Trace One

Yes, Nick, it is besides the point – sorry, was in planning for years, and I have a bit of an attitude..And actually, now that I think of it, that is probably why I got into planning – at the very beginning levels, there is a secure gov. paid job, as opposed to being like a designer for a nursery..and at that beginning level, perhaps that is where…[Read more]

I think Amy is wrong about planner pay – they stick @50,000 -70,000 pretty quick, whereas a registered LA is up over $100,000, in my experience.. The Director of Planning for a town of 50,000 will make $70,000 and believe me it is a high profile job, a lot of angst going on there..A registered LA for a national engineering firm (common job) is…[Read more]

I was a little disappointed in this – I once saw a design for real bicycle superhighways – elevated over the landscape..now that is what I want…some real infrastructure for bikes only…..
Although I do agree, in twenty years our paved america will have bicycles on all roads…when everyone’s car is teeny and electric, and goes comfortably 30mph…[Read more]

Steve, check planning jobs, these are often more low-level and they are willing to hire first -timers. they do help you in your LA interest, as they are often plan review..The downside is they are very hard and thankless. and don’t pay well, although they can be gov. jobs, so are permanent with benefits..
I know they want planners for Afghanastan,…[Read more]

Edwina Von Gal did a design for a museum in Panama with Gehry – you could look her up – nice lady, may know what you are dealing with..she is very hands-on…
Please make sure you are not collecting illegally, I am sure that goes without saying..

Yeah, I agree with that, Melanie – Alsop turns out to be very odd!
See you in the next chat..!
🙂

To continue with my explication,

I am more accurately likening my own perspective to that of intolerant jerks ..(there, how’s that)

It is jerks who vehemently insist that groups have single identities…(“All LA’s don’t know plants!)..This type of analysis leads to racism..and is actively and quite accurately discouraged in our society..

I saw…[Read more]

no no no!! I am saying that people who actually believe that groups are unniform, i.e., that the blanket statement , “all LA from california are flashy” must be absolutely true – people who are unable to nuance their opinon of groups for individuals are the jerks..

You guys are making the OPPOSITE argument (most recently..) You are saying that…[Read more]

hm..was not my point at all, Melanie..I am saying the opposite of what you are reading, as far as I can tell..
The jerks or non observant statement refers to people who actually believe ALL of a type are one way..You, as far as I can tell, were arguing the opposite of that – that of course it is not ALL LA or ALL architects who are one way.. A…[Read more]

I don’t think anybody is saying ‘all or nothing’ (except maybe Alsop).I find that Americans like to reduce everything to , “well sometimes, and some people” – you can’t learn ANYTHING when this is introduced into a conversation- it is a complete conversations stopper, like “I don’t recall,” in a Senate heargin…I have an aquaintance who always…[Read more]

Ha! Good catch, about Alsop, Melanie!..You read the Guardian!! good girl..I mean, good woman! Alsop actually sounds like kind of a fun guy, in the article..
And I agree,I sort of just like getting fired up about Landscape..
🙂

Do architects have a right to ignore the ground plane? Did you ever see the plaza around the World Trade Centers in new york? The wind was incredible…I think we learned in the sixties that design in general and urban buildings in particular do have a responsibilitiy to the public…So I disagree..It is like the AIG guys saying they have no…[Read more]

No, Melanie, just as I read about the rebuilding in the NYT or other news sources. As far as I know, the attempt to rebuild in an environmentally friendly way got absolutely nowhere. Same with Galveston…If ever there was a chance to create setbacks from low-ling areas, those are it! What do you know about New Orleans? Of course, New Orleans has…[Read more]

Some projects where landscape archs are loosing out include Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn and the San Diego Waterfront plan, as well as the redevopment of New Orleans, as far as I can tell..I have had personal experience WRESTLING archs and engineers on some low-income housing design and commercial building design in the Hamptons…just off the top…[Read more]

no, it is not academic..it is real. Just look at the Guggenheim Bilbao – how is the ground plane – nothing – oh, that’s ok..NOT…On cape cod you may be more familiar with McMansion designs, like I had in the Hamptons.. It is a WORLD of difference having the site designed by a site sensitive person, no matter their profession, and an ego-centric…[Read more]

I don’t see the issue as a skill set – who cares? I see it as an attitude towards the earth..and the beingson it. (And I DO NOT think LA’s are getting more and more power/visiblity – I see a huge decrease, since the sixties,and see it only getting worse. ) Architects have chosen to become the sculptor/artist, and do not care about the ground plane…[Read more]

I have been writing in a few posts how California LA is really different than east coast (sorry to raise the usual xenophobic hackles, on both sides…) I find the profession in California is much less environmentally conscious and act much more like decorators..I think it has to do with the year round climate, which causes plants to have a larger…[Read more]

yes, the value of the single creative designer gets TRASHED through charettes (GACK!!) …have thought that for years..Hate Charettes!

good grief! This is horrible..Schwartz did a terrible job – listen to Peter Calthorpe on contemporary architecture – they have commpletely abandoned the idea of connecting to the earth, to the human scale..fitting in to the neighborhood. Contempoary architects have completely abandoned the social responsibilty to public spaces, it is all…[Read more]

Yes, that is exaclty what I am trying to get out of this post. Trying to understand why, even from in our own supposedly enlightened communtiy, there is so much push back..I like that – I am trying to be best no-water landscraper, and to set the trend..(other stuff you mentioned has all been considered/is being used mostly by other LA s I work…[Read more]