Printing water

[debgeisler]

I would never make my train on time. Instead, I would be transfixed by this coolest of water fountains...for hours.

Note: Ooops! Apparently "Osaka Station City" is a huge, new shopping complex, not a train station.

Comments

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll be darned. Lisa and I were all over Osaka Station and the maze of tunnels that underlies Osaka, but somehow we missed that fountain. Fascinating!

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Apparently "Osaka Station City" is a huge shopping complex, and the fountain just went live in March, 2011. (http://news.cnet.com/osaka-station-fountain-displays-time-art-in-water/8301-17938_105-20061070-1.html)

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. Well, that's consistent with most of the major railway stations (except Tokyo Central, which appears to be mainly a hub for changing trains) we encountered in Japan — they're the anchors for major shopping districts.

[nojay.livejournal.com]

They built a humungous shopping mall under Tokyo Central rather than over or beside it. It also acts as a commuter rat-run/maze in the morning and evening so the corridors are incredibly wide to take the foot traffic.

There's a lot of Japanese urban structures under street level, even in cities which were bombed flat in WWII and where land is readily available for construction of big-box stores. In part it's easier to aircondition such spaces, I think. The lack of windows and daylight can be a bit unnerving but you get used to it.

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

The lack of windows and daylight can be a bit unnerving but you get used to it.

Sounds like a casino.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

This just made my day!

[nojay.livejournal.com]

I was in that mall in July this year but I didn't see that feature. Station City is a bit of a monster even for a Japanese mall though. I did see the giant hourglass clock in the Osaka station building in 2008; it's about three metres tall and turns over every hour with a musical accompaniment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKNIzimzyJw

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

That is awesomely cool. :-)

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Want. WantWantWantWantWant.

Along with the sound designer to collaborate with on the output.

It's the first shopping complex I've heard of that helps shoppers keep track of time. Usually they're designed to do the exact opposite. So, yeah, being a shopping complex next to/tied to a train station makes sense in that regard.

[dalesql.livejournal.com]

way cool. Now I want to build one of these. You have just used up all my free time this fall.