Acadia National Park is a stunning national treasure on the coast of Maine in the USA. This “insider’s” vacation guide covers all of the best places to see and the towns and villages in the Acadia Region from Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island to Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula. Wherever you choose, the views are spectacular and nature abounds. No wonder this is one of the most visited parks in the United States and in all of North America.
Bar Harbor, a small seaside resort on the northeastern side of Mount Desert Island, has a unique symbiotic relationship with Acadia National Park. Together, they are like conjoined twins, both born of the same mother – and she is the land and ocean combined.
Historical roots are at play here, a special blend of salty air and the classic Down East character that is recognized and loved by millions. Together, these “conjoined twins” offer an unforgettable Maine vacation.
World Economic Forum ‘Stories of the Week’ for October 14, 2022:
00:15 How a Chinese village eradicated poverty – In 2017, nearly a third of villagers lived below the poverty line. Here’s how one the project saw poverty drop from 28% to zero in just 3 years.
02:28 New mosquito repellent – From 2015 to 2019, dengue fever cases in Southeast Asia rose by 46%. This new repellent may be the answer.
03:35 Australia to end species extinction – More than one in ten species have gone extinct in the past 200 years. The Australian government is now taking steps to prevent further extinctions.
05:12 Firefighters’ AI helmet – The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service trialled the helmet which could help them better locate victims and teammates in firefighting situations.
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
The white sandy Thung Wua Laen Beach is 2 km long and lies 13 km North of Chumphon in Southern Thailand.
The “beach of the bull running across the field” is also signposted ‘Thung Wualan’. According to the legend the beach was named by hunters who killed a wild bull. This bull was so strong that it freed itself and escaped while it was being skinned. It ran “across the field”.
Beach chairs and jet skis are not allowed on this beach. The priority here lies on environmentally friendly tourist projects where they try to keep a natural balance.
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, which opened in 1955; it is the only one designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, who came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon felt that the proposed site was too small.
Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. The 72-acre (29 ha) park is themed after the history and culture of California, which celebrates the adventure of the state through the use of various Disney, Pixar and Marvel Studios properties. The park opened on February 8, 2001 as Disney’s California Adventure Park and is the second of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort complex, after Disneyland Park.
St Andrews Beach House is a holiday cabin by Austin Maynard Architects informed by a passion for sustainability. The circular cabin captures sunlight and breezes while allowing nature to regrow healthily around it. The flat roof captures water for the gardens and bathrooms. Sustainable materials include timber, double glazed windows and a concrete slab contributing thermal mass to the cabin.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to St Andrews Beach House 00:37 – The Beachside Location 01:04 – The Vision Behind The House 01:24 – Taking Inspiration From New Zealand Bach’s 01:57 – A Bach Type Layout 02:16 – Sustainably Small But Mighty 02:55 – A Carbon Storage Home 03:08 – Conditional Timber Selections 03:45 – The Importance of Sunlight 04:15 – The Positives of A Circular Home 04:38 – A Demountable Home 05:16 – Proud Moments In Designing and Creating The Home
Additionally, a heat pump system heats the water and the slab, keeping the house warm during the winter. Locally sourced eucalypt timber ensures the cabin can stand against time and the coastal elements. It also contributes to the cabin’s sustainability, capturing of carbon instead of producing it. The material is used inside as well, continuing both the warm, raw aesthetic and the sustainability benefits throughout.
Designed as one structural module repeated 26 times around, the efficiency of the cabin’s construction was optimised. It is also made to be demountable, so that clients are able to either dismantle or salvage the materials for another build in future, if needed. With the importance of sunlight stressed in the brief, large louvre doors were installed to allow light to flood through, and on days when the weather is blossoming, the doors can be opened to connect the deck with the living and dining areas of the cabin.
Due to its circular structure, the beach side cabin can capture or exclude the breeze whenever there is a need, and, as the spiral staircase in the centre leads up the private bedroom spaces, circulation of air and sun can continue around the entire cabin. With a playful and sustainable rationale, St Andrews Beach House is a home away from home that gives back to the surrounding land.
This is a walk in Iguazu Falls, in the province of Misiones in Northern Argentina. This video was recorded in the Devil’s throat.
