Copenhagen Wheel

I don't like cars, honestly; I love flexible and pleasurable bicycles, especially one fitted with something as cool as this Copenhagen Wheel developed by the MIT.

My most likely impossible wish for the coming new year is the extinction of cars, people get around by taking monorails or cycling and that's it.

Happy New Year

afterrabbit

Villa Vals - SeARCH + CMA

via SeARCH

Shouldn’t it be possible to conceal a house in an Alpine slope while still exploiting the wonderful views and allowing light to enter the building?

Surprised that it was permissible to construct a pair of dwellings so close to the world famous thermal bath of Vals, the client seized the opportunity to develop the site, without disturbing the bath’s expansive views. The introduction of a central patio into the steep incline creates a large façade with considerable potential for window openings. The viewing angle from the building is slightly inclined, giving an even more dramatic view of the strikingly beautiful mountains on the opposite side of the narrow valley. (to find out more..)

Lovely! A courtyard created by subtraction of mass that also feels like an additional balcony or deck. Rarely a space feels so private and public at the same time. Perhaps all these issues don't matter anymore when you're talking about being embraced by the spectacular sceneries in an Alpine valley.

Underground bunkers are typically nerve wrecking thanks to extreme strength and claustrophobic solidity of the walls. Villa Vals is a bunker punctured all over; ample warm daylight and cool Alpine breeze floods through cracks and openings into every corner of the rooms. After all this could had been the kind of scenario soldiers at war would emotionally wish for.

Not just quality, the rich variety of spatial experiences is also evident from the pictures, which is the nicest thing to me. Underground architectures in such setting, like Villa Vals and Zumthor's Thermal Vals (a stones throw away), not only enable people to fully enjoy the breath-taking views, but also accentuate the existence and experience of what we often don't feel yet always present before our eyes - the incredibly gigantic rock mass of the mountains. It's always better to look below the surface.

project by: SeARCH + Christian Müller Architects

location: Vals, Switzerland

texts from: http://www.search.nl/

images from: http://www.iwan.com/photo_SeARCH_Villa_Vals.php

afterrabbit

Design for Life

Design for Life from design on Vimeo.

As far as we are concerned, the X factor has come to the end with Joe being crowned as the winner. If you are wondering what you should look up next, this is definitely it! A Designer's life show consisting 12 selected candidates from hundred over entries and the ultimate winner will be granted for a placement in the famous designer Philippe Starck's firm at Paris for 6 months. Better don't miss out!

midori mizu

slender and (but) heavy

This is perhaps a tiny, trivial part of an inspiring conversation we had during our first visit to Kevin Mark Low’s house (the Lightwell House) for project documentation. I was lifting a very slender, traditional looking rattan chair when its disproportional weight surprised me. He then asked: “Why do you think is it so heavy?” I thought (too much) it was a ‘design’ question when the answer was as simple as ‘the reinforcement within is of pre-stressed steel’ I knew, alright.

So I realized.. the weight was not an intention, but a compromise.

I’ve since noticed several chair designs which seem deceivingly thin and light, ie. the very recent chord-chair by nendo in collaboration with maruni, paper chair by Junya Ishigami, and of course the aforementioned rattan chair by Kevin.

chord-chair (for it's members slender like cable chords), by nendo x maruni.

paper chair (for obvious reason, and even with sketches on the white surface), by Junya Ishigami.

By means of concealment by light materials on surface, or by immaterial whiteness of paint finish, all hide under the disguise of the preconception “thinness equals weightlessness”

I personally do like all these chairs, they’re extremely comfortable to look at, and perhaps to sit onto, but I guess there’ll be that faint feeling of disappointment while lifting them.

Websites state their dimensions clearly, but never the weights.

If visual is a realm in which we’d succeeded, how much more time until we conquer mass and thus, weight? Then we can sculpt a thin, slender and paper-weight chair that 'Is what it seems to be'.

I’m looking forward to nano technology; just don’t lose the human touches.

images from: http://jpdesign.org/?p=184 http://www.maruni.com/cord-chair/en/

afterrabbit

carpets . nanimarquina

Nanimarquina, led by Nani Marquina, is a rug/carpet designer and manufacturer based in Barcelona.

