Pump Jacks of All Trades

(images via: Wikimedia, River Earth and Stormeffects)

Most pump jacks show a family resemblance no matter where they’re located or who manufactures them. This is due to the “walking beam” mechanism that takes a form-follows-function design ethos. Call them nodding donkeys, horsehead pumps or thirsty birds, pump jacks are designed to do one thing and do it repetitively: extract oil from wells where pressure alone isn’t enough to bring oil to the surface. The pump jack above appears to have sprouted a pair of insectile antennae. You’ll find it on display at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, NM.

Season’s Greasings from Lufkin

(image via: Dave Shafer)

Setting up a bright & colorful holiday display? Why not work the local pump jacks into it – makes celebrating the season a much more “moving” experience. Just ask the nice people of Lufkin, Texas. Lufkin’s an oil town… just ask the Mark II 640D pump jack dressed up as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in the following video, it’s made by Lufkin Industries. You can find it in the parking lot of the Lufkin Mall in downtown Lufkin.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Pumping Unit, via Derekdz

Six Jacks Over Texas

(images via: C. Gillingham)

Drop in to the Texas panhandle town of Borger and you’ll find a classic combination of friendly people and hard-working pump jacks – or is it friendly pump jacks and hard-working people? I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Borger a number of times in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and I recall being awed by the the red, white & blue, All-American pump jack just outside the Borger Chamber of Commerce. Since then it seems there are others scattered about the town; the ones shown above each proudly bear the colors of a nation whose flag once flew above what is now Texas.

The Luling Class

(images via: Wikimedia, Roadside America and Otter & Moose)

Not to be outdone is the town of Luling, Texas. This small town of 5,000 is blessed with nature’s bounty both below ground and above – oil and watermelons, to be exact. To show the world what Luling’s all about, town authorities had a 154 ft high water tower painted up like a watermelon and affixed colorful painted plywood cutouts to many pump jacks nodding away within city limits.

Everything’s Big in Texas…

(image via: Carly Whelan)

Even the bugs! A swarm of locusts, each this large, would certainly be a plague of biblical proportions. Luckily the smiling beastie above is firmly attached to a Luling pump jack AND he’s the only one of his kind. Amen to that.

Old School Nodding Donkey

(images via: ESC and Wikipedia)

Nodding donkeys can be found wherever oil lurks underground. Take the patriotic Petrobras pump jack above, located at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte Campus in Natal, Brazil. It isn’t easy to keep pump jacks looking as nice as the day they were assembled – blistering sun and pouring rain take their toll on paint and metal. This particular pump jack shows signs of TLC, right down to the color-coordinated fence that surrounds it.

Powering the City

(image via: Hubpages)

How many pump jacks are there in South America? At least a Brazilian! This nattily striped pump jack in Salvador, Bahia, nods slowly to and fro while traffic speeds back and forth along the city’s wide avenues – original source and end users, side by side. One wonders what would happen should an out-of-control car or truck take out the pump jack… maybe that’s why it looks a lot like a road construction sign.

The Kowtow Pump

(images via: View On Canadian Art and Public Art in Chicago)

How much oil could a pump jack pump if a pump jack could pump oil? None… if it’s one of the decommissioned oil pumping units used by Shen Shaomin for his 2007 “Kowtow Pump” outdoor art exhibit at North Boeing Gallery, Millennium Park in Chicago. According to Shaomin, the camouflage-painted industrial sculpture was meant to be “a commentary of our dependence on oil and it’s impact on environment.”

Watch the Birdies

(images via: Statemasters and TX Roadrunners)

The pump jack above top, painted up to look like a smiling toucan, resembles those glass novelty items partially filled with colored alcohol that bob up and down… but you knew that. Is it any wonder one of the nicknames for pump jacks is “thirsty bird”? Just below it is another pumpjack from Luling, TX, sporting the distinctive plumage of the American Eagle.

