To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Today's archidose #454
Here are some photos of Bicycle Storage in Amsterdam, Netherlands by VMX Architects, 2001. Photographs are by FADB.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
Friday, October 29, 2010
Book Review: CCA on Paper
Books on books are a strange breed, tailor made for people that actually read books but unnecessary at the same time; after all do people who read want to read about something they've read or the act of reading itself? Of course the reasons for books on books vary, such as critical analyses of texts, explorations of the act of reading through books, or documents of books as artifacts. The strangely cover-less book that arrived in my mailbox today, CCA on Paper, falls into the last category. It is "a guide to all of the publications of the Canadian Centre for Architecture since it opened to the public twenty years ago."
[image source | animation by archidose]
The book -- available also as a PDF and online -- chronologically documents CCA's output, companions to their exhibitions but not catalogs of them. As Phyllis Lambert states in an interview with Peter Sealy and Mirko Zardini here, they "do books because they are long-term references," focusing on "the problematic that we're dealing with" rather than just a list of exhibition plates. Therefore the books that CCA publishes -- on their own initially and now with various outside publishers -- have expanded upon the exhibition themes, making them valuable references for scholarly research. I was surprised to see that I only have two CCA books in my library, Carlo Scarpa Architect and Herzog & de Meuron: Natural History. The latter, published with Lars Müller Publishers, is an atypical monograph, an almost scientific presentation of the duo's working process. It's a great book, and seeing it alongside other CCA titles here, I wish I had more than two.
[image source | animation by archidose]
The book -- available also as a PDF and online -- chronologically documents CCA's output, companions to their exhibitions but not catalogs of them. As Phyllis Lambert states in an interview with Peter Sealy and Mirko Zardini here, they "do books because they are long-term references," focusing on "the problematic that we're dealing with" rather than just a list of exhibition plates. Therefore the books that CCA publishes -- on their own initially and now with various outside publishers -- have expanded upon the exhibition themes, making them valuable references for scholarly research. I was surprised to see that I only have two CCA books in my library, Carlo Scarpa Architect and Herzog & de Meuron: Natural History. The latter, published with Lars Müller Publishers, is an atypical monograph, an almost scientific presentation of the duo's working process. It's a great book, and seeing it alongside other CCA titles here, I wish I had more than two.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
What's in an Icon?
Visiting Santiago Calatrava's website today, I see it's been redesigned. This is the splash page:
Does that little icon (I wouldn't call it a logo) go with the designs of the name over which it's located? To me it looks too traditional, like it would be found on the letterhead of staunch law firm or on a napkin at a fancy restaurant or on a box from a custom suit shop...to me, it says anything but Calatrava. Who knows, maybe they'll change the icon or get rid of it entirely. These days it seems businesses will easily and quickly give up their redesigned images.
Update 10.29: As some astute readers have pointed out to me, the symbol is the Calatrava Cross, dating back to the 12th century. It is also used by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe.
Does that little icon (I wouldn't call it a logo) go with the designs of the name over which it's located? To me it looks too traditional, like it would be found on the letterhead of staunch law firm or on a napkin at a fancy restaurant or on a box from a custom suit shop...to me, it says anything but Calatrava. Who knows, maybe they'll change the icon or get rid of it entirely. These days it seems businesses will easily and quickly give up their redesigned images.
Update 10.29: As some astute readers have pointed out to me, the symbol is the Calatrava Cross, dating back to the 12th century. It is also used by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe.
f451
A video about f451 arquitectura's various projects. I especially like the UPF Temporary Building at the beginning. I wonder if we'll see more video marketing for architects?
Or shall I say, I wonder how much more video marketing we'll see for architects?
Or shall I say, I wonder how much more video marketing we'll see for architects?
Last Call
One of the chapters in my Guide to Contemporary New York City Architecture, to be released by W. W. Norton next year, highlights projects that are under construction or in planning, ones that should be realized in the second decade of the 21st century, an extension of the featured projects completed in the first decade. Like my research for the latter, I'm once again asking you, dear readers for help in finding projects for this "On the Horizon" chapter.
So here are some criteria for inclusion in that chapter:
So here are some criteria for inclusion in that chapter:
- It is intended to be built, not hypothetical;
- It is public or has a public presence, meaning no private interiors
- It is permanent, so no temporary installations or restaurant/retail interiors, which have a way of being temporary even when they're intended to be permanent;
- It can be a landscape, not just a building;
- Ideally the project has a rendering or other illustration representing it, one that can be published.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Today's archidose #453
Here are some detail photos of the Jewish Community Center in Mainz, Germany by Manuel Herz Architects, 2010. Photographs are by .HM.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, Monday
My weekly page update:
This week's dose features Center of Technical Services in La Grande Motte, France by N+B Architectes:
The featured past dose is Royal Netherlands Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by Dick van Gameren and Bjarne Mastenbroek:
This week's book review is 306090 Volume 13: Sustain and Develop edited by Joshua Bolchover and Jonathan D. Solomon and Workbook: The official catalog for Workshopping: An American Model for Architectural Practice edited by Emily Abruzzo:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
Nearpoint Residence in Anchorage, AK by Workshop A|D:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
This week's dose features Center of Technical Services in La Grande Motte, France by N+B Architectes:
The featured past dose is Royal Netherlands Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by Dick van Gameren and Bjarne Mastenbroek:
This week's book review is 306090 Volume 13: Sustain and Develop edited by Joshua Bolchover and Jonathan D. Solomon and Workbook: The official catalog for Workshopping: An American Model for Architectural Practice edited by Emily Abruzzo:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
Nearpoint Residence in Anchorage, AK by Workshop A|D:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
a + nyc
"a+nyc offers professionally guided tours to New York City's architectural highlights, urban re-development areas, flagship stores, museums, galleries and art installations." (added to sidebar under architectural links::new york city)
New York City (Steady) State
"An alternative plan for New York City based on a single predicate: it is possible for the city to become almost entirely self-sufficient within its political boundaries." (added to sidebar under architectural links::new york city)
The New City Reader
"A temporary newspaper ... published from October 6, 2010 to January 9, 2011 as part of the Last Newspaper exhibition at the New Museum."
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Exhibition and Book Review: Small Scale, Big Change
Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement
October 3, 2010 - January 3, 2011
The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York NY
Special Exhibitions Gallery, third floor
Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement by Andres Lepik
The Museum of Modern Art, 2010
Paperback, 140 pages
MoMA's current architecture exhibition, Small Scale, Big Change, presents "eleven building projects on five continents that bring innovative architecture to underserved communities." It follows on the heels of Rising Currents, which tackled global climate change via five projects for New York Harbor. We'll have to wait until next summer, after Barry Bergdoll raids the collection once again, to see if this trend of environmental and social awareness continues. Yet if MoMA Director Glenn D. Lowry's sometimes defensive foreword to the book accompanying curator Andres Lepik's exhibition is any indication, that awareness has been ever-present, but clearly not something that drives the museum's programming.
In terms of architecture this engagement is a reflection of the belief in modernism as a movement geared towards social betterment, true for a fraction of its practitioners, most overtly in its earlier phases. Certainly some architects did focus on social and environmental concerns as postmodernism asserted architecture's formal dominance over what were seen as irrelevant issues (or at least issues that couldn't be solved with architecture), but the 21st century's rapid urbanization and climate change are the other side of the contemporary architecture coin with starchitect-driven formalism. In other words architects see themselves as socially and environmentally responsible again, and MoMA is reflecting that in its exhibitions.
Instead of being housed in the architecture department's usual digs, the exhibition is in the 1964 east wing designed by Philip Johnson. (One side of the exhibition space looks onto 53rd Street through that building's distinctive windows, and the opposite side overlooks the sculpture garden through the glass wall of Yoshio Taniguchi's 2004 expansion/renovation.) The main access to the space is via a long corridor with a map opposite the glass wall's veiled view to the sculpture garden (above). This hyper-stylized map locates the eleven projects in a zone that wraps the equator, from 34 degrees to -23 degrees latitude; visually this appears to coincide with architect Teddy Cruz's Political Equator. Stats are presented for each project, but unfortunately they are not comparative; the number of "untrained laborers [who] built the [Meti-Handmade School] with the assistance of 4 water buffalo" doesn't equate with what the 93 families paid for house and land in Chile's Quinta Monroy Housing. Certainly this situation arises from the variety of locales, project types, and sizes of the architecture chosen for the exhibition, as well as from today's emphasis on individuality over just about anything else.
Inside the exhibition each project is presented with a large-scale photograph or rendering alongside a description, some sketches and other design documentation, and models. Typically the accompanying book expands upon the text and photographs, but unfortunately model photos aren't included in its pages. Watching the fairly large crowd (for a weekday) move about the exhibition -- laid out simply and openly with blue walls and tables on sawhorses -- the models were the most studied and photographed. They ranged from site models to large-scale sectional models, while some integrated 3d and 2d media to create more interactive pieces (Elemental, photo below).
Of the eleven projects, all but three are realized to some degree, though I wish they all were. I think the theme of "big change" isn't limited to intentions, it should include on-the-ground results via the admittedly dry documentation/evaluation of a project's success. Featuring projects in-progress allows Teddy Cruz to be included; an exhibition on social change in architecture would probably be seen as incomplete without him. Other widely disseminated contributors and projects include Elemental's housing in Chile, Alabama's Rural Studio, the Primary School in Burkina Faso, Meti-Handmade School in Bangladesh, and Red Location Museum in South Africa. (The last three were featured on my weekly page, I guess a barometer of sorts for their popularity.) Some critiques (collected here, midway down the list) point out that a dozen more projects were in the running for inclusion in the exhibition. It would be great to know what those are, but I can think of many more than twelve, not all as photogenic as the eleven that made the cut, as I noted here.
I tend to agree with critiques of the show's lack of cohesion/conclusion and still overriding aesthetics over ethics approach, yet I think the general audience that will be be the majority viewing the exhibition downplays such rigorous and nuanced takes. Nevertheless just how change is defined -- or rather isn't defined -- in the show may be its biggest weak point. At least, people will realize that there is more to contemporary architecture than Frank Gehry, the flashy buildings adjacent to the High Line, and that exists in places all over the globe, even though they might not be convinced that architecture can still solve today's major societal problems.
It should be noted that tucked away at the sculpture-garden end of the exhibition are computer kiosks presenting three networks, the "internet-based architecture communities" The 1%, Open Architecture Network, and urbaninform. Unfortunately the layout is an afterthought and their contribution to the exhibition is minimal at best, but in the online companion their inclusion should have a stronger "second life."
In essence Small Scale, Big Change is an exhibition in three parts: gallery space, web page, and book, from most to least ephemeral, if you will. The exhibition will come down in January, the web page will be online longer but is fleeting as digital bits and bytes are, and the book is a well done artifact that lengthens the text as it reduces the visual information provided. One is not a perfect mirror of the others, but each basically gets across the unique and important aspects of each project. In addition to the documentation of the eleven projects, the book includes essays by Barry Bergdoll and Andres Lepik. The latter discusses the different strategies (materiality, construction, etc.) found in the exhibited designs, but he extends the reach to include other related projects. Nevertheless there is an importance levied upon the eleven projects -- that these are the ultimate examples of architecture for social change -- that is a bit disconcerting. These projects are not standalone designs, like art hung on the walls, but parts of larger and more complex contexts that offer other examples of tackling social change via building, examples not even referenced. Enter the three networks and their ability to extend the conversation MoMA joins into with Small Scale, Big Change.
US:
CA: 
UK: 
October 3, 2010 - January 3, 2011
The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York NY
Special Exhibitions Gallery, third floor
Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement by Andres Lepik
The Museum of Modern Art, 2010
Paperback, 140 pages
MoMA's current architecture exhibition, Small Scale, Big Change, presents "eleven building projects on five continents that bring innovative architecture to underserved communities." It follows on the heels of Rising Currents, which tackled global climate change via five projects for New York Harbor. We'll have to wait until next summer, after Barry Bergdoll raids the collection once again, to see if this trend of environmental and social awareness continues. Yet if MoMA Director Glenn D. Lowry's sometimes defensive foreword to the book accompanying curator Andres Lepik's exhibition is any indication, that awareness has been ever-present, but clearly not something that drives the museum's programming.
In terms of architecture this engagement is a reflection of the belief in modernism as a movement geared towards social betterment, true for a fraction of its practitioners, most overtly in its earlier phases. Certainly some architects did focus on social and environmental concerns as postmodernism asserted architecture's formal dominance over what were seen as irrelevant issues (or at least issues that couldn't be solved with architecture), but the 21st century's rapid urbanization and climate change are the other side of the contemporary architecture coin with starchitect-driven formalism. In other words architects see themselves as socially and environmentally responsible again, and MoMA is reflecting that in its exhibitions.
Instead of being housed in the architecture department's usual digs, the exhibition is in the 1964 east wing designed by Philip Johnson. (One side of the exhibition space looks onto 53rd Street through that building's distinctive windows, and the opposite side overlooks the sculpture garden through the glass wall of Yoshio Taniguchi's 2004 expansion/renovation.) The main access to the space is via a long corridor with a map opposite the glass wall's veiled view to the sculpture garden (above). This hyper-stylized map locates the eleven projects in a zone that wraps the equator, from 34 degrees to -23 degrees latitude; visually this appears to coincide with architect Teddy Cruz's Political Equator. Stats are presented for each project, but unfortunately they are not comparative; the number of "untrained laborers [who] built the [Meti-Handmade School] with the assistance of 4 water buffalo" doesn't equate with what the 93 families paid for house and land in Chile's Quinta Monroy Housing. Certainly this situation arises from the variety of locales, project types, and sizes of the architecture chosen for the exhibition, as well as from today's emphasis on individuality over just about anything else.
Inside the exhibition each project is presented with a large-scale photograph or rendering alongside a description, some sketches and other design documentation, and models. Typically the accompanying book expands upon the text and photographs, but unfortunately model photos aren't included in its pages. Watching the fairly large crowd (for a weekday) move about the exhibition -- laid out simply and openly with blue walls and tables on sawhorses -- the models were the most studied and photographed. They ranged from site models to large-scale sectional models, while some integrated 3d and 2d media to create more interactive pieces (Elemental, photo below).
Of the eleven projects, all but three are realized to some degree, though I wish they all were. I think the theme of "big change" isn't limited to intentions, it should include on-the-ground results via the admittedly dry documentation/evaluation of a project's success. Featuring projects in-progress allows Teddy Cruz to be included; an exhibition on social change in architecture would probably be seen as incomplete without him. Other widely disseminated contributors and projects include Elemental's housing in Chile, Alabama's Rural Studio, the Primary School in Burkina Faso, Meti-Handmade School in Bangladesh, and Red Location Museum in South Africa. (The last three were featured on my weekly page, I guess a barometer of sorts for their popularity.) Some critiques (collected here, midway down the list) point out that a dozen more projects were in the running for inclusion in the exhibition. It would be great to know what those are, but I can think of many more than twelve, not all as photogenic as the eleven that made the cut, as I noted here.
I tend to agree with critiques of the show's lack of cohesion/conclusion and still overriding aesthetics over ethics approach, yet I think the general audience that will be be the majority viewing the exhibition downplays such rigorous and nuanced takes. Nevertheless just how change is defined -- or rather isn't defined -- in the show may be its biggest weak point. At least, people will realize that there is more to contemporary architecture than Frank Gehry, the flashy buildings adjacent to the High Line, and that exists in places all over the globe, even though they might not be convinced that architecture can still solve today's major societal problems.
It should be noted that tucked away at the sculpture-garden end of the exhibition are computer kiosks presenting three networks, the "internet-based architecture communities" The 1%, Open Architecture Network, and urbaninform. Unfortunately the layout is an afterthought and their contribution to the exhibition is minimal at best, but in the online companion their inclusion should have a stronger "second life."
In essence Small Scale, Big Change is an exhibition in three parts: gallery space, web page, and book, from most to least ephemeral, if you will. The exhibition will come down in January, the web page will be online longer but is fleeting as digital bits and bytes are, and the book is a well done artifact that lengthens the text as it reduces the visual information provided. One is not a perfect mirror of the others, but each basically gets across the unique and important aspects of each project. In addition to the documentation of the eleven projects, the book includes essays by Barry Bergdoll and Andres Lepik. The latter discusses the different strategies (materiality, construction, etc.) found in the exhibited designs, but he extends the reach to include other related projects. Nevertheless there is an importance levied upon the eleven projects -- that these are the ultimate examples of architecture for social change -- that is a bit disconcerting. These projects are not standalone designs, like art hung on the walls, but parts of larger and more complex contexts that offer other examples of tackling social change via building, examples not even referenced. Enter the three networks and their ability to extend the conversation MoMA joins into with Small Scale, Big Change.
US:
CA: UK:
Friday, October 22, 2010
Today's archidose #452
Kop Van Diemenstraat residential building in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Tekton Architekten, 2009.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Half Dose #81: ShapeShift
The following text and images are courtesy Manuel Kretzer and ETH Zurich's Computer Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) department. The student team includes Edyta Augustynowicz, Sofia Georgakopoulou, Dino Rossi, and Stefanie Sixt.
ShapeShift is an experiment in future possibilities of architectural materialization. This project explores the potential application of electro-active polymer (EAP) at an architectural scale. EAP offers a new relationship to built space through its unique combination of qualities. It is an ultra-lightweight, flexible material with the ability to change shape without the need for mechanical actuators.
As a collaboration between the chair for Computer Aided Architectural Design (ETHZ) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), ShapeShift bridges gaps between advanced techniques in architectural design/fabrication and material science as well as pushing academic research towards real world applications. The initial concept was to develop an automated/responsive air control and lighting/shading system, which could be incorporated in a new kind of building skin.
The distinctive properties of the material should not only become a mere actuator replacement but be orchestrated for their aesthetic qualities. EAP is a highly attractive component for kinetic architectural applications due to its extreme flexibility, lightness, thin dimensions and smooth actuation. The thin film shall function as a possible replacement for conventional building skins and envisions the concept of a futuristic soft and flexible architecture. This is intended to generate a unique spatial experience and to change how the built environment is perceived in general.
EAP is a polymer actuator that converts electrical power into mechanical force. In principle it consists of a thin layer of very elastic acrylic tape sandwiched between two electrodes. Once the voltage in the range of several kilovolts is applied between the electrodes, the polymer changes its shape in two ways. First, due to the attraction of the opposing charges, the film is squeezed in the thickness direction (up to 380%), secondly, the repelling forces between equal charges on both electrodes result in a linear expansion of the film. As a result, after actuation the film becomes thinner and its surface area increases. If the supportive frame is flexible, due to the initial pre-stretching of the acrylic film, the frame bends. After application of voltage, the material expands, and the component flattens out.
The supporting frames are lasercut from 1.5 mm acrylic. This material provides enough flexibility to form an appealing shape when the polymer is applied. In order to transport the high voltage through the EAP material carbon black powder is spread on both sides of the component. To increase the life span of the dynamic components and insulate the electronically charged material it is coated with a thin layer of silicon. The electric power comes from high voltage converters that increase the necessary 5 V to 5.000 V. Parallel to the design of a single component experiments in structural arrangements and tessellations were performed. Initial investigations focused on static supporting structures for the components. After a number of experiments on static structures the interest moved towards developing dynamic structural arrangements.
In these dynamic structures no static supporting structures are necessary, rather, individual components are connected to each other to produce self-supporting forms. As with the dynamic components, the dynamic structures achieve their form from the relationship of the pre-stretched EAP and the flexible frame. With the dynamic structures an added layer of complexity is achieved through direct component-to-component relationships. Each component has an influence on the form and movement of its neighbors, and therefore, on the structure as a whole.
In the long run thin film technologies will revolutionize the way we think about and interact with materials. They will not only find their application in everyday objects but especially in architecture and the built surroundings. There is already a tremendous interest in the development of flexible PV cells, OLEDs or thin film insulation materials. In the field of architecture, lightweight construction methods and flexible skins are of great importance as they allow for increasingly complex geometries, reduced transportation costs, and increased ease of construction.
Another important advantage of EAPs is their ability to change shape. This will allow the creation of responsive environments or spaces that can dynamically adapt to external influences and physically respond to human input. Ever since the rise of computer technology and cybernetics, this has been a major interest in designing and envisioning kinetic and responsive architectures. Unfortunately built examples up until now are restricted to huge mechanical systems, and their functional as well as visual impact is rather small. EAPs on the other hand, have the potential to replace existing mechanical actuators such as motors or hydraulics, and at the same time can become aesthetically interesting visible and structural parts of our built environment.
ShapeShift is an experiment in future possibilities of architectural materialization. This project explores the potential application of electro-active polymer (EAP) at an architectural scale. EAP offers a new relationship to built space through its unique combination of qualities. It is an ultra-lightweight, flexible material with the ability to change shape without the need for mechanical actuators.
As a collaboration between the chair for Computer Aided Architectural Design (ETHZ) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), ShapeShift bridges gaps between advanced techniques in architectural design/fabrication and material science as well as pushing academic research towards real world applications. The initial concept was to develop an automated/responsive air control and lighting/shading system, which could be incorporated in a new kind of building skin.
The distinctive properties of the material should not only become a mere actuator replacement but be orchestrated for their aesthetic qualities. EAP is a highly attractive component for kinetic architectural applications due to its extreme flexibility, lightness, thin dimensions and smooth actuation. The thin film shall function as a possible replacement for conventional building skins and envisions the concept of a futuristic soft and flexible architecture. This is intended to generate a unique spatial experience and to change how the built environment is perceived in general.
EAP is a polymer actuator that converts electrical power into mechanical force. In principle it consists of a thin layer of very elastic acrylic tape sandwiched between two electrodes. Once the voltage in the range of several kilovolts is applied between the electrodes, the polymer changes its shape in two ways. First, due to the attraction of the opposing charges, the film is squeezed in the thickness direction (up to 380%), secondly, the repelling forces between equal charges on both electrodes result in a linear expansion of the film. As a result, after actuation the film becomes thinner and its surface area increases. If the supportive frame is flexible, due to the initial pre-stretching of the acrylic film, the frame bends. After application of voltage, the material expands, and the component flattens out.
The supporting frames are lasercut from 1.5 mm acrylic. This material provides enough flexibility to form an appealing shape when the polymer is applied. In order to transport the high voltage through the EAP material carbon black powder is spread on both sides of the component. To increase the life span of the dynamic components and insulate the electronically charged material it is coated with a thin layer of silicon. The electric power comes from high voltage converters that increase the necessary 5 V to 5.000 V. Parallel to the design of a single component experiments in structural arrangements and tessellations were performed. Initial investigations focused on static supporting structures for the components. After a number of experiments on static structures the interest moved towards developing dynamic structural arrangements.
In these dynamic structures no static supporting structures are necessary, rather, individual components are connected to each other to produce self-supporting forms. As with the dynamic components, the dynamic structures achieve their form from the relationship of the pre-stretched EAP and the flexible frame. With the dynamic structures an added layer of complexity is achieved through direct component-to-component relationships. Each component has an influence on the form and movement of its neighbors, and therefore, on the structure as a whole.
In the long run thin film technologies will revolutionize the way we think about and interact with materials. They will not only find their application in everyday objects but especially in architecture and the built surroundings. There is already a tremendous interest in the development of flexible PV cells, OLEDs or thin film insulation materials. In the field of architecture, lightweight construction methods and flexible skins are of great importance as they allow for increasingly complex geometries, reduced transportation costs, and increased ease of construction.
