A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

Early Learning Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by Teeple Architects   Local architect for the nearby Graduate House by Morphosis, Teeple Architects is no stranger to progressive design, particularly in the realm of day care. Over the last ten years, the Toronto-based firm has created numerous centers, leading up to the wonderful University of Toronto Early Learning Centre. Spatially interesting, light-filled, and responsive to the children's needs, the 1,061 s.m. (11,400 s.f.) building also responds to its site in a way that improves upon the interior spaces. A brick-clad wall and cantilevered stair signal a ramp to the main entry from the alley and parking. Inside a long ramp reiterates the exterior progression to con...

Off to St. Louis to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend. 'Tis the time of flags, barbecues, and the WWII Memorial dedication . Posts will resume when I return. Until then...

The Chicago Tribune reports that Adrian Smith of SOM is making another bid at designing the world's tallest building, this time in the United Arab Emerates. At over 2,000 feet (unofficially 2,313 ft. according to The Guardian ), Burj Dubai, due for completion in 2008, would be over 600 feet taller than Taipei 101 , the current record holder. Burj Dubai by SOM, 2004 and Mile High Skyscraper by FLLW, 1956 (not to scale)   Frank Lloyd Wright must be grinning in his grave!

Crain's Chicago Business reports that Chicago's City Council approved a zoning change that will let Wal-Mart build its first store within the city's limits. The 150,000 s.f. store will be located on the city's west side, near Austin Avenue, in a poor, primarily black and Hispanic neighborhood. But the City Council rejected a second attempt by the world's largest retailer to locate a store on the south side, in a racially diverse, middle-class neighborhood. The article illuminates the promotional and lobbying tactics that Wal-Mart uses to push its image, obviously glossing over its notorious reputation of paying low wages and providing inadequate health care. The article also mentions that Wal-Mart has had its eye on Chicago for a while, searching for a location that can accommodate the massive footprint of its store and parking. Unlike other big-box retailers, like Home Depot , Wal-Mart appears to be hesitant to abandon its tried-and-true prototype for...

Yesterday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2004. Including such diverse places as Nine Mile Canyon in Utah, Chicago's Cook County Hospital , the Madison-Lenox Hotel in Detroit, and the state of Vermont , the list sheds light on the scope of preservation, as it ranges from individual buildings to a whole state. Beyond illustrating the variety of structures that preservation concerns itself with, the list also brings attention to the reasons for their being endangered, from tourism to politics and Wal-Mart. Moreso, the list helps us realize where we place value, in the past and in the present. For example, the Bethlehem Steel Plant, now dormant and in bad condition, was left to deteriorate after closing, not taking into account its value, its place in U.S. history. Now that is becoming apparent, hence its inclusion on the list.

Terminal 2E at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport outside Paris opened on June 25, 2003, at a cost of almost $900 million. 2E was designed by acclaimed architect Paul Andreu , who has created numerous unique airport designs all over the world since Aerogare 1 , also at Charles-de-Gaulle, in 1974. In the image above, Terminal 2E lies in the left and middle foreground, two tunnel-like structures connected by a central passageway. It is " clad in glass , the 650-m-long concourse building is enclosed by a concrete vault, springing from a raised slab, with numerous square window openings...with a flattened ellipse section, the vault spans around 34 meters." Using tried-and-true tunnel construction, the column-free design is "bold, but nothing revolutionary", according to the architect. Reminiscent of other contemporary designs by the likes of Helmut Jahn and Renzo Piano , as well as other air and rail stations in France, it's difficult to see how design and/or engineering cou...

Sharp Centre for Design in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by Will Alsop, 2004 Approaching the Sharp Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) it's difficult to not feel shock at the sight of a black and white box with colored stilts. The shock gives way to the now proverbial awe as one senses the underside of the two-story object raised about eight stories above the street. But has Will Alsop (with local architect Robie Young + Wright Architects ) created something that will stand the test of time, or a goofy one- or two-liner? Although shocking and daring, the building's design is relatively simple and straightforward. A two-story box, housing studios and offices, is raised above a triple-height entry...

Some more pictures from my recent trip to Canada, this time from Toronto. Shim Sutcliffe 's award-winning Ledbury Park. The pool and bathhouse, an intelligent plan that allows pedestrian access across the pool, is in unfortunate disrepair, with a damaged wood trellis and concrete steps, among other areas. This view shows the walkway towards the pool with changing rooms on the left. Graduate House , by Morphosis, at the University of Toronto, acting as a gateway to the campus. The University of Toronto Early Learning Centre by local firm Teeple Architects , soon to be a weekly dose. The Sharp Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Design by Will Alsop, tomorrow's weekly dose.

Preserving the World's Great Cities: The Destruction of the Historic Metropolis by Anthony M. Tung, published by  Random House, 2002. Paperback, 480 pages. ( Amazon ) As a member of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, Anthony Tung was exposed to the myriad of factors that influence and play a role in preservation, though he always felt that one could learn the most lessons from other places. So after nine years as a commissioner, he embarked on a journey to 22 cities to document each city's rise, physical manifestation, destruction and subsequent preservation process. Coming out of that trip, this book is an illuminating account of the ways different cultures view their past through pre...

A couple of updates of interest are featured over at Domus Web (registration req'd): Peter Eisenman. The Box of Changes A relatively tame design by Eisenman for a public square and museum overlooking the Pearl River in the heart of Guangzhou, China. Seattle Opens the Central Library by Koolhaas A brief mention of Koolhaas and OMA's highly-praised library opening Sunday, with some nice images.

Today kicks off the 6th annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces weekend with Great Conversations, a "lively conversation on the most distinguished award given to living architects [Pritzker Architecture Prize]". Featuring Frank Gehry, Bill Lacy, Stanley Tigerman, and hosted by Bill Kurtis, the free conversation begins at 6:30pm at the Art Institute with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. If that's not your cup of tea, head up to Ravenswood for the grand opening of Architectural Artifacts new 80,000 s.f. space, featuring sale items, drinks, music, and a photography exhibition documenting the expansion by Doug Fogelson . Festivities start at 6pm at 4325 N. Ravenswood in Chicago (Thanks to Brandon P. for the heads up on this one). The fine folks at Architectural Artifacts Also, to accompany you on this weekend of Chicago places and spaces, Lynn Becker at Repeat compares two recently-updated guides : Chicago's Famous Buildings by Franz Shulze and Kevin Harr...

Here's some pictures from my recent trip to Canada. This round includes images from Montreal. Correction: The old City Hall in the foreground with the Chaussegros-de-Lery mixed-use development by Dan S. Hanganu in the background. One of the many new developments west of Old Montreal. Another new development, this time an office building constructed during the .com boom and now mainly vacant. The dormitory for Cirque de Soleil , soon to be a weekly dose. The sun sets over Montreal with Bucky Fuller's Expo '67 dome on the right.

Architects Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen, known for their Soft House concept, created molo design in 2003 as "the global vehicle to manufacture, distribute, and market the product design work" of the duo. A recent product now available is the float tea lantern , shown below. The tea set uses double-wall glass construction to conserve heat and highlight the colors of the teas or other liquids inside; a tea candle can be placed underneath the vessel to amplify the effect.

On Sunday, Rem Koolhaas and OMA's Seattle Public Library opens to the public. What at first was a controversial design for its bulky mass and alien form is becoming a highly lauded building, even before being used by the public. To get a taste for the design, The Seattle Times has a great online resource covering the library and its architecture, a one-stop shop for all your Koolhaas needs. Including axonometric diagrams, VR tours, critical writings (from their paper and others), and great images, it appears that they are proud of the new addition to Seattle's downtown. Image copyright BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Just when we thought all this discussion of Bernard Tschumi and Deconstructivism had fizzled out, 2Blowhards posts the 9th part of Nikos Salingaros's eight-part essay on Tschumi, his response to reactions to his paper, that I found via That Brutal Joint . Instead of responding to specific positions in these texts Salingaros creates a dichotomy and structures his response accordingly. In his view of architecture, those that do not ascribe to a scientific view of architectural theory or an architectural framework are religious, a dialectic that parallels a similar view in science but doesn't seem appropriate to architecture. To simplify this maneuver, he contends that people (at least those interested in the debate he started) fall along the lines of Christopher Alexander or Peter Eisenman, scientific or religious. By using this position, Salingaros conveniently falls back upon his scientific background (which most likely influenced his views on architecture), but most ...

Architecture of the World: Japan by Tomoya Masuda with series editor Henri Stierlin, published by  Taschen , 1994. Paperback, 191 pages. ( Amazon ) Over four chapters, Masuda attempts to illuminate the general history of Japan, its architectural history, the structures and techniques of its buildings, and Japan's urbanism, from the Jomon Period (B.C.) to the late 19th century. Impressive black-and-white photographs by Yukio Futagawa fall between the chapters, relating to the text both before and after. Unfortunately this simple format does not yield simple results, as the text falls shy of the images in creating excitement about traditional Japanese architecture. Most of the problem resides in language. Those with even a little kn...

Number 9: The Search for the Sigma Code by Cecil Balmond, published by  Prestel , 1998. Hardcover, 236 pages. ( Amazon ) Known most for his work with Ove Arup & Partners in London (as Director of the engineering consultancy), Cecil Balmond has become the go-to engineer for many well-known architects, such as Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind. Aside from this highly visible work, he also teaches and lectures widely, expressing the ideas that go into his work as well as the relationship of art and science. In Number 9 , he has written a book about mathematics that will appeal to those with even just a cursory knowledge of the field, but more so to people who are frustrated with numbers. In the searc...

I'm off on a road trip to Montreal so the next post will probably be the middle of next week. At that time I'll try to post some photos from the trip, including Montreal, Toronto and Cranbrook . Until then...

Eskimo Architecture , a book by Gregory A. Reinhardt and Molly Lee, is the recipient of a "Best of the Best From University Presses" award, according to an article in the Indianapolis Star. According to Reinhardt, a professor of anthropology at the University of Indianapolis, their book is the first on the subject. Working with Lee, a professor of anthropology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and curator of ethnology at the University of Alaska Museum, they've created a book whose, "clear and fluent prose and abundant illustrations make an engrossing read for specialists and nonspecialists alike." While many people equate earth architecture with adobe and dry regions like the American Southwest and Africa, "Arctic Architecture" can contribute just as much to discussions about humans working with the land to create shelter. Of course I'm reminded of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North , an early documentary on the day to ...

Get out your headphones, turn up the volume, and get ready to listen to Lee Bey, Blair Kamin, Donna Robertson and Stanley Tigerman defend Chicago's current architecture scene, on this page at Architectural Record . Depending on your frame of mind it's either enlightening and informative or something to cure a case of insomnia.

Hotel Unique in São Paolo, Brazil by Ruy Ohtake, 1995 Brazilian architect Ruy Ohtake has created a landmark for the city of São Paolo, in the form of an inverted arc, the Hotel Unique . A combination of formal bravado and functional imagination, the striking building is reminiscent of Oscar Niemeyer 's sculptural designs, while also being a cleverly postmodern design. Containing 95 rooms over six floors, the building's form locates more rooms near the top to take advantage of views of the city. Porthole-style windows pivot open, almost announcing the presence of somebody in their room. The exterior palette is simple, the copper cladding on the vertical faces, a wooden underside to the hotel mass, ...

As the magazine of the American Institute of Architects , it's no coincidence that this month's Architectural Record features four projects in Chicago, site of next month's AIA National Convention , the city's first time since 1993.  Wood + Zapata's Soldier Field expansion , OMA's Campus Center at IIT , Murphy/Jahn's dormitory at IIT , and Perkins & Will's Skybridge condominiums are all featured in the Project Portfolio section, which usually doesn't adhere to a strict focus in locality.  Regardless of the magazine's intentions, it is refreshing to see the spotlight once again shine upon Chicago for its contemporary architecture, rather than its lack of quality, new buildings. But for somebody living in Chicago, like myself, these buildings are yesterday's news. Newer buildings like Studio Gang's Chinese American Service League community center in Chinatown, as well as structures under construction like Rafael Vinoly's Gradua...

Louis I. Kahn's Trenton Jewish Community Center by Susan G. Solomon, published by  Princeton Architectural Press , 2000. Paperback, 200 pages. ( Amazon ) Adapted from the author's dissertation on Kahn's work for the Jewish community in the 1950s and 1960s, this book begins by placing the architect in the Jewish world before he received the commission for the Trenton Jewish Community Center (TJCC) in 1955. What would seem to be an important consideration gives way to other important matters: the Center's decision to move to the suburbs from a downtown site, the question of how to design for a previously untested building type, and Kahn's attempts at extending the Modern Movement with his personal imprint. The longest...

On Tuesday this week, the latest book by Jane Jacobs, the renowned author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities and Cities and the Wealth of Nations was released. Titled Dark Age Ahead , the book deals with the decay of culture in North America and the imminent arrival of our own dark age. Although the title and synopsis sounds bleak, like most of her books Jacobs finds a way to shine an optimistic light upon her observations of culture and our environment.

My friend The Bellman recently posted information on a couple of cooling methods, both for foods but both with possibility for greater application. Firstly , the pot-in-pot cooling system was developed by Nigeria's Mohammed Bah Abba, who referenced basic thermodynamics to devise a relatively simple container to cool fruits and vegetables in his native country. Placing damp sand in the cavity between two clay pots, Abba has extended the life of eggplants from three days to 27, while spinach lasts almost two weeks instead of one day. The invention is a recipient of a Rolex Prize for Enterprise . And secondly , NPR's Fresh Air broadcast a piece on a freezer that uses sound waves instead of chemicals. A 190-decibel note fluctuates rapidly to produce pockets of hot and cold air, the cool air funneled into a case refrigerating, yes, Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Over at RE.|Design News , today's post features a product called groovetube , a translucent plastic box that fits onto your TV screen via suction cups. Just turn on your television and watch as the grid of boxes changes colors, an abstraction of the image underneath. Cool stuff.

On Saturday, the First of May, the Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois reopened to the public after the Mies van der Rohe-designed house was purchased by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois in a December auction. Bought from British real estate developer Peter Palumbo for $7.5 million, the Council will charge $20 for a one hour tour of the house and its grounds. Arguably one of the greatest private residences of the 20th century, the Farnsworth house - located on a flood plain next to the Fox River about 60 miles southwest of Chicago - has been threatened by floods on at least two occasions, the most recent in 1996, after which extensive repairs were necessary. After visiting Farnsworth House about five years ago during Palumbo's reign, I would definitely recommend a tour to anyone interested in Mies, Modernism, or architecture in general. Unlike other seminal Modernist works like Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye, the site of Farnsworth House has not been encr...

Emerson Sauna in Duluth, Minnesota by Salmela Architect, 2003 Recipient of both an AIA/Minnesota 2003 Honor Award and a Wood Design and Building 2003 Merit Award , the Emerson Sauna in Duluth, Minnesota by Salmela Architect is a small, yet poetic and witty building. Situated on the property of a client for which the architect previously designed a light wood house, the brick and wood structure is reminiscent of Finnish farmsteads, as the Merit Awards assert, but also it is an elemental rendering of "house", in the vein of Aldo Rossi . The simple plan, a two-story building shifted in section and connected by a straight stair, locates the sauna space with chimney on the ground floor with a sleeping room on the second ...