Coming across her works, I recalled what Adolf Loos once said,

"The architect's general task is to provide a warm and liveable space. Carpets are warm and liveable. He decides for this reason to spread out one carpet on the floor and to hang up four of them to form the four walls."

- Adolf Loos, The Principle of Cladding.

'liveable space' from a sensual perspective.

Indeed, for any of us who loves simplistic, minimalist interiors, carpet is one of the major things that never fail to enliven a space. Carpets lend -visual and physical - softness and warmth to the otherwise hard and cold atmosphere often exist in minimal, functional spaces to name a few. Imagine how it'd probably make a difference if every prison cells are provided with one warm coloured, woolly carpet. I might like to nap on the floor more often if there's one fine rug in the room.

Well, nanimarquina has a fairly pleasant website, very browsing friendly. Features wide selections of rug designs from classic to contemporary, plus a few other textile products as likeable.

You will be able to find your cup of tea.

One of my favourite images showing how carpet helps humanizing space:

House A, by Ryue Nishizawa, Tokyo. (not carpet from nanimarquina, I think)

images from: http://www.sempre.jp/brand/nanima/ http://design-mind.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html http://www.architonic.com/pmsht/rangoli-nanimarquina/1046945 http://www.ryuenishizawa.com/

images edited by afterrabbit.

afterrabbit

3D_20th Competition

International Student Competition

A FRESH LOOK AT 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

Digital surveying and representation based on Panoramic Imaging and Image-Based-Modeling

The International Union of Architects announces the launch of an international competition that will invite architecture students from around the world to create imagemodels of examples of significant architectural creativity realised during the 20th century.

This competition is an opportunity for the architects of tomorrow to enrich the web index www.archi.fr/UIA with their own expression of an architectural realisation from the last century, using today's design tools.

The image models to be designed for this competition need to be based on digital photographs created using Autodesk® ImageModeler® and Autodesk® Stitcher® Unlimited software.

This software will be made available by Autodesk® to the competitors for use free of charge for the duration of the competition.

All phases of the competition will be conducted on-line.

Students are free to choose the structure they wish to represent, from a major landmark to an unknown building, with the condition that it was built between 1901 and 2000.

Entries can be architectural descriptions based on panoramic images and/or 3D models of the structure in its current state.

Students may also work in groups, on different elements or structures in an architectural or urban complex.

Competitors should register on-line through the competition website from October 19, 2009 until March 26, 2010.

Submissions may be transmitted on-line from April 5, to April 26, 2010.

The full competition regulations are available at the competiton web site.

www.archi.fr/3D_20th

texts from: http://www.3d20th.archi.fr/presentation.php

image from: http://www.3d20th.archi.fr/

posted by afterrabbit

a review on [small images] - junya ishigami

[small images] is perhaps the latest book by Junya Ishigami compiling most of his works to date. In the book, paragraphs and images are arranged in a continuous, ambiguous manner. Projects, be it architecture, furniture or installations, are bridged softly and smoothly throughout the whole book. So it feels like it’s about just one project. I think it’s alright to put it this way; Ishigami’s works are a series of separate, yet connected investigations toward a single quest for a concept, a kind of blurriness and ambiguity in space, structure, viewpoints and etc.

It occurs to me very intriguing for how Ishigami is able to produce architectural works of unprecedented quality by deliberately pushing limits of the common constructional dimensions: sizes of glass apertures or walls, thickness and density of columns, and so on. By redefining the scales of these commonly seen elements and details of architecture, it became apparently such an ease to alter altogether human perceptions of interior-exterior, and relationships between man, building and the surrounding. Compared to some architects’ excessive reliance on new devices, new forms, I can’t help but to feel that what’s ordinarily existing holds much more potentiality in impacting on our viewpoints toward (new) architecture.

A change in the common sense is a blow to our mind stronger than an introduction of the new and unfamiliar. From vague urban visions to bolts and nuts, he conceives sophisticated yet refreshingly simple ideas at the extreme ends and avoiding everything in-between that we’re so used to as the sole ‘reality’. His proposals revealed aspects of the environment we’ve not chosen to see, yet so naively natural and delightful that we seem to have emotionally dreamed of.

From the usually extreme transparency in his works, I’d think that Ishigami ultimately isn’t much interested in the resultant enclosures (what we normally see as ‘buildings’) than in designing the intangible relationships between human and his surroundings. It isn’t an issue whether interior or exterior, for he tries to merge the two to a degree never seen before. As long as an area is sufficiently conditioned for living into, it’s alright for it to feel the same as sitting under the sun and rain.

Despite I personally find it an addictive read; it could be a tedious effort for you have to read the whole book to understand whatever big messages it conveys and possibilities it eventually opens up to. But it’s enough fun to just flipping through the pages of gorgeous pictures. After all, they’re nice to look at and it’s easy to get from them the niche and atmosphere of Junya Ishigami’s architecture: a fresh new air.

images from: http://www.amazon.com/Junya-Ishigami-Small-Images/dp/4872751507 & http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WuR6cVmYZgQ/SXhCxS22kqI/AAAAAAAAABw/oLeW3S7Tcz4/s1600-h/Yunia.jpg & http://jargonetcetera.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

posted by afterrabbit

Vanishing Stairs and a "vanishing" public space

Vanishing Stairs is an installation created by New Zealand sculptor, Neil Dawson in 1997. This suspended sculpture hovers above the public piazza at Megan Avenue, formerly known as Megan Phileo Promenade.

Dawson believes that public art should not be hidden. Hence the massive size. However, being surrounded by tall buildings at all 4 corners eliminates all possibility of the public getting a view of this sculpture.



Nevertheless, "vanishing stairs" inspires awe as the stairs appears like out of nowhere floating in the air. The use of wire gives a transparent feel and from certain angles the "stairs" seem to like have vanished into thin air.

It is most unfortunate that the public space below is quite devoid of human activity. Instead of adding water features (which were not there previously), they should have worked towards creating a space where office workers can rest or interact during lunch breaks.



I believe we need to look more into creating lively and functional public spaces. Some may dismiss piazza's as a western fad. But then how about hawker squares?

The urban jungle would be a much more livable place if there are more public spaces.

posted by ling

Archostumes

p/s: Marcel Breuer, Frank Lloyd Wright, and SANAA must be so proud!

Designer Halloween Costumes

image from:
http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archieves/5134

posted by midori mizu

Plans to rebuild damaged CCTV building under way

BEIJING — The chief architect for the landmark new headquarters for China's powerful state broadcaster said the part of the complex that burned in a massive fire earlier this year can be repaired and does not need to be torn down.

Architect Ole Scheeren said that initial inspections show that the high-rise's steel structure largely withstood the fire and that preparations were under way to repair the China Central Television building.

"The preliminary findings are that the building can be repaired," he told The Associated Press in an interview late Wednesday. "It's still intact and safe. There will mainly be a repair effort but not a complete rebuilding."
(to find out more..)

image and passage from:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHWcnzeJdaGBtQ-YQw3koOETvoQAD9BKIE880

posted by midori mizu

Richard Rogers' Maggie's cancer care centre has won the RIBA Stirling Prize 2009

Maggie's Centre, a beautiful cancer care sanctuary in west London by Richard Rogers' practice Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has won the coveted RIBA Stirling Prize 2009 in association with The Architects Journal and Crystal CG. This is the second time the practice has been awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize (Barajas Airport, Spain, 2006).

