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2019 chicago architecture biennial week #3 calendar.

Oct 5, 2019

above > secrets of a digital garden / photos > gloria araya

nothing is conventional in this garden. 50 slices of earth containing ‘digital’ flowers has been brought to chicago to narrate the absurd dis-connectivity of palestine and the attempt to reclaim it through the 50 villages project.

in a collaborative project with riwaq: centre for architectural conservation, yara sharif and nasser golzari have curated the exhibition entitled secrets of a digital garden: 50 flowers, 50 villages.

secrets of a digital garden is a future imaginary scenario set up in rural palestine in the form of a digital garden with 50 interactive flowers representing 50 palestinian villages. the work draws on their collaborative work with riwaq on revitalizing 50 palestinian historic fabrics and their on-going research by design as founders of ng architects and palestine regeneration team (part).

in this installation for the 3rd annual chicago architecture biennial, underneath the surface, a process of production is in place. capsules containing physical and digital dna is trapped in each flower to capture and share the story of the 50 villages. in real life when you qr code capture each of these flowers it connects you to the digital palestinian museum archives one of the most virtual platform of the palestinian museum components.

the museum works on building a digital archive that is open to the public and continuously updating, with the aim of documenting collections of photographs, films, sound recordings and other important materials that are threatened with loss, damage or confiscation, through digital preservation, to be available to researchers, artists and the general public on the museum’s virtual platform. , and on virtual platforms of other partner institutions in europe with the aim of reaching the widest possible audience. the archive will include all the digital collections that the museum has been able to collect and digitize in previous initiatives, including the family album project, which focused on exploring the photographic treasures that palestinians keep in their homes and documenting them for future generations,

above > yara sharif

[ curatorial statement ] titled …and other such stories, the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is rooted in close readings of the spatial realities of its host city. sitting at the crossroads of the great plains and the great lakes, chicago has been shaped by planetary forces: colonial expansion, mass migration, extraction economies, and rapid industrialization. thus, chicago’s urbanism is inextricable from the flows of people, goods, and capital—and the concurrent exploitation of bodies, labor, and nature—that have contributed to its making. today, despite the promise of economic development, chicago, like many other established and emergent global metropolises, faces challenging urban conditions that require the reimagining of forms of exchange between human activity, technology, and the natural world. by extension, owing to its physical geography, chicago is a singular context in which to address climate and ecological concerns shared by many postindustrial societies.

the third edition of the biennial will open 19 september 2019 thru 5 january 2020, and will convene the world’s leading practitioners, theorists, and commentators in the field of architecture and urbanism to further explore, debate, and demonstrate the significance of architectural concepts in contemporary society. the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is led by artistic director yesomi umolu with curators sepake angiama and paulo tavares.

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

2019 chicago architecture biennial week #2 calendar.

Sep 28, 2019

above > the gun project memorial project 2019 / mass design group – exhibit designers

“…you hear those numbers all the time, but you never tie names to them. i wanted you to see who my son was.” pamela bosley, mother of terrell bosley / co-founder of purpose over pain

two chicago women whose sons were shot to death inspired the creation of the memorial. pamela montgomery-bosley’s 18-year-old son, terrell, was gunned down in a south side church parking lot helping a friend unload drums from a car. annette nance-holt’s 16-year-old son, blair holt, was killed as he was riding a cta bus home from his south side high school.

designed by the boston office of the mass design group, the reminders, artifacts of those slain, will be displayed in each of four houses. by showing objects from a wide range of victims, the architects are confronting the notion that gun violence is exclusively the province of young african american men belonging to gangs.

each house has 700 openings and there’s space for many more remembrances to be added.

the memorial, which honors u.s.a. gun violence victims, probably will be one of the most talked-about exhibits in the biennial. #stopgunviolence

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

2019 chicago architecture biennial week #1 calendar.

Sep 18, 2019

above > skievvar, 2019 / joar nango

the artist-architect joar nango is a member of the sámi people, an indigenous group from the north of norway and sweden. he creates site-specific installations and self-made publications that explore indigenous perspectives via contemporary architecture. there’s an archival window called skievvarcoolli, designed and built by oceangoing sámi people out of dried halibut stomachs spanning wooden frames. for the biennial, nango’s creative team developed a prototype for a new kind of window screen using this old technology. skievvar is a slightly absurd anti-capitalist piece of ancient-futurist technology carrying old wisdoms through its simple material, presented in chicago, itself a cradle of modernist architecture.

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

beyond the notre-dame embers.

Apr 17, 2019

the notre-dame fire, horrific, but the human spirit by design, brings people closer together.

“utterly heartbroken.” ~ britain’s queen elizabeth and her son and heir prince charles said expressing deep sadness. The fire is a “catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe,”

spanish prime minister pedro sánchez tweeted the fire is a “catastrophe for france, for spain and for europe,” adding that the flames are destroying “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture.”

german chancellor angela merkel offered her country’s help to rebuild a part of “our common european heritage”.

“notre-dame will always remain – and we have seen this in these hours – a place where believers and non-believers can come together in the most dramatic moments of french history.” ~ pope francis.

french president emmanuel macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the “greatest talents” in the world, to rebuild notre dame.

the notre-dame fire reminds us of the frailty of our architectural treasures. “we are used to thinking about them as eternal simply because they have been there for centuries, or a thousand years, but the reality is they are very fragile.” paolo violini, a restoration specialist for vatican museums, who added that the pace of the fire’s spread had been stunning.

as the embers cool, the world joins hands to restore an extraordinary diva.

production motorcycles turn into icons but what about custom bikes?

Feb 15, 2019

above/below > white falcon / ian barry / 2013 / unique

how can one-off machines compare to production models beloved by the masses? can we draw any conclusions looking at a few very exceptional motorcycles ? and if you’re more comfortable comparing another category of objects go ahead, the rules apply to anything:

[ the production objects ]
production motorcycles can be judged somewhat objectively: by their performance, innovation, their pedigree, their impact on the larger motorcycle world.

above> vincent black shadow / built 1948 – 55 / hunter s. thompson once remarked that “if you rode the black shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die.” the 50-degree v-twin was completely baked in black enamel and produced enough grunt to carry riders to 125 mph in an era where the 100 mph benchmark was barely attainable. the vincent employed extensive amounts of aluminum throughout, and its motor hung from the cross-bar, acting as a stressed member. this kept weight down to 450 pounds, which meant the vincent black shadow would balance a see-saw with contemporary 500cc singles. innovative front forks, a four-speed transmission and finned brakes at both front and rear rounded out a package widely regarded as the world’s first superbike.

above > harley-davidson xr750 street tracker / built 1970 – 79 / essentially a parts-bin special slapped together to meet changing ama dirt-track rules, the xr750 is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. after years of domination, harley’s racing department were forced to completely rethink their efforts for the 1970 season. so in under a year they did — and in doing so created the winningest race bike in the history of the ama. thankfully, homologation rules stipulated that 200 race-ready road-goers be made available to the public; a legend was born. evel knievel began jumping the xr-750 at the height of his career between december 1970 and october 1976 (although a failed practice jump was made in january 1977 and captured on film). prior to the failed practice jump, knievel jumped either cars or trucks (or a combination of the two) on the xr-750.

above> ducati desmosedici rr / built 2007 – 08 / only 1,500 models of this street-legal version of ducati’s 2006 motogp entrant were produced. the all-new 200 hp, 90-degree “double-l twin” v-4 engine would scream through its vertical exits in the rear tail all the way to its 10,500 rpm redline and 194 mph top speed. componentry was top notch all around with ohlins, brembo and marchesini put to the task of keeping riders alive and justifying the $72,500 sticker price. the desmosedici rr is often regarded as the ultimate ducati experience, a mechanically and aesthetically faithful reproduction of a genuine motogp racer — it even came with sponsorship stickers, were you so inclined.

[ the custom objects ]
custom motorcycles, as they divert toward art, demand a more subjective judgment: the celebrity of the artist, a track record of recognized style and quality, and in the artworld’s subjective judgment, the black and white of the price of the art for confirmation.

above> white falcon / built in 2013 / acrylic, 7075 + 6061 aluminum, brass, cloth, chromally, copper, enamel, epoxy, glass, light-emitting diodes, leather, magnesium, nickel, pyrex, rubber, silver, springs, stainless mesh, stainless steel, steel, titanium, 1967 works ‘squish head’ velocette venom thruxton engine, gp carburetors, avon venom tires, 21″ wm1 avon, 19″ wm2 borrani, archimedes mount / 33 x 30 x 73 inches – sold for a rumored $750,000 at the kohn gallery in los angeles.

below> bsa 500 black / hazen motorworks

“every bike that I create is 1 of 1, made by my own 2 hands here in my workshop, each bike is unique and never replicated. i push myself to make something new with every project and build the most interesting designs that i can think of in the most elegant way possible.” ~ max hazen

below > captain america / built c 1967 – 68 / arguably the most famous iconic custom bike because of the 1969 movie, easy rider. called “captain america” and before it was customized it was a 1952 harley-davidson hydra-glide police bike built by two chopper builders, cliff vaughs and ben hardy. the bike kept its original h-d panhead engine. two captain america bikes were made but before the movie aired one was stolen and parted and the other bike was crashed in the last scene of the movie.
[ npr backstory ] [ captain america sells for $ 1.3 million ]

[ 51 most iconic motorcycles of all time ] [ art demystified: what determines an artwork’s value ? ] –

2019 ford mustang bullitt: it’s like you’re in a movie.

Jan 2, 2019

in 2018, ford gifts us with a special edition mustang commemorating the 50th anniversary of the film bullitt starring steve mcqueen and an iconic 1968 dark highland green mustang fastback. the new special version is a superbly tweaked premium gt model mustang.

with movies in mind, we agree there are certain movies best seen via imax. i’d love to see the following clip then test drive this car.

the special edition bullitt is conceived to capture what the movie audience experienced from arguably the best cinema car chase – full=screen mode and volume up please…

bullitt is old school – v-8, front engine, rear-wheel drive, manual transmission sports car / but curated with today’s tech – improved engine air-flow, tricked out 6-speed manual transmission with rev matching, and customizable lcd instrumentation. and there’s the price difference of bullitt and a performance packaged gt. it’s made clear if you yearn to flirt with red-lining the bullitt the extra cost is worth it.

it’s also worth mentioning DesignApplause in 2018 made a point to shout only eco-minded, electric or hybrid, efforts. bullitt represents an exception to that mindset. bullitt also re-inspires another always fun talking point – that of the varooomm variety – under-the-hood or muffler pipe melodies versus today’s all-electric stealth.

below’s gallery features highlights and at the end we have a treat – a photo of mcqueen and a friend, found on our 2016 los angeles to san fransicso drive along the pacific coast highway in a rental white mustang convertible, of course.

[ vitals ]
model: ford mustang bullitt
price: starting at 46,595
engine: 5.0-litre v8
power/torque: 480bhp/529nm
transmission: six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
0-62mph/155mph: 4.6s/155mph
top end: 163mph
on sale: now

model: ford premium gt mustang
price: starting at $39,355
engine: 5.0-litre v8
power: 460bhp – performance package
transmission: six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive / or 10-speed selectshift® automatic
top end: 158mph
on sale: now

[ ford mustang(s) ] [ bullitt vs gt ]

lochside house riba 2018 house of the year. haysom ward miller architects

Nov 29, 2018

haysom ward miller architects // riba

[ architect’s brief ] the very energy-efficient structure uses highly-insulated SIP panels, prefabricated to minimize transport an materials. the cladding is scottish larch, charred by the contractor using a variation of the traditional japanese shou sugi ban technique to achieve a naturally varied rich color and improved durability. the house will be completely off-grid, with its own water supply, sewage treatment, and electrical system, all designed to minimize energy use.