A Savage Beauty

(images via: Corbis Images and LIFE)

Sometimes the temptation to soften, even anthropomorphize, our rough-edged mechanical servants is resisted and when that happens the results can be surprisingly pleasing. Though we may live cheek-by-jowl with the tools of our technological success, the jarring concurrence of urban & industry can take on an almost artistic flavor – something even a nodding donkey can appreciate.

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Not many of us would think of industrial towers as impressive pieces of modern architecture, but a closer look reveals that they are, in fact, amazing structures. They have to be able to not only do the job they were built for – guiding smoke or steam, storing agricultural products, or cooling fluids – but to withstand all of the surrounding environmental stresses placed upon them. These fantastic industrial towers are often overlooked, but stand as proof of our impressive industrial achievements.

Incomparable Architecture

(images via: Deputy Dog)

Truly, some of the most impressive industrial towers to ever exist are those that help control the water flow in the Hoover Dam. The towers aren’t usually visible since they are always submerged in a huge amount of water, but they stand an imposing 395 feet tall and help to keep the entire operation running smoothly.

Relics of the Industrial Revolution

(images via: waves and waterfalls, Dave Wyman, Dean Melbourne, The WE)

When the world began to develop better methods for manufacturing just about everything, the landscape of many places changed. Factories, smokestacks, and agricultural storage towers popped up in the countryside and at work sites to assist with a variety of functions. Today, many of those structures are abandoned and derelict, but some, like the Coops Shot Tower in Melbourne (above, lower right corner) have been preserved as historic treasures.

(image via: Wikimedia)

The Liban Quarry in Krakow, Poland has a long and fascinating history. First opened as a quarry in 1873, it was later used as a concentration camp during World War 2. After its closure, it was the setting for the 1993 film Schindler’s List. Today, it is little more than a few abandoned and overgrown structures that seem largely forgotten.

(image via: Panoramio)

These amazing bio-towers once filtered wastewater from a coking plant in Lauchhammer, Germany, but they were taken out of service in 2003. Once doomed to destruction, they have since been saved and are now used to teach visitors about the industrial history of the area.

Power Stations

(images via: Dark Roasted Blend)

The ever-increasing need for electricity has been the impetus for a great deal of interesting architecture. The above mysterious and alien-looking structures can be seen in the Russian countryside, and they are reportedly for high-voltage electricity generation. The towers are continuing the work of Nicola Tesla; much like the bizarre scene from the movie “The Prestige,” these amazing towers light up the night sky with volts of electricity. They were built in the 1970s and are reportedly still in operation.

(images via: Wikipedia and Daily Peloton)

The now-derelict Battersea Power Station in London has ironically become a well-recognized and admired landmark of the city. When its construction was first proposed in 1927, residents felt that a large power station on the bank of the Thames would be an unwelcome eyesore that would negatively affect everyone in the area. The company behind the station remedied the problem by hiring Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to design the building. The architect and industrial designer had previously won a design competition to come up with a pleasing new phone box configuration; his winning red phone box design became a London icon. Likewise, the Battersea Power Station went on to become a treasured London building. Its four towers are immediately recognizable, and the building remains the largest brick structure in Europe.

(image via: Wikipedia)

The Bankside Power Station is another London power station designed by Sir Giles, though it is arguably more well-known today as the Tate Modern Art Museum. It features only one tower, but is nonetheless still a highly recognizable London landmark. It was decommissioned as a power station in 1981 and converted to the Tate Modern in 2000.

(images via: Smeggys, Geograph, and Rob Patrick)

Regardless of how you feel about nuclear power, the architecture of the familiar hypberboloid cooling tower associated with nuclear power plants is instantly recognizable and undeniably fascinating. These towers stand like silent sentinels, guarding their power stations or simply creating a small spot of interest on the landscape. Many nuclear power stations which have been demolished have left behind their cooling towers, often because it is expensive and complicated to destroy them in a safe manner.

(image via: Wikipedia)

At least one nuclear power plant is taking strides to warm the public to its presence. The Cruas Nuclear Power Station in France commissioned artist Jean-Marie Pierret to create a giant mural on a cooling tower; the mural was finished in 2005 and focuses on the interplay of water and air.

