Serpentine Construction

Since 2002, 0lll has documented and published the construction process of the Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion. This year's pavilion is by artist Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen of Snøhetta and is set to open in August, remaining on site until November.



Click the image to check out the ongoing construction process.

Unofficial Stirling Prize Poll

Just like last year, PartIV is holding its own unofficial Stirling Prize Poll. So head on over for some antifreeze and a vote.



To acquaint yourselves with the nominees, check out the Guardian's slide show of the seven projects under consideration.

Walk Score

At City Comforts I came across Walk Score, a web site that "calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc.," using Google Maps. The image below shows a location (88 Bedford Street in Manhattan's West Village) with a walk score of 100 out of 100. Trying a couple other locations, my current address in Astoria, Queens scores 92 and my childhood home in the suburbs of Chicago scores a 57, each reflecting their respective (sub)urban conditions.



But is this scoring the best way of measuring and determining walkability? The programming includes commercial, institutional, educational, and recreational locations (a good mix), but then measures proximity based on "as the bird flies" distances, ignoring things like safety, terrain, sidewalks (or lack thereof), climate, and other pedestrian-level concerns. The comments on the City Comforts post pick up on these and other deficiencies that probably can't be addressed by this basic programming, but that should be part of the discussion on walkability. This points to walkability being more than just mixed-use zoning and proximity, but also the design of the public realm, design that hopefully takes these and other pedestrian-level concerns into account.

Book of the Moment

The World Without Us is a new book by journalist Alan Weisman that is receiving a lot of press, certainly due to its timely, science-fiction premise: what would happen to the earth if humans disappeared?



The book first came to my attention in a recent Scientific American interview with the author, which includes a description -- with online video and timeline companion -- describing what might happen to Manhattan without people maintaining infrastructure, buildings, and the landscape.



While I'll admit it's interesting to ponder what would happen a few days after humans theoretically disappeared, or a few weeks, years, millennia, the effort ultimately must be about, as Weisman describes, "another way of looking at...what goes on in our presence." If the book affects the way we do things remains to be seen, but the lasting impact of human-created things like plastic and nuclear waste, when seen in the context of a human-deprived world, may not be enough to change our ways.

Monday, Monday

My weekly page update:

Condominium Trnovski Pristan in Ljubljana, Slovenia by Sadar Vuga Arhitekti.

The updated book feature is Formula New Ljubljana, by Sadar Vuga Arhitekti.

Some Slovenia/Ljubljana links for your enjoyment:

Far from Home: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture in the Making
Kontakt magazine explores 2004's 6IX PACK, a traveling exhibition on six young Slovene architectural practices.

Arhitekturni Muzej Ljubljana
The Architectural Museum of Ljubljana, the "central Slovenian museum for architecture, physical planning, industrial and graphic design and photography.".

Slovenia Cultural Profile
The Profile is part of the Visiting Arts Cultural Profiles project, created "to provide both cultural professionals and the general public with a comprehensive picture of Slovene culture, with the aim of enhancing international awareness and encouraging and facilitating creative dialogue and exchange."

Today's archidose #119

Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre, originally uploaded by bensmawfield.

Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre of Moorfields Eye Hospital in Islington, London by Penoyre & Prasad.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

Mark Yr Calenders

The New Museum has announced that it will be opening its new SANAA-designed home on the Bowery on Saturday, December 1, 2007. The opening coincides with the museum's 30th anniversary and will be celebrated with 30 hours of continuous free admission to the museum, starting on the first.



In a July 26 press release (PDF link), it was also announced that the inaugural exhibition will be Unmonumental, "an international group show that proposes a dynamic, new exhibition model by beginning with a major sculpture exhibition then adding layers of collage, sound, and new media."

The Sand Castle

Last night I watched Wide Angle, "the only program exclusively dedicated to international current affairs documentaries," after flipping to PBS and seeing images of what looked like a documentary on Dubai. But The Sand Castle episode, in turns out, focuses on Ras-al-Khaimah, Dubai's sister-state in the United Arab Emirates, though really it's about Norwegian architecture office Snøhetta's experience in the desert.



