Archive for ‘Reference’

Great handwritten type from Dana Tanamachi based in Brooklyn, NY. (Click on image or here.) I especially like the time-lapse page – great look at design process!

While I’m thinking about Studio Gang, the architecture firm designed a 1,400-square-foot open-air pavilion in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. This is a beautiful example of prefabrication, understanding material properties and fabrication technology.

Here’s a short film by Spirit of Space.

Jeanne Gang is the 47-year-old founder of Studio Gang Architects in Chicago. Here is a link to a short article/interview with Jeanne and below you’ll find a short interview produced by the MacArthur Foundation.

The article linked below provides a brief synopsis of Renzo Piano’s expansion to Le Corbusier’s chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, which many consider to be the epitome of modern architecture – a masterpiece. A little closer to home, Piano is currently designing the addition to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, which was designed by Louis Kahn and considered to be a masterpiece of modern architecture as well. Piano’s sensitivity to these modern masterpieces is through his understanding of the site and the experience of those visiting these places. Both projects incorporate portions of the building that are below grade (buried) and landscaping to help reduce the visual impact of the structures. Which one is more sensitive given the existing context and “purity” of the sites?

A Grand Opening for Renzo Piano\\\’s Controversial Expansion at Ronchamp Chapel | News | Architectural Record.

Interesting visualization of rebuilding the World Trade Center site I came across on History.com. There are other interactive features on the site worth viewing, but please be aware the content is just as graphic and sobering as it was ten years ago.

I found a couple of youtube videos about how to write like an architect. For someone who still needs to work on lettering (me), the first one is informative and concise.

The next one is a response to an “angry” e-mail sent to the creator, Doug Patt, of the instructional video. I just though this one was clever.

Frank Gehry’s first skyscraper clad (or “draped”) in stainless steel curtain wall panels. Definitely more interesting as you get closer. Notice the use of any flat planes – including window planes – to reduce complexity (and cost) of the curtain wall.

You can read an article here and see a video about the creation, and coordination, of the curtain wall system.

Below is a link to an article posted on CNN.com about the National September 11 Memorial. It discusses the process, and the problems, inherent with creating such an emotionally-charged monument. Toward the end of the article, mention is given to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Lin – then a young architecture student at Yale University. I remember one of my architecture professors saying that architecture is only truly created when we design a monument or memorial. Maybe that is due to the significance (social, political, cultural, etc.) of such an artifact and the symbolism – meaning – it holds.

The making of a memorial: Reshaping ground zero – CNN.com.

A Strong Clear Vision is a good documentary about Maya Lin that discusses in some detail the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

While I am thinking about kinetic sculpture, here is one a student pointed me to a couple of years ago.

Here is a link to Art+Com’s website with more images of the project.

Interesting piece on wind-powered kinetic sculptures created by Dutch Artist Theo Jansen.