(image via: Gregor Rohrig)

Maybe the most well-known decorated cooling towers in the world are those at the decommissioned Orlando Power Station in Soweto, South Africa. After supplying coal-powered electricity to the area for more than half a century, the plant was shut down in 1998. The cooling towers remain, though – one now sports a huge advertisement, and the other is home to the largest mural painting in South Africa. In addition to being one of the most recognizable landmarks in the area, the site is home to bungee and BASE jumping, a power swing, and various other thrill-seeking attractions.

Into the Future

(images via: Solar Paces and Wikipedia)

The PS10 and PS20 solar power towers near Seville, Spain aren’t the only solar power towers in the world, but combined they make the most powerful solar thermal energy plant. Their futuristic design and purpose only add to the wonder that accompanies most people’s first glimpse of the incredible structures. They were designed to be as visually unobtrusive as possible, but the concrete towers are so simple and beautiful that they still draw their share of amazed stares.

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It’s the 21st century – so why are printers still so bulky, ugly and wasteful? The time is ripe for printers that fit into the world of iPods, cell phones and paper-thin computers, and concept designers are stepping up to the plate with incredible visions of the future. Tiny stick printers that can go anywhere, printers that use pencil stubs or even coffee dregs in lieu of ink cartridges, printers that can erase and reuse paper. Some designs go further still, transcending mere ink to produce three-dimensional objects and even food.

Printing with a Pencil Stub

(images via: yanko design)

The problem with printers is, if you make a mistake, there’s no way to erase it. You simply have to start all over again, wasting both ink and a sheet of paper. So why not use graphite instead? This creative printer concept by Hoyoung Lee does that and more, using the nubs of old pencils that would otherwise be thrown away and even offering a built-in eraser for the second go ‘round.

Pencil Printer II

(images via: yanko design)

The built-in eraser function in the first design is ditched in this reworking by Hoyoung Lee, Seunghwa Jeong & Jin-young Yoon, making the printer a lot more compact. Sure, erasing by hand is more work, but you can do a more thorough job on your own anyway.

Printing with Colored Pens

(images via: yanko design)

Nobody likes buying printer cartridges, and it seems like we go through them so quickly. So it’s nice to see innovation that drains the last drops of ink out of colored ball point pens as a supplement to regular printer ink. The design may not work as-is, since ballpoint ink tends to be thick, but it’s an interesting idea.

Printing with Tea Dregs

(images via: core 77)

Coffee and tea are loaded with pigment and in fact often used as dye, so it makes sense to use them as a natural, free, recycled form of ink. This printer would allow users to place coffee or tea dregs into an ink case, eliminating the need to constantly purchase costly cartridges.

Scan-and-Draw Pen Creates Customized Ink

(images via: dornob)

A printer, scanner and pen in one? This pen makes it possible to write with any color from practically any object you can find, scanning the color and reproducing it from RGB ink cartridges. The design obviously has its limitations, considering the small size of the ink cartridges, but it’s an absolute dream for artists and could be useful for a range of everyday needs as well.

StickPop Printer is Ultra-Portable

(image via: ubergizmo)

Remember the days when we were all chained to our desks while on the computer or talking on the phone? Gadgets are going portable in ways we never thought possible a decade or two ago, so why not printers too? The StickPop printer concept is battery-operated, prints via USB cable and is small enough to fit in your laptop bag.

PrePeat Rewritable Printer Uses No Ink

(image via: engadget)

The PrePeat takes all of the above concepts and goes one step further: eliminating paper from the equation. This eco-friendly printer uses special paper made of PET plastic that can reportedly be used up to 1,000 times each. The printer, which uses no ink or toner, automatically clears used sheets and reprints. It’s a cool idea, but the cost is definitely prohibitive for now at $5,600.

