Libeskind. Creativity meets commerce.
How do you innovate in