Stranger than Fiction: When movie transport comes to life | Virgin
Stranger than Fiction: When movie transport comes to life
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Yesterday, we were sulking due to the current  non-existence of hover bikes, and looked at the Aerofex - a design that certainly shares a few similarities with Luke Skywalker's hovercraft. What other fictitious designs have been injected with a whole new lease of life?
http://aerofex.com/
There were many shock-moments in the 1977 release of Star Wars: A New Hope; whether it be the sweeping tracking shot of the Star Destroyer space-ship, or simply the glorious worlds and creatures George Lucas created with the technology available at the time.
One stand-out concept device was Luke Skywalker's sweet ride - one graceful hover vehicle that waved goodbye to flat tyres: the land speeder.
Now, LA-based team Aerofex have brought that vision to life with their very own concept designs for a vehicle that looks strikingly congruent. 
"The Aero-X will have a positive impact on agriculture, herd management, and geo-surveying - particularly in those parts of the world lacking general aviation." explained Mark De Roche, the company's CTO and Founder. 
Slated for a release in 2017, the 10 ft vehicles can carry two people at a speed of 45 mph. 
As you can see from the pictures all around you, it's enough to make any Jedi swipe their lightsabre angrily in a fit of jealousy. 
http://aerofex.com/
Image from Aerofex
Blade Runner: Electric Cars 
Aerofax aren't the only ones getting inspiration from their favourite films. With the popularity of electric cars on the upsurge, what better to turn to than cult-classic sci-fi Blade Runner, based on the Phillip K Dick story, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' Starring Harrison Ford hurtling around Los Angeles in 2019, the city is adorned with flying police cars, (called "Spinners") a future we have, on a myriad of occasions, envisioned as our own reality. 
Although flying transport does not currently fill the skies, car designers are using certain inspiration from Blade Runner on electric cars;  borrowing the comforting hum sound effect that the Spinners make in the movie for their own ends. The concept was introduced with 2009's Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car that was embedded with artificial noise to alert those of hard-of-hearing it was nearby.
Nissan engineer, Toshiyuki Tabata said he wanted to make his creations sound "beautiful and futuristic". Maybe next time, they'll be up in the air too!
Image from Creative Commons // http://astranovascifi.com/
Howl's Moving Castle: Buildings that can transform
In the world of animation, impossibilities suddenly become possible, so imagine trying to emulate a world as rich and imaginative as the Japanese film-makers do from Studio Ghibli. 
2004's delivery from the studio, Howl's Moving Castle, introduced a concept that is already being developed around the world; buildings that can transform themselves. 
In the movie, Howl's castle can walk, talk, transport itself anywhere and modify its appearance at will. Although technology hasn't quite expanded to accomodate the mind of director Hayao Miyazaki, a number of designs, whether they be for art, or more practical purposes, are with us today. 
First up is the wonderfully formidable Zoomlion Headquarters Exhibition Center, a science park design set to be based in Changsha. Created by Californian architects  amphibianArc,  the self-confessed 'transformer building' contains intricate mechanisms that allow the Center to really come to life. 
Inspired by all walks of nature, the 26-metre structure was inspired by the movement of animal life, including butterfly wings and the span of frog legs. 
Then there was this revelation from 2007, when designer and artist Richard Wilson took a derelict tower block in the heart of Liverpool, and quite literally helped it turn over a new leaf.
Cutting out a 26ft circle from the building, the artist then added mechanisms to make the tower block's walls revolve. Why, oh why? To celebrate Liverpool being named European City of Culture in 2008. 
It may not be a moving castle, but animating an old building long forgotten certainly gave it a cinematic feel, with Lewis Biggs, director of Liverpool Biennial, calling it a "dream come true."