Another important advantage of EAPs is their ability to change shape. This will allow the creation of responsive environments or spaces that can dynamically adapt to external influences and physically respond to human input. Ever since the rise of computer technology and cybernetics, this has been a major interest in designing and envisioning kinetic and responsive architectures. Unfortunately built examples up until now are restricted to huge mechanical systems, and their functional as well as visual impact is rather small. EAPs on the other hand, have the potential to replace existing mechanical actuators such as motors or hydraulics, and at the same time can become aesthetically interesting visible and structural parts of our built environment.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Book Briefs #2
"Book Briefs" are an ongoing series of posts with two- or three-sentence first-hand descriptions of some of the numerous books that make their way into my library. These briefs are not full-blown reviews, but they are a way to share more books worthy of attention than can find their way into reviews on my daily or weekly pages.
1: Meet the Nelsons by Wes Jones | L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design | 2010 | Amazon
Architect Wes Jones first utilized the comic format in 1989 to convey mood for a project, realizing the narrative structure allowed a certain freedom that architectural drawings didn't. He extended this format into a series of strips for ANY Magazine -- the nexus of architectural theory in the 1990s -- that presents the domestic life of, I'm guessing, the Nelsons. Lighthearted at times, esoteric in others, having all the strips in one place is a treat and a welcome respite from the words and photos of most architectural publishing.
2: Street Value: Shopping, Planning, and Politics at Fulton Mall by Rosten Woo and Meredith TenHoor | Princeton Architectural Press | 2010 | Amazon
The first of Inventory Books' small-format books on "transformations in urban spaces and culture" (the second, on Public Farm 1, was reviewed previously) discusses Fulton Mall in Brooklyn. Half 100-year history of the downtown pedestrian mall and half interviews with the planners instrumental in shaping its form over that time, the in-depth case study highlights issues of race, class, and real estate and how they interact in the changing city. Of course, the role of architects and planners is the focus here, and as Fulton Mall undergoes another transformation their contributions will unfold before our eyes.
3: Guide to Green Building Rating Systems by Linda Reeder | Wiley | 2010 | Amazon
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program may get all the attention and the four-letter acronym after building professionals' names, but it is only one of a number of green building rating systems. This guide to both commercial and residential systems features LEED as well as Green Globes, Energy Star, NAHBGreen, and local, regional, and international programs/systems. Case studies accompany the chapters on the different rating systems.
4: Paper New York: Build Your Own Big Apple by Kell Black | Universe | 2010 | Amazon
Twenty NYC-centric paper models are ready for the building, from a hot dog cart to the Empire State Building. But what at first glance looks like child's play are models that require patience and the right tools. If that combination is available the results are cute ornaments that convey the spirit of the full-size building (or bridge, or animal, or rollercoaster, or vehicle, etc.) if not with total accuracy.
5: Green Living: Architecture and Planning edited by Dr. Barbara Kenda and Steven Parissien | Rizzoli | 2010 | Amazon
Based on the assertion that people want to live and work in traditional buildings and that sustainable buildings are the high-tech antithesis of tradition, the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment collects essays by twelve practitioners (including James Steele and Andrés Duany) that look to history rather than technology for building green. While some essays seem to exist to only further the antagonism between the traditional and the contemporary, truly sustainable architecture cannot rely solely on technological methods, so a look to vernacular is important to acknowledge.
1: Meet the Nelsons by Wes Jones | L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design | 2010 | Amazon
Architect Wes Jones first utilized the comic format in 1989 to convey mood for a project, realizing the narrative structure allowed a certain freedom that architectural drawings didn't. He extended this format into a series of strips for ANY Magazine -- the nexus of architectural theory in the 1990s -- that presents the domestic life of, I'm guessing, the Nelsons. Lighthearted at times, esoteric in others, having all the strips in one place is a treat and a welcome respite from the words and photos of most architectural publishing.
2: Street Value: Shopping, Planning, and Politics at Fulton Mall by Rosten Woo and Meredith TenHoor | Princeton Architectural Press | 2010 | Amazon
The first of Inventory Books' small-format books on "transformations in urban spaces and culture" (the second, on Public Farm 1, was reviewed previously) discusses Fulton Mall in Brooklyn. Half 100-year history of the downtown pedestrian mall and half interviews with the planners instrumental in shaping its form over that time, the in-depth case study highlights issues of race, class, and real estate and how they interact in the changing city. Of course, the role of architects and planners is the focus here, and as Fulton Mall undergoes another transformation their contributions will unfold before our eyes.
3: Guide to Green Building Rating Systems by Linda Reeder | Wiley | 2010 | Amazon
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program may get all the attention and the four-letter acronym after building professionals' names, but it is only one of a number of green building rating systems. This guide to both commercial and residential systems features LEED as well as Green Globes, Energy Star, NAHBGreen, and local, regional, and international programs/systems. Case studies accompany the chapters on the different rating systems.
