Translated by Silvia — Considering the growth rate of the world population and the tendency towards unbridled urbanization, the estimation is that by the end of next century, almost all of the surface of the Earth will be covered in houses, residences, malls and industrial plants. Projects such as ULTIMA Tower take on even more value and seem like concrete solutions towards the respect of the natural environment and the future generations.

An impressive building in the shape of a volcano, 3.2km high and capable of hosting 1.000.000 people is indeed the concrete answer given by the architect Eugene Tsui against the problem of uncontrolled urbanization that foresees, within the next 7 years, another important increase in urbanization that will bring to 22 the number of metropolises with over 10 million inhabitants, as said by the United Nations.

After being impressed by architectonic suggestions such as the Moscow City Tower and the Crystal Island, devised for Moscow by one of the most prestigious architects studios in the world, Fosters & Partners; or by the new tower scheduled to be erected in Tokyo, the X-Seed 4000, which recalls Mount Fuji from the Taisei Construction Corporation; here is today’s ULTIMA Tower that, in the world of bio mimetic architecture, is surely the most representative suggestion.

In the cut below you will find more information and pictures.

Translated by Silvia – An early April’s Fool joke that will make you think about how word of mouth on the internet is ever more powerful: the news of the enlargement of the top part of the Eiffel Tower for the 120^th anniversary of its construction that will fall in 2009 was indeed a hoax. The denied piece of news comes from the actual Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), the agency that takes care of the management of the monument, symbol of the French capital by excellence, and without a doubt one of the most famous towers in the world.

Translated by Silvia — A fairy-tale inspired suggestion, with a touch of dreaminess that reminds us of the atmospheres in Michel Gondry’s “The art of dreaming”: Space Book, a huge human-sized 3D book! When looking through it, one is welcomed by inviting, entirely furnished environments.

Who knows if more will be made from more resisting materials, that will work the same way as three-dimensional books, off of designer Jin-Hui Kim’s concept. They could become an effective and poetic furnishing solution for improvised guests or even just to live with a touch of extra fantasy in our everyday domestic lives.

In the cut below you will find more pictures of the Space book and 3 beautiful videos dedicated to the fabulous world of pop-up books with an interview of Robert Sabuda, a real paper engineer, made by the Wall Street Journal.