The latest Showcase feature profiles the Summer House in Austria by Judith Benzer Architektur, the design of which is oriented by the cubature of the Kellerstöckel (wine house), typical of the Southern Burgenland region. I particularly loved the detailing for sharp edges of the cubature which are formed by copper corner plates. stroke123 liked it but wondered "how does the roof shed water?  Waterproof membrane and concealed gutters and downspouts?". While Andrew Chaveas complemented the "great compilation/composition of materials" yet still thought H&dM has a better commentary on the "house", here referring to that firm’s House in Leymen.

For the latest In Focus interview Archinect spoke with American architectural photographer Brad Feinknopf, who has shot over 100 AIA Award winning projects.

News
London's Serpentine Gallery released plans for the 2012 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei. Although the original design announcement "described an excavation of the site to reveal the foundations of former pavilions" it has now been confirmed that "the remnants of previous pavilions, including foundations, have had to be removed" and therefore the team on the job now  is actually "using the plans of the previous pavilions to recreate the foundations for the latest design." Fred Scharmen thinks "This had to have struck someone at H&dM/AWW as a likelyhood, right? It's the first thing I thought of when I read the concept. Probably they were always going to do a constructed/projective archaeology - that's what it seems like when you see the way it's all made of cork in the model photos, and the colored cad lines in the drawing."

Inga Saffron reviewed the new building, and the relocated Albert Barnes Foundation, by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien which she contends it is a ravishing building, but cut off from the city and the "site that has all the aesthetic coherence of a suburban supermarket." Donn Sink commented "Those bronze screened doors in the middle of the slideshow look beautiful.  This is the first I'd seen of the siting, which does seem a bit odd.  Not sure what I think of it. The materials and detailing are, of course, since it's TWBTA, flawless.  Swoon."

A new TV and web production coming to PBS in 2013 will examine ten influential American buildings that changed the way we live, work, and play. HandsumCa$hMoneyYo exclaimed "I don't know but given that it is 10 Buildings that Changed America and considering that the biggest legacy of the built environment during the 20th century has been the large scale reshuffling to create the car centric suburbs, it would seem that a drive-thru typology would be foremost on said list.  Shopping malls, which are already a dying breed, don't seem nearly as important. Yo!"

In a essay for The New York Review of Science Fiction Chris N Brown explored the design fiction of the Tijuana Liberation Front (FLT), the virtual border/wall work of HSARPA, and contemporary networked culture in order to illuminate how Tijuana might be a "City of the Future". MADianito quipped "'the paramilitary zone of the border’ sounds a bit blown out of proportion...but hey this is architecture"

Work/Firms/Blogs
Barkitecture Mag recently shared what they learned from the recent Preservationist talk at WNYC’s Greene Space.

The New Norris House planted the first half of our native grass meadow even though they couldn’t employ  typical preparation of burning the plot of land to be planted and new blogger Teodora Vasilev who is hoping to explore cities through photography published her first post featuring an image of one of the first cathedrals she visited last fall when in Dublin.

Brian Henry who is blogging about the process of finding his first job examined the investment in and ROI from cover letters and cold calls. Paul Petrunia chimed in noting "Great advice Brian. If a job applicant does not make it clear, right away, that they understand the job and the employer, and have spent some time tailoring the application for the specific job, most employers will disregard the application immediately." Meanwhile Dani Zoe shared some advice "your goal should be to send 4-5 applications max A WEEK (assuming all you're doing is applying for work). That is how much time you need to devote to doing research, writing the cover letter, and tweaking the teaser portfolio to tailor your work to each firm."

Schools/School Blogs
Matthew Messner posted images from Jimenez Lai's Fourth Year Undergrad Studio at the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois Chicago, which included "An un-photographable 48' mural by Christina Stamatoukos" and "A series of mask houses". jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj said "These are bitching.  Can you post a bunch more of these Matt?".

Discussion Threads

monosierra plans to go to architecture school for an M.Arch in future and wonders if real estate experience prior to doing architecture would be helpful? archinet believes "I don't think having a real estate background will help in architecture school at all. But it can definitely help your career prospects." Meanwhile toasteroven is of the opinion that it is "definitely good to get some experience on the client side” but cautioned “be careful when choosing developers, though". trace™ concluded "Getting a MArch and a MBA/MSRED at one time would be ideal."

jk3hl wants to know if anyone heard arguments favoring non-iterative design processes
over the traditional process we're taught in studio? tammuz opined that "the object of design cannot be felt as merely a product of a linear process since the very subject- the designer- that compels it, is in a process of change" and citizen contended "'non-iterative design process'  =  THIS IS DUE TOMORROW."

Transparence asked What does green flooring really mean? Green34 offered up the following "reclaimed and certified wood flooring, bamboo, floor materials with recycled components". For his part Evan Chakroff posted an image of the green flooring in James Stirling’s Neue Staatsgalerie.

Finally, faits wants to discuss whether genius loci is important for any architectural space? sublimespaces argued "i guess if its an architectural space, yes. if its just a structure/ facility, no". Thecyclist however differed "I cannot think of a single circumstance where it is not important.  In fact, if you can successfully create a sense of place within your space, it might be considered successful."

Additionally

Over at Urban Omnibus urban planner and designer Douglas Woodward revisited the concept of privately owned public space (POPS) in Lower Manhattan, by calling specific attention to the Rules of Conduct signs whose increasingly enumerated prohibitions demonstrate the ongoing challenges of balancing competing interests in the private provision of public goods.