4: Paper New York: Build Your Own Big Apple by Kell Black | Universe | 2010 | Amazon
Twenty NYC-centric paper models are ready for the building, from a hot dog cart to the Empire State Building. But what at first glance looks like child's play are models that require patience and the right tools. If that combination is available the results are cute ornaments that convey the spirit of the full-size building (or bridge, or animal, or rollercoaster, or vehicle, etc.) if not with total accuracy.
5: Green Living: Architecture and Planning edited by Dr. Barbara Kenda and Steven Parissien | Rizzoli | 2010 | Amazon
Based on the assertion that people want to live and work in traditional buildings and that sustainable buildings are the high-tech antithesis of tradition, the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment collects essays by twelve practitioners (including James Steele and Andrés Duany) that look to history rather than technology for building green. While some essays seem to exist to only further the antagonism between the traditional and the contemporary, truly sustainable architecture cannot rely solely on technological methods, so a look to vernacular is important to acknowledge.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Today's archidose #451
John Pawson: Plain Space exhibition at the Design Museum in London, England, September 22 - January 30, 2011.
"On the occasion of the release of John Pawson's new book: John Pawson: Plain Space, which coincides with [the exhibition] at the London Design Museum, the architect spoke to Phaidon.com [link to slideshow] about his approach to design and reflects on his career and the project of a lifetime:"
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Monday, October 18, 2010
Monday, Monday
My weekly page update:
This week's dose features The Northern Gate in Bat Yam, Israel by Team But, Yam:
The featured past dose is Hybrid Urban Sutures in Fez, Morocco by Aziza Chaouni:
This week's book review is Rematerial: From Waste to Architecture by Alejandro Bahamón and Maria Camila Sanjinés:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Rapids Lake Unit Visitor Center in Carver, MN by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
This week's dose features The Northern Gate in Bat Yam, Israel by Team But, Yam:
The featured past dose is Hybrid Urban Sutures in Fez, Morocco by Aziza Chaouni:
This week's book review is Rematerial: From Waste to Architecture by Alejandro Bahamón and Maria Camila Sanjinés:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Rapids Lake Unit Visitor Center in Carver, MN by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
Crash Cadet
An architecture student and musician who just released his first album, Lists are Good.
IFLA World Congress
"Scales of Nature – From Urban Landscapes to Alpine Gardens" is the theme of next year's "largest international gathering of landscape architects," to be held in Zurich, Switzerland. You are invited "to submit an abstract of a paper presentation as a proposal of your own contribution to the conference. The accepted papers will be presented and discussed in 'parallel sessions' as well as published in the Congress’s Proceedings. Please submit the abstract of your paper by November 30th 2010."
Journeys
New exhibition, subtitled "How travelling fruit, ideas and buildings rearrange our environment," opens at the CCA on Wednesday.
Open Agenda
Noted previously on this blog, three winners in the competition were selected for further development as an exhibition, publication and lecture, opening this Wednesday as part of the Sydney Architecture Festival.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Jean Nouvel on CBS Sunday Morning
This morning's CBS Sunday Morning featured a piece on Jean Nouvel, specifically discussing his new tower in Chelsea and the proposed MoMA Tower. Unfortunately CBS doesn't supply video for their stories, so only a transcript will do. (Update: Here's a link to the video, thanks to commenter brmveen.) Location shooting was inside the recently completed 100 Eleventh Avenue tower, across the street from Frank Gehry's IAC Building. Among other things he spoke with the reporter about the framed views, something that occurs on the solid walls, not the all-glass south- and west-facing walls composed of tilted panes of various sizes. I'm disappointed they didn't discuss the trees above the entry:
[100 Eleventh Avenue by Jean Nouvel | photo by archidose]
My favorite Nouvelism from the piece: "I think architecture has to be a gift."
[100 Eleventh Avenue by Jean Nouvel | photo by archidose]
My favorite Nouvelism from the piece: "I think architecture has to be a gift."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Today's archidose #450
Salt Lake City Main Public Library in Salt Lake City, Utah by Moshe Safdie and Associates, 2003. The project was featured on my weekly page in 2004.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Friday, October 15, 2010
Half Dose #80: Light Drift
Opening today next to and in Philadelphia's Schuylkill River (between Market Street and Chestnut Street) is Light Drift by Eric Höweler and J. Meejin Yoon's MY Studio. According to the city's Mural Arts Program, "Light Drift creates an atmosphere, a field of lights that transform in color and intensity based on the public interaction with it."
The orbs on land are cushion-like seats that respond to the presence of people. When occupied, signals are sent via RFID tags to the floating orbs which then pulse between green and blue.
The "resting state" for the orbs is an alien-like green (below). As the top rendering shows, the land orbs signal to their floating companions diagonally, so when more than one person engages the different seats the effect is a criss-cross; the more people the merrier.