the modular form of the house, made up of three simple, pitched-roofed volumes, reduces the apparent scale and height of the roofs and allows sections to be isolated and left unheated when not required. the scale of thew individual sections relates to that of small buildings and shelters that have stood on the peninsula in the past, the ruins of which still remain. the design does not try to copy the style of existing buildings in the area but its straightforward use of local stone and timber and simple forms are common with the traditional craft houses and agricultural buildings in the highlands

the intention is that the development should have minimal impact upon the natural flora and fauna and will instead leave it as undisturbed as possible. rather than surrounding the house with conventional domestic garden planting, the natural materials of the house sit in the natural landscape and, as the ground level falls away to the southeast, terminate with a deck or jetty above the unspoiled surrounding site. new planting will use native species chosen only to reestablish those that have been suppressed by invasive rhododendron or grazing, and to introduce a little more ecological diversity. as the process of clearing rhododendron continues, it is believed that other species should be able to reclaim much of the site with only minimal help – small scots pine seedings are already established and need only protection from grazing. the existing birch, alder, and larch will be augmented, with more planting of native heathers and juniper to add to the diversity of the lower story. yellow flag iris will be introduced to the existing boggy area to the east of the house. the flat ‘green’ roof connecting the pitched volumes will be planted with some of the same mix of sedums, sea pink, and other species found on the rocks nearby.

the scale and siting of the buildings, tucked into a natural fold in the land and designed around the existing established trees, has been carefully considered so that the building feels an integrated part of its surroundings from the outset – a modest and sustainable home that makes the most of, and has minimal impact upon, its very special location.

photography courtesy of richard fraser

also on the shortlist for the award were >
> pheasants by sarah griffiths + amin taha
> red house by 31/44 architects
> coastal house by 6a architects
> old shed new house by tonkin liu
> vex by chance de silva & scanner
> the makers house by liddicoat & goldhill

architecture and design begets art at expo chicago 2018.

Sep 29, 2018

above > expo chicago 2017 featuring work by lara schnitger (anton kern) as part of in/situ chronopolitics / curated by florence derieux

In the art world, DesignApplause attempts an objects-only mindset that could include a sculpture, or a photograph or painting of an airstream trailer for example. However, typically the art conversations becomes limited to works by designers showing in design galleries. For Expo 2013, for the first time, we put this question to the dealers we talked to: are there any architecture or design trained artists in your booth today? 2018 is our fourth iteration of this theme.

above > untitled 1945 / richard koppe / richard norton gallery / chicago / booth 275

born in st. paul, minnesota, richard koppe studied at the st. paul school of art with artists cameron booth, leroy turner and nicolai cikovsky. in 1937, koppe moved to chicago and continued his studies at the institute of design (id) with the noted bauhaus masters laszlo moholy-nagy, gyorgy kepes and alexander archipenko. he became an instructor at the institute of design in 1946 and remained an associate professor at the id until 1963. robert koppe was moholy-nagy‘s first design student.

the new bauhaus was founded in chicago in 1937 by the renowned professor, photographer and artist, laszlo moholy-nagy. the new bauhaus stems from the german bauhaus, a pioneering school of art and design that operated from 1919-1933. the theories and teachings of the bauhaus, which emphasized a synthesis of numerous artistic disciplines, was most influential in championing modernist twentieth century design, fine art and architecture. after adolph hitler closed the german school in 1933, many of the bauhaus teachers, namely through the efforts of moholy-nagy, emmigrated to america to establish and work with the new bauhaus in chicago. industrialist walter paepke, chairman of the container corporation of america, was an early financial backer of the school, which was originally located in the old marshall field mansion on chicago’s prarie avenue. in 1944, the school was retitled the instiute of design (id) and today resides on the campus of the illinois institute of technology. (iit) the school became the first institution in the united states to offer a phd in design. much of moholy-nagy’s curriculum and ideas were outlined in his extensive 1947 book, “vision in motion”. many important prefessors and designers have taught or studied at the new bauhaus/id. these include such artists as serge chermayeff, ivan cherymayeff, alexander archipenko, buckminster fuller, gyorgy kepes, richard koppe, nathan lerner, harry callahan, robert bruce tague, john cage and werner drewes, among others. much of the influence on today’s american modern art, design and architecture may be attributed to the teachings of the chicago new bauhaus.

a serendipitous moment via moholy-nagy chicago design archive and designer steve liska.

