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These bridges are some pretty cool feats of engineering and ingenuity and they’re definitely not run of the mill.

Let’s cross together and hold hands, so we don’t fall off.

Lucky Knot Bridge
Changsha, China
Opened to the public late last year, this bridge was designed to evoke the principles of the mobius ring and the traditional Chinese folk art of knotting. It’s 606 feet long and 78 feet high, and that 3 footpaths that wind up and down, connecting two parks and offering some surreal views of the river and landscape.

I’m dizzy just looking at it.

Island in the Mur
Graz, Austria
It’s kind of hard to just classify this structure as just a bridge, as it’s also an island and floating entertainment centre. This steel and glass structure links the two banks of the Mur river, and while it allows people to get from one end to the other, in the middle, you’ve got an artificial island, that looks like a half-opened seashell. There you’ll find a floating cafe, children’s playground and an amphitheatre with wavy benches for a waterside concert under the stars.

It also looks badass at night.

Eshima Ohashi Bridge
Japan
For this bridge, it’s all about perspective. While it looks like the steep incline of a roller coaster, the bridge is a mile long, linking the cities of Matsue and Sakaiminato. While it looks like an insane incline, it’s actually an optical illusion. One side of the bridge has a 6.1% grade, while the other has a 5.1% grade. When you look at it from the side, it’s a gentle rise, but from the front/back, it looks dangerously steep.

You just can’t judge a bridge by its angle.

Octavio Frias de Oliviera Bridge
Brazil
This is a cable-stayed bridge in Sao Paulo, over the Pinheiros River. It’s the only X shaped bridge in the world that’s stabilized by cables, and during the months of November and December the cables are strung with lights to create a coloured christmas tree.

Python Bridge
The Netherlands
This is one of the most unusual bridges in Amsterdam, and for a city known for it’s bridges, that says a lot. It evokes the movement of a snake, or the curled smoke from a finely crafted joint.

Dragon Bridge, Vietnam
Vietnam
Anywhere you go in Asia, you’re going to see dragons. It’s a symbol of power and fortune, and when it came time to design a new bridge in Da Nang, the most logical choice was to make it dragon-themed. This 2,185 foot-long bridge is made of steel and literally breathes fire from its mouth. Every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm, is a spectacular show of lights and flames, making it one of the most badass bridges on this list.

Falkirk Wheel
Scotland
This one isn’t technically a ‘bridge’ per se, but it’s a pretty cool piece of engineering and artistry, with a little bit of WTF thrown in. This is a rotating boat elevator, that connects various canals in Scotland. The wheel raises boats up by 79 feet, but then they still need to float along an aqueduct until they hit a series of locks to get to the top of the canal.

Never thought I’d type the words ‘boat elevator.’

‘Infinite Bridge’
Denmark
This is a bridge that doesn’t go anywhere, really. But somehow, it’s still considered a bridge. This was built to celebrate the scenic coastal landscape in Aarhus, Denmark and is a circular, walkable structure that allows people to walk from the shore to the sea. It’s about 623 feet in circumference and 197 feet in diameter, so it’s pretty big.

Living Root Bridges
India
There’s a type of tree in Meghalaya, India that the locals use to build bridges, turning nature into their advantage. They train the roots of a rubber fig tree to grow along channels in the ground and across rivers using the hollowed out trunk of a betel nut tree. Once the roots hit the soil on the other side, they take root. It can take close to a decade for the bridge to become fully functional, but once it does, it’s incredibly strong.

Oresund Bridge
Sweden and Denmark
The opening of this bridge was a game-changer. It allowed for a non-stop route between mainland Europe and Sweden a reality. It’s not just a bridge, however – it’s a bridge, artificial island and tunnel. Since they needed to allow for ships to pass through, and have an un-impeeded approach to the Kastrup Airport in Denmark, a tunnel was the way to go.

It’s a pretty gnarly piece of infrastructure.

Circular Laguna Garson Bridge
Uruguay
Located on the southern coast of Uruguay, this ring-shaped bridge was constructed to replace a raft crossing between the two cities of Rocha and Maldonado. The design is to ensure that drivers slow down when crossing, and they’ve built in some pedestrian walkways to take in the view of the lagoon. The original raft system that was in place only allowed for 2 cars to cross the lagoon at one time and didn’t run in bad weather, but now, over 1,000 vehicles are able to pass at one time. The hope this this easy passageway will allow future development on the coasts of these two cities.