The Iguazu National Park consists of two national parks, one in Foz de Iguazu (Brazil) and the other one in Puerto Iguazu (Argentina). The curious thing is that although one only sees the falls as the main attraction, the park has a size of 252,982 hectares (67,720 on the Argentine side and 185,262 on the Brazilian side).
These falls in Argentina and Brazil managed to attract so much attention that almost at the same time they were declared National Parks (1934 in Argentina and 1939 in Brazil). And after some years and millions of visitors fascinated by the landscape and the sound of this natural attraction, UNESCO declared them as World Heritage Site in 1984, and reaffirmed as Exceptional Universal Value (their cultural and nature it’s so important that it’s conservation should be of worldwide interest) in 2013.
Storm surge is the deadliest part of a hurricane. Discover what causes this effect, and which regions are most at risk.
Storm surge is produced by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds moving cyclonically around the storm. The impact on surge of the low pressure associated with intense storms is minimal in comparison to the water being forced toward the shore by the wind. Wind and Pressure Components of Hurricane Storm Surge
The maximum potential storm surge for a particular location depends on a number of different factors. Storm surge is a very complex phenomenon because it is sensitive to the slightest changes in storm intensity, forward speed, size (radius of maximum winds-RMW), angle of approach to the coast, central pressure (minimal contribution in comparison to the wind), and the shape and characteristics of coastal features such as bays and estuaries.
Join us on a journey of learning and find out why Impressionism was considered so shocking in the 19th century and how it paved the way for the artistic revolutions that were to come.
Think you know about the Impressionists? Louvre Abu Dhabi, in partnership with the Musée d’Orsay, invites you to think again with Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity, one of the most significant Impressionist exhibitions ever to be held outside France.
Featuring pioneering works by Manet, Degas, and Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Cézanne, the exhibition brings together more than 150 masterpieces alongside etchings, costumes, film and photography to explore why Impressionism was considered so shocking in the 19th century and how it paved the way for the artistic revolutions that were to come.
Born at a time of profound social, political, and cultural upheaval, Impressionism was more than mere artistic rebellion. It saw some of history’s bravest and most visionary painters embrace and extoll new ways of seeing, making art, and living. They celebrated this thrilling new reality, representing truthful observations of nature and modern life.
The result was a fundamentally new and different kind of art, unburdened by artistic and academic convention or tradition, whose radicalism, honesty, and bravery continues to inspire artists to this day.
Channelling the sense of warmth that has long-defined the family concept, Wimbledon House befits its purpose as a modern family home. Crafted by Taylor Pressly Architects in collaboration with the clients, Dave and Katie Penfold of Penfold Property Group, the functional home provides a timeless environment for communal living.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Modern Family Home 00:24 – The Site of the Home 00:47 – A Two Level Space 01:27 – The Featuring of a Curved Staircase 01:48 – Bringing Warmth to The Home Through Materials 02:25 – Transparency Through The View Lines 02:50 – Creating a Central Heart to The Home 03:04 – The Key Feature Areas: Kitchen and Staircase 03:25 – Creating the Staircase 04:32 – Building a Functional Family Home
Situated at the junction between Elwood, St Kilda, Balaclava and Elsternwick, Wimbledon House reflects thorough consideration of local design heritage. Recycled red brickwork references the previous iteration of the house as well as the influential art deco movement, wrapping the lower half of the exterior and tracking its fluid curves with a stack bond format.
Occupying a central position in the spatial plan is a landscaped courtyard which opens onto a staircase, executed by S&A Stairs. The spiral staircase connects the levels of the modern family home with a smooth three-dimensional curve, painted white. The handrail, neatly attached to the primary architecture of the modern family home, represents a particular achievement of S&A Stairs. While the company of the past would have taken days or weeks to build the rail, the modern-day S&A Stairs draws upon its 102 years of experience in order to complete the work within hours, using 5-Axis CNC technology.
By accommodating a family with ease, Wimbledon House succeeds in what is considered its core function. Offering a modern family home, Taylor Pressly Architects associates the communal domestic experience with elevated living, during which occupants can enjoy pieces of luxury craftmanship.
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