Out of the blight comes Affordable Housing

With the crash of real estate all over the country, the city of New York recently unveiled a program to "convert vacant and stalled high-end projects for middle income families." This $20 million program, known as HARP- Housing Asset Renewal Program, is geared to clean up the blight littering the five boroughs and at the same time create much needed affordable housing for the city.

“Private developments that sit vacant or unfinished could have a destabilizing effect on our neighborhoods, but we’re not about to let that happen,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement. “This program holds out the promise of addressing the unintended blight caused by vacant sites, while transforming what would have been market-rate buildings into affordable housing for working class New Yorkers.”

Speaker Christine Quinn introduced this option in February 2008 during her State of the City address and the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development was brought on board to flesh out some of the details that need to be worked out before implementation.

The entire process is set to work thus: the city will issue a request for funding applicants—a sort of RFP with a rolling deadline—in July that is expected to run through December. Applicants will be judged on three criteria: those who offer the deepest discounts, require the least amount of subsidy, and provide the most “stabilization” to the neighborhood. For instance, a single building in need of subsidy in a ten block radius would be more likely targeted than 15 buildings in need within a five block radius, according to Andrew Doba, a council spokesperson. - www.archpaper.com

I think this is a great idea to not only open up financing to complete the construction on these projects but to also provide affordable housing for the public. Also, this will greatly help to clean up the blight and make the neighborhoods safer by removing these spots which could harbor potential predators in the dark.




Images obtained from: www.archpaper.com
Article details obtained from Matt Chaban's "Harping on Affordable Housing"

Increased Demand for Green Buildings

In light of work in the private sector having fallen off the map for architects, it seems like the increased demand for energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings is helping to bring more business to architects during the current lull in the building industry. But has this been a necessarily good thing for the building industry or environment?

In the last year, more clients become more familiar with the LEED ratings system, and the potential advantages of sustainable buildings and as such have begun to request that their projects meet the criteria to be at least LEED certified. So ultimately, the more LEED accredited professionals within a firm, the better positioned they are to tap into this market.

Although this has been hailed by many of my peers as a good sign, I am not as optimistic. I think what has happened now, is that the word "green" has become a label developers seek to apply to every ugly little box they want to market to the public as unique. I recently worked on an apartment complex in Southern California that the developer wanted to have meet the LEED certified criteria and provided the necessary strategies needed for the project to achieve this. Now, the building is still a piece of junk aesthetically and has many issues to be ironed out but the developer could care less. He feels that since he is applying the LEED "label" like some kind of beauty lotion, the project will magically transform into something potential occupant will fall over themselves to rent.

Having said that, I must add that I am appreciative of the revenue these projects are bringing in which help keep many of us working but I have noticed that these days, having a LEED certified building does not necessarily mean that you have an environmentally friendly building by any means.

Image obtained from: fivecat.wordpress.com

The Worst Building in the World

I had my doubts about how bad this building could possibly have been when I heard about it. I mean we all know that architecture is very subjective and not everyone is going to agree about the aesthetic qualities of any building but when I saw an image of the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, I had to admit that this was the one exception to the rule. It's truly awful!

The one-hundred-and-five-story, world's 22nd largest skyscraper broke ground as far back as 1987 by Baikdoosan Architects but construction was stopped in 1992 when it was rumored that the state ran out of money to continue. Now, more than twenty years later after North Korea poured more than two percent of its gross domestic product into this eyesore, construction has resumed though I can't understand why. The Ryugyong Hotel dwarfs and stands out so much from its surroundings, it looks like it was just dropped there from outer space with no care for site integration. Also, the government themselves think it is so bad that they airbrush it out of official photos of the city skyline, pretending that it isn't there.

Even by Communist standards, the 3,000-room hotel is hideously ugly, a series of three gray 328-foot long concrete wings shaped into a steep pyramid. With 75 degree sides that rise to an apex of 1,083 feet, the Hotel of Doom (also known as the Phantom Hotel and the Phantom Pyramid) isn't the just the worst designed building in the world -- it's the worst-built building, too. - www.esquire.com/the-side/DESIGN/hotel-of-doom-012808

I think like most people do, that the Ryugyong Hotel is horrid but again we really can't judge the entire process of its design and construction as it is within a communist country we do not understand or have much access to. This building clearly would not have even gotten approved anywhere in Europe or the United States nor would so much money have been poured down the drain on a project the government and community clearly seem to despise.

Images obtained from: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/DESIGN/hotel-of-doom-012808

Zaha Hadid Wins Cairo Competition

The 1,530,000 sq ft Cairo Expo City near the airport will comprise a major international exhibition and conference centre with business hotel. A further office tower and a shopping centre are also proposed.

According to Hadid, the undulating design was inspired by the natural topography of the Nile Valley.

‘As the exhibition spaces require the greatest degree of flexibility, we wanted to ensure that all the public spaces and formal composition of Cairo Expo City relate to the surrounding Egyptian landscape.’ said Hadid. ‘Along the great rivers of the region, most particularly the Nile, there is a powerful dynamic - a constant flow between the water and the land - which extends to incorporate the neighboring buildings and landscapes. For the Cairo Expo City design, we worked to capture that seamlessness and fluidity in an urban architectural context.’

Work to start clearing the site will begin in October. Hadid will be working together with engineering consultants Buro Happold. - www.architectsjournal.co.uk/5203232.article

Though I think this is a very beautiful design, I am a little skeptical of it's feasibility structurally and financially. I think that Zaha has created, like she always does, another site intervention to stick out and proclaim her apparent greatness.

Images obtained from: www.architectsjournal.co.uk

The Reality of Building Integrated Wind

With the recent push to move away from our dependence on oil, and into an era of energy generated from clean and renewable sources and an added 30% tax credit for more incentive, many misconceptions have been generated about wind energy and turbines.

For starters though they are usually very beautiful when integrated well with the building design, they often do not produce as much power as advertised because they can't overcome the major problem of "turbulent airflow." For turbines to work optimally, they need strong "laminar winds," in which all the wind flows from one direction but on top of tall buildings, where they are often mounted, the winds come from many different directions. Bob Thresher, director of the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, explains that as wind flow comes over the edge of a roof or around a corner, it separates into many different streams.

Ron Stimmel, wind technology expert at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), added to this thought saying that, this turbulent flow confuses a wind turbine, affecting its performance. “Even if it feels really windy on top of a building, it’s probably more turbulent wind than steady wind,” he said.

Another issue is that of noise and vibration, contrary to common assumptions that turbines are generally quiet. The vertical-axis machines indeed are much more quiet than rotator blades but the vibration they cause on non-concrete buildings is generally detrimental to the general comfort of the occupants.

In one of the only extensive surveys of actual performance of building-integrated wind turbines the Warwick Wind Trials Project, the only turbines able to generate close to their projected electricity output were mounted on high-rise apartment buildings. And these wind turbines remained switched off throughout most of the test period because of complaints from the residents about noise. -www.buildinggreen.com, The-Folly of Building Integrated Wind

Another problem is that of the actual measured performance Vs the projected measured performance of the turbine. Manufacturers are constantly guilty of showing slightly elevated power curves for their products than what they can actually achieve which makes the process of figuring how much energy a set of turbines on our building is going to generate. The usually leaves designers and clients very disappointed in the end. For example, the vertical axis turbine (left) is nominally rated at 10kw but tests by Madison Gas and Electric showed that it has so far never produced more than 600 watts even though it is installed at a height that might be typical for a rooftop application.

So although they look nicer and sleeker as the years go by and they make a very bold and energy efficient statement for the building design, they do not help much practically for what they are meant to do. Of course if you are looking for a sculptural element to enhance a piece of your building, wind turbines do the job well and you might as well get something out of them but keep in mind that it will be minimal.




Images obtained from: www.buildinggreen.com
Article info obtained from: Alex Wilson's "The Folly of Building-Integrated Wind"

Cheese Grater Gets Built in Dubai

New York based reiser + umemoto has decided to really push the design envelope with their very unorthodox building, 0-14 which has just been topped out in Dubai. The skin of the building is of self-consolidating concrete cast over the perforated reinforced steel. Though this is one of the few buildings that is actually environmentally innovative, aesthetically, this is one design that seems like it would have been better off remaining on paper.

Structurally, the seemingly termite eaten facade acts as an exoskeleton allows the exterior of the building to practically column free, acts as a double-skin facade and uses the stack effect to channel the stifling hot air of Dubai up out of the cavities and at the same time cooling the walls and windows.

Dubai as we all know is the one place where you can find the most outrageous designs that have no consideration for the environment but though I think the facade is not in the least bit "easy on the eyes" I am pleased that this one does try to be aware that when you build vertically in places like Dubai, the higher you go, the more you begin to create micro climates within the building itself. This is a huge strain on HVAC equipment adjusting to the different temperatures. The perforated skin will allow more light and air into the building and at the same time provide some shading form direct sunlight.





Images and article details obtained from: www.archiblog.com
and from Lynn Becker's "Dubai Swiss cheese grater becomes a reality."

4 Most Creative Cities In The World

Fast company has just released its list of the top 13 most creative and innovative cities in the world, most of which are within the United States which I must admit is a little surprising. In a statement, Fast company explained that criteria used was to determine and rank cities with "initiatives that can help our communities go greener, be safer, live smarter, and invest for the future."

No 1: Cleveland
From being a city scarred by urban blight and foreclosure, Cleveland, Ohio is putting together an impressive urban plan "to create acres of tree nurseries, oases of native plants, and community gardens." Also, empty lots within communities are to be used as mini solar farms to power homes in the community. "A solar array in a previously empty 3-acre lot, for example, will provide enough power for 200 homes."

No 2: San Francisco
This seems to be just about the "Bank on San Francisco" program, a public-private partnership established by the city and county of San Francisco and several other financial organizations. This program ensured that the 17 participating banks accepted not only United States issued IDs but Mexican and Guatemalan IDs as well to enable Latino immigrants working in the city to safely deposit their money in the bank and hang on to the 5% of their annual income they would have spent on check-cash services. Other than the banks having more money to lend, I'm not sure what good this has done.

No 3: Tucson
This comes due to the initiative to make the city as "healthy as possible." The program which started in 2003, has created "700 miles of bike ways and 72 miles of shared-use paths" with more than $80 million planned to be spent in the future. With all the new access and increased circulation within the city, the crime rate has greatly been reduced, more than 20% since 2006 and has seen a "45% reduction in crystal-methane availability since 2006."

No 4: Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan has been working hard over the years to achieve "zero landfill, total recycling" by 2010, 30 years ahead of the UN's trash targets. The city has managed to slash their garbage volume by almost 60% by introducing a new system of kitchen waste disposal that turns food waste into pig feed.




Article info obtained from: www.fastcompany.com/cities/2009

Zaha's New Shoes

London based architect Zaha Hadid is known for her very conceptual, unique and curvilinear designs with her new project being no exception. The project set to take off this July "explores futuristic vessels of movement in relation to the human body" ie she is designing a new pair of shoes!

Zaha is collaborating with French apparel company LACOSTE to produce this new prototype to feature unisex calf leather boots that wrap and "encapsulate" the foot from sole to ankle to leg in an continuous and fluid manner. The shoe design for lady's is more expressive of this apparent "leg wrapping" as it reaches up to the calf (top left) while the men's hugs the upper ankle. “The design expression behind the collaboration with LACOSTE footwear allows the evolution of dynamic fluid grids,” said Hadid, according to a official statement from LACOSTE. “When wrapped around the shape of a foot, these expand and contract to negotiate and adapt to the body ergonomically. In doing so a landscape emerges, undulating and radiating as it merges seamlessly with the body.”

The limited edition of only 850 pairs of Zaha's new LACOSTE shoes will be available this July in high end boutiques in Paris London and Milan in black and purple for women and black and navy blue for men.

Contrary to my initial assumptions, this is not Zaha's first crack at the fashion world as she has already designed a pair of "Eco-friendly" rubber shoes with Brazilian label MELISSA in the summer of 2008 but this has not been very successful to date. These were overpriced at about $500 a pair and extremely horrid to look at but she seems to have done better with her new designs which according to sources came from exploring "digitized interpretations” of the LACOSTE crocodile logo. I'm not sure what these cost but it will be safe to say that will not be in the window of your neighborhood Macy's any time soon.





Article info and images obtained from: blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/2517
For more info on Zaha's MELISSA's designs, check: www.inhabitat.com/2008/08/06/zaha-hadid-turns-shoe-designer-teams-up-with-melissa/

Ghery Officially Off Barclay Center Designs

The Barclay Center, which is to be the Nets new basketball arena had originally intended to be the main focal point and anchor of Frank Ghery's sprawling 22-acre Atlantic Yards complex located in central Brooklyn. Now it seems that though Ghery will be master planner for the site, the "starchitects" firm had been replaced by Ellerbe Becket as designer of the arena itself.

