Trace One

I think what piques my interest is the future..If you know any young people, they are all about their image, they are oN top of it – I am wondering if this ‘stage centered’ starchitecture (all image, no function) is what they will like..

The point the author is making, I think, is that in Gehry and Zaha Hadid, function is absolutely nowhere, the canvas and the stage are the predominant form..
 
(Piano and Calatrava are different..)..He is saying that the stage, the painting, are paramount for these BUILDING designers – they could care less about humans or the environment..
It is…[Read more]

So do you consider Zaha Hadid a good designer? How about Gehry? Ever tried to negotiate their buildings, as a human being?
Compare and contrast their philosophy of design to the ‘organic ‘ architecture of good old Frank LLoyd Wright. Different or the same? In what way?

Jason, I think what you describe is historically accurate but not necessarily relevant to this essay, or to these times. We are a long way from the beautiful frieze on the Parthenon, and from construction methods like those used for the Parthenon, when your words were undoubtably true.
I think Burle Marx taking his inspiration from painting p…[Read more]

What about plastilene? I like the look of contour lines done in some kind of hardboard (cardboard, etc.) but it is also nice to cover the whole thing with plastilene, and go for some detail textures in the ‘clay”. colors, also..
 
Once I used rocks and sand for a japanese garden design – collected from a park..the limit is your imagination, for…[Read more]

Olmstead included rings of oak trees and rings of elm trees in his designs, with the oaks symbolizing the male element, and elms the female element..I think this had roots in druidic culture. His whole park idea was based on valuing the equality of democracy. The parks are open for all to enjoy nature that used to be mostly accessible on english…[Read more]

Or you could also say, if architects’ landscape is sex to them, they are not getting a lot! But I would not be surprised, judging by the architects I have known..(kidding!)
🙂

Yes, roland, I agree with you in that explanation..It certainly was an interesting article! Took a while to get through.

I think the article is about how deceptive architects are being, and use the comfy dialect of site to convince, whicle their true impulse right now is to be brutalist and modernist in the extreme. Zaha Hadid is an excellent example of brutalism, in my opinion..
So I agree with Roland, this writer  is not interested in co-opting, it seems like he…[Read more]

It is the responsiblity of the designer to take into account ALL groups. Just wait until you are old, Wyatt, and find negotiating a 50 foot walk is a big day – but a good one. But the designer behind your walk didn’t want benches to clutter the thing up!.
It’s ridiculous, to prioritize design over need of humans. Reminds me of the Seagram…[Read more]

I geuss I need to create a sub-set, rob..the point of transit centers like Penn Station any greyhound station is to avoid people….Or how about the NYC subway system – wouldn’t you agree that you want the least contact with your fellow – riders as possible?
However, insofar as bars, concert halls – other types of ‘public spaces’ – I would agree,…[Read more]

that is a good point, andrew. I hate the configuration that trasit centers all use, of clumping a bunch of benches in the center of a space (nothing to guard your back at all), and placing each bench at a 90 degree angle to an adjacent bench.. the point of public spaces is to avoid strangers..a 90 degree angle makes it almost impossible..Better at…[Read more]

landplanner, I am agin ya.. woody allen had to bring his own bench to some great spot under the brookyn Bridge – New York has a population of 9 million and they couldnt’ get a bench in the right spot? My experience is there are never enough benches..Never. And seat walls don’t count – they are for bums, as thomas said..I hate those ‘lounge…[Read more]

i just watched the woody allen doc on PBSand he talks about how he had to “of course” bring his own bench for a particular spot under the brooklyn bridge..
Mr. ed. Bye said a park can be designed with tree stamps and bench stamps..
the role of the bench is not doubt underrated.
Like I have previously related, we have one designer who does not do…[Read more]

I’ll invite you out when I get there..
: )

Read all this on the Guardian, Henry..Always am confused by Naomi Wolfe vs. Naomi Klein, who is I think The Shock Doctrine?
Anyway, good stuff! I have been thinking how amazing it is that the fascist state apparatus that resulted from the 9/11 attack under George Bush has so quickly morphed into exactly what we leftists feared..So quickly!!!!
We…[Read more]

Good  choice, Roland, I saw Moyers make this speech earlier – he seems to be, unfortunately, irreplaceable..thanks for the clip.

No, I google Land8 and select from that list the Forum..Is a bookmark like a ‘favorites’ button? that I get..
This seems very personal, for some reason..
does anyone else see web pages laid out in different places in your head? I have a pattern, and it is like going around a board game, where the different web sites are..I could draw a diagram.
too weird?

what’s a bookmark? (said like Bill Cosby talking to God, “What’s a cubit?”) hee hee.. 

“Chicago”, Crosby Stills nash and Young