Today's archidose #103

sacred heart, originally uploaded by stoneroberts.

Church of the Sacred Heart in Prague, Czech Republic by Josef Plecnik, 1933

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2 New Books + 1 Online Magazine

Here's a couple of new books and a new online magazine that may be of interest.

Design Studio Pedagogy:
Horizons for the Future
Edited by Ashraf M. Salama & Nicholas Wilkinson
The Urban International Press, 2007

This groundbreaking book is a new comprehensive round of debate developed in response to the lack of research on design pedagogy. It provides thoughts, ideas, and experiments of design educators of different generations, different academic backgrounds, who are teaching and conducting research in different cultural contexts. It probes future universal visions within which the needs of future shapers of the built environment can be conceptualized and the design pedagogy that satisfies those needs can be debated.

Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?
Experiencing Aural Architecture
By Barry Blesser and Linda-Ruth Salter
MIT Press, 2007

We experience spaces not only by seeing but also by listening. We can navigate a room in the dark, and "hear" the emptiness of a house without furniture. Our experience of music in a concert hall depends on whether we sit in the front row or under the balcony. The unique acoustics of religious spaces acquire symbolic meaning. Social relationships are strongly influenced by the way that space changes sound. In Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?, Barry Blesser and Linda-Ruth Salter examine auditory spatial awareness: experiencing space by attentive listening. Every environment has an aural architecture.

Últimasmag
Recent work by Fernando Guerra

To provide a publication designed for the internet with the body and graphic concept of a magazine or a book is the complement to 3 years of images in ultimareportagens, with special dossiers, audio slide-shows and a small collection of FG + SG books of photography on contemporary Portuguese architecture. Últimasmag is yet another form we use to transmit architecture and hence our work. And to coincide with últimas’ third anniversary, this first number has a special flavour. Each bilingual edition will focus on an architectural work of special and topical relevance, analysed in a complete dossier including everything from sketches to critical texts, building blueprints and, of course, photographs. It will be regularly available and completely free for online reading or to download in order to collect or print. The choice is yours.

Postopolis! Videos

Storefront for Art and Architecture is posting video of this week's Postopolis! event at YouTube, great for those of you interested in this event but not in New York. I'll use this post to collect them, updating them as often as I can, with the latest on the top. Another outlet is this Postopolis! pool on Flickr, and of course there's the pages of the big four.

Eric Rodenbeck (Stamen):


Keller Easterling:


Lawrence Weschler:


Laura Kurgan:


Kevin Slavin:


David Benjamin & Soo-in Yang:


James Sanders:


Julia Solis:


Andrew Blum:


Jake Barton:


Lebbeus Woods:


Joel Sanders:


Robert Neuwirth:


Wes Janz:


Monica Hernandez (Lifeform):


Scott Marble (Marble Fairbanks):


Mitchell Joachim (Terreform):


Paul Seletsky:


Ada Tolla & Giuseppe Lignano (LOT-EK):


Matthew Clark (Ove Arup):


Benjamin Aranda & Chris Lasch (terraswarm):


Panel on Sustainability:


Michael Kubo (Actar):


Inhabitat's Pecha Kucha:


Subtopia's Pecha Kucha:


Pecha Kucha presentation by Dan Hill:


Geoff Manaugh's Pecha Kucha:


Stanley Greenberg's presentation:


POSTOPOLIS! preparations:

Garage in the Sky

This might be old news to some, but I just heard that "a luxury tower planned for 11th Avenue features an elevator that lifts cars to the apartment owner's floor, where they can be parked near the entry door," this according to the Washington Post. The article describes that this is one among many frills developers are using to snag the wealthy, cash-paying minority, at a time when "the collapse of subprime lenders spurs a housing crisis," and "a record [percentage] of U.S. home loans were entering foreclosure."

200 Eleventh Avenue (website includes a video of how the sky garage system works) is a 56,000 sf luxury condominium tower in Chelsea by Selldorf Architects. Even though, according to the architects, "the base of the building is clad with glazed terra cotta panels, and the tower has a custom-fabricated curvilinear stainless steel 'rain screen' system," it's the relatively invisible sky garages that steal the show.


Renderings by Hayes Davidson

The sky garages recall Chicago's former Jewelers' Building (now going by the distinguished 35 Wacker Drive). Chicago Architecture.info explains:

[The Jewelers' Building] was created for the city’s diamond merchants and had an unusual security procedure – to reduce the chances that its tenants would be mugged walking between their cars and their offices, the building featured a central auto elevator. People would drive into this elevator and it would take them to the floor where their office was. Jewelers loaded down with precious stones and metals wouldn’t have to be exposed to a potentially hostile exterior environment. Though innovative, it was an arrangement that didn’t last very long. By the Second World War the auto elevators were abandoned and decked over to make more office space.

