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Arch App for iPhone

December 9, 2009 By Terrance Brown 2 Comments

Arch App

29GPS developed a really neat FREE App available at the iTunes App Store. “Architecture” is a GPS based pocket guide to architecturally interesting attractions anywhere in the world. The application gives you the history of the structure along with several full screen photographs. “Architecture” also provides a detailed map and walking/driving directions to the location, and select stories include audio and/or video segments.

Arch App 3

The app contains projects from 165 different architects in 270 cities worldwide. It provides a selection of 20th and 21st century architecture which covers the traditions of the world to classic icons and architectural oddities. This app is pretty rad, it’s like one of those audio tours you take at a museum, but for the outside world. Our cityscapes transform into a free museum at the touch of an iPhone. Nevertheless, the app is not a social application therefore, users are not able to comment or add to the database. Hopefully the social aspect will be considered in an upcoming upgrade. Check it out at www.29gps.com!

Source: http://www.29gps.com/

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured, Uncategorized Tagged With: 29gps, apple, Architecture, iphone app, itunes

AIA Tour – Atlanta Marriott Marquis

December 9, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

marriott marquis

ATLANTA - On Saturday, December 12, 2009, the AIA Atlanta Tours committee offers a
lecture and guided tour of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.  Reserve your place by clicking onAIAatlantaTours@gmail.com or through the AIA Atlanta calendar section of the AIA Atlanta website.  The lecture starts at 2 p.m., and tours run continuously from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lecture and tour are free and open to the public.

Designed by John Portman and Associates in 1985, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis is one of the most recognized buildings in the city.  The building’s iconic feature is its spectacular atrium, which curves gracefully and subtly changes shape as it rises 50 stories above.  In the early 2000′s, tvsdesign (formerly Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates) was tasked with re-inventing the hotel’s public space layout and design.  Here TVS Design’s concept celebrates the atrium by locating a new glass-walled 25,000 S.F. Ballroom on its northern side, and two new restaurants on its southern side.  The project’s signature move, the Pulse Lobby Bar, is located directly in the Atrium Space.  Its sculptural form, derived from the building’s graceful arcs, creates a vibrant atmosphere.  Its central location beckons patrons to enjoy the remarkable atrium space.

About TVS Design
The philosophy at TVS Design is fundamentally rooted in the belief of design, which defines their purpose, their process, and their passion. Within this context, tvsdesign is also highly committed to collaboration, sharing a core belief that multiple insights through careful listening and genuine openness always lead to better outcomes.

TVS Design
2700 Promenade Two
1230 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
PH: 404.888.6600

Image Source: Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Events, Featured Tagged With: AIA, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Tours

Bomb-Proof Walls

December 7, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

xflex

Berry Plastics Corporation and the US Army Corps of Engineers created X-Flex which was “specifically engineered to protect structures that may be subject to acts of terrorism such as blast events or catastrophic occurrences.” X-Flex Blast Protection System is kinda insane. It is kinda sad that something like this had to be created, but it is also kinda cool and really works. Here is a video of it in action.


Basically, X-Flex is applied like a wallpaper. It comes in rolls of 48″x36 linear feet. X-Flex is designed from what I can tell, to take the force and translates it outward to diffuse the energy to prevent the wall from failing, kinda like a bullet proof vest but for walls. I am sure this will become standard for walls of banks, airports, and places where people gather. What do you think? Leave your thought below in the comments.

Source: Berry Plastics Corporation

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured, Materials Tagged With: Berry Plastics Corporation, bomb-proof, US Army Corps of Engineers, x-flex

Save Water Bricks

December 3, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

eco-friendly-brick-designThe concept behind Save Water Bricks is pretty cool. They want to use the waste leaves and waste plastics that are thrown away each year, to create bricks that absorb and channel water. The designers Jin-Young Yoon and Jeongwoong Kwon from Korea, realized in their country that some 20tons of leaves are burned each year releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. So they came up with a way to recycle those leaves and use plastic which is already recycled to produce a product that helps the environment in two ways. Either by the nature of the components or by design, they found that their product could absorb and direct water. This feature, I am sure will have them added to the LEED hotlist of products.

savewater3
savewater2A few of my concerns:

  • How does this brick compare to the common brick structurally?
  • How much water will it absorb before it starts to channel it?
  • How durable is it?
  • Would this be better compared to stucco than brick?

Either way, I think this is a great idea but as a practical replacement for brick not so much. I think it will fall in the middle where it will be used on projects that want the look of brick but do not need it for structure. I.E. Atlantic  Station in Atlanta, GA which has faux painted stucco bricks. What do you think about the Save Water Bricks? Leave your comments below.

Source: IIDA via Yanko Designs

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured, Materials, Sustainability Tagged With: Brick, Jeongwoong Kwon, Jin-Young Yoon, Water

The Suburban Paradox

November 25, 2009 By Sirobe Carstafhnur Leave a Comment

suparadox

In the winter of 2008, I was in my final year of graduate school in urban planning and policy design.  In hopes of having work lined up post-graduation, I began to search for openings in the field of urban planning.  I noticed a trend in the planner positions that were available; they were all in the suburbs.  The conclusions I made were that maybe cities and metropolitans were saturated with planners and urban designers, or perhaps the sprawl in suburbs was even more uncontrollable than before.  Maybe suburbs now had to compete with the amenities and convenience of cities, or that suburbs needed help in attracting residents to the areas.  Honestly speaking, I had no idea why so many suburban areas were recruiting urban planners.  Surprisingly, last week while sitting in a hotel restaurant, enjoying a boiled egg with whole wheat bread and reading the USA today, I finally came across the answer.

In the article by Haya El Nasser explains the trend growing in states from Washington to Florida, the declination of population throughout American suburbs.  The trend of living the American Dream (out in the suburbs) has come to an abrupt pause, specifically due to the recent housing market crash and the rising costs of gas.  Many bedroom communities or dormitory towns have completely gone under, while others have managed to survive.  Robert Lang, professor of sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, lends his expertise not only to explain why this shift has occurred, but offers a possible best solution as well.  Lang proposes that suburbs must become “a little less sprawly, a little more village-like with clustered development and denser housing.  Suburbs must offer more goods, services and more employment opportunities in the area, which also decrease the commute time for residents.  Also, like in Irving, Texas, they should even look towards incorporating public transportation to revamp the area.  In other words, suburbs must morph into cities; now isn’t that ironic?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-19-suburbs_N.htm

Related Links:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/07/eveningnews/main4329746.shtml

http://toughmoneylove.com/2008/08/22/disturbia-in-suburbia-a-permanent-decline-in-residential-property-values/

http://t4america.org/blog/2009/11/18/conservatives-and-public-transportation-join-us-for-an-upcoming-debate/

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured, Urban Planning Tagged With: Suburbs, Urban Sprawl

The One and Only… still proving that she’s more than a Woman

November 17, 2009 By Sirobe Carstafhnur 2 Comments

maxxi

In an experiment aimed to prove a particular hypothesis, I asked a group of random architectural designers, interior designers, and urban planners to jot down the first thing that came to mind when a few of today’s starchitects were mentioned.  The results (as honestly as they were delivered) were as follows:

Sir Norman Foster
The Gherkin, Renault Distribution, Millennium Tower, trendsetter, “target” architecture, expensive yacht in a recession, high tech architecture, phallic buildings, glass

Frank Ghery
Guggenheim Bilbao, Dancing House Prague, metal, disappointing, wasteful, over-rated, iridescent purple, sculptures, shallow, flashy, little substance, “his projects look like beer cans that someone stepped on”

Zaha Hadid
Abu Dhabi bridge, woman, female, curves, Ursula, brilliant, innovative, explores theory in depth, slit windows, rocks, corners, black,

Rem Koolhaas
McCormick Tribune Campus Center, S M L XL , kitch colors, un-evolved, meh, F—K the context!, blocks, modules, simplicity, array, architecture of  no scale, squares, pretentious

Jean Nouvel
Project of Mariinsky Theater, Classical Museum (UAE), transparent patterns, shiny, Dr. Evil, intricate patterns, sensual architecture, artistic, red, facades

Renzo Piano
Pompidou, Beauborg, Art Institute Bridge, Nasher Sculpture Center, wood, bamboo, brilliant, detail oriented, bridge, progressive, clean white lines, a builder, Genova, soft architecture

Now granted, you can take any of these architects and have a valid argument that some of the answers were quite predictable, but there is one architect in particular I would like to highlight in contrast with the others, Zaha Hadid – “woman.”  I knew this answer would find its way into the responses. In a profession where women compose 41% of the graduating class,1 but surprisingly only 27% of the workforce,2 what else could be expected?  An architect that is famous, accomplished, frequently acknowledged, and a woman is a rarity in architecture.  So it’s no wonder “female” came to the forefront when Hadid’s name is mentioned. However, I was quite surprised that fewer answers to this quick experiment revolved around her gender (especially not as many as I thought).

As a winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize (2004), a designer of over 34 built and officially proposed projects, and the subject of numerous publications, exhibitions, and articles, it is quite time the world sees Zaha Hadid as more than a woman.  Hadid’s accomplishments should in no manner be down-played given the mere fact that they are historical, prestigious and unique.  However, it was quite refreshing to see that the reviews of her design for the Maxxi, the National Center for Contemporary Arts in Rome, focused more on the intentions and execution of the design, rather than the characteristics of the architect which are omitted when discussing designers such as Richard Meier, Kenzo Tange, or Peter Eisenman.

The following links are to the museum itself and reviews.  The Maxxi was opened this past weekend in Rome, Italy for a limited two-day visit; the official opening for its first exhibit is expected in 2010.

http://www.maxxi.beniculturali.it
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/arts/design/12zaha.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Zaha%20Hadid&st=cse
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/13/travel/main5637962.shtml
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20091114_Contemporary_art_museum_opens_in_Rome.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120448260

Refugee Bonus: In the celebration of Zaha Hadid’s newest addition to the realm of architecture and her accomplishments as well, here’s a link to briefly introduce you to other trailblazers in architecture who happen to be women.  Enjoy! http://architecture.about.com/od/greatarchitects/tp/womenarchitects.htm

What do you think about Zaha Hadid’s newest project? Let us know in the comments below.

1 National Accrediting Board Report, 2008
2 American Institute of Architects Firm Survey, 2009
Image source: NY Times Slide Show – Slide 6

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured Tagged With: Frank Ghery, Jean Nouvel, Maxxi, Rem Koolhaas, Renzo Piano, Sir Norman Foster, Women Architects, Zaha Hadid

AIA Tour – Howard School

November 9, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

howardschoolATLANTA - On Saturday, November 14, 2009, the AIA Atlanta Tours committee offers a lecture and guided tour of the Howard School.  Reserve your place by clicking onAIAatlantaTours@gmail.com or through the AIA Atlanta calendar section of the AIA Atlanta website.  The lecture starts at 2 p.m., and tours run continuously from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lecture and tour are free and open to the public.

The new campus for the Howard School is located on a 13+ acre parcel adjacent to a former Mill building along a busy rail spur. It is a significant piece of the burgeoning urban redevelopment on the Westside of the city of Atlanta. In relocating its campus, from two historic houses in the established neighborhood of Druid Hills to a transitional Industrial neighborhood, the school took a leap of faith and in turn became pioneers for urban development.

The Howard School is a private K-12 school, which caters to students with auditory, learning and concentration issues. The design for the school’s new campus needed to be reflective of both the neighborhood aesthetic and the school’s unique teaching style. The design focused on five main points of emphasis to enhance learning: Flexibility, Comfort, Contextual, Sustainable and Community.

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Events, Featured Tagged With: AIA, Howard School, Tours

AIA Tour – Cannon Chapel

November 2, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

chapelATLANTA - On Saturday, November 7, 2009, the AIA Atlanta Tours committee offers bonus lecture and guided tour of the Cannon Chapel at Emory University by Kemp Mooney, AIA.   Reserve your place by clicking onAIAatlantaTours@gmail.com or through the AIA Atlantacalendar section of the AIA Atlanta website.  The lecture starts at 2 p.m., and tours run continuously from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lecture and tour are free and open to the public.

Cannon Chapel, named for William R. Cannon, who was dean of Candler School of Theology and later a bishop of the United Methodist Church, was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Paul Rudolph, son of one of Candler School of Theology’s first graduates. Ground was broken for the chapel on August 30, 1979, by President Jimmy Carter. The building was consecrated on September 30, 1981.

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Events, Featured Tagged With: AIA, Cannon Chapel, Emory University, Tours

Robert Gatje Speaks About Marcel Breuer

October 27, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy Leave a Comment

gatjeWhen:
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Reception starts at 6 PM
Lecture starts at 7 PM

Where:
Central Branch Public Library
1 Margaret Mitchell Square NW
Atlanta, GA 30303-1022
Phone (404) 730-1700

How Much:
Free!

About:
Mr. Gatje was a partner in the architecture firm of Marcel Breuer and worked along side Marcel Breuer for 23 years, in three new York offices and established the Paris office in 1964. Mr. Gatje’s lecture is in conjunction with the opening of the Marcel Breuer Exhibition also located at the Central Branch Public Library.

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Events, Featured Tagged With: AIA, Lecture, Marcel Breuer, MODA, Robert Getje, YAF

What If Your Roof Could Change Colors?

October 26, 2009 By Hugh Shomari Lacy 3 Comments

roofWhat if your roof could change colors? Was the question that a team of engineers at MIT asked themselves and created Thermeleon. The idea behind this product is that most homes have black shingle roofs and in the summer it is absorbing heat and increasing your cooling bill but that is slightly offset in the winter where that same roof  lowers your heating bill. So, this team set forth to answer this question. They started off with an obvious solution of paint the roof white, but then that just reverses the cooling and heating problem. After more time and thought they came up with the idea of “What if you could do both – reflect the sun’s energy in the summer and absorb it in the winter?” Well needless to say you can do both.  With their patent pending, phase changing polymer gel, these engineers have have created a product that will on hot days become white and reflect all wavelengths of light and on cold days become black and absorb heat and radiate it into the house. As of today their are no updates on investors or if any of the major roofing companies are planning on licensing this technology. Hopefully we will see this on the market soon and soon after see our heating and cooling bills drop too.

Source: Thermeleon and Fast Company

Filed Under: All, Architecture, Featured, Sustainability Tagged With: MIT, Roofing, Thermeleon
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