What is this beautiful concept?

Just now, while searching coaster concept art on google images, I got a hit from this picture.

http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/kuvat/luontomuseo/rollercoaster_web.jpg

I have never seen something so beautiful, and while I know this is not an existing coaster, is this a possible concept for a park somewhere? Awfully gorgeous, would seem fantastic to ride. Anyone in-the-know?

I did a Google search for luontomuseo and came up with a museum with a street address in Helsinki. Not sure if that helps or if you already came up with the same info. Here's their press page in English:

http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/pagenglish/press.html

Unfortunately doesn’t appear to be concept art.

From the Museum of Nature information page

http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/pagenglish/museumofn_txt.html
…
“Project is based on pessimistic vision of what is happening on earth. I am looking into future and I am not very happy about that. I am considering these pictures more as visual pamphlets than estetical images.

Digital process is constantly present in the works. I am combining freely photographs of landscapes and computer genereted 3D-models. Works are visualized building plans, plans I rather not want to see realized.”

*** Edited 4/24/2007 3:56:30 AM UTC by cpubradley***

The image is part of this series:
http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/sivut/luontomuseo_th.html
This seems to be the homepage but I don't understand Finnish, most English version pages don't work but there's a menu at the bottom of the page:
http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/sivut/Luontomuseo_txt.html

I was going to say that I thought that image would be more beautiful without the coaster in it.

I like coasters and all but I don't need them tangled over everything!

I agree with millrace.

I'd much rather take a nice hike to be rewarded with such a setting and then be able to enjoy an afternoon there, away from the hustle and bustle of my normal city lifestyle.

Whipping through there at 50 mph would be fun, but what a waste.

Aw come on guys! This is beautiful! Would you rather have more Cedar Points - concrete and rides?

I would say there are alot of other things in 'nature' that take up alot of space. So many new 'condos' here in Chicago are so damn ugly, its no joke (not to mention how much of their facade starts falling in the first few months it is up - they don't build em like they used to).

Coasters and parks take up such a small part of land, compared to cities, highways and ugly condo construction.

The only real waste in this picture is those loop supports! *** Edited 4/24/2007 12:55:31 PM UTC by J7G3***

The photos are a harsh realty of what could become of this world.

The picture of the landscaping is gorgous, and then you throw coaster track into there, and although in a coaster-enthusiasts POV it may look sweet... but in a tree-hugger's POV, it's an abmysal look at the way we destroy anything beautiful in this world.

Example? I hate to say it... but Niagara Falls has turned into one of those on the Canadian side. Used to be just one gorgous view of nature at its finest, and then BAM, year after year a new hotel, new amusement attraction, and new water-based attraction (whirlpool jet tours, maid of the mist... etc) just deter from the natural landscape of the whole thing.

Note to self: scratch Grand Canyon Blaster, Yosemitee Screamer, and Great Smoky Mountain Runaway Train ideas. Back to the drawing board for me...

hm... I can think of much worse examples of what mankind is doing to landscapes, nature,and or planet than putting a coaster over a forest river!
Just think of what the lumber industry is doing in Canada (turning entire regions from incredible natural forest to clear-cut reforested soulless tree plantations - it was so shocking to see)
or the endless empty agricultural grid structures that surround human settlements - or the ever growing residential areas themselves.
Or two weeks ago, I was in the Imperial Valley and took a drive around the salton sea, a salt lake that´s a product of a watering project-gone-wrong, causing nature to be continuously out of balance since.
We do have a talent to be careless about the environment.

I think the dream of soaring over canyons, trees, rocks, nature etc. is one that many people share.
Of course, if something like this gets built, the main criterion becomes whether the coaster really interprets the landscape in a positive way, and how obtrusive it is - how much it destroys ecologically, but also visually and ´spiritually´ around it.

Of course, in this concept, there is a tension between the perceived silence and peace of the landscape and the ´terror´ that people supposedly experience riding the coaster, and also possible puke and trash falling from the train and the purity and sensibility of the bog underneath - but - I´d have to say - I always dreamed about coasters that interpret landscapes in this way - and I find the morning light and the idea to skim the treetops like that absolutely delightful.

I think it doesn´t have to be a sin - but it needs to be done responsibly.
e.g. I never really understood why the water in the brook flowing under Alton Towerś Nemesis coaster had to be blood red...

*** Edited 4/24/2007 3:01:11 PM UTC by superman***

The Salton Sea was created natually in 1905 with flooding from the Colorado River. It would have disappeared long ago if not for agricultural runoff. It used to be a place to vacation, but now the water is really bad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea

In any case, I think the Salton Sea isn't a special case other than the geography emphasizes what we flush into the ocean.

Anyway, it sounds like the artist's point was that we pervert nature. Personally, it I think that it looks beautiful...I think a lot of the structures we create are beautiful. I see it as all part of nature.

That doesn't mean that all structures look nice. Look at LA's sprawl. Then again, fly over it at night and tell me it isn't one of the most amazing sights. My point is, that just because a structure is man-made doesn't mean it is automatically a perversion of nature.

The problem comes when you stamp out cookie cutter homes and use the environment without an eye toward the future.

Cue the "Is themeing important?" thread.

Point. Counterpoint.

Well this picture could used as an idea for themeing for a new coaster in the future...Now if that river were not a real river but man made to accentuate the coaster, that would be VERY cool. I do understand the point of this picture is to make us realize what we are doing to our planet. To make us think about what we need to do to preserve nature.

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J7G3 said:
Aw come on guys! This is beautiful! Would you rather have more Cedar Points - concrete and rides?

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You seem to be missing essential elements of Cedar Point such as:

Beaches: http://www.rcdb.com/ig11.htm?picture=11
Trees: http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?a=82
Lake: http://www.aerialpics.com/H/cedarpoint-link.jpg

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Touchdown said:

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J7G3 said:
Aw come on guys! This is beautiful! Would you rather have more Cedar Points - concrete and rides?

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You seem to be missing essential elements of Cedar Point such as:

Beaches: http://www.rcdb.com/ig11.htm?picture=11
Trees: http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?a=82
Lake: http://www.aerialpics.com/H/cedarpoint-link.jpg[/quote]

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You're right...

and silver que rails! Miles and miles of long boring silver que rails :)

And a very sad, former, classic woodie. *** Edited 4/24/2007 6:52:49 PM UTC by J7G3***

^CP aint a theme park, its an amusement park which is sparse on the man made themeing. However, the natural themeing is one of the best in the world, if you are going to complain about themeing lets talk about more deserving targets like Dorney and most SF parks :).

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cpubradley said:

“Project is based on pessimistic vision of what is happening on earth. I am looking into future and I am not very happy about that.

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What is happening on Earth? Where are coasters being built on top of beautiful rivers? Am I missing something here? ;)

The picture was actually a NoLimits creation showcasing the capabilities of the simulator. I don't have the link offhand, but I remember seeing that picture on Coastersims.

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J7G3 said:

And a very sad, former, classic woodie.

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Are you talking about Blue Streak? It lost its classic status over ten years ago and the ride has been running the best it has ever been the past few years.

What's up with the CP hate anyway? Not saying its perfect, but CP is one of those parks that everyone usually agrees that it's a great place.

I never quite understood the whole concrete thing. Some people expect trees to grow overnight, give some of the recent landscaping to fill in.

Not to mention concrete reflects heat. Imagine how hot blacktop or ashfault would get in the summer? EEK!