Archinect - News

Editor's Picks #315

2013-05-14T08:00:00-04:00

News
Robin Pogrebin reported that following wide-ranging protests, the Museum of Modern Art has selected the design firm Diller Scofidio & Renfro to re-examine it’s planned expansion including whether to keep any of the existing American Folk Art Museum. Scott Gustafon was somewhat relieved "I believe that Tod Williams and Ricardo Scofidio are old friends, so this is a step in the right direction" and Lian Chikako Chang deadpanned "Pretty sure that DSR can handle staggered floorplates". Added Darkman "There is room behind the museum... you could install very gradual ramps or something. Additionally, i'd like to see the facade brought out to the sidewalk to open up the building--not sure how to do that though... ha. Or replace with semi-transparent glazing in the same pattern and shape. Would be cool to see it glow".

Bustler.net showcased Parabola Chair by Los Angeles-based architect and product designer Carlo Aiello, winner of the 2013 ICFF Studio Award. The chair will be e...

Editor's Picks #314

2013-05-07T13:14:00-04:00

Over at the LA Times, Christopher Hawthorne reported on LACMA Director Michael Govan’s plan’s for $650-million new building by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor...Eric Chavkin commented "New construction has always been fundraising tail that wags the museum dog. Big names to draw bigger money...Now that AMPAS is leveraging it's Oscar prestige to be a part of LACMA, a new name to entice donor dollars is Zumthor, a name that means absolutely nothing to most.

News
Michael Z Wise reviewed the newest edition of Albert Speer, Architecture by Léon Krier for the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Wise concluded his review "Though he is again bemoaning a contemporary inability to regard classicism in a detached manner, it is Léon Krier who is in a delirious thrall to a malevolent aesthetic".

Will Galloway was surprised "wow, i didn't need another reason to dislike krier, but this one certainly seems more than enough to set aside any other complaint about the guy and never revisit them. its amazing that someone could hate modernism so much that even hitler's vision for the world seems palatable to him. nasty". For his part Steven Ward
argued "I'd rather see the swastika redeemed for its original associations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika) than see any redemption of Speer's work. It's not that the style(s) from which he borrowed were bad so much as his intentional bombastic over-scaling of everything. These buildings were meant to communicat...

Editor's Picks #313

2013-04-30T11:21:00-04:00

SDR complained "The Saratoga Community Center is ‘traditional’ ? Really ? Brickwork with masonry or ceramic trim is no longer a viable architectural material ? What'll be declared dead, next -- the rectangle ?...I don't defend the example above as a work of architecture. I know nothing about it. But it's a surprising contender for 'traditional'--- isn't it ?)".

News
Christopher Gray reviewed John Hill’s book A Guide to Contemporary New York City Architecture, reflected on the current revival of traditional architecture in the United States, and asked Mr. Hill if he has "a bias against the neo-traditional movement?”.

SDR complained "The Saratoga Community Center is ‘traditional’ ? Really ? Brickwork with masonry or ceramic trim is no longer a viable architectural material ? What'll be declared dead, next -- the rectangle ?...I don't defend the example above as a work of architecture. I know nothing about it. But it's a surprising contender for 'traditional'--- isn't it ?)".

observant summarized Mr. Gray’s argument "Ok, so the world is getting tired of peeling Gehry's buildings and the odd cowlicks in Morphosis's buildings, and we're headed back to another swat at post-modern, except that this one is Prairie School revival. I would not have been able to deduce that very easily. It's really watered down. And if the people in the...

Editor's Picks #312

2013-04-23T12:37:00-04:00

The LA Times reported that Renzo Piano, Los Angeles architect Zoltan Pali and officials from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled preliminary designs for a $300-million film museum. Eric Chavkin concluded "A toy chest of architectures related only by location. From the Bruce Goff Japanese Pavilion to the black box Mies bookstore to Hugh Hardy's disco streamlined moderne to Luckmans sorry start. Renzo Piano's 'back-to-the-future cinema spheres just continues the trajectory"