The Rolling Bridge
England
When it comes to designing bridges that need to move out of the way, this bridge designer kept things simple and looked to the pillbug for inspiration. When the ships need to come through the Grand Union Canal, the bridge rolls away. When someone needs to cross, it gently unfolds across the canal.

Once unrolled completely, it looks like a pretty regular bridge.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge
England
This bridge opened in 2001, and people haven’t stopped marvelling at it. It’s a tiling structure, with a pedestrian and cyclist bridge on one side, and a supporting curve on the other, both fixed to a pivot. When a ship needs to pass through, the curves tilt up.

Like this. According to the designers, it’s meant to have a rotation much like a slowly opening eyelid.

Lego Bridge
Wuppertal,German
I think, out of all the awesome bridges on the list, this one is my favourite. This concrete railway bridge, might look like it’s made of Lego, but that’s actually due to the talent of a graffiti artist named Martin Heuwold. Even the bosses at Lego approve. I’d hate to see one of those bricks fall and someone step on it. You thought small Lego’s hurt.

Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain
South Korea
According to the city of Banpo, this is the most multi-functional bridge in the world. The span, is a two-tiered bridge, with the bottom part designed to be submerged during period of high rainfall. The top bridge, was outfitted with thousands of LEDs and water jets in 2009, creating the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain. The t380 water jets shoot over 190 tons of recycled river water per minute and makes one hell of a water show.

Try to top that Bellagio fountain!

Slauerhoffbrug
Netherlands
The local nickname for this bridge is the ‘pancake flipper,’ on account of its construction. It’s the only bridge of it’s kind, called an automatic bascule bridge. It uses two arms to lift an actual section of the road out of place and move it away, so that ships can pass. When the bridge is lowered, you can’t even see the lift arms, as they blend into the surrounding structure. It’s pretty ingenious, really.

Twin Sails Bridges
Dorset, England
Opening in 2012, the Twin Sails Bridge is what’s called a “double-leaved bascule bridge,” that spans the channel in Dorset. The bridge has got two 75-foot tall triangular lifting leave that open up as much as 15 times a day, to let boats through. When they’re down in the closed position, the bridge is completely flat, but when they lift up, they look like yacht sails in the air.

It’s a pretty trippy sight to see them lifted and lit up at night. You’d never guess it’s a bridge.

The Moses bridge
The Netherlands
Why build a bridge over water, when you can build one through water? Back during the 17th century, fortresses and moats were used to protect parts of the Netherlands from French and Spanish invaders. One of the fort, Fort de Roovere, has just been restored and the designers had an idea to build a sunken bridge to help traverse the moat. This ‘invisible’ bridge is sneakily inserted into the water, and from far away, you can’t even see the retaining walls. It just looks like you’re walking through water, just like Moses. That’s my childhood dream.

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She purchased the an IKEA PS 2014 lamp and spray painted the entire globe.

Then used masking tape to tape of the parts they wanted darker.

Next was tracing a stencil onto the lamp for greater detail.

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Until 2009, there was a popular motorcycle brand named “Buell”. Unfortunately it wasn’t selling well enough to avoid its eventual sale to Harley-Davidson.

Just before the brand closed its doors, in 2008 (one year earlier) Buell produced an advanced bike called the “1125R”.

Based on the Buell 1125R a designer named Mike Mayberry and financier Richard Fitzpatrick created a stripped down version of that bike named the “Magpul”.

The small team at Ronin began by removing the bike’s frame and body panels to show-off what they really loved about the 1125R; they loved its engine.

The Buell 1125R’s engine was a “Rotax V-twin”. This engine was liquid-cooled which was a technology in its infant stages of development. However Buell would not have an opportunity to perfect it due to the sale of the company.

Back to the loss of the master.

While Buell was liquidating its assets (left over stock of motorcycles), Ronin Motor Works bought 47 of the 1125Rs. The number 47 was simply to pay homage to the Japanese folklore story of the 47 Ronin.

The first 12 Magpuls only came in a black and gray color scheme . They would sell for $38,000 which is a lot yet it didn’t come close to covering their cost.

Removing the 1125R’s out-side paneling helped the Magpul to shed 57 pounds for a little additional ease of handling. But more importantly, this gave their designers the opportunity to make each Magpul into an individual and unique work of art.

Every new Magpul comes with a bamboo toolbox to which the name of each unique bike is engraved on.

This silver/gray one is my personal favorite. Details on this version simply make me smile.

Both Mugpul versions in the photos above and below may seem to be really ugly but it’s actually Ronin’s own design to give respect to Buell’s touring/off-road bikes such as the “Ulysses Xb12x”.