This description might actually fit 200 Eleventh Avenue, where owners of $16 million condos won't have to worry about being mugged or be exposed to the potentially hostile exterior environment of Chelsea and the rest of Manhattan!

Thanks to Joy for the head's up on the article and the Jewelers' Building!

Street Views

Google is taking one more step towards helping people never leave their homes, launching Street View on Google Maps. At first sight it looks, well, awesome. After the 103-second demo you'll know enough to completely waste the rest of the day. There's only a limited number of cities and views, but knowing Google it won't be long before they have the whole world covered.

In commemoration of Postopolis! which started yesterday and runs until Saturday -- and to give you an idea of the views -- here's a street view of Kenmare Avenue and the Storefront for Art and Architecture.



(via Bird to the North)

Today's archidose #102

Musuem "Reina Sofia", Madrid, originally uploaded by sinor favela.

The Museo Nacional Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain by Jean Nouvel, 2005.

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Monday, Monday

My weekly page update:

Sachsenhausen Memorial in Oranienburg, Germany, by HG Merz Architekten Museumsgestalter.

The updated book feature is Judging Architectural Value, edited by William S. Saunders.

Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:

architectural videos*
A blog dedicated to architectural videos. (added to sidebar under architectural links::audio/video; via architechnophilia)

Smart City Radio
"A weekly, hour-long public radio talk show that takes an in-depth look at urban life, the people, places, ideas and trends shaping cities." (added to sidebar under architectural links::audio/video)

Architorture
"A documentary that captures five diverse students in a single studio at one university throughout the entirety of their thesis project...Check back with us often to watch our concept evolve." (via too many pages to list)

Today's archidose #101

Australia_2006_0425, originally uploaded by marco 2000.

The Shrine of Remembrance Visitor Centre in Melbourne, Australia by Ashton Raggatt McDougall.

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Prouvé SOLD!

No, not that Prouvé (not 'til June 5), but some of these.

In the process of doing research for a final paper on Paris I came across this Phillips de Pury & Company design auction held a few days ago (May 24) in New York. With Prouvé still on my mind after the last post, I looked around and saw a number of items of his (alone and occasionally with Charlotte Perriand) on the block, as they say.


Bookshelf, 1958 by Charlotte Perriand and Jean Prouvé

So what were the results? (PDF link) 7 of 11 lots sold for a grand total of $107,160, or an average of $15,309 per sold item. Not bad. The highest bids went to a set of six "Standard" chairs (ca. 1950) and a large "Compass" desk (1948), each for $28,800. My favorite sold piece (not surprisingly) is the bookshelf above he designed with Perriand. I'll admit I like it, but not $24,000 like it.

Today's archidose #100

gárgolas, originally uploaded by TwOsE.

La casa La Ricarda n Barcelona, Spain by Antonio Bonet Castellana, 1959.

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Prouvé Parfait

Yesterday afternoon I took a break from the four projects that will soon bring my year of graduate school to a conclusion, in order to take in the Maison Tropicale by Jean Prouvé, currently sitting next to the Queensborough Bridge in Long Island City. The prefabricated house was designed for mass production in Niger, Africa, but only three were built. This one will be auctioned on June 5 and is expected to nab $6 million, $2 million more than the nearby, landmarked Steinway Mansion. Go figure.



The house sits on the future site of Silvercup West, a large-scale, mixed-use development designed by Richard Rogers.



Designed for a completely different context -- a completely different continent -- the house's location is a bit disconcerting at first, but after spending a few minutes with the house, it seems to be "at home" in its location, for some reason.



Perhaps the bridge is accommodating. Perhaps the house requires something bigger than itself. Whatever the reason, it's impossible to take in the house without acknowledging the bridge...



...or the skyline, something the new owner won't get for $6 million.



The house is an amazing thing. It is a great example of vernacular design executed with modern materials, in this case wood and lots and lots of metal.



The single, large space is surrounded by a walkway that provides shade, though when the sun hits the sliding panels the circles' soft blue glow makes for a great interior space. Operable circles above and below the blue grid allow for air movement across this interior space when the doors are closed, as do the louvered railings and the sun shades.



The way each material and surface is subservient to its intended context makes the sale of the house a bit suspect, like it will become a part of some art collection, rather than a functional piece of architecture, as intended. Regardless, it offers lessons for architects striving to increase comfort while reducing energy consumption.

