Discovery Blog
Sharing curiosities, discoveries, and design from personal and family travels.
Geothermal Energy Museum in Iceland
At the actual core of Iceland is buried treasure - I’m not talking about Lannister gold. Iceland’s treasure is clean and renewable geothermal energy. The Geothermal Energy Exhibit at the Hellisheiði Power Plant is very unique and tells a wonderful story of the industrial and sustainable energy efforts of Iceland.
Fired Up by Historic Restoration
After an unfortunate arson incident the City of Eagan made the decision to commit to the history of their Old Town Hall. Preserving as much of the historic materials as possible, the project team made every effort to restore the interior and exterior of this building to house the Eagan Historic Society collections and exhibits.
In this project, we preserved a historic corn cob that plugged a gun-shot hole in the back wall of the voting booths!
In Memoriam
Memorial Day allows our nation to honor and mourn the men and women who have given their lives in service to our Unites States Armed Forces. Three aspects of the design of the Vietnam Memorial, by Maya Lin, resonated with me and made a lasting impression, as any memorial should.
Context: Set Apart
Material: Dynamic Granite
Form: Simple Resilency
Exploring Minnesota
5 tips for learning to Discover New Places:
1. EXPLORE, look beyond the map on your phone, SEE the world around you
2. When possible, CHOOSE NEW businesses, restaurants and experiences
3. Lower your guard, BE OPEN to new experiences
4. Don't plan everything, LEAVE TIME for spontaneity
5. Be CURIOUS, ask People questions and really LISTEN to their answer
Pool with the ‘Coolest’ View
The Icelandic Grettis Saga inspired this design by BASALT Architects in 2010. The saga describes how the longtime outlaw Grettir swam to the island of Drangey with his brother, fleeing their enemies on the main land. This eternity pool blurs the edge of the shore for the swimmer so you feel as though you are swimming in the ocean. You can feel the cold wind over the waters surface but unlike Grettir’s swim, the warm water compensates for the cold chill. You can enjoy the northern fjords from the geothermally warmed swimming pool and hot tub.
Travel Sketches
5 Tips on capturing the moment in your sketches.
Live the Moment
Take a Second, literally
Be Flexible
Explore Media
Change Perspective
Discovering the Unexpected
In my travels to rural towns across the world, I sometimes discover beautiful pieces of architecture, hidden from typical travel paths. These structures are resilient and durable. They belong to the community and reflect its culture and history. They are a delightful moments in the midst of a rugged routine environment.
Saxhóll Crater Stairway, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland - Landscape Architect, Þráinn Hauksson