So what are Google+ Pages all about?

Google+ has recently launched 'company' and 'brand' pages, expanding its infant social networking platform designed to challenge Facebook.   This is all very new and it is difficult to gauge how it will develop however if anyone is going to challenge Facebook then Google certainly has the online presence and profile to do so.

To understand what it is all about and how it is going to work The Think Tank has been looking at Google+ Pages and testing out their viability for network and social marketing.   The system is certainly in its infancy and we assume that many features are to be added however below we summarise some of the pros and cons we have found so far:

Google+ Page

The 'Plus' Points

1. Simple to Set Up
Google+ Pages are quick and easy to set up but somewhat limited at present in certain areas which we cover below.

2. Circles of Influence
Google+ is based upon creating a network of contacts which you add to 'Circles'. These can be friends, colleagues, clients, acquaintances, media or any other category that you wish to create. The great thing is that you can select who to share your content with so that if you only want to share with one or many of your circles you can or you alternatively you can share publicly.

Google+ Circles

This is great for sharing with customers, staff or specific groups that you may be marketing to and engaging with.  It is simple and quick to add to your circles when searching within the network.

This organisation of contacts is a significant benefit over Facebook and offers many opportunities to businesses looking to engage with a range of stakeholders.

3. Tracking your Impact   

Google+ Ripples

Google+ had introduced 'Ripples'. This is a very graphical way of demonstrating the impact of one of your posts as the community share it across the network. In a simple to understand format you can instantly see who has shared your content, how many people they have shared it with and whether they in turn have passed it on.

If shared publicly you can see biogs of those that share and add them to your circles. You can also view other stats including influencers, chain lengths and languages.                

4. Spreading the Word   
Sharing content is simple, fast and not limited by the number of characters, as far as we can tell. You can add images, video, links, locations and graphics such as animated gifs that can certainly enhance your message.

These can be shared publically or just to the circles that you choose.

5. Get Face to Face
A very useful tool is the 'Hangout'. This is simple video conferencing between your circles.

Hangouts can be created quickly and you can invite those in your circles, individually or in groups to join in a video conference as long as they are online.

This is going to be a great tool for getting face to face with contacts and just think of the opportunities it offers in marketing terms.

6. Google+ Direct
This is an added function that will allow those using Google to add the + sign after a search term, taking users directly to the Google+ page for the brand they are looking for.

Apparently this is going to be based upon 'algorithms' so we will have to wait and see what is required for your page to start to work with Google+ Direct.  

Now for some of the not so great bits:  

The 'Negative' Bits

1. Limited Function
The integration of Google+ does not seem to be quite there when compared to Facebook and other platforms. We are sure that this functionality will come however at the moment there are certain areas that are lacking.

2.  Set Up   
You would expect Google+ to link and import directly from your YouTube and Picasa streams for video and images but at present you have to load all of your content individually, one image or video at a time. It would be much more useful if you could link to your YouTube channel and pull across your videos.

Profiles are also limited in content that you can add and link to and offer minimal functionality and flexibility.

3. Monitoring, Moderating and Notifications
There is little functionality for the above at present. Firstly you cannot restrict people posting comments on your public posts and secondly there is no email notification to warn you that they have done so. This means that you have to constantly check online to ensure that your stream is not being attacked or having a negative impact. Privacy settings are very limited.

4. Building your Circles   
There is limited integration with email clients at present. For example, if you want to add your Outlook contacts to your circles you have to firstly export them to a .csv file and then upload into Google+. Inviting these individuals to join your circles is equally laborious. Oh, and by the way, there is currently no way of inviting people to join your page, as far as we could see, only for an individual's profile.

5. Monitoring Activity
There currently appears to be a couple of glitches with viewing Circles and those that add your page. When in Circles you can select to see all your contact or those that have 'Added' you however when you select to filter it does not work, you are left with the same list of all contacts.

Also, as far as we can see you can be notified by email if someone interacts with your personal page however notifications are not sent for people interacting with your company page - you have to keep checking back to see if there is any activity.

6. Showing your Circles
Finally, and really only of interest to those starting out, you can decide to show or not show your circles publically. This is great when you are starting out and only have a few followers as you do not want the world to know that you are not that popular. However, the downside is that if you decide to hide your circles your profile tells the world that you have '0' people in your circles - GREAT!  


