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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Transmaterial 3: Blaine Brownell
Now in its third edition the physical manifestation of the popular Transmaterial webblog has recently been released by the publisher and is now available at your book outlet of choice. Mine arrived from Amazon Monday (to my surprise, I pre-ordered and completely lost track of time).
For those of you not familiar with Mr. Brownell or Transmaterial the work aggregated and researched by Mr. Brownell typically is in response to the desire of the materiality of design, either through expressive/communicative, performance or efficiency characteristics studied through the Transstudio research and design group. Mr. Brownell current teaches at the University of Minnesota and is an avid research/writer and lecturer.
A guide such as Transmaterial fulfills two of the most necessary components of creating a built environment, the proffering of materials to fulfill required tasks (not easily obtainable by "standard" materials) and by constantly demonstrating the continuous research and development of new materials from which to design, build and aspire. Granted many of the materials illustrated in the Transmaterial books are not necessarily affordable (see cheap when compared to existing materials) however they are not meant as simple replacement for existing systems but marked improvements in performance, environmental consideration (footprint) and customability/usability. I was extremely pleased to discover just how many of the materials in the book were being developed by companies in the United States (easing access) and have already begun book marking pages for my wish list to someday see available in Cleveland (or where ever I end up doing whatever I am doing).
In more than one way the book is fabulous design porn. Materials are organized by material makeup (concrete, wood, metal, etc.), complete with thumbnail images, brief descriptions of material contents, applications, types/sizes, environmental concerns/benefits, testing/examination certificates, product limitation and the ever important manufacturing contact to find if the product is indeed available in your project's area.
At the very least it is fantastic to see what new materials are being made available for use and may even help in one's own development of project design through materiality, which makes the book well worth the purchase price in itself.
Transmaterial also offers a weekly email subscription of new materials. Granted the materials you receive are typically also showcased in the following book release, however the book contains over 200 products which is more than you would have access to via email along, you also get a rather nice bit of reading material that you can mark up and book mark for future reference. Labels: Reviews
Friday, January 29, 2010
Asterios Polyp: David Mazzucchelli
Asterios Polyp by David MazzucchelliA "paper" architect (one who wins recognition for proposals/competitions but not built work) suffers from being overly academic, fatalistically literal in his search for recognizing (what he sees) as design purity and insufferable in having the last word (typically critical) has his past life destroyed by fate, realizes what happiness he sacrificed to further his own self-satisfied identity and finally admits his ability to be incorrect in an attempt to regain his humanity. What more could I say? It is sort of a fable for today's over critical designer. What is lost when snarky commentary replaces helpful critique? How much is sacrificed when one exists in a world where only your own view is valid? How can beauty be judged? Like most graphic novels there is so much more than the story telling, there is the graphical work consisting of elegantly simple drawings depicting stylistic changes to accentuate how our memories of events are a retelling of stories colored by our own emotion. The layers of stories, current lines interjected with memories as the main character, Asterios, struggles to comes to terms with how his life has resulted in its current state, allows one to trace the slow development of his emerging humanity as he crawls forth from a defensive shell of hyper-evaluation used to ascertain his own superiority (and of course how he got there in the first place). Of course it isn't just Asterios whom makes the story fascinating, there is a whole realm of characters, at times caricatures of society, exploring the confounding interactions between these disparate groups and deftly illustrating that life, like architecture, is most interesting where dissimilarities occur. It was a quick read and actually quite good that would make a fantastic gift for anyone slowing slipping into the world of becoming a self-contained and annoying self referential bastard. I admit, I recognized bits of myself in there. Labels: Reviews
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tim Beatley non-lecture workshop - recap
To be completely fair and honest I did not attend Dr. Beatley's lecture at CMNH however I was included in the 2 hour workgroup which occurred before the lecture which was more of a Q&A session with Tim Beatley and others involved in the city. Luckily Erie Wire commented on one of my posts and directed me to a podcast of the lecture so I was able to at least listen to his presentation and mentally compare it to what I had seen in his movie preview clip (The Nature of Cities) as well as what was discussed at the workgroup.
The main concern that seemed to arrive from the discussion was a dire need for policy to support the grassroots involvement brewing to alter how communities and infrastructure are planned and thought of. I admit I was looking for specific case studies to apply to our current condition (in order to fortify policy discussion) which were lacking in the workgroup.
There was discussion of risk aversion and how it affects design. Brought up by the images of a wetland park lacking railings that leads to a park in the inlet which had a hole in the center to watch the tide rise and fall, and of course the clip of the children walking/hopping along larger stones, it was commented upon how a similar situation would be hard pressed to occur in the States due to our litigious nature. Which I have to admit is a damnable shame.
It seems that as a society and more nuanced, as a local community, we withhold ourselves from attempting anything truly innovative or ground breaking, instead we are awfully careful with our development. I believe this stems from a combination of not trusting the intelligence of the general public (hence we are not treated as adults, instead we are fed morsels of safe information about projects like children) and a lack of accountability/transparency. I would suggest that bold initiatives require strong leadership and change carries a risk however if the current situation is not very good the risk/reward ratio should be tilted to accommodate more risk. The difference between "bottom" and "rock bottom" isn't that great when you have no chance of moving above a current situation due to a declining situation (ie. Cleveland's tax supported school system, public transit (as transportation infrastructure) and job base).
However, the case studies were evidently saved for the lecture and not part of the discussion, which means that it is up to us again, looking to ourselves for leadership and solutions because, let's be honest, if we don't do it, no one will.
I don't blame Beatley for not being a savior, he wasn't brought here for that. Instead he offered some glimpses into what could happen if communities were better thought out, designed and were based upon a human scale, or at least a reaction to finding our humanity. Which is a point you don't hear often when words such as "sustainability" or "green" occur. Our humanity includes the natural environment (we are animals after all) and being "green" typically saves money (in operating costs anyway), so the symbiotic nature of our coexistence with ourselves should be a pinnacle purpose of this argument. Health, Safety and Welfare shouldn't be concerned with who can get sued instead HSW needs to develop into how beneficial something is. Designing for bikes instead of cars, building places for people to be outside, children's exposure to nature, natural foods, sunlight, wind, rain, are all glorious things to celebrate. I have even heard that some people even look forward to snow. How often do we design in order to shut this all out instead of incorporating and celebrating it?
Too often.
So I thank Dr. Beatley for coming to our city, for taking the time to answer a barrage of questions, to give a presentation and to work so diligently for his beliefs (as to publish, film, teach and practice extensively). I only hope we can persuade him (and others) to spend a bit more time studying Cleveland in order to better help us formulate stronger policies and procedures.
And I ask our communities to ponder the following points as we look towards how Cleveland can resolve its livability in the future. - How do we properly educate ourselves so as to not fall into the trap of "popular marketing" and instead spend our time investigating solutions responsibly?
- How can we integrate functional design in lieu of just as a spectacle in order for communities, infrastructure and buildings act not just as passive structures (to be witnessed or experienced) but active objects that interact productively with the community/region/etc.?
- Which case studies can we properly look towards, emulate, adapt and make our own? Which data is imperative and applicable? How do we foster techniques to study and implement this research (ie. where is the funding from, how is it paid for, how is it validated)?
- What differentiation of scale is allowable for interventions to have any affect? How do case studies scale? How are regions and communities studied and through which lens best allows for application (and how does one convince designers and clients to look past the boundaries of their property when designing these solutions)?
Labels: Environmental, Reviews
Friday, November 13, 2009
Douglas Farr Lecture - Recap
cellphone photo
Last Thursday at the Case Medical Library Douglas Farr gave a brief lecture on smartly planned neighborhoods. I typically don't like to use words such as "green" or "sustainable" as they impose an aura of misplaced and misleading marketing that devalues the true intent, instead I would like to offer that Mr. Farr presented case studies and experiments in smarter urban planning with the intended goal of creating better used and useful communities. Regardless of which lens you would most enjoy peering through the end goal is to take these lessons and apply them in a manner that would benefit local community planning and development.
The crowd comprised of a few Case School of Architecture alum (which opened in 1929 and was closed in 1972, which is a shame as the City would no doubt benefit from a full local program), planning students from Case and CSU, some local architects, urban planners and community minded people who believe in strong communities. There were some noticeable people missing who shall go UNNAMED with the intent that they should already feel guilty enough about missing a local lecture on such a topic without being pointed out.
It is rather difficult to take a talk on planned communities and distill it into little memorable quotes. Luckily Mr. Farr did that for me and without his permission I will reveal to you some of the secrets you could have garnered for yourself if you bothered to show up. Take from it what you will. This is a TOIstudio public service announcement.
1- start an aspirational development 2- strengthen existing neighborhoods and corridors 3- fix the rules, ask the right questions 4- advocate for living locally
What exactly do those statements mean? They mean that for the most part American post war society has created an insular set of rules, mores and regulations that actually weaken neighborhoods and by extension communities. We (social humanity) are actually fighting an uphill battle to better neighborhoods and to do so requires a lot more work, understanding and manifested intent. They mean that for every decision that must be made it must be asked "why". Why is that decision shaped that way, Why do the building/zoning/planning codes require these solutions, Why is a development or community not interacting, not succeeding, not vibrant, not interesting? Ask the questions and think on the answers, then act in the necessary manner.
It really isn't rocket science, we had that licked in the 50's. This is a "soft" science and it requires diligent thinking to attempt to solve it instead of cookie cutter plans and misanthropic regurgitations of 20 year old books used as a marketing ploy. It requires a bit of research, critical thinking, a little bit of heart and quite a bit of hard work, and when it works a designer can sit back and go, "Well I tried to make the world a better place. How can I improve on what I last did to make it even better?"
resources: Labels: Cleve. Events, Environmental, Reviews
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
All You Can Eat - Recap
 photo cred: POST (someone with a camera)
Last weekend the Sculpture Center hosted an event named "All You Can Eat", billed as "a buffet of architectural ideas for Cleveland". The exhibit received 46 submissions, some traveling all the way from Georgia, of proposals for our fair city. Opening night (Friday) saw a pretty impressive turnout and conversation topics mostly stayed on the positive aspects of the city and this exhibition in general. If anything the overall vibe was that there isn't enough attention paid to our built environment locally and it will take many events such as this to carry the movement forward. Everyone seemed starved for new ideas and, well, interesting solutions in lieu of the local pedestrian proffering typically construed as "ground-breaking" (or even "good") architecture. Saturday's round table discussion (from what I hear) was pretty interesting. I didn't make it, however Ferringer did capture the first hour on video and it should eventually find it's way onto the Post webbernet site. Some of my favorite submissions were from a third year studio class at Kent State CAED by Professor Charles Fredericks. The student's projects were part of a presentation made earlier in the day to the Fairfax Redevelopment Corporation. The projects, entitled "Curbside Urbanism" explored utilizing residual space for garden paths and pavilions to create public space interventions and redefine neighborhood characteristics. Granted some of the submissions were not "ground breaking" or "innovative" but their application locally would definitely be, at the very least, amusing. To be honest their is nothing wrong with offering a tried and true solution to be experimented with locally however my attention is drawn more to the suggestions from the absurd to the over analytical is the suggested solution is experimental enough to create interesting results. My caveat to this was the board of "S.L. Brainard House @ 4107 Denison Ave." where the local chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America suggested a complete historic renovation of the residence. The drawings and photographs made the offering completely reasonable in scope and scale but also historically necessary to understand the regional built history. It will take many more exhibits and calls for work to move architecture and design forward enough to overcome much of the static complacency the region suffers from (education is usually the best weapon). I believe the All You Can Eat exhibit, coupled with the Cleveland Design Competition has made Cleveland a blip on national architecture/design radar. I would argue we are almost a quarter of the way there, but to be truly successful it (the need for and exhibition/celebration of thoughtful design strategies and innovative ides) needs to be so overpowering as to be happily annoying. resource: All You Can EatAll You Can Eat on FacebookLabels: Cleve. Events, Reviews
Monday, November 02, 2009
Cecil Balmond Lecture at UMich - Recap
Last Tuesday the MarJ and I once again hopped in the trusty xBox but this time pointed West, not as far west as our hearts yearn but western enough to notice a substantial change in license plate design. Our destination, Ann Arbor, Michigan home to the University of Michigan's Taubman College of Architecture and other good things to see and hear Cecil Balmond (of Ove Arup -AGU and UPenn) work his magic. We intentional sandbagged our journey with a couple extra hours to make up any confusing Google directions and to give some time for a greater exploration of UMich's program then we were allowed at Buffalo.
A couple of things were noticed immediately. Monica Ponce De Leon's (Of Office dA) posistion as dean of the Taubman College of Architecture is supplemented with an Associate Dean/Director and an Assistant Dean/Director, which was seemingly not offered to Steven Fong when he took the similar position at Kent State (and subsequently left). Secondly Ms. De Leon is lecturing all over the dang place as is illustrated in the hundreds of lecture posters that line the corridors of the school. Not that she is lecturing at every school on those posters but it came as a very noticeable difference between KSU and the last two schools I have visited in that there are lecture posters for lots of other schools on the walls, as if the school was striving for a non-insular learning experience. We didn't get a chance to talk to any of the students as we arrived on an open house day and most of the staff/students were busy with selling the school to prospective students and I didn't want to get mired. Instead we wandered the building, visited a gallery, looked lovingly upon the various lecture series (and is how I discovered a couple I couldn't find online) and then went out to walk some of the campus, which is tied together with a staggered series of open green spaces in a rather comfortable rambling way. I can imagine the campus is amazing to hang out on when the weather is nicer.
The Lecture: Monica gave an amazing intro to Cecil. She seems like a genuinely nice and warm person which set the tone perfectly for Cecil's dry humor and deft sense of humanizing a rather difficult subject. The auditorium was packed with spill over to some back up spaces showing the lecture via closed circuit television. We got second row seats due to our pushy and uncompromising nature. For those there on account of the open house I can only say how lucky they are to be exposed to these sorts of ideas so early. Too early to understand but the intent and rigor should be now incubating in the back of those young noggins. If only I knew then...
I don't know how to properly sum up the Balmond lecture. He showed some built work and explained the thought process including a couple of Serpentine Galleries, the CCTV building and the pedestrian bridge in Coimbra, Portugal. He then walked the audience through the impetus behind a few unbuilt works and explained the purpose behind Ove Arup's Advanced Geometry Unit and his work at UPenn (H_edge) before giving us a glimpse of some unpublished work that he is currently working on based upon complex algorithmic interactions.
The intention behind a lot of the thinking of the projects, and arguing upon form based architecture versus architecture that strives for deeper exploration, was touched upon by Cecil but inherently augmented by the discussion. The overlying complexity of much of the forms was really nothing more than the scalable interpretation of a singular mathematical construct meaning that when a bias or intersection created an interstitial space/condition a revisiting of the original premise would allow for an intuitive solution that did not deviate from the overall scheme, resulting in very complex iterations that could be simply construed by understanding the basic premise. It was the complexity and simplicity, existing simultaneously that allowed for the natural discoveries to be made in the work and it was these experimentations that Cecil obviously savored. I was concerned that the MarJ, not being of architecture training, would find Cecil obtuse and confusing however her love of mathematics and Cecil's coherent lecture style gave us much to discuss on the 3 hour ride home. Obviously much of the audience wasn't ready for such heady discourse but it is sure to prove helpful in the coming studio years.