One reason that seems very likely is that Ghery's proposal as usual would end up being way to pricey and indeed Forest City Ratner, the developers said in the statement. “The current economic climate is not right for this design, and with Frank’s understanding, the arena is undergoing a redesign that will make it more limited in scope.” So what happened to his magic "Digital Project" software? According to the Times, the arena is now expected to cost $800 million, down from a projected $1 billion.

So as the situation stands right now, Ghery's initial design (topmost) will be replaced with the Ellerbe Becket design (below) which bears a close resemblance to their Conseco Fieldhouse, arena of the Indiana Pacers.

I am a little disappointed that in light of the current economy, Mr Ghery was not able to find a way to create a design that is a little more affordable to the city.I guess he hasn't been using his own software he tauted could help him come in under budget for any project.
Still, I know as architects we don't particularly like to downgrade a design to make it cheaper but what was a no-no a few years ago is workable today if you want to have work.




Images obtained from: archpaper.com/e-board
For more info check: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/nyregion/05gehry.html?_r=1&hp

Final Design Chosen For Black History Museum

Yesterday, April the 15th, a winning design was finally selected for long-awaited National Museum of African American History and Culture to be located across the street from the Washington Monument. The firms of Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup were selected as the winners despite much public sentiment that the Moody Nolan/Predock design was by far the most dynamic and aesthetically pleasing of all submissions. The 5 acre, $500 million project is now set to break ground mid 2012 and be completed in 2015.

"Their vision and spirit of collaboration moved all members of the design competition jury," said the museum's founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III. "I am confident that they will give us a building that will be an important addition to the National Mall and to the architecture of the city."

Bunch has repeatedly stated that the core theme to be followed by each firm was the African American experience in the United States through slavery and emancipation, to politics, music, sports and spirituality.

The wining design concept was about "celebration and praise" said Adjaye, 42, a Tanzanian-born, London-based architect. "We are celebrating an incredible journey and looking to the future." The 105 foot design shows a square building, held by four columns with an open first floor. Two superstructures, which are shaped like crowns and inspired by an African headdress, top the entry-level porch. Above crowns, that Adjaye described as "Coronas" and where designed to hold most of the exhibition galleries, is a roof garden. The four-story design has several key vantage points and view ports to take advantage of the iconic and historic sights along the Mall.

The entrances are on Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, on the Mall side, bringing all visitors into the open first floor. On the Constitution side is a canal, representing the Washington Channel, where slaves and supplies were transported.

In my march 30th post I briefly talked about the six designs that were under consideration at the time which included, Foster and Partners/URS, a joint venture, with the Foster firm as architect and URS handling the engineering design. Other teams are: Devrouax & Purnell, I.M. Pei, Moshe Safdie and Associates, Moody Nolan/Predock and of course Freelon Adjaye Bond. At the time, the design by Moody Nolan/Predock was considered by many to be the better design that is why the selection of Freelon Adjaye Bond by the Smithsonian came as such a surprise. I am quite disappointed with this choice as the design seems to be the least interesting of the six but I guess its location does not not exactly allow for very organic forms.




Details of article obtained from Jaqueline Trescott's "Designer chosen for Black History Museum"
Images obtained from: www.washigntonpost.com

Gehry To Design Eisenhower Memorial

Regardless of whatever problems "star architect" Frank Gehry might be having with the Beekman Tower project and constant issues of being over budget, his brand is something that many cities seem to seek out. Washington has recently been added to that list as Gehry was selected from a short list of firms, that included Ron Krueck of Krueck & Sexton, Rob Rogers and Jonathan Marvel of Rogers Marvel Architects, and Peter Walker of PWP Landscape Architecture, to design a memorial to US president Dwight Eisenhower.

The site for the memorial, which will be Gehry's first project in Washington, is a four acre parcel between 4th and 6th Streets along Independence Avenue right by the Smithsonian air and space museum. At a projected budget of $90-120m, the project will consist of a civic plaza that will serve as both memorial to the 34th president and gathering ground for the public.

The 12-member commission, which selected Gehry, was created by Congress in 1999 and includes David Eisenhower, grandson of the president, and its chairman is lawyer Rocco C. Siciliano who who earned a Bronze Star in World War II and was an assistant to Eisenhower in the White House. Siciliano stated last week that, "We were looking for creativity and looking for ingenuity. We wanted a firm that knows how to bring in the public, with an emphasis on young people. We know it wouldn't be a massive facility."He also added that, "It's appropriate to have one of today's most outstanding architects design a memorial for one of our country's greatest leaders."

The use of the land has been approved by Congress, the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission. The project is also being sponsored by the National Park Service, which will maintain and manage the site.

Though I am very excited about all the development going on around the area which includes the proposed Black History museum and would like to see how it all comes together, I'm not sure that Gehry is quite the right choice for Washington. Being true to himself and the way he designs, Frank Gehry finds it hard to relate to site context and the Washington mall area is not the kind of location where you just plop down anything. I fear the memorial will have little to do with Eisenhower and more to do with Gehry trying to put his signature mark on Washington.





Some article information has been obtained from: www.guardian.co.uk and www.washingtonpost.com

Tiger Woods' New Golf Resort

The world's best golfer just unveiled plans for the $100 million Punta Brava (which means “wild point”) golf resort set to open late in 2011. The project located just south of Ensenada, Mexico will be composed of villas, casitas and a private club all enhanced by a scenic, 264-acre coastal setting that includes a 1,200-foot peak and ragged sea cliffs.

Mr. Woods brought together for this project three notable Mexican firms: project architects Legorreta + Legorreta, ABAX Architecture, and A5 arquitectura. Alejandro Bernardi, an architect with the firm A5, stated that one design consideration was to blend some details of heritage Mexican architecture with a more contemporary environment.

The complex includes 39 estate lots ranging from 3/4 to 3 acres, 99 villa residences from 4,500 to 7,000 square feet, and 14 club casitas for the guests of residents. Residences are perched on the vertical terrain of the site, appearing to slide out of the hillsides in layers. With stonework that matches existing rock and landscaping with native plants, the designs are intended to ease the transition from natural to man-made environments.- www.archpaper.com, "Swinging Design"

Not to be forgotten is the golf course designed by Tiger himself with each hole of the 70 par course giving players a clear view of the ocean including eight shots that require driving the ball over the bay, which I'm sure he threw in just to be mean.

“The merger of traditional Mexican craftsmanship or ‘artesania’ as we call it, with the modern needs of architectural function, has an amazing result,” Bernardi said. This look, he added, is achieved by transposing materials like traditional terra cotta with more contemporary exposed concrete, and recreating traditional Mexican wood details like lattice, shades, and shutters with modern lines.

Another feature of the overall design was to enhance the views and the experience of the occupants by having a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors by blurring interior and exterior boundaries. Showers open to the outdoors, walls seemingly disappear to provide occupants with unobstructed views to the ocean and rooftops planted with indigenous plants provide residents with usable green terraces.

The project also boasts sustainable strategies: thick stone walls to help with thermal massing and tap into passive solar opportunities due to the warmer climate. Also, Punta Brava has been designed to be completely independent from the Ensenada water grid, using an on-site desalinization plant and reusing all wastewater.

I am very pleased with Mr Woods' plans and actually appreciate his decision to have a team of the best local architects who are better able to understand the complexity of the environment and how best to work with it. Also, I'm glad that even though this development is not located in the United States, plans to make it as energy efficient as possible were integrated into the overall scope especially as energy codes are less stringent in Mexico.





Image obtained from: www.archpaper.com
Article details obtained from: Alissa Walker's "Swinging Design"

World's First Flying Hotel!

Modeled on the Soviet Mil V-12, the largest helicopter ever built, this double deck Airbus A380 idea has seemingly set the bar high for luxury accommodation. The Russian Hotelicopter Company purchased one of these prototypes from the Mikhail Leontyevich Mil helicopter plant in Panki-Tomilino, Russia in 2004 and claim to have been working out the kinks in the design ever since.

This contraption boasts 18 luxury rooms, each soundproofed and furnished with a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless Internet access, and all the trimmings one would expect to find in a flying hotel with room service offered half and hour before and after take off.

"The original Mil V-12 was an amazingly large helicopter which absolutely dwarfs any heavy lift Helicopter in use today. Each rotor had a diameter of nearly 115 ft (35m), mounted at the end of a large wing, making the distance from the tips of each rotor blade wider than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. The two Soviet built V-12s did fly and still hold the helicopter heavy lift world record of 44,205 kg (88,636 lb) at a height of 2,255m (7,398 feet) set on August 6th 1969 but were simply too big and difficult to maneuver to be practical so never reached production." - Gizmag, 3/30

Although the company, Hotelicopter has shown very imaginative and innovative images of this design as well as a flight tour, just from the above dimentions and weight, I have my doubts about just how practical these claims might be. For starters, the specified Maximum Takeoff Weight is given at 232,870 lb, the same as the original Mil V-12 helicopter even though three stories of rooms have been added and this really doesn't sound feasible. So although a flight tour has been released, starting June 26th, I think these plans are pretty spurious especially considering that yesterday was April fool's.







Images obtained from: www.likecool.com
Article details obtained from: www.gizmag.com

Clash of The Subway and Car Cultures in China

Chan Shao Zhang, a 67 year old engineer, is currently supervising an army of workers operating 60 tunneling machines below the metropolis of Guangzhou in Southeastern China. Their goal is to not only build one of the largest and advanced subway systems but to also curb the Country's growing love for the automobile.

The tunneling system is taking hold not only in Guangzhou but all over the country as the Chinese government is pushing local and provincial officials to step up their infrastructure spending to offset lost revenue from slumping exports. Hence, at least 15 other cities are building subway lines with many more planning them in the near future. This is a very encouraging change as in the past, most cities have been discouraged from such alternate transportation planning due to high costs of subway tunneling. For example, only the city of Tokyo currently has a subway system that serves more passengers than city buses. The buses are cheaper and able to serve far more streets but move more slowly, pollute more and contribute to traffic congestion.

The concern now though is that the Chinese populace are purchasing cars faster than the government can build subway systems and car sales have soared ninefold since the year 2000. In the month of February, China surpassed the United States in total vehicle sales for the first time ever. This, combined with the fact that some Chinese policies allow real estate developers to build sprawling new Los Angeles style suburbs, undermine the benefits of the mass transit boom. Shanghai charges a fee of several thousand dollars for each license plate of a newly purchased car to try to discouraging car use and promote more alternative transportation but this has not taken hold in much of the Country.

Despite all this, China is continuing on with the plans of connecting all cities via these subway tunnels that are seen to be a way to jump start the economy again. The city of Guangzhou alone plans to open an additional 83 miles by the end of next year along with an underground tram system and a high-speed commuter rail system. A long-term plan calls for at least 500 miles of subway and light rail routes, and there are discussions on expanding beyond that.

I think this is a very forward thinking plan regardless of the new love for cars in the country. If done right, the subway systems will always be a very convenient way to commute to avoid traffic and parking issues. That is if it is done right and not a pretense of an alternate transport system like what exists in San Diego or Los Angeles. I think New York should watch and see how its done as the long delayed Second Avenue line which is to stretch a mere 1.7 miles still has not been completed.





Image obtained from: www.NewYorkTimes.com
Some article info obtained from: Kieth Bradshaer's "Clash of Subway and Car Culture in Chinese Cultures."

1 World Trade Center

This is the new name for what we once knew as the "Freedom Tower" which was renamed in an attempt to try and remove some of the negative emotions many residents of New York and the families of the 9/11 victims feel with the new building which was designed to replace the WTC Twin Towers.

The SOM designed $3.1 billion project was initially set to topout by the end of 2010 but was pushed back to be completed by 2013 instead and use about 46,000 tons of steel.

Outside of the triangular undulated mass everyone seems to despise, I think the 1 World Trade Center Tower is a well designed building with a lot of innovative designs. The 2.6 million square foot building will consist of office spaces, as well as an observation deck, restaurants with tenant parking and access to subway trains below grade. What is most impressive are the new safety features: three foot thick walls for all stairwells, elevator shafts, risers, and sprinkler systems; extremely wide "emergency stairs"; a dedicated set of stairwells exclusively for the use of firefighters; and biological and chemical filters throughout its ventilation system. Also, "Its structure is designed around a strong, redundant steel moment frame consisting of beams and columns connected by a combination of welding and bolting. Paired with a concrete-core shear wall, the moment frame lends substantial rigidity and redundancy to the overall building structure while providing column-free interior spans for maximum flexibility."

In my post of 3/25, I talked about deceased architect, Herbert Belton and Ken Gardner plans to do away with the Freedom Tower, or should I say the 1 Trade Center, and replace it with the Twin Towers II which have exterior elevations identical to the original towers but completely redesigned interiors and structural system. I got a bit of feed back from that post which seemed to underscore the sentiment of New Yorkers who really do not want to see the 1 Trade Center built. But what is being done about all this other than having a few petitions floating around online? I mean, just on February 11th, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey posted images showing that construction on the 1 World Trade Center Tower has risen above grade to a height of 105 feet. So did that signal the end of the Twin Towers II proposal?

I know the sentiment among all the supporters of the Twin Towers II feel that it is not too late to change the design and that the current foundation pylons of the 1 World Trade Center can be used as is for the Twin Towers II without having to be modified but after looking over them, I really don't see how that would work. I do think that it would be nice to see the old Twin Tower masses standing in the New York skyline but until some kind of official announcement is made to abandon the 1 World Trade Center, I don't think this will ever become a reality.





Image obtained from: SOM.com

Design For New Black History Museum

On Jan 30th, I posted an article on the design of the National Museum for African American History on the mall of the Washington Monument. During that time, the design review had only six teams from the original twenty-two who had submitted their RFP documents. These included, Foster and Partners/URS, a joint venture, with the Foster firm as architect and URS handling the engineering design. Other teams are: Devrouax & Purnell, Freelon Adjaye Bond, I.M. Pei and Moshe Safdie and Associates. Though currently, the jury process has not narrowed the selection past these six firms left since January, conceptual designs have been unveiled on Friday, of the various teams' proposed conceptual design of the Museum.

It was the first opportunity to see what the physical structure might look like and themes which look like they might be found in the final design include water features and music halls, evocations of slave ships and the African past, and vistas acknowledging its important, monumental neighbors. The models of the museum, set to topout in 2015, are on display at the Castle Building for public comment until April 6 and mirrored elements of other familiar museums. Some of these are the circular paths of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the wetlands and water movement of the National Museum of the American Indian, the open floor of the National Museum of American History and light that cascades into interior and underground spaces, as at the Pyramid at the Louvre.

The museum will occupy a five-acre plot near the Washington Monument and the National Museum of American History. It is one of the last open spaces on the Mall, and the museum's founders have specified that the building must respect the history and visage of the monument. As part of their proposals, the architects were asked to acknowledge their own understanding of the importance of the African American experience.

Lonnie G. Bunch, the founding director of the museum and the chairman of the jury that will select the wining design among other things asked the teams for a clear expression of "the dark corners" of the African American experience in the United States. "We want a building that is worthy of a rich cultural heritage," Bunch said, "and we want it to work as a museum." The conceptual designs, he continued, were requested to "give us enough so I know you are the team I want to dance with."

Officials with the Smithsonian, which will oversee the details of construction and exhibition content, said they didn't expect the building to be very tall, but it would cover 300,000 to 350,000 square feet. The submissions are:

-- Devrouax & Purnell and Pei Cobb Freed & Partners envision a seven-story structure (with two of the floors below ground) that features a circular interior within a box shape. It would have a roof garden with landscaping inspired by a pattern on one of the architects' grandmother's quilt. Pei, a recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, designed the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. Devrouax & Purnell did Nationals Park.

-- Diller Scofidio and Renfro, in association with KlingStubbins, submitted a table-shaped building wrapped in glass. The renderings show a place featuring billboard-size photographs of famous black figures and moments, and where jazz musicians might perform. One image depicts slaves in a ship in a huge Middle Passage Gallery. The plans feature an amphitheater facing the Lincoln Memorial.

-- The Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates and Davis Brody Bond designed a museum with two of the above-ground stories shaped like wide baskets. The exterior is covered with copper screens that change color during the day. At various points inside the museum, there are stopping places that look to the Capitol and other landmarks.

-- Foster and Partners/URS foresee a circular building. Visitors enter a ramp and descend to a lower level to start the museum experience, which begins with slavery and winds through the stories of freedom, sports and the arts. At the top of the four stories, visitors enter an area of "celebration" and face a huge window, looking out at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. As with the other architecture collaborations, this one includes African American partners. In this case it's Blackburn Architects and Harry Robinson, former dean of the Howard University architecture school. Foster designed the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian's Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture.

-- Moody Nolan, in association with Antoine Predock Architect, envisions a building made of natural materials, rising as of out of bedrock and muck. Along one side runs a wetlands scene, a nod to historic Tiber Creek that ran through part of Washington. Its glass roof features etchings echoing Yoruba ancestral arts, and it also has an outdoor amphitheater facing Constitution Avenue.

-- Moshe Safdie and Associates in association with Sulton Campbell Britt & Associates submitted a four-story concept that features a lot of natural light. A towering ship's hull marks the entrance. In a section labeled "The Door of No Return," the museum would have exhibition and contemplative areas dealing with slavery and segregation stories; a section called "Freedom Bridge," on the top level, would include exhibits on music and sports. The proposal features a web-like facade, behind which is a series of pedestrian walkways.

An 11-member jury will make its selection next month, but Bunch stressed this would be an independent decision arrived at without public comment. Final approval would come from the Smithsonian Board of Regents.

The 350,000 square foot, $500 million project is being funded 50-50 by private and congress.

Image obtained from: www.washingtonpost.com
Details obtained from: Jaqueline Trescott's "Black History Future"

Los Angeles' Continued Signage Debate

The controversy over the size and effects of signage in Los Angeles is still raging on as many residents are angered at what public officials have allowed opportunistic billboard companies to get away with and have defined the situation as an "urban mess" and L.A's version of the AIG scandal.

The city has put itself in a difficult position anyway as city Hall lawyers signed off on a 2006 legal settlement allowing more than 800 billboards to be turned into digital signs, and separately has been mostly powerless to slow the growth of supergraphics, those gigantic wraparound advertisements that are capable of mummifying entire pieces of architecture. As parts of the battle play out in court, complicated by free-speech questions, billboard companies have rushed to put up as many new signs as they can.

This issue has been on for a while as Dennis Hathaway, leader of the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight claims, as he wrote in a Times op-ed last year, that billboards are "degrading aesthetically as well as socially" and this was reiterated a few weeks ago by former Planning Commission President Jane Usher as she argued that, that "the city of Los Angeles is suffering from a disease called sign proliferation."