Photo below is a Buell “Ulysses Xb12x”

Art can be a funny thing. Whether you like or hate the Magpul, if you see one…you’ll turn your head for a second look.

The high price of the Magpul continues to grow and the story of Ronin’s lost master lives on in this interesting motorcycle.

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Even from far away, it’s easy to The Flintstones House isn’t a normal property.

It’s made from concrete that’s been painted orange and purple, though it was first finished in an off-white color when it was built in 1976.

The odd shape of the house was created by applying shotcrete to both a steel rebar structure and a series of mesh frames held up by inflated balloons typically used for aeronautical research.

This gives it that prehistoric, lumpy look, hence the nickname.

Tiling and unique artworks cover the entire single-family home and match the exterior.

The color scheme inside even matches the exterior.

Nonstandard ceilings permeate throughout.

The home fell into disrepair in the ’80s, and it was repaired and renovated after mountain-water runoff eventually did major damage to the foundation.

At that point, the house also changed hands.

The kitchen features a center island attached to the roof of the house, which also features a skylight.

Despite appearances, the home does contain typical appliances.

The home has attracted its share of criticism for its experimental design.

Many have called the home an eyesore, and others are just curious about what it looks like inside.

This criticism has only increased since the current owners bought the property in 1996 for $800,000.

They turned it from white to the current orange and purple color scheme.

Love it or hate it, the home has become a San Francisco-area landmark.

Many celebrities have been rumored to have lived in, purchased, or bid on the house, including …

… George Lucas, O.J. Simpson, and unnamed Silicon Valley investors.

The home originally listed for $4.2 million in September 2014, but it remains on the market.

It was recently chopped to $3.2 million — the second price chop in a year.

For whoever does purchase the home, they’ll be getting three bedrooms and 2,700 square feet of quirky San Francisco history.

Source

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The Parthenon in Athens, Greece.

“It’s the quintessential beautiful architectural form,” Tara Imani says. “The Corinthian columns, the use of entasis [a slight curve in columns] to make sure the columns didn’t look spindly from a distance…the siting on a hilltop — it gave us our initial ABCs of architecture that we keep trying to use and improve upon today.”Imani is the founding architect of Tara Imani Designs.

The National Congress of Brazil in Brasília.

“In 1974, my father, a scientist took our family to see the new city of Brasília. It captured the imagination of the world,” Julia Donoho says. “Planned in the shape of an airplane, Corbusian [the modern architectural style of Le Corbusier] housing blocks lined the wings like feathers, the body was filled with embassies, government buildings, cultural institutions, and a house of God.” Donoho is the principal and project lead at Equinox Design and Development.

The São Paulo Museum of Art in São Paulo, Brazil.

“It is daring,” Damaris Hollingsworth says. “Designed in 1968, it is made of concrete and glass. The main body is hung from the two beams and it barely touches the columns on the side. I also love the fact that it was designed by a woman.”Hollingsworth is the project manager for DLR Group.

The Forbidden City temple in Beijing, China.

“It has amazing scale and longevity of the design, complex structure, yet simple forms,” Rosa Sheng says. “My grandfather…explained that architecture is meant to last beyond one’s lifetime. It is a living time capsule of the culture for an entire civilization.”Sheng is a senior architect at the firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

The Innovation, Science, and Technology building at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland.

“When I worked for Santiago Calatrava, I was part of the team that procured the Florida Polytechnic University campus project,” says Marica McKeel. ” Not only to do I love the design of the Innovation, Science and Technology building, but I feel a real connection to this project and to the Lakeland community as my father grew up in Lakeland and I still frequently visit family there.”McKeel is the principal at Studio MM.

The Hubertus House in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“For an institution that took in and protected unmarried mothers on an equal basis, the building is equal parts playful and dignified,” Randy Deutsch says. It is “a colorful contemporary project in steel, glass and concrete that is nonetheless respectful of its more traditional neighbors.”Deutsch is the principal at Deutsch Insights and an associate professor of architecture at  the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Empire State Building in New York, New York.

“I wanted to become an architect since I was six years old in part because of this building,” says William J. Martin. “My parents would put us in the car and drive down River Road and Boulevard East [New Jersey] with expansive views of Manhattan from the back seat of our car. The antenna enhanced the value of the building … by allowing for better reception for millions of people.”Martin is the founder of WJM Architect.

The Church of the Light in Osaka, Japan.