above > museum quality #bentply preview of nyc show re moma’s mid-century design exhibitions period works by #isokon #eames and #noguchi / r & company / new york city / booth 131

above > rothko chapel 2018 / gregory scott / catherine edelman gallery / chicago / booth 167

gregory scott was born in ann arbor, michigan in 1957 and received his bachelor degree from the institute of design at iit in chicago in 1979. scott has always blurred the lines between painting and photography, incorporating paintings he did of himself, or his body, back into his photographs. the resulting images were both humorous and odd, challenging the viewer’s perception of photographic truth. then, at the age of 49, scott decided to go to graduate school to strengthen his knowledge of art history and video making. having successfully merged his love of painting and photographs, his interest turned to video and its ability to move and manipulate still images.

above > local 1 chicago 55 west van buren 2008 / david hartt / corbett vs dempsey / chicago / booth 211

graphic design trained david hartt currently is an assistant professor, department of fine arts, school of design, university of pennsylvania

above > www14 2017 / canan tolon / anglim gilbert gallery / san francisco / booth 247

canan tolon, who trained as a designer and architect, explores visualizations of space via illusionistic imagery and constructions. tolon is known for her seemingly abstract paintings with geometric motifs and limited color palettes; over time, however, the rhythmic forms in her compositions begin to come into focus as series of overlain architectural structures and landscapes. these compositions are really tolon’s experiments in visual familiarity, examining the eye’s ability to piece together depictions of space from apparent abstraction. she is also known for large-scale installations with recurring use of dirt, grass, mirrors, and architectural constructions; these reference themes of colonization, urban growth, and land ownership.

above > tecate 2015 / peter alexander / peter blake gallery / laguna beach / booth 261

after initially working as an architect peter alexander rose to prominence in the 1960s with translucent resin sculptures. working with a southern california sensibility, los angeles-based artist peter alexander is most commonly associated with the light and space movement. his primary means of working today is in sculptural forms made of polyester resin reminiscent of his earliest work from 1965-1972. he has also produced paintings, including a series that depicts luminous aerial views of the city lights stretching across the los angeles basin. he also was commissioned to paint a large mural for the walt disney concert hall in los angeles.

above > the conservation center: the laboratory / studiogang / the conservation center / chicago / booth 166

the conservation center: the laboratory by studiogang designers re-imagined in a 19th century warehouse highlighting pre-existing elements such as original finishes and grand arched windows. the conservation center is the largest and most comprehensive private art conservation laboratory in the country. with over 33 years of experience, the center is a leader in the field of art preservation, evolving new treatments and methods to adapt to the rapidly-changing art world.

above > john m armleder / galeria javier lopez & fer frances / madrid / booth 344

swiss artist, john m armleder is internationally recognized for his versatile work that lies in between art and life. his art shows a clear vision of xxth century art history, and he specifically addresses the dilemma of object-ness. from 1979 onwards, armleder began to exhibit his so-called “fs,” furniture sculpture. these pieces comprise the pairing of daily objects with paintings. the artist does this either by integration, in which case the object becomes the canvas, or by placement side by side, where the object becomes like any other element of the pictorial composition. [ full bio ]

back story to this post > apologies, i was told that armleder studied architecture which led him to conceive and juxtapose flat art and 3-dimensional art, i.e., creating the space, an environment, criteria many architects are drawn to. however, research suggests armleder works, which do evoke design and architectural comparisons, is self-taught. he himself believes that art is in the eyes of the beholder. nonetheless, he’s included in this post.

asked how he would define himself and his art armleder said, “obviously i believe that i’m a visual artist, i’ve been interested in painting and doing three dimensional objects since i was a kid. one always believes that the artist knows more, or understands the work he is doing better than the onlooker, or the people who take care of the work, and i think it’s not true. the artist has a very restrictive understanding of his own work because he’s so close to it, and he remembers the moments when he was making it, and the anecdotes, which are just episodes. it’s not at all a universal understanding. i think the art should work on its own, the people who look at the works invent the works again, and the artist is just a side effect. so it’s very difficult for me to say this or that, and i don’t think it’s really my style to try to control the understanding or the focus of the work and say that it’s about this rather than about that. so what binds it all together? it’s obviously time, space—areas. and all that would be wiped out by new time, new spaces.