Mini Giant: Crawling Robotic Large-Scale Printer

(image via: core 77)

Want to print absolutely anything, anytime, anywhere? The combination of ZINK paper, which has colored dye crystals embedded in it, and the “Mini Giant” crawling printer can produce practically anything – even large-scale posters. The Mini Giant propels itself across a piece of ZINK paper to create a print using heat-based technology.

Self-Replicating 3D Printer

(images via: dornob)

If you have even the slightest fear of computers taking over the world, this self-replicating 3D printer may be fodder for your nightmares.  The RepRap can manufacture complex three-dimensional objects… including copies of itself. But, Terminator implications aside, this thing is pretty cool: it turns your home office into a mini factory by simply downloading plans and then molding bars of plastic into various household goods.

Using a Printer to Make… Food?

(images via: dornob)

Considering that some printers can replicate, it’s not too crazy to imagine 3D printers that can cook and assemble food at the push of a button. Some futuristic food printer concepts imagine gadgets loaded with ingredients that can be whipped up into practically anything imaginable, though it probably wouldn’t taste much like the food we enjoy today.

This Printer Concept is Toast

(images via: dornob)

When it comes to printing on toast, many of us ask “why?” but just as many respond “why not?” While toasting a design onto bread is pretty impractical, it definitely makes this boring breakfast staple a little bit more fun. While the ‘Zuse’ toast printer (top) is more about form, the roller toaster is actually functional. It doesn’t print an image on the bread, but works like a printer, passing a piece of bread from one side to the other.

Taking Printers on the Road

(image via: yanko design)

If printers can create designs on paper, why not change up the surface? Road workers could get a lot more done by letting this solar-powered Road Printer do most of the work with pre-programmed templates and a jet-spray paint cartridge that moves from side-to-side between the wheels.

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(images via: Ceramic Arts Daily and Notes on a Party)
Who is Laura Zindel and why is she intent on bugging our meals? To address the first question, Laura Zindel-Lauterbach and her husband Thorsten Zindel Lauterbach are the two artists behind Laura Zindel Ceramics, located (as are they) in an old farmhouse in southern Vermont.

(images via: Blackbird)
Laura Zindel learned the tricks of her trade not by puttering around in her basement, but by becoming an accredited potter with the letters to prove it – a BFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts.

(images via: Big Daddy Seashell)
Zindel’s natural talent for drawing is something that cannot be taught, merely refined. All of the meticulously detailed images on her ceramics are hand-drawn in pencil, then printed with enamel to become ceramic transfers which are subsequently collaged onto the raw pieces and fired for permanence in a process known as transferware. First adopted in the 18th century, transferware embodying such complex and delicate artwork is not commonly practiced these days.

(images via: Bioephemera, The Vintage Chair, Newshopper and Core77)
When asked about her inspirations, Zindel mentions the Victorian Cabinets of Curiosity, which were intensely personal collections of natural oddities and objects of beauty accumulated by the wealthier members of British society. What Zindel refers to as “The art of collecting and displaying ones’ passions” originated before Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne in 1837 – perhaps even before the establishment of the British Museum in 1753, which popularized collecting as a reputable hobby.

(images via: LauraZindel.com)
Officially Victorian or not, Zindel’s work evokes a sense of great age, scientific craftsmanship and quality worthy of an heirloom. The latter is perhaps the most appropriate. As Laura Zindel’s artist statement expostulates, “I believe that some objects can carry a personal history through a family from year to year. I hope that I can make art that a family member can buy to be handed down the line. Something bought on a whim, that becomes the platter for the turkey, or sits on the mantel. ‘Crazy old Uncle Larry bought that peculiar spider platter, and we just can’t seem to part with it’, I would like to be a part of that.”

(images via: John Coulthart and This Next)
Are Zindel’s pieces destined solely for the mantelpiece, there to collect dust and scare your kids (and their kids)? Definitely not – each piece displays a non-toxic, low fire glazed surface and are slip cast with low fire white earthenware. Food safe they are; appetite safe… well, that depends how hungry you are.

