In a brilliant work of perspectival illusion, the projection artists at Urbanscreen have transformed O. M. Unger’s Galerie der Gegenwart in Hamburg into a surreal plane of shifting form. The project, inspired by the concept of a “dreaming” building, truly does ascribe a sort of material consciousness to the structure’s facade; giant hands press and pull bricks apart and around, walls collapse and expand, and vivid multicolored forms swirl and merge. The optical effects are fantastic to behold via the video alone; we can only imagine what the experience would be like in person.

555 KUBIK_ extended version from urbanscreen on [...]

Monocle Magazine have announced their annual index of most liveable cities. Zurich comes in top place mainly for its vast investment in transport; Copenhagen is second for its mix of metropolitan life, great healthcare, low crime rates and a relaxed vibe; at 3, Monocle describes Tokyo as the world’s most livable megapolis and praises the city’s commitment to plant 1 million trees; 4th is Munich which blends history and innovation with ease and is generally a good place to do business; and Helsinki comes 5th partly because it has no Starbucks. Here’s the full list: