More from 99% Invisible
In Echo Park, Los Angeles, across from Echo Park Lake, stands a building that begs to be noticed—a colossal, white structure with archways and an enormous concrete dome that’s been described as “half Roman Coliseum, half Parisian opera house.” Though some might say it looks more like a concrete flying saucer landed on top of
On October 17th, 1989, the Oakland A’s were playing the San Francisco Giants in the World Series, but just as the game was kicking off—the television broadcast cut out. When the signal came back, it was no longer the baseball game. These were the early minutes of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck near Santa
This week, a conversation with Carl Zimmer about his new book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe. Air-Borne is an epidemiological history of how we think about the air and its relationship to disease. For centuries, fear of airborne miasmas impacted the design of buildings and cities. While the underlying science of
99% Invisible Presents: A Quiet Storm Party >> Sounds by Ayanna Heaven >> Sun July 27, 5-8pm >> Ace Hotel – Brooklyn, NY >> INFO & RSVP HERE! In the mid-1970s, the national media was reporting on the rise of a new socioeconomic group that was quickly gaining unprecedented access to jobs, education, backyard swimming
More in architecture
Ford’s status as a large-volume car producer began with the predecessor to the Model T: the Model N, a four-cylinder, two-seater car initially priced at $500. At the time, the average car in the US cost more than $2,000, and it seemed nearly unimaginable that a car with the capabilities of the Model N could cost so littl
The many ways residents and local institutions worked to bring the Crescent City back after a historic natural disaster.
Railway stations, bus stations and… filling stations? The first two have made frequent appearances on the pages of this website, the third far less often. Filling stations, and their close cousins garages and car showrooms, only occasionally attract significant architectural attention. Although it can happen from time to time (there’s a list of filling stations […]
Thermal energy storage, an adjustable allen wrench, the new race to the moon, the former world’s largest indoor water park, and more.