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ Maggie’s Centre exceeds at every level in fulfilling the most demanding of briefs: to create a sanctuary for terminally ill cancer sufferers with client Charles Jencks, whose deep conviction of architecture’s power to shape our experience has led to a series of cancer care centres creating a fitting memorial to his wife Maggie.
This quietly confident building is truly, unquestionably a haven for those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ achievement is in having created a completely informal, home-like sanctuary to help patients learn to live with cancer.
(to find out more..)

image & passage from:
http://www.architecture.com/NewsAndPress/News/AwardsNews/News/2009/MaggiesCentreWinsSitrlingPrize2009.aspx

posted by midori mizu

114 Year Old Pudu Jail Demolished To Make Way For Shopping Mall

Work has started on the demolition of part of the landmark Pudu Jail, to make way for a road expansion and tunnel project. UDA Holdings Sdn Bhd had bought over the land from the government and they are planning to build a shopping mall on the location.
(to find out more..)

images from:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/40275-hammer-finally-falls-on-pudu-jail
http://blog.miragestudio7.com/2009/10/114-year-old-pudu-jail-demolished-to-make-way-for-shopping-mall/

passage from:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/40275-hammer-finally-falls-on-pudu-jail

posted by midori mizu

Marking George Town

Marking George Town

An Ideas Competition For A UNESCO World Heritage Site

The State Government of Penang, Malaysia invites submissions for an international competition for design ideas to physically brand the historic city of George Town, Penang in conjunction with its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.

The winning entry will enter into negotiations with the State Government of Penang, Malaysia to implement the design. Please refer to the design brief and prizes.

(to find out more..)

**Upon a number of requests, the deadline for registration & payment has been extended from 15th Oct 2009 to 30th Oct 2009. (source: The competition committee)

text & image from: http://www.markinggeorgetown.com/home

posted by afterrabbit

空気の港 / Air Harbour

空港(kuukou) is the Japanese character for 'airport', break it down and it becomes 'air port', or

'air harbour', 空気の港(kuuki no minato) as how they put it.

This is a [not quite]digital public art project currently put up at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo.

A port that is filled with air.

A new way of feeling -with a little bit of joy and slowness- the Huge and Airy terminal space we might have often neglected as we rushed through the gates.

It is a pleasant co-existence of two different worlds: gravitation & zero-gravitation; fast-walking & slow-floating; tension & relaxation; restriction & freedom..

It may have an antidotal effect on the common urban illness of pressure in the Japanese society, who knows? Try stalking one which floats slowly across the terminal, or turn around and say hi to one which has just landed beside you~

(to find out more..)

image from: http://www.digital-public-art.org/airharbor/airharbor.php?pg=top

posted by afterrabbit

8th IAHH International Student Design Competition 2010

IAHH is pleased to announce its Eighth International Student Design Competition on the theme of “Affordable Housing in Sustainable Humane Habitats”. The competition is open to students of architecture, housing, planning, urban design, landscape architecture and related disciplines of anthropology, sociology, engineering, economics, geography, social work etc. However, the design team must be led by a student of architecture...

The student participants are required to identify a site in a city of their own choice anywhere in the world for planning and designing affordable housing in sustainable humane habitat project.

The site for the project shall be about 5-10 ha which will be a brown field site located in an urban area which is at present neglected. The site may have dilapidated housing stock. The project shall aim at providing affordable housing to about 1000 families belonging to various income and social groups. A high priority shall be given to provide housing for the urban poor and low income families. The project shall aim at sustainable urban renewal of the area with a mixed land use strategy...(to find out more..)

text & image from: http://humanehabitat.org/competitions/8th-iahh-international-student-design-competition-2010/

posted by afterrabbit

Intervention - Hutong Bubble 32

It's been two years since I was shown this intriguing proposal at a lecture by Ma Yansong. Though' I am quite surprised one has actually been built, it's much delighted to see that the outcome does not seem as alien in the context as the models & renderings earlier. All thanks to the reflective surface which absorbs the readily available textures of its surrounding.

As an effort to save the rapidly shrinking fabric of ancient hutongs, conversions of old courtyard houses into modern dwellings, studios and etc. have been carried out at various parts of the fabric by the conscious-minded, to help the traditional built environment in re-adapting to new ways of living in the Beijing.

I'm not sure to what extent such effort has gone thus far, but we can be optimistic that forward-thinking ideas are flowing into these narrow alleys of hutongs, slowly forming a new situation that nurtures creativities, and more of these delightful bubbles!

One good example of modern intervention on traditional Chinese urban fabric. Not so much hostility, it actually reminds me of the decorative (sometimes symbolic) huge stones found in many traditional Chinese gardens, ie. the imperial gardens.