I am a little amused at what seems to enrage the average LA resident. The unacceptable level of auto pollution still remains, gang violence is as high as ever, or even higher, and schools are being built right next to the freeway even after the tests show a link between highway pollution and stunted lung growth in children. Yet, this has not generated the level of interest or outrage that the signage debate has.

Los Angeles has always been a city where signs have have been geared to be large, dominating and recognizable enough to become landmarks, defining their location. From the Hollywood sign to signage on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood and the 32-foot-high illuminated letters, spelling out LAX, marking the entrance to the Los Angeles International Airport all reflect this culture. So if there is a reasonable regulation of signage in Los Angeles, I think that they might actually enhance the city and help in wayfinding to a certain extent without negative effects such as nighttime sky pollution.




Image obtained from:www.LATimes.com
Info obtained from christopher Howthorne's "LA's Signage Debate"

Sacramento Tent City For The Homeless To Come Down

The problem of homelessness is one that is apparent in almost every city of the world and nowhere is this more visible than Sacramento, California. Just a few miles from the State Capitol, by the American River, a large cluster of homeless men and women have settled in what's been dubbed "Tent City."

Hundred of make-shift tents have created an image to stark to what we expect to see anywhere in the United States. No running water or bathrooms, and trash strewed everywhere has added to the stunning scene so much so that it garnered attention from Oprah Winfrey last month. With this, as to be expected, came a a crush of national and international media coverage.

So I guess the negative media coverage has something to do with the plan to now close down the encampment within the next few week. This decision was made by Sacramento Mayor and former NBA star, Kevin Johnson who I'm sure doesn't want this for the image of his city in his first few months in office. "We're not going to go in and sweep them out of there," Johnson said at a news conference. "We've got to have tough love, but we've got to be compassionate."

Some stories portrayed Tent City as a modern day Hooverville, a reference to the shanty towns built by homeless men driven into poverty during the Great Depression. With foreclosure rates in the Sacramento region among the highest in the nation, the ragtag camp has been depicted as a symbol of the economic meltdown — people who'd lost their homes and were suddenly pitching tents along a riverbed but the truth is less dramatic.

Loaves & Fishes, a homeless facility about a 10-minute walk from Tent City, has provided meals and showers for the encampment dwellers. And in recent weeks, shelter officials have assumed the additional duty of ushers to news reporters and TV crews. "What's different about the Tent City is that so many people are gathered in such a visible site," said Joan Burke, Loaves & Fishes' director of advocacy. "I think the media attention is a positive because it lets the public know there are people actually living in Third World conditions."

Though the plan is supposed to move residents to shelters and apartments, this will not do anything to solve the problem, just make it less visible which is all officials really care about anyway. Another "Tent city" is bound to spring up somewhere else (probably somewhere less visible) as a federal lawsuit filed last year on behalf of the homeless against the city and county, combined with the media attention, caused law enforcement to ease up on enforcement of the city's anti-camping ordinance.





Images obtained from: gettyimages.com
For more info checkout: http://www.mercurynews.com/video?bcpid=1578089393&bctid=17029093001

Vertical Farming In Dubai

Yes, Dubai is at it again! The next challenging and seemingly unfeasible project to add to the skyline is a vertical farm that uses seawater to cool and humidify greenhouses and to convert sufficient humidity back in to fresh water to irrigate the crops.

This concept, proposed by the Italian firm, Studiomobile, was developed from the idea that the world's population continues to grow just as the available arable land continues to be deforested causing global warming. So with minimal farm land, the only other option is to build farms vertically and where better to test this than in Dubai.

The vertical farm features a soaring spire with pod-like ‘sky-gardens’ branching off to give it an organic feel in keeping with designers aims to create a clean, green, sustainable source of food for a more self-sufficient Dubai. The concept makes use of the Seawater Greenhouse process, which uses seawater to cool and humidify the air that ventilates the greenhouse and sunlight to distill fresh water from seawater to enable the year round cultivation of high value crops that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to grow in hot, arid regions such as Dubai. This is in stark contrast to costly and energy intensive desalination plants that rely on boiling and pumping to produce fresh water.

The concept works by continually cycling through three phases. In the first phase the air going into the greenhouse is first cooled and humidified by seawater, which is trickled over the first evaporator to provide a fresh and humid climate for the crops. Then in the second phase as the air leaves the growing area it passes through the second evaporator, which has seawater flowing over it. The humid air mixes with the warm dry air of the ceiling interspace making the air much hotter and more humid. The third and final phase sees the warm air forced upward by the temperature induced stack effect. In the central chimney the warm and humid air condenses when it comes in contact with plastic tubes that contain cool seawater. The drops of fresh water that appear on the surface of the condenser fall into a collection tank to be used to water the crops and for other uses.

The idea of vertical farming in the absence of farm land is a pretty good idea and I would like to see more details on just how this could be achieved. Nonetheless, I am not impressed with Dubai undertaking this project. If they had focused a bit more in the past on farming and actually trying to grow some crops for themselves instead of building on every available scrap of land and even creating more land for construction to cater to tourists, they might have had space to farm like "regular folk." If one of those ridiculous man-made continents had been dedicated to producing some cash crop, then maybe their economy would be in better shape than it is. So I guess now that building all manner of absurd highrises has failed, they want to try something new. I think this is more for the publicity and rep than for actual need.





Image obtained from: www.gizmag.com
For more info, check: www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/vertica-farm-dubai-seawater.php

Book Review: The Wayfinding Handbook

Wayfinding is something we do, without being fully conscious of it, to orient ourselves in a space, interior or exterior. Though there is no science to navigate or explore your way through a city, wayfinding professionals can design spaces with just enough interactive cues for everyone to understand the ever changing and organic environments we live in. The Wayfinding Hanbook: Information Design For Public Spaces by David Gibson, sheds some light on how space circulation paths can be made to communicate with us and make navigation just a bit easier.

So, taking a step back, let us ask first; who is a wayfinding/environmental graphic designer and is that even a major in college? I wondered about that when I first got this book but Gibson cleared my confusion by explaining that, "wayfinding is a subset of environmental graphic design, a larger discipline that embraces many specializations including architecture and design graphic communications, maps, exhibitions, products and interiors." So this is a derivative of a marriage of various professions, talents and experience as an environmental graphic design education does not yet exist.

So understandably, this is a system that is firmly integrated in the design process of any project as the wayfinding consultant must anticipate "visitor patterns" and understand the decisions people make as they follow the path to their destination. These have been explained by Gibson as, "approach, enter and find." At each stage, the visitor must "make decisions based on the available and readily visible information" at hand. So the job of the designer is to provide a seamless and informative visitor transition through the space so that they reach their desired destination without the kind of frustrated wandering I often experience at Charles de Gaulle airport.

