"Archinect Sessions" is a weekly podcast discussing recent news items and happenings on the site. Hosted by Archinect's founder and publisher, Paul Petrunia, alongside Editorial Manager Amelia Taylor-Hochberg, the podcast pulls on the expertise of special weekly co-hosts, whether other Archinectors or players within the architecture community at large.
Co-hosts Donna Sink and Ken Koense join us for our second episode, to discuss licensing and IDP issues at NCARB, the value of mentorship in the profession, and the latest news on the Moriyama RAIC International Prize. We also spoke with Archinector Terri Peters about her coverage of the Moriyama Prize, and have a special bonus interview (available below) with Haley Gipe, Assoc. AIA, who's involved with the renaming issue through NCARB and AIA.
To listen to the "Archinect Sessions" podcast:
Or, stream the entire episode here:
Listen to our bonus interview with Haley Gipe, Assoc. AIA:
Show notes for Episode 2: The Long Road:
Alex White - Director of Architecture and Workplace Planning at Cummins
Amelia’s hike through LA’s Mt. Washington neighborhood.
Statistics on Los Angeles’ Mt. Washington neighborhood from the LA Times’ Mapping L.A. project.
Cummins architect selection on Archinect
The Cummins Foundation’s architecture legacy in Columbus Indiana
Vertical Studio at SCI-Arc Proposes a Hybrid Brothel/Child-Care Center
ShowCase: Liyuan Library by Li Xiaodong/Atelier
Supreme Court hears case on teeth whitening
Thom Mayne’s comments on aesthetics and fulfilling client wishes.
NCARB news:
Nobel Prize in Medicine Is Awarded to Three Who Discovered Brain’s ‘Inner GPS’
Aftershock #4: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neuroscientific Architecture Research
The Sleuk Rith Institute: Zaha Hadid's soft hymn to Cambodia's fallen
Honolulu Law Criminalizes Homelessness
ACSA’s chart showing comparative earnings of people using architect as a career descriptor but working in other fields.
7 Comments
Based on Ken's comments about the Saarinen church he attends: do you think architects tend to choose churches based on the architecture of the building? I know at least one who did! And when I first moved to Philly I chose my bank based on architecture: the bank that was still, at that time, located in the beautiful PSFS building was my bank of choice, and I chose it specifically so every two weeks I would have cause to go into the banking hall. Bliss.
Is this Ken's church? Christ Church Lutheran
Donna to answer your question, which made me think about a few things - almost none of my decisions are made based on the architecture that is there, but rather what could be there - empty space.
i grew-up in an Evangelical family overseas mostly, non-denominational, so no tradition or oversight (frankly), all the churches were in the following converted buildings: weapons factory in Germany, factory in Berlin, former store and theatre in a small town (US).
My wife goes to the Catholic church down the street (NJ highway 79) which has what appears like a matching church about 5 more miles down the road. It's probably from the 60', circular, nice high ceiling and stained glass.
I've done enough church from 0-18 years of life for a lifetime.
This morning Archinect Pod Cast was my sermon.
(by the way, I've sat through enough sermons to know a good one and when I had Manuel Delanda at UPENN he was the closest professor to delivering what felt like a sermon)
Yep, that's my church. It's a few blocks from my house. I went there for initial purpose of the second Sunday architectural tour, but felt odd showing up for tour and not a service. So, I went, and found a friend, then met biology professors, scientists, PhDs in literature, architects, artists, the list goes on. I found that what drew me, drew them too, but they found a home, and so did I. Many have often said two things, that they came for the architecture but stayed for the people, and two, they found that they didn't have to check their heads at the door, that what the knew did not conflict with their beliefs, it only reinforced those beliefs. I've never found a group of people that so completely reconciled the seemingly opposed systems, or at least that's what many would have you believe, in such a beautiful way, the way the congregants at CCL have done.
What's interesting about the space is the beauty inherent in its austerity. The brick, simple fixtures, the wood pews, the limestone floors, the way light enters the space, especially throughout the Sunday service, all completely alters the space and experience.
I haven't even touched how beautiful the sound renders the space. Saarinen, completed hit the mark there, but I never fully realized that on typical Sunday's, it was only when we installed our first openly gay pastor, that I was able to witness the power of the space. Everything came together in that moment; a pastor on the outside for a brief time, a church nearly at capacity, a choir that rivals Concordia's fabled choir, the beautiful day, light streaming into the space, the Head of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton, speaking words of reconciliation with regard to our pastor, showing the humility, grace and willingness to speak truth to the thing we all hold true; all were reconciled, the space was made whole.
55 years after this modernist space was conceived, somehow the completely contemporary reality was embraced by a tradition that's as old as history itself; the love of all, by all, for all, the humility to ask for forgiveness, and a desire to give.
"...the beauty inherent in its austerity." See, that's it for me. All I need are bricks stacked and joined with mortar; the entire universe, seen and unseen for eternity, exists in that assembly.
Can we substitute 'spirituality' with 'phenomenology'?
Finnish architects, at least the famous ones, definitely play in a 'modern' (abstract rational) manner with light and materials as 'spiritual' or 'phenomenological' elements.
Ken, here are some photos I took with a real camera 15 years ago, the same Canon AE-1 I had in my hand when I accidently got in line to kiss Jesus' crown of thorns at Notre Dame in Paris. I really was there just for the tour.
The last photo though, is my favorite, not religious, but introduces part one of two parts that I think give places of sanctuary in an urban environment their ultimate quality - one of contrast between light-dark, noise-silence, and enclosed vs open empty space.
prague, czech republic. sun after storm
Parthenon, Rome, IT
Ronchamp by Corbusier (France)
Coptic graveyard, Cairo, Egypt
12,000 ft above sea level in the Rocky Mountains. Part two, no photo taken, was after my cousin, I and his friends ran down the mountain sides with the risk of falling forever into breaks in the clouds (fog) to see green hills and trees in open space.
I think this is what a good 'sanctuary' does in a densely packed urban environment, and the light highlights the drama of such an event.
Did you know about Minding Design 2012? It was a conference from 2012 at Taliesin similar neuroscience and architecture, with really good people, I just found the videos on youtube, gonna watch those when I have time (man these podcasts are coming hot and fast....)
http://www.taliesin.edu/md/md.html
Not sure if architecture can ever be broken down into brain waves as data--but it invites a user-oriented humanist focus which certainly appeals to the critics of bloated graphic design as architecture nonsense.
darkman, you could look at this way - it's about data making the phenomenon important again and not abstract symbols.
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