INCREDIBLE HUAXI VILLAGE SKYSCRAPER IN CHINA Photograph via Reuters/Carlos Barria The newly inaugurated skyscraper tower of Huaxi village is seen in Huaxi village, Jiangsu province, on October 7, 2011. Huaxi, also known as China’s richest village, celebrated its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of a massive 328-meter (1,076 feet) high skyscraper that…
Halles Avignon – Provence, Cote, d’Azue | Artwork and Photography by PATRICK BLANC Born June 3rd, 1953 in Paris, France, Patrick Blanc is a botanist and creator of the vertical garden. A scientist, working for the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) since 1982, Blanc’s vertical gardens have taken him around the…
FLOODING IN THAILAND Photograph by MATTHIAS HOCH Photograph by Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images Heavy monsoon rains have been drenching Southeast Asia since mid-July, causing mudslides and widespread flooding along the Mekong River. Parts of Thailand are now experiencing the worst floods in half a century, as water inundates villages, historic temples, farms,…
Photograph by SHORPY.COM Nothing says ‘screw you’ like building a house out of pure spite. Wikipedia defines a spite house as: A building constructed or modified to irritate neighbors or other parties with land stakes. Spite houses often serve as obstructions, blocking out light or access to neighboring buildings, or as flamboyant symbols…
BOURTANGE STAR FORT IN GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS Photograph by Gebruiker:Bourtange Bourtange (53.0066°N 7.1920°E) is a star fort and village in the Westerwolde region of the Dutch province of Groningen. It is a part of the municipality of Vlagtwedde, and lies about 32 km northeast of Emmen. The fortifications were initially built during the…
LEMBAH SPA IN UBUD, BALI Photograph by Lembah Spa Perched atop a gorgeous valley with spectacular views overlooking the Petanu River gorge, Lembah Spa is considered one of Bali’s most tranquil settings. Treatments have been meticulously developed combining Western knowledge with traditional, time-honored Balinese wellness techniques handed down over centuries. via…
Trinity College Library – University of Dublin | Photograph via Skylark Studio Following up from last year’s highly popular post ‘15 Incredible Libraries Around the World‘, the Sifter has compiled another collection of beautiful libraries from your comments and suggestions. Ultimately, it is the books within these buildings that make it special, but many…
AL CAPONE’S JAIL CELL AT EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY Photograph by Thesab This is an inside, high-resolution picture of Al Capone’s cell as it exists today at Eastern State Penitentiary. One can imagine it must have looked even more impressive back in the day. The Eastern State Penitentiary is a former American prison…
Photograph by Sotheby’s East Side Manhattan Brokerage Located on Central Park, this stunning 19th century chapel is an official landmark in Manhattan, New York City. Listed at a cool $12.5 million, the imposing neo-French Renaissance Chateauesque style prewar condominium features: incredible vaulted ceilings, peaked chapel windows, stone columns, an arched gallery and antique French…
FRANK GEHRY’S WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL Photograph by CAROL MCKINNEY HIGHSMITH The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves…