University of Virginia Official Athletic Site Link
20 December 2006
UVa - John Paul Jones Arena
University of Virginia Official Athletic Site Link
19 December 2006
Durham Begins Performing Arts Center
Endangered Durham Link
07 December 2006
Zaha Hadid's 2012 Olympic Aquatic Center
This is an short but interesting animation for Zaha Hadid's Olympic Aquatic Center for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (XLI Olympiad) to be held in London.
Zaha Hadid Architects Link
05 December 2006
Architect...what's in a word?
archrecord2 Link
30 November 2006
WTC Complex Striving for LEED Gold
Apparently the latest design incarnation of the World Trade Center Complex will attempt to receive USGBC (United States Green Building Council) LEED Gold Certification. Tower 7 has already been certified Gold as of March of 2006. For those of you unfamiliar with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ here is a passage from the USGBC's website to help explain, "...(LEED Rating System) is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality." Points are earned through research, calculation, analysis and written description in a prescribed manner and submitted for review to USGBC within a LEED Letter Template in one of six categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation & Design Process. After successful review points are awarded in the various categories which count towards certification. Below are listed the required point system milestones for various levels of certification:
Certified: 26-32
Silver: 33-38
Gold: 39-51
Platinum: 52+
Official World Trade Center Memorial Site
Another Gold Certification Article
25 November 2006
20 November 2006
Intriguing Earth Architecture 02
Today we feature a construction photo of National Stadium in Beijing which will play host to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games (XXIX Olympiad). The stadium will seat 91,000+ and will feature the opening and closing ceremonies as well as all of the track & field events during the Olympics. In 2002, Herzog & de Meuron teamed with ArupSport and China Architecture Research & Design Group to win the international competition for the design of the Olympic centerpiece venue.
National Stadium Wikipedia
NAi Herzog & de Meuron Web File
17 November 2006
NCMoA Plans Major Expansion
16 November 2006
Floating Pool Arrives in NYC
The Neptune Foundation Link
Project Profile Page
15 November 2006
ecAr relaunch
16 October 2006
Intriguing Earth Architecture 01
Use Flickr
Holl Fires Back at City of Denver
As advertised here on October 10, 2006 we have Steven Holl's response to his departure from the Denver Justice Center Project. It should be interesting to see how much the redesign will look like the original Holl solution. The link below is to a Denver architecture blog that contains a more in-depth analysis of the fallout. Feel free to leave your opinion in the comments section.
thartofwhere Link
10 October 2006
Steven Holl Out of Denver Project
Steven Holl has apparently had no official comment as yet on his firm's decision to withdraw from the project. Local architecture firm Klipp released a statement in which they stated that the project objectives, "could not allow (Steven Holl Architects, New York) to design a building consistent with Steven Holl's design philosophy." This has got to come as a sense of loss for a city who in the last decade has had a slew of renowned architects propose or design projects within the immediate downtown core. We will await comment from the Holl camp and present it here as it is released.
Related Article Link
Competitions Anyone?
I have had several competition call for entries come across my desk lately and I will be adding a new sidebar entitled Architecture Competitions to fulfill these requests. The latest comes from car maker Scion and I quote from their competition website, "Scion Floorplan is a competition, open to the design community, where you are asked to design Scion's new dealership showroom. This competition is an opportunity for designers to work with real world design constraints, get noticed by judges working in the design industry, be creative, and possibly win $5,000." The competition submission deadline is November 10, 2006.
Other Competition Links
08 September 2006
Ground Zero's New Look
In the wake of what is almost the 5th anniversary of 9/11 designs finally emerge showing the new Lower Manhattan skyline. But how long will they take to come to fruition? And will New Yorker's be able to accept the new look of Ground Zero? The jury is still out.
Related Article Link
24 August 2006
Anish Kapoor has landed in New York City
Many people from Chicago may know this artist's work from Millenium Park. Now New Yorker's can partake in his design as well.
Anish Kapoor Link
01 August 2006
SINGLE speed DESIGN : WORKS
Interesting sustainable architectural solution for reuse of materials involved in Boston's "Big Dig". Well worth a look for those who are interested in contemporary architecture. Perhaps more American's will follow this example and recycle more construction waste for reuse. I recently watched a podcast from Hauz29 that demonstrated how much debris we, as humans, are placing in landfills versus recycling. The podcast is called "Grey to Green" and is sponsored by PBS and design e2.
Link to Hauz29 Podcasts
28 June 2006
David Childs of SOM Unveils Latest Incarnation of World Trade Center
The design is still not as powerful and conceptually interesting as the competition winner Libeskind envisioned. However, new refinements to the bomb-proof base should help garner public favor.
Original Libeskind Award Winning Design Link
22 June 2006
SOM Going Tall in China
It seems that Skidmore, Owings & Merrill are concentrating most of their design efforts on skyscrapers in the land of the Great Wall.
Additional Article Link
SOM Web Site Link
06 June 2006
Rediscovering the Bauhaus using Google
As I have been exploring the realm of Google I have found many methods for experiencing Architecture. Here is a video discussing the history of the Bauhaus in Dessau, Germany.
05 June 2006
Thom Mayne to Assist in Rebuilding New Orleans
Morphosis among renown architects to help rebuild New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina.
Morphosis Link
04 June 2006
Architecture Sites Among 2006 Webby Winners
Site Link 1
Site Link 2
Site Link 3
18 May 2006
Apple's New Fifth Ave Store in NYC
Apple unveils its newest retail offering in NYC on Fifth Avenue. The store will reportedly operate 24hrs a day and all 365 days of the year.
Additional Link 1
Additional Link 2
11 May 2006
Frank Gehry Redesign for Brooklyn, NY Revealed
It seems Mr. Gehry is having some difficulty in appeasing all parties regarding his design for the proposed Brooklyn development.
28 April 2006
Google Rolls Out SketchUp
For those of you who are aspiring Architects...Google has released its recent acquistion SketchUp for free personal use.
27 April 2006
Another Article Regarding the World Trade Center Site...
More stimulating discourse over the future of the World Trade Center site.
25 April 2006
More Turmoil at the World Trade Center Site...
14 April 2006
South Carolina Aquarium
Recently I had a chance to experience the South Carolina Aquarium in historic Charleston, SC. The project was designed by Eskew + Architects from New Orleans and was completed in 1999. The aquarium consists of multiple fresh and salt-water aquariums as well as outdoor exhibits which feature many animals and plants native to the mountains, piedmont and coastal areas of South Carolina. The exhibits are contained and integrated within a structure that is stylistically Modern in origin. The South Carolina Aquarium is one of three buildings that include the Ft. Sumter Visitor Education Center and an IMAX Theater and shops. From an urban development standpoint, the entire area contrasts and sits in juxtaposition to the renowned historic context of downtown Charleston. In general, most new developments are occurring between the historic district at East Bay Street and run east to the banks of the Cooper River and have Modernist influences.
South Carolina Aquarium