Airbus A380=Ugly

Ok, most commercial aircraft are not exactly what I would call attractive, but the A380 looks particularly pudgy.

I think Airbus missed an opportunity with the full length upper deck. They should have added a viewing lounge with a forward facing window above the cockpit. No other plane has that feature. Look at the double decker buses in London. They are a bit ugly, but have some quirky charm and are now iconic. That extra window would be a distinctive factor that would set the A380 apart and it might even attract new customers. I know it is a cost thing, because I worked on a project for Boeing in school, but its stupid that airplanes offer the most spectacular views of all forms of travel, yet they give us the smallest windows.

This is what they should have done:

you have such a dirty mind

even though they just bleeped out the word “count”, I dare you to not think of some other word.

Engineering art

Something that frustrates me is the perceived division between people who think like artists and people who think like engineers. Much has been hyped about people being either right-brained or left-brained thinkers. It is as if there are people walking around using only one hemisphere of their brain. I don’t buy it. I may be right handed, but it’s not like I go around letting my left arm dangle uselessly at my side because I have a preference for using my right.

Seeing the work of Theo Jansen is awe inspiring. He takes simple jointed mechanisms and combines them into complex moving “creatures” that almost appear to be alive. Is it art or engineering? Why do we have to choose? For me, the process and methods are engineering, the effect…art.

When I first saw Jansen’s work, it reminded me of Sodaplay. Sodaplay is a site that lets you construct simple, jointed creatures that take on a life of their own when motion is added.

Amazing commercials

Advertising is so ubiquitous that it has gotten to the point that is is just background noise in our everyday lives. So much of it is crude, boring or badly executed. Every once in a while I see something that reminds me that it can be an art form. Telling a touching and effective story in two minutes or less. Here are some of my favorites:

This is just great.

This is my all-time favorite (below). It captures such a fleeting, intangible mood.

Great editing and perfect music choice.