Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Ennis House in a Mayan Revival style, evidently inspired by the ancient Maya temples. Because of its unusual aesthetic, the Ennis House has been used in a number of TV commercials, shows, and films over the years.
While it was Ridley Scott’s 1982 cult classic, Blade Runner, that made the house known around the world, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece has made it to our screens far more often than you might have realized.
Over the year, the Ennis House has been featured in countless Hollywood classics and blockbusters, including Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Rocketeer, Rush Hour, Predator 2, and Beverly Hills Cop II.
- Did you know? One of the London’s most eye-catching building is known by its nickname ”The Gherkin”.
The Gherkin -30 St Mary Axe- was designed by architect Norman Foster opened in 2004. In its early days it was known as the Swiss Re Building after its primary occupant, the insurance company Swiss Re, but the Gherkin nickname has long since overtaken it. Because Londoners think it looks like a giant pickled cucumber. The Gherkin has become the famous name of a famous building.
- Did you know? Reflection from the “Walkie Talkie” caused the cars to melt.
In 2013, The concave design and a mirrored glass of 20 Fenchurch Street, which is more commonly known as the Walkie Talkie due to its distinctive shape in London had unintentionally melted cars and changed weather patterns, which focuses a beam of light 6 times brighter than sunlight and heats the pavement to nearly 250°F at certain spots.
But workers have fitted the 37-storey £200 million London skyscraper building with a ‘sunshade’ to deflect the rays.
- Did you know? The Aurora Ice Hotel in Alaska was made entirely of ice. Ice walls. Ceiling. Beds. Bar. Bar-stools, even martini glasses were made of ice. But it was closed by the Fire Marshall for not having smoke detectors.
For the safety precautions hotels have to have standards. The ice rooms don’t have actual doors, they have a cloth curtain for privacy so it does nothing to keep the smoke out, not making them individual fire cells as they, per hotel standards, should be. Also snow an excellent sound insulator. So even though there’s only a curtain you can be just outside the room talking and the people inside wouldn’t know you’re there.
There is one more Ice Hotel in Canada (with smoke detectors) that is the one in Frozen’s behind-the-scenes featurette if you want to visit.
- Did you know? Italy’s famous leaning tower of Pisa has stopped moving for the first time in its 800-year history.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been leaning for over 800 years and, despite earthquakes, storms and wars, it is still standing. Engineers worked on solutions to correct the lean.
After 10 years of effort and $40 million, the Leaning Tower of Pisa stopped moving in 2001 for the first time in its 800-year history. The tower is now expected to stay stable for at least 200 years.
Feeling fully-informed? Right?
If you also have some trivia, leave a comment!