From the NYT: Photograph by Anthony Cotsifas.
This masterpiece of Modernism was designed by Wallace K. Harrison and Isamu Noguchi in 1947 on the Maine coast. Designed as a summer home for William A.M. Burden and his wife, Margaret Livingston Partridge Burden, in 1996 it was inherited by their youngest son Ordway Burden and his wife. In 1999, in the midst of being renovated their was a fire and all that was left was the chimney and some metal frames part of Noguchi’s design. The family was finally able to move back in in 2006. For the story and more photos visit the below link. Its definitely worth the read.
NYT: Catching the Wave
I love crossover projects. Here is some news by way of the Architect’s Newspaper Blog about Herzog & de Meuron‘s latest project, the stage for Verdi’s Atilla which premiers tonight at the Met. That in addition to Prada designing all of the costumes for the performance are sure to add some interesting creative energy to the show! For more: ANB: Pritzkers Take the Stage
Winning Design by Kieran Timberlake
The design for the new US Embassy in London has been announced and it could not be more disappointing. This isn’t to say that the architect isn’t a talented architect, its the choosing of this design out of what they had to choose from that makes me question their sanity. The final four included designs from Morphosis, Richard Meier and Pei Cobb Freed & Partners.
Moving from its current location in a Saarinen building on Grosvenor Square to a new spot on the Thames, the official selection is by architect Kieran Timberlake who to his credit has done some really nice work, including the Loblolly House in Maryland, buildings at Yale and Cornell and a home for the Make It Right project in New Orleans. Yet, the design for the embassy isn’t great. It is cold, corporate and very uninteresting, which I can only assume is a result of what the state department asked for.
The disappointment here lies in what this choice projects. For a building that is supposed to represent not only American strength but its creativity and culture, why choose something that speaks so much to the opposite, a lack of culture and a focus on corporate and capitalism. I certainly hope that Londoners can look past this choice…
For more:
NYT: A New Fort, er, Embassy, for London
AN: The Strong, Silent Type
Proposed Design by Richard Meier
- Proposed Design by Morphosis
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/7809605]
Architecture to me has always been a very hard language to speak in. As you know if you follow my site, I love anything architecture and design but if you aren’t speaking of function then architecture has always been very hard for me to discuss. My manner of discussing and conversing architecture is through photography and sometimes film.
There are number of films that showcase great architecture in an interesting way, one being My Architect on the works of Louis Khan. That said, rarely do you find someone who is able to speak so clearly through film and illustrate the beauty of architecture as well as Alex Roman and his film The Third and The Seventh.
Needless to say that I was floored by this short film. Very rarely do you come across something you see that makes you sit back and breath easier and just feel inspired. More after the jump.
Continue reading ‘Third and The Seventh by Alex Roman’
Alexander McQueen, one of the fashion worlds most talented, forward thinking, avant garde and out of the box designers, has died of suicide. A source at McQueen’s office this morning confirmed his death, saying: ‘It is a tragic loss. We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family.’ More information as it comes in….Read more: DailyMail: British fashion icon Alexander McQueen commits suicide
Love this tiny house sent to me by Emily Rose Blank. Designed by Piet Heim Eek from the Netherlands, its big enough for a very comfortable workspace and could be a great addition to anyone’s home for an at home office/studio.
For more: Hipster Collective: Tree Trunk House
Lincoln Center unveils new plans for a beautifully designed addition to the Vivian Beaumont Theater by Hugh Hardy. His addition is a new black box theater that is to be built on the roof of the Beaumont Theater with a terrace overlooking Lincoln Center. The new theater will feature the work of emerging playwrights, directors and designers, and will be aimed at new audiences, with every ticket priced at $20.
For more: NYT: New Theater: Lincoln Center Raises the Roof
Another containter book is coming out soon. Container Atlas: A Practical Guide to Container Architecture will be released from Gestalten in March. Looking forward to picking one up! (via Curated Mag)
Here is an organization I read about that I wanted to bring to your attention. Pecha Kucha which started as a social gathering for young architects in Tokyo, is now a world wide gathering of architects that has a different event in every major city in the world. This year, they are working with Architecture for Humanity to focus on new ideas and efforts for reconstruction in Haiti. Have a look at their website, very interesting.
