Friday, February 23, 2018

Twilight in Bonabba

Bonabba is one of Dinotopia's pod villages. Its biomimetic architecture is based on plant forms. 


The human dwellings are raised off the ground on central stalks. You can climb into them via the ladder.

"Twilight in Bonabba" 
I imagined Bonabba at the magic hour of twilight. There's mist in the air, the humans and dinosaurs are settling in for the evening, and the lights in the pods are coming on. The image appears as an establishing shot in my book Dinotopia: The World Beneath, 

I've just been updating the store on my website. Thanks to a warehouse find, I've got some art prints of "Twilight in Bonabba" available now.

Two big inspirations for this curved-space architecture are:
Roger and Martyn Dean, who discuss it in their book Magnetic Storm, and Antonio Gaudí, whose work is well represented in Gaudí: The Complete Buildings
at

9 comments:

  1. SescoFebruary 23, 2018 at 3:54 PM

    Incredibly beautiful painting, incredibly imaginative as well. Well executed.

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  2. Guenevere SchwienFebruary 23, 2018 at 10:35 PM

    How did you come up with this? I have your book Imaginative realism, but I still can't seem to make the leap to painting what isn't there.

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  3. Susan KrzywickiFebruary 24, 2018 at 10:29 AM

    The warm light from within the structures is so appealing.

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  4. TerryFebruary 24, 2018 at 4:24 PM

    I can't understand why there aren't villages all over the country using these styles. I bet you've heard "I want to live there!" a million times.

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  5. James GurneyFebruary 24, 2018 at 5:17 PM

    Terry, Yes, I'd love to live in a pod house.

    Guenevere, The two main inspirations for the idea of curved space architecture is Antonio Gaudí of Spain and Roger and Martyn Dean, whose books and portfolios have shared some of their ideas for building buildings with curving shapes. I've added links to the post.

    Thanks, Sesco and Susan. I set the scene at twilight to feature the lights coming on in the buildings.

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  6. LindyFebruary 24, 2018 at 8:48 PM

    I was just looking at these pod houses two days ago in my book The World Beneath. I wanted to post something on Facebook about how this would be the house and village I would live in if I could. Very weird coincidental timing to see your blog entry pop up just when I'm really thinking about them again. So glad you have prints available! Love it!

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  7. LindyFebruary 24, 2018 at 8:55 PM

    Also, I have a book of Roger Dean's work and screen savers on my phone of them too. Love that you made a connection with him and his brother. You and the Deans are some of my favorite artists!

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  8. UnknownApril 3, 2018 at 6:30 PM

    I am fan of Dinotopia, and I live in Norway. I want a picture of me where I am in Dinotopia.

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  9. UnknownApril 3, 2018 at 6:31 PM

    I am fan of Dinotopia, and I live in Norway. I want a picture of me where I am in Dinotopia.

    ReplyDelete

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