Q. You’re an established industrial designer. Why the focus now on building design?
A. I’ve always taken a great interest in real estate; in fact, if I had more capital, I’d probably be developing a lot more projects myself. There’s also money to be made in real estate — much more than one can as a designer. [...]
Q. But you’re not a licensed architect.
A. I am doing 11 buildings in the world, but I don’t have a stamp as an architect and I wasn’t educated as an architect.
— nytimes.com
For the World Health Organization Geneva Headquarters competition team jvantspijker proposed a transformation of the existing building from a Slab to T-typology and to renew the connection to the landscape. The vertical concentration of functions reinforces the centrality of the complex. The two... View full entry
The provisional conclusions of the study are that the brain behaves differently when exposed to contemplative and non-contemplative buildings, contemplative states elicited through “architectural aesthetics” are similar to the contemplation of traditional meditation in some ways, and different in other ways, and, finally, that “architectural design matters.” — theatlantic.com
Related: AfterShock #4: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neuroscientific Architecture Research View full entry
The first blows to bring down the Berlin Wall were struck nearly 25 years ago to the day. This was after almost three decades of the concrete barricade cutting through the heart of Berlin and splitting the city in two. Today, Berlin is once again divided, this time by an 11-foot-tall wall of illuminated balloons.
The Lichtgrenze (translation: “border of light”) will stretch for 10 miles along the same path as the original 96-mile structure.
— wired.com
In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect... View full entry
[...] a gallery dedicated to design and architecture will soon also be added the Centre.
Like the “Galerie de Photographies," which is housed in former technical facilities, the future design gallery will be located within the existing Piano + Rogers-designed building. “Eventually, there should be almost no offices in the building, and we'll keep only the technical facilities that are strictly indispensable," said Seban.
— news.artnet.com
One of my heroes for this kind of thinking is Denise Scott-Brown. Her application of historical, ethnographic and sociological thinking to urban design and architecture is still incredibly radical, but has been completely overwhelmed by Venturi’s obsession with signs and language. — Failed Architecture
"Automated design processes, critique on the profession’s culture, DIY-design and wider trends put pressure on the social and public relevance of the architect. On the other hand, architects are crossing boundaries, taking up new roles and experimenting with other approaches, while other... View full entry
“He didn’t like people coming into the studio and seeing the paintings before they were finished,” he said. “This is one of the most ambitious artworks ever envisioned, certainly in the United States.”
Heizer's mammoth masterpiece in the desert is called "City."
“It was in 1994 when I first saw it, unfinished,” Govan said. “You do cry. You think, what an incredibly beautiful ambition.”
— ksl.com
Last year the Graham Foundation awarded Jimenez Lai with a grant for a proposal "Manifestos, Summits, and Gangs", a collective publication of "monographic manifestos featuring a small cluster of young and relatively unestablished yet daring architects". There seems to be a new class of... View full entry
MUJI HOUSE, the architectural entity of Japanese design brand Muji, recently released their latest prefab house in Tokyo called the Vertical House. The slender 3-story structure was primarily designed for urban dwellers living within Tokyo's tight living spaces.Designed with simple white walls and... View full entry
Tonight, Preston Scott Cohen is being honored at the National Academy in New York.
Each year, a select group of prominent artists and architects is elected into the National Academy. Election as an Academician recognizes exceptional creative work and contribution to the arts. These artists and architects represent some of the most distinguished practitioners in their respective fields.
— Harvard Graduate School
Preston Scott Cohen, principal of Preston Scott Cohen, Inc., was awarded the notable distinction of academician of the National Academy in New York. Cohen is also the the Gerald M. McCue Professor of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design.Cohen's work is known for his use of geometric... View full entry
...there's an awful lot that U.S. cities should learn as soon as possible about the way the French design their transit networks. Whereas American light rail systems have had modest success and modern streetcar lines have questionable transit value, France operates 57 tram lines in 33 cities that together carry some 3 million passengers a day and create a fantastic balance of mobility options for urban and suburban residents alike—all built in the last 30 years. — CityLab
Acadia 2014 was presented this year at the USC School of Architecture in Los Angles from October 23-25. The term "Design Agency" was the cornerstone term of discourse through out the conference. It would be considered from different angles, including but not limited to: materiality, fabrication... View full entry
Purrington says he removed the Founding Fathers from his design as this was a practice Congress had wanted to abolish following the American revolution. He wanted to focus instead on the attributes shared by workers in a community, and "how these attributes contribute to the principles we end up seeing as valuable." — The Verge
Travis Purrington View full entry
Day one at Acadia 2014 found us in the 2D world. Day Two in reality. Day Three was to be somewhere in-between those. It found us dealing with Temporal and Data Agency. Temporal dealing with time and Data with evaluation. A mixing of the two worlds was at play. We weren’t here nor there... View full entry