Those keeping up with architectural and urban developments in Persian Gulf probably know that OMA is working on the masterplan for Ras-al-Khaimah, aka RAK Gateway, so the end of the first part of the documentary, in which the Norwegians are pitted against the Dutchman Koolhaas to determine who will work on the masterplan commission, won't come as a surprise. And neither will Snøhetta's design for the new town's mixed-use exhibition/convention/hotel project be a shock. In the case of this show, it's all about the ride.

We see the creative process, such as a member of Snøhetta playing with sand during a visit to the location of the future city (above). We see trips from UAE to Norway and back again as the architects generate a design much different than OMA's dense square. We see the client tell Snøhetta the bad news and invite them to design the mixed-use project. We see the client's dislike of their first scheme. We see Snøhetta redesign and redesign. And so forth. It's a fascinating glimpse into architecture and its creation, something I was surprised to see on television, something my wife thought paints architects in a good light, unlike other things.

Today's archidose #118

, originally uploaded by tiagotchi.

The Forum 2004 Esplanade and Photovoltaic Plant in Barcelona, Spain by Lapeña & Torres.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

Monday, Monday

My weekly page update:

House of Sweden in Washington, District of Columbia by Gert Wingårdh.

The updated book feature is A Theory of Architecture, by Nikos A. Salingaros.

Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:

Super Colossal
Marcus, aka Gravestmor's latest undertaking, a kind of Practice-Portfolio-Blog-Machine-Thing that will supercede Gravestmor. (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

24gotham
In other change-of-blog news, Devyn (aka Looper) moves to New York City, and with it a new photoblog. (added to sidebar under architectural links::new york city)

dysturb.net
A blog on the "shared mindscape on the visual, spatial & urban culture of the dutch architecture scene." (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

Architecture-Page
"An online design resource, featuring architecture and product design from the world over." (added to sidebar under architectural links::online journals)

Off the Record

Stumbling around the Architectural Record mega-site earlier today, I came across Off the Record, "the brand-new blog written by the staff of Architectural Record...where the magazine’s team of experienced, award-winning editors offer their insightful, informal, opinionated takes on architecture-related trends, conferences, exhibitions, projects and personalities."



Record is not the first architectural print magazine to venture into the realm of blogs. Architect Magazine has a few; Building Design has a bunch; Dwell has its daily. Regardless, there's something about Record's venture that seems to legitimize the efforts of other architectural blogs, or at least it further breaks down the boundary between the content of print magazines versus online blogs and vice versa. But with the ever expanding print and online content of magazines like Record, it's becoming a bit overwhelming; so many words, so little time.

Today's archidose #117

Jyväskylä, originally uploaded by jmtp.

A building at the University of Jyväskylä (formerly Pedagogical Institute) in Jyväskylä, Finland by Alvar Aalto (1952-56).

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

MVRDV LACKing Inspiration

This is too good not to pass along. Archinecter o d b posts this news bit:

"MVRDV selected as architects for Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam with design resembling a piece of furniture [LACK series] commonly found in Ikea stores."

Gotta say, I wholeheartedly agree.



This MVRDV misstep reminds me of another one by a fellow Dutch office.

Firm Faces #2

Delugan Meissl Associated Architects is a Vienna-based office with a penchant for glass and folding planes, both used as a way to merge their designs with their contexts. The penthouse addition House Ray 1 is a good example, though recent projects have increased the scale of their designs to, for example, whole apartment towers. Images of their office show a space in a building, that while it won't be mistaken for one of their own projects, seems to embody their embrace of glass and its inherent transparency, particularly evident in the night view.



The photos of the straightforward interior space show a reliance on the computer, though by clicking the image above one can see additional shots, including the model area. The terrace photo is the most telling, as it shows the relatively small office size, the potential of this outdoor amenity (as a social or break space, most likely), and what appears to me to be a rather even-keeled group, distributed evenly along the railing.

Be sure to check out the firm's alphabet, with humorous (Bricks: Have never been used) and thoughtful ( Light: As much as possible; it’s always easy to close something but often difficult to open something) descriptions of their philosophy.

