News

Reports surfaced via an interview in the Sunday Times that Sir Norman Foster has been engaged to plan for a conversion of the famed Scuola di ballo, Escuela Nacional de Arte in Cuba. HandsumCa$hMoneyYo commented "Norman Foster seems like a really odd fit for this project.  He's a wealthy corporatist architect from northern Europe...taking on an abandoned arts academy in a communist state in the tropics, hmm. What could possibly go wrong, yo?"

Gov. Brown granted fast-track status to Apple headquarters because "Apple's state-of-the art campus brings at least $100 million dollars in investment to California and generates no additional greenhouse gas emissions". holz.box corrected "tax breaks and fast tracked status! also, brown's dead wrong on this: 'generates no additional greenhouse gas emissions' - only if the project is off-grid. grid-tied net zero ain't 'emissions free’.” and Apurimac added "Suburban superblocks are just as boring as urban ones."

SCI-Arc student Brian Henry (not to be confused withArchinect blogger Brian Henry) jumped to his death last week. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and schoolmates. accesskb questioned "who's next? i'm surprised I don't hear about more architecture students jumping off bridges or buildings given the stress we go through in studios."

Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s The Shard in London, Europe's tallest building, is officially open. since quipped "I think I shard my pants"...

The California State Senate has officially approved  billions of dollars in construction financing for the initial segment of what will be the nation’s first dedicated high-speed rail line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, the first segment of the line will run from Madera to Bakersfield. FRaC labeled it a "brown-doggle" but Orhan Ayyüce countered "This is too major to call ‘brown-doggle’ and move on. It is real, it will be built. FRaC, I believe you must have more to say about it... I am not partisan about this...The idea already survived few administrations both (R) and (D). I am sure you and I can come up better ways to spend 65 billion dollars in a state who is cutting back on education and other social concerns like there is no tomorrow. We are talking about a major infrastructure that is being widely planned and adopted in most industrialized countries...and creating brand new possibilities along the way."

Work/Firms/Blogs

Brian Henry, author of the blog “Finding my first job” let us know "So there you have it folks; 1 year, 1 month and 22 days ago I graduated with my M.Arch and today I accepted my first full-time job in architecture" Just because he has found a job though doesn’t mean the blog is finished. He informed us "I'm not quite ready to end this blog and archive it as there are still some aspects of my job search that I'd like to blog about. Think of it like a post-occupancy evaluation but instead it's a post-employment evaluation." Gregory Walker offered "congrats brian - it feels good to have that first one in hand, no? good luck with it..."

Kyle Mastalinski, currently pursuing a dual Masters in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo recently worked on "Elevator B at Hive CIty".

0 to 1, designed an Artist Retreat fin Fiskars, Finland. Also, check out Metro Station 20, Bulgaria by NC-office. The project is a competition entry for a metro station in Sofia, BG and seeks to promote, "transit oriented development which in nature differs from 'the tower in the park' typology."

Schools/School Blogs

The blog for the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo! provided an update on Survivalist Architecture: Dwelling on Waste the M. Arch Thesis of Matthieu Bain + Andrew Perkins. toasteroven worried "I am a little concerned that your local building/health inspection department will shut you guys down - but if that does happen, another opportunity to explore consumerism's reach into regulation. interesting project!" and aaperkins88 (one of two thesis authors) acknowledged "Good point, and a big fear of our own...Despite breaking some health and building codes, we are improving on the property...we can start to encourage a more flexible kind of relationship between code-bearing officials and home owners which fosters healthier outcomes for both sides and the city as a whole."

A.D.Morley & J.A.Wong ., two current graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, traveling through Europe continued their hopscotch south through Eastern Europe. The duo visited Warsaw (which some have labled as one of Europe's most architecturally ugly cities) and Krakow. They also visited the Salt Mines of Wieliczka and Auschwitzin Oświęcim and also managed a last minute trip to Serbia, specifically, Beograd.

AAbelS at Columbia Universityposted his first entry about a trip to China with the Studio-X ChinaLab Workshop. This is his first time in China and he observes "A block is really big, I mean really really big."

Discussion

modelsareme is in "love with physical models" and wanted to know if model making is still relevant? Rand Holmes answered "Some firms make models in house, especially as a method of design process. It is a little more rare to find finished quality models these days done by firms, especially in house. ..And you do not have to be a registered architect to do this type of work, there is no liability or concerns of safety when it comes to a physical model."

tectarki asked is der any building structure inspired from origami? FRaC replied "indeed der is! ronchamp"

Finally, batman needs to build a study model and having the PRECISE measurement of the tree radius is important. He hoped that somebody can give him some serious tips? Peter Normand asked for clarification "Why are you placing the designed object so close to the tree? Is it to model it supper accurately or are you worried about gaps and you want to cut the materials precisely up to the trunk?", but most commentators suggested using, hugs, string, calipers or t-squares. Yet, Barry Lehrman  replied "Measuring trees diameters is a little more complicated than making giant calipers from t-squares or applying simple geometry since most trees aren't really round...Tree Diameters are measured at 'Breast Height' aka DBH aka 4.5' (1.37m) off the ground when there is just one trunk...Typically a special tape measure is used, or a set of calibrated calipers out in the field."

Additionally
SOMArts Cultural Center and SF Camerawork is presenting a unique opportunity to get to know the hidden history of South of Market. In conjunction with local muralist Susan Greene's "Bending over Backward" installation (appearing in the exhibition Performing Community, July 6–28 at SOMArts Cultural Center), Chris Carlsson of Shaping San Francisco will lead a free walking tour to help you discover lost layers of history. On Saturday July 21, 1-3pm: the tour “Dunes, Trains, and Beer: The Buried History of SOMA,” will connect the sentiments depicted in Greene’s mural with the survival skills utilized by SOMA residents past and present. Must be there by 1pm when walking tour with Susan Greene & Shaping San Francisco begins at SOMArts.  RSVP: somawalk.eventbrite.com