Today's archidose #99

paulo mendes da rocha, sao paulo april 2006, originally uploaded by seier+seier+seier.

The Brazilian Museum of Sculpture in São Paulo, Brazil by Paulo Mendes da Rocha.

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Postopolis! Update

Postopolis! First Speaker List, originally uploaded by bldgblog.

A few weeks ago I told you to mark yr calendars with Postopolis!, a five-day event (May 29-June 2) at the Storefront for Art and Architecture organized by four bloggers from four cities. Above is the updated speaker and guest list, of which I'm a part. I'll be there on Saturday afternoon during the Blogger Open House and sticking around for the closing party. Hope to see you there!

For hi-res (legible) poster click here.

Update 05.25: For the schedule of speakers click here, and check back next week as it may change between now and the start of the event.

Today's archidose #98

DSC_2275, originally uploaded by veneman.

Theatre Agora in Lelystad, Netherlands by UN Studio.

According to the architects, "The building’s envelope is composed of an overlapping multi-faceted surface that, because of perforations, creates a moiré or kaleidoscopic effect."

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The SELF-FAB House

A couple of weeks ago I featured Self-Sufficient Housing on my weekly page's book review, which included a link to the follow-up competition now under way. To drum a bit more support for the contest, here's some more information (click on image for JUMBO view).

The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia directed by Vicente Guallart is issuing an international summons to architects, designers and students from around the world, inviting proposals for the construction of self-sufficient dwellings with an emphasis on exploring people’s capacity to self-construct their own homes.

The 2nd Advanced Architecture Contest directed by Lucas Cappelli encourage in this edition of the Self-sufficient housing competition, the design of a “SELF-FAB HOUSE” using industrial or traditional craft-based techniques generated on the basis of the knowledge of the information age, such as digital processes, software-driven manufacturing, skills and know-how in the use of new or established materials, the strategic recycling of other chains of production or familiarity with the historical processes of the construction of habitats in natural environments, revised in the light of new standards of sustainability.

Monday, Monday

My weekly page update:

Casa no Gerês in Gerês, Portugal by Graça Correia Arquitectos.

The updated book feature is Pamphlet Architecture 27: Tooling, by Benjamin Aranda & Chris Lasch and Pamphlet Architecture 28: Augmented Landscapes, by Mark Smout & Laura Allen.

Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:

there is something about architecture...
"The place where [Hajo Schilperoort, architect in Eindhoven] publish[es] about things that I study or do as an architect, theorist, teacher and generally interested enthusiast." (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

City traces
"This work will explore the idea that the marks on the pavement and the minutiae found in the streets can tell you where you are and provide clues for deciphering the narratives of the cultural terrain." (added to sidebar under blogs::urban)

aggregät 4/5/6
"A site that has no qualms about the messy connections between spatial practice, cultural criticism, technology studies, art history, architecture, and other realms" (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

Today's archidose #97

unité d'habitation, originally uploaded by dianavieira.

Interbau Apartment House in Berlin-Tiergarten, Germany by Oscar Niemeyer (1957).

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So which came first, the OMA or the Foster?

In a story that could only set back architects further in the mind of the public by equating "starchitects" with "cry babies," bdonline reports that "two of the world’s leading architects, Rem Koolhaas and Norman Foster, have clashed over claims of a 'remarkable similarity' between two of their most ambitious projects," the former's Rak Gateway in the Emirates and the latter's just-revealed 6sq km "zero-carbon, zero-waste" Masdar Development in Abu Dhabi. Let's see what all the fuss is about.

Here's OMA's plan:


And here's Foster's plan:


Certainly the timing of these two square projects raises some eyebrows, though the similarities -- or at least the imagery that's being looked at -- is only the plan. I'm sure these two project "on the ground" are very different from each other. But a few thinks irk me about the hoopla, as well as the plans themselves:

:: The assertion of authorship at the scale of the city,
:: The desire to be innovative at the same scale, linked with
:: The apparent tabula rasa conditions of each, and
:: The apparent lack of learning from history at various levels.

Perhaps these two architects are learning from history, as square cities are nothing new, though let's hope they're learning from more than just the shape.

The ancient, walled city of El Kab (found here):

Bruder Klaus Chapel

Thomas Mayer has 69 photographs of Peter Zumthor's Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, "a concrete chapel on the edge of a field in Mechernich, southern Germany, built by local farmers in honor of their patron saint, the 15th-century hermit Bruder Klaus," according to icon.



(via dezain)