Is there any hope for an individual to work in Vegas and mantain a serious relationship to architecture and design.
There is lots of money to be had, lots of "designing" going on. They are building massive projects that need the help of talented professionals. However, I just can't imagine that anyone there is interested in a critical practice towards architeture.
And if that is so, is it our problem to overcome or do we simply right off Vegas as a "Non-Architectural Zone" and pat ourselves on the back that we never got our hands dirty with that mess?
I am not sure why you would ever think that the urban condition and the architecture of Las Vegas would be considered a "non-architectural" zone? It may very well be one of the most important architectural "zones" facing our country as a whole; that of the suburban condition.
The strip and its growth as well as the "downtown" area are an anomaly themselves - it is difficult to think of other cities that lack a CBD like Las Vegas and, the impacts of Sprawl (social, economic, environmental) and an architects role within this is something which would be fascinating to take part in.
Also, right now there are a number of buildings slated for the Vegas area by very well known architects, who are most likely collaborating with local architects, getting in on that could be very rewarding. There are also a small handful of very skilled architects working in the city and the school of arch at UNLV is making great strides.
Furthermore, I know that the design and construction of a mega-resort, typical Las Vegas, might not strike the fancy of most architects but that is not saying that this typology should be subjected to dismissal. I took a theory course that focused primarily on Las Vegas and there was much discussion about identity, private vs public, experience, branding, suburbia so on and so forth and I would bet that these types of discussions enter the fray when designing within this environment.
Las Vegas: It is America....at its best and at its worst. So if you want to be in Las Vegas....work in the area where where you can see the most potential. If your involved with the TownHouses and single family housing development business try to find the firm doing the best work in Vegas....if it is Commerical Work do the Same.....Just get
your head out of your ass and look around my friend. Citys don't make the Architect.....Architects make the City!
I would feel better to be able to pat myself on the back for spending time in Vegas learning - learning why there is so much money out there to be spent on buidling/design, learning how things get built quickly and when quality matters and doesn't, learning about the spectacle, voyeurism, euphoria, symbol, and any number of other architectural buzzwords, and getting my hands dirty taking Vegas on as a learning opportunity. It is a fascinating place, utterly unlike any city I have been to, and it is true that there seems to be a ton of work for an architect there. Go for it, keep open to learning, and know that it is such a transitory place that you can leave at any moment.
For god's sake Dave Hickey's presence alone is reason enough to move there - there is no keener critic of culture than Dave, IMO.
Plus you might win $10million and be able to spend the rest of your days actually practicing "serious" critical architecture.
could you define "serious architecture"... as someone who has studied in Las Vegas, lived in Las Vegas, doing a thesis on Las Vegas, and wants to return to Las Vegas to pursue a practice there, I'd like to know what you mean by serious? is the Bellagio less serious than Greg Lynn's Predator? what's serious about LA (or any other city) and not serious about Las Vegas. Casino architecture seems very "serious" to me... i think the problem is that you view it as a "mess"? another problem might be that you're looking for something to be "critical" about?
Las Vegas - A "Non-Architectural Zone"
Is there any hope for an individual to work in Vegas and mantain a serious relationship to architecture and design.
There is lots of money to be had, lots of "designing" going on. They are building massive projects that need the help of talented professionals. However, I just can't imagine that anyone there is interested in a critical practice towards architeture.
And if that is so, is it our problem to overcome or do we simply right off Vegas as a "Non-Architectural Zone" and pat ourselves on the back that we never got our hands dirty with that mess?
Modo-
I am not sure why you would ever think that the urban condition and the architecture of Las Vegas would be considered a "non-architectural" zone? It may very well be one of the most important architectural "zones" facing our country as a whole; that of the suburban condition.
The strip and its growth as well as the "downtown" area are an anomaly themselves - it is difficult to think of other cities that lack a CBD like Las Vegas and, the impacts of Sprawl (social, economic, environmental) and an architects role within this is something which would be fascinating to take part in.
Also, right now there are a number of buildings slated for the Vegas area by very well known architects, who are most likely collaborating with local architects, getting in on that could be very rewarding. There are also a small handful of very skilled architects working in the city and the school of arch at UNLV is making great strides.
Furthermore, I know that the design and construction of a mega-resort, typical Las Vegas, might not strike the fancy of most architects but that is not saying that this typology should be subjected to dismissal. I took a theory course that focused primarily on Las Vegas and there was much discussion about identity, private vs public, experience, branding, suburbia so on and so forth and I would bet that these types of discussions enter the fray when designing within this environment.
Instead of this...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792838068/qid=1149793409/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4477301-8122446?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130
how about this?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/026272006X/sr=8-1/qid=1149793285/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4477301-8122446?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Las Vegas: It is America....at its best and at its worst. So if you want to be in Las Vegas....work in the area where where you can see the most potential. If your involved with the TownHouses and single family housing development business try to find the firm doing the best work in Vegas....if it is Commerical Work do the Same.....Just get
your head out of your ass and look around my friend. Citys don't make the Architect.....Architects make the City!
I would feel better to be able to pat myself on the back for spending time in Vegas learning - learning why there is so much money out there to be spent on buidling/design, learning how things get built quickly and when quality matters and doesn't, learning about the spectacle, voyeurism, euphoria, symbol, and any number of other architectural buzzwords, and getting my hands dirty taking Vegas on as a learning opportunity. It is a fascinating place, utterly unlike any city I have been to, and it is true that there seems to be a ton of work for an architect there. Go for it, keep open to learning, and know that it is such a transitory place that you can leave at any moment.
For god's sake Dave Hickey's presence alone is reason enough to move there - there is no keener critic of culture than Dave, IMO.
Plus you might win $10million and be able to spend the rest of your days actually practicing "serious" critical architecture.
could you define "serious architecture"... as someone who has studied in Las Vegas, lived in Las Vegas, doing a thesis on Las Vegas, and wants to return to Las Vegas to pursue a practice there, I'd like to know what you mean by serious? is the Bellagio less serious than Greg Lynn's Predator? what's serious about LA (or any other city) and not serious about Las Vegas. Casino architecture seems very "serious" to me... i think the problem is that you view it as a "mess"? another problem might be that you're looking for something to be "critical" about?
I cant wait to graduate from UNLV and then find work there.....it has so much potential and so much history at the same time
I cant wait to graduate from UNLV and then find work there.....it has so much potential and so much history at the same time
Wow!
This thread is five years old... amazing.
Good for you, archlife222, for the positive attitude and energy. That's what's needed, there and everywhere.
Working in Vegas, you will be around a lot of those "buzzwords" - public/private, spectacle, voyeurism, etc etc.
In the end you will end up doing shitty elevations for some shitty casino hotel in Henderson.
Remember, the "good" architecture that's happening in vegas is always done by architects from elsewhere.
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