When it came to Virgin launching the world’s first commercial space line, it made sense to have someone design some cutting edge architecture for the venture’s base.

The Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space building in New Mexico is certainly that and was designed by Foster + Partners with URS Corporation and local architects SMPC. Opened this week in the presence of 800 guests, the 120,000 sq ft dome-like structure has been designed to meet LEED Gold requirements.

It houses a sunken….

….New Mexico Spaceport Authority Visitor Experience, with the walls displaying a permanent show of  the history of space exploration, alongside a mission control center, astronaut prep rooms, visitor space and a massive hangar capable of stowing two WhiteKnightTwo and five SpaceShipTwo (SS2) vehicles. Internal fit out the building will now get underway with a completion date of 2013.

You can see the maiden test of the SS2’s unique feather system in the desert earlier this year below.

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Lighting in a building can make or break a design. But when it comes to lighting the outside of building, the W Hotel in London’s Leicester Square stands out from the crowd because it uses lighting to transform the whole exterior into a constantly changing light show.

Designer, Jason Bruges, crafted this veil of light to surround the hotel.

On the roof, eight cameras take snapshots of the surrounding London buildings and cityscape every 60 seconds – day and night.

These are then compiled with some clever software into a lightshow thrown across the hotel’s new veil of 300 lights. Check the video below to see it in action.

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Above is the winning design for a giant, glass – yes glass – viewing platform that will arch out into the middle of nowhere, over a glacial valley in the Columbian Ice fields of Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Designed by Sturgess Architecture, RJC and PCL, the structure is destined to become one of the area’s biggest tourist attractions in coming years.

More pics and info after the jump.

The sweeping platform juts out 30 meters from the mountainside, while the see-through floor and railings will no doubt create a thrilling viewing experience.

Unless of course you suffer from vertigo, are scared of heights or just can’t stop imagining you can hear the faint sound of glass cracking.

There will also be a 400-metre walkway built along the mountainside to reach the viewing platform.

[Dezeen]

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Electric bikes have moved right along in terms of functionality and some even look good. Few, however, are as out there as this concept electric bike design from Yuji Fujimura.

The EBIQ, or Electric Bike Concept ver2, is quite striking to look at and that modern design is reinforced with the complete whitewash makeover. But there’s even more trickery under those clean lines after the jump.

That solid midsection not only houses a lithium ion battery but can store your gadgets, like a laptop or iPod, and charge them as you pedal. The handle bars and pedals fold into the frame for slinky storage and, if you really have a death wish, there’s a display up front so that you can surf the Net – via your stored laptop – as you trundle along.

Obviously, that’s just before you die horribly in a head-on with a bus while watching Lady Ga-Ga on YouTube.

It’s certainly pretty but, I’m pretty sure the designer is not much of a cyclist. One word: wind. The reason most bikes have no solid midsection is to stop cross-winds from knocking you on your butt  every 30 seconds. Interesting design though. More pics below.

Coroflot

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