In an essay titled UNEXPECTED COSTS ~ Big ticket design software versus alternate methodologies, Ann Lui a designer and freelance writer reflected on the fact that "Not twenty years ago, if you wanted to start your own firm, you could do so on a Mayline drafting board in your basement...Today, my partner and I sit on our couch as we write up a wishlist of basic softwares we might need for a fledgling practice...tally the price tags, and the bottom line drops like an anvil: just over $15,000".

mfischer3387 echoed curtkram, "its much tougher to start an architecture business than most other fields, because yes, the start up costs are enormous, as outlined in the article. I would argue that software package costs are not necessarily always for the benefit of design, but for liability purposes". Other commentator's like Jeremy Miller offered advice "You could get the Revit LT suite for about $1,800...Also, Archicad has a rental model...Be creative" and Steve Sanderson (founding par...

Editor's Picks #311

2013-04-16T12:43:00-04:00

For the latest edition in his NEXT SERIES: features, Orhan Ayyüce spoofed the rise of architectural firms who hire media experts, also known as social media coordinators or marketing directors. The piece titled Media Specialist Wanted began provocatively "in architectural media, what it used to be ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’ in the prime print years, has turned into ‘puffery is the only publicity’ in the age of social media and infinite promotion"...

Nicholas Cecchi doubted "an architect would personally insult someone who dislikes their building, why is OK for someone hired by an architect to do so? Have architects forgotten that they serve clients and the public, not their own egos and interests?".

While, Will Galloway offered up some praise for Orhan and an answer to Steven Ward’s previous comment/question "another great piece of irony truth and fiction, orhan. @ steven, we never pay to be published, except that it costs us a bit of time to prepare material......

Editor's Picks #309

2013-04-02T11:00:00-04:00

Archinect was excited to announce a competition we're co-hosting with Designer Pages and the LA Film Festival. This competition seeks proposals for the interior design/layout of the VIP Director's Lounge for this year's LA Film Festival. The winner will have their design executed, with a cash prize and an "Industry Badge" pass to the LA Film Festival in June. The winner's designs will also be on display in the director's lounge throughout the festival.

News
The Architect’s Journal reported that Denise Scott Brown has called for her role in Robert Venturi’s 1991 win to be acknowledged retrospectively as a salute to "the notion of joint creativity" and retrospectively acknowledge her role in Robert Venturi’s 1991 Pritzker Prize during an AJ Women in Architecture luncheon in late March. Since, nearly 2,000 advocates have passionately rallied in Brown’s support by signing an online petition created by Harvard’s GSD Woman in Design Group. Among the signatures include architects Zaha...

Editor's Picks #307

2013-03-19T17:39:00-04:00

Reflecting on the site of Farnsworth House, an obvious floodplain, toasteroven wondered "who pushed siting the building where it is - the client or mies?". To which snooker-doodle-dandy replied "don't believe Mies would ever let a Client tell him what to do. In fact if they tried, he would most likely stuff out his Cuban cigar on their forehead"

News
As of March 11, 2013 Farnsworth House is fully surrounded by river water, but neither the lower deck nor the upper deck had yet been breached.

Paul Petrunia noted that last time it happened "They even blogged the cleanup: http://archinect.com/news/article/80993/farnsworth-clean-up".

Reflecting on the site of Farnsworth House, an obvious floodplain, toasteroven wondered "who pushed siting the building where it is - the client or mies?". To which snooker-doodle-dandy replied "don't believe Mies would ever let a Client tell him what to do. In fact if they tried, he would most likely stuff out his Cuban cigar on their forehead"

For her part Donna Sink expressed the opinion "I think evilplatypus - whose presence here I miss - once noted that the 100 year flood level that Mies used to site the building has been radically changed due to the massive suburban development that has happened upstream in the intervening 60 years. I think the house should be moved".

AIA ...

Editor's Picks #306

2013-03-12T12:30:00-04:00

For the latest edition of the ShowCase feature, Archinect published the Hotel Wiesergut a complex renovation and extension by by GOGL ARCHITEKTEN, located in Hinterglemm/Salzburger Land, Austria. FRaC thought "those cold roofs are hot!"

