03
May

2012

The Spread of Humanity

Post by Nick Chu

Image contrasting and comparing Dubai's growth and development from 2000 (left) to 2010 (right). Image from CNN.

Urban populations and development in cities around the world have exploded over the past century and with the help of modern satellite imaging, we’re able to track the spread of humanity over time. The effects of this growth results in some incredibly stunning photographs. Check out this link or click the image above to see the full article.

The images are brought to you by CNN in collaboration with  NASA’s Landsat department and U.S. Geological Survey.  

Urban Planning & Design
2
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02
May

2012

Sex in cable cars banned in China (seriously)

Post by Julia

The Chinese Province of Henan has put a ban on, well, the gondola equivalent of the “mile high” club following numerous complaints about such activities occurring in one specific park installation. The popularity of the activity, however, appears limited to younger generations as only people born in the 90′s have been forbidden from such mid-air extra-curricular activities – implying, of course, that the sky’s the limit for anyone else.

It’s hard to tell if this is actually a thing – as in, this is something that’s a real, actual problem that needed to be addressed; or if it’s just an-overreaction to one or two isolated incidents.

Either way, you can be certain of two things.

Firstly: People who don’t like the idea of using gondolas as transit will use this as an argument against the technology.

Secondly: Those companies that install closed-circuit cameras in gondolas are likely to see a dramatic increase in their business.

Just For Fun
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01
May

2012

BMW Limo Gondola

Post by Steven Dale

Over the last two decades the ropeway industry has been dominated by two major groups: Doppelmayr and Leitner-Poma. And during those last two decades, one could reasonably argue that Doppelmayr has spent far more time and attention on cabin design than their rival – to a point where Leitner cabin design has been a little bit staid and conservative.

After all, the list of customized cabin designs under Doppelmayr’s belt is impressive: The Urban Concept cabins in Koblenz ; the 5 Star VIP gondola in Singapore; Finland’s Sauna Gondola; the Cabrio; etc. Leitner, on the other hand, hasn’t dabbled in custom cabins nearly as much.

But that might be about to change . . .

At the recent SAM International Trade Fair in Grenoble, LEITNER ropeways unveiled the BMW Individual by Leitner cabin. It’s a standard SIGMA Diamond cabin (standard to most Leitner systems) but it’s interior is outfitted “with the style and luxury of (a) BMW 7-series limousine.”

Now granted this isn’t an operational gondola system, only a display. But it could indicate a shift in Leitners thinking. Things like the BMW Individual may not be a practical application of design but the potential value such design represents is huge. Not only do things like this attract attention, but they allow a company to demonstrate their ability to tailor their products to any market – a defining feature in an industry long characterized by pre-fabrication.

It’s certainly worth taking a look:

Image via Leitner.

Image via Leitner.

Image via Leitner.

Design Considerations
1
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30
Apr

2012

Bucaramanga Cable Car

Post by Nick Chu

We just stumbled upon an incredibly high quality and awesome video animation of a CPT line in Bucaramanga, Colombia. While we don’t know the intricate details of the line, based on a cursory look, it appears that it is a 3 station system first proposed back in 2007. If anyone knows more about the history and ongoing development of the system we’ve love to hear about it. But in the meantime, check it out:

Proposals & Concepts
4
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27
Apr

2012

Weekly Roundup: The London cables are up

Post by Julia

Emirates Cable Car with moving test cabin. Photo from Greenwich.co.uk

A quick look at some of the highlights from around the world of Urban Gondolas, Gondola Transit, and Cable Propelled Transit:

  • The towers are complete and the cable has been installed on the Emirates Cable Car in London. Next step is to begin rigorous testing on the system.
  • The province of Lao Cai has just approved a cable car between Sapa and Mt. Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak. The project has been met with opposition by those wishing to preserve the cultural significance of conquering the peak. Another concern is the effects on the landscape by opening the area up to the masses. One alternative solution could be to build a cable car only part way up the mountain.
  • A gondola has been proposed at Cheddar Gorge near Somerset, England in conjuncture with an educational centre/viewing platform and the redevelopment of Cox’s Mill Hotel. Community reactions are mixed.
Weekly Roundup
1
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26
Apr

2012

Aerial Cable Car for Antarctica

Post by Julia

The Age, Monday, December 11, 1961

Cable cars / gondolas have been spotting mountain-side ski resorts for decades. City systems are a newer phenomenon, but have also been around for many years. Between these two environments alone, cable has reached 6 of the 7 world continents in large numbers.

But what about the 7th continent? For a technology that works notoriously well in harsh, cold, and isolated places, would it not be interesting to build a system in THE harshest, coldest, most isolated (assumption, not fact) place on Earth … Antarctica?

Well, funny you should ask.

As usual, this idea is not a new idea. A quick google search turned up a 1961 news article published in the Australian newspaper The Age about an aerial cable car that was to be constructed the following summer at the French base of Durmont D’Urville, in Antarctica. The cable system was to be used to move cargo 1300 feet (up a 130 foot rise) from the wharf to the station’s base. Predicted time savings — from 2 weeks to 2 days.

No word on whether the system was ever built.

The most modern reference to an Antarctic cable system is as a means to access UANT University observatory, where UANT is supposed to stand for the University of Antarctica although I’m fairly sure this isn’t a real place. They have a website that says it was founded in 1961. But the school also has an uncyclopedia article. The whole thing just seems like a bad April Fools joke.

In conclusion there may or may not be, or have ever been a cable car system in a Antarctica, a continent which may or may not be, but probably not, home to its very own institution of higher learning.

Uncategorized
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25
Apr

2012

cassettes and dance parties

Post by Julia

I can’t remember for the life of me what I was searching for when I stumbled upon this old Venezuelan gondola dance party blog post by a Californian photographer, Ron Lussier.

It’s a long post but the part that got me wasn’t the dancing Latinos or the old ladies with the bottle of 103-proof brandy, but the fact that the music came from a cassette player in the cabin which means that yes, the gondola had a stereo system which played tapes, and yes, someone was carrying such a dance tape with them.

Actually, all of those area amazing and the post was made in 2000… so I quote:

“Then an alarm sounds across the mountain. It’s 2pm, and the last car is heading down the mountain. We get inside and pack into the car for the descent. The car is filled with rosy-cheeked Latinos, many of whom have probably experienced cold weather for the first time. I’m seated on a bench with two elderly ladies. One of them pulls out a bottle of 103-proof brandy and takes a swig right from the bottle. Her friend does likewise. They giggle like naughty schoolgirls.

Gondola Party! by Ron Lussier

The car starts downwards, and someone pops a cassette into the gondola’s stereo system. Some Latin pop song starts playing, and nearly everyone in the car starts singing along. The folks standing in the aisle begin to dance. It’s a party!

The entire way down the mountain, the group sings, dances, and jokes. In New England, this same group would be standing stoically watching the scenery go past. If anyone spoke, it would be in whispers to their companion. Music would be out of the question. But here it’s a spontaneous party. When we reach a station and move from one gondola to another, the cassette is brought along, and the attendant happily pops it in, continuing the party. Approaching Mérida, I’m sorry it has to end.”

(Now, to be fair, a Canadian crowd would probably act in the same way as the New Englanders. Sad, but true.)

A brief search on the Merida gondola reveals that the system was built in 1960 after being designed in 1952 by a group of climbers. It was shut down in 2008 due to age, but is under going modernization and may be open for testing as soon as August 2012.

Let’s hope that the upgrades still include a kick ass stereo system, or at the very least an ipod dock…

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