flakes of nuisance » architecture http://mcneillfamily.com paying attention to distractions since 1958 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:49:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Cave, shelter, ingenuityhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/29/cave-shelter-ingenuity/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/29/cave-shelter-ingenuity/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:13:37 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6691

This cave home was built by pouring concrete over stacked hay bales, cutting an opening, and then letting a cow in to eat the hay. More pictures here.

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COFFER from thismustbetheplace on Vimeo.

]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/29/home/feed/ 0 Faunagraphic Manchesterhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/27/faunagraphic-manchester/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/27/faunagraphic-manchester/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:13:33 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6687

]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/27/faunagraphic-manchester/feed/ 0 puncture-proofhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/puncture-proof/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/puncture-proof/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:14:01 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6677

Ron Arad Two Nuns Bicycle from paul denton on Vimeo.

]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/puncture-proof/feed/ 0 30 storeys 15 dayshttp://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/30-storeys-15-days/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/30-storeys-15-days/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:20:50 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6675

]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2012/01/15/30-storeys-15-days/feed/ 0 Beautiful lighting for an auld spiral staircasehttp://mcneillfamily.com/2010/11/24/beautiful-lighting-for-an-auld-spiral-staircase/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/11/24/beautiful-lighting-for-an-auld-spiral-staircase/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:55:24 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6300 The design firm of Speirs + Major got the contract to update the lighting in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. Their solution for the hall’s magnificent spiral staircase was this striking acrylic cylinder surrounding fluorescent tubes: “the inner layer is frosted to soften the light while the outer layer is etched with a ringed pattern that catches the light. each fluorescent section is separated by shorter sections of frosted glass rings uplit with leds to add sparkle and introduce variation along the length.”

speirs + major: usher hall, edinburgh

(via Cribcandy)

Spiral staircase built around a 75' tree – Boing [

continue reading Beautiful lighting for an auld spiral staircase

]]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/11/24/beautiful-lighting-for-an-auld-spiral-staircase/feed/ 0 Documenting the progress of Urban Splash as they regenerate Park Hill flats in Sheffieldhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2010/10/10/documenting-the-progress-of-urban-splash-as-they-regenerate-park-hill-flats-in-sheffield/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/10/10/documenting-the-progress-of-urban-splash-as-they-regenerate-park-hill-flats-in-sheffield/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 05:21:49 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=6078

]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/10/10/documenting-the-progress-of-urban-splash-as-they-regenerate-park-hill-flats-in-sheffield/feed/ 0 Manager tells of shock at destruction of historic Scone archhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/29/manager-tells-of-shock-at-destruction-of-historic-scone-arch/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/29/manager-tells-of-shock-at-destruction-of-historic-scone-arch/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:02:02 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=5962

The contractor was driving a van through the 16th century Augustinian Archway in the grounds when it hit the arch, bringing down tonnes of ancient stonework.

Valerie Stuart, manager of Colliston Castle Scotland Ltd in Arbroath, said the driver had been collecting a marquee from the palace after the weekend’s Perth Hunt Ball.

Manager tells of shock at destruction of historic Scone arch

]]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/29/manager-tells-of-shock-at-destruction-of-historic-scone-arch/feed/ 0 Anns Grove School Community Hub – a new landmark for 21st century Heeleyhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/22/anns-grove-school-community-hub-%e2%80%93-a-new-landmark-for-21st-century-heeley/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/22/anns-grove-school-community-hub-%e2%80%93-a-new-landmark-for-21st-century-heeley/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:06:59 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=5912

Heeley Development Trust (HDT) have made huge progress with plans to bring life back to the site at the old Ann’s Grove School, Heeley.

The old school is a highly valued historic landmark for the neighbourhood and, with significant community support, the Trust has negotiated an agreement to transfer the building from the Council to HDT on a lease of 119 years.

After a long period of research and surveying the buildings we are now submitting plans for planning permission. We are submitting proposals to funders to raise the money necessary to undertake the huge job of refurbishing [

continue reading Anns Grove School Community Hub – a new landmark for 21st century Heeley

]]]> http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/09/22/anns-grove-school-community-hub-%e2%80%93-a-new-landmark-for-21st-century-heeley/feed/ 0 ‘Spontaneous City’ of birdhouses springs up in Londonhttp://mcneillfamily.com/2010/08/18/spontaneous-city-of-birdhouses-springs-up-in-london/ http://mcneillfamily.com/2010/08/18/spontaneous-city-of-birdhouses-springs-up-in-london/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:11:45 +0000 admin http://mcneillfamily.com/?p=5667

Rapid urbanization and widespread habitat destruction stemming from human activities are negatively impacting wildlife populations as never before. City-dwelling birds, which are an integral part of urban ecologies, are no exception. As this thought-provoking ‘mass bird-housing’ installation by eco-artist collective London Fieldworks shows (more photos after the jump), encouraging urban biodiversity — whether in urban planning or green building — is something that deserves more thought.

(CLICK HERE FOR MORE »» ‘Spontaneous City’ of Birdhouses Springs Up in London : TreeHugger: .)

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continue reading ‘Spontaneous City’ of birdhouses springs up in London

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