We are sure that this is just a first stage in the introduction of Pages in Google+ and that in due course many of the points above will be addressed. It is going to be interesting to see whether Google can challenge Facebook and whether those that are comfortable with Facebook will want to switch over and start building their networks again. What Google has in its favour is its reach and influence online. We wait with baited breath.

If you have found this interesting give us a thumbs up and +1 our Google+ Page. Click here to view or get started.

‘From Off to On’ Installation

holdUp have shared their latest installation, ‘FROM OFF TO ON’, exhibited at the international KOBE ART BIENNALE in Japan during the ART IN A CONTAINER exhibition. Selected among 289 proposals, ‘FROM OFF TO ON’ received the honorable mention by the jury. In this interactive artwork, visitors are transformed in to explorers observing their environment, chasing marvels of unknown lands: nothing is taken for granted, everything is extraordinary.

Like a blank canvas, the container embodies a receptacle for artists and art amateurs’ creativity as they print their emotions on a surprising table settled inside. Trapped in the dark and with a UV pen for only equipment, the visitor is expected to feel his way along. He eventually notices the presence of a massive volume settled in the center of the space. When he approaches that mass, he notices that UV-lights are progressively switching on, reaching their maximum intensity when he touches it. Getting eyesight back, he is eventually able to tell the volume is a large drawing table.

The visitor is assimilated to a speleologist discovering a primitive cave with prehistoric drawings painted on the rock, except that drawings are not relics from past ages. Simply put, the whole space is dark until he draws on the table. Drawing is the only way to be involved and visualize the self-made exhibition: to see you must do!

To read more please visit ArchDaily.

Visit Norway on your daily commute

Visitnorway.com has come up with a way to make the daily commute more interesting with a fantastic ad idea. Using in-tunnel advertising, visitnorway.com presents Norway’s landscape as an alternative to riding the underground subway. In-tunnel advertising is an innovative outdoor medium, where multiple LED screens mounted on tunnel walls create an animation that is perfectly aligned to each passenger window. A simple sticker on the train delivers a message that reaches out to millions of passengers daily.

Watch the video below or visit adgoodness to read more.

Paper v. Digital PR - An Article for RIBA Insight

The Think Tank was recently asked to comment upon the importance of the use of paper v. digital media in PR by RIBA Insight as part of the regular advice and guidance that RIBA CPD Providers Network provides to its customers.

Liam Bateman, Director at The Think Tank, commented, “Both paper and digital are still equally important however within certain markets there is a more emphasised move towards digital.
Traditional PR, which would have included securing articles in publications and raising brand awareness through events and activities, has rapidly been expanded into the digital arena, firstly, through publishers taking their magazines online, then through e-direct marketing and latterly social media."

Click the on the link to see the full article.

Paper v. Digital Article.pdf (467 kb)

Article originally published by RIBA Insight

Opinion: the 2012 Olympics artists posters

Art and design critics have questioned whether the posters unveiled last week to celebrate next year’s London Olympics truly represent the best of British creativity.

Mark Hudson of The Telegraph says that “overall, there are more hits than misses” among the posters by twelve leading British artists. He points to Fiona Banner’s work as the standout example, claiming its typographic combination of evocative phrases “feels appropriate to these challenging times.”

The Guardian‘s Jonathan Glancey also praises Banner’s design, describing it as “the most introspective, serious and moving of all these posters,” while questioning whether some of the designs are “aimed at art fans or athletics fans.” Patrick Burgoyne of UK visual communication magazine Creative Review reports that members of the graphic design community were disappointed not to be given the chance to participate in the design process but is unconvinced that the results would have been much better given such an open brief. The BBC‘s arts editor Will Gompertz says that the abstract nature of the posters means they lack context, adding “with this collection, you wouldn’t know where the games are being held. Maybe that in itself is a statement.”

Since their release the posters have received much more negative press and than positive. This doesn't bode well on top of widespread disappointment over the logo, typeface and mascots, followed by the dreary ticketing advertising campaign. Instead of providing a vehicle to celebrate Britain's creative industries, there is a very real danger that the 2012 Games will forever be remembered by the visual communications community as a missed opportunity of truly Olympian proportions.

To read more or to see opinions and comments about the posters visit Dezeen or Creative Review.

My Blackberry is not working!

This classic Two Ronnies sketch made us laugh all over again when we heard about Blackberry’s ongoing technical problems a few weeks ago. Users of the Smartphone brand were furious after a three day global service outage back in October. Since the problems a poll has revealed one in five Blackberry users are now considering switching to another Smartphone manufacturer with most stating Apple as their preferred choice.