(images via: Apartment Therapy, Hello Blackbird and My Opinions Are Important)
Zindel’s frighteningly beautiful ceramic wares can’t be found on the shelves of your local Wal-Mart or Piggly Wiggly. As handmade fine art creations they are not exactly numerous, though over the years the Zindels have crafted a wide variety of sizes, styles and designs. Visit the Laura Zindel Ceramics website for a list of galleries – the Exploding Head Gallery in Sacramento, CA for example. Certain specialty online stores like Blackbird also carry Laura Zindel pieces – search and ye shall find.

(images via: Not Wild Style and LauraZindel.com)
The current list of designs features beetles, birds, bees, dragonflies, moths, spiders and snakes, just to name a few. Light Blue, Pine Green and the intriguingly named “Iron Buffalo” are usually used as edge trimming or for the interiors of mugs and tumblers.

(images via: LauraZindel.com, A Farm Fresh Wedding and Kaboodle)
At present there are over 30 different types of ceramic dishware available featuring Zindel’s naturalistic motifs, ranging from small dessert plates to huge round serving platters a full 17 inches in diameter. Pricing varies generally with the size of the item but small pieces need not be budget breakers: an Espresso Cup and Saucer combo goes for just $26.00, for example.

(images via: Apartment Therapy and Wooden Stone Gallery)
Even stores that do not normally specialize in ceramics have noted the unique ability of Laura Zindel’s ceramics to attract, repulse, and intrigue. The above displays were assembled by the Scarlet Sage Herb Co. in Valencia, CA, and show off some of Zindel’s more unusual (if that can be said) designs. Among the many marine creatures depicted above in Zindel’s ancient zoological style are seashells, starfish, sand dollars, seahorses and jellyfish. I seafood… and I like it!

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The military buildings of today are relatively bland and plain, but in centuries past military architecture was something to be admired. Military forts, whether they were stand-alone installations or incorporated towns within their walls, had to be tough enough to stand up to attacks and well-designed enough to effectively return fire when required. Star-shaped forts were a particularly interesting type of fortification. They first appeared around the time that gunpowder became commonly used in warfare; the unusual shape of the forts and the fact that they were made of hard-to-shatter brick (rather than the traditional stone) helped the forts stand up to cannonball fire. These incredible structures are among the most memorable, the most beautiful, and the most historically important star forts from around the world.

Bourtange, Netherlands

(image via: Wikipedia)

This positively gorgeous star-shaped fort and its associated village is Bourtange, a Dutch fortification built in the 16th century during the Eighty Years’ War. The fort was decommissioned at one point in 1851, after which the area became a normal town, but a century later the fort was restored to encourage tourists to visit the area. While the fort itself is now a popular museum, the village continues to hold a constant population.

Fort Pitt, USA

(images via: Wikipedia and Pittsburgh City Paper)

On the grounds of what is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, once sat Fort Pitt. Constructed in the midst of the French and Indian war, the star-shaped fort became an important part of the conflict. Not much remains today of Fort Pitt – only one solitary building – but the unique shape of the former military stronghold is commemorated in the above scale model still on display in the Fort Pitt Museum.

Fort McHenry, Maryland, USA

(images via: Wikipedia and UMB)

Fort McHenry is arguably one of the most important military bases in US history. During the War of 1812, British soldiers bombarded the fort for 25 hours, but American soldiers bravely held them off. The fort’s valiant defense inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the poem that would later become the country’s national anthem. Today, the very flag that Key saw that night is still on display inside the building, which has long been established as an historical monument.

Almeida, Portugal

(image via: More Walking Portugal and Spain)

The impressive star-shaped fort at Almeida, Portugal was built to defend the area against the French invasion during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century. In 1810 it was under brutal siege by the French general Massena, during which a careless soldier allowed the entire munitions store to explode, destroying the medieval castle that was once part of the town. The town wall and most of the remaining military buildings have been very well maintained and today are still a fantastic tourist destination for people who love architecture, military history and fascinating places.

