A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

"Book Briefs" are an ongoing series of posts with short 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 this blog . This year's 150th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's birth (1867-1959) has generated much in the way of content: exhibitions, publications, and articles galore. I've done my share on this blog – So You Want to Learn About Frank Lloyd Wright , a book review of An Organic Architecture , and Wright at Columbia – and here I wrap up my coverage with some takes on three publications devoted to an architect we're sure to be celebrating again in another fifty years. Frank Lloyd Wright in New York: The Plaza Years 1954-1959  by Jane King Hession and Debra Pickrel | Gibbs Smith | 2017, 10th anniversary paperback edition |  Amazon In the ten years since this book was ...

Scaffolding opened at the Center for Architecture on October 2, 2017, and runs until January 18, 2018. The exhibition is curated by Greg Barton, who "examines the extraordinary applications of scaffolding as a kit-of-parts technology to provide novel forms of inhabitation and access." The projects, ranging from Aldo Rossi's Teatro del Mondo to a recent project by Assemble (both are visible from the sidewalk in front of the Center for Architecture), are mounted on armatures that clearly recall the exhibition's subject. The exhibition design is meant to "disrupt the architectural space of the Center for Architecture, instilling a new appreciation of scaffolding and its transformative potential." The design by OMA's Shohei Shigematsu fills the top-floor gallery... ...and extends into the lower floors as well. Note from here, one level below grade, how the scaffolding continues down another level through a narrow gap against the wall on the le...

Here are some photos of The Silo (2017) in Copenhagen, Denmark, by  COBE . (Photos:  Ken Lee ) To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just: :: Join and add photos to the  archidose pool To contribute your Instagram images for consideration, just: :: Tag your photos  #archidose

Yesterday I stopped by the Storefront for Art and Architecture to check out  Souvenirs: New New York Icons , which is on display until November 18. The most noticeable aspect of the exhibition design is the transformation of Steven Holl and Vito Acconci's iconic facade by MOS Architects . They cut into the hinged panels and inserted small windows whose surfaces are fairly clear at an angle but are mirror-like head-on. In other words, they created canvases for selfies (no, I didn't take one). Those worried about the integrity of the Holl/Acconci facade need not fear. The thin fiber-cement panels were removed before cutting and are set upon the back wall for the duration of the exhibition. They are a backdrop of sorts to the "59+ objects that redefine New York’s iconic imagery." Other touches by MOS are the brick-like texture around the new "windows" and the blue flooring also in a running bond pattern. Combined with the gray model stands, the various pa...

Álvaro Siza Architectural Guide: Built Projects edited by Maria Melo and Michel Toussaint, published by  Livraria A+A , 2017. Paperback, 240 pages. ( Amazon ) On a recent trip to Zurich I came across a couple books on the architecture of Álvaro Siza, both published by A+A Books out of Lisbon. One was a case study devoted to his Piscina das Marés in Leça da Palmeira and the other was a guide to 82 of the architect's built projects in Portugal. Unfortunately their expense made buying both impossible. Even though the former project is in my forthcoming  100 Years, 100 Landscape Designs , I opted for the latter for a few reasons. First, perhaps some day I'll make it to Portugal and can use the book to scope out as many of Siza's projects as possible. Second, the book is a great resource with familiar buildings but many that I've never heard of before. Not all of the projects (selected by Siza) are publicly accessible, but they paint a solid picture of Siza's outp...

Open House New York (OHNY), which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, is taking place on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15. Listings are online and advance reservations for ticketed events start today at 11am. Here are a half dozen recommendations that require reservations, all of them landscapes, one in each borough and one on Randall's Island (technically part of Manhattan but here treated differently). Top-left to bottom-right in images above: Brooklyn Bridge Park Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Saturday, October 14: 11:00 am Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2008-Present (Ongoing) Concrete Plant Park Hunts Point, Bronx Saturday, October 14: 11:00 am, 1:00 pm Architect: James Mituzas, 2009 West 215th Step Street Inwood, Manhattan Sunday, October 15: 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 11:00 am, 11:30 am Architect: WXY Architecture + Urban Design, 2016 Ridgewood Reservoir Glendale, Queens Saturday, October 14: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm Sunday, ...

At the beginning of a TED Talks interview that took place earlier this year, TED curator Chris Anderson asks Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, "Why are you boring?" It's a joke that plays upon Musk's latest undertaking, The Boring Company , which is working toward a 3-D network of tunnels aimed at alleviating congestion in cities. But I'm more intrigued by the remarks that start just after 22 minutes, ones that sparked me to ask the question of this post's title, posed in the context of architecture and urbanism. (This embed is cued up to those remarks.) According to Musk, "This illustrates the picture of the future, how I think things will evolve": This suburban, single-family, "real fake" house has an electric car in the driveway, three Powerwalls sitting next to the house, and a solar-glass roof . I'm sure Musk's investors are happy that his efforts are moving toward affordable, sustainable solutions directed at consumers, ...