News

Orhan Ayyüce visited the semi private Central Park at Playa Vista by Michael Maltzan Architects.

In the latest Working out of the Box: we interview Logan Amont who at one point worked in Ahmedabad as an assistant to Balkrishna Doshi, but now works with a master gardener named Yoshinobu Aiba in Kyoto.
 

Googie pioneer Eldon Davis died at 94.

J. James R. summarizes a bunch of recent news item regarding the state of the housing market currently in House Calls: ups, downs and bankruptcies
 

Alexander Maymind said I have to admit that I like this better than the 5 real projects. Damn.

Nicolai Ouroussoff reviewed Neil Denari's HL23 and wrote, "It suggests a longing for a world — free, open, upwardly mobile — that began to break down more than 30 years ago.
 

fadetoblack commented "this is one of the dumbest projects of 2011, about as dumb as that airport in central park project".

Chris Howard visited the Metropol Parasol recently completed  by J Mayer H., in Seville. His experience led him to write, "The thing I found curious was the ramp, it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the design, it seems like an afterthought. It isn't nearly as elegant as the rest of the structure. Despite that, the unexpected way the light filters through the Parasol, casting diamonds of light on the ground, makes this a memorable place."

Schools/School Blogs
Maryland Institute College of Art launched an undergraduate concentration in Sustainability and Social Practice--the first of its kind among art colleges.

John Tubles at Cal Poly Pomona / Kyushu University, updates us on his thesis project pro- cess/gress, "I need to grow some balls and stop being timid and start making decisions. Which I am starting to right now…"

Anthony at Columbia University GSAPP relates that at his final review "Lebbeus Woods even said something positive about my project which is definitely a good thing".

Member/work updates

Pedro Ribeiro ~ shares an image of a project: EDP headquarter's in Lisbon.

Donna Sink ~ Adamantly anti-skeuomorph, and you should be too.

Discussion Threads
Heather Ring is asking other London Archinecters for help with creating an Urban Psychic Garden

tcbearth is looking for interesting articles/studies on how user behavior affects energy design?

J. James R  wants to talk about the effects of a zer-inventory business model on architectural production noting "in the world of zero inventory, wouldn't everything technically be custom-order? I'm wondering what the long-term effects will be on architecture. Perhaps one-of-a-kind systems will be cheaper and custom fabrication will become the practice de jure; I'd like to know if anyone has any first-hand experience with a zero-inventory company and what the outcomes and stipulations were."

In light of this weeks freak storms in Alabama and other southern states Tectonic,
asks "if 44 percent of all fatalities during tornadoes occur in mobile homes, compared to 25 percent in permanent houses...How can we build better?"

while on TC, toasteroven asks "how many of you actually fully understand the economics of the particular project type you usually work on? do you know where the money comes from?", and a number of Archinecter regualrs  respond.

ACrowley notes how Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has decided to spend $1 million in federal grants — money that had been avidly sought by residents of Skid Row — to instead help out San Francisco–based Gensler, a 2,800-employee giant that enjoyed $463 million in revenue last year, and wants to discuss although steals might be too strong a word....

prattarchy, asks Dagmar Richter is going to be the new chair at Pratt. Pluses and minuses?

Travelwade,  suggests visiting Frank Gehry's museum complex in Biloxi. On his most recent visit he "found it interesting for a couple of reasons--use of brick veneer, right on the coast, and the lookout from the tippy top". Also, curt clay, writes, "i was in gulfport for a funeral over the new year and walked every inch of this magnificent complex... looking forward to seeing the completed work, but what is built now is a very compelling building".

Additionally
The Wall Street Journal has an article entitled The Greatest Buildings Never Built. Via ArchNewsNow