News
Over at the financial times Emma Jacobs chatted with Zaha Hadid an "Unlikely ‘pushover’ who doesn’t play safe". In response Donna Sink commented "I wouldn't work for free, but I'd be happy to be bullied by Zaha for a short term. Like a wilderness survival camp-type vacation" but GiaCarbello replied "Diplomacy aside. Donna Sink. Wow. Your comment is as low as Hadids and Schumachers lame comments regarding their inexcusable behavior. They have an idea in their heads that ‘uncompromising standards’ is the reasons being for such behaviour. Hadid had to fight her way to the top because of a male dominated industry and forgot along the way to find a balance. Self integrity and self respect at lost".

However Apurimac argued "For christ's sa...

Editor's Picks #305

2013-03-05T11:42:00-05:00

vado retro summed up the design "a box within a box and one box the one inside, the inside box is at an angle. oh and there are trees" but Alex Gomez added "Although the facade is superficial, I feel it will succeed in attracting ‘qualitative and quantitative tourist flows in the area,’

News
Over at Bustler.net, Bernard Tschumi Architects unveiled the schematic design for the firm's first work in Italy: ANIMA, a new cultural center in the city of Grottammare. The project has been commissioned by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ascoli Piceno and the Municipality of Grottammare and is expected to be completed by 2016.

In the description of the project, it states: “Could one design a facade without resorting to formal composition? Could one design a facade that would be neither abstract nor figurative, but formless, so to speak? Our motivation in raising these questions was both economic and cultural: At a time of economic crisis, to indulge in formal geometries made out of complex volumetric curves did not seem a responsible option. The time of ‘Iconism’ seemed to be over".

vado retro summed up the design "a box within a box and one box the one inside, the inside box is at an angle. oh and there are trees" but Alex Gomez added "Although the facade is s...

Editor's Picks #304

2013-02-26T13:39:00-05:00

For the latest edition of the ShowCase feature, Archinect published the first fire station designed by Pritzker Prize winner Álvaro Siza Veira. The project, Santo Tirso Fire Station is located in Quinta de Geão, Portugal "comprises a total gross area of 1173 m2 and lodges the support functions to the fire brigade...it is organized in 3 floors”.

Chris Moody's initial reaction was that "At first glance, it would be hard to picture this building as a fire station. But then again, that's probably the point. Nicely done! Alvaro." toasteroven added "that brick is yummy, the exterior is really nice - but - the interiors seem a little cold and off-putting. all shades of grey and white - like a bunker in Antarctica in the dead of winter”.

News

According to released figures the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) showed its strongest growth since November 2007. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the January ABI score was 54.2, up sharply from a mark of 51.2* in Dec...

Editor's Picks #303

2013-02-19T12:33:00-05:00

For the latest edition of the ShowCase feature, Archinect profiled 253 Pacific Street, a project designed James Cleary Architecture. It is a newly constructed building in Brooklyn, New York containing three duplex residences.

News

Planetizen covered Arup’s proposal for a "smart" building that will plug into "smart" urban infrastructure and cater to an increasingly dense and technology-savvy urban population. Fred Scharmen thought the proposal featured "Fantastic graphics" yet toasteroven continued his criticism from last week "I'm a little perplexed by this proposal - one the one hand it assembles all the ideas into one building (which should be larger city-wide infrastructure, not in a single building), but it's a little too ‘plug-in city’ for me - as in verging on completely unrealistic and incredibly naive about how the city really functions".

Apparently Ryan Griffin agreed, referring to the title of the news posting he wrote "radical? maybe helpful to post in a...

Editor's Picks #302

2013-02-13T14:44:00-05:00

The Three Grand Prize winners and thirteen Special Mentions were released for d3's Unbuilt Visions 2012 competition. The program promotes critical debate about architecture and design by acknowledging excellence in unbuilt projects. The Grand Prize: went to The Emperor's Castle, designed by Thomas Hillier, UK. In response homme_du_jura applauded "I'm very glad to see Thomas Hillier's work recognized...A beautiful piece!"

For the latest Student Works: feature, Archinect published New Horizons Iceland Expedition, which was a compendium of results from a trip The Bartlett School of Architecture Unit 3, wherein "Twelve 2nd and 3rd year students designed, built and tested a series of shelter/surveying devices (they were told to make “sure it fits in the check-in luggage) to research and charted varied aspects of Iceland”.