It would seem that the Two Ronnie’s were right on the money with their sketch and perhaps Blackberry customers can take heart in the comedy of the situation. That is as long as you’re not trying to view this on your phone...

To see more like this click here.

Reputation Management: Social Media Mistakes to Avoid

The numbers are trending nicely for social media. A new piece of research out this week estimates the global social network advertising spend will top nearly £5 billion next year and approach £6.3 billion the year after. There’s another social media figure on the rise too: despite the increased investment in social, companies are getting blindsided by the social media-fueled PR crisis, as recent research into this shows. Here are a few important tips to consider for integrating social media into your crisis communications plan. They are the most repeated mistakes and misconceptions that lead big brands into trouble with the public.

Underestimating influence/impact of your social media critics at your peril.
Kryptonite is the business school case study here, but loads of brands since – from Target telling the blogosphere they don’t rate Nestle telling off eco Facebook protesters – have failed to understand that bloggers/Tweeters and Facebook protesters may not be The Guardian or The Times, but they do hold plenty of weight.

Giving the online community flashy marketing message when they just want simple, straightforward detail.
These days, companies can get into big trouble for issuing fictitious glowing reviews or trotting out seemingly genuine testimonials by paid actors. Even before these consumer protections were put into place, L’Oreal paid a higher price – it got burned by vigilant bloggers.

Facebook is not just a forum for fans and “Likes.”
Burger King, Nestle, and BP, to name just a few have seen their Facebook pages overwhelmed by critics who want to expose dodgy company practice. Greenpeace has had great success mobilising its followers in a series of corporate Facebook pressure campaigns. BK quickly caved to the demands to cheers. Nestle, on the other hand, shouted back, inviting more opposition.

Culture of unresponsive/uncaring customer service fuels recurring gripes, becomes a PR headache.
Dell learned the hard way that Jeff Jarvis’ customer service gripes were not an isolated issue; a massive backlash was brewing. It just took one well-connected critic to put his finger on it and the avalanche ensued.

For all the fresh money pouring into social media, we would expect the number of errors to rise before companies really get the message that social media investment means more than crafting a just a slick campaign. It means two-way dialogue, transparency and, ultimately, learning from your mistakes.

To read more visit SocialMediaInfluence.com

IFAC 2012 - The International Festival of Art & Construction

IFAC (International Festival of Art & Construction) is organizing the festival of art and construction IFAC 2012 for next summer in Spain. Here's some information as to what the IFAC is all about:

- It is an initiative of the nonprofit association “self-sufficent movement” which seeks to promote the philosophy of self-sufficiency in society, invest aggressive consumer trends, encourage and disseminate self-sufficient practices, investigate and explore ways to self-sufficiency.

- I.F.A.C. is a project focused on 200 young artists and architects from across Europe to live together 10 days in a space of creation and integration of different arts, the result will be creations , publishing, construction and various designs in any field of art.

- I.F.A.C. will be located in a rural setting, to provide a fun work environment where a festive atmosphere will be the framework for debates and discussions about contemporary concerns.

IFAC is developing a preliminary contest in order to select and reward the future Tutors of the IFAC Workshop, the competition seeks a diversity and richness of workshops, to express and work around current issues in art and construction. Registration is free, you may submit projects to the workshop on 5th December 2011.

The awards are 10 prizes of € 100 for each workshop or the chance to lead your project and be published or the free assistance of a tutor to I.F.A.C.

Visit www.IFAC2012.com for more information on how to enter or go to plusmood to read the full article.

National Museum of Scotland is beautifully redeveloped by Gareth Hoskins Architects

The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh has just completed its most significant redevelopment in over a century, breathing new life into one of the finest Victorian buildings in Britain. 16 new galleries, home to over 8,000 objects, take visitors on an inspirational journey through the wonders of nature, the cultures of the world and the excitement of science and discovery.

Working with the Museum, award-winning practice Gareth Hoskins Architects has opened up and expanded the Museum’s public space, restoring and revitalizing the grandeur of the Victorian Grade A listed building. Ralph Appelbaum Associates, international interpretive planners and designers, were responsible for creating dramatic new exhibitions for visitors.

