Alvar Aalto

There's a very nice slideshow up on Slate today about the residential design of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto: A Low-Key High Modernist: The unpretentious houses of Alvar Aalto. Villa Mairea is one of my favorite buildings, but I also loved the last house in the show. I have the exposed brick in my house - now I need a lovely little reading corner like that!

2011 Pritzker

As you've probably heard by now, the winner of the 2011 the Pritzker Prize has been announced: Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. I am not too familiar with him, to be honest, but the images I've seen of his work are striking.

I have a feeling I posted this link last year, when they announced who won the Pritzker, but I think it bears repeating:
Architecture Is a Team Sport: So why do they award the Pritzker Prize to just one person?

Links

Two quick links for a Wednesday:

As heard (by me) on NPR: Save the Words, where you can adopt a word that is about to go extinct. (Warning, site contains sounds, if you are secretly reading this at work.)

My friend Laura has issued a challenge to me to take part in next year's Zombie Safe House Competition. I accept!

Architecture Links

From Architecture Record 2011 America’s Best Architecture Schools. My undergraduate college, the University of Virginia, wasn't ranked (boo!) but my graduate school, the Southern California Institute of Architecture was ranked in several categories, including #2 for Design. Way to go, Sci-Arc!

Never a good sign: 2-ton chunk of UC Santa Barbara ceiling collapses. I bet the architects and their consultants are scrambling right about now.

Possibly the most interesting architecture article I've read in a a while: Design Within Reach: A blind architect relearns his craft at The Atlantic Monthly. [via Building Content]

Interesting Links

My links today are sort of all over the place, but are more about architecture than books.

Via Shelf Awareness: Near the Library, D’Espresso’s Bookish Coffee Bar.

Via (sort of surprisingly) Go Fug Yourself:
10 music videos set in libraries and bookstores.

Via archinect: Should you build your own home? Loved this! FYI, home in this context, refers to your website, not to an actual house.

At the NY Times, AT HOME WITH PATRICK DOUGHERTY: Building With Sticks and Stones. I've written about the artist previously.

Friday Update and Links

I've read maybe 10 pages from a book this week. I'm having a lot of trouble concentrating on anything more complicated than Glee or a game of sudoku. My brain has turned to mush. Can I blame being pregnant?

Other people are doing interesting things, though, so I will just share them and hope you will forgive me for being such a poor blogger. Some are architecture, some are books, some are both.

From Archi Dose, I present two cool new blogs: Round Houses and Things Organized Neatly. Both are exactly what the packaging says and are worth checking out.

The Top 10 Bookstores in the US from Flavorwire [Via Bookslut]

I though this article was interesting, even though I'm not Jewish. I do like fantasy, though. Why There is No Jewish Narnia Warning: contains minor spoiler for The Magicians by Lev Grossman.) [Via Nancy Werlin at Whatever]

Author Douglas Coupland helped design a national monument in Ottawa to Canadian firefighters who died in the line of duty. Yes, Douglas Coupland, the author of Generation X, etc. So much for my excuse why I can't finish editing my novel. [Via Bookslut]

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

Architecture Links for Friday

Short and sweet, to end your week:

Yes, I would live inside a bookshelf. (at Gizmodo).

More architecture FAIL at Huffington Post, via Go Fug Yourself. (That may be the least grammatically correct sentence I've ever written, FYI.)

Years ago, my sister bought me a reprint of Shelter by Lloyd Kahn.

Shelter is many things - a visually dynamic, oversized compendium of organic architecture past and present; a how-to book that includes over 1,250 illustrations; and a Whole Earth Catalog-type sourcebook for living in harmony with the earth by using every conceivable material. First published in 1973, Shelter remains a source of inspiration and invention. Including the nuts-and-bolts aspects of building, the book covers such topics as dwellings from Iron Age huts to Bedouin tents to Togo's tin-and-thatch houses; nomadic shelters from tipis to "housecars"; and domes, dome cities, sod iglus, and even treehouses.

The authors recount personal stories about alternative dwellings that illustrate sensible solutions to problems associated with using materials found in the environment - with fascinating, often surprising results.

It is a really fascinating book, so I was pleased to find out (via ArchiDose) that the sequel, Shelter II, will be reprinted later this year. I am very interested in taking a look when it comes out.

Happy Friday!

Links

Some random links of interest, of various kinds:

Via Shelf Awareness, Bookshelf Porn. I like Read More Books than Blogs (on a blog, of course). Which one is your favorite?

Here's probably the heaviest coffee table/book storage ever built, at dornob.

Courtesy of a thread off Librarything, one of the most amazing bookstores I've seen: Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires.

I love these pieces from Depot Visuals - though imagine how much cooler they'd be if they were real.

This is what I imagine it would look like if Hobbits built a shed: The Composting Shed at Inverleith Terrace by Groves-Raines Architects.

For Laura: photos of Venice's cemetery, which is not, of course, in Venice.

Sorry for the lack of images. I am lazy/busy today.