News

The Three Grand Prize winners and thirteen Special Mentions were released for d3's Unbuilt Visions 2012 competition. The program promotes critical debate about architecture and design by acknowledging excellence in unbuilt projects. The Grand Prize: went to The Emperor's Castle, designed by Thomas Hillier, UK. In response homme_du_jura applauded "I'm very glad to see Thomas Hillier's work recognized. He submitted this piece for another competition a few years ago and was duly recognized, even as it went a bit beyond the competition's established criteria. A beautiful p...

Editor's Picks #301

2013-02-05T10:09:00-05:00

Archinect released the final and third part of a multi-part interview Orhan Ayyüce conducted with George Brugmans, Executive Director of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR). The topics included: São Paulo, Rotterdam and Beyond. At one point Mr. Brugmans summed up "when the requirement is to find the right balance between people, planet and profit, transformational and infrastructural ambitions are to all intents and purposes to be seen as part of the same ‘making city’ package. It worked like that on both Test Sites, in Istanbul and in São Paulo. It is important to note here that this provides a unique opportunity".

I was also interested to note the final section wherein Mr. Brugmans discussed the recent post-austerity political/budgetary challenges facing the Netherlands in general and the IABR specifically. Along those lines in a comment after the first part of the nterview was released, I referenced an op-ed by Sérgio Miguel Figueiredo published last m...

Editor's Picks #300

2013-01-30T11:35:00-05:00

Orhan Ayyüce published parts 1 + 2 of a multi-part interview with George Brugmans (Executive Director of the IABR)...Thayer-D chimed in "This is an excellent example of how well intentioned architects continue to talk past each other...One of the speakers spoke of the need to create relationships with politicians, developers and the public in general to forge a new way forward...What's amazing is that this has been happening for the last 20 years in the Congress for New Urbanism

In the first edition of our In Focus in 2013 Archinect spoke with Yohan Zerdoun an architectural photographer based in Germany/Switzerland.

Plus, Orhan Ayyüce published parts 1 + 2 of a multi-part interview with George Brugmans (Executive Director of the IABR) in which they continued their discussion from where they left it two years ago. Topics include; the theme of the 5th Biennale itself: Making City, the model used for the 5th IABR of Test Sites and Counter Sites, and also Istanbul as either "the next metropolitan nightmare, or...an inspiring example?".

Thayer-D chimed in "This is an excellent example of how well intentioned architects continue to talk past each other while so many of their interests intersect...One of the speakers spoke of the need to create relationships with politicians, developers and the public in general to forge a new way forward. Again, I'd be in full agreement. What's amazing is that this has been happening for the last 20 years in ...

Editor's Picks #299

2013-01-21T20:32:00-05:00

The New York Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1 announced CODA (Caroline O’Donnell of Ithaca, New York) as the winner of the annual Young Architects Program (YAP) in New York...Donna Sink shared "That PS1 installation just looks dull to me" to which Steven Ward responded "i must like dull. actually, i know i do. i'm thinking i'll like its texture and shadow. form".

Orhan Ayyüce kicks off 2013 with Fishing for Architecture with John Lurie the first feature of the New Year. Orhan recently had an opportunity to talk with Mr. Lurie about architecture and this conversation resulted over a few days of messaging in cyber space. John initially noted "Man, I really know nothing about architecture" but to Orhan that was perfect, as he explained "All the better.. We have dime a dozen architects who are experts but say very little. This is not what you know about it but how you feel in it. It can get technical but that is not I am talking about...Everybody knows or senses something about architecture. Especially a highly visual person like you".

gozion commented "i share his opinions on the buildings here. (i used to work as a draftsman, back in the days of sitting at a drawing board using pencils, or ink & a rapidograph,,,paper or mylar, not linen, not that far back. i letter really well. i was also really fast. u architects can be murder on yr draf...

Editor's Picks #298

2013-01-15T11:43:00-05:00

The 14-year battle over the fate of the modern structure at the heart of Gettysburg National Military Park is over, as the National Park Service will begin demolishing the Richard Neutra designed Cyclorama building as soon as February. A disappointed Donna Sink argued "How can destroying what is truly a unique piece of art while allowing KFC to be visible from the battleground furthering our appreciation of the tragedy of this battle?"

