AIA convened it's annual meeting in Washington DC this past week:
I quickly figured I covered at least 3 miles just walking the expo floor. Who knows how much more travelling to continuing education rooms, to the Metro station, to the nice cafe around the corner for lunch and to the bag check area.
David McCullough gave the keynote speech- quite good:
jm
Downtown Long Beach was deserted on a Tuesday morning, but the transit hub had some activity. There I found Bikestation A really cool, smart, building for use by bike commuters. Designed by Fernando Vasquez Studio, it is right next to the Blue Line station, which runs along street level at the Long Beach terminus. Surrounded by a garden the building is a glass envelope shielded from the sun with vertical aluminum extrudes:
Pow- front door:
The inner ramp leads up to the upper floor storage area:
It looks like it could be modulized for other sites. Nice to see:
jm
Sure, Fifth Avenue might have the glass cube, but the new Apple store has this terrific view:
And, no doors to open. In fact you are in the store when you are in the station:
Killer space and display fixtures:
Less IS more:
jm
Before Frank (Gehry that is), there was Rudolph. Last week, I had the opportunity to see the first Lovell House, on the boardwalk in Newport Beach. The view from 13th Street. Schindler designed the overhang for four bedrooms:
The view from the beach on a wonderfully sunny day. That would be the 2 story living space behind the large window:
The alley facade, like the others, is an interlocking form puzzle. The concrete frames are expressed on the rear wall:
The service entrance stairs. The stucco guards are only 3" thick:
Searching my library, and the internet, I found that there are no contemporary photos of the interior, except for two details from the 1986 HABS survey. The house was one of the first built on the peninsula in 1926, now it has neighbors galore.This was a real treat:
jm
... is not the name of that "Nuggets" band, but an environmental artwork in Astor Place, New York. It was installed by the Animus Arts Collective on several light poles around the intersection.
Who knew zipties came in colors other then black and white?
JM
April, 1981. I was in my 3rd year of architecture school in Brooklyn, NY, and was a bit of a space junkie. Had been since watching the Apollo missions while growing up. The shuttle was all over the news then- before internet, before cable news. My roomates & I watched the first lift off on a tiny b&W tv (we were one of the few who had tv's in the dorm then!). I recall how thrilling it was...
Cut to 30 years later and while waiting to leave for a week's vacation I turn on the tv (flat screen, HD, cable, FiOS) just in time for the last shuttle launch.
Only this time I get to share it with my son Ethan. I had the volume up loud. 0 to 600MPH in less then a minute- awesome. He was excited, and so was I...
jm
Just opened in Princetion is the new Frick Chemistry Lab by Hopkins Architects. The whole thing looks like it was fabricated in a factory and assembled at the site. The color scheme is just a bit dry, but it is still striking. This is the main entrance recess:
Each side has an generous arcade walkway:
The center atrium is just an awesome space:
Stairs & bridges:
Refined details & finishes:
I could not figure out if this column was really necessary, but it sure looks good:
As an added bonus, you can get back to the main campus on the new pedestrian bridge:
JM
We are going to try a regular entry to our blog by highlighting buildings that either impress us, we find simply striking, or blow our minds.
First up are our designs by our friends at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson who have been designing Apple Stores for many years. I have had the pleasure of visiting all the flagship stores in New York, and it is hard to say which one is my favorite.
The first one was the conversion of an abandoned post office on Spring Street in the Soho area. That's Ethan on the bridge:
The next location is probably the most well known- 5th Avenue at the Plaza. If you have a craving for Mac @ midnight (I don't mean mac 'n cheese), this is the place:
A riot of glass & reflection:
On 14th street, and old warehouse building was converted to the next store. I think the building renovation is as equally spectacular as the stair. The view from Pop Burger- delicious:
I still wonder how dropped gloves are removed from the central glass support:
Cal on the bridge:
The newest store on on Broadway in the Upper West Side. These stores get more elegent, striking and simple with each new one:
JM
July 4th in Brattleboro, at a place called 'The Gorge'.
BB-
CM-
EM-
BB-
JM-
They were all gone the next day.
JM
The AIA held its annual convention in Miami this June, and man was it hot.
Many jokes were made about who's bright idea it was to make it the second week of June in the subtropics. It was my first trip to South Beach, and the heat was staggering. By 7am it was already in the 80's:
The convention itself was not as well attended as last year, and had a sleepy feel to it. There were, however, some interesting exhibits on the hall. Trespa:
Electrolux, not for the appliances but for the tile:
Interlam panels:
Daring the heat, a new parking garage was being completed adjacent to the hall. The detailing of the screens and lighting was quite nice:
The sunlight on a cloudless day was blinding:
At the end of Lincoln Road mall-
-was Herzog & de Mueron's stunning new parking garage/retail structure. The quality of the concrete was beautiful:
The view from level 6 was great:
My brush with fame of the architecture type. This year's AIA Gold Medal winner Peter Q. Bohlin at a reception in his honor at Joe's Stone Crab:
JM
