L E G M O U N T A I N

A brief history of creation in Norse Mythology, with illustrations by someone pretty cool:

There was nothing in the beginning but a seemingly endless chasm called the Ginnungagap(”magical (and creative) power-filled space”). Ginnungagap was a void like the Greek Chaos.

Ginnungagap was bordered by Niflheim(”world of darkness and ice”) far to the north; and Muspelheim(”world of fire”) far to the south. Out of this chaos the first being came into existence from the drop of water when ice from Niflheim and fire from Muspelheim met. Ymir the frost giant.

Ymir grew so large and so evil that three gods killed him. The blood that flowed from Ymir’s wound was so great that almost all the frost giants drowned in the torrent. Only the frost giants Bergelmir and his wife escape the flood in a chest, arriving on the mountain of Jötunheim, which became the home of the giants.

They used his flesh for creating the earth and his blood for the sea. His skull, held up by four dwarves (Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri), was used to create the heaven. While one branch of heaven was connected to Asgard (home of the Aesir - the most written about gods), another connected to Vanaheim (home of the Vanir – gods of light, less gloomy than the Aesir[apparently] ).Then using sparks from Muspelheim, the gods created the sun, moon and stars. Ymir’s eyebrows were used to create a place where the human race could live in; a place called Midgard (Middle Earth).

A great ash tree called Yggdrasill (”World Tree”) supported the universe, with roots that connect the nine worlds together. One root of Yggdrasill extends to Muspelheim (”world of fire”), while another root to Niflheim (the “world of cold” or “of ice”). Helheim, was the world of the dead. There was also the underground world for the black elves (svartálfar), called Svartalfheim. The dwarves inhabited the world of Nidavellir.

At the three roots of Yggdrasill, there were three wells.

The Norns guarded the Urðarbrunnr, which is often known as “Weird’s Well”. The Weird’s Well was considered to be very holy. The Norns were Urda (”Past”), Verdandi (”Present”) and Skuld (”Future”). Two swans drink from this well.

The second well was Mímisbrunnr (Mimisbrunnr) or the “Well of Mimir”, which was also known as the “Well of Knowledge”. The well was said to be guarded by the Aesir god named Mimir, a Norse god of wisdom.

The third well was called Hvergelmir or the “Roaring Kettle”, where a giant serpent called Nidhogg, continuously gnaws at the root of Niflheim. Eventually, Nidhogg will eat its way through the root that will cause Yggdrasill to collapse. But this wouldn’t happen until Ragnarok (the end of the world) finally arrived. Nidhogg also liked sucking on the bodies of the dead.

Perched on one of the branches was a great eagle, wise beyond its years. A hawk, called Vedrfolnir sits between the eyes of the eagle.

The 1901 exhibition

1947, Finch, drawn by Andrew Bain for The Brick Development Association

1977, British Steel Corporation, Bdg

Gotham Company, 1953, Ryder and Yates

1951, James Clark and Eaton, Wells Coates

A tree ablaze with fireflies in Indonesia blinks on and off as each insect adjusts its flashes to match the others. Such self-organized behavior resembles the synchronised firing of heart muscle cells or the rhythmic applause of a crowd.

I found this excellent cover of Architectural Review which got me thinking the magazine, that I have never really thought about.In a piece called “Retrospect” in the Architectural Review of February 1971, the leaving editor of over 30 years, J.M. Richards wrote this, which I thought was pretty insightful:“another essential role of the architectural magazine: criticism – of architects and all their works, of the opportunities they are given and of the conditions that allow, or don’t allow, them to make their proper contribution to the world.There is still not enough informed and constructive criticism of architecture, and it is sometimes asked why architectural magazines do not pillory the bad buildings, instead – as they mostly do at present – of criticising them only by implication; by ignoring them and paying attention instead to the buildings they think worth serious discussion. Perhaps they should attack the bad more positively, though this would make it all the more necessary to reach beyond subjective and appearance criticism; to look critically not only at the result but at the programme.Criticism in my experience had not been made easier by the touchiness of many members of the architectural profession, who claim to approve of it but resent its being applied to themselves.”

Penguin books and their iconic covers have a place in history that merits study and appreciation. They have influenced generations of readers and played an important role in our cultural heritage. Over the years new cover designs have appeared, and in the 1950s a transition took place from typographical to pictorial covers. This was followed by the introduction of a radically new cover design in the 1960s, and the launch of a Penguin science fiction series with covers featuring reproductions of abstract and surrealist art.

I am most excited about this. The best thing to happen in Trafalgar Square (in my life time at least).

The man-sized pieces will be handmade out of ceramic in and set on rollers so that they can be manouevred around the board by two “movers”.  The players will overlook the board from raised thrones!

The London-based Spanish designer Jaime Haydon says the idea was inspired by strategy maps for the Battle of Trafalgar, when Lord Nelson defeated Napoleon’s fleet (not to mention his Spanish allies) in 1805.

taken by the rovers

the girl who makes them is also a fox. Order them here