News
Amy Worden explained that the 14-year battle over the fate of the modern structure at the heart of Gettysburg National Military Park is over, as the National Park Service will begin demolishing the Richard Neutra designed Cyclorama building as soon as February.

A disappointed Donna Sink argued "I've said this elsewhere but I want to say it here too: Detractors claim that this building is insensitive because it was built on the actual battlefield where soldiers died. I can't disagree completely with that sentiment...How can destroying what is truly a unique piece of art while allowing KFC to be visible from the battleground furthering our appreciation of the tragedy of this battle?".

Bustler.net reported the young Slovak firm, Nice Architects, has won the first prize in the architectural/urban design competition "Parkhill" aiming to transform the area of a former open air amphitheater in Bratislava, Slovakia. Nice Architects' winning entry is a collaboration ...

Editor's Picks #297

2013-01-09T12:48:00-05:00

Alison Cuddy of WBEZ 91.5 reported that the Save Prentice Coalition has made the case that re-using the former Prentice Hospital could mean more money, jobs...curtkram was puzzled "hmm. i used to live on the north side of chicago and i don't recall ever seeing this building. anyway, aside from preserving this building because of it's characteristic of a historic style, or because some particularly important person thinks it looks cool, there is a good argument for sustainability".

Archinect finished reflecting back on the 2012 most trafficked pages in Archinect's diverse online ecosystem, with a list of 12 top 12 lists for '12. As always, they listing the most popular pages from across the site, based exclusively on visits by unique page-views. We completed the look-back by publishing the; Top 12 Blogs for '12, Top 12 Blog Posts for '12, Top 12 Live Blogs for '12, Top 12 Projects for '12, Top 12 Firm Profiles for '12, Top 12 People Profiles for '12, Top 12 School Profiles for '12, Top 12 Jobs for '12, Top 12 Competitions for '12 and finally the Top 12 Discussions for '12.

News
Alison Cuddy of WBEZ 91.5 reported that the Save Prentice Coalition has made the case that re-using the former Prentice Hospital could mean more money, jobs. The reuse alternatives for the Bertrand Goldberg-designed Prentice Hospital were unveiled at a press conference on January 3, 2013. You can view the presentation here (PDF file).

mantaray corrected Thayer-D "First of all,...

Editor's Picks #296- Happy (Gregorian or Julian calendar) New Year's Day!

2013-01-02T01:22:00-05:00

fschlem started a blog The Dirty South...The blog takes it name from a studio titled the "Dirty South," offered at the Georgia Tech. The studio was the brainchild of TVSDesign Distinguished Studio Critic Jennifer Bonner and it’s goal was to look at the city of Atlanta through the filter of the rap ideology of east coast/ west coast/ dirty south, translated to the realm of architecture...Connely Farr thought "wow. really interesting idea for a studio..."

Just like last year, Archinect has begun the transition into the new year by reflecting back on the 2012 by sharing the most trafficked pages in Archinect's diverse online ecosystem, with a list of 12 top 12 lists for '12. As always, they listing the most popular pages from across the site, based exclusively on visits by unique page-views. Released so far are the 12 most visited News posts and 12 most visited Feature articles during 2012.

Tomorrow the 12 top 12 BLOGS,BLOG POSTS and LIVE BLOGS will be announced.

News
Michael Kimmelman reviewed the new Stedelijk Museum and reflecting on it’s design asked "Why a tub?" Thayer-D offered up a few guesses but then gave up and replied "Why IS this museum shaped like a tub?". Orhan Ayyüce added "Building aside, it is a good museum with an excellent director, Ann Goldstein, who was a great curator here in Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art since the 80's. She is one of the best curators anywhere when it comes to conceptual art. Sh...

Editor's Picks #295-Happy Holidays!

2012-12-26T01:48:00-05:00

Finally, Orhan Ayyüce posted a quote of John Chase’s Shopping for Architecture LA Forum Newsletter, from December 1989. citizen concluded "My old colleague John certainly knew how to turn a phrase. ..My opinion is that merely expanding the list of things to pick out or specify for a design --while certainly adding important variables-- still is not sufficient to get at the complexity of architecture".

