Trash and Dust

Poste, télégraphe, téléphone, caisse d'épargne

Mon, 07 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Postal services combined with telegraphs and telephone is a classic association.

However the alliance of a post office with a savings bank is neither rare and can be found in Europe and the United States starting in the 19th century 1.

As we can read in this article giving a large overview of the american and european concept of integrating a bank into the postal service. For France we read:

Old walls

Wed, 13 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

What does these old tapestry and colors tell us?

The images presented here were taken at the very old castle at Chaumont on the Loire river. We would like to make a carbon analysis to explore the pigments used to colorize theses rooms considering aestethics and use-ability. For an introduction to color read Ball1 and for pigments and glues, there’s an excellent introduction in French by editor Allia

date: next week

One meter

Sat, 09 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Measuring length is still a mostly analog matter. A basic tool of wood, plastic or metal calibrated by an official length keeper is all what is needed to have precise measurements.

Place found: Geneva flea market Price: 1 CHF Date: 30.01.2015

date: +10 days

Faber Polygrade Blei

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Writing instruments were not always so omnipresent as today. Especially industrially engineering and design changed the availability of pens and pencils as we can read in the excellent book on design by Papanek1 .

Shortly after the end of World War II the New York Times carried the first full-page ad for Gimbel’s sale of the Reynolds ball-point pen at only $25 each. By Monday morning. Herald Square was so clogged with people waiting for Cimbel’s to open that extra police had to be brought in to control the crowds. Places in the ball-point pen queue could be sold for $5 to $10, and, until Cimbel’s slapped a one-pen-to-a-customer order on the sale Wednesday, pens could be readily sold for $50 to $60 each.

Le phare de Nividic

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Signalization plays an important role in communication. A lighthouse gives visual signals to ships passing by to help navigation and avoid accidents.

A lighthouse can give additional acoustic signals profiling the soundscape of surrounding area.

However today, in a world of modern positioning systems, freely available maps of highest detail and radar systems, the need of a lighthouse seems to be outdated. The environmental impact is not to be neglected. Light pollution is considerable in the surroundings, as personally observed near the Phare de Creac’h, which has a visibility of 50 km.

graineterie

Thu, 02 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

There are some kind of shops that have disappeared in the last fifty years and been integrated mostly in a larger structure, a big general store or a super market. Think of the cordonnier who merged sometimes in history with the locksmith. Or the kitchen supplier who rarely still has his own shop, at least in a small town. Between specialized knowledge and the convenience of having everything on one’s fingertips, the trend went to the latter.

Hospital demolition

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The architecture of an hospital has changed very much in the last 50-100 years. And this on a micro and macro point of view, concerning interiors to urbanism.

The answer for the new needs on both scales is mostly destruction of existing structures after construction of a new one. This must be done in a sequential order to avoid interruption of the permanent activity.

location: Ambilly, France

Time:08/08/2014

Psychogeography (Chtcheglov): useful

The rolodex filer

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

A classic of the obsolete things these days is the Rolodex paper file system.

Simple lines and good usability but no real remaining value in digital times.

We read on the web1, that:

In 1954, Hildaur L. Neilsen, an employee of Arnold Neustadter’s Zephyr American Corp , invented a rotary card filing system much like those seen on desktops today. The product was brought to market in 1958 as the Rolodex.

A letterpress: WAM model B

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

A letterpress is one of those objects which make the transition of a craftsmen utility to an artist tool. To revive analog over digital, to resist plastification etc. Indeed only few objects keep its traditional form from the early industrialisation to now. The KitchenAid might be such a toot to resist.

So why do arts and craftsmen resist? Perhaps in love for detail, quality and nostalgia. Understanding the process by learning to use the machine.

Aérotrain

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

While traveling by train between Paris-Austerlitz and Blois on the Loire border on IC14041 we were puzzled by a viaduct like construction longing the rails nearby.