“[Architect] Tadao Ando is able to create beautiful spaces that embody monolithic presence, spacious, simple forms with an intriguing play of light which appears to dance throughout the day,” says Frank Cunha III. “The pushing and tugging of heavy forms and open space create a very unique, magical experience.”Cunha is the CEO and principal of FC3 Architecture + Design.

The Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK.

The center is “a mixture of great architecture and sustainable design,” Ben Adam-Smith says. “It also sits on a campus of buildings that in their era have tried to push boundaries.”Adam-Smith is a UK-based architect and the founder of House Planning Help.

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Completed in 1974, it redefined how museums and art galleries used natural daylighting and is truly a modernist masterpiece,” Bob Borson says.Borson is the principal at Malone Maxwell Borson Architects.

Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.

“The rigid planes of the cantilevered balconies are pure modernist forms inserted into the heart of the forest,” says Bruce Turner. “Most importantly however, the thing that solidified this building as my favorite of all time doesn’t show up in any photos: the arrival sequence to the house. You arrive on a small country road, turn into the property, wind you way through the woods, and the house finally appears in the distance.”Turner is a freelance architect based in New Jersey.

The Barnes Foundation Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“It is highly publicized and perhaps getting too much play like a song on the radio, but when seen in person, I was truly inspired,” Lee Calisti says.Calisti is the founder of Calisti Architecture and Design.

Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France.

“The building stands boldly, innovatively, looking to the future, while also respective its place and the past,” says Jonathan R. Brown.Brown is a senior associate at JHP Architecture/Urban Design.

The Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, France.

“Completed in 1850, it is a magical jewel box of a building,” Jared Banks says. “The gray stone classical exterior hides a cavernous light-filled reading room composed of two wrought iron barrel vaults.”Banks is an architect for Shoegnome Architects.

The Sheats Goldstein residence in Los Angeles, California.

“Known to many as ‘The Big Lebowski’ house, it’s one of those places that sits you down and makes you say ‘whoa’ because of it’s daring imagination,” Evan Troxel says.Troxel is a senior project designer at HMC Architects and co-hosts the podcast “Archispeak.”

The TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport in Jamaica, New York.

The TWA Flight Center was “designed before the age of computers and decades ahead of its time. The building uses concrete and glass to capture all of the excitement, wonder and romance of jet travel,” Joseph E David says. “At every view and every angle, there is something new to admire. 50 years after it opened, it somehow manages to feel like it’s still from the future.”

David is a New Jersey-based architect.

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As you approach the giant carved front door of this house, you’ll notice it’s made of Brazilian mahogany, that was designed in a traditional Native American theme. Both the outer and inner doors depict animals of the region including salmon, coyotes, and eagles.

Inspired by nature and built to reflect the beauty of the land, this 8,880 sq. ft. home is itself a piece of art. Completed in 2016, the entire structure is built with rounded edges and graceful curves to reflect the organic flow of natural surfaces. Step inside into a one-of-a-kind foyer with a granite floor reminiscent of the sandy shore at the edge of a river. Above, the ceiling is tiled in a beautiful blue stone the color of the open sky.

As you move forward from the door you’ll see a custom-designed hardwood floor that flows like water.

Instead of normal railings, these stairs are flanked by intricately hand-carved bannisters that look like they’re growing right out of the steps.

Light cascades in from the giant glass window as you follow the winding stairs higher and higher.

The fireplace in the living room itself is an incredible spectacle, inlaid with a glass mosaic of two dragons intertwined, their bodies creating the shape of a heart.

A number of windows here and throughout the house are in the shape of clouds, which again gives off the feel of nature inside.

Upstairs, the master suite overlooks the valley with incredible views from a wall of windows.

The cedar ceiling gives the room the feeling of a spacious treehouse with the most spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.

And the cost of this beauty you ask? Well as of now it will set you back about 8.2 million dollars.

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You may not know it’s proper name, or even where you saw it, but corporate designs are among the most influential art forms your brain may not even recognize.
It is rare for the artists to ever be recognized, but here are some of the most recognizable designs and who was behind them.

Such as with Gina Ekiss and her “Jazz” cup design. You may not have known it was even called the Jazz cup but you probably knew there was a wax cup out there with this design that you have never asked about out loud.

In 1989 the Sweetheart Cup Company held an employee design contest for a new cup. She received no accolades or even a bonus for the design, but she can rest easy knowing it’s one of 25 things “90’s Kids Remember.”