Throughout the lecture, however, Cecil's ability to concisely and clearly state his ideas (as illustrated in his written works) made the lecture experience quick paced and fluid. Illustrations deftly maneuvered the conversation through discussing the work with clients, contractors, other designers and the current audience. It was a sort of "happy learning" that made MarJ and I both realize we enjoy the lectures because you recieve the joy of learning something new and possibly exciting without the chore of having to recite/regurgitate it later (as if we were still in school). I don't know if Cecil's experience as an educator gave him experience in knowing how to easily discuss his ideas (and let his own excitement shine through) in a similar fashion to Dan Rockhill but I have noticed that educators seem to give better lectures than most "Design Professionals". They realize they have an audience there to listen to them care about what they are presenting about, they don't have to shock and awe the audience with made up architecture words that hinder the ability to understand a clear idea (those asking questions from the audience take note!).
Would I see him speak again? Undoubtedly, it was exciting and interesting and he presents fantastically. I feel very sorry for my friends who didn't get a chance to see him speak (cough) and hope they DO take the effort to catch him as soon as they can.
It was a fantastic lecture and I thank the University of Michigan for hosting it. Labels: Reviews, Roadtrip
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Aesthetics of Equity: Craig L. Wilkins
Not since Ian Borden's Skateboarding, Space and the City have I wanted to notate and dog ear pages like I have in Craig L. Wilkins The Aesthetics of Equity, a 200+ page romp through the tragic pitfalls and failures of current architecture practice in education and understanding exactly who the client or even the practitioner really is. I admit that the idea of racial disparity within the architectural profession is not a new argument but Wilkins manages to approach it in a much more logical manner than simply the marginalization of difference for difference sake and instead concentrates on the cultural shift in ideals that has admittedly hamstrung the profession, taken us from the field and the love of craft to becoming paper pushers behind desks in cubicles.
It is the ideals of the social contract, of wanting to do good that has brought so many students into the profession (the emulation of Michael Brady or Howard Roark cannot be enough of a reason) but it is the propagation of the profession as a profession that can only exist in social stratification that hinders our ability to make the changes or to accept the differing views that could allow real physical good to occur. Granted props are given to groups such as Architecture for Humanity, for attempting to bridge this chasm but it is the existence of those very groups that identify just how broken the system is. Wilkins argues that is the exclusion of minority/marginalized groups that has forced the architecture profession to become too self referential for its own good, relying on outdated information and standards to legally force the public acceptance. Art(architecture) in a vacuum does nothing to further the social good and who can the client be if not those affected by what is shaping the spaces?
Wilkins does a very fine job of championing his arguments with diagrams, copious notations and quotes as well as a relying on what are referred to as "remixes", recaps of the previous chapter written in "conventional" tone that is more plain spoken than the academic parsing of the previous pages. While much of the work centers on racial discrimination in architectural education and practice it isn't hard to see/understand the much of the current problem stems much deeper, necessitating what could be no less than a formal revolution of architectural thought, not from the form based perspective as much as a use/creation one.
The introduction of "hip hop architecture" in the book can be confusing to those not entirely open to understanding the impetus of the hip hop movement or to those who currently are only exposed to the misogynistic, racist, homophobic, shallow and boisterous nature of "gangsta rap", especially as Wilkins, in order to accentuate the need for understanding the intent behind the thought, refuses to simply explain what hip hop architecture looks like. For those requiring the visual interpretation to validate the idea, it doesn't exist simply because it cannot easily be categorized (and attempting to catalog the idea would devalue the exercise of its execution). While I do not claim to fully understand the many facets of Wilkins interpretation of hip hop architecture it could be argued that what Wilkins is referring to is simply architecture that is aware of the place and people in which it exists and interacts with. A simple notion that is all too often forgotten in broad stroke misapplication of misnamed solutions (Green, new urbanism, etc.) and fails to take the community (physically, mentally, historically) into context when developing (in concert) a physical intervention, usually in left over or fringe/forgotten.
For those teaching or working on public projects I recommend this read if only to further reinforce that new ideas can come from anywhere and valid opinions exist outside of the regulated schools of thought so it is our job to listen as much (if not more) than teach. For general practitioners of architecture interested in the philosophical means behind modern movements I would also offer this book as a primer on Lockean theory and a fine intro to Lefebvre's work (as well as others, did I mention all the notations?). For those who feel that the work they do focuses too little on the people affected or who wondered why most architects look the same this book is also for you. For those only interested in the form and theory behind shape making this book is mostly words so having it on your bookshelf will make you appear smarter and obviously appearances are important.
