa.

5.) A cold and desolate mine in Wales.

6.) Santa Maria della Pietà, Abruzzo Italy.

7.) A chilling ghost town in Megargel, Texas.

8.) A fairy door, tucked away in Calcata, Italy.

9.) The stern and haunting School for Girls in New York.

10.) The abandoned Chamber of Commerce in Belgium.

11.) The beautiful and isolated Bokor Mountain church in Cambodia.

12.) This abandoned steel mill control room from Detroit, Michigan.

13.) The majestic Kilchurn castle in Loch Awe, Scotland.

14.) An abandoned Chevrolet truck, abandoned in the middle of a forest.

15.) St. Bonaventure Church in Philadelphia.

16.) This swiftly abandoned beach volleyball arena from the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

17.) A beautiful stained glass window in Belgium, made more beautiful when humans left.

18.) An abandoned power plant’s control room.

19.) The eerie Buzludzha monument in Bulgaria, at the Balkan Mountains.

20.) Hotel Del Salto in San Antonio del Tequendama, Colombia.

21.) The Dunlewy Church ruins, overlooking the Poisoned Glen in Ireland.

22.) This bright, but strange, abandoned yellow house in Nova Scotia.

23.) A rusting schoolhouse, sitting abandoned in the countryside.

24.) The overgrown Nupstadur Farm in Iceland.

25.) An old Graphotype machine found in an abandoned hospital in California.

Life will pass all of us by in just a blink, but the legacies we build on this earth will stay behind us as a monument to our lives. That’s what each of these images are, a testament to what life used to be like for others. It’s something we can only dream about. Source: Reddit Share these beautiful, but strange, pictures with others.

Read more: http://viralnova.com/abandoned-places/

There’s A Massive Plane In The Middle Of A Forest In Oregon. And You Gotta See Inside It.

When looking for a new home, combing through the endless real estate listings is almost as frustrating as finding a seat on a packed flight.  Suggestion? Maybe you should start scrolling through the aircraft pages instead. Oregon native Howard Bruce Campbell (no relation to Evil Dead actor Bruce Campbell…I think) purchased this retired Boeing 727 back in 1999 for the low, low cost of $100,000. Campbell then spent another $120,000 figuring out the logistics of site rent, wing and tail removal and transportation — bringing his total to a modest $220,000. His website for the project details instructions for others looking to follow him down the runway of aviatrix abodes and even offers directions on how to stop by for a visit.

This isn’t your average mobile home.

Lots of natural light options.

No need for a quirky doormat here.

“One cheese pizza please…We’re the second house on the left, you can’t miss us.”

What a view.

Plenty of guest seating!

Built-in light show every night.

All the comforts of home!

The one, um, small drawback: airplane bathrooms aren’t known for being too homey.

Read more: http://viralnova.com/airplane-home/

We Post A Lot Of Abandoned Places. But What’s Inside This House Might Be The Best One Yet.

While on a Valentine’s Day road trip, this Reddit user stumbled across a hidden treasure of sorts. Far back from the highway stood a small abandoned house. The only thing nearby were fields, so the little cabin looked lonely… but beautiful. So they decided to wander inside (and we’re so glad they did).

The house was extremely isolated and looked as if no one had been inside for years.

Inside of the house, there were lots of books focused on language (dictionaries, grammar & phonetics).

A bucket with beans spilling out.

Vines were slowly taking over the entire house, creeping in from the windows and winding themselves down the drapes.

One nearly made it’s way over to an old lace shawl or dress.

A tiny straw tiger was found in the corner, a beautiful remnant of childhood.

The creepy doll’s head with no eyes? Not so much.

A long boot…

Measurement guides and recipes lined the walls.

This, at one time, used to be a quaint farm house with a pet.

There were lots of these trophies inside, too. Someone had a penchant for darts.

The simple, but beautiful, view from the kitchen window.

The drapes were so tattered, but even they were oddly beautiful.

There was only one spot of graffiti in the house, thankfully it didn’t take away from the eerie beauty too much.

Vines creeped in from all angles.

And a final message, who knows when this was left.

There are many different kinds of beauty in the world, and a decaying house full of memories and remnants of times past? Some may say that it’s very beautiful. Source: Reddit Share this unique place with others, whether you like it yourself or not. It is interesting, after all.

Read more: http://viralnova.com/beautiful-abandoned-house/

This Is The Most Mind Blowing Hotel You’ll Ever See. Visit If You Dare.

When you go to a hotel, the one thing you expect without thinking is to get a good night’s sleep. You’re certainly paying for it. Well, if that’s the case you DEFINITELY shouldn’t stay at the Propeller Island City Lodge. But if you’re looking for the most “unique” stay you’ll ever rack up on your credit card, check out these insane 31 outrageous rooms. Just don’t plan on sleeping there anytime soon. 😉

Get cozy: Three people can sleep in this bizarre room, which has terraced beds and all the surfaces tilted at angles to disorientate guests.

Round and round: This circular bed is on constant rotation so you have an ever-changing view as you lie back and relax.

Old favorite: One of the original rooms, guests sleep in all-blue surroundings with no decor beyond glistening mirrors on the walls and ceiling.

