File this thing under "money does not buy taste": Millionaire architect Vasily Klyukin's proposal for a 4-tower hospital and spa to be built in Tunisia Economic City.
(via The Verge)
(via The Verge)
Thursday, 25 September 2014
Today's archidose #784
Here are some photos of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (1977) in Tehran, Iran, by Kamran Diba, photographed by Hassan Bagheri.
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To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
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Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Rome Prize 2015
It's autumn, which means it's time to apply for a Rome Prize at the American Academy.
Deadline is November 1.
Deadline is November 1.
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Book Review: Two Books about Writing
The Architect's Guide to Writing: For Design and Construction Professionals by Bill Schmalz, illustrations by Bob Gill
Images Publishing, 2014
Paperback, 160 pages
Writing Architecture: A Practical Guide to Clear Communication about the Built Environment by Carter Wiseman
Trinity University Press, 2014
Paperback, 230 pages
I am an architect first and a writer second. Educated as an architect and urban planner, I find myself devoting most of my time to writing, be it for this blog, online publications or printed matter. While my situation is different than most architects who run or practice in firms, I share an educational background where studio comes first and writing comes much later – certainly not second but maybe fourth or fifth. This condition makes sense, given the need to express ourselves through drawings and models, the need to understand structures and materials, and a general reliance of the visual over the written word in explaining ideas to others. This condition also means that the writing of architects who came out of the system could be much improved. I like to think my writing has improved over the years, considering I do a lot of it every day, but for practicing architects it's helpful to have aids when it comes to the task of writing. These two books, although they sound similar, are very different from each other; in concert they offer broad and detailed advice for the many architects in need of help in expressing themselves through writing.
The broad strokes come from Carter Wiseman in his book Writing Architecture. Wiseman, a former architecture critic for New York Magazine, teaches classes at Yale, one of them on architectural writing. Much of that class lays the foundation for this book, and occasionally the author uses examples culled from the class. If writing is directed at addressing certain questions (who, what, when, where, how, why), Wiseman's book deals with the what, the how, and the why. What is defined in the chapters that take different types of writing as their subject: criticism, scholarship, literature, presentation, professional communication. How comes in the form of positive examples that Wiseman quotes and discusses within the chapters; most often these are architects and writers, but sometimes they come from his students, and sometimes the examples are how not to write. Why is basically the whole book, which argues that clear communication is integral for successful architecture, since words have an important part in expressing ideas, and because any architect will admit they write much more than they ever would have anticipated.
With Wiseman broadly addressing who, how, and why, Bill Schmalz, a principal at Perkins + Will's L.A. office, hones in on the how, but not in the same way that Wiseman does. In The Architect's Guide Writing, Schmalz examines vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, style, spelling, and other highly detailed ways of writing the English language. Given the many pages devoted to clearing up errors that shouldn't happen with educated people (its versus it's, for example), it's clear that the author believes architects are poor writers, or perhaps good writers struggling through bad habits. Therefore the book functions like a crash course in getting reacquainted with written English in order to write more clearly, free of jargon, and primarily free of errors (it's hard to be completely free of them). More seasoned architect/writers, myself included, may find the advice to be basic, but I was amazed at how many questionable things appear in my own writing (such as "in order to" in the previous sentence, which could just as effectively be shortened to "to").
So even though two books on writing for architects were released within weeks of each other, their different approaches to the topic mean they do not step on each other's toes, and they actually work together quite well. Traits that both share include the goal of better writing for architects and conveying that goal through clear writing; their books are their best examples, in other words. Wiseman's book relies on other voices to a large degree, reminiscent of Alexandra Lange's Writing About Architecture, and this helps to infuse the book with variety and some references to actual architecture. Schmalz, on the other hand, uses humor (in his writing, but also in Bob Gill's illustrations) as a way to make what are at times remedial lessons go down easier and become memorable. Another commendable trait they share is that they are both quick reads, and for architects out there who would rather spend their time on anything but reading and writing, that should make their lessons go down that much easier.
Images Publishing, 2014
Paperback, 160 pages
Writing Architecture: A Practical Guide to Clear Communication about the Built Environment by Carter Wiseman
Trinity University Press, 2014
Paperback, 230 pages
I am an architect first and a writer second. Educated as an architect and urban planner, I find myself devoting most of my time to writing, be it for this blog, online publications or printed matter. While my situation is different than most architects who run or practice in firms, I share an educational background where studio comes first and writing comes much later – certainly not second but maybe fourth or fifth. This condition makes sense, given the need to express ourselves through drawings and models, the need to understand structures and materials, and a general reliance of the visual over the written word in explaining ideas to others. This condition also means that the writing of architects who came out of the system could be much improved. I like to think my writing has improved over the years, considering I do a lot of it every day, but for practicing architects it's helpful to have aids when it comes to the task of writing. These two books, although they sound similar, are very different from each other; in concert they offer broad and detailed advice for the many architects in need of help in expressing themselves through writing.
The broad strokes come from Carter Wiseman in his book Writing Architecture. Wiseman, a former architecture critic for New York Magazine, teaches classes at Yale, one of them on architectural writing. Much of that class lays the foundation for this book, and occasionally the author uses examples culled from the class. If writing is directed at addressing certain questions (who, what, when, where, how, why), Wiseman's book deals with the what, the how, and the why. What is defined in the chapters that take different types of writing as their subject: criticism, scholarship, literature, presentation, professional communication. How comes in the form of positive examples that Wiseman quotes and discusses within the chapters; most often these are architects and writers, but sometimes they come from his students, and sometimes the examples are how not to write. Why is basically the whole book, which argues that clear communication is integral for successful architecture, since words have an important part in expressing ideas, and because any architect will admit they write much more than they ever would have anticipated.
With Wiseman broadly addressing who, how, and why, Bill Schmalz, a principal at Perkins + Will's L.A. office, hones in on the how, but not in the same way that Wiseman does. In The Architect's Guide Writing, Schmalz examines vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, style, spelling, and other highly detailed ways of writing the English language. Given the many pages devoted to clearing up errors that shouldn't happen with educated people (its versus it's, for example), it's clear that the author believes architects are poor writers, or perhaps good writers struggling through bad habits. Therefore the book functions like a crash course in getting reacquainted with written English in order to write more clearly, free of jargon, and primarily free of errors (it's hard to be completely free of them). More seasoned architect/writers, myself included, may find the advice to be basic, but I was amazed at how many questionable things appear in my own writing (such as "in order to" in the previous sentence, which could just as effectively be shortened to "to").
So even though two books on writing for architects were released within weeks of each other, their different approaches to the topic mean they do not step on each other's toes, and they actually work together quite well. Traits that both share include the goal of better writing for architects and conveying that goal through clear writing; their books are their best examples, in other words. Wiseman's book relies on other voices to a large degree, reminiscent of Alexandra Lange's Writing About Architecture, and this helps to infuse the book with variety and some references to actual architecture. Schmalz, on the other hand, uses humor (in his writing, but also in Bob Gill's illustrations) as a way to make what are at times remedial lessons go down easier and become memorable. Another commendable trait they share is that they are both quick reads, and for architects out there who would rather spend their time on anything but reading and writing, that should make their lessons go down that much easier.
Monday, 22 September 2014
Walking the High Line
The third and last phase of the High Line opened to the public yesterday, so today I walked the full length of it, from 34th Street on the north to Gansevoort Street on the south. On my visit I decided to try out a timelapse app on my smartphone, and while the results are very amateurish (particularly the 5-degree tilt from horizontal that predominates, not to mention the occasional blurry shots and a close-up of my fingers at one point) the 2:46 clip does give a good idea of the changing character of the park and its context.
Want a soundtrack for the walk? I'd recommend a 3-minute chunk of Yo La Tengo's Autumn Sweater, as remixed by Kevin Shields. The song is embedded below and set to play the recommended part. Just press play on the song right after you press play on the timelapse and enjoy.
Any other songs or pieces of music ideal for a walking the High Line? Please comment with suggestions.
Want a soundtrack for the walk? I'd recommend a 3-minute chunk of Yo La Tengo's Autumn Sweater, as remixed by Kevin Shields. The song is embedded below and set to play the recommended part. Just press play on the song right after you press play on the timelapse and enjoy.
Any other songs or pieces of music ideal for a walking the High Line? Please comment with suggestions.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Today's archidose #783
Here are some photos of the Juvet Landscape Hotel (2009, with 2013 addition) in Norddal, Norway, by Jensen & Skodvin, photographed by Flemming Ibsen.
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:
:: Join and add photos to the archidose poolTo contribute your Instagram images for consideration, just:
:: Tag your photos #archidose
Friday, 19 September 2014
Archtober (ärk’tōbər)
Archtober – AIANY's moniker for Architecture and Design Month in October – is nearly upon us. To help in determining where to go and what to see, I've waded through 31 days of lectures/conferences, exhibitions, special events, and buildings of the day to offer my top three recommendations in each area. Even between the printed schedule, below, and the online schedule, there were considerable changes, so it's recommended the you check the Archtober calendar and/or the respective websites for confirmed day/times, and in some cases to register or buy tickets. Happy Archtober!
[Archtober calendar | Photo by John Hill]
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dwell on Design
Archtober 9-11
82 Mercer Street
One of the highlights of Dwell magazine's first East Coast show are the 20 installations created by local designers paired up with manufacturers.
OHNY Weekend
Archtober 11 and 12
Various locations throughout NYC
The full list of sites will be released on September 30, with reservations for certain sites and tours available at ohny.eventbrite.com starting at 11am on October 1.
Architecture and Design Film Festival
Archtober 15-19
Tribeca Cinemas
Highlights in ADFF's sixth season include Wim Wenders's Cathedral of Culture series (3d documentary films by Wenders and other directors) and the world premier of Gray Matters (pictured), a film about Eileen Gray.
EXHIBITIONS
Sagrada Família - Gaudí's Unfinished Masterpiece: Geometry, Construction and Site
Throughout Archtober
Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York
City College will also be hosting seven lectures throughout Archtober and November on Gaudí's masterpiece; see the school's website for dates and more information.
New York New Design
Opening Archtober 9
West 4th Street Subway Station
What better place to see the recent work of AIANY architects than in a crowded subway concourse?
Weltstadt – Who Creates the City?
Archtober 1-19
Goethe-Institut Wyoming Building
"The Weltstadt exhibition explores urban participation and the future of cities in light of challenges such as climate change, migration, and social polarization and presents recent initiatives from Bangalore, Belgrade, Curitiba, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lisbon, Madrid, New York, Porto Alegre, Riga, Salvador, São Paulo, Seoul, Toulouse, Turin, and Ulan Bator."
LECTURES/CONFERENCES
Guggenheim Helsinki Competition: Designing a Museum of the Future
Wednesday, Archtober 15 at 6pm
(Location details and link with further information on the panel discussion are still to come.)
Michael Kimmelman and Annabelle Selldorf in Conversation
Thursday, Archtober 16 at 6:30 PM
Higgins Hall Auditorium, Pratt Institute
2014 MAS Summit for New York City
Archtober 23 and 24
TimesCenter
BUILDINGS OF THE DAY
(Visit the Archtober website for registration/tickets.)
Kickstarter, Ole Sondresen
Archtober 7
58 Kent Street, Brooklyn
Glen Oaks Branch Library, Marble Fairbanks
Archtober 11
256-04 Union Turnpike, Queens
Wieden+Kennedy, WORKac
Archtober 14
150 Varick Street
NOT PART OF ARCHTOBER BUT WORTH A MENTION
Critical Halloween: On I-Relevance
October 31
Organized by Storefront for Art and Architecture
Location TBD
[Archtober calendar | Photo by John Hill]
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dwell on Design
Archtober 9-11
82 Mercer Street
One of the highlights of Dwell magazine's first East Coast show are the 20 installations created by local designers paired up with manufacturers.
OHNY Weekend
Archtober 11 and 12
Various locations throughout NYC
The full list of sites will be released on September 30, with reservations for certain sites and tours available at ohny.eventbrite.com starting at 11am on October 1.
Architecture and Design Film Festival
Archtober 15-19
Tribeca Cinemas
Highlights in ADFF's sixth season include Wim Wenders's Cathedral of Culture series (3d documentary films by Wenders and other directors) and the world premier of Gray Matters (pictured), a film about Eileen Gray.
EXHIBITIONS
Sagrada Família - Gaudí's Unfinished Masterpiece: Geometry, Construction and Site
Throughout Archtober
Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York
City College will also be hosting seven lectures throughout Archtober and November on Gaudí's masterpiece; see the school's website for dates and more information.
New York New Design
Opening Archtober 9
West 4th Street Subway Station
What better place to see the recent work of AIANY architects than in a crowded subway concourse?
Weltstadt – Who Creates the City?
Archtober 1-19
Goethe-Institut Wyoming Building
"The Weltstadt exhibition explores urban participation and the future of cities in light of challenges such as climate change, migration, and social polarization and presents recent initiatives from Bangalore, Belgrade, Curitiba, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lisbon, Madrid, New York, Porto Alegre, Riga, Salvador, São Paulo, Seoul, Toulouse, Turin, and Ulan Bator."
LECTURES/CONFERENCES
Guggenheim Helsinki Competition: Designing a Museum of the Future
Wednesday, Archtober 15 at 6pm
(Location details and link with further information on the panel discussion are still to come.)
Michael Kimmelman and Annabelle Selldorf in Conversation
Thursday, Archtober 16 at 6:30 PM
Higgins Hall Auditorium, Pratt Institute
2014 MAS Summit for New York City
Archtober 23 and 24
TimesCenter
BUILDINGS OF THE DAY
(Visit the Archtober website for registration/tickets.)
Kickstarter, Ole Sondresen
Archtober 7
58 Kent Street, Brooklyn
Glen Oaks Branch Library, Marble Fairbanks
Archtober 11
256-04 Union Turnpike, Queens
Wieden+Kennedy, WORKac
Archtober 14
150 Varick Street
NOT PART OF ARCHTOBER BUT WORTH A MENTION
Critical Halloween: On I-Relevance
October 31
Organized by Storefront for Art and Architecture
Location TBD