Posted via email from ALFRED WANG

The first app/web service that caught my eye is animoto:  in short it is a web service that lets you upload images or video and the service will create a personalized video out of it, just watching the sample video on their start page gave me the cool jingles all over (and video is always good for someone with a short attention span like me). 

Besides the simple and slick interface, what is really fun is that they will apply professional looking effects to your video.  All you do is upload the photos or video or both that you want to use with the web interface.  You can then re-arrange the order, add 'spot light' to special frames or add text frames from the video.  After you are satisfied with the general order, you can click on Next to go to the music selection in which you can upload your own track, or select from the ones they provide (and they provide a good selection already).  After you are satisfied with the music selection, hit next to go into the next screen where you can type the name and description of the video….hit done and that is it.  The folks at animoto will email you when your video is rendered.  I was truly impressed at how easy it is and how good the result turned out to be.  For a small price you can get longer videos and you can also pay for high res videos to turn into dvd format.  Sure, you might say what is the use of it?  Think about it, a quick and fun way to turn those boring slides of architecture drawings into a energetic movie trailer.  The combination of ease of use, speed, and quality make this animoto a tool with lots and lots of potential.  And best of all, it is actually fun!

and if you don't believe me… take a look at my previous post of a short video I made for our dog in 15 minutes
http://alfredlw.posterous.com/golden-the-newest-memeber-of-our-house

Posted via email from ALFRED WANG

Our firm's (C. Y. Lee & Partners) signature building Taipei 101 Financial Center is getting a green update and going for the LEED gold medal. 

Architecture and the building practice is one of the major sources of natural resource depletion, as well as the production of CO2 and various waste materials. 
It is often the dilemma of the consious designer 'to build or not to build' and it often is much more complicated than that. 
I think this announcement initiated by the client and management team is a very positive note in moving towards a more sustainable design approach.
This trend will perhaps allow/sanction architects more freedom in sustainable design ideas that actually get implemented.
Of course many people will go back to the basic question of the need in building such large scale buildings, but at the least, building with sustainability in mind is a direction I am sure everyone can agree with.  I hope to see more updates like the one Taipei 101 is getting more often.

http://www.archdaily.com/40848/tapei-101-to-become-the-worlds-tallest-green-building/

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/05/taipei-101-worlds-tallest-green-building/

Posted via email from ALFRED WANG

All the excuses aside… The benefits of micro four thirds system. The compatibility with various lenses. The similarities to range finders. The in body stabilization. All that and more aside, although I like to think of myself as a photo enthusiast, I was very much sold by the retro look of this beauty. The texture and materiality alone brings back that childhood joy of holding your favorite toy. I was genuinely excited when I finally located the matching leather case for the body. Now when was the last time something engaged you like that? Now time to think about the Zeiss ZM C Biogon 21/4.5… I see that cash draining black hole widening again…
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Posted via email from ALFRED WANG

Architecture only as good as the picture? Architecture, without doubt, is a visual art. We in the field constantly use pictorial representation, abstract or defined, to communicate our ideas. Architecture is also a physical art, many aspects of design can only be experienced and felt. In our age of terrabytes and optical lines, the speed that information travels and spreads is almost unscalable. Coupled with our reliance on mass media and electronic communication, it seems that we increasingly base our judgment on superficial information. Maybe we just do not have the time to digest the waves of information that bury us. Maybe we just do not want to take the time anymore. So in this new age, the architecture image, is not just a method of communication or record…it might very well be the entirety of its existence. The truth which remained so important to this field of design is now digitally enhanced. I admit that I have reaped the benefits of the digital age, I can no longer complete my designs without my digital tools. But I think that, precisely because of our reliance on digital tools, we should value the tangible aspects, the fleeting realities that we call building even more. Now more than over, we should understand that architecture is never just as good as the picture.

Note: photo of Ocean Blue Residences, courtesy of Tim Kuo
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Posted via email from ALFRED WANG

Remember the good ol’ days of the paper pad, pencil, and your trusty special 20 sider dice that always roles criticals? Admit it, you know what I am talking about. Most of us of the ‘fringe’ sort, meaning you were not the popular jock that got all the girls (well, at least I did not) have spent many nights with friends in dark and secluded places (basements, garages, and various unsavory places) bent over pieces of paper scribbled with numbers and alien names. Most of us have stared across the table at the tiny shining figurine on some sort of cryptic battle map, rubbing our hands with anticipation, breath held for the role of the dice from the hands of god who sits behind the dungeon master’s screen (usually just a fat dude behind a piece of paper) Know what I am talking about? If you have no clue… well, you were probably one of the ‘cool’ kids. Now this concept by some dudes over at Carnegie Melon (I think the school explains it, they probably have the biggest D&D club out of every university in North America)…. is AMAZING. Their idea is genius, combining the best of both worlds, the real interaction with friends, and the functional, graphical capabilities of the modern day computer. Alas. I wish I was a teenager again. To roam the mysterious lands wielding my trusty sword again…. but then I probably wouldn’t be able to afford the setup. Irony.

Posted via web from ALFRED WANG

Posted via web from ALFRED WANG

I was fortunate to take a family trip to Kunming, Lijiang and Shangarilla last month. It was quite an experience, given there are still some of the usual ‘difficulties’ that we face in China; the scenery is still breath taking. This trip also marks the first of my newly acquired Olympus EP-1, so I had quite some fun playing with the system.  Out of laziness, I have loads of un-organized photos from various trip through out the years and they just keep piling up… So with starting this blog, I thought it might be a good chance to also start organizing and presenting some of my photos. So please take a look and comment if you are interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfredlw/