DW Travel (August 6, 2023) – Berlin is way more then just a party hotspot. DW reporter Hannah Hummel shows you three of her favorite castles in Berlin that you can visit in just one day.
Hannah takes you from the Mediterranean-style Glienicke Palace to the royal baroque Charlottenburg Palace and on to the remote Grunewald Hunting Lodge Palace.
Jits into the Sunset Films (August 6, 2023) – Sitting on the western side of the Himalayas, Bhutan is a Buddhist Kingdom that famously prioritises the happiness of its citizens over national wealth. It is also famous for prioritising its citizens’ happiness over national wealth (GDP).
We were lucky enough to be invited to explore this unique country steeped in history and culture, where a traditional way of life reigns supreme and we were given access to film places cameras have never been before. Join us as we explore a remote indigenous mountain village, meditate with monks, and are welcomed into the homes of locals.
Massimo Nalli Films (August 5, 2023) – A tour of Eikan-dō (永観堂, “View of Eternity Hall” or “Hall of Yōkan) or “Zenrin-ji” (禅林寺, “Temple of Forest of Zen”) is the head temple for the Seizan branch of Japan’s Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) Buddhist sect.
The temple compound is nestled in Kyoto’s Eastern Mountain (Higashiyama), and its buildings, most of them connected by covered walkways and staircases, are scattered among a range of heights.
– Main gate – the Kōrai-mon (高麗門) is named after the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo (Kōrai in Japanese). The current structure dates from the late Edo period (mid-19th century).
– Inner gate – the Yakui-mon (薬医門), along with the Kōrai-mon, derive from the fortress gates that would have surrounded the aristocratic mansion before it became a temple. Their placement and architecture are said to still reflect these origins today. The current structure dates to 1744.
World Economic Forum (August 5, 2023) – This week’s top stories of the week include:
0:15Half of Gen Z & Millenials live paycheck to paycheck – A new survey asked young people their biggest concerns. The cost-of-living crisis came out top. Many say they’ve been forced to take on side jobs to make ends meet or postpone big life decisions such as buying a house. And the extra stress is taking its toll. 46% of Gen Zs and 39% of millennials feel anxious at work all or most of the time and levels of burnout are on the rise. Their second biggest concern is unemployment.
1:51This start-up recycles household batteries – The Better Battery Company sells batteries in special packaging. Its batteries are white at the positive end and blue at the negative. Inside the box, the batteries are arranged in rows with the white end upturned. When each battery runs out, you put it back in the box the other way up so it’s easy to see which are used and which are new. When the box is filled with spent batteries, you return it using a free postage label and the Better Battery Company sends them off to be recycled.
3:01AI translates K pop hits into 6 languages – K-pop stars have recorded songs in Japanese and English before but a simultaneous 6-language release is a global first. Right now, the pronunciation correction process takes ‘weeks or months’, according to HYBE. But one day, AI could translate songs in real-time. This isn’t the only way AI is changing the music industry. Streaming platforms use AI to analyse users’ listening habits to pick the perfect playlist AIs are even composing their own music or being employed as collaborators.
4:48New airline tires can cut pollution – Airless tyres could cut pollution and make punctures a thing of the past. Made of shape memory alloy, these tyres are puncture-proof, sustainable, and easier to recycle.
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Toyota World Runners Films (August 4, 2023) – An overland travel tour of the Pan-American Highway. This video features Guatemala, a Central American country south of Mexico, is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites. The capital, Guatemala City, features the stately National Palace of Culture and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Antigua, west of the capital, contains preserved Spanish colonial buildings. Lake Atitlán, formed in a massive volcanic crater, is surrounded by coffee fields and villages.
At its fullest extent the Pan-American Highway is a network of roads stretching from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina, a distance of around 48,000 kilometres (30,000 miles).
The Local Project (August 4, 2023) – Tasked with tackling the restoration of a house, Madeline Blanchfield Architects sought to turn Iririki House – which was originally built in 1906 – into a spacious home for a family of seven. With a focus on retaining and restoring the house to its former glory, the team created big open living spaces designed for the family to connect.
Video timeline:00:00 – History Of The Original Home 00:29 – Introduction To The Project 01:12 – The Restoration Process 01:50 – A Walk Through Of The House 02:44 – Drawing On Red Bricks 03:05 – Features Of The Kitchen and Dining Room 04:00 – Distinctions Between Flooring 04:23 – Final Reflections On The House
With close proximity to the eastern beaches and Sydney city, Iririki House is a restoration of a house that begins from the newly restored front fence and garden to the additions at the rear. Moved to the side of the home, the front door placement allows the family and guests to walk through the restored garden and pass the existing heritage house before entering into the new additions.
Focused on establishing a delineation between old and new, Madeline Blanchfield Architects integrates subtle architecture and design techniques as well as modern furniture. Through the process of restoration, Madeline Blanchfield Architects made sure that all design choices stay respectful to the home’s original character but also reflect a contemporary occupation.
Furthermore, with terrazzo used for flooring on the main level, the house offers an ease of movement from inside to out, and the timber employed throughout differs to that of the original flooring to highlight the difference between spaces.
Lionard Luxury Real Estate (August 4, 2023) – A tour of a stunning sea-facing villa, an example of Art-Nouveau architecture, with private paths that lead down to the sea.
Located just thirty km from Genoa, this house was built on the beach front, at the foot of an enchanting village on the western Ligurian Riviera. Immersed in a centuries-old park measuring 4.5 hectares, among the intoxicating scents of lush lavender hedges, this villa stands out for anyone looking from the sea towards the thick Mediterranean scrub that covers the hinterland.
In the center, in a magnificent panoramic position directly overlooking the sea, this 2,000-sqm villa stands fascinating and majestic, developed on three floors. Its beauty, protected by the Cultural and Landscape Heritage, is given by the large reception hall that occupies the ground floor, with original terrazzo floors and ceilings with stuccoes and embossed decorations, around which there are four rooms, two on each side, as well as a study and four bathrooms.
On one side of the floor, there is a 180-sqm terrace featuring precious marble floorings – the ideal setting for a sumptuous reception – covered by a fixed structure that can be closed on the sides.
RM Sotheby’s (August 4, 2023) – Chosen by Hollywood celebrities and racing drivers alike, the Jaguar brand has long represented the sporting lifestyle. In the second episode of an ongoing series illuminating the origins of exceptional automobiles, RM Sotheby’s Director of Research Michael Squire discusses the origins of a brand-defining Jaguar, the XKSS.
Already made in a limited quantity, this XKSS is one of only sixteen sports-racers to survive a fire at the Jaguar plant in February of 1957. After that, this XKSS led what could be considered a charmed life, first in California, then returning to two noteworthy collectors in the UK, Anthony Bamford and Campbell McLaren.
Moveora Films (August 4, 2023) – Verona is a city in northern Italy’s Veneto region, with a medieval old town built between the meandering Adige River. It’s famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
A 14th-century residence with a tiny balcony overlooking a courtyard is said be “Juliet’s House.” The Verona Arena is a huge 1st-century Roman amphitheater, which currently hosts concerts and large-scale opera performances.