Architecture Links

Some random architecture links for you to enjoy:

Via mental_floss, I bring you Couch Cushion Architecture; A Critical Analysis. Very funny.

Loved the photos of the crypt at Church of the Intercession in Harlem.

Via Inspired? Or outta my #*@$+% mind?, Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie. No, really, its cool.

Building Codes and Chile's Earthquake

As a follow-up to my post following the Haiti earthquake - Did Architects Fail Haiti? - I wanted to share this thoughtful article from Inhabitat - How Good Design and Building Codes Saved Lives During Chile’s Earthquake.

the Haiti earthquake (which measured 7.0 on the Richter scale) was 500 times less powerful than the one last Saturday but over 250,000 people were killed. Based on magnitude alone, the death toll from Chile should be much higher and the devastation much more complete – but that’s not the case. Chile can thank foresight and smart planning for that, and its situation is a testament to what a huge life-or-death difference smart building codes and well designed architecture can make.

There are many more factors to consider in pointing out the differences between these two natural disasters - the Chilean earthquake was larger, but deeper and further offshore, but the tsunami it created also did massive damage - but I think its still interesting to point out what a difference good design can make.

Architecture Links

The AIA announced the winners of the 2010 Honor Awards recently. Lots of usual suspects on the list (deservedly, I'm sure), including an interiors prize for the Cathedral of Christ the Light by SOM. I visited the Oakland Cathedral soon after it opened and thought it was quite lovely.


So, have you seen Unhappy Hipsters yet? For those who haven't - they post photos from Dwell magazine with commentary on how unhappy everyone looks in their modern masterpiece.

Another snooze-fest of a church at Arch Daily: Parish Church of St Luke the Evangelist by Roman Vukoja & Robert Kriznjak. Okay, okay. Its actually lovely. But why do 90% of the modern churches I see these days look the same?

This is more urban design than architecture but its cool: Dial4Light: Turning Street Lights On Via Mobile Phone.

And at the intersection of books and architecture, this structural book stack from There I Fixed It.

Architecture Links

I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing about architecture at least once a week. I was going through a rough patch at work that not want to think any more about architecture than I had to, to be honest, but I am feeling better and have gotten back in the groove of thinking about it.

Arch Daily has started a new section of their blog devoted to architecture publications. Looks like there will be some interesting stuff going on there.

You may not be aware, but at the end of last year, Switzerland voted to ban the construction of new minarets (Wikipedia has the whole story.) The response was, as you can imagine, pretty dramatic. Here's one little story: When the Swiss Voted to Ban New Minarets, This Man Built One [Via Archinect]

Speaking of Arch Daily, I read an article about St. Benedikt Chapel by Kunze Seeholzer. I just love private little chapels. And this one is particularly lovely.


I'm posting this house - Villa Dali, by 123DV Architecture and seen on Design Milk - because I like it and I think my husband will, too.

Did Architects Fail Haiti?

Every time I turn hear or read the news this week, it breaks my heart a little. I've heard wildly divergent numbers for the death toll in Haiti, but whatever it winds up being, we know this: its too high.

Now, no one in the world has asked my opinion, but I have to say something about the terrible toll this earthquake has taken on the people of Haiti. Obviously, earthquakes are not man made. Despite some crackpot opinions about global warming that I have heard, earthquakes happen because of the shifting of tectonic plates, deep in the earth. It has nothing to do with what humans do up on the surface. Since humans discovered what causes earthquakes, scientists have been searching for a way to predict and prevent them from occurring. Despite the enormous amount of research that has gone into this subject, we are no closer to doing so. Earthquakes remain unpredictable and dangerous. But that does not, in my opinion, let us off the hook for what has happened to the Haitian people.

Are you aware there was an earthquake in the very northern part of California the same week as the earthquake in Haiti? It was a 6.5, much less than the 7.0 that rocked Haiti, but still very significant. The California earthquake badly damaged parts of Eureka, causing over $20 million in damage. According to press reports, about 30 people were injured, one seriously enough that she had to be admitted to the hospital.

Let me repeat that: a significant earthquake hit a mid-sized US city and 30 people were injured. No one died.*

Is the devastation that hit Haiti just an "act of God," then? Emphatically, let me state that we do not have the technology to build "earthquake-proof" buildings. But we can build safer buildings. Clearly, we have the knowledge and technology to build buildings that can allow the occupants to exit safely. We also have the know-how to build the buildings that house first-responders (police, fire, paramedics, etc) so that only extremely large seismic events will disrupt them. This is the case in California, where our Emergency Services Act helps ensure that after a major event, there are at least some working police, firefighters and paramedics, and, equally important, the dispatchers needed to make sure those first responders get to the people who need them.

So let me return to the question that started this topic in my mind: did architects fail the people of Haiti? Should we be working as a profession to ensure that all people, everywhere, can reliably live in a safe place? It will not surprise you to find that I think the answer to this question is yes.

Fortunately, there are smart people in this world who beat me to the punch in thinking about these issues. I'm particularly impressed by the folks at Architecture For Humanity, who have been in business for over 10 years, working to bring safe shelter to people around the world. Check out their site and give if you feel so inclined.

* Since the Richter scale is logarithmic (for example, a 7.0 is 10 times more powerful than a 6.0), the Haiti earthquake was 5 times more powerful than one in Eureka. More equivalently, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which caused part of the Bay Bridge and a section of the freeway in Oakland to collapse, was a 6.9. From Wikipedia: Fifty-seven of the deaths were directly caused by the earthquake; six further fatalities were ruled to have been caused indirectly. In addition, there were 3,757 injuries as a result of the earthquake—400 severely hurt. The loss of life in the SF Bay Area during this earthquake was tragic, but it was not near the scale of what we are seeing in Haiti. I believe my point still stands.

Update: Some thoughts on Chile's earthquake as well.

the third and the seventh

Just watched a lovely video about architecture I found on archinect and wanted to share. Some days, I love being an architect.

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Artist Patrick Dougherty

I almost bought a book last weekend because it had some work by artist Patrick Dougherty in it.* Dougherty does these amazing organic sculptures that border on some sort of natural architecture. They're amazing. He first came to my attention because of his installation at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza.



For a really nice sampling of his work, check out this article at dornob. I think I might have to buy his catalog for myself, just so I can own a little piece of his work.

*But not enough, so I passed. What did I buy instead? You'll just have to wait until Friday to find out.

Architecture Links

Here's something I haven't done in a while - interesting architecture links.

Architects Hawking Cars at ArchiDose: I always love seeing if I can spot what buildings are in the back drop of car ads. When Sci-arc's new building (aka the freight depot) first opened, it was constantly being used in car ads (and in movies, but that's another topic). I remember one time, we were all gawking out a window at a shoot and some poor production assistant had to come shoo us all away, as we were interfering with the shot.

The Little Town That Los Angeles Killed at metal_floss: While we're sort of on the topic of LA, here's a scary story with some beautiful photos of a modern-day ghost town.

Fictional Architects in Movies at Arch Daily: This is seriously one of my favorite topics. The list in this article isn't even complete, as the commenters and I could name several more (plus, as this is just movies, it doesn't even cover TV or ads). But seriously, I don't know what I love more - how architects are assumed to be cool enough to be in movies (I assure you we are all actually big geeks) or how unrealistically the profession is portrayed in most movies (FYI, the fancy models you see are the kind we make for developers, not the ones we actually work from). Either way, I always get such a kick out of seeing architects in movies.

Scouting NY

Scouting NY is one of my favorite blogs. Its by a film location scout, but its not about making movies, its about the amazing things he sees on his visits in and around NYC - abandoned buildings, alleys, gargoyles, faded signs. Its just a visual treat.

I loved this recent two-part post he did on the movie Ghostbusters, though, where he compared locations in the movie with how they look today. Clearly, a lot of work went into this! Check it out:

New York, You’ve Changed: Ghostbusters – Part 1

New York, You’ve Changed: Ghostbusters – Part 2

Architecture Links

I got an alumni newsletter from UVA recently that mentioned a recent article on Peter Waldman's home in Charlottesville, VA. I was surprised, because the house isn't new at all - the Waldman's had been living there for several years when I visited and that was back in 199-something. Still the article - "Let the sun do it": Peter Waldman's Parcel X is a house of many faces at C-ville Abode - is nice and the house is great. Check it out.

Here's a very different "house" - actually two artists in Brazil.


More pictures at Archinect

Leila at bookshelves of doom visited Grace, a cool new restaurant in Portland, Maine that is housed in a renovated former church. The photos look just lovely - I'd love to visit if I'm ever in Portland.

In stark contrast to how lush Grace looks is this very modern church complex featured on arch daily - Holy Rosary Church Complex by Trahan Architects.

Friday and Architecture Humor

Since it was a quiet book week for me (again), I thought I'd end the week on a light note instead.

A few items that caught my eye on the Fail blog recently:

Best Western Window Fail


There's actually, I think, no way this was a mistake. Windows take a lot of work to install - someone frames the window, someone else installs it, then someone else flashes around it, then a crew plastered the wall around it, finally someone painted the wall. So even though it looks like the window slid, that was someone's intention. Maybe there's a stair that was in the way?

This one, though... Yeah, I have no idea.

House Design Fail!



And here's an architecture cartoon, via my father-in-law.



Have a nice weekend! I'll be back on Monday with a new review for Terra Insegura, the sequel to Marseguro.

Julius Shulman (1910-2009)

Archinect is reporting that famed architectural photographer Julius Shulman passed away. If you've ever seen the famous photos of the Case Study Houses, like the one at left of #22 by Pierre Koenig, then you've seen his work.

Taschen sells these huge, limited edition portfolio's of Shulman's work. They look lovely, but for those of us without a $7,000 budget for one, Amazon has a pretty good selection of books by, and about, Julius Shulman. I think I'd start with A Constructed View: The Architectural Photography of Julius Shulman. Looks lovely.