February 2006
Events — February 24, 2006
Posted by James
"The West Coast Independant Design Show"
We've been covering CA Boom since it's inception, and we're looking forward to their third effort being held Thursday, March 23 to Sunday, March 26, 2006. It's a design show of a different stripe, where both professionals and consumers are invited. Here's the deal:
Three & half days of cutting edge design including tours from leading contemporary architects of recently completed projects, exhibits from independent designers, architects & manufacturers, panel discussions whose participants are the leaders and innovators of the contemporary design community and kicking off with a rocking design community opening night event.
The highlight of the show are the home tours - 5 homes per day. All but two one of the homes have been announced and we have listed the tour details and other show info after the jump.
Link: CA Boom 3
OUR COVERAGE OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS
Reference: CA Boom II - Compiled links and wrap up report (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom - Description and complied links (L+L)
Landscape Architecture Masters Thesis by Veenu Jayaram
Veenu Jayaram was among the landscape architecture students I met when I sat on the jury for the BrownLAb studio at the University of Southern California Landscape Architecture program. She recently completed her graduate work, and contacted us to share her thesis project.
Examining the patchwork of surface parking lots in Downtown Los Angeles Venu saw an opportunity for intervention realizing that these parking lots occupy much of the land in the Central Business District, yet are only utilized for limited hours, and for the limited purpose of temporary vehicle storage. She proposed that parking lots can serve a more dynamic program that recognizes economic realities while serving the multiple needs of the urban environment.
The proposal takes into account the studied needs within the CBD for the existing and growing residential population in addition to the daytime workers. New infrastructure, planting and programming strategies allow the space to be more flexible while remaining compatible with the need for parking space.
Don't judge a book by its cover...
Gregory Colbert’s photography and motion picture exhibit “Ashes and Snow” opened about a month ago along the Santa Monica Pier. It is housed in a rather extravagant temporary structure designed by Shigeru Ban, in which it will be traveling the world. The stacked shipping containers, the 30’ high cardboard columns, and the exquisite lighting of the space and the art all come together to create a cathedral-like space and striking experience. The visitor is lead over a wooden deck in the center of the structure, while the walls and ceiling are dipped into darkness due to the careful lighting design. The prints appear to hover between the evenly spaced columns, which makes for a beautiful procession.
Ban’s work with recyclable and reusable materials has fascinated me for many years, and this project does not fall short by any means. As for the photography and the films that are displayed inside… that is a different story.
Link: Ashes_and_Snow
Link: Shigeru_Ban
Ashes and Snow Images ©Gregory Colbert *
Alumninum furniture and objects
I first saw the work of MuNiMulA over at Design*Sponge last week... I was impressed with the straight forward yet beautiful creations and decided to check them out a bit further. Turns out MuNiMulA is a design and manufacturing firm located in Quincy, Michigan... coincidentally, I spent quite a bit of time during my childhood in the rural countryside not too far from Quincy. Now, quality of their work is reason enough to feature MuNiMulA here, but that bit of serendipity just sealed the deal.
The anodized aluminum construction of MuNiMulA's line of furnishings make them perfect for indoor/outdoor living - light weight, durable, versatile and practical. The clear anodizing leaves the aluminum with a slightly matte silver finish is often used in the marine and boating industry. There is a caveat for the colored finishes though; prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause the bright colors to fade over time. MuNiMulA’s upholstered pieces are offered in weatherproof Spinneybeck leather or outdoor canvas by special order.
Link: MuNiMulA [Thanks, Jenifer!]
Art, Urban — February 20, 2006
Posted by James
Derelict. Dilapidated. Discover. - Interventions in urban decay
Detroit is one of the most spectacular examples of boom and bust in the United States - once opulent and then blighted - this capital of the Rust Belt is one of the nation's fastest shrinking cities and prime example of the phenomenon of "white flight" and, subsequently, sprawl. Large numbers of buildings and homes have been abandoned and many have been torn down or have fallen down and cleared away. Yet many vacant buildings remain in various states of decay.
Preceding the recent Super Bowl held in Detroit, an anonymous group calling themselves the DDD Project (Detroit. Demolition. Disneyland.) began targeting highly visible abandoned structures for intervention. Marked with a circled "D" in chalk by the city for demolition by the city years prior, the DDD Project transformed the houses, creating highlights within a context of depression, with a coat of bright orange paint, covering every surface of the facade: "Every detail is accentuated through the unification of color. Broken windows become jagged lines. Peeling paint becomes texture."
Link: The Detroiter - Paint the Town Orange
Link: Michigan Radio - Urban Blight Gets a Paint Job
More: dETROIT fUNK - D.D.D.
More dETROIT fUNK - Tiggeriffic
More: hamtramck star
Via: Metafilter
Events — February 14, 2006
Posted by James
The ASLA declares April 2006 as National Landscape Architecture Month
All right you landscape party people... the American Society of Landscape Architects has done it again, declared the month of April as National Landscape Architecture Month. So, order up a big load of mulch to celebrate, or keep an eye out for ASLA Chapter events... the weekly breakdown listed after the jump.
ASLA chapters across the country will celebrate with public outreach activities to help communities "Discover Landscape Architecture," the theme for this year. The month encompasses Earth Day on April 22 and the birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted on April 27, who founded the American landscape architecture profession.
Link: ASLA - Landscape Architecture Month 2006
Article: Landscape Career Discovery (pdf)
Article: Hire A Landscape Architect To Add Value To Your Home (pdf)
Article: Design for Active Living (pdf)
Events — February 13, 2006
Posted by James
New Architecture in Spain
Exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City opened Sunday and runs through May 1, 2006.
Spain has been a happening center for architecture for some time now... does anyone not now know of Bilbao? But this exhibition documents more recent architectural developments, with Moneo's 1998 Murcia City Hall serving as the spring point. Though it seems to me that perhaps Spain's architectural awakening stems from the preparations for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The show features a broad range of architects from the well known international players to young local up-and-comers. Christopher Hawthorne of the LA Times writes, "'On-Site' is at its best a sophisticated essay on the idea of architectural middle ground, particularly between youth and experience and between globalization and regional context."
The exhibition features 35 significant architectural projects that are currently in design or under construction. These works are considered in relation to an additional eighteen projects, each of which are a major architectural accomplishment completed in Spain within the last few years. The projects presented will reflect the geographic and generational diversity of the current wave of new projects and their architects, as well as a wide range of scales - from a single private house to a new international airport. The exhibition will not only reflect the accomplishments of Spanish architects, but also the contributions of professionals from elsewhere.
Link: MoMA - On-Site
Audio slideshow: MoMA - narrated by curator Terence Riley
Photos: Roland Halbe
Review: NY Times - A Survey of Spain, Architects' Playground [images]
Review: LA Times - Spain expands on its sense of place
Review: Washinton Post - Gains in Spain
Related: The Observer - Cutting-edge Sp
Art, Events — February 12, 2006
Posted by James
Interactive experiences inspired by the dramatic natural beauty of the alps and the athletic competitions of the Winter Olympics
We Clipped an article in the NY Times a bit over a week ago about curator Lance Fung's Snow Show, the interdisciplinary collaboration of art and architecture on the slopes at Sestriere, site of current Torino Winter Olympic cometitions. New images are now online showing the completed works of snow and ice.
Investigating and bridging art and architecture, the Snow Show pairs artists and architects together to create ephemeral works from snow and ice. This year's show explores a more southern latitude and environment from previous incarnations of the snow show, and folds athletic competition into the design considerations. Indeed the entry by Carsten Höller with Tod Williams and Billie Tsien takes this notion to the limit with their participatory design.
Participating teams are:
Paola Pivi & Cliostraat
arsten Höller & Tod Williams and Billie Tsien
Jaume Plensa & Norman Foster
Yoko Ono & Arata Isozaki
Kiki Smith & Lebbeus Woods
Daniel Buren & Patrick Bouchain
The show opened February 6 and runs through March 19, 2006. Photos of "melting" will be posted on the Snow Show website later...
Link: The Snow Show
Materials — February 10, 2006
Posted by James
Fold up glass wall system... creates its own canopy too!
Funny that I just happened to run across this manufacturer of horizontal bi-fold doors on the Archinect forum since I was thinking about utilizing such a system for a project I am currently designing.
Frank Jonkman & Sons is a manufacturer of greenhouse systems, but as they mention on their website, this horizontal bi-fold door system has amazing potential beyond greenhouse applications.
The benefits of the system, other than the "cool" factor:
- Requires no extra space within the adjacent walls for storing open panels
- No track or threshold required at ground level
- It can be easily installed in new or existing buildings
- It is available in any width or height and the panels may combine virtually any combination of glazing materials
Link: Frank Jonkman & Sons Ltd. - Horizontal Bi-Fold Doors
Design Consistency
Designer Quynh Dang established Element Living back in 2003. Since then he's built a solid body of work with one quality design after another.
element living is a design house that strives to heighten our experiences and enjoyment of our
surroundings by providing products of beauty, simplicity and utility.
I had the privelage of trying out his Pure Chair. It was by far THE most comfortable dining chair i've sat in. The ergonomics on this piece was spot on.
Link: Element Living
Putting alternative construction study into practice
At the University of Arizona in Tucson, Mary Hardin has established a sort of desert Southwest counterpart to Mockbee's famed Rural Studio, blending architecture education and practice into a practical laboratory of experimentation and discovery.
Ms. Hardin's academic and professional activities involve community outreach and the design of affordable housing. She leads students in the exploration of alternative construction methods - such as rammed earth, paper bale and straw bale - and is presently researching the strength and other qualities of rammed earth in partnership with UA Civil Engineering faculty. She has written and published a number of papers about design/build studios and the projects done with her students.
Professor Harden has also designed a beautiful modern rammed earth home with Richard Eribes, Dean of the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture at UA, which we spotted over at Earth Architecture.
Link: University of Arizona D+B
Link: Mary Hardin
Article: AridLands - Rammed earth constructions
Book: Stylus Publishing - From the Studio to the Streets
Related: Design Matters: Best Practices in Affordable Housing
Hanging garden
An interesting take on the archetypical terra cotta pot by French designer Vincent Vandenbrouck.
The pots are grouped via steel bars which slot into slices on each side. The steel bar and wire suspension system allows eight or twelve pots create a vegetable wall. Might create a mess when you water... but whatever. Single pots are also available in a non-hanging version.
Available through Paris showroom Compagnie.
Design: Vincent Vandenbrouck
Link: Edition Compagnie
Via: Reluct
Glowing stones for indoors or out
These cool sculptural outdoor lights provide a nice soft glow... no need for a bunch of 150 watt flood lights on the patio, folks.
Created by Italian designers Marta Laudani & Marco Romanelli with Massimo Noceto, they look great clustered together or scattered along a pathway. Use them inside too if you like... the designers also have an indoor version made of opaque Murano glass called Stone of Glass, but the outdoor ones could be used indoors as well.
Made of durable, weather-tested polyethylene. Uses screw-in fluorescent bulb.
Design: Marta Laudani & Marco Romanelli with Massimo Noceto
Manufacturer: OLuce
Buy: Y Lighting
Via: Better Living Though Design
Also: Product Dose
Related: Bloom (L+L)
From recycled to molten to unique
At first glance, I was somewhat reminded of The Great Bowl of Fire but the shapes are much more organic. The Splash Form Bowls by Melt Modern are created with a technique that consists of throwing molten aluminum onto a sand mold one splash at a time until the bowl is complete. Needless to say, each bowl is unique.
Splash Form bowls come in three different sizes with prices starting at $195.
Link: Melt Modern
Designers: Matt Proctor, Aixe Djelal
Template-based system for hanging pictures
Looking for the perfect arrangement of pictures? It's quite possible that The Picturewall Company has a solution. Using a template-based system along with an assortment of frames, they allow you to arrange the frames to make a perfect, well, arrangement. The template system is easy to use and offers you the ability to preview the arrangement before you commit your hooks to the wall.
Link: Picturewall Company [Thanks, Erich]