I first suspected an industrial transportation system like a viaduct, aqueduct etc., as those can be found somewhere else in this flat region, for example stone transport from a quarry.

The above pictured viaduct however, as research revealed, is the relict of an experimental track for the high speed train aerotrain developed by Jean Bertin in the sixties.

Central station

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Bruxelles Central is one of three big downtown located train stations of the Belgian capital (the others being Midi and Nord).

Despite its desolated look the station is still deserved by all normal national and international trains except the high speed connections TGV (Thalys) lines to Paris, Cologne, Amsterdam etc.

It therefore serves the local community as well as the transit passengers, which is becoming a rare phenomenon of today’s higly specialiced stations. Bruxelles Midi has take the role of the high speed hub leaving the others behind in aestethics and support. The central station has lost the supposed function of its denomination and questions it’s nomenclature.

Dictaphone

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The c60 standard cassette made in USA was still used for recording in our hospit until last month. It’s the size of an iPhone and records 60 minutes of analog audio. Still it’s full name at introduction in the 60s was compact cassette. The cassette is screwed together with metal screws.

Tangential movement of boats driven by water

Mon, 14 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The river Rhein has a perpetual flow of water which can be used for transport, electricity and mill work (entre autres).

Transport using water flow is supposed to be unidirectional following the natural current. In the opposite direction external energy is necessary for propulsion.

But what about tangential movement? Of course this cannot be zero energy, but by using a clever system whose physics I ignore, tangential movement can be achieved and used for transportation without any additional source of energy during the process.

Bureau Fiscal

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

[caption] Bureau fiscal[/caption]

A relict from strict borders between Switzerland and connecting countries, the bureau fiscal is the French office for tax affaires of the passing by citizen. Before Schengen, a contract between Switzerland and the UE, and other agreements regulating import, export and identities, many goods and people had to be controlled, detaxed, retaxed etc.

In former times people seem to have used the bureau fiscal quite often. Having bought quite some meat, wine or cheese, TVA had to be recalculated in case of exceeded limits. These buildings were also a status symbol of the nation. Then permanently occupied they are now at abandon.

Sky lines: traces of communication

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

In analogy to our skyline article, we focus this time on lines in the sky.

Traces of communication, digital or analog, combining house to house and uniting in the hub. The melting-pot of communication. The central station before taking the high speed track.

Other lines are covering our sky.

location: Folkestone, United Kingdom

Time: 10/09/2013

Psychogeography (Chtcheglov): bizarre

Fleur cérébrale: hémisphère gauche

Skyline considerations (Liege, Belgium)

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Much later after taking this photograph in Liege, Belgium, I thought about the ephemeral state of certain skylines. As we can read on Wikipedia:

A skyline is the artificial horizon that a city’s overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as no two skylines are alike.

Or to put a focus on the micro aspect of the skyline (on a street basis), we cite the Oxford English Dictionnary:

technical considerations

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Our workflow:

For those interested in how we publish, the idea is to produce easily. As most sections publish instant moments (objects found, places passed by,…) an available note taking system was important. The reporter does not however write his thoughts on the notebook, but a mobile computer system is used. This might be in contrast to our thoughts published and the general idea behind our site, but we believe this is an acceptable compromise.

Bicolor pencil

Wed, 18 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Is there still a place for pencils?

Certainly.

And for duo tone pencils?

Has there ever been? The need to have blue and red colors in one hand is linked to some professions. School teachers correcting and nurses entering temperature and pulse rate on the scale in different colors. But the latter will soon be replaced by digital displays. And will pupils write their home worn on a computer and send it in by mail?

Industrial farmhouse in the Dombes area

Sun, 08 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This old farm is part of a monastery. The place is that big that the brick buildings are very industrial looking.

location: Le Plantay, France Time:06/04/2014 Psychogeography (Chtcheglov): Historical

Charcuterie in Toulon sur Arroux

Mon, 02 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The charcuterie business is still anchored in the countryside village life. Going to the specialist (say charcuterie) and not to the generalist (say supermarket). Personal contact and confidence in the artisans competences to produce the better sausage. Still, the presentation of the butchers shop is rarely this old style as this example in Burgundy.

