There is a growing movement afoot in design. It has assumed many names over the years, all of which emphasize the public good and the engagement of too-often marginalized voices. Of late, we've seen life-saving products, more dignifying environments, and more efficient systems, all designed for the betterment of all. — PublicInterestDesign.org
The University of Minnesota College of Design, Tandus Flooring, and PublicInterestDesign.org introduced Public Interest Design 100. The list is, a comprehensive look at 100 individuals and teams working at the intersection of design and service. While there are many designers... View full entry
"He was the most original architect of our times, in (Ceske) Budejovice, in the southern Czech region, even in the entire (Czech) Republic." Martin Krupauer
"V současnosti to je nejoriginálnější architekt, který v Budějovicích, jižních Čechách i v celé republice byl,"
— Lidove Noviny
Jiri Stritecky passed away at the young age of 58, in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, of cancer. He was a partner, with Martin Krupauer, of the creative Czech architecture firm Atelier 8000. His ideas and approach to design were inspired by nature, and by his wonder and love of life... View full entry
I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Oscar Niemeyer. He was an inspiration to me – and to a generation of architects. Few people get to meet their heroes and I am grateful to have had the chance to spend time with him in Rio last year. — fosterandpartners.com
For architects schooled in the mainstream Modern Movement, he stood accepted wisdom on its head. Inverting the familiar dictum that ‘form follows function’, Niemeyer demonstrated instead that, ‘When a form creates beauty it becomes functional and therefore fundamental in... View full entry
"I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved... View full entry
Some of you may have noticed recently that we quietly released an update to the Archinect iPhone app. The new app has resolved a couple bugs* causing the app to crash for some users, introduces some subtle navigation improvements, and is optimized for the new larger screen on the iPhone... View full entry
The €150m satellite of Paris's Louvre museum shimmers like an apparition on the raised plane of the former coalmine, looking down over streets of pitch-roofed miners' houses, dotted with the occasional chip shop. The building is formed from a series of long, low-slung walls that fade in and out of view as the changing light dances over its surface – or as clouds of drizzle engulf it entirely in the wintry gloom. — guardian.co.uk
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), former Secretary of State (2001 – 2005), joins Cameron Sinclair, co-founder and chief eternal optimist of Architects For Humanity, and Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS, as keynote speakers for the 2013 AIA National Convention. The nation’s architects and design industry meet June 20-22, 2013 in Denver. — aia.org
The AIA Convention is architecture’s largest annual gathering to keep current with innovative design solutions and the latest products and services that architects specify for the clients and communities they serve. The 2013 “Building Leaders” theme will give architects and design... View full entry
b3tadine[sutures] concurred "i love it. that work of this complexity and beauty is being built in Dallas, let alone the US, is testament to Mayne and Morphosis being one of the premiere firms in the world”. However, some like accesskb argued "beautiful forms and spaces... ugly and cold choice of materials and colours".
News The post announcing the opening of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, designed by Morphosis Architects and which opened this past Saturday in Dallas, featured some great photos by the photographer Iwan Baan. Cosmos commented "Everything about this building is great. Function... View full entry
LAVA is creating the new interior spaces for an old cabaret theatre dating from the 1920s. The abandoned cabaret theatre has been recently uncovered in the heart of Berlin. Built in 1905, the three level musical hall and restaurant has been buried in 30 tonnes of rubble since 1934 when it closed... View full entry
United States Artists yesterday celebrated the 54 USA Fellows for 2012 at a gala at The Getty Center in Los Angeles. Fellowship grants of $50,000 each were awarded to outstanding talent in the disciplines Architecture & Design, Crafts & Traditional Arts, Dance, Literature, Media, Music, Theater Arts, and Visual Arts. — bustler.net
The six fellows for 2012 in the Architecture & Design category are Jesse Reiser & Nanako Umemoto of New York firm Reiser + Umemoto, RUR Architecture; Marcelo Spina & Georgina Huljich of LA-based practice P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S; Stephen Luoni, Director of the University of Arkansas Community... View full entry
The Rotterdam-based Bureau of Architecture, Research, and Design (BOARD) won the Second Prize with its entry entitled “Het hergebruikte appartement” (“The Recycled Apartment”) in the open competition for “Sustainable Krajicek Playgrounds”. — http://b-o-a-r-d.nl
We took the wish of the competition’s organizers, the Richard Krajicek Foundation (RKF) – to involve the surrounding buildings as closely as possible in the design of the playground - literally and picked a typical apartment from a building in the neighborhood, enlarged it five times... View full entry
Modern retailers go to extremes to make their mark and compete within an increasingly competitive market. This often goes beyond out the box design ideals such as virtual retail or smartphone-based shopping processes. — DesignBuild Source
While becoming the tallest in architectural terms will always garner attention, taller building often harbour some of the lengthiest development periods.
With a rise in the prominence of prefabrication, however, large is no longer necessarily equated with lengthy.
— DesignBuild Source
Related: Sky City: World’s tallest building, to be built in 90 days View full entry
Lennar started marketing its new designs last fall with particular gusto: “Next Gen — The Home Within a Home” is a title and tag line intended to wrap the notion of multigenerational living in a futuristic gloss. But it is more than just marketing; the blueprints themselves are changing. — NYT
Penelope Green examines the rise of homes designed for a multi-generational family. The new trend is driven by a number of factors including; the recession, traditional ethnic family structures, an aging population of baby-boomers. View full entry
A German architect charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of a veteran firefighter last year will next appear in court Dec. 12, authorities say.
A judge ruled Wednesday that Gerhard Becker will face trial in the case. Prosecutors allege he negligently installed outdoor fireplaces at his Hollywood Hills home, a decision they say ultimately led to the death of firefighter Glenn Allen.
— latimesblogs.latimes.com
Previously:Architect charged for the death of a firefighterAIA|LA Statement on Tragic Death of LA Firefighter View full entry