Spectacular stone-vaulted spaces on Chambers Street, which were originally used for storage and hidden from public view, have been carefully excavated and sensitively developed to form an impressive new Entrance Hall.

From here visitors enter the breathtaking and light-filled Grand Gallery. This beautiful ‘birdcage’ structure, with its delicate cast-iron balconies and soaring glass roof, was opened in 1866. Designed by the Royal Engineer Captain Francis Fowke, architect of the Albert Hall, it was inspired by London’s Crystal Palace. It offers one of the most memorable architectural experiences in the UK.

The Grand Gallery has been reinstated as a dramatic focal point of the Museum’s displays, with its impressive feature the ‘Window on the World’. Spanning the four stories of the majestic Grand Gallery space, this spectacular vertical installation rises over 20 metres and showcases extraordinary objects from across the collections of National Museums Scotland.

The redevelopment is the centerpiece of a visionary Masterplan to realize a 21st century museum which will stimulate and inspire people for generations.

Photography by Andrew Lee

To read more visit ArchDaily.

Jean Nouvel Jewelbox Houses Historic Carousel in NYC

Since it’s opening on September 16th, the Jean Nouvel acrylic encasement and historic Jane’s Carousel has become a landmark in the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park for families. The welcoming public pavilion offers spectacular views of the East River, the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, and the Manhattan skyline.

The transparent jewel box centers Jane’s Carousel within a 72’ x 72’ x 27’ volume, directly beneath a circular skylight of equal diameter. The North and South facades consist of eighteen steel and acrylic operable doors that fold open from the center, framing the view of the North and South portions of the river. The roof is made up of insulated glass units supported by a cable and steel structure, mimicking the structural characteristics of the carousel.

A simple interior of grey concrete flooring, 3″ polished aluminum ceiling strips and a curved tempered low iron glass guardrail focuses the attention onto the colorful details of the carousel. Delicately placed, wood furniture matches the carousel’s platform and reinforces its playful spirit. At sunset, four recessed screens blanket the facades, transforming the pavilion into a lantern that projects a lightshow of distorted shadows. Jean Nouvel’s desires have been met, as the pavilion has become a “fragile little monument in the city.”

To read more visit archdaily.

What can we learn from Shippams Paste Twitter prank?

The @ShippamsPaste Twitter feed which recently took the online world by storm may have been a fake, but it can teach us plenty about how social-media marketing should be.

Over the last few weeks, Twitter has been agog at the rise and fall of @ShippamsPaste, supposedly written by ‘Ben’, an ‘executive social media intern’ at Shippams.

Through the feed, ‘Ben’ shared events from his life at Shippams, his dealings with colleagues and his search for a girlfriend, all played for laughs. He also encouraged followers to ‘engage’ with the Shippams brand by inviting interaction, devising hashtags (‘#paste’), jumping on trending topics and so on. Once word got out, @ShippamsPaste went viral, rocketing to 8000 followers in three weeks. Then Twitter suspended the account for passing itself off as the real thing, restoring it briefly on the condition it admitted to being fake. Its creator, Ed Jefferson (@edjeff), then went public with a Guardian article explaining his motives.

The fake account parodied the lame way in which some brands use social media, working their way through an established playbook of tactics that utterly fail to engage people. As Jefferson explained, ‘faking a spectacularly inept attempt to "do Twitter" just seemed funny – as did picking a real, but nearly forgotten, brand to do it.’ And it was funny. Very funny. @ShippamsPaste showed exactly what brands should be doing by mocking what they are doing. Using Shippams’ products as a jumping-off point rather than the finish line, the feed took the brand into completely uncharted waters and unlocked a previously unsuspected area of potential appeal.

The @ShippamsPaste account was interruptive rather than engaging, and broadcast rather than interactive. It was more like a traditional TV ad than a modern social-media campaign. As a result, it achieved what respected creative Steve Harrison calls ‘relevant abruption’, grabbing audience attention and pulling it towards a product.

In a world where audience attention is increasingly fragmented, the wise brands may be those who learn to ride waves of publicity – even if they haven’t made those waves themselves.

To read more visit econsultancy.com.

Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson

Constructed on the roof of the ARoS museum in Aarhus, Denmark Olafur Eliasson’s, “Your rainbow panorama,” is a circular, panoramic walkway, in all the colours of the rainbow.

The 150 meter long, circular panoramic walkway, measuring 52 metres in diameter, is supported by 12 columns resting on the weight-bearing steel construction beneath the terrace deck. During the hours of darkness, "Your rainbow panorama" is illuminated by means of lamps in the floor.

