TSMC manufacturers semiconductors for some of the world's biggest companies from Apple to Nvidia.

Architecture studio Local has completed a community park and playground in Etne on the West coast of Norway, featuring a pavilion made using recycled aluminium from anearby plant.The community park, called Skakkeringen, is part of Vestland County's pilot programme to create innovative facilities that transform the role of public schools in rural municipalities.Skakkeringen is set in Etne on the West coast of NorwayFor this project, Local's Bergen office worked closely with Oslo-based architecture studio PIR2 to tackle the question: "Howcan public schools play a greater civic role in rural places?"The 2,000-square-metre activity park adjacent to the Skakke Cultural Center was designed to be "a dynamic public square for Etne's residents" and "create new opportunities for meaningful connection", according to Local co-founder Jrome Picard.A red ring, which functions as a running track, weaves through and around the playground designOnce a fenced, asphalted area, the rejuvenated site is now a flexible space for ball games, concerts, outdoor cinema screenings and community events.A central pavilion was constructed from CLT andclad with recycled aluminium from the nearby plant of manufacturer Hydro."Due to the hidden electric outlet, so that performances and activities in the pavilion can be rigged, it has become by happy coincidence a hotspot to hang out and charge your phone," Picard told Dezeen.A concrete bench helps to demarcate different zonesThe pavilion, which has a green roof to make it "an integral part of the landscape", features rain chains that bring rainwater down to beds planted with meadow plants.Surrounding planting and landscaping provide green spaces, gardens and quiet zones for relaxation and informal gatherings.The different elements of the park are linked by an unbroken red pathway, or ring, which doubles as a running track.The CLT and aluminium pavilion at the centre is designed to be multipurposeThe design of the project was shaped by community involvement. Through interviews, workshops and surveys, young people shared their ideas for a space where they could feel welcome and take ownership.Among other things, locals requested a full-size basketball court, which dictated the scale of the running track.The aluminum-clad pavilion features rain chains"We held iterative workshops where we modelled together, live in 3D, with the students," Picard explained."Some wanted more trees and nature and others were erasing trees and wanted more sport equipment. The result is a balance between these two key qualities offering a green and active schoolyard."The community's involvement shaped a programme that includes climbing walls and ball game pitches plus areas for hanging out and relaxing in nature, catering to children, families and senior citizens.Colourful markings were used on the basketball court to provide alternative play inspirationThe project is part of an innovative concept of open schoolyards that are "accessible by the general public without fences and open at all times, without schedule, to be used day and night", Picard explained"There is a strong focus on accessibility in Norway in general, and our project is designed for all, with accessible design principles," he said.The running track can also be used for cyclingAccessibility is a focus of Local's practice via their Greymatter research initiative, which works to include seniors in daily life and local neighbourhoods.The adjacent cultural centre coordinates with the local sports club, the school, the retirement home and the farmers' association to co-organise and utilise the space.The site was previously a simple, asphalted areaSkakkeringen has been used for farmers' markets, teachers have organised outdoor classes and the sports club uses the stage for trophy ceremonies and off-the-pitch activities.The cultural centre is planning events with the retirement home linked to gardening and growing a small community garden. There is even a cinema for weather-dependent outdoor screenings.Other playgrounds featured on Dezeen include giant boulders on wheels for a "risk play" space in Melbourne and a playground in LA designed with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.The photography is by LOCAL, Artishot/Arkitekturfoto i Bergen.Project credits:Architects: Local and PIR2Team members:Christine Gjermo, Silje Lockert, Kjartan Neckelmann, Elida Mosquera, Jerome Picard, Ellen Reitan, Miriam Sharp PiersonClient: Vestland County Council and Etne MunicipalityMain builder:Vaglid ASStructural build:ProconElectrical contractor: HelgevoldSustainability consultant:BDLCLT:SplitkonSkatepark design:Betong parkRendering: Onirism, LocalThe post Multipurpose community park in rural Norway designed with local residents appeared first on Dezeen.

TransPixar AI can generate video effects with transparent backgrounds.

