Arch.itect.us

Stained glass… this ancient and ethereal medium combining art with engineering has long been associated with churches, cathedrals and other such houses of the holy. Times have changed, however, and this iconic art form with roots in medieval times is being used today to pay homage to what geeks hold to be holy. From the Middle Ages to Middle Earth, there’s nothing like stained glass to bring pleasure from pane.

Beverly Hills High School is keeping a big secret - “big” as in 150 feet tall - on its neatly manicured grounds in zip code 90212. What appears to be a miniature version of Paris’ Eiffel Tower designed by 1960s Flower Children cleverly disguises dirty, rugged internal machinery that works day & night to bring the Earth’s inner riches to the surface.

The recent world financial crisis has shown the spotlight on the world’s central banks, those Keeper of the keys of the money machine. These ten central bank buildings display something of their country’s character while at the same time stating an impression of stability, power and wealth.

Water fountains are a unique art form combining sculpture, engineering, and more than a little imagination. While the world’s most famous fountains are a delight to the senses, others range from weird to wild to downright bizarre… like the ten described here. Now, let us spray.

Outhouses… before the advent of indoor plumbing, these permanent porta-potties were a necessary evil whose use wasn’t an option. Though most outhouses in developed countries have been torn down, a rare few remain. These iconic one-room bathrooms serve to remind us of those dark days when if you had to go, you had to go out first.

Mechanical “nodding donkeys” have been grazing the surface of uninhabited oil fields for many decades but in urban settings they can look, well, crude. Making these horsehead pumps look presentable often involves local folk art projects that produce unique and even surprising results. Pimp my pump jack? You know the drill.

Laura Zindel’s surreal ceramic creations combine high-quality home dishware with faux historical hand-drawn imagery inspired by Victorian Cabinets of Curiosity. Bugs, snakes and spiders on my dinner plate… Please sir, may I have some more?

Bridges might not get the respect the world’s tallest skyscrapers get but these horizontal wonders push the engineering envelope just as hard. From the Brooklyn Bridge to “Galloping Gertie” and beyond, these 10 span-tastic bridges prove the journey is often more interesting than the destination.

Wax candles went retro when Edison invented the light bulb, but don’t “bee” sad. We can still spark things up with some creative variations on the original long-lasting light source. These baker’s dozen of cool candles prove it doesn’t cost a fortune to buy a little flame.

Night lights banish the darkness for young (and old) sleepers who wouldn’t dream of going to bed blindly. These 10 off the wall night lights, on the other hand, show what artists and designers can do when they’re not sleeping on the job.