We featured the Slipstream Pavilion located at Pennsylvania State University, designed by PSU DigiFAB. The pavillion is an exploration of spatial turbulence and is inspired by the drawings of Lebbeus Woods and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Member esfk offers the following critique of the project "turbulence and slipstream describe fluid processes; or at the very least dynamic, shifting relations. this project completely sidesteps these aspirations, instead settling for surface applique...this is absolutely valid as a parametric exercise -- but the veneer of sexy words and concepts is pathetic, irritating, and decays in the turbulent slipstream of pseudo-academic diarrhea."

News

Inhabitat was on the scene to bring us exclusive photos of the new High Line Park extension, Section 2. However the article caused one of Archinect's resident landscape architects, barry lehrman to note "I'm getting tired of all the folks (cough.. architects... cough) who only credit DS+R for the Highline  - DS+R maybe, just maybe deserved 20% of the credit for the design, with Field Operations  responsible for at least 80% of what you see..."

dan sturges believes that due to transportation (ie: grid-lock) and climate change concerns the new proposed Apple head-quarters would be much improved if it included on-site housing. As he explains "It would be challenging to re-vision this new Apple campus to incorporate dwellings, but if anyone could do it, it would be Norman Foster."

To the news that the New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff is “moving on” at the end of this month, the well named nonneutral responded "Maybe for their next critic they'll hire someone who has a backbone again? One can only hope..."

Richard Gage, AIA, architect for more than 23 years, uses only scientific and forensic principles to argue that the the three World Trade Center skyscrapers could not have collapsed on September 11th 2001, by plane impacts and jet fuel alone. Yet, trendzetter argues that "Its sad that 1500 engineers and Architects dont understand the construction methods used to build these towers.  They fell exactly the way a hollow tube would fall with internal lightweight floors collapsing on each other.  This structure was incredibly strong and flexible in the lateral direction, but weak in the vertical.  An accelerated mass allowed to fall 12 feet creates immense force and simply overwhelmed the dinky little clip angles that seated the light weight trusses.  These idiots are probably AIA members too.  They can tell all about contract law but fail at their professional body of knowledge.  Shame on them and the editors for even giving them exposure."

Events
Join Nicholas de Monchaux at Studio-X New York on Tuesday, June 14 at 7pm for a discussion of his new book, Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo, hosted by C-Lab, with a reception to follow.

Firm updates
Serrano Monjaraz Arquitectos, shared images of their Pabellón Cultural de la República a "cultural unit formed by five buildings communicated by circulations that the visitors can use to go from one building to the other or just for an outdoors walk."

Corde architetti showed off Euroom a project of theirs in Fiume Veneto. It is a room leaning against a villa of the beginning of the 20th century,  which will host exhibitions of photography and painting.

PICNIC by spmb_BLDG is an intervention proposed for and built in Olympic Plaza, Calgary, AB Canada. PICNIC is a design strategy for a garden that engages the visitors in multiple forms, beyond simple sitting and contemplation and was completed in connection with the 100th Anniversary of the City of Calgary Parks.
 

Discussion Threads
tagalong asks What's the status of SpaceInvading? Replies, Paul Petrunia "It's on hiatus while we continue devoting all our energy into the new Archinect."

newman is looking for help, he is "on the hunt for a art / fashion piece done by what I remember to be a Japanese designer. It was on the blogs all over the place a few years ago, and I cannot find it. He created article of "clothing" with imbedded magnify glasses to augment the perception of the wearer."

marmkid wants to hear from people with experience developing or implementing office sustainable policies. thedisgruntledarchitect offers that based on his recent experience "Its mostly a front end intensity.  It required a lot of policy writing for the office, changes in product purchasing and equipment usage and letters to clients and consultants letting them know about the changes and what will be different about our offices after the certification...Its basically LEED for office operations."

Finally, Gregory Walker highlights an example of how not to take credit for design authorship. burningman opines though "I don't see the big deal here. It appears he was a project architect on these towers." While Donna Sink writes "Also, I'm glad that the complexities of the word "design" are being examined.  I can't really correctly state that "I designed this building" when it required a team of engineers, contractors, and client input to make it happen.  I'm more comfortable saying I was part of a team - even director of a team -"