h-haus: Energy Efficient and Stellar

h-haus asks this question: “Can an energy-efficient house also be aesthetically pleasing?” Then they answered it. Of course. Personally, I didn’t think it was that tough of a question to begin with. 8^)

Moving Pictures

In the future, what once was static can be dynamic. Color changing concrete is just one method. How long before someone creates a low-cost LCD that can display Flash movies or video clips for hanging in your living room? I know Gates can get these, but when will it hit Best Buy? [via Coudal]

Beautiful Aerials

Georgeous work from David Maisel. I’d love to hang a few of these in my home. [via Coudal]

Trailmaps Bring It All Back

Park City Ski Resort

You know how Disney uses the word magic to describe their theme parks? For millions, a trip to Disney World or Disneyland was their fondest memories of childhood. Not so for me. Mine was a trip to Snowmass Ski Resort in Colorado. In fact, I loved it so much, that I taped a trailmap to the underside of my top bunk so I could stare at it as I drifted off to sleep.

I believe I owe James Niehues no small amount of heartfelt thanks.

Update: I submitted the Snowmass Lovemark!

Civic Type R Revealed

The original Pocket Rocket is living up to its name, straight from the factory! Almost 200hp on a car that only weighs around 2800lbs means it’s faster than Apollo Anton Ohno on the short track. Getting your mits on one, now that’s a problem. For one, it’s not coming out for at least a year and then when it does, Europe could get it first.

New Mac Mini

Apple does a wonderful job of maintaining brand power. Consistently good design is the main ingredient but technology does play a vital role. And by technology I mean, well-crafted design otherwise known as ease-of-use or good usability. How people use your product is just as important as what the product actually does.

I keep wondering why I haven’t purchased an Apple product in a while, maybe it’s now time. You can view the introduction of the new Mac Mini here.

Corporations Mapped

Someone should build on this idea. Build it with Flex and include more companies and let me filter them like NameVoyager. That’d be keen!

Long Live the Animated .gif

PC Alternative to iPod

Ever since Apple released the iPod, PC fans have been pining for something so cool. Creative and others have been working at it, but with limited success. Finally, it seems they’ve achieved it with the Zen Vision: M. Styling is not too different from the iPod. (How many different rounded-edge rectangular shaped devices can there be?) But the power is on the inside. Thirty freakin’ gigs! Sweet color screen. Video. Capable. It won a Best of CES award so you know it’s hot. Give it a closer inspection at Engadget.

Or skip that and simply buy one! Ok iPod fans, let’s hear your side of the story. ;^)

Museum Plaza: All Eyes on Louisville

Louisville is a fairly conservative city. Not politically, but in almost every other area. It’s really interesting to learn that we’ll be building one of the most futuristic and modern high-rise buildings in the country, if not the world called Museum Plaza.

Reminds me of Mies van der Rohe, only given free reign to do whatever he liked. Make sure to view the amazing video preview. It’s far more adventursome than the new World Trade Building in NYC.

A Most Gifted Chalk Artist

You might have seen this email forwarded about the Internet. I’m just amazed by the ability of some artists. You can tell he loves his work too. Brilliant.

World’s 12 Best New Buildings

I love architecture. Scratch that. I love creative, well-considered, beautiful and functional architecture. It’s tough to do, mind you, but that is we identify the true artisans. They live somewhere between the hacks that are only interested in cost-per-square-foot estimates and those on the other end of the spectrum where egoists call a blob of paint art .

I imagine ArchInfo’s The World’s 12 Best New Buildings lie somewhere closer to the sweet spot where form and function unite in something truly inspiring and at the same time easy-to-use.

The Slick 2007 Camry

Have you seen the new Camry? Spor-tay! You gotta enjoy them now before there are eleventy-billion on the road and no one cares. The thing I don’t like is how they release them, like magazines, except a whole year earlier.

World’s First Bouncing Camara

Incredible technology and stylish too! [via kottke]

Letter Movers