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note: there were seven galleries who did not hang work at expo chicago, works of their artists who have backgrounds in architecture and design. we plan on adding this work to this post as it comes in.
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expo chicago (september 27-30, 2018), the international exposition of contemporary & modern art, has established the city of chicago as a preeminent art fair destination. opening the fall art season every september, expo chicago takes place at historic navy pier whose vast vaulted architecture hosts leading international art galleries alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. dedicated to rigorous and challenging programming, expo chicago initiates strategic international partnerships, built alongside strong institutional relationships with major local museums and organizations to open parallel exhibitions and events. the 2018 edition of expo chicago will align with art design chicago, an initiative of the terra foundation for american art, to present various programs and events throughout expo art week (september 24–30, 2018) including panel discussions, performances, and activations across the city.

the seventh edition features art from over 3,000 artists represented by 135 international galleries, 27 countries, and 63 cities. Admission includes a dynamic roster of on-site programming, including panel discussions, site-specific installations, film and new media works, and special exhibitions by renowned institutions.

dasher: the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht by michael peters for hinckley.

Mar 23, 2018

the future is here. since 1928, hinckley has been leading the way in the design of beautiful, highly innovative and timeless yachts. in the spirit of our legacy of innovation, we are excited to announce dasher, the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht. reservations now being accepted for delivery in summer 2018. ~ hinckley yachts

power yachts are considered the biggest environmental offenders. noisy. smelly. fuel guzzlers. but more efficient power and lighter constructed watercraft are appearing more and more. dasher now appears to be a world’s first fully electric in a self-defined category of luxury yachts: ultra-minimal, featuring no roof, no galley, no bunks, no head! but it is loaded with hinckley’s aesthetic sensibilities, craftsmanship, technology, 3d-printed titanium hardware, and price. we’re told something north of $500K usd. DA applauds the vision to venture into zero emission ready-for-production water vehicles.

[ features ]
> designed from the ground up for fully electric propulsion. super lightweight construction, carbon-epoxy composite hull, and hand-painted lightweight artisanal teak, every ounce of weight has been shaved and every curve sculpted.
> the shape of the future is also the sound of silence. blame the silent whisper drive 80hp propulsion system powered by dual BMW i3 lithium ion batteries with zero emissions.
> waterproof bmw i3 lithium ion batteries designed with a prismatic cell design for efficient cooling and temperature distribution, compact and shock resistant.
> dasher accepts dual 50amp dock charging cables will charge twice as fast as the most popular plug-in electric cars – a full charge in under 4 hours.

[ specs ]
loa > 28’ 6”
beam > 8’ 7”
draft > 1′ 11″
displacement >6,500 lbs.
cruising speed >10 mph (est.) *
fast cruising > 18-27 mph (est.) *
range at cruising >40 miles
range at fast cruising > 20-25 miles
[*] all performance data, including speeds, range, is estimated and not guaranteed. actual performance may vary. boat performance may be impacted by many factors including, but not limited to, loaded displacement, boat configuration and options, trim, sea conditions, climate, hull bottom, surface condition and mechanical systems condition

dot tactile smartwatch ‘feels’ like a 2017 best product-of-the-year candidate.

Jan 26, 2018

we strive to be a pioneer in accessible and affordable innovations for the vision impaired and the deafblind to lead independent, fulfilling lives. ~ dot inc.

the dot watch braille smartwatch is the first of its kind to provide the time with tactile information instead of visual clues. you don’t see time ticking away, you feel it. dot not only tells the time, but also creates text messages, sns, as well as traffic or weather information, with just a tap of your finger.

there’s also an open dot api so anyone can develop apps or services for dot. existing apps can be easily adapted. apps for braille education, social networking, navigation, newsfeed, weather and many more are already in development.

it launched in late 2016 but for practical purposes this is a 2017 product. the dot ‘feels’ like a 2017 best product-of-the-year candidate.