More project descriptions at MAD Ltd.

images from: http://www.i-mad.com/?go/#/projects/status/56/

posted by afterrabbit

感性 - Kansei

What is Kansei (chinese,japanese: 感性)?

In Japan, the terminology of Kansei draws back on the German philosopher, Baumgarten. His work AESTHETICA (1750) was the first study that influenced Kansei engineering[1]. The aim of Kansei study is to seek the structure of emotions which exists beneath human behaviors. This structure is reffered to as a person’s Kansei. In the art and design field, Kansei is one of the most important elements which brings the willing or power of creation. In research by Harada, it was found that the attitude of a person in front of art work and design is not based on logic but on Kansei[2].

The word “Kansei” is interpreted variously and has been used in many researches related with not only design but also other research fields. It is a word which inclusively involves the meaning of words such as sensitivity, sense, sensibility, feeling, aesthetics, emotion, affection and intuition. Fig.1 shows the etymology of Kansei and Chisei (chinese, japanese: 知性) interpreted from Chinese characters, both of which are processed in human minds when they receive the information from the external world. As you see in the figure, Chisei works to increase the knowledge or understanding which is matured by verbal descriptions of logical facts. And Kansei works to increase the creativity through images with feelings or emotions. But we cannot doubt the fact that both Chisei and Kansei have the same level of power to stimulate human behaviors. So far, the practice of most designers has focused on Chisei. Kansei has been regarded as a totally subjective phenomenon so that anyone in the world has their own individual way of absorbing and presenting. In front of a painting, we appreciate it without thinking of any rules but ‘just’ feel a pleasure. (to find out more..)

More about it at :

1) On Kansei And Kansei Design - A Description of Japanese Design Approach

2) Pleasure with Products : Design based on Kansei

text & image from: http://studiolab.io.tudelft.nl/static/gems/publications/00Lee_PWPPlea.pdf

posted by afterrabbit

iida - PLY

iida has recently made a new addition into its mobile line - PLY. Beyond its formal expression, PLY bears the profound meaning of "lamination layers" - layers of time, culture, technology and design. Everything that encompasses us continually accretes layer upon layer until it finally produces something of new value.

Forward-looking, yet utter direct in projecting nostalgic impressions of the schedule books and old cassette players from the very first sight of it. The design seems intending to signify how all modern entertainment and working means are now brought to us in one slim and convenient device, showing the way of the future yet at the same time reminding us of where we've come from.

Certainly the only mobile phone design (that I can recall) which is so sympathetic to our memories of the good old times :-)

Function tabs on the side of PLY (top) reminiscent of the buttons on Sony Walkman (bottom left) and tab markers of schedule notebooks (bottom right).

Functions follow - the Old - forms.

I don't know how This one above came about and it most certainly is not the original design. Pretty cool nonetheless.

images from: http://image.itmedia.co.jp/l/im/mobile/articles/0904/07/l_yo_kddims03.jpg & http://ilovestickytape.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html & http://www.freewebs.com/djsnowatlarge/performancesschedule.htm & http://iida.jp/english/products/ply/

posted by afterrabbit

Visions of a Village - Contest

This is a contest for the visions of an ideal sustainable village: a place where you would want to live, study, work and experience the challenges and rewards of an ecologically durable lifestyle. In other words: to define the future of living.

HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?

You can draw, sketch, take photographs, paint, use digital design tools to create images, or even submit poetry (however, poetry must make a visual statement as well as all entries will be treated as images). You can be as creative as you like, but please keep in mind the key words and goals of the CLEAR Village.

Distil your vision in to a 600dpi horizontal A4 image and send it through sendspace.com, following the instructions mentioned underneath.

Key words:

Collaborative, participatory, connected, global, vernacular, secular, inclusive, multi-generational, multi-functional, adaptive, evolutive, holistic, systemic, community, self-sufficient, sustainable, aspirational, future, masterplan, rural, reboot, low-tech, hi-tech.

Goals of the CLEAR Village Foundation:

Develop an aspirational future of living in the midst of financial and ecological crisis. Co-design a replicable masterplan strategy with global experts to reboot rural & peri-urban areas. Harmonise low-tech romantic ideals with 21st century high-tech solutions and which offers alternative paths to non-sensical new builds.

PRIZES

First Prize: 2500€
Two Runners Up: 1250€ each

Winners names will be published in CLEAR Village publications and the winning entries will be showcased there.

Deadline: 23rd September 2009

Submission through E-mail.

(to find out more..)

taken from: http://www.clear-village.org/contest

posted by afterrabbit

Recyclable spoon

End of the disposable plastic revolution? Maybe.

It came with the nasi lemak packet I bought for breakfast.

Top view:



Underside:



Use only once! Dispose after use.

Prone to gravy and sauce stains (in this case here, sambal)

Users might get the weird feeling of biting paper.

An alternative to disposable plastics. Go green! =)

posted by ling

The Shanghai Corporate Pavillion for World Expo 2010 / Atelier Feichang Jianzhu

Technological Detail and Environmental Protection

1. Solar Energy System

The Shanghai Corporate Pavilion features a 1600m2 solar heat-collecting tube on the roof. These solar tube can collect solar energy to produce hot water up to 95°C. Ultra-low temperature power generation techology, a novel way to generate electricity through solar power. The power generated using this technology can be used for both the exposition and for every day.

2. Recycled Plastic materials

Shanghai produces nearly 30 million of waste CDs every year, and only 25% of them are reclaimed and recycled. If these CDs were reclaimed and washed, they could be used to produce polycarbonate granules and manufacture more polycarbonate plastic products. The external facade materials of the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion will use polycarbonate transparent plastic tubes to create its dreamlike appearance. After the Expo, also plastic tubes can be easily recycled to reduce social wastage.

3. Water/mist System

For the Shanghai Corporate pavilion, rainwater will be collected and recycled. After such treatment as sedimentation, filtration and storage, rainwater can be used for daily purposes at the pavilion and for the “mist” in particular. The mist can lower the temperature, purify the air and create a comfortable climate in pavilion. The spray can also be used to form various patterns under ceiling of entrance hall and make the overall appearance of the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion fresh and elegant
(to find out more..)

images and passage from:
http://www.archdaily.com/33751/the-shanghai-corporate-pavillion-for-world-expo-2010/

posted by midori mizu

Living With Nature

Recent encounters with several attention-grabbing proposals and works which involves urban greenery have led me to ponder on the question of we as humans living with nature. Despite having the world raising flags and banners in support of going green, going sustainable for so many years by now, by looking at these projects I somehow sense strongly that we don't really know how to just live with the nature around us.

High Line Park, New York, 2009.

High Line as seen in 2000, New York.

It isn't deniable that the recently completed High Line Park is quite a success. The park is an elevated deck on an urban scale which provides the public with a pleasant alternative hang-out spot. It elevates people from the ground, connects people from different points within the city, and fosters a new perspective towards the urbanscape in a way.

On the other hand, many feel (including myself) that the condition of the High Line in year 2000 was more moving than the current one. That was an eco-environment in a small scale resulted in nature's own action/reaction towards the city in its most natural manner due to the absence of human disturbance thoughout its shaping.

However, it seems to me that we couldn't live with the natural condition it had been and had to force a more 'human' character onto it. We paved a distinctive walkway for our pedastrian purpose and the plants had to make way for it, and then we categorize the plants into different patches. We are just creating yet another condition similar to the typology of a zoo, a conquered nature.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.

Gardens by the Bay, an eco-park project set to cover hectars of land around the Marina Bay in Singapore, is just a more exaggerating example that shouts the message of human efforts conquering nature heavily, rather than the prominence of nature itself.

As if humans aren't a part of the natural habitat, we seem trying our best to differentiate ourselves from the nature. We treat plants and animals as display items, and we go to parks like such not to be in the nature but to look at nature.

Is this what it means by going green, bringing back greeneries to our living realm?

I often question the sincerity behind schemes like the examples shown here (and more). Greenery and nature is obviously not the top priority of such projects but a branding part of it, while true goals are the attraction of tourists and profits etc. While in cases where we're true about reviving nature as part of our living spaces, I guess we hold different values with some not being able to comprehend the deeper problems lie in these over-celebrated examples we see today.

