Architecture of Star Wars

Bright Tree Village is an exemplar of sustainable, low-tech development. This Ewok settlement on the forest moon of Endor follows the traditional pattern: thatched-roof huts are arranged on the main branches of a tree around the chief’s hut on the trunk. Rated BREEAM Excellent, the development - by architect Wicket W Warrick - makes use of locally sourced materials, is carbon-neutral and far exceeds Endor’s notoriously strict building regulations.

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Via Kottke

Tunnels

A roundup of cool maps of tunnel systems.

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Via Kottke

Plan of Chicago

Almost 100 years ago, Daniel Burnham created the "Plan of Chicago." It was a milestone of urban planning, and the Art Institute of Chicago has a great online exhibition here.

Perhaps the most striking—and uniquely American—aspect of the Plan was its idealistic belief in Chicago as a city without limits. The planners believed their city could become the most beautiful and prosperous in the world, and they inspired its citizens to undertake the challenge.

You can also view the original plan document here.

The images in the plan are just amazing.

Wetland Machine

I'm not sure this would be legal in Colorado, but it's still cool.

Some of the runoff gets in an underground cistern. During dry weather, this storage tank provides water to the pond. During heavy rains, excess water flows from the pond into the rain garden, simulating the hydrological dynamics of a floodplain environment. Water seeps through the soil and gets naturally filtered.

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Via Pruned