To quote Mural Arts again, "The individual elements are vacuum formed translucent shells molded from PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol). PETG is a non-toxic and fully recyclable material that is milky in color, easy to mold, and acts as a diffusing element for the lighting inside. The electronics consist of custom micro controllers and RFID (radio frequency identification) transmitters, allowing each orb in the field to be addressable, and specifically controlled by transmitters on the land. LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting allows the orbs to glow and change colors."
The installation will be on exhibition until Sunday, coinciding with the end of Design Philadelphia. "After Light Drift is de-installed, the project may be reinstalled at a second venue in Boston, on the Charles River. When the project is finished, the PETG materials will be recycled." Check out Eric Höweler's flickr set on the project for many more photos of the installation and its assembly.
The orbs on land are cushion-like seats that respond to the presence of people. When occupied, signals are sent via RFID tags to the floating orbs which then pulse between green and blue.
The "resting state" for the orbs is an alien-like green (below). As the top rendering shows, the land orbs signal to their floating companions diagonally, so when more than one person engages the different seats the effect is a criss-cross; the more people the merrier.
To quote Mural Arts again, "The individual elements are vacuum formed translucent shells molded from PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol). PETG is a non-toxic and fully recyclable material that is milky in color, easy to mold, and acts as a diffusing element for the lighting inside. The electronics consist of custom micro controllers and RFID (radio frequency identification) transmitters, allowing each orb in the field to be addressable, and specifically controlled by transmitters on the land. LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting allows the orbs to glow and change colors."
The installation will be on exhibition until Sunday, coinciding with the end of Design Philadelphia. "After Light Drift is de-installed, the project may be reinstalled at a second venue in Boston, on the Charles River. When the project is finished, the PETG materials will be recycled." Check out Eric Höweler's flickr set on the project for many more photos of the installation and its assembly.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Today's archidose #449
Blue Frog Lounge in Mumbai, India by Serie Architects, 2008.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Film Festival Reminder
The Architecture and Design Film Festival starts tomorrow in New York City.
This year more than 40 films are presented in 14 "programs." Click for PDF schedule.
This year more than 40 films are presented in 14 "programs." Click for PDF schedule.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Really!?!
They made a book about this building?
[US Pavilion, rendering | image source]
The USA Pavilion Expo 2010 Shanghai: Rising to the Challenge "captures the thrilling experiences inside America's great hall," what it further calls "one of the top experiences at the Shanghai Expo."
I'm more wont to side with the "Innovation Consultant ... intimately involved with the contorted process that resulted in the current USA Pavilion" who, in his one-star review, basically reveals the book, like the pavilion, to be propaganda. This certainly isn't a surprise, given that the architecture surely doesn't merit a book-length study, leaving it to be a commemorative book painting as rosy a picture as possible. But don't most participating countries do the same, to a lesser degree perhaps, with their pavilions and exhibitions? This is a case of the platitudes extending into book form for those who weren't one of the "lucky five million or so of [the 70 milliono] fair-goers" to experience "the spirit of America and the splendor of an epic showcase."
[US Pavilion, rendering | image source]
The USA Pavilion Expo 2010 Shanghai: Rising to the Challenge "captures the thrilling experiences inside America's great hall," what it further calls "one of the top experiences at the Shanghai Expo."
I'm more wont to side with the "Innovation Consultant ... intimately involved with the contorted process that resulted in the current USA Pavilion" who, in his one-star review, basically reveals the book, like the pavilion, to be propaganda. This certainly isn't a surprise, given that the architecture surely doesn't merit a book-length study, leaving it to be a commemorative book painting as rosy a picture as possible. But don't most participating countries do the same, to a lesser degree perhaps, with their pavilions and exhibitions? This is a case of the platitudes extending into book form for those who weren't one of the "lucky five million or so of [the 70 milliono] fair-goers" to experience "the spirit of America and the splendor of an epic showcase."
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, Monday
My weekly page update:
This week's dose features The Upside Dome in Leuven, Belgium by Gijs Van Vaerenbergh:
The featured past dose is Christ Church Tower in London, England by Boyarsky Murphy Architects:
This week's book review is The Architecture of Patterns by Paul Andersen and David Salomon:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
James | Swenson Civil Engineering Building in Duluth, MN by Ross Barney Architects:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
This week's dose features The Upside Dome in Leuven, Belgium by Gijs Van Vaerenbergh:
The featured past dose is Christ Church Tower in London, England by Boyarsky Murphy Architects:
This week's book review is The Architecture of Patterns by Paul Andersen and David Salomon:
american-architects.com Building of the Week:
James | Swenson Civil Engineering Building in Duluth, MN by Ross Barney Architects:
Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:
Architexts
"An almost daily web-based comic created for the amusement of architectural professionals...It tells the story of a fictitious mid-sized architectural firm called Franklin + Newbury Architects, Inc." (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)
Bowery Boogie
"A Lower East Side Chronicle." (added to sidebar under architectural links::new york city)
The Place of Dreams
Thoughts from architect Ana Manzo. (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)
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