The Manhattan Airport, New York.

In an effort to realise yet another capitalist vision - an airport right in the middle of Manhattan replacing the renown Central Park, The Manhattan Airport Foundation has stated in their website (about Central Park) that, "Amazingly, there is still a large, undeveloped and underutilized site in the center of New York City. In fact, this site has remained undeveloped for so long that many of us forget it even exists."

And the solution is to replace it with an airport? Don't they understand a green space like that is the most valuable asset, the 'heart & soul' of a healthy and human lifestyle for people living in Manhattan? Imagine a park where you can breath in fresh air once in while, suddenly turn into a ground where you get arrested by trespassing.

Tavern On The Green in the airport food court & Strawberry Fields in the indoor concourse? These sounds rather like a hilarious joke for an 'effort' to conserve elements of the Central Park.

Natural green space for these people, is merely an empty plot yet to be made a money-making product.

Utilization of a space does not necessarily mean to build onto it. Development is the word of sin.

In times of overwhelming calls toward going green and going sustainable, we've clearly forgotten how we could live harmoniously with the nature, we've forgotten that we can actually step into, and run about in the field! (hence the so well-designed garden pavements)

Long time ago, humans moved into the forest, found an empty spot and built themselves shelter; Today, plants move into the metropolis built upon the land they once owned, find themselves an empty pot to live in it.

An audience questioned in a forum, "Do you think this is the future of our planet?"

I think we are on the right track when we can finally say "It is just enough."

images from: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137207 & http://curbed.com/archives/2009/07/21/architectural_craziness_redux_meet_manhattan_airport.php & http://culturefix.wordpress.com/

posted by afterrabbit

Serpentine Pavilion '09 - Why Cement Flooring?!

The much anticipated Serpentine Pavilion of 2009, by Kazuyo Sejima+Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA, has recently been completed and opened to the public in Kensington Gardens, London.

As promised in the descriptions spread throughout earlier, it has brought a refreshing impression for the pavilion series (this is the ninth) by being the antithesis of its Iconic predecessors designed by Ghery, Niemeyer, Koolhaas and others.

Indeed, the 'floating' structure appears formless and ephemeral, drifts around the trees and camouflages into the surrounding by its extreme reflectiveness. It shouts with a sense of oriental subtlety that seems more noble in a way.

Everything seems pretty brilliant by now, the 'floating smog' is brilliant; the occasional Perspex/acrylic walls are fine, too; but why the cement-rendered flooring which, worse, covers the entire floor area within the 'roof' profile?

For the 'roof', I meant the floating structure which initially, suggested to us as an immaterial, freely drifting matter that somehow, could've been seen as an original archetype, rather than a typical roof element. But unfortunately, the immediate result of laying down that gigantic piece of cement molded with the same outline as the 'roof', is it perceptually affixing the form of the floating structure, restricting its sense of free-flow and ephemerality, making it appear closer to a solid roof than it ought to be.

Furthermore, the unexpected cement flooring almost totally ruined the idea of 'casually passing through the pavilion from any directions, sitting on the shaded lawn doing leisure activities like picnic, reading, napping, walking the dog in an ordinary evening and etc...' which were so strongly expressed in the architect's initial renderings and models, where there were only the floating structure and no cement floor.

Who would want to do the activities mentioned above on a cold, hard slab, honestly? A green lawn or at least the dirt surface after construction, could have been more casual and natural than formal.

Rather than being an inviting space, it could've already rejected some people.

To conclude in comparing with the initial rendering, the actual built work appears less pleasant, energetic and transparent than it could be. It's got a bit too formal than the initial impression given!

I totally love the weightlessly undulating structure but, I personally think this pavilion, 'though not too much, is a disappointment I've received from SANAA.

*nevertheless, my opinion could change, if I were able to visit the pavilion personally.*

images taken from: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2008/03/serpentine_gallery_pavilion_20_12.html> & http://www.arquinoias.com/

afterrabbit