News
Donna Sink spoke for architects and Wright-lovers everywhere when she commented "YAY" in response to the news that the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy has facilitated the purchase of the David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, Arizona, through an LLC owned by an anonymous benefactor. The transaction closed on December 20 for an undisclosed price.

The property will be transferred to an Arizona not-for-profit organization responsible for the restoration, maintenance and operation of the David Wright House.

Talks with Kermit Baker the AIA’s chief economist along with architects like Neil Denari and firms like Legat Architects, led Robbie Whelan to write Demand for Architects Builds Momentum-Billings for Design Jobs Rise for Fourth Straight Month, Reflecting Improving Housing Market and Institutional Demand.

The Miami Herald reported that Zaha Hadid Architects will design a tower to be built on a site directly across from Museum Park. The selection of Hadid wa...

Editor's Picks #294

2012-12-18T12:58:00-05:00

For the latest in the Student Works series Archinect featured The Petropolis of Tomorrow: Drift & Drive...a proposed solution for Petrobras...to relocate workers offshore...Thayer-D was curious "What kind of job do students who do this kind of work expect to do?" and amphibious agreed "For me, the real problem with this project is its weakness in experimentation, substance, and form. What is radical here really?"

For the latest in the Student Works series Archinect featured The Petropolis of Tomorrow: Drift & Drive. Joanna Luo, Weijia Song, Alex Yuen, students at Rice School of Architecture completed the project working with their advisor Neeraj Bhatia.

Consisting of a system of floating islands strategically located along the natural drift current of the Brazilian coast, the project is a proposed solution for Petrobras, the Brazilian petrochemical company, to relocate workers offshore, as rigs are established ever further from the coast, increasing the transportation cost of both workers and oil.

Thayer-D was curious "What kind of job do students who do this kind of work expect to do? I know it's the schools that promote this stuff, it's no different than when I went to school 20 years ago, but it still strikes me as academic malpractice" and amphibious agreed "with most of the comments here and I think they point out a deeper problem in this project. I am a truly believer of ex...

Editor's Picks #293

2012-12-11T02:07:00-05:00

For the latest in the Showcase series Archinect featured Villa Solaire by JKA + FUGA as well as Folkwang Library by Max Dudler. The Folkwang Library took advantage of a special photographic/glazing technique to create the illusion of the facade being fashioned from the stone material itself. Save Western pointed out "It looks like the original proposal was for actual marble, which came back astronomically expensive, so they VE'd to curtain wall instead."

For the latest in the Showcase series Archinect featured Villa Solaire by JKA + FUGA as well as Folkwang Library by Max Dudler.

Villa Solaire in Pied de La Plagne, Morzine, France is an ancient farmhouse converted into a luxury rental villa. The project made use of a traditional technique of decorative cut-outs within the wood strips resulting in a uniform perforated cladding, which wraps the whole facade.

The Folkwang Library located in Essen-Werden, Germany is an institutional project which , combined musicological programs/collections from three institutions under one roof. The Folkwang Library also took advantage of a special photographic/glazing technique to create the illusion of the facade being fashioned from the stone material itself.

royc commented "it's a bit too literal of a reinterpretation for me...I love the knife edge though, it's nicely done. I'd be really interested to see the interior of that space, with the stairs/atrium". Save Western pointed out ...

Editor's Picks #292

2012-12-04T11:42:00-05:00

b3tadine[sutures] concurred "i love it. that work of this complexity and beauty is being built in Dallas, let alone the US, is testament to Mayne and Morphosis being one of the premiere firms in the world”. However, some like accesskb argued "beautiful forms and spaces... ugly and cold choice of materials and colours".

News
The post announcing the opening of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, designed by Morphosis Architects and which opened this past Saturday in Dallas, featured some great photos by the photographer Iwan Baan. Cosmos commented "Everything about this building is great. Function, construct-ability, massing, circulation, materials, contextual awareness, technology, aesthetics/ design sensibility, etc...” and b3tadine[sutures] concurred "i love it. that work of this complexity and beauty is being built in Dallas, let alone the US, is testament to Mayne and Morphosis being one of the premiere firms in the world”.