Announcements

A couple things that might be of interest:

1. The Buckminster Fuller Challenge

"On the occasion of the 112th birthday of one of the 20th century's most prescient futurists and global thinkers, The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) announces the launch of the first annual BUCKMINSTER FULLER CHALLENGE.

Established to catalyze the vanguard of a global design revolution, the Challenge will award a single $100,000 prize annually to support the development and implementation of a solution with significant potential to solve the world's most pressing problems in the shortest possible time while enhancing the Earth's ecological integrity.

Entries will be accepted beginning September 4th, 2007."

2. Dwell on Design San Francisco 2007

"Dwell presents Dwell on Design San Francisco 2007
September 14–September 16

The Dwell on Design Conference and Exhibition is an idea-driven, hands-on experience designed to ignite a creative spark within anyone who is passionate about modern design, sustainability, and smart growth.

Dwell on Design connects you with a community of thought leaders who will offer bold ideas, interesting materials, and new products designed to inspire you to express the beauty, simplicity, and sustainability of your living space.

Come to Dwell on Design San Francisco and join this network of product designers, innovators in green building practices, entrepreneurs in energy efficiency, artists, photographers, architects, landscape designers, Web designers, parents, teachers, and neighbors who are changing the way we live in the modern world.

Join the conversation."

McMansion or McModern?

The cover story of yesterday's free rag AM New York was about a "McMansion" under construction in the historic Broadway-Flushing/Murray Hill neighborhood of Queens. The short article pitted neighbors versus John Hsu, whose "dream house" is in the midst of construction, with photos accompanying the article showing a two-story, concrete frame next to its traditional neighbors. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought McMansions were more like this than what the article is portraying.



This looseness with wording makes me wonder just what is being attacked and why. Hsu's house appears to be within the scale of his neighbors, though his house looks to be closer to the sidewalk, making it appear bigger. So is this more an attack on a "McModern" design than a McMansion? Perhaps this is an attack on the general idea of non-contextual architecture, as the article indicates that preservationists are pushing for the neighborhood to gain landmark status, something that would severely restrict what people could build.



The article further mentions that Hsu's plans were approved by the Department of Buildings, so his house will most likely be completed as planned. I'm curious to see what the final design entails, but it is nowhere to be found or seen in the article, and this omission also makes me wonder if the neighbors are more upset by the Modernist idiom of the concrete frame than what will eventually cover it.

Today's archidose #116

Akron Art Museum - Coop Himmelblau, originally uploaded by wizum.

The just-opened John S. & James L. Knight Building at the Akron Art Museum in Akron, Ohio by Coop Himmelb(l)au. See wizum's Flickr set on the addition here.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

Synecdoche, New York

Near the end of a 2004 Charlie Rose interview with Charlie Kaufman (of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind fame), the screenwriter admits that he really wanted to be a director, that writing was a way of getting into directing. Well, now that dream is a reality. Originally to be directed by Malkovich director Spike Jonze -- who opted to direct the David Eggers adaption of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are -- Synecdoche, New York is Kaufman's directorial debut, now filming in New York.

According to Manhattan User's Guide (MUG), where I just found out about this film and which points to what I find so fascinating about it, "a stage director ... ambitiously attempts to put on a play by creating a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse," something the movie poster tries to illustrate:


Image from Wikipedia

Being a fan of Kaufman's films, I'm afraid to speculate on the possibilities of this idea, as I know they'll probably pale in comparison to the final product. But the circumstances of Kaufman directing make the final product less assured than if it were helmed by Jonze or Michel Gondry, another longtime collaborator. At the same time, with direction coming directly from the mind of the film's progenitor, it might just be that much more wondrous, sublime, moving, astounding, and scary, to borrow the descriptors of the LA Times writer fawning last year over a draft of the screenplay.

The film's title gives an apparent hint into the device of the life-size replica of NYC, as synecdoche -- aside from it being a phonetic play on the town of Schenectady, where some of the film takes place -- is defined as "a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (as fifty sail for fifty ships), the whole for a part (as society for high society) [...]" Obscure and esoteric to say the least, it seems that the relationship between the part and the whole is at play in the stage director's desire to replicate New York City, however exactly that occurs. What it means will have to wait until the film's released, though I have a feeling that even at that time things won't be entirely clear.