The car freshening pine tree was invented and designed by German born Jewish chemist Julius Samann who fled the Nazi’s when immigrating to the United States. His milkman complained about the smell of the spoiled product when making rounds, so Samann found a way to simulate pine smell and overcome it.

The Anthora coffee cup was designed by Leslie Buck.

Buck was just a cup salesman (yes that used to be a thing), he had no formal art training or background in design but had the good business sense to notice that most of the area diners he was selling cups to were owned by Greek immigrants.

It worked too, by 1995 Buck’s company was averaging more than 500 million cups sold per year.

The Container Corporation of America sponsored a contest to create a symbol for the recycling process. University of Southern California senior Gary Anderson sent in the winning design. Today it’s all over million of cardboard products and recycling bins.

Arthur Fry and Spencer Silver were both employees at the 3M company. Silver invented an adhesive that left no residue and Spencer attached it to some paper to save his spot in a hymn book. And the post-it was born!

Many kids today may wonder why “save” is represented as a ” weird square thing.”

Well kids there used to be this thing called a floppy disk- anyway, back when user interfaces were new and fancy icons didn’t exist yet. A woman on the Macintosh team named Susan Kare designed all of the original Macintosh icons for the system. She said she made them on graph paper.

No, the smiley face was not created by Tom Hanks wiping shit off of his face on a movie set. Graphic artist Harvey Ball was the actual man behind the smile, and he created it way back in 1963 to boost morale of employees at an insurance company. He was paid $45 dollars for his time on the project. Neither he nor the company ever filed for a copyright on the image.

Pierre de Coubertin was not only the designer of the Olympic rings but also one of the first organizers for Athens in 1896. The rings represent the five continents of the world and was presented tot he Olympic congress in 1914. A week before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Commissioned by the New York State Department for Economic Development, the iconic “I love NY” design was created by Milton Glaser. Milton is a pretty accomplished guy too, having also created the logo for New York Magazine and DC comics.

Charles O’Rear was on a drive in Sonoma county California. He stopped to take a photo of a hill. The photo was licensed to a company called Corbis, which happened to be owned by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. It became the iconic background for Windows XP shortly after.

The hill is still there today, but bares little resemblance to the original photograph.

Gerald Holtom was a conscientious objector during World War II and was a part of the post-war non proliferation movement. He designed a symbol to represent his grief, meant to be simple but convey a man with his palms outstretched. Today Holtom’s design is found everywhere and is thought of as a universal symbol for peace amongst mankind.

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These strangely useful “Tushiez Bath Buttz.”

A ceramic frog plunger cover.

This piece of rubber (called the “Tapi”) that turns your faucet into a water fountain.

This waterproof Bluetooth speaker that attaches to your shower rod.

This shower curtain that sings along to Beyoncé with you.

This passive-aggressive piece of art perfect for right above your sink.

This “No” sign that renders the bathroom almost purposeless for one of the sexes.

A tree to hold your toilet paper.

This toilet brush that’s conveniently curved so you can get the grossest areas around the inside rim.

This speckled narwhal soap dish.

This shower curtain liner with mesh pockets.

This motivational poster.

This cabinet that attaches to the back of your door.

This handmade panda soap dish.

This toothbrush holder that will also sanitize your brushes between uses.

Or this toothbrush holder that is less sanitary but quite quirky.

The Yay! scale, which tells you how awesome you are every time you step on it.

This hair catcher shaped like a starfish.

This shower curtain that will remind you that things are not always what they seem.

A shade to cover your old-fashioned vanity lights.

This elegant reminder that literally everyone else you live with needs in front of their face.

This extra cabinet that fits awkwardly into that awkward space between your toilet and the tub

And the ultimate bathroom accessory: a cupholder for your bath wine or shower beer.

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1. You’ll have delicious dreams with this super burrito.

2. This giant pickle really hits the spot.

3. Really embrace your inner Bugs Bunny with this giant carrot.

4. Cozy on up to your partner with this flexible caterpillar pillow.

5. Allergic to dogs? This puppy can cuddle almost as well as the real thing.

6. I’m pretty sure this would scare me if I woke up in the middle of the night, but whatever helps you fall asleep…

7. Turn your dreams into sea adventures (or nightmares) with these giant squid.

8. This foxy friend will protect you while you sleep.

9. Is it just me or is this panda a little seductress?

10. This curly, furry tentacle looks surprisingly cute.

11. Pop on The Little Mermaid and snuggle up with this sea horse for the whole underwater experience.

12. Pay homage to your first gaming system with this original Nintendo controller.

13. This frisky mustache makes a…let’s go with bold statement.

14. Never worry about finding a date again, when you have your own girlfriend at home.

15. They also offer this handsome boyfriend version.

16. Then again, if you’re more into muscles, you can try this hunky guy on for size.

17. Even though he says “I love you,” this one actually might just haunt your dreams.

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It’s hard for us Google Earth-dependent modern-day humans to conceive of, but there was once a time when we had to imagine what our towns and cities looked like from the sky. In fact, there were famous artists who specialised in creating these panoramic views of Earth, although today, it’s a lost art.