The idea of the project was to use the city and the light as a part of the visual experience, as Eliasson describes, “Think of ‘Your rainbow panorama’ as an expectation machine. Even before entering ARoS and ascending to the work, you may look upon the city as if through coloured glass. Your expected gaze. What you know from the street then emerges from above as strangely real, in a continuous interplay of colour saturation and desaturation. Suspended between the city and the sky, this viewing platform insists on your sensory engagement. You feel the view. Perhaps your memory of the art collections below, through which you just made your way, infiltrate your experience.”

Images by Ole Hein Pedersen. 2006 - 2011 Olafur Eliasson

To read more about Your Rainbow Panorama visit 2modern or arc space.

Inside World of Interiors Festival Winners

Dezeen Magazine have been following the progress of the Inside 'world of interiors' Festival in Barcelona this week, which runs from 2nd to 4th November, and have been announcing the winners on their blog. Designers and Exhibitions from the United Kingdom were shortlisted in five of the nine categories and managed to scoop two awards in the Display category and Retail category.

The Ceramics Study Galleries at the Victoria & Albert museum in London by OPERA Amsterdam won the Display category at the inaugural awards in Barcelona as judges said the project exhibited “one strong idea and executed it really well – from material, function and lighting.”

The ‘Ceramic Galleries’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum were designed as a visible storage showcase as part of the reinstallation of the ceramic galleries phase II. The visible study collection contains 26,000 objects that are displayed with the idea that they are – on demand – available to curators, specialists and the general public.

Hostem by JamesPlumb was announced as the winner of the Retail category yesterday in Barcelona. The boutique in east London features an antique church pew, hessian panels and linen curtains plus reclaimed lighting and rails. The judges “love the handcrafted nature of the project and “great attention to detail throughout.” The judges also admired the way “they felt out their designs while constructing” so that “brand, space and clothes feel unified.”

To see the full list of winners and to read interviews with the designers visit Dezeen Magazine online.

Unusual and Interactive Business Cards

Even the most creative business card design cannot guarantee your business success, however as they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impressions, so you shouldn’t miss an opportunity to show your best qualities. Here are some of the quirkiest, original and funny business card ideas we've seen in a long time. To see the whole collection click here.

Image shown: Business Card For Fitness Trainer

Junk mail crackdown to see launch of website

According to a BBC Report yesterday, ministers say it will be easier for people to stop junk mail being put through letterboxes under new plans.

The public will be able to opt out from receiving unsolicited flyers by contacting a single website rather than three different services at the moment. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said this would give people across the UK "more control" over what they get.  It has already been agreed that all adverts will be fully recyclable in the future as part of an initiative with the direct marketing industry. However, the voluntary decision only applies to members of the Direct Marketing Association - generally larger firms - and is unlikely to stop small, local companies such as restaurants and decorators from carrying out their mail shots. The average UK household receives more than 370 items of unsolicited paper mail a year, the majority of it unaddressed.

The Direct Marketing Association said its goal was to "eliminate" unwanted mail entirely. It said it would seek to persuade more firms to use "suppression lists" - which follow people's opt-out requests - and stop mail being delivered to addresses once inhabitants have moved or died. "We know that many types of advertising mail are welcomed by customers such as supermarket discount offers," Mike Lordan, the organisation's chief of operations, said. "Of course, untargeted and irrelevant advertising mail is not welcome. We are keen to ensure people are able to make an informed choice about whether or not they want to receive advertising mail.

To read the full article visit BBC News or to find out more about the initiative see the DMA website.

Cadbury Goes Swimming With Rebecca Adlington

Cadbury are fast becoming known as the brand that makes crazy normal and their latest project doesn't fail to deliver. Cadbury Dairy Milk have recorded an anthemic underwater version of Tina Turner's classic hit Simply the Best. All to motivate British swimmer Rebecca Adlington who is training for next year's Olympics. Created by HyperNaked, all sorts of people hang out at the bottom of Rebecca's training pool belting out the 80's classic. There is no denying it's pretty strange but it is also charmingly funny. Click here to view the video. 

Google to charge businesses for Google Maps APIs

It was announced yesterday that Google will begin charging app developers and businesses who host Google Maps APIs on their website if they exceed 25,000 visits a day. In its blog post announcing the changes, Google said no site exceeding the limits will stop working immediately but it does offer three firm solutions: reduce usage limits, pay for the excess or upgrade and buy a Maps API Premier license.