Location:Toulon sur Arroux, 71, Bourgundy Time: 27/10/2013 Psychogeography (Chtcheglov): Useful quarter

Cayeux sur Mer, Casino; 50s in northern France

Wed, 28 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This small balnear station in the picardie departement is a fabuleux example of post war architecture in france. Belle epoque style vanished largely to make place for a modern, no pretentious architecture. The northern part of the atlantic coast and manche was significantly destroyed during the second world war.

Location: Cayeux-sur-Mer, Somme, Picardie, France Time: 2012 Psychogeography (Chtcheglov): Tragic Quarter

Clermain / la Garde (Burgundy, France)

Sun, 18 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Along the N79 long distance national road connecting Macon and Moulins, nostalgic restaurants and hotels can be found. L’autre fois important places for routiers to have a break, meal or comfortable bed, these places have lost their meaning nowadays. Highway low cost motels and snack bars replace the rest places of the 50 to 80s.

Dust and demolitions reigns now and the future is less than uncertain. These places were often situated in the village centre which is now deserted only by local circulation as highways have been detoured around and not across town. Favouriting quietness, but also emptiness. The map below shows the national road in red, leaving the restaurant/hotel in la Garde pictured above aside on the older road (orange). The size of the buildings left are often surprising in a remote village and evokes non understanding. The size, abandoned state and placement near the road causes further difficulty to revive these places.

Milano Toast Roma

Mon, 28 Apr 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This vintage toaster from italian brand MilanoToast is the classic panini toaster. Easy but functional design.

Santos coffee grinder

Sat, 12 Apr 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This is a vintage style coffee grinder still seem frequently in French bars and cafés. Lyon based Santos continues to build this heavy but beautiful grinder. Quality is very good. A beautiful juicer is a sister product. Coffee consumption will be discussed in another story.

What a Cirque!

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Is it still useful to have big events like a cirque, a fun faire etc. in the center of a town? Geneva paid a high price to have its centrally located place “plainpalais” renovated to continue to invite these events downtown. But the places are often very ugly, easily dirty and empty looking outside of the spectacles.

So what is the deal? People can walk to the event if they live in the town. But traffic difficulties are already complicated and moving all these animals and gear to the innermost place of a city seems a little bit dusty…

hp 41C (RPN) with moon rocket lander

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This RPN calculator satisfies our standards for built quality, interface design and functionality. It even has a magnet card reader (on this picture with the game (!) moon rocket lander. For all my like reversed polnish notation was the only way to calculate. This is a brain - machine connection much more intuitive. Take your numbers first and then decide the action.

Geotag: With me.

Find situation: Heritage Price: no price Weight: a handful weight

Sony ICB-350W

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Weekly Dust starts with communication. Here is a vintage (1970s) talkie walkie on cb frequencies. Few is known about the device on the Internet but beside its great look and timeless design the device has a very good built quality.

So for imagination: In this time of overall availability by cell phones, this device is more “on purpose” use. You need to find a situation when it comes in usefull. This is a difference to todays smartphones where everything is “on air” all the time. No need for a status light or big switches showing you the operating mode. On contrast, once the purpose found, and I could imagine expeditions in far away mountains, shooting videos with a precise action script etc…, this device is always connected as in real analog worlds (versus unreal digital ones). What situation could you think of?

about

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

tash and dust headache is a center of meditation covering the old and the forgotten.

objects. ideas. places. sounds.

things looking strange to the modern mind, but having been at its place in former times. things that perhaps should be reinspected. things of beauty in form and function.

places that nobody cares anymore…

we publish all this for documentary and artistic reasons. for inspiration and meditation.

<—>

three sections are mostly photographic with a short thought:

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Writing is a returning leisure. A poetic one. For headache.