Adequate wayfinding systems link people together, tourists and residents, by guiding them through a space's circulation via a single system of communication, creating "a public narrative of how people witness, read and experience the space." But since not all spaces are the same due to varying locations and program, most wayfinding systems can be divided into four categories of signs: identification, directional, orientation and regulatory. Identification signs are visual markers that mark transitions from one space to another, directional provide the necessary cues for circulation, orientation signs offer visitors an overview of their surroundings(site maps) and regulatory signs outline the do's and don'ts of a space.

What I would consider the most important part of the process is signage location. "Site programming begins with an analysis of arrival, departure and decision points." These are the key areas where signage is needed to guide one through the space on the the desired destination. How many times have we exited a train at a station and been baffled as to where to go next? Better signage at important points in the visitor's journey through the space would allow for better transition.

This is a very good book for, anyone who might want to enter the growing and often overlooked field of environmental graphic design, and also for architects as well. It allows you to think as the users of the space would not just in terms of experiencing the architecture, but also the ability to navigate through it with relative ease. David Gibson shows how simple signage at optimum spots in a design can enhance the building program both inside and out as the most innovative and awe-inspiring building designs are nothing if people can't find their way through them. The material in this text is presented in a concise but easily understood manner with colorful graphic illustrations explaining each section.

Trouble For Gehry's Beekman Tower

I posted an article on the 18th of last month on Gehry's Beekman tower and how he had utilized his "Digital Project" software to ensure that the design would come in under budget. Unfortunately, it seems that even his magic software can't save the tower from effects of the economic meltdown in the country right now.

For the past week, rumors have continued to circulate that construction at the tower in the upper part of the Financial District is to be halted. The 76-story luxury rental building (with stores and a school in its base) had its signature steel facade delivered to the site at the beginning of the month with a lot of apparent activity seen around the area. So hearing that construction will be halted has taken everyone by surprise.

According to a spokesperson for developer Forest City Ratner, "Given the current economy, we are conducting a study to assess costs, risks and overall timing. Work is continuing on the building including on the school and we should have some conclusive answers shortly." Some of these assessments include having the building topout below its 36th floor and not the 40th.

Developers should really stop the horrid habit of chopping off projects halfway and leaving projects that they feel are products of a recession but are really monuments to their inefficiency. Didn't realize how much it would cost or have a contingency plan for if costs exceed the budget, which always happens anyway.




Image obtained from www.curbed.com

Japanese 30 Square Foot Paco Home

Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka along with the Schemata Architecture Office have come up with a contraption that supposedly "rethinks" how much space we need for day-to-day activities; approximately 30 square feet.

This cube is to contain a hammock to sleep on, a Japanese-style recessed desk, and a sink, toilet and shower. Nagasaka has quickly put out the disclaimer that the Paco home is not an actual stand alone solution but intent is to supplement your particular living situation. It could be a beach house, a portable office — anything, really, as long as you find a way to lug it into place and hook up the water. Huh?


I don't get the point of this dumpster looking box as I can not for the life of me see what anyone would want to do with it especially when a more comfortable, more easily transportable and convenient solution exists (RVs anyone?). I had initially thought that this might be another "Universal World House" attempt until I realized that it didn't even have a kitchen. As it is, it looks like either a really well sanitized pod in some penitentiary or a cell in an insane ward, missing the pads on the walls. Nagasaka really needs to start "thinking outside the box!"






Images obtained from: www.nerdwithswag.com

WTC Twin Towers II

So the controversy seems to still be raging on about the replacement of the World Trade Center towers destroyed in the September 11 attacks. Many, especially the families of those lost in the collapse of the buildings, despise the design of the Freedom Tower, and development of the surrounding area and would rather see the original towers rebuilt.

I happened to catch a David Schuster interview of Ken Gardner, the structural engineer for the WTC Towers II, yesterday and I agree with the fundamentals of his argument. According to Gardner, the towers were singled out due to their iconic status and what they symbolize to the United States: belief in humanity, need for individual dignity and beliefs in the cooperation of men. So to rebuild the towers exactly the same, except with increased structural strength, evacuation design and a few others, would be the best "thumb in the eye" to Bin Laden. The building was sufficient for its program when it stood so why not rebuild it as it was?

The unofficial proposals, by architect Herbert Belton, for the new and improved Twin Towers as it were retains the original facade, which mimic the upward flow of columns but will have larger windows at 40 inches wide. Each tower will be 500 meters (1515 ft) tall at roof level, nearly 100 metres (330 ft) taller than the originals giving a floor count of 125 floors and a gross floor area of 26,247,000 square feet making more of a symbolic statement.

What is a little confusing to me is the fact that the foundations for the freedom tower have already been started and steel bracings have already topped at least 30 feet. Now the structural design of the original Twin Towers and the freedom tower are nowhere near similar so it is highly improbable that if the proposal to rebuild the original towers were somehow approved, they could be built on the current foundations in place now. So then, what really is being proposed here? That the Freedom Tower foundations be dynamited and rebuilding started all over again?

I think that though it would be nice to see the towers rebuilt, it is a little too late now so all supports of this proposal should give up and just let go. Also, we should not be too hasty to merely wish to reassert the symbol of the towers as we would risk losing the human reality that was also destroyed. The shattering of communities and the destruction of real, human beings with names and families, and not of millions of tons of concrete and steel. To not rebuild the Twin Towers, basically continuing with the Freedom Tower, will always remind us of what was once there and the human lives that were lost. Herbert Belton and Ken Gardner's proposals to rebuild the Towers introduces the risk of us forgetting this.

Sarkozy's Dream For A New Paris

In the summer of 2008, in much more optimistic times, the French government hired design teams of internationally known architects to put Paris back on the drawing board to re-imagine the capital as a "world class city." The teams have come up with 10 strategies for creating a metropolitan area known as Grand Paris – it's the first major redesign since the Napoleonic era.

The various ideas being proposed all seek address what most Parisian feel is wrong with the city-its public transit system saturated, its periphery spoiled by ugly housing projects, and its suburbs an undefined sprawl of disconnected towns – does not work. "It's slowly losing its vitality," says award-winning Paris architect Jean Nouvel. "What we laughingly call regional development is finished. If we want to maintain the prestige of Paris, we have to look after it."

