Created by executive order in February of 2009 the White House Office of Urban Affairs just launched their website on March 1 2010. Take a visit or browse the blog .

News
Archinect's Aaron Plewke interviewed Swiss architect Philippe Rahm.

R.I.P. Chicago architect Bruce Graham.

Sasha Cisar visited VitraHaus by Herzog & De Meuron and shares some photos.

A millionaire wants to build a "green house" in Berkeley and is meeting resistance from the neighbors.
A. Quincy Jones beloved Century City barn is getting a makeover.

MovingCities published an interview with structural engineer Rory McGowan (ARUP Beijing).

Discussion Threads
Stolniik asks for help with an assignment on D.I.R.T. Studio's Julie Bargmann. Someone suggests starting with this awesome interview that our own Heather Ring did back in 2006. Which I had not seen before.

Over at Green Thread Central toasteroven clues us in to a 100% recycled plywood substitute http://www.eco-sheet.com/home.

: ) gives us an update on the UBC vs UO thread after two semesters there and explains why UO was a better choice them.

Barry Lehrman's looking for contemporary manifestos.

plate36 is going to Tokyo and wants some suggestions on locations where they can check out concepts of public space by contemporary Japanese architects in the city.

School Blogs
Nick blows some speakers.
James at Wentworth goes to Chicago.

Brieana at University of Michigan gives a tour of TCAUP studios at 4:30 am during Spring Break.

Farshid Moussavi, partner in Foreign Office Architects, starts the introductory essay in her book with a denial of Louis Sullivan’s aphorism form follows function, and then asks: if not function, what does form follow? Book review @ bd
"As that word “affective” might suggest, her philosophical guide is Gilles Deleuze — nothing wrong with that — but it has left her text groaning beneath the weight of academic verbiage."

Professional Surfer is a group exhibition that considers web browsing (aka 'surfing') as an art form. Rhizome | A favorite from John Michael Boling's 530s; BEUYS.GIF

A. Quincy Jones beloved "barn" had been for sale for two years, but it was recently bought by the Annenberg Foundation, saving the building's unique interiors. Frederick Fisher is at work on some respectful renovations, and the building will be taken over by an Annenberg-sponsored arts org later this year. The Architect's Newspaper

Well, the 20" model of 56 Leonard St is up for auction. It's actually a very nice looking model, and even breaks apart into individual units. Ebay

The mystery of Le Pain Maudit (Cursed Bread) still haunts the inhabitants of Pont-Saint-Esprit, in the Gard, southeast France.

On August 16, 1951, the inhabitants were suddenly racked with frightful hallucinations of terrifying beasts and fire. - Telegraph

Fabulous animated data visualization from JESS3 describing the state of the internet.



FlowingData

"Architecture critic Paul Goldberger's new book is called Why Architecture Matters. To talk about that idea, Kurt and Paul headed to the High Line, a formerly dilapidated train track thirty feet above the street that was recently transformed into an extraordinary public park." Studio360

Carys, at Birmingham City University, has been a very busy school blogger these days and spoils us with copious insight on the informality of Lagos' formal economy, brain libraries, virtual gaming environments for lost souls, and the occasional automatic trussing script. Keep up it coming, Carys.



Dorothy, at University of Michigan TCAUP, translates Nic Clear's critical text Architectures of the Near Future into a visual polemic. Collage lovers, this is your lucky day.



Daniel, at University of Oregon, is pleased to have just finished his winter studio and shares some pretty sweet project images with us (and with sweet we not only refer to that half-eaten cookie).



Faysal, at Architectural Association, contributes to his prnt scrn series as he continues to breed fascinating little virtual creatures. Case of early mad scientist syndrome...?



Much more recently posted in the School Blogs...

Thousands using gas flares will illuminate the whole course of Britain's biggest historic monument. Guardian

Detroit is a city in terminal decline. When film director Julien Temple arrived in town, he was shocked by what he found – but he also uncovered reasons for hope - Guardian

Just like the "Ideal Woman" on the cover of this issue on Real Urbanism - a sculpture by the Brooklyn based artist Tony Matelli - most of our cities are shaped by a particular set of values...read more on monu-magazine.com

+ full entry...

‘Post-Mao, Post-Bourdieu: Class and Taste in Contemporary China,’ is a special issue of PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies guest-edited by Yi Zheng (University of Sydney) and Stephanie Hemelryk Donald (RMIT University). The special issue explores the relationship between taste, choice and social stratification in contemporary China. link via