MacworldThis is awkward Apple, did you forget something when you designed our MacBooks and iPads? Maybe something called ports? We only have USB-C, so what are we supposed to do when we want to hook up a second monitor, transfer pictures, or plug in wired headphones?Guess we have to get one of these USB-C MacBook docking stations. It also does us the favor of improving our posture when were typing all day or drawing on our iPads with adjustments in two spots and 360 rotation. Save $29 on yours with our unbeatable price.Plug the included USB-C cable into your MacBook or iPad, then use any of the stands built-in ports. Theres no need for adapters to connect your Apple devices to HDMI, USB-A, microSD/SD, or 3.5mm aux.Order your MacBook and iPad hub stand for $99.99 (reg. $129). You wont find a better price anywhere else.CASA HUB 360 8-in-1 Aluminum Foldable USB-C Hub Stand $99.99See DealStackSocial prices subject to change.

MacworldCreating content doesnt have to take longer than brewing your morning coffee. With 1minAI, you can turn ideas into polished pieces in no time. Heres how it works: 1minAI gives you lifetime access to an AI-powered toolkit that assists with everything from blog post generation to keyword optimization. Whether youre battling writers block or need aquick way to enhance content quality, this AI tool is built to help creators like you.And with a lifetime subscription for $29.97 through January 12, you can skip the recurring fees that many AI services charge. Better hurry, though. It normally costs $234.Using advanced AI models, 1minAI analyzes your prompts to generate tailored content. It can write, rewrite, and optimize posts,taking the heavy lifting out of content creationwhile still leaving you in control. Human oversight is always recommended, but its a game-changer for cutting down time spent on tedious tasks.Each Pro Plan includes free monthly credits, giving you extensive opportunities to explore its features without extra costs. You can even try the tool for free at 1min.ai to see what it can do before committing.If youre a content creator looking for support in your workflow, this tool could be the productivity boost youve been waiting for.From your first cup of joe to your last draft, thislifetime subscription to a 1minAI Pro Planfor $29.97 helps you create faster, so you can spend less time grinding and more time enjoying the process.1minAI: Lifetime Subscription $29.97See DealStackSocialprices subject to change.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"PlayCanvas developer Will Eastcott has updated SuperSplat, his free browser-based tool for loading, visualizing and editing 3D Gaussian Splats.SuperSplat 1.13 makes it possible to load and play back animations captured in the format, adding a timeline for playing back 4D Gaussian Splats (4DGS).View and edit 3DGS data for free in a standard web browserFirst released last year, SuperSplat makes it possible to import and edit 3D scans captured as 3D Gaussian Splats (3DGS) in a standard web browser.Users can import data in PLY format, and hide, remove or re-orient individual splats, or select and crop out larger parts of the scan using volume selection tools.You can read more about how it works in our story on the SuperSpat 1.0.SuperSplat 1.13: import and play back animated Gaussian splatsAlthough SuperSplat has been updated steadily since the original release, this weeks SuperSplat 1.13 update is one of the most significant, adding support for animation playback.The initial implementation is fairly simple, just making it possible to load and play back numbered sequences of PLY files.However, Eastcott says on Reddit that he plans to support other 4DGS representations in future.Licensing and system requirementsSuperSplat can be used for free in a web browser. It should work with current desktop browsers. The source code is available under an open-source MIT license.Use the free online SuperSplat 3D Gaussian Splat editorRead more about SuperSplat in the projects GitHub repositoryHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Adobe has updated Substance 3D Modeler, its desktop and virtual reality sculpting tool.Substance 3D Modeler 1.18 is a bugfix and workflow release, adding new options for exporting 3D models, and when working with 3D primitives.Sculpt organic and hard-surface models in VR using a virtual clay workflowSubstance 3D Modeler is a SDF-based tool that lets users sculpt both organic and hard-surface models in virtual reality, or in desktop mode using a mouse and keyboard.Workflow combines elements of sculpting and Boolean modelling, with users able to build up forms with virtual clay, then join or cut into them with Boolean operations.You can find more details in this story on Substance 3D Modeler 1.0.Substance 3D Modeler 1.18: improvements to export and primitives workflowSubstance 3D Modeler 1.18 is a relatively minor bugfix and workflow update.Changes include the option to use local space when exporting models, so that the object appears at the origin of the exported file; and to access the Material panel in Export mode.When selecting groups of 3D primitives, it is now possible to update parameters for the entire selection at once.Both 3D primitives and clay brushes now support negative Taper values; and the Prism primitive gets a new Shear parameter.Price and system requirementsSubstance 3D Modeler is compatible with Windows 10+, and these VR headsets.It is available via Substance 3D Collection subscriptions, which cost $49.99/month or $549.88/year. Perpetual licences are available via Steam, and cost $149.99.Read a full list of new features in Substance 3D Modeler in the release notesHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.