IdeaWazaWiki - User contributions [en]

Concept design

2008-06-05T19:43:31Z

65.116.9.220:

{{Cleanup|date=April 2007}}

{{distinguish|conceptual art}}



'''Concept design''' is a product of work (or task) of a concept designer.

A concept designer (also known as "visual futurist" or "concept artist") is a designer who designs products that are not intended for immediate realization. In fact, most of them never come to a realization. If they are realized, it often happens many (even decades or hundreds of) years after the author's death and they often differ from the original concept design, especially when it comes to details. Some good examples of concept design (and of concept architecture as well - architecture is just another design field) are part of the [http://www.thevenusproject.com Venus project], founded and led by [[Jacque Fresco]].

Another good example is the Star Trek project. Impressive work of various concept designers (amongst others, of course) over decades has been resulting not only in extremely popular films and the palette of television serials but in a complete "alternative future world". Some, if not most of the concepts, developed for the project, including spaceship drives etc. will probably see the light of day in the future, since the authors and designers, besides using their pure imagination, borrowed ideas from serious science (mostly physics) - and were very careful to avoid situations that would be against the known laws of physics (as the true science fiction should be).
Besides that. the task of a concept designer might also include designing of completely fictional characters or objects - especially for a [[fantasy]] film or a [[computer game]] project.

Other great, though significantly older examples of concept design include numerous projects by the legendary [[Leonardo Da Vinci]] (the Aerial Screw flying machine, the Paddle Boat, Scythed Chariots...)

To be a successful concept designer one must be broadly versed in science and technology on one side plus one needs an impressive artistic talent in order to produce quality and aesthetically pleasing sketches, quality photo-realistic illustrations and even animations, on the other. Many of today's concept designers use a [[3D computer graphics software]] as a powerful creative tool in addition to their natural talent to draw and paint, in order to achieve the extreme photorealism.
The ideal educational background to become a concept designer would be a degree in architecture or industrial design. Other educational programs tend to be either too artistic/humanistic or too technical for the purpose. A more than average talent not only for realistic drawing and painting but also to invent new, original spacial forms, can be crucial and the right ability to constrain the own imagination inside the limits of the possible, without becoming conservative, is a must.

Concept designers work mainly for the entertainment industry (films, comics, games...), mostly on the subjects of [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]]. They design everything, from hand held weapons to costumes to furniture to spaceships to architecture (even whole cities) to impressive background environments. They often cooperate with scientists and engineers, specializing in diverse fields. When participating in a serious science fiction project, it is often crucial not only to take care of the visual aspect of a product but also on its inner workings and principles. For example, a scene, taking place on a planet with four moons and without atmosphere, thousands of [[light-year]]s away, is different from our everyday experiences, and the job of a concept designer is to join his/her own imagination and the scientific + technical knowledge and try to predict, what it would be like. You can not just put the moons randomly all over the sky, you have to know a little bit of astronomy to place them correctly. You can not travel faster than light, so you have to find a possible way to get around that technical problem (for example by creating a sub-space bubble...). How would you steer a futuristic car, running at over 500 km/h and levitating on an air mattress, a few centimetres over a steel road surface? You obviously can not do it by a conventional steering mechanism, so you have to think of something that would be convincing. It would be still a sort of a close guess, but it must be at least physically possible. Science fiction should not contain elements that are contrary to known scientific laws, so a person is needed with lot of imagination but also with broad technical and scientific, basic (i.e. not necessarily expert) knowledge. That's where the profession of concept designer fits in perfectly.

Besides the entertainment industry there are concept designers working for various, serious scientific and research institutions, (like [[NASA]] etc.), in other industries (automotive, aircraft, military) and in architectural and design studios.

Concept designer, specialized in architecture and urban development is also known as a concept architect (again, it is very important not to confuse it with conceptual architect(ure), because the two expressions are not only different but also contradictory!)

Concept design is mostly resulting in [[visual arts]] (images, animations, special FX, virtual CG...). The 19th century writer [[Jules Verne]] and his various concepts (submarine, rocket etc.) might be considered a good exception that proves the rule. They firstly emerged in their literary form, but had been so seriously detailed, imagined and described by the author, that some basic principles were used when building first real submarine and sending the first man to the Moon.

It is a common misconception, by common people as well as "ordinary" designers and architect, to treat concept design and concept architecture products as less valuable or serious, because they are sort of "fantasy" and are not "realized" as final products. A good architecture is a good architecture, regardless of whether it is standing in the centre of London and is made out of steel and concrete or exists only in the form of a detailed project and a 3D computer model. It is obvious that the process of "realization" can not make it any better in architectural sense (it only gets worse, once the masons take it into their hands). The same is with any other design field.

Important thing to remember is also, that a serious concept project (as a result of work of a concept designer) is sufficient to protect the concept (idea) and generate the [[authors' rights]] (at least it should be...).

Some good examples of concept design (in these cases really of concept architecture), that were realized in "their" time:

"[http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/eden-project The '''Eden Project''']" (the [http://www.creative-science.org.uk/galgeo.html structure]).
A large-scale environmental complex near St Austell, Cornwall, UK. The project was conceived by Tim Smit and designed by architect '''[[Nicholas Grimshaw]]'''. Although relatively new, it has quickly become one of the most popular visitor attractions in the United Kingdom. The complex includes two giant, transparent domes, each emulating a natural biome, that house plant species from around the world. The first emulates a tropical environment, the other a warm temperate, Mediterranean-type environment. The project took two and a half years to construct and opened to the public in March 2001. The project is ongoing, and part of its purpose is to see how the different biomes develop over time.

"[http://www.answers.com/topic/federation-square '''Federation Square''']" - a public square in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located at the south-east corner of the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets and opposite Flinders Street Station and St Paul's Cathedral. It helps to connect the historical central district of the city, the mile-by-half-a-mile Hoddle Grid, with the Southbank district, which has been redeveloped as a key part of central Melbourne since the late 20th century. It was built on the former site of the Gas and Fuel Buildings and the Princess Bridge railway station. Since its opening on October 26, 2002, it has been been both loved and despised by Melburnians, causing controversy not only for its unusual architecture, but also for the budget blow-out and delays in construction. Zhiyu Yan, who graduated at Edinburgh College of Art, considered this project to design a club . At the existing site is a bridge called Jeffrey Street

[http://www.answers.com/topic/olympiapark-munich '''Olympiapark Munich''']
The Olympiapark in Munich, Germany, EU, is an Olympic Park which was constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympics. The Park consists of:
Olympic Stadium
Olympic Hall
Olympic Swim Hall
Olympic Event Hall
Olympic Tower
Olympic Village
The Park is served by the U3 line of the Munich U-Bahn

==See also==
* [[Concept car]]

==Links==
*[http://www.autodestruct.com Autodestruct.com]
*[http://www.conceptart.org ConceptArt.org web community]
*[http://idealist.blinkr.net IdeaList > dreamed objects - design concepts sharing community]
*[http://www.cgsociety.org CGSociety.org - Society of CG artists - the world's largest Web meeting place of concept artists and other CG illustrators]
*[http://www.highend3d.com Highend 3D - a web community of CG arists, mostly into 3D concept art/design]
*[http://www.x3dx.com X3DX - a young web community of CG arists, in English, with some subsections in the Slovene, Serbian/Croat & Macedonian]
**[http://www.3dtotal.com 3D Total - a web community of CG arists, mostly into 3D concept art/design]
*[http://www.imaginefx.com/ ImagineFX - A printed magazine and web community of 2D and 3D concept illustrators]
*[http://conceptdesignworkshop.blogspot.com/ Concept Design Workshop]
*[http://www.conceptart.org/school/ Concept Art Atelier]
*[http://www.conceptart.org/workshop/ Concept Art Workshops]

[[Category:Illustration]]
[[Category:Industrial design]]

[[it:Concept design]]
[[nl:Conceptontwikkeling]]

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed

2007-07-18T20:23:21Z

65.116.187.126:

{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot, Freight House and Train Shed
| nrhp_type =
| image =051907-020-TheDepot.jpg
| caption =The Milwaukee Road depot in downtown Minneapolis as seen from Washington Avenue.
| location= [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
| area =
| built =1899
| architect= Frost,Charles
| architecture= [[Renaissance Revival]], [[Italianate]]
| added = [[November 28]], [[1978]]
| governing_body = Private
| refnum=78001542 <ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2006-03-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}
The '''Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed''' (commonly referred to as the '''Milwaukee Road Depot'''), now officially named '''The Depot''', is a historic [[train station|railroad depot]] in downtown [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]. The [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]] had a long history in the Minneapolis area, beginning in 1865 when a predecessor railroad, the [[Minnesota Central]], built a line from [[Mendota, Minnesota|Mendota]] to Minneapolis. The Minnesota Central also built a line from Mendota to [[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] in that early era. Eventually, rail lines connected Minneapolis and St. Paul with [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] via [[Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin]].<ref name="Hofsommer">{{cite book
| last = Hofsommer
| first = Don L.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year = 2005
| title = Minneapolis and the Age of Railways
| publisher = University of Minnesota Press
| location = Minneapolis, MN
| id = ISBN 0-8166-4501-9
}}
</ref>

The freight house and the first depot were built in 1879 with an [[Italianate]] architectural style.<ref name="nord">{{cite book|title=The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota|last=Nord|first=Mary Ann|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|date=2003|isbn=0-87351-448-3}}</ref> The first depot was razed after a new facility, with [[Renaissance Revival]] architecture, was built in 1899.<ref name="thedepot">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/newSite/history.asp|title=History of the Depot|refdate=2007-01-13}}</ref><ref name="Hofsommer"/> Originally, the facility's most distinguishing feature, the clock tower, was pinnacled and modeled after the [[Giralda]] in [[Seville, Spain]]; high winds destroyed the pinnacle in 1941 and the tower has since had a flat top.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref>

The freight house served a large percentage of [[less-than-carload]] freight arriving and departing from the Minneapolis area. Passenger traffic was also significant. In 1916, 15 passenger trains per day used the depot, including the flagship ''[[Hiawatha (passenger train)|Hiawatha]]''. Rail yard facilities just south of downtown, on Hiawatha Avenue north of Lake Street, serviced the trains.<ref name="Hofsommer"/> By 1920, the peak of activity, 29 trains per day used the depot.<ref name="thedepot"/>

As passenger rail traffic decreased across the nation and freight facilities were consolidated elsewhere, the Minneapolis depot steadily lost traffic. The depot was closed in 1971 and stood vacant for many years as various redevelopment and reuse plans fizzled.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref> In 1978, the depot and freight house were placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. In 1998, CSM Corporation began a project to reuse the depot, including a [[Renaissance Hotel]] and [[Residence Inn by Marriott]] hotels, an indoor [[water park]], and an enclosed outdoor [[ice skating]] rink located in the former trainshed. The project was completed in 2001.<ref name="thedepot"/>

==Other train depots in the Twin Cities==
*[[Midway (Amtrak station)]] - The current passenger station serving the Twin Cities
*[[Saint Paul Union Depot]] - Former St. Paul passenger train destination
*[[Chicago Great Western Railway]] Station on south Washington Avenue
*[[Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway]] Station on north 5th street
*[[Minneapolis Great Northern Depot]] - Former Minneapolis destination for Chicago and Northwestern, Great Northern, and Northern Pacific passenger trains

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
*[http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/ The Depot website]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Minneapolis]]
[[Category:Registered Historic Places in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Hotels in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Water parks in the United States]]
[[Category:Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]]

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed

2007-07-18T20:22:41Z

65.116.187.126:

{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot, Freight House and Train Shed
| nrhp_type =
| image =051907-020-TheDepot.jpg
| caption =The Milwaukee Road depot in downtown Minneapolis as seen from Washington Avenue.
| location= [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
| area =
| built =1899
| architect= Frost,Charles
| architecture= [[Renaissance Revival]], [[Italianate]]
| added = [[November 28]], [[1978]]
| governing_body = Private
| refnum=78001542 <ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2006-03-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}
The '''Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed''' (commonly referred to as the '''Milwaukee Road Depot'''), now officially named '''The Depot''', is a historic [[train station|railroad depot]] in downtown [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]. The [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]] had a long history in the Minneapolis area, beginning in 1865 when a predecessor railroad, the [[Minnesota Central]], built a line from [[Mendota, Minnesota|Mendota]] to Minneapolis. The Minnesota Central also built a line from Mendota to [[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] in that early era. Eventually, rail lines connected Minneapolis and St. Paul with [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] via [[Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin]].<ref name="Hofsommer">{{cite book
| last = Hofsommer
| first = Don L.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year = 2005
| title = Minneapolis and the Age of Railways
| publisher = University of Minnesota Press
| location = Minneapolis, MN
| id = ISBN 0-8166-4501-9
}}
</ref>

The freight house and the first depot were built in 1879 with an [[Italianate]] architectural style.<ref name="nord">{{cite book|title=The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota|last=Nord|first=Mary Ann|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|date=2003|isbn=0-87351-448-3}}</ref> The first depot was razed after a new facility, with [[Renaissance Revival]] architecture, was built in 1899.<ref name="thedepot">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/newSite/history.asp|title=History of the Depot|refdate=2007-01-13}}</ref><ref name="Hofsommer"/> Originally, the facility's most distinguishing feature, the clock tower, was pinnacled and modeled after the [[Giralda]] in [[Seville, Spain]]; high winds destroyed the pinnacle in 1941 and the tower has since had a flat top.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref>

The freight house served a large percentage of [[less-than-carload]] freight arriving and departing from the Minneapolis area. Passenger traffic was also significant. In 1916, 15 passenger trains per day used the depot, including the flagship ''[[Hiawatha (passenger train)|Hiawatha]]''. Rail yard facilities just south of downtown, on Hiawatha Avenue north of Lake Street, serviced the trains.<ref name="Hofsommer"/> By 1920, the peak of activity, 29 trains per day used the depot.<ref name="thedepot"/>

As passenger rail traffic decreased across the nation and freight facilities were consolidated elsewhere, the Minneapolis depot steadily lost traffic. The depot was closed in 1971 and stood vacant for many years as various redevelopment and reuse plans fizzled.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref> In 1978, the depot and freight house were placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. In 1998, CSM Corporation began a project to reuse the depot, including [[Renaissance Hotel]] and [[Residence Inn by Marriott]] hotels, an indoor [[water park]], and an enclosed outdoor [[ice skating]] rink located in the former trainshed. The project was completed in 2001.<ref name="thedepot"/>

==Other train depots in the Twin Cities==
*[[Midway (Amtrak station)]] - The current passenger station serving the Twin Cities
*[[Saint Paul Union Depot]] - Former St. Paul passenger train destination
*[[Chicago Great Western Railway]] Station on south Washington Avenue
*[[Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway]] Station on north 5th street
*[[Minneapolis Great Northern Depot]] - Former Minneapolis destination for Chicago and Northwestern, Great Northern, and Northern Pacific passenger trains

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
*[http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/ The Depot website]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Minneapolis]]
[[Category:Registered Historic Places in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Hotels in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Water parks in the United States]]
[[Category:Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]]

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed

2007-07-18T20:21:53Z

65.116.187.126:

