The Municipal Library in Seinäjoki

JKMM Architects worked on the project of the city library in Seinäjoki, Finland. The library was built in 1965 as part of a single administrative center, but has been expanded and improved. New and old buildings merge together to form the complex with a total area of ​​4,430 sq.m.

VIA «The City Library in Seinajoki, Finland»

The Italian agreement

The Economic Moon

Financial crisis — not a hindrance for scale building of the landscape park Zabil. «The new Moon» becomes the central construction of the project. The construction in the form of a half moon — a symbol of force and energy of the countries of the East — will tell about today's prosperity of the United Arab Emirates.

The New Moon in Dubai

Monument interiors contain 5 floors. Everyone symbolizes one of five postulates of Islam: belief, a pray, mercy, mutual aid and pilgrimage. The design contains in itself a conference hall, cafe, children library and an information desk.

The New Moon Monument

The external part of a building decorated by the Arabian inscriptions represents a steel skeleton with emptiness. Such decision will give the chance to supervise illumination and air temperature on all platforms of the New Moon, will protect an interior from a direct sunlight and will provide free circulation of air streams. Inside there will be a special microclimate which will unload the central systems of safety. The project completely corresponds to ecological building standards. Solar batteries will be built in a building covering, and it considerably will lower energy consumption.

VIA «Rising of the New Moon»

On June 15, 1215, in fields by the banks of the River Thames at Runnymede to the west of London, England's King John agreed to the demands of his rebelling barons and accepted the Magna Carta, Latin for "Great Charter", which for the first time placed the monarch under the rule of law.

In the centuries since, it has taken on huge global significance, becoming the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights, the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Three of its 63 clauses still remain on Britain's statute book.

"What happened in these meadows eight centuries ago is as relevant today as it was then. And that relevance extends far beyond Britain," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.

He said the document had changed the world, inspiring people from the founding fathers of the United States and Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi to Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

"Its remaining copies may be faded, but its principles shine as brightly as ever," Cameron told the ceremony attended by the queen, other royals and global figures including U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Magna Carta came into being during a period of great political upheaval in England with conflict between King John, his nobles and the English church.

It was essentially a peace deal to address the problems of the day and was annulled by the pope shortly afterwards. But updated versions, which included two original clauses regarded as pivotal in establishing the rule of law, were re-released regularly by or on behalf of succeeding monarchs.

The clauses read: "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.

"To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice."

Originals Exist

Four original copies of the document, written on a single sheet of parchment about the size of A3 paper, still exist.

At Monday's ceremony, a new art installation was unveiled and the American Bar Association's Magna Carta Memorial, which was erected at the site in 1957, was re-dedicated.

U.S. Attorney General Lynch said the charter was a bedrock to free societies globally, while Cameron also used the anniversary as a political opportunity to underpin his plan to overhaul human rights laws and reduce the influence of Europe.

However, John Dyson, chairman of the Magna Carta Trust, said King John and the barons would have been bemused that the document would garner such interest hundreds of years later.

"They would surely have been astonished that over time Magna Carta came to be regarded as one of the most important constitutional documents in our history," he said.

"They would not have believed that barons' lists of demands would become a symbol of democracy, justice, human rights and perhaps above all, the rule of law for the whole world. But that is exactly what has happened."

Author: Stefan Wermuth | Source: Reuters [June 15, 2015]

The Unusual Swedish Apartment

This artistic and inventive loft, made of various geometrical forms — spacious and light apartment of famous Swedish artist Carouschka Streijffert.
The atypical interior of the apartment located on an attic of one house in Stockholm, at first sight, can seem freakish or even unusual. Actually, abstract playful forms, co-operating with each other, create the thought about the harmonic space.

Unusual Stockholm Attic

So, for example, a library zone organically is created by from a wooden rack and round windows; also an unusual configuration of a floor and futuristic chair «LC2» by Le Corbusier center on a rug executed under the sketch of the owner of apartment.

A Art Apartments

One of the basic visual dominants of apartment is the art fireplace artly integrated into a ladder. On the color scale and some other obvious signs, this white interior is close to new Scandinavian style which, like eclectic loft, is formed of pictures, art objects and the interior elements of different Scandinavian epochs.

