Why does everyone hate Modern Architecture?

A TEDx talk by David Chipperfield.
Do you agree or disagree with his statement,
"Architects are ignored and distrusted" in the real world.

Maison L Residential Home

It doesn't fight nature, it stands proud along side of it.  This house designed by Christian Pottgiesser, is brilliant in design and gentle in execution.  As Architects, we strive to place our mark upon the earth.  To be able to alter the landscape is a reason why many fall into the profession in the first place.   How I see it is that there are two types of architects: 1) those who try to forward the profession through formal and structural expression while saving little regard for the buildings setting and 2) those who try to balance context and nature with materiality and atmosphere. Neither approach is wrong in my eyes. Both are crucial to the field.  But for me, personally, I feel a certain joy and calmness around projects and buildings that use earthly materials, play with light and tease with color, as this project does.

More Images after the break

Gifts for Architects

Happy Holidays to all!!!

It's Christmas time! A time to spend with loved ones discussing the wonders life has to offer. It's also a great time to look back at the year and note areas in your life that have improved or still need improvement. One should also reminisce and be thankful for all no matter what you may or may not believe in.

And yes, it's also a time for giving. For those who love gift giving, this time can become quite stressful especially when it's time to find a gift for an architect friend or lover. Architects are complicated individuals who are very particular when it comes to their possessions. Over at Matters of Taste  the author, who is a former architect himself, provides a very useful list of 10 things to five, or not give, an Architect.  You should all make your way over to the blog. A very comical response is given to each suggestion.  

The list goes as follows:

DO GIVE: 

Garments 

Things for recording inspiration  

Building fragments 

Books on Architecture you've never heard of

Interesting looking cookware

Toys

DO NOT GIVE: 

Electronics

Books on Architecture you've heard of 

Coffee- or tea making devices 

Sports-related gifts

Do you guys agree with this list? Are there other things you can think of that an Architect might enjoy?

Bob Borson from Life of An Architect also came up with a pretty interesting list for What to get an Architect for Christmas. Check it out for your amusment. 

Calculated Aesthetic

Blog it Architects!

Turns out blogging matters for Architects. Frank Lloyd Wright had one and so did Le Corbusier, however it's tough creating a successful blog. For some great rules, check out this article by Derek, Rules for an Architect's Blog, which came from Life of An Architect.

Here are three rules from the article which I thought were pretty important:

6. Share
Share as much as you can. Don’t worry about sharing information with competitors. As my business partner, Christian told me recently, if our competitors start copying us, then it just means we need to step up our game.

7. Have an Opinion
Not everyone will agree with you. That’s fine. If we aren’t critical of our profession then it will never improve. However, complaining is easy. Provide as many solutions as criticisms.

8. Be Helpful
When you learn something, share it. Many people have helped us. We’re just passing it along.

In the article it says that Louis Kahn never started a blog because he thought the internet exposure would lead to his multiple families finding out about each other.  Wow.

People need Architects - and not just to design

Mike from The SomeChum Drum explains why Architects are important not just for their designs but also for their presence. Very amusing article that you need to check out!

What I Miss Most About Working With Architects

zaha hadid: galaxy SOHO

zaha hadid: galaxy SOHO now under construction

Zaha Hadid : Riverside Museum : Glasgow, Scottland

Zaha Hadid : Riverside Museum : Glasgow, Scottland

zaha hadid: chanel mobile art pavilion paris

 zaha hadid: chanel mobile art pavilion paris

Zombie Proof House

The owners wanted their homes to be safe and secure, so that's exactly what KWK Promes, Architects from Poland (Respect), provided when they designed "The Safe House".  Insane. Safe. Insanely Safe!

My Playground!!

MY PLAYGROUND - PREVIEW from KASPARWORKS on Vimeo.

I need to lose the school weight I put on during the semester...this is how I'll do it!
I'll parkour the weight off!

Architecture as a Product

Being Development & Designer Nanne de Ru from Powerhouse
The Dutch supplier of prefabricated modular homes – Being Development, has recently launched 6 being homes in The Netherlands. Designed by Nanne de Ru from Powerhouse, the homes are produced off-site, thus reducing waste (only 2% of waste can’t be recycled), high efficiency and offering the contractors a healthy environment to work in.

UNstudio : DUO²

UNstudio : DUO²

Neat building, but something feels a bit stale about the interior.

NAU Architects : Raiffeisen Bank

NAU Architects : Raiffeisen Bank

Beautiful space by this Zurich, Switzerland based firm.

LIC Cinema

SC/DP Collaborative : LIC Cinema

This project explores the potential of extending a cinematic viewing experience beyond the 2-Dimensional screen and into the 3-Dimensional public space of the theater facility. This is achieved by situating the movie theaters so that its occupants can observe public scenes [including bars, restaurants, and lounges] through a transparent screen before the movie begins.

Everything Nowhere

UNStudio / Galleria Centercity

Everything Nowhere

This project by UNstudio got me thinking about the purpose and emphasis of "Programming" in the architectural process. Below are some thoughts and ideas about how we as architects can modernize our programmatic approach and incorporate it more thoroughly into our designs.

Not long ago, Abe brought up the concept of improvisation within architecture and design. As a refresher, improvisation is:

 

"The practice of reacting, making, or creating, in the moment and in response to one's immediate interpretation of their surrounding environment. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or new ways to act or behave."

Architecture & Design Film Festival

Architecture & Design Film Festival coming to Chicago in May

Becoming Usefully Unique

If nothing is original, and our efforts are actually an accumulation of many borrowed ideas, we should at least acknowledge what those ideas are, and who they are coming from.

I'm all about Playtime

Plot: Monsieur Hulot has to contact an American official in Paris, but he gets lost in the maze of modern architecture which is filled with the latest technical gadgets. Caught in the tourist invasion, Hulot roams around Paris with a group of American tourists, causing chaos in his usual manner.

Facts: Directed by Jacques Tati and at the time of its making, "Playtime" (1967) was the most expensive film in French history.

Thoughts: This could possibly my favorite film to date. There really isn't a story or a hero and there is minimal dialogue that is usually inaudible but it's filled with wit! The film shows how humans wander aimlessly through impersonal cities and sterile architecture. Check out below for a few scene clips.

Verdict: Definitely a must see! This should be the next film you order on Netflix.

In Your Face!

J. Mayer H. Architects : Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain

Remember that Crazy project you did back in undergrad that the critiques said couldn't be built?  Well..