{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot, Freight House and Train Shed
| nrhp_type =
| image =051907-020-TheDepot.jpg
| caption =The Milwaukee Road depot in downtown Minneapolis as seen from Washington Avenue.
| location= [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
| area =
| built =1899
| architect= Frost,Charles
| architecture= [[Renaissance Revival]], [[Italianate]]
| added = [[November 28]], [[1978]]
| governing_body = Private
| refnum=78001542 <ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2006-03-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}
The '''Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed''' (commonly referred to as the '''Milwaukee Road Depot'''), now officially named '''The Depot''', is a historic [[train station|railroad depot]] in downtown [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]. The [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]] had a long history in the Minneapolis area, beginning in 1865 when a predecessor railroad, the [[Minnesota Central]], built a line from [[Mendota, Minnesota|Mendota]] to Minneapolis. The Minnesota Central also built a line from Mendota to [[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] in that early era. Eventually, rail lines connected Minneapolis and St. Paul with [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] via [[Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin]].<ref name="Hofsommer">{{cite book
| last = Hofsommer
| first = Don L.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year = 2005
| title = Minneapolis and the Age of Railways
| publisher = University of Minnesota Press
| location = Minneapolis, MN
| id = ISBN 0-8166-4501-9
}}
</ref>

The freight house and the first depot were built in 1879 with an [[Italianate]] architectural style.<ref name="nord">{{cite book|title=The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota|last=Nord|first=Mary Ann|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|date=2003|isbn=0-87351-448-3}}</ref> The first depot was razed after a new facility, with [[Renaissance Revival]] architecture, was built in 1899.<ref name="thedepot">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/newSite/history.asp|title=History of the Depot|refdate=2007-01-13}}</ref><ref name="Hofsommer"/> Originally, the facility's most distinguishing feature, the clock tower, was pinnacled and modeled after the [[Giralda]] in [[Seville, Spain]]; high winds destroyed the pinnacle in 1941 and the tower has since had a flat top.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref>

The freight house served a large percentage of [[less-than-carload]] freight arriving and departing from the Minneapolis area. Passenger traffic was also significant. In 1916, 15 passenger trains per day used the depot, including the flagship ''[[Hiawatha (passenger train)|Hiawatha]]''. Rail yard facilities just south of downtown, on Hiawatha Avenue north of Lake Street, serviced the trains.<ref name="Hofsommer"/> By 1920, the peak of activity, 29 trains per day used the depot.<ref name="thedepot"/>

As passenger rail traffic decreased across the nation and freight facilities were consolidated elsewhere, the Minneapolis depot steadily lost traffic. The depot was closed in 1971 and stood vacant for many years as various redevelopment and reuse plans fizzled.<ref name=Millett>{{cite book |last=Millett |first=Larry |authorlink=Larry Millett |title=AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul |year=2007 |publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society|Minnesota Historical Society Press]] |location= |isbn=0-87351-540-4 |pages=pg. 66}}</ref> In 1978, the depot and freight house were placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. In 1998, CSM Corporation began a project to reuse the depot, including [[Renaissance by Marriott]] and [[Residence Inn by Marriott]] hotels, an indoor [[water park]], and an enclosed outdoor [[ice skating]] rink located in the former trainshed. The project was completed in 2001.<ref name="thedepot"/>

==Other train depots in the Twin Cities==
*[[Midway (Amtrak station)]] - The current passenger station serving the Twin Cities
*[[Saint Paul Union Depot]] - Former St. Paul passenger train destination
*[[Chicago Great Western Railway]] Station on south Washington Avenue
*[[Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway]] Station on north 5th street
*[[Minneapolis Great Northern Depot]] - Former Minneapolis destination for Chicago and Northwestern, Great Northern, and Northern Pacific passenger trains

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
*[http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/ The Depot website]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Minneapolis]]
[[Category:Registered Historic Places in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Hotels in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Water parks in the United States]]
[[Category:Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]]