It was a good read, I am looking forward to going through it again with a pen and post-its in hand as I am sure to be using this book as a resource in further research. Labels: Reviews
Monday, October 12, 2009
Dan Rockhill Lecture @ Univ.of Buffalo : recap
image from Studio 804 website
Last Friday the MarJ and I hopped in the TOIbox and headed east to the University of Buffalo to see Dan Rockhill speak at what we were to find out the 40th anniversary of the School of Architecture and Planning. Despite our directions from Google Maps (it was mostly a signage issue) we were able to find Crosby Hall on the South Campus. We even made it a bit early in order to do our due diligence and poke around a bit in order to see what the program was like before the lecture began. From what we could glean from our observations and some gentle questioning to a student or two the beginning of the Fall Semester dealt mostly with precedence studies. From the projects displayed on the walls the studies were more technical and biased toward passive design strategies but also illustrated the intent behind good precedence studies. The students were not merely creating a toolbox of previously successful projects, instead they were attempting to disseminate the driving force behind a selected design strategy in order to determine if the process and product were successful and (I can imagine) what changes or alterations could be attempted.
After our explorations we found ourselves in a medium sized lecture hall with between 80 to 100 other audience members ranging from students to faculty to alumni. It was then that we were informed that the School was celebrating it's 40th anniversary and that Dan Rockhill was indeed a University of Buffalo alumni and with that the presentation began.
I have been to numerous lectures, I actually enjoy them, especially if they delve deeper into the project's intent instead of merely demonstrating a slide show of built work with only the slightest veneer of the effort and thought that went into each project. This Dan did not do. Instead he spoke deliberately and clearly upon each project's intent, weaving between what the project goals were with his own personal goals and illustrating issues, shortfalls and successes. I was taken aback by a couple of points.
First, he didn't talk like an architect. He didn't talk down to his audience by using big, complex language to muddy and idea; instead his explanations and anecdotes evoked the sort of plain spoken charm that explains his success working with non-profit and municipal groups. He knows how to talk to people and he did a fantastic job Friday.
Secondly, Mr. Rockhill's Design/Build philosophy embodies the almost original beauty behind architect as master builder but couples this pedagogy with a playful exuberance that melds with the theoretical study of standard architectural educations instead of warring against it. The premise is that there is necessity for both. As the process unfolds there is a deliberate attempt to mix theoretical rhetoric with practical application but in doing so simply enough that the associations are manageable in both project scope and style.
The lecture began with Rockhill concentrating on the work of his firm, Rockhill and Associates, a design/build/construction practice that operates out of Lecompton, Kansas. A bevy of slides and stories explained how the projects are designed and built by the firm which allows for a time consuming amount of control and the ability to test new ideas and techniques. By assuming the task of construction explanation of construction techniques can wait until proofed in the field which allows for greater exploration by the designer to be made. As noted in the lecture they were able to be "asking clients for an excuse to practice architecture". Their precedence is the vernacular style of rural Kansas houses exemplifying decades of proven passive design strategies and the aesthetic of rural life. The structures were simple but beautiful and so very damn logical that when the intent was explained it was difficult to imagine any other outcome.
The second portion of the lecture dealt with Mr. Rockhill's design build studio called Studio 804 taught at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Treated as a separate non-profit by the University, Studio 804 has full immersion design/build curriculum which is gifted one whole semester to design and build a complete structure. What began as an exercise in teaching students how buildings could be assembled became an award winning design studio using "marginalized neighborhoods" in Kansas and Missouri as playgrounds for energy efficient and low cost housing (albeit the latest project, a LEED platinum residential building, is hard to consider "low cost" at $350k). Regardless the projects are quite nice and utilize a rich palette of materials and modern strategies for living not typically seen in affordable housing.