However, some like accesskb argued "beautiful forms and spaces... ugly and cold choice of materials and colours". Thayer-D also believed “This type of ‘throw it on the wall and see if it sticks’ type of builidng is so common that it makes me wonder why this one should elicit so much commentary...Some of their earlier work was truly sensuous and warm, but this bu...

Editor's Picks #291

2012-11-27T01:06:00-05:00

In the latest edition of the Showcase series, Archinect highlighted House in Moreira, by Phyd Arquitectura. The house has "Patios that enable continuity between different spaces of the house and interior/exterior which behave like a sun clock, alternating solid and diffuse light". Thayer-D questioned "What's with conceptual purity at the expense of function and maybe joy?" but Vile Child chimed in "seems SupraJoyful to me"

With the latest edition of the Showcase series, Archinect highlighted House in Moreira, by Phyd Arquitectura. The house has "Patios that enable continuity between different spaces of the house and interior/exterior which behave like a sun clock, alternating solid and diffuse light".

Thayer-D questioned "What's with conceptual purity at the expense of function and maybe joy?" but Vile Child chimed in "seems SupraJoyful to me. But I like form and space and mass and light and how the colors outside reflect on the white walls. Shit like that".

Plus, Jaakko van ‘t Spijker reported in from the first findings of a studio in the Harvard GSD program, dealing with ‘the Elements of Architecture’. Which were publicly presented in a packed Dependance at the Schieblock in Rotterdam on Friday night, November 16th. The feature led glass to comment "I find OMA creates some of today's most compelling architecture using standard off-the-shelf parts in unique and exhilarating ways.... Do...

Editor's Picks #290

2012-11-20T11:24:00-05:00

With the latest edition of the Showcase series, Archinect highlighted House Yagiyama in Sendai, Japan by Kazuya Saito Architects. The one-story house for an old couple, located in Sendai's hilly Yagiyama district was photographed by Yasuhiro Takagi.

News
Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded a contract to design and construct a centerpiece, billion-dollar national stadium that forms a key part of Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. Thayer-D reacted "These images are quite spectacular! The exterior reminds me of some beautiful animal skull that Georgia O'Keefe would have painted. I hope the street level view of this building is as sympathetic as these images" while Will Galloway noted it was "within walking distance of my office. nice area. olympics would be cool here too, but hopefully this stadium makes sense without them coming. looking forward to seeing it go up".

David Ng reported, that this past Saturday the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (also designed by ar...

Editor's Picks #289

2012-11-12T14:42:00-05:00

News
Architectural Digest interviewed Brad Pitt about his recently announced collection designed in collaboration with furnituremaker Frank Pollaro. mdler believed "you can tell the influence of Gehry in a few of his pieces” but Orhan Ayyüce commented "These belong to ‘Italian’ furniture store in your neighborhood...I agree with Xenakis that he should bite the bullet and go to design school for few years. He could even have home schooling but better he learns like the rest of the design students".

ObjectThinking wanted to get honest "The title of this post is disingenuous. If you read the linked article from Architectural Digest Pitt states that his input was fairly minimal...Frank Pollaro clearly deserves most of the ‘credit’ for what was produced...The pity is that companies who should be engaging really talented designers choose to snag untrained celebrities and get them to ‘art direct’ or ‘curate’ things in the knowledge that the big names will shift units”.

The Seattl...

Editor's Picks #288

2012-11-05T23:50:00-05:00

In 2012, the DRX (The Design Research Exchange a non-profit residency program for researchers hosted by HENN Architekten) took place in Berlin from July 16th, 2012 through September 7th, 2012. Participants included four invited DRX Experts and eight invited DRX Researchers all of whom focused on the topic Minimal Surface Highrise Structures. As part of the DRX 2012, three prototypic 500m (1,640ft) tall Highrise Structures were developed as so-called ProtoTowers.

The latest edition of the Working out of the Box series features Skip Schwartz who is currently the CEO of a heath care service/technology company that provides primary healthcare to people mostly on a virtual basis. The two main lessons that he gained from architecture school and the architecture industry were that "Design counts" and "Project management counts".