These architectural teams, six of them French, were given the mission of envisioning the "post-Kyoto" metropolis. They were left to define the boundaries of this newly conceived Grand Paris as they saw fit, but it was to incorporate the best of sustainable design techniques, energy efficient structures, and a mix of housing for both rich and poor.

Most of the planners urged intense use of space within the limits of historic Paris. They talked of high-speed trams on top of the beltways, malls on top of subway stations, and gardens on the five square miles of rooftops in Paris. A new mixed-use neighborhood in the center of Paris could arise, they said, if only the neglected stretch of land between the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est train stations in central Paris were freed up for private development.

President Sarkozy is expected to define which of the various plans to follow up on when they go on public view at the national architecture museum next month though current details are still a little sketchy.

Other than the image above of Roland Castro's proposed "Central Park France" and Jean Nouvel's concept, I really haven't seen anything concrete to get a good sense of just what is being proposed so I'm not sure how to critic these plans. Still, the idea to completely revamp the infrastructure, especially the transportation system is a very good idea (something we are still trying to fix here in the States). So I am looking forward to seeing more of these proposals.




Image obtained from: www.csmonitor.com

Foster + Partners Unveils Design For New Paris Community

Hermitage Plaza will create a new community to the east of La Défense, in Courbevoie, that extends down to the river Seine with cafés, shops and a sunny public plaza at its heart. Revealed by Foster+Partners at MIPIM in Cannes, the project incorporates two 969 ft buildings – the tallest mixed-use towers in Western Europe – which will establish a distinctive symbol for this new urban destination on the Paris skyline.

The result of a close collaboration with EPAD, the City of Courbevoie, Atelier de Paysage Urbain and Département de Hauts-de-Seine, the project is intended to inject life into the area east of La Défense by creating a sustainable, high-density community. Due to start on site in 2010 and complete by the end of 2014, the two towers accommodate a hotel, spa, panoramic apartments, offices and serviced apartments, as well as shops at the base.

Forming two interlocking triangles on plan, the buildings face one another at ground level. Open and permeable to encourage people to walk through the site, the towers enclose a public piazza which establishes the social focus. As they rise, the towers transform, turning outward to address views across Paris. The glazed façade panels catch the light, the sun animating different facets of the buildings as it changes direction throughout the day. The angle of the panels promotes self-shading and vents can be opened to draw fresh air inside, contributing to an environmental strategy that targets a BREEAM (Biomedical Research Experience ) ‘excellent’ rating. The diagrid structure is not only highly efficient - doing more with less - but it emphasises the elegant proportions of the towers.

A crystal-shaped podium building contains office space, with two detached satellite buildings housing a gallery and auditorium that further extend the public realm. The piazza – created by burying the existing busy road beneath a landscaped deck – slopes gently downward to the water’s edge, which is lined with new cafés and restaurants. Locking into the existing Courbevoie and EPAD masterplans, the project will reinforce the regeneration of the riverfront.

Norman Foster said:
“Hermitage Plaza will create a 24-hour community that will regenerate the riverfront and inject new life into a predominantly commercial part of the city. A light catching addition to the Paris skyline, the development will also provide a public piazza that leads down to the river’s edge to create a new destination for the city.”

Once again, Foster does not disappoint. Hermitage Plaza underscores the artistic yet design innovative and practical work which has become synonymous with Foster + Partners. This project seeks to not only be an icon but also a community anchor fostering neighborhood interaction, which is something the area really needs. I am however interested to find out what the cost estimate is right now for this project as it really doesn't look cheap.

Info and images obtained from Foster+Partners.com

Spainish Architecture Faces Slump

The hard hitting recession we have been experiencing all around the world seems to have inevitably crept into Spain, ending the country's long-running love affair with cutting-edge architecture. This has turned the boom of high-profile projects from the world's greatest architects into a countrywide building bust.

Last week builders walked away from one of the country's most glamorous architect-driven developments, the Richard Rogers transformation of Barcelona's Las Arenas bullring. With bills unpaid and developers unsure what to do with the 19th century bullring, Lord Rogers' project turning it into a leisure and shopping center faces an uncertain future.

In Barcelona, a number of other high profile projects are also grinding to a halt. Some of which are Norman Foster's colourful, £230m remodelling of Europe's biggest football stadium, the Camp Nou of Barcelona football club and work by Frank Gehry on a 34-story office block and a development of 10 tower blocks by Jean Nouvel. Even Foster and Zaha's proposed New Campus of Justice (image above) in Madrid is experiencing a dramatic slow down in development.

"There is neither the financing nor the confidence to go on,'' said the local La Vanguardia newspaper as it mourned the future loss of Barcelona's reputation as a contemporary architecture showcase.

Many architects have have admitted to sources that not unlike Dubai, the writing is on the wall that boom days of Spanish architecture are over but have expressed hope that the country will recover a taste for signature buildings when the recession ends.




Image obtained from www.guardian.co.uk
Fore more information, check: www.turkishweekly.net/media/275344

Architects; A Nickel For Your Thoughts

I was reading an article on the "archdaily" website and was intrigued by the author's account of his research into what unemployed architects are up to these days in this disheartening economy.

The first of his examples was a lady in Boston, recently laid-off from practice who now spends her time "rediscovering" the city and applying to Graduate Schools. Her strategy is to avoid the current crises right now by continuing her education and increasing her net worth so that when indeed the economy does recover, she would be in a potentially better position. Many unemployed architects I know are trying to also shore up their personal professional standing by taking various certification exams like the LEED and the ARE as the current lull has afforded them time to now do this.

But I think the most interesting example given was about John Morefield (27), an architect from Seattle. Morefield had a very good idea, after being laid off twice in a year, as he setup a booth at a local fair, answering home remodeling questions for 5¢. On the first day he earned 35¢! But that wasn´t his real earn, but the 7 conversations he started, with 7 potential clients he meet. This way he started to build a network, also pairing these new clients with contractors he recommended. This resulted in Architecture for 5¢, an office were “no project is too small for big ideas”.

It is a little depressing that things are this bad but if John Morefield is able to really pull together serious clients who are ready to commit to a new project right now, then great. But if they are going to be paying him 5¢ then that defeats the purpose. Hopefully, the 5¢ fee was only for the duration of the fair. But I would seriously advise anyone in the profession who has more time on their hands than usual to use this opportunity to further their architectural education and take whatever exams they need to take to improve the general quality of your resume.




Image obtained from archiblog.info