Roaming The Google Streets

Giraffe Through The Roof

An unusual sight in Paris - a gigantic yellow giraffe poking its head from the roof of a building which is aptly named 'Giraffe Childcare Centre'. The torso of the giraffe passes through a cantilevered top level and its legs, long neck, head and part of its belly are visible from the road. The legs are positioned in such a way that the visitors to the building have to pass through the legs.

Located in Boulogne-Billancourt, it was designed by Hondelatte Laporte Architects and was completed in 2012. With an area of 1450 Sq. M (about 15,600 sq. ft.) it has 60 beds and a nursery for 20 kids.

Stork in Flight

Google Street View

Somewhere on an unnamed road near Las Conchas, Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Though not a very sharp picture but I think it is the first find of a stork in flight captured by Google Street View camera. From the adjoining frames it looks it was a short hop flight.

Big Edge - A Sculpture Made of Boats

Google Street View

An eye catching sculpture at a roundabout opposite Vdara Hotel & Spa, City Center, Las Vegas.

The sculpture created by Artist Nancy Rubins is called "Big Edge" and was created using more than 200 aluminum canoes, rowboats and flat-bottomed boats hung togather by stainless steel wires.

More info: Las Vegas Sun

Cyclisk - An Oblisk Made of Bicycles

Google Street View

A beautiful sculpture in Santa Rosa, California made out of about 340 bicycles and one tricycle.

Created by Northern California artists Mark Grieve and Ilana, ironically it is right in the vicinity of several car dealers.

As per wired.com it could be a "tribute to the way car culture has sacrificed more eco-friendly bicycle culture? A memento mori for industrial civilization? A reminder that riding your bicycle is both healthier and cheaper than driving a car?"

The artist Mark Grieve however explains that "The statement is up to the viewer and hopefully the work is an intersection of ideas, so it can keep growing with the community....... When a person brings to a piece his/her own interpretation, the piece is 'working' for the community."

More info and images in wired.com

Red Umbrellas

Google Street View

When I found this in Google Street View my first impression was that these have been custom laid for the GSV car. A search on the Net however revealed that these were part of the an art installation for Paris Nuit Blanche - an annual all-night arts festival.
(Source: virtualglobetrotting.com)

A digitally modified version of this image to make it look like a work of art, can be seen in my other blog - Google Street View Art.