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Today, we have three stories about designs meant to fool you. Camouflage meant to fool U-boats. Highways designed to fool your brain into going way faster than it should want to. And impeccably made fake signs meant to guide you to the right freeway. Three classic, favorite 99PI’s completely updated, remixed, and rescored. Razzle Dazzle The post Trompe L’oeil appeared first on 99% Invisible.
4 months ago

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A Beetle By Any Other Name

In a limestone cave deep in Central Slovenia, an unremarkable insect lives in complete darkness. This tiny beetle, barely visible to the naked eye, has no eyes and a brownish-yellow coloration—adaptations to a life spent entirely underground. The beetle has survived for approximately two million years in this harsh environment, yet in the past century,

4 days ago 5 votes
The Brutalists

From Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men to Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, from Charles Bronson in Death Wish to Luke Wilson in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, there have been countless architect characters onscreen. It’s not that watching someone design a building is particularly cinematic. But it is a romantic profession that lends itself to

a week ago 11 votes
The Nazi Block

In the heart of Berlin’s Tempelhof-Schöneberg district, an unusual concrete cylinder sits as an abandoned eyesore. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a deteriorating grain silo or a remnant of Cold War infrastructure. But this peculiar structure, known officially as the Schwerbelastungskörper (“heavy load-bearing body”), carries a darker history: it was the first

2 weeks ago 15 votes
The Power Broker Breakdown Wrap-Up

Join Roman and Elliott one last time as they reflect on their journey with you all through The Power Broker, exploring their favorite moments and answering listener questions in this bonus episode. If you finished The Power Broker with us (or know someone who did), get the 99PI Power Broker challenge coin to commemorate your

3 weeks ago 12 votes
Your Own Personal Jesus

The most popular image of Jesus Christ in the world—a white man with blue eyes, wavy brown hair, and a soft, peaceful gaze—comes from Head of Christ, a 1940 painting by Chicago artist Warner Sallman. It’s been reproduced over a billion times, shaping how millions imagine Jesus. Sallman started as a commercial illustrator, sketching ads

3 weeks ago 22 votes

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How to Get a Job at Studio Ma

Founded in 2003, Phoenix-based architecture and environmental design firm Studio Ma has established itself as an award-winning creative powerhouse within its native Arizona, as well as beyond state borders. Under the guidance of Principals Christiana Moss, Christopher Alt, and Tim Keil, the studio strives to combine design excellence with social and environmental responsibility. For this episode of Archinect's "How To Get A Job At ____" series, we talked to Christiana Moss to learn more about their hiring process, what Studio Ma is looking for in prospective new team members, and how candidates can make a strong first impression during the job interview.

13 hours ago 3 votes
About my last few months.

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2 days ago 4 votes
Before + After – An New Addition And Updated Garden For This Brick Home

Locus Design has shared photos of a renovation project they completed for a brick home in Greater London, England, that added space at the rear of the house for an updated living room, dining room, and kitchen, as well as a landscaped yard. At the rear of the home, a new brick extension with new […]

2 days ago 2 votes
Violent Trouble in Television Paradise

The dystopian streaming shows that reflect our times—and that we can’t get enough of.

3 days ago 4 votes
A Beetle By Any Other Name

In a limestone cave deep in Central Slovenia, an unremarkable insect lives in complete darkness. This tiny beetle, barely visible to the naked eye, has no eyes and a brownish-yellow coloration—adaptations to a life spent entirely underground. The beetle has survived for approximately two million years in this harsh environment, yet in the past century,

4 days ago 5 votes