Art + Architecture + Design
Architecture
The Bill Nye Interview at TreeHugger
Aug 11th
When we lived in Hollywood, I used to see the willowy Science Guy walking the Topanga Canyon trail with friends and dog in tow, so I feel a particular affinity, however unfounded, for Bill (we’re that close) one of my childhood heroes.
If you feel the same, be sure to hit the interview over at TH.
From the interview:
TH: And maybe you can give us one great eco-experiment or
investigation that you can suggest our readers try at home to better
understand environmental issues?BN: You know, I did some research into what were the most heavily
traded commodities in the world. The first, of course, is oil… But the
second is coffee, which surprised me. It’s not something you need, like
wheat or rice, but something you can choose to buy… So I’d ask you to
keep a running record of how much you spend on coffee and bottled water
for a week or even a month, and compare them. It’s amazing what you’ll
find… And if you can convince people to change some really basic habits
you can really change the world… Just think of the enormous impact
coffee consumption has on the planet.
read the rest after the jump…
Tom Kundig’s ‘Delta Shelter’
Aug 6th
Tom Kundig has always been one of my favorite local architects. I mean, what’s not to love; a melange of rural sensibilities, Modern aspirations and Postmodern mash-ups. And while I’ve never really understood the argument placing his practice within the Modern movement, C. Mudede makes an interesting case for it in this brief article from The Stranger. Hopefully we will get a fully fleshed-out argument in the future…
From The Stranger:
"The other modernism, the sort Kundig represents, retains the
minimalism of zero-degree architecture, but it does not banish the
processes of aging and physical change. In Kundig’s work, materials are
not only exposed to time but time itself becomes a material. It is for
this reason that his homes already have in them the majesty of their
movement through time. "Buildings outlive people, you have to design
with this in mind," Kundig points out. Buildings, like people, are
not permanent; they have life spans, they are born, grow old, decline,
and crumble."
To my thinking, Mudede doesn’t make a convincing case, but I’m up for more. Regardless, it’s always great to see Kundig’s work getting the attention it deserves. He’s a Northwest treasure.
Read the rest after the jump…
Philippe Stark’s Rooftop Windmill is Beautiful, of course
Aug 5th
Yes, he’s a pain in the a**, but at least he’s starting to walk the ‘green’ talk. Have a look at this rooftop wind turbine for residential use. If he can pull it off, even half of it, it will be his best work to-date:
From IHT:
"Take Starck’s claim to have "invented a concept called Democratic
Design," which, he says, gives everyone high quality products at
affordable prices. Sounds great, but didn’t the modern movement try to
do that for most of the 20th century? And how can he claim to have "won
the battle" by designing "a chair that sells for less than €100," or
$157, when that’s still too expensive for most people? Let alone the 90
percent of the world’s population who are too poor to afford the
basics? What has Democratic Design done for them? "Oh please, I’m not
God," pleads Starck. "I’m just a designer, and I’m doing my best.""
read the rest after the jump…
Billy May’s Torn Lighting Concept
Jul 16th
Some great work here by Billy May. Taking LEDs he installs them underneath sculptural assets fixed to the wall board and designed to look as though the wall board is peeling, waving or similarly unexpected feats. I particularly like it when he uses the corners as ‘seams’. It gives the effect that the walls are made of fabric, making the space feel much lighter and open even though not a single inch has been added to the space.
Nice work
Dream Holiday: Bucky Fuller, Chris Burden and David Byrne
Jun 14th
If I were not going to be floating in my father’s Arizona pool week after next, here is a list of the things I would be seeing on my [imaginary] trip to NYC. [not that I in any way take for granted my father's generosity...]
Erector Set Skyscraper at Rockefeller Center Is Adult Fantasy: …a sweet, old-fashioned tribute to boyhood optimism…Chris Burden’s "What My Dad Gave Me"… [images]- Bloomberg News
Dymaxion Man: The visions of Buckminster Fuller: By staging the retrospective, the Whitney raises—or, really, one should say, re-raises—the question of Fuller’s relevance. Was he an important cultural figure because he produced inventions of practical value or because he didn’t?- New Yorker
and of course…
[David] Byrne’s new installation produced by Creative Time, “Playing The Building,” is located downtown in the Battery Maritime Building, which was built in 1909, closed in 1938 and hasn’t been open to the public for 50 years.
Sugar Cube City: Floating New Orleans by Kim & Stayner
Jun 3rd
It’s pouring rain here today which lends poignancy to this project by Kiduck Kim and Christian Stayner of Harvard’s GSD. Utopian in the best sense of the word, the project serves to highlight the reasons it could not work, rather than the reasons it could; class, capitol, private property, and common sense.
What a wonderful world it would be if we could rise above these limitations and enter a new era of urban development, a world of sweet sugar cubes floating without malice in a sea of good will. Kudos to Kim and Stayner for imagining such a future.
From Inhabitat:
It’s been almost three years since New Orleans weathered Katrina’s
wrath, and debate still rages over plans to reconstruct the sunken
city. Myriad options have surfaced ranging from rebuilding the levees to designing storm resistant structures to not rebuilding at all. Here’s an approach that endeavors to ride the river rather than stem it’s course. Harvard Graduate School of Design students Kiduck Kim and Christian Stayner have conceived of a Floating City that will “rise safely in an Archimedean liquid landscape.”
Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight
May 30th
Is Dr. Taylor with us? More than most… http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229
Natural Retreats, UK: Stylish Eco-tourism
May 2nd
I will be staying here next time I visit Little England…
"Combining the highest levels of luxury and sustainable development with beautiful locations, Natural Retreats
offer a chance to explore beautiful national parks, bask in luxury, and
feel confident that your holiday has a low environmental impact. Built
with sustainability in mind, these eco-getaways can be found within
four of the UK national parks, with plans to acquire sites in, or
alongside, ten more. At current, green-minded travelers can escape to Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia, Lake District, and North York Moors – all beautiful landscapes and perfect settings for an eco-friendly nature retreat."
H1 by Brio54, Knock-out Sustainable Residential Design
Feb 19th
I fell in love with the creative simplicity of the design of the new H1 residence by Brio54, a new Arch. firm made up of partners Gernot Bruckner and Philip Macari. These are still in design development with construction slated to begin later in the spring. Be sure to check out their site for detailed descriptions of all the mechanicals and such:
from the always fabulous Inhabitat: "As soon as we saw them, we instantly fell in love with Brio54’s new set of prefab residential prototypes. A young, design-driven development firm, Brio54’s
mission is to provide sustainable, affordable design while delivering
high quality construction. Home buyers of all types will delight in Brio54’s
wide variety of offerings – whether you live in a suburban area, are
looking to refurbish or rehab, or have an empty urban infill lot.
Brio54’s first prefab prototype, the H1, (pictured above) is currently
in the final stage of planning, and construction is slated to begin
production in the spring of 2008.
Editta Sherman, photographer, in her apt. for 58 yrs!
Jan 2nd
Jill over at New York Mag sent me this this morning. A great article 'romancing the city'…
"The high-ceilinged, light-filled studios on top of
Carnegie Hall have housed artists, musicians, and writers for more than
a century; now, the remaining tenants are fighting to stay."
read the rest here
[UPDATE: CNN reports that Ms. Sherman is holding firm! Way to go Editta!]
"They can pay me $10 million. I'm part of history," she said. "You want
to tell me they don't have enough rooms? They have a building of rooms.
This place is history, and I think Carnegie, the people running it, I
don't think they think about that."
Read the rest here
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