Archinect - News

A story about death and architecture

2015-05-21T23:32:00-04:00

I'd like to tell you a story about death and architecture...hospital architecture has earned its reputation...if we want better buildings for dying then we have to talk about it....where we die is a key part of how we die.

In this talk, architect Alison Killing looks at buildings where death and dying happen — cemeteries, hospitals, homes. The way we die is changing, and the way we build for dying ... well, maybe that should too.

For those interested in more about the architecture of death, check out this interview between Karen Eng and Alison Killing.

h/t @AlJavieera

On the Magical Thinking of TED

2014-01-21T17:05:00-05:00

The particular danger of TEDification to the design disciplines, I think, is its core message that the chief obstacle to our discovering grand solutions to global problems — to achieving the grand design, to "making a comprehensive entity," as that reviewer of Big History applauded — is our lack of sufficient connection. What we need, we're told, is a seamless web of ideas, capital, products and data.

"We are living through the era of the TED Talk, much like an earlier generation lived through the era of the World's Fair, wondrous about our new world in the making," writes Simon Sadler on Places. "TEDification endows capitalism and globalization with a credible spiritual and ethical mission, just as the art of the Renaissance lent to the ruthless bankers of the Italian city states an enduring moral sheen." Sadler explores the magical thinking and many contradictions of the TED juggernaut — and the implicit threats to design and education.

We need to talk about TED

2013-12-30T15:04:00-05:00

In our culture, talking about the future is sometimes a polite way of saying things about the present that would otherwise be rude or risky. But have you ever wondered why so little of the future promised in TED talks actually happens? So much potential and enthusiasm, and so little actual change. Are the ideas wrong? Or is the idea about what ideas can do all by themselves wrong?

TED talks are lying to you

2013-10-15T12:57:00-04:00

Creativity was now the most valuable quality of all, ran Florida’s argument, “the decisive source of competitive advantage.” This made creative people into society’s “dominant class” — and companies that wished to harness their power would need to follow them wherever they went... Every element of Florida’s argument infuriated our future correspondent. Was he suggesting planned bohemias? Built by governments? To attract businesses?

TEDCity2.0 to revitalize global discussion on the future of urban cities

2013-09-19T19:10:00-04:00

TED Cities in partnership with the Ford Foundation present "TEDCity2.0", happening at TimesCenter in New York City tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 20. From 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern Time, TEDCity2.0 event will focus on encouraging global conversation about the future of the world's cities. Also on the same day, more than 100 TEDxCity2.0 community events will be held by local organizers worldwide for 48 hours.

Instead of offering the annual TED Prize to an outstanding individual with revolutionary ideas for change, TED offered the Prize to City2.0, wherein 10 grants of $10,000 were given to innovative ideas of urban transformation around the world throughout 2012.

Friday's program has four sessions, each with a series of talks revolving on central themes like art, education, food, health, housing, public space, play, and safety. Each session will be hosted by Chris Anderson, Courtney Martin, or John Cary.

More than 20 speakers will be featured in tomorrow's event, including several recipi...

How architecture helped music evolve - David Byrne

2013-06-13T19:22:00-04:00

As his career grew, David Byrne went from playing CBGB to Carnegie Hall. He asks: Does the venue make the music? From outdoor drumming to Wagnerian operas to arena rock, he explores how context has pushed musical innovation.

And the Winner of the 2012 TED Prize is…City 2.0

2011-12-07T15:06:01-05:00

The winner of the 2012 TED Prize has just been announced, and being awarded is not a single person, but - for the first time in the history of the prize - a collaborative idea: the City 2.0. TED Prize Director Amy Novogratz: "This year, we’re challenging everyone in the TED Community to embrace radical collaboration on one of the most pressing issues we face: how to build sustainable, vibrant, working cities."

TEDxJacksonHole - Nona Yehia & Jefferson Ellinger - New Architectures: Nature and Phenomena

2011-12-05T17:05:06-05:00

Nona Yehia and Jefferson Ellinger established the architectural firm, Ellinger/Yehia Design LLC in 2003 to investigate links between architecture, landscape and technology. In 2004, the firm opened an office in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to further explore these inter-relationships.
Architects, artists, scientists and designers throughout the ages have been inspired by the beauty and elegance in nature; studying, imitating and attempting to recreate natural systems has shaped life as we know it. Today, the question is how natural phenomena can become instrumental in the design of new architectures that radically redefine our built environment.

Alex Steffen @ TED Talks

2011-08-11T21:46:16-04:00

What we are finding is that what we want is access to things...Our cities I would put to you are stockpiles of surplus capacities...What we probably will find is that turning these products into services that we have access to when we want them is a far smarter way to go. In fact even space itself is turning into a service.

How can cities help save the future? In this TED talk Alex Steffen discusses why he thinks if we view climate change as a problem of "clean energy generation" we are setting ourselves up for a problem. He suggests the future lie in fact in "the shareable future of cities". He then highlights some cool neighborhood-based green projects that expand our access to things we want and need -- while reducing the time we spend in cars.

Architecture or Revolution? Chicago, August 6 (tomorrow!)

2011-08-05T20:12:00-04:00

Chicago is a city marked by waves of experimentation and a history of innovation, the genesis of architectural movements and the inspiration for such icons as Wright, Burnham, and van der Rohe. It is not just a city of historical landmarks in search of preservation, but a hub for daring thinkers looking to enter the discussion of today's built environment. This event is one foray into that conversation.

Date:
August 6th 2011
Talks begin at 3:00 pm
Reception to follow

Location:
Bridgeport Art Center
1200 W. 35th Street
Gallery 4E
Chicago, IL 60609

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