The excess usage charges, reported in the media to be around $4 per 1000 users, will be enforced in early 2012. Thor Mitchell, product manager of Google Maps API said in his blog post, “We understand that the introduction of these limits may be concerning. However with the continued growth in adoption of the Maps API we need to secure its long term future by ensuring that even when used by the highest volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable. By introducing these limits we are ensuring that Google can continue to offer the Maps API for free to the vast majority of developers for many years to come.”

It is thought that the fees will only impact around 0.35 per cent of user accounts. To read Thor Mitchell's full blog post click here, or visit the B2B Marketing website.

I Make Rotterdam

The 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam and architecture firm ZUS launched the first project of ‘I Make Rotterdam’ a few weeks ago with a view to restore Rotterdam to it's former glory whilst modernising it's functionality.

'To ensure our cities remain habitable in the future, we must conceive, design and manage them differently'. That is the message of the 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR): Making City. It is in this context that architecture firm ZUS is first tackling Rotterdam’s Central District. This is the area between the Central Station, Weena and Pompenburg. Under the motto ‘I Make Rotterdam‘, ZUS is calling on all Rotterdammers to contribute to the development of their city. During a well-attended IABR lecture on Tuesday 11 October, ZUS launched the first project of ‘I Make Rotterdam‘: de Luchtsingel, a temporary pedestrian bridge between the Central and North districts. This includes the bridge over Hofplein.

The area around Hofplein was once a bustling city centre but is now dominated by emptiness and speeding cars. ZUS hopes to turn this back into a lively pedestrian area within a few months. In times of crisis, however, a new method of financing is needed – crowd-funding in this case. Both inhabitants and businesses in Rotterdam can help to build this project by buying planks for the bridge. The bridge is one of the initiatives planned by ZUS to transform the Central District into a high-quality destination in a low-budget manner. ‘I Make Rotterdam‘ does not end when the 5th IABR event ends, as the project is set to continue until 2014 and hopes to make a real difference to the city.

With this huge project ZUS is exploring new possibilities to actively involve citizens in making the city. The way in which citizens exercise influence is changing rapidly owing to the emergence of digital applications in spatial planning. ‘I Make Rotterdam‘ takes advantage of this by offering a platform for private initiatives and crowd-funding. ZUS wants to boost the city in a way that everybody can participate in — by starting a shop, organising a concert, opening a restaurant, or building a house. The key question of the 5e IABR is then ultimately 'How can we make the city better?'

To follow the project visit the I Make Rotterdam website or to read more visit Plusmood online.

Sir Peter Cook’s 75th Birthday Art Auction and Exhibition

Sir Peter Cook is 75 and to celebrate the iconic British architect and Archigram co-founder’s birthday, 75 established and emerging international artists have produced a portrait of Sir Peter to auction for charity Architecture for Humanity aiding post disaster relief in Haiti and Japan. Both the auction and exhibition started on October 26th and runs until November 9th. The online art auction can be found at The Adam and Eve Projects while the exhibition is up at Space, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia. The image shown here is by WIll Scobie. To see more images visit ArchDaily.

2011 Zombie Safe House Competition

For the second year in a row, Architects Southwest has inspired 200 applicants from 12 countries to design imaginative zombie-proof architecture that will save thousands of lives during the inevitable zombie apocalypse. The goal of the competition is to “design a haven that can withstand a full-on zombie assault on civilization as we know it.” These creative designs may one day save you from the dead, therefore voting is important. Here's an insight into some of the top competitors.

The Oil Silo Home. This reuses abandoned Oil Silos to create a self-sufficient, zombie proof multi-family complex.

The Zombie Ranch. Safely houses residents in a zombie-powered vertical farm.

The Eiffel Tower. Adapted to provide all basic human needs with a wind turbine, rain water collection, vertical farming, and electric legs forbidding any zombie to climb the tower.

The Submersible Z House. This allows tenants to live a luxurious life uninterrupted, with a built-in greenhouse, fish farm, tidal powered turbines constructed of razor blades, and a fully-armed luxurious escape pod for backup.

To browse through the entries and give thumbs up to your favorite designs visit the competition website or to read more visit Archdaily. Voting ends today on Halloween, October 31st, 2011.