A Bird’s Eye View of Progress
The makers of these maps took the accuracy of their creations very seriously. In Panoramic Maps of Cities in the United States and Canada, the historians John R. Hébert and Patrick E. Dempsey explain the maps extensively, including how they were made. They say the artist would walk through the streets of his subject, noting every detail available, from the location of trees to how many windows each building had. They would create a kind of proxy map using their notes, and only start drawing once they had a complete survey.

Newark-New Jersey in 1916, drawn by T. J. Shepherd Landis. Salt Lake City, Utah in 1891 by Henry Wellge, published by American Publishing Co. Birds eye view of Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada, by Augustus Koch in 1840.

The strangeness of these maps spoke to people — and in some cases, it even made them suspicious.
The grandfather of panoramic maps, a man named Thaddeus M. Fowler, was thrown in jail during World War I after residents of Allentown, Pennsylvania, suspected the stranger sketching their town was actually a German spy. Dempsey and Hébert say that Fowler included two aeroplanes and a zeppelin
to give people the false impression that the map had been drawn with help from the technological wonders of the day, which probably didn’t help his case.

Boston bird’s-eye view from the north by John Bachmann, published by L. Prang & Co., circa 1877. New York drawn by John Bachmann and George Schlegel in 1874. The city of New Orleans, and the Mississippi River Lake Pontchartrain in distance, by Currier & Ives in 1885.

Mapping What Could Be
The United States was on its way to becoming a superpower, and these grand, sweeping visions of its cities were the best way to show them off.
“The citizen could view with pride his immediate environment and point out his own property to guests, since the map artist, for a suitable fee, obligingly included illustrations of private homes as insets to the main city plan,” say Dempsey and Hébert. “No other graphic form of this era so effectively captured the vitality of America’s urban centres.”

San Francisco, formerly Yerba Buena, in 1846-7, “before the discovery of gold.” Drawn by Bosqui Eng. & Print. Co. and published in 1884. Birds-eye-view of Seattle and environs King County, Wash., drawn by Augustus Koch in 1891. Pikes Peak panorama by Henry Wellge, published by American Publishing Co. in 1890.

On a map of Denver, dark smoke clouds bluster from trains that run alongside a gridwork of empty plots, just waiting for entrepreneurs to snap them up. A map of Newark shows the young city in the foreground, emphasising the many roadways that lead to New York City, prominent in the background. Chicago’s already dense rat’s nest of railways and terminals are highlighted in fire engine red as they snake from Lake Michigan out into the Midwest.
Everywhere, there’s growth and construction, half-finished streets that fade into the distance, just waiting to be extended. At the same, these artists clearly wanted to include evidence of the incredible natural beauty around them — pink and yellow clouds billow on the horizon, green, rolling fields seem to stretch for days, even the busy lakes and rivers glimmer below the thickets of ships.

Terminals of the Chicago and North-Western Railway at Chicago by Geo. H. Walker & Co., published in 1902. Wauwatosa and the western suburbs of Milwaukee 1892, by Marr & Richards Engraving Co. in 1892. Depew, New York, by Matthews-Northrup Company in circa 1898.

It’s really, really easy to lose yourself in these maps. And once you’ve looked at them for long enough, you start to understand just how different America must have seemed to the people who poured over them. The promise of endless growth, endless industry — the natural resources at hand seemed like they would last forever.
Looking at some of the details today, it’s easy to see the urban patterns that would rear their ugly heads a century later, as some cities regressed and emptied out, leaving the grids empty again. In a weird way, these maps are like archaeological documents — a geologic picture of our cities, frozen in ink and paint instead of rock.
We know what will happen as the cities continue to sprawl and grow. It wasn’t pretty. These maps are a glimpse to an imagined, and sadly very wrong, future where both growth and resources would last forever.

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This man used fiber optics to build himself an awesome bathroom floor that looks like a starry night sky right at home. This is definitely going to make his life a whole lot easier when he has to go to the bathroom at night.

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