Aurland Lookout
March 22, 2008 10:13 AM   Subscribe

Norway's breath-taking Aurland Lookout. One of many awesome projects by architect Todd Saunders.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner (20 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
It's beautiful but that sheet of glass is way too thin. Damn, I'm feeling discomfort just by looking at that picture :|
posted by Foci for Analysis at 10:19 AM on March 22, 2008


Beautiful.

If it were in America, there'd be a steering wheel attached to the glass and people would sell t-shirts that said "Have you Driven a Fjord Lately?" with various Beer company logos sprinkled throughout.
posted by mathowie at 10:34 AM on March 22, 2008 [7 favorites]


wow. breathtaking. thanks!
posted by CitizenD at 10:36 AM on March 22, 2008


That looks like something that I would like to do, in theory, but could not do in reality. Because in reality, I would completely lose my shit.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 10:41 AM on March 22, 2008


Believe it or not, mathowie, America (I assume you mean the United States of America, not Canada, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Guyana, Suriname, Argentina, or Brazil) can and does have beautiful things that we don't cheeseball.
posted by ZaneJ. at 10:47 AM on March 22, 2008


"Why does mathowie hate America?", next on MeTa!
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:56 AM on March 22, 2008


I see the potential for rail grind mishaps.
posted by Tube at 10:58 AM on March 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


I've seen these at ikea. They look nice but are not that comfortable.
posted by srboisvert at 11:04 AM on March 22, 2008 [5 favorites]


Some people like to hit golf balls off of cliffs, some people prefer bowling balls.
posted by StickyCarpet at 11:19 AM on March 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Reminds me of this vertigo inspiring hang-glider take-off (jpg) in south-central Oregon, it had a similar toe-curling effect standing on the edge.

And of course there is the Grand Canyon Skywalk (video) which I suppose could become the new Golden Gate Bridge of suicide jumpers.
posted by stbalbach at 11:31 AM on March 22, 2008


I like how the railing goes all the way down. Like you'll need that.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:36 AM on March 22, 2008


More images after the jump

Well, that was one disappointing line of text.
posted by Dave Faris at 11:44 AM on March 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


Why spoil the scenery? I would have preferred something inobtrusive.
posted by francesca too at 12:36 PM on March 22, 2008


Yeah, mathowie, cuz we'-all err jest setch crass rubes. Cain't handle jest plain beeyouty. Aluss gotta be messin' it up. Thanks for ruining the "awesome dude thanks for the post" thought I came in here with.
posted by nax at 12:52 PM on March 22, 2008


By the way, Fuzzy Skinner. Awesome. Thanks for the post.
posted by nax at 12:52 PM on March 22, 2008


Thanks for the comments, all. I agree, that glass looks wayyyy too thin for me! You'll notice he also uses glass on the road. Looking around the Todd Saunders site shows that he uses the glass railing effect in other places as well.

And hey, mathowie's comment is not without some truth to it. Plus, it's totally worth it as a setup for the "driven a Fjord lately?" punchline.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 1:08 PM on March 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Speaking of cool Norwegian places.
posted by Kwantsar at 1:19 PM on March 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


I would so love to stand right up next to the glass, and look out. I'd get that swoopy "I'm going to fall" sensation right in the pit of my stomach, and it would pass, and I would be rewarded with an awesome view.

(I am the sort who hangs over the edge of every rail that keeps me from falling over the edge of a cliff, bridge, canyon, building, etc.)
posted by sandraregina at 2:42 PM on March 22, 2008


ZaneJ:
You left out Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, many islands nations considered part of the conteinents, and it's spelled "Colombia."
posted by TravellingDen at 5:25 PM on March 22, 2008


If it were in America, there'd be a steering wheel attached to the glass and people would sell t-shirts that said "Have you Driven a Fjord Lately?"

If that were in the USA someone would see if they could get their F150 up to fifty before flying through the glass and into the wild blue yonder.
posted by flummox at 5:59 PM on March 22, 2008


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