Sleep like the dead: If you’ve ever wondered if a coffin is comfortable, then check in to this padded room which is designed to make you feel like you’re resting in peace.

One for couples: If you don’t fancy sleeping together for the night, you can use the pulley to lower the illuminated barrier between the bed halves.

Ever wondered what it’s like to live in a kaleidoscope? This room is covered entirely with mirrors and the hotel website warns: “caution, very sexy!”

There’s something creepy about this room. Just can’t put my thumb on it.

Imagine never getting any sleep because you think someone’s watching you. Except it’s actually happening.

Well there’s a mirror above the bed…

If you’re looking for a “normal” room, this is probably it.

For some reason I’d never stop looking in the mirror. Amazing idea.

My dog NEEDS this.

Whoa, this is for the more adventurous among us. Got the guts?

Well, I couldn’t fit on it, but it’s made to get cozy on.

(H/T: Huffington Post) Those were pretty amazing, but I’ll be pretty happy sleeping in my regular bed tonight. Especially when it’s not attached to the ceiling.Read more: http://viralnova.com/crazy-hotel/

See This Hidden Trap-door When You Look At The Ground? Simply Wait Til The Thing Is What Exactly Is Down Truth Be Told There… WHOA.

If you worry an atomic war (and even simply the future), then chances are you most likely think about various back-up programs for emergencies to protect your self as well as your family. You may not have the money to construct an all-out zombie fortress, but if you have got lower than $40k readily available, you’re in fortune.

In the event that you worry just what can happen in the future…

You don’t need to be concerned.

You can aquire yourself a little slice of protection for $36,000.00.

The non-public bunker would-be loaded with an air filtration, blast door, and under floor storage space.

If you’d like to dedicate a bit more cash to your fallout shelter, the company provides a luxurious version equipped with sleeping quarters, home, restroom, storage space and a trademark invisible escape hatch.

The shelter you’re seeing being put in can be used for buyer demonstrations.

It really is known as the Texas Training Shelter.

These shelters are designed by Atlas Survival Shelters.

When they have been in the ground, you’d never imagine these are generally indeed there.

Inside, these survival pipes are in reality very spacious.

They contain an income location…

a bed room detailed with ventilation and generator.

Your bathrooms.

And additional bunk-beds.

The housing has actually solar power panels feeding involved with it to aid power the interior.

And all sorts of associated with outside pieces tend to be concealed.

The bunkers from Atlas Survival Shelters are not exactly low priced, however, if you are worried about the human race imploding, they are going to put your mind at ease. Slightly. If you worry about all your family members, share these fallout shelters with them. You’ll never know if they will come in handy.

Find out more: http://viralnova.com/fallout-shelters/

Students In Germany Transformed This Boring Tower Into Beautiful Artwork. Simply Stunning.

We pass by so many boring, ordinary, and thoroughly uninteresting landmarks in our everyday life. Most of us tune them out, but a group of students in Germany transformed this dull electric tower in their town into an undeniably beautiful work of art. There’s no ignoring this as you ride along the road. The students cut out vibrant pieces of Acrylglas and affixed them all along the tower to create a collage of gorgeous stained glass. The project, titled Leuchtturm (“Lighthouse”), was completed in 2010 at the Klasse Löbbert and it has been brightening up the small town road in Hattingen, Germany ever since. Take a look!

(H/T: Colossal) It’s so simple, but it completely changes your perspective. Feeling inspired? Share with your friends below and see if they wanna tackle any urban artwork projects in your neighborhood!

Read more: http://viralnova.com/students-in-germany-transformed-this-boring-tower-into-beautiful-artwork-simply-stunning/

These Diagrams Are Everything You Need To Decorate Your Home

Interior design cheat sheets FTW.

3. Kinds of Moulding

From DIY Advice.

4. Tile Patterns

From Centura.

7. Yardage for Stool Upholstery

From Knol.

8. Yardage for Sofa Upholstery

From Knol.

9. Yardage for Chair Upholstery

From Knol.

10. Seating Capacities for Dining Tables

From Cottage Home Furniture.

13. Common Furniture Sizes

From Decoratour.

14. Common Dimensions

From Decoratour.

17. Pillow Style Inspiration

From Matouk.

18. Bed Styling Diagram

See the full diagram at Matouk.

20. How to Hang Curtains

To make your ceilings look taller! From Home Goods.

21. Window Covering Styles

From HG Expo.

23. Gallery Wall Layout Ideas

Original in Polish.

24. Hanging Style Diagnostic

From The Art Mint.

27. Dining Room Rug Size Guide

From Burlap and Lace.

28. Living Room Rug Size Guide

From Burlap and Lace.

30. House Paint Color Matching Guide

Better Homes and Gardens / Via omahdesigns.net

From Better Homes and Gardens.

31. Color Undertone Guide

From Live Love DIY.

33. Lampshade Types & How To Measure

From Shades of Light.

34. Lightswitch Styles

From Modern Switch.

35. Types of Lightbulbs

See the full explanation of which ones to use where at Lightopedia.

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Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/these-diagrams-are-everything-you-need-to-decorate-your-home