Intriguing Earth Architecture 50

Chanel Mobile Art, Hong Kong, China - Zaha Hadid Architects
via flickr: dawvon

Intriguing Earth Architecture 49

Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Diller Scofidio + Renfro
via flickr: Alternateword’s

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The Umbrella, Culver City, California, USA - Eric Owen Moss
via flickr: brandon shigeta

Architects According To Monty

Interesting portion of a skit by Monty Python’s Flying Circus portraying architects. This is a bit dated but is classic British humour. Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink, know what I mean?

Pythononline Link

Frank Gehry Speaks At TED

Here is a description of the lecture given by Gehry from the TED website:

“Speaking at TED in 1990, the not-yet-legendary architect Frank Gehry takes a whistlestop tour of his work to date, from his own Venice Beach house to the under-construction American Center in Paris. In this 50-minute slideshow (before TED’s 18-minute limit), Gehry explains the site-specific nature of his buildings — context he felt was lost in the discussions of his then-controversial work. In this candid and funny talk, he exposes his own messy creative process (”I take pieces and bits, and look at it, and struggle with it, and cut it away…”) and the way he struggles with problems (”This model on the left is pretty awful. I was ready to commit suicide when this was built … If any of you have ideas on it, please contact me. I don’t know what to do”).”

Frank Gehry is commonly thought of as one of the world’s current starchitects. He is responsible for what has been dubbed, “The Bilboa Effect“, in which urban renewal is spawned from the development of a large-scale architectural project in a once blighted area. The international acclaim of which puts a once unknown destination on the map and promotes tourism and subsequent regional development.

In 2005 he was filmed in a documentary by famed director Sydney Pollack entitled, “Sketches of Frank Gehry” that describes the polemics behind many of his most recent works.

Gehry Partners, LLP Link

Modern Furnishings No. 03

Today we feature two pieces of furniture of Japanese designer, nosigner. The Arborism Table shown will be offered by Italian furniture maker COVO and will be released this month for resale. Below is a the written explanation from the designer for the inspiration for the design:

Arborism is a table with treeform arms. The design of the unique arms has been configured by the fractal algorithm called “Tree Curve”. So the design is the same as the branch structure of a real tree. The interesting point of this design is that it was completed not by the arbitrary work of the designer but by the logic of nature itself.
By being adapted to urban life recently, we are now far away from natural life. In order to regain our longing natural life, I propose the rehabilitation method by living surrounded by the products of which design hold natural logic.

Please feel free to leave a comment or two.

dezeen article on nosigner
designboom article on nosigner

Posta Aerea 05

Today we feature a few excerpts from our voluminous mailbag:

a+t magazine is offering an outstanding read featuring Dutch Architecture called, “DBook“. The magazine itself comes from Spain and is also translated in English. Another fine architectural periodical from Europe.

NAi the Netherlands Architecture Institute is featuring a symposium of designers, artists and intellectuals similar to TED in the United States. Wiel Arets is assisting the NAi in their efforts and the program in entitled “Happening“. The review runs through May 4, 2008 at the NAi in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

We also have received word that the Esherick House in Philadelphia is going up for auction. For those of you in the city of brotherly love now is your chance to purchase an amazing work by one of the all time master architects, Louis Kahn. Estimated selling price between $2-3 million US.

Intriguing Earth Architecture 47

San Jose City Hall, San Jose, California, USA - Richard Meier & Partners
via flickr: ken mccown

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Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid, Spain - Ateliers Jean Nouvel
via flickr: seretuaccidente

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Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland - Steven Holl Architects
via flickr: blond avenger