Can Painting Transform a Favela Community? * TED talk

Color! 

Can it change and improve people's lives?
And how can Architects and Artists best interact 

with a community?
Watch and see what you think. 

Favelas in Brazil * Colorful Chaos, Architectural Inspiration

How can putting a poor neighborhood on the map

help the residents of Brazil's favelas live better lives?

Watch as this man helps Google Earth literally put these folks

"on the map" 

Crush the Castle * The physics of Trebuches

How can you know if your castle is impenetrable if 

you haven't tested it ?

This free online game allows the player to operate a "virtual" trebuchet,

a popular siege weapon in medieval times. 

As you play, notice the construction techniques that offer the best defenses for the castles. 

The following link takes you to Armor Games.  It's free to play

and requires Flash Player to operate.  Note: no actual persons or towers are injured in this game. 

Crush the Castle 2

Parts of a Castle : it's all about Defence

What's a Motte?

Find out the incredibly clever ways castles were built

to keep enemies at bay:

15 Parts of a Castle defined

Towers, Castles and Medieval Defenses

Why build a Castle?
And how the heck did people build them before the age of 

forklifts, steel beams, and mechanized cranes? 

This fascinating documentary delves into it by actually building a castle using 

medieval devices and methods

CoHousing: What is it? Slideshow

Skyscrapers of New York City * Classic and New

Skyscrapers 

continue to grow taller. 
Compare the forms of these up and coming 

towers

to the classic, original skyscrapers of 

New York City. 

What are the trends?
Which do you prefer, and why?

Here's one reason those first, iconic skyscrapers

look like they do: Setbacks

The History of Notre Dame, Paris * What's at stake

In the news:  Notre Dame Cathedral suffers a 

very destructive fire. 
What will it's impact be? 

Tiny Homes for Homeless People

How does it feel to live without a home of your own? 

Would you feel safe?  Loved?  Rested? 

That you had any

privacy?

Folks at the "Tiny Homes Foundation" are striving to end homelessness
and become the first country in the world
where everyone has a good place to live.

Design a 

Pop Up Home

Watch this video, then try it yourself.

You only need markers or something to color with, scissors, and a long piece of strong paper. 

Ever wish you could design a space for

You

to be creative in?
What might it look like?
What would make it unbelievably awesome for you?

Watch this video and consider how to apply these ideas to your own house.