In all it was a fantastic lecture and a wonderful excuse to visit University of Buffalo. I am hoping I was allowed to attend the lecture (I didn't ask ahead of time, I figure if one publishes it online without any stipulations it is considered free reign) and I look forward again to the next excuse to visit. Especially now that I know where I am going.
Books: Labels: Reviews, Roadtrip
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Number 9: Cecil Balmond
Number 9 - The Search for the Sigma Code by Cecil Balmond was purchased simply to delve into a great designer's fascination with numbers. Engineering (aeronautical) was my first path upon graduating high school before I decided architecture would be more interesting but I have always been fascinated by the science between good engineering for far more reasons than pure logic. I always felt there was a certain mysticism in numbers, a religious transcendence of belief that values of certain variables, when combined, could form something almost entirely different. What made me a geek in school remains interesting to this day (although I hate excel spreadsheets for various reasons, least of them math related).
It is this magic of numbers that Cecil speaks of profoundly yet almost concealing the punchline of a cosmic joke. Number 9 uses the parable of a character named Enjil as a vehicle for simplifying the complex path of numerical interactions and attempting to recognize and disseminate the many natural patterns of mathematical calculations were are exposed to each day. It is recognizing these patterns that is fascinating. In reconstructing them we are able to realize an inter connectivity that requires a certain ability to believe. I hesitate to use the word religious again, but at times there is a suspension of disbelief required as the reader begins down the path towards understanding.
The book is simple, almost cute in design. Storytelling weaved into basic proofs illustrated with various diagrams showing the connections and beauty of the relationships of numbers allows one to feel the main character's torn indecision at achieving success by exemplifying what his "teachers" wish him to be or by expressing what he naturally is, someone who understands that it takes the simplicity of a childlike mind to unlock the secrets of the universe.
I fantasize that this book will reach the hands of a young student who is just beginning their exposure to higher math lessons and who is able to live out the wonder that is youthful exploration of the sciences. Where would I have been if I had learned that math was a toy to be played with instead of a series of proofs and equations to memorize and recite?
Well, this blog would be a whole lot different. Labels: Reviews
Saturday, September 12, 2009
101 Things I Learned in Architecture School: Matthew Frederick
101 Things I Learned in Architecture School was obviously written by someone who not only went through "the program" but also managed to pay attention to their own students to realize just what wasn't easily getting across. The small pocket book (which fits perfect in the inner breast pocket of a decent coat or jacket) begins with an author's forward which could have simply read "There are no certainties in architecture except that you won't get it all right, all the time and every rule has enough exceptions to be really annoying". Each of the 101 points (or lessons) is coupled with a sketch illustrating or commenting on the idea in question. It simplifies the confusing, makes sure of the questionable and seems to offer a rather simple way to explain to others why you spent 6 years of your life learning how to do something you cannot explain simply. I plan to test this book on the MarJ if she amuse me, and see if it clears anything up. Some of the lessons are specific to school (#42: Those tedious first-year studio exercises in "spots and dots" and "lumps and bumps" really do have something to do with architecture) while others can also relate to the practice (#58: The proportions of a building are an aesthetic statement of how it was built) and some I already want to spray paint on certain new buildings located by the office in which I work (#62, #91). Where the book excels is in its simplicity. It takes all of 10 minutes to thoroughly read/peruse (more if you are sitting in an architecture office laughing about school and buildings in general), it is completely accessible (we will test that later), it is cheap, compact and relevant from first year of design studio to post post graduation. AIA Cleveland should be buying this thing in bulk to send to its members and it should be required reading for any first year architecture student. It was a great deal at $10 and I look forward to being able to have enough memorized to immediately see a project or presentation and give it the proper lesson code number to reference later. Labels: Reviews
Monday, September 07, 2009
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed - Jared Diamond
Published way back in 2005 I hadn't picked up a copy of Collapse (Penguin Books) until late this year as a way of attempting to reconcile specific local neighborhood degradation. While Collapse quantifies the failure of prehistorical to modern societies based upon a 5 point checklist (human environmental impact, climate change, relation with friendlies, relations with hostiles and political, cultural and social attitudes) the relationships developed between the multiple causes (while even sometimes recognized) show an accelerated impact greater than imagined when each cause is studied separately.
It was with this study of the symbiotic relationships that I found the book most interesting. Diamond holds that cultural stigma can be responsible for societies to continue practicing environmentally detrimental practices and failure to adapt properly to their environment (Easter Island, Greenland Norse, Western Montana), to the extreme of famish or population explosion due to improved healthcare and better nourishment, coupled with past cultural identities rationalizing genocide (Rwanda). Even leadership typologies are exposed, those being aware enough to directly influence their environment (Shogun Japan, Dominican Republic) to business practices (Chevron) and the creation of watchdog groups (establishment of the FSC -Forest Stewardship Council- and the counter by the lumber industry of the IFS -Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which does not require third party verification).
While the historical lessons are well intentioned I found the doggedly pace of the book off putting and at times quit while only half way through a chapter not to pick up the book again for a week or so. There was quite a bit of self referential aside which may be fine for readers with short attention spans but in its own right could become a drinking game (Every time Diamond refers his checklist, drink!). The material was very interesting, the conclusions are logical enough to be believable and the end result is that Diamond doesn't depend on an Utopian vision to save us all, if anything the book ends on a note of hope in only that the last 150 years of human civilization have been so dramatically harmful that humans as a race are starting to realize that we are all in this together and that more than technology or prayer, is our saving grace.
In fact, I found so much of the material intriguing I will at my own leisure delve a bit further into the topics, so much so as to use the reference list provided by Diamond in the back of Collapse, which I am sure as a professor, Diamond would appreciate.
Ending thoughts? The topics are interesting and the import of societal collapse, especially now, is one of the most serious concerns of our time. The comparison Diamond makes of bacteria cultures in his TED talk to human societies demonstrate that the collapse comes quickly after the pinnacle as it takes all of our raw resources to reach the point of peak population, at which time we have reached the exhaustion of said resources. The book, in my view, stumbles but there is more than enough of interest buried inside to keep the journey going. I would suggest it as necessary reading to anyone interested in social, philosophical or economic studies as well as a primer on symbiotic relationships for those interested in urban or city planning.
As Diamond notes, we are all in this Polder together. Labels: Reviews
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Book Review: Fresh Food From Small Spaces
A couple of days ago I recieved my copy of Fresh Food From Small Spaces by R.J. Ruppenthal. For a couple of years I had been growing small things like herbs and chili peppers in small containers with some amount of minor success. I had even built hanging "window" boxes to start sprouts of lettuces and tomatoes to little avail. They sprouted but either were killed by my ineptitude or by my laziness. I didn't really understand what I was doing but the idea of growing some of my own food was extremely intriguing to me. This year as I may actually get a tomato and tomatillo yield and my struggling chilies are producing like mad, I am eager to expand. Granted I finally have some decent porch space and solar exposure to exploit but as I have recently become aware that wasn't my entire problem. It was my technique. Fresh Food From Small Spaces provides step by step instructions for not only starting your small gardens (broken up by sun type, vertical/horizontal and seasonal) but keeping your plants alive and productive. There are techniques for building your own containers and tips for prolonging your growing season, even through winter with the use of some small solar boxes and careful plant selections. You can find information on yogurts (and other fermented foods), some tips on beekeeping or raising urban chickens (worst band name ever), growing mushrooms and composting to build your own fertilizer. It was a quick read and since it is laid out like a reference book with resource links and notes, it will function more as a guide than just a good evening read. Despite some of the chapter headings there really isn't much doomsday talk but there is some information regarding the true cost of food. The issues of creating a sustainable food system are raised although not to an level that would be found annoying, instead it serves as a gentle reminder that some foods may be economically cheap but the hidden costs are important. I enjoyed the book immensely and have already started planning for my post tomato planting and harvest (I'm thinking peas) and am considering how best to execute a winter garden on my porch (maybe make a pitched glass tent and insulate the heck out of my earthbox - it was a gift from a long time ago).
  tomatoes trying oh so hard and chilies coming in like mad!
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