A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

Posts will resume around the 4th of July. Update 07.03: Thanks for all the wonderful comments! The wedding went off better than I ever could have expected. The photo below is by our friend Frank, who also has a great shot of the tree Karen and I are getting married under, in the courtyard of the Smart Museum on the University of Chicago campus. And here's a cool shot of Karen and her Dad walking down the aisle, by another friend, Don.

Found this image over at Chicagoist , showing Chicago with buildings now under construction or proposed inserted into the city's skyline. Many more images and views are in the Chicago Model Thread at SkyscraperCity. Makes me think that this view won't ever really happen, because even if the proposed buildings are built, there'll probably be more towers under construction with their tower cranes dotting the skyline. Especially in times of progress, the city is never complete, it's always evolving.

A new plan for the WTC Memorial has been unveiled, according to The New York Times . This plan is the first of probably many rounds of value engineering , in this case spurred by a cost estimate of approximately $1 billion for the memorial. This design comes in at about half that, though Tropolism points out the twisted arithmetic . One of the biggest changes to the design is technically one of the smallest. Confused? Take a look at these images: L-R: Before and After The only apparent change is that the floating handrail has become a solid cap for the parapet wall overlooking the waterfalls and voids below. But if we take a closer look, we see the function of this cap: Yes, now the names of the dead that were previously etched into the walls below grade, adjacent to the waterfalls, are inscribed into this continuous railing atop the parapet wall. To me this does a few (not good) things: 1. It diminishes the role of the subterranean spaces to a visitor's center, galleries, and pla...

Who knew? Just kidding. Actually, it's B.Kamins Chemist , as in Ben Kamins. Looks like Blair Kamin doesn't lead a double life as a skin-care guru after all.

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward R. Tufte. ( Amazon ) Since the self-publication of this first, now classic book by Edward R. Tufte in 1983, he has produced three more indispensable critiques/guides to using graphics to better explain data, ideas, narratives, and other sorts of information. His new book, Beautiful Evidence , was just released and is his first book since 1997's Visual Explanations ( Envisioning Information is the other book). With the publication of his new book it seems fitting to look at where it all began.   For Tufte, the bane of his existence are statistical representations that pander to ...

Seewurfel in Zurich, Switzerland by Camenzid Evolution Text and images are courtesy Camenzid Evolution for their Seewurfel Mixed-Use Regeneration Development in Zurich, Switzerland. The eight new apartment and office buildings are situated close to the town centre of Zurich and offer stunning views of the lake and surrounding cityscape. The project regenerates a former industrial site into a new attractive center for working and living and integrates itself harmoniously into the existing historic fabric of the area. The project was awarded the RIBA World-Wide Award 2005 by the Royal Institute of British Architects. The project Seewurfel ("Lake Cubes") is based on a concept of piazzas that were created by the careful positioning of the eight buildings. The ind...

It was quite a shock to see Mini Cooper partnered with Arcosanti in an insert advertisement in this month's Dwell Magazine . Part of Mini's " Let's visit five wonders of the modern world " campaign (the other four being The Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas; Santiago Calatrava bridge in Redding, California; The Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe in Plano, Illinois; and Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania), the back of the ad asserts that the Mini uses the same design principles as Soleri and Arcosanti, specifically conservation of space and fuel. While it may be true that the Mini is designed with these considerations in mind, it's a far cry from the way those concepts work and inform Arcosanti (see an article I wrote for TENbyTEN for background on the place). Same words, different principles. What I find hard to believe is that Paolo Soleri would endorse such a thing as an automobile, even though he located his pedestrian-on...

Some Friday fun for ya with Bateman365's animated video for Yo La Tengo's cover of "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & the Drells. It's a cut from Yo La Tengo is Murdering the Classics . Everybody's favorite Hoboken, New Jersey-based band also has a cut from their upcoming album posted on their web page . That album goes by the bit less self-deprecating title of I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass . Enjoy.

When it came time for Martha Stewart to name the newest magazine in her ever-growing, post-prison empire, a magazine to fit alongside such titles as Martha Stewart Living, Everyday Food, and Body+Soul, what did she choose? Well, Blueprint of course! What, that sounds familiar? Well, it should. It's also the name of the 20-year old British publication (left in the image above) that bills itself as "the international authority on contemporary architecture, design, and culture." Does this mean that Martha is aiming to supplant that old rag as THE authority on those subjects? Probably not, as the subtitle of Martha's magazine is "Design your life," indicating that it's yet another in that fast-growing segment of weeklies and monthlies: lifestyle magazines. A search at magazines.com yields 175 titles in this broad category with, naturally, Oprah's self-titled one the most popular. Perhaps Martha has her sites on this other female-run empire and not s...

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this advertisement on a visit to Europaconcorsi earlier today. Most prestigious in the world? See for yourself . Googling that phrase, it looks like somebody over at Archinect beat me to the punch , once again.

Maybe I'm reaching a bit too far on this one, but as soon as I saw the design for Donald Trump's modestly-titled Trump Soho by David Rockwell , I immediately thought of an unbuilt project by Tadao Ando in the same city. These doctored images try to illustrate where I see the similarities, namely in the only two overt design gestures by Ando in his penthouse renovation/addition , a glass bar capping the existing building and a diagonal glass bar appearing to pierce the building (it comes out on the other side, not apparent in the rendering below) a few floors below. Perhaps the latter element has a stronger connection with Rockwell's design where -- even though it's all new construction and is protruding from a glass wall instead of stone -- it's treated as a strong, linear gesture in front of a muted and repetitive background. Feel free to tell me if I'm full of it, though keep in mind that I'm not saying Rockwell was inspired by or copied Ando's design...

"Of course the budgie is the bird of choice for architects." Find this drawing and many, many more at Mattias Adolfsson's blog, Mattias Inks , and The home of Mattias O Adolfsson , a repository of many wonderful drawings, sketches, doodles, and comics, including some especially beautiful drawings of rural Sweden . (via Drawn )

Following up on its Bike 2000 Plan, the City of Chicago has released its Bike 2015 Plan . According to the 56-page document (4mb PDF link): The Bike 2015 Plan has two overall goals: :: To increase bicycle use, so that 5 percent of all trips less than five miles are by bicycle. :: To reduce the number of bicycle injuries by 50 percent from current levels. The plan has eight chapters, each with a specific goal: :: Bikeway Network -– Establish a bikeway network that serves all Chicago residents and neighborhoods. :: Bicycle-friendly Streets -– Make all of ChicagoÂ’s streets safe and convenient for bicycling. :: Bike Parking -– Provide convenient and secure short-term and long-term bike parking throughout Chicago. :: Transit -– Provide convenient connections between bicycling and public transit. :: Education -– Educate bicyclists, motorists, and the general public about bicycle safety and the benefits of bicycling. :: Marketing and Health Promotion -– Increase bicycle use through ta...

These two projects by Portland, Oregon-based Holst Architecture are mixed-use, urban developments of roughly the same size in the firm's hometown. Belmont Street Lofts Each treats the exterior wall as a porous, screen-like zone that gives each a strong presence in its context while also giving the occupants a reasonable amount of shade and privacy. Belmont Street Lofts The Belmont Street Lofts offer 27 loft/condo apartments ranging from 850-1,000 s.f., located over 4,000 s.f. of retail and some parking. In addition to its exterior rainscreen/sunshade, the building also features radiant floor heating aimed towards increased energy efficiency. Thurman Street Lofts The Thurman Street Lofts -- the more recent of the two projects -- extend the articulated, wood exterior towards a more sculptural end, with windows almost carved from the dark wood facades. Thurman Street Lofts (Thanks to Jeremy G. for the head's up!)

Cruelty & Utopia: Cities and Landscapes of Latin America edited by Jean-Francois Lejeune, published by Princeton Architectural Press , 2005. ( Amazon ) Thanks to guest reviewer Jim Kehoe of Z-Group Architects in Aspen, Colorado. This well overdue collection of finely illustrated essays delves into Central and South American architecture and city planning in a comprehensive manner. The vast number of cities and architects included within the book is a thorough testament to the enduring efforts of these societies as they have struggled with changing political climates, identity, the history of colonial rule, and global economic challenges. From the quiet spaces of Luis Barragan to the colorful landscapes of R...

Cantina Ghidossi in Cadenazzo, Switzerland by Aurelio Galfetti "Architects are being challenged to rethink the winery as a bold contemporary expression of tradition and innovation, agriculture and technology, production and hospitality: powerful architecture with a serious purpose. " So goes the description for Adventurous Wine Architecture by Michael Webb, a book exploring wineries by such familiar names as Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry, Steven Holl and Herzog & de Meuron, whose Dominus Winery almost single-handedly created the recent trend of winery architecture. This popular mix of high design and wine can be partially attributed to the Bilbao effect, but instead of buildings being used to draw tourists to a cit...

In the process of research for my next weekly dose, I came across the Architecture & Design archive of S.Pellegrino. Yep, the Italian company with that bubbly water. Each article describes a usually Italian exhibition, building, piece of furniture, design object, with explanatory text and numerous images. The archive has 26 pages with four articles, making for hours and hours of learning and eye candy. The latest article is Three Days with Carlo Scarpa (above) regarding "an unprecedented series of events in honor of this famous contemporary architect on the occasion of his centenary birthday."

As part of Chicago's newfound quest to sell itself to the highest bidder , the Millennium Park Bike Station is now the McDonald's Cycle Center . Unlike the other pieces of Millennium Park with corporate names, such as the BP Bridge, the bike station (I can't yet call it a cycle center, sorry) is not named for the corporate entity that donated funds to made it happen. This is well after the fact and is focused on naming rights and probably long-term maintenance and service costs. I can't help but wonder if these doctored images are the future of the park. It's a small step from naming to signage. (via Gapers Block )

The May/June issue of the Boston Society of Architects/AIA's ArchitectureBoston publication revolves around the theme UGLY. One of the highlights includes a roundtable discussion, " Pretty Ugly " (PDF link). As their web page indicates, "Unlike many other architecture publications, we are an 'ideas' magazine rather than a 'picture book.' Our stories connect architecture to social, cultural, political, and economic trends. Provocative and passionate, always clear and sometimes witty..." Now for my rant. This is news to me, and I gotta say that the more I see AIA chapter publications -- first New York's and now Boston's (humorously each chapter bills itself as the largest AIA chapter) -- the more I realize that Chicago's chapter newsletter ( Focus ) is but a fraction of what it could and should be. Where the East Coast rags are magazine quality (color) with numerous features (not just one in each issue) and a willingness to push the l...

"Eight architectural firms from around the world are finalists for a townhouse development in Ferrous Park." This story is reported in the Kansas City Star , who is calling it, "an unusual plan to build six townhouses on a vacant Crossroads block." The Park development is spearheaded by Jeff Rumaner, a sculptor and entrepreneur who goes by the name Stretch, a name that sounds more fitting for a dachshund. The site, next to a sculpture park by Stretch, if the entries are any indication, should make for an interesting part of the semi-industrial area (hence the name Ferrous, I'm guessing). Six of the entries are included in the KC Star article: Beth Blostein and Bart Overly of Columbus, Ohio El Dorado Inc. of Kansas City, with Marlon Blackwell of Fayetteville, Arkansas Alejandro Gaona of Mexico Rockhill Associates of Lawrence, Kansas Johnsen Schmaling Architects of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Undurraga & Deves of Chile System Architecture of New York and Jun Igarashi...