Charles Fort, Ireland

(image via: Wikipedia)

Nestled in the lush green landscape of County Cork, Ireland is Charles Fort. Built in the late 17th century, it’s a wonderful example of the star-shaped forts characteristic of that time. The fort has a long and impressive military history, and it’s been involved in some of Ireland’s most important historical events. Despite being so important to Ireland’s history and in constant use for several hundred years, it was only granted national landmark status in the 1970s.

Fort Cumberland, England

(images via: English Heritage)

The star-shaped Fort Cumberland on England’s southern coast is widely regarded as one of the most shining examples of this type of fort in the United Kingdom. It was the last fort with bastions to be built in the UK, and it was in use as a military structure until well into the 20th century. It’s possible to tour the structure currently, but only by pre-booked appointment.

Palmanova, Italy

(image via: Deputy Dog)

Palmanova, in northeastern Italy, was founded on October 7, 1593. The fortress was the state of the art when it was built, and it was the 16th century equivalent of a planned community. The commune was originally meant to guard against attacks from the Ottomans and contain a self-sustaining community of merchants and residents. But like many planned communities of today, it was boring and devoid of character, and no one was interested in living there. The Italian government was eventually forced to offer free land and building materials in Palmanova to convicts who would agree to live there. To this day, the planned community remains a soulless place with no real life…but the magnificent architecture continues to impress.

Duncannon Fort, Ireland

(image via: Duncannon Fort)

If you saw the 2002 remake of “The Count of Monte Cristo,” you might recognize Duncannon Fort from the opening scenes. The lovely star-shaped fort was built in 1588 in preparation for an attack by the Spanish Armada. Today it offers unparalleled waterfront views, an impressive maritime museum and one of the oldest standing lighthouses in Ireland.

Tilbury Fort, England

(image via: Universitat Wien)

One of the most visually striking star-shaped forts is Tilbury Fort in Essex, along the River Thames. It was built to defend London from sea-based attacks and performed admirably for centuries. The current star-shaped structure was designed by Dutch engineer Sir Bernard de Gromme, though many Victorian-era additions and repairs are part of the overall structure that visitors see today.

Fort Carré, Antibes, France

(images via: Fortified Places)

Antibes has been at the center of many heated military conflicts over the centuries, thanks to its prime location. In the 16th century a fort was built to protect the town, and it eventually evolved into Fort Carré, a beautiful example of a star-shaped fort. Today, the fort still stands strong, along with ancient chapel that the original fort was built around, and the area remains a popular tourist destination.

Naarden, Netherlands

(image via: Wikipedia)

The beautiful star fort in Naarden, Netherlands stands as a wonderful example of the style. The ancient town was once the capital of Holland, and in the course of several wars was destroyed and rebuilt. The five-pointed star shaped fort has been restored to its magnificent best, and today remains Europe’s only standing fortification with double walls and double moats.

Fort Ontario, New York, USA

(images via: NY State Parks and New York Traveler)

The original Fort Ontario was a stronghold of the British army during the French and Indian War. It was a complement to the nearby Fort Oswego and meant to protect the Lake Ontario region. The fort was destroyed and rebuilt three times in its history, and it has the distinction of having housed America’s only government-sponsored Jewish refugees during World War 2. The fort was recently threatened by a lack of funding, but lovers of the historic site banded together to raise money to keep the museum open.

Goryokaku, Japan

On the island of Hokkaido sits Goryokaku, one of the few reminders of the short-lived Republic of Ezo. The five-pointed star fort was the site of the last battle in the Boshin War in 1868. Today is a large public park popular with locals for watching cherry blossoms bloom each Spring. The star-shaped outer walls remain intact, though, offering a unique aerial view of the park.

Neuf Brisach, France

Built in 1697 along the Rhine, Neuf Brisach was built to replace the demolished town of Villa Nueve. The planned community was laid out in a grid formation that’s relatively unusual in Europe; after the siege of 1870 many of the buildings were restored to their original condition.

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