News
The world lost three very talented architects last week including, Lebbeus Woods dead at 72, John M. Johansen the last surviving member of the Harvard...

Editor's Picks #287

2012-10-30T02:48:00-04:00

This week the Liyuan Library in Jiaojiehe Village near Beijing by Li Xiaodong/Atelier as well as two projects from the first edition of the Istanbul Design Biennial (October 13th - December 12th) were featured Archinect’s Showcase series. Namely; the interactive kinetic installation Cerebral Hut by Guvenc Ozel, and Augmented Structures v2.0, a media installation based on Istanbul's urban texture by Alper Derinbogaz and Refik Anadol.

Commenting on Augmented Structures v2.0 FRaC wrote "i don't know what it is, but i like it" while Derek Kaplan felt the Liyuan Library in Jiaojiehe Village was "Beautiful" and continued "The rough twig facade is a little close to something like camouflage, but... so well executed, and to such effect...assuming there are no sprinklers because they were not required by code for public occupancy there"?

News
Over at the NYT Opinionator blog Allison Arieff examined the pros and cons of micro-units in How Small is Too Small? brooklynmade argued "Dep...

Editor's Picks #286

2012-10-16T00:11:00-04:00

Alex Maymind highlighted the work of Cornell studio "Ungers vs. Rowe" in a piece titled ARCHIPELAGOS: Ungers vs. Rowe. Both the studio and feature, articulate "a theoretical argument about two divergent Cornell legacies: one, O.M. Ungers and the other, Colin Rowe as exemplary urban design positions that after some forty years remain still operative in today’s context". Mr. Maymind further argues that "Both Ungers and Rowe share an overwhelming concern for the deployment and manipulation of precedent (with all of the baggage the term implies) as the basis for making and conceptualizing form". The studio featured two groups of two students, each assigned either Ungers or Rowe, as source material. Steven Ward commented "beautiful work. man, i would have loved this studio" and even Thayer-D agreed "Ultimately, the main source of apprehension in dealing with these two figures comes from the fact that they both sought to criticize the status quo, which is still very much alive"

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Editor's Picks #285

2012-10-09T12:17:00-04:00

For the latest edition of the Working out of the Box series, Archinect featured Ioana Urma. Ioana has completed a number of (public) art projects – murals, installations and other media and also does freelance commissions, ranging from 2D to 3D: books, illustrations, interiors, art installations, paintings, murals, architectural renovations and exhibit designs.

KIRSCH Architecture also shared their redevelopment and extension of Stelzhamerschule in Linz Austria, for the latest edition of Archinect’s ShowCase series.

News
Recently in The Architectural Review, Beatriz Colomina wrote about Radical Pedagogies in Architectural Education. In the piece she argued that the discipline can best be changed by revolutionizing the way it is taught. Yet, toasteroven suggested "this look back to the 60s and 70s pedagogical experiments is in real danger of regression to paternalistic ‘functionalism’... I don't know where we're headed but i'd take empty and overly expensive technological formalism ...

Editor's Picks #284

2012-10-01T01:10:00-04:00

This week, SANAA released a proposal for its first building in the United States , located in New Canaan, Connecticut. The steel, concrete, and wood headquarters for the Grace Farms Foundation will wind its way along a piece of the 75-acre property owned by the nonprofit charitable organization. FRaC labeled it a "running fence" yet, AP simply "love(d) it".

News
Caela J. McKeever a self-described "young architect" penned How the economy upended young architects' hopes. The piece looks at how frustrated architecture grads of her generation are dropping out of the profession leading to a "renaissance happening among young architects — and it’s not in architecture". Fred Scharmen argued "The concerns the author highlights are real, but IMO, not traceable directly back to the economy, rather to the failure of many offices to respond to the opportunities laid out by the current crisis. Models of office hierarchy, project delivery, marketing, and client relations need to change. ...I was lucky enough to have experience with one office that recognized this, and is in the process of adapting" while Given replied "I have to say of all the complaints I have against the profession, the ones she makes aren't really the ones I care about...Id much rather fix the growing trend towards the field being divided between rich young people doing high ...