A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

New Islington, East Manchester UK by fotofacade . Woodward Place Social Housing designed by FAT ("purveyors of architecture of character and distinction"), part of the New Islington regeneration scheme by Will Alsop . To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just: :: Join and add photos to the archidose pool , and/or :: Tag your photos archidose

James Carpenter: Environmental Refractions by Sandro Marpillero, published by  Princeton Architectural Press , 2006. ( Amazon ) About halfway into this first monograph on multi-faceted glass artist James Carpenter is a large section devoted to 7 World Trade Center . While the design is attributed to David Childs of SOM, it's apparent upon reading the timeline documenting Carpenter's involvement in the fast-track schedule that everything we see, from the stainless steel base and the illuminated lobby to the minute details of the complex exterior wall, is in many ways the hand of Carpenter. Certainly it would be specious to say that he is the architect of the project, as his skills include working wit...

Slide Library in Manhattan, New York by Marble Fairbanks As part of a larger plan for the Judith Lee Stronach Teaching Center and located on the ninth floor of the Schermerhorn Building , this Slide Library serves the Department of Art History and Archeology at Columbia University . According to architects Marble Fairbanks , the project "combines research into new computer fabrication techniques, building information modeling and construction, and innovative approaches to ... the organization of an architectural design project." A major component in this reconsideration of the architectural process is the use of a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machine for the laminated, medium density fiberboard (MDF) walls of the library. Strips of MDF were cut via CNC into complex shapes that were then p...

Yesterday Architecture for Humanity launched a beta version of the Open Architecture Network , "a stand alone site that allows will allow designers, community groups, NGO's and others to post projects, browse others, comment and review projects, discuss relevant topics, contribute to shared resources, collaborate with each other and access project management tools to support their work." The site, which will evolve and add functionality over the next year, arose from Cameron Sinclair winning the TED Prize last year, whereafter TED set out to help Cameron's wishes come true. It sounds like a great idea that will surely grow over time. Go register and be a part of it.

This post is an interactive presentation of the most recent photos in the "today's archidose" pool on Flickr, accessible via the sidebar under the Previous Posts heading. Click here for ongoing, individual posts. To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just: :: Join and add photos to the archidose pool , and/or :: Tag your photos archidose

Christ Church Tower in London, England by Boyarsky Murphy Architects In this year's issue of Architectural Record 's Record Houses, one project stands out: a 12-story renovation of Christ Church Tower in London by Boyarsky Murphy Architects . Nicholas Boyarsky, son of former Architectural Association chairman (1971-1990) Alvin Boyarsky, and his wife and partner Nicola Murphy faced a difficult design task, with limiting physical conditions and restrictions due to the tower's landmark status. Designed by Christopher Wren after London's 1666 fire, partially destroyed in WWII (image at left), the tower has been rebuilt numerous times throughout the years. Fitting a residence into a 52m (170 ft) church tower might not seem to be the most logical undertaking, thou...

A week from today, on Thursday, March 15 is the Urban Design Program at City College's annual Lewis Mumford Lecture , featuring Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen discussing "The Urbanity of Calcutta." The Nobel was awarded to Sen for his contributions to welfare economics, though his ongoing research also addresses social choice theory, welfare economics, theory of measurement, development economics, public health, gender studies, and the economics of peace and war. Perhaps his most well-known book is Development as Freedom . In that book he espouses that individual freedom is the goal and the means of development, concomitantly removing certain "unfreedoms" that may exist, to "sustain economic life and counter poverty and insecurity in the contemporary world." If you'll be in New York please stop by (it's free!) and also spread the word. Click image for larger view.