The Architect's Lair

Online Reading

A few articles of note lately:

• The Project for Public Spaces has released the top 12 public squares in the U.S. and Canada. Personally I would have put Rockefeller Plaza (NYC) and Pioneer Square (Portland) higher than Jackson Square (New Orleans). Jackson Square doesn't feel as enclosed as the other two, because the buildings are historic and low. I suspect that PPS put it first only because of the NOLA rebuilding issues. And hey, Detroit's new Campus Martius came in at number 4! I was surprised that Chicago's Millenium Park didn't have an entry though; I suppose it doesn't qualify because it is bounded by the lake, rather than buildings like a proper plaza. I still would have put it in over, say, Bryant Park. It's anouter PPS slant, I suppose - a full third of the entries are in NYC, while there are more diverse, well-done plazas elsewhere.
• CNNMoney.com's list of the top 10 fastest growing states - predictably, the West and the South. What I was surprised by were the particulars: Nevada and Arizona are growing the fastest (rather than California or Washington); top cities included Atlanta, Dallas, Jacksonville, Phoenix and Portland, Oregon, rather than San Francisco or Seattle.
• And my favorite, given the angst my town has been going through in contemplating *gasp* 10 story buildings: Planning Commission Embraces Height and Density! (link is to Google's cached copy of an Oakland Tribule article)

Oakland's Planning Commission is delighted to approve two residential highrises as the city continues enjoying its downtown revival under Mayor Jerry Brown.

"After years of low-rise residential construction, Oakland's push for higher density building downtown is finally paying off. A practically giddy Planning Commission last week approved plans for two 22-story apartment buildings — one at 11th and Jackson streets and the other at 23rd and Webster streets.

The commissioners gushed over the designs, but more than anything, over the height and the density of the projects." Just as significantly, the developers will "help with measures to improve pedestrian safety in the area," a big concern for the nearby Chinatown area.

They even have a Whole Foods going in downtown. Wouldn't we just love that! Now given, Oakland is slightly less than 4 times bigger than my town, but surely we could manage a couple of 10 story buildings around here. The fact that other cities can somehow manage to embrace, rather than deny, density for those who want it is amazing to me. Why can't we do the same??

Architect humor

Holiday plans, as an architect might draw them: Download HolidayPlans.pdf

 

one too many all-nighters

What happens when architecture students watch too much MTV and then stay up way, way too long? they come up with videos like these: Pimp My Model.

Predock wins AIA Gold Medal

That makes four for four: another of my favorite modern architects, Antoine Predock, has won the 2006 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. Predock is known for his particular style of Southwest-inspired architecture. You can see more of his work here.

Last year the Gold Medal was awarded to Santiago Calatrava, designer of the famous Milwaukee Art Museum. Before that was Sam Mockbee, and Tadao Ando before him. I like all of their work for different reasons, but at the heart of it, they all speak to me of the poetry of buildings, and remind me why I got into the business in the first place.

I look forward to the day that a woman wins the award, as long as it isn't Zaha Hadid. I can't stand her big ego or her architecture.