VIA «Unusual Loft of the Swedish Artist»

No Makeup Week: Mint Julep Mask

Hey everyone! This is just a quick post to let you know what I have planned for this upcoming week. I'm going to be going away from Thursday until Saturday with my boyfriend and his family so I won't be posting those days. Because of this, I hope to be able to post a few times in the next few days!

In high school, like many teenagers going through puberty, I was ashamed of my skin. One day it would be oily, the next day it would be dry - and there was always acne to deal with! Over the years I've tried many products and skincare routines, with varying success. In high school I desperately tried to cover up my natural skin with layers of makeup. Liquids, powders, blushes - I used everything I could!

While I love what makeup can do to enhance an appearance, in the past two years I've realized that I love my natural beauty, too. I think going to college made me feel a lot more comfortable about going out without "putting my face on," because I was surrounded by the same people at all hours of the day. These kids have seen me when I wake up in the morning, when I'm in class, and before I go to sleep. They have seen me when I'm sick, when I'm just getting back from the gym, and even when I've gotten caught in a downpour running back from the library.

And They Like Me — Without Makeup!

What I'm trying to say is: I've gained a lot of confidence in myself in the past two years, and I don't feel the need to try to cover up anything with makeup. Yes, I love getting dolled up when I'm going to a party or going out on a date with my boyfriend, but other than that, I try to wear as little makeup as possible. Most days now I will only wear a brush of Physicians Formula pressed powder, a sweep of clear mascara on my lashes, and lots of lip balm.

Which brings me to this week. I've decided that, starting today, I want to go a whole week without wearing any makeup. No powder, no mascara (colored or clear). The only things I'll allow on my face are cleansers, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I don't think this will be too difficult to do, especially considering that I will be on an island in the Adirondacks from Thursday through Saturday. I think it will be an interesting experiment, to concentrate on my skin and really learn to appreciate it as it is.

A Week Without Makeup?

Last year Rachel Rabbit White, a popular blogger and writer, pledged to not wear makeup for an entire week. Over 300 people took the challenge with her. You can read about that experience in this Huffington Post interview here. White brings up a lot of very interesting points about makeup in society today, so it's definitely a must-read.

I'll be posting photos this week, along with any findings or discoveries. Any of you brave enough to try this, too? I'd love to hear your stories or share links on my blog to your own posts! Drop me a comment or send me an email!

VIA No Makeup Week! (I mean, they like me with makeup, too. Oh, you know what I mean...)

Today, the construction of the temple is almost over. But the new structure has taken over the place where the rare sculptures were kept. As a result, a broken shiva linga, a moss-covered Somaskanda panel and many more sculptures are scattered around the temple, covered by grass and almost lost. Heritage activists say the committee members of the temple shifted all the sculptures without informing the Archeological Survey of India or the state archaeology department.

"When I first visited the site six years ago, I could see all sculptures in proper form. But today they have been removed from their original place and lie scattered near the newly constructed temple. They are in ruins," said P Rajasekar, a heritage activist, who recently visited the place and photographed the ruined sculptures.

Aravind Venkatraman, who has so far photographed and documented 200 Chola temples, said the site with ancient Pallava sculptures was discovered in the 1990s. "I have seen the photograph of this ancient Pallava site taken in 2008 at the library of the French Institute of Pondicherry. Some other pictures also show the site with all the sculptures intact," he said.

A committee member of the temple said it was while constructing the temple they removed all the structures and housed them inside a shed. But as the work of the temple progressed, the shed was demolished. Apparently, no one was interested in taking care of the sculptures and they were thrown out. "When we asked the committee members said they would place the sculptures permanently inside a hall adjacent to the temple. But they are not sure when they are going to do this. They are not aware of the heritage value associated with the sculptures," said Venkatraman.

The ruined sculptures, according to Rajasekar, are special in many ways. "There is a beautiful panel of Somaskanda, a form of representation of Shiva with his consort Uma and Skanda on his left. In this panel, you can see Uma and Skanda seated on his right. It's a rare site. There are some inscriptions in 'Vatteluthu'. But the people in the village don't know the value of these sculptures," said Rajasekar.

Apparently, no one has informed the ASI or the state archeological department before shifting these heritage structures. "The sculptures are in bad shape. It's high time either the ASI or the state archaeology department took up the issue. Otherwise, we will lose these ancients pieces of art soon," he said.

Author: M. T. Saju | Source: The Times of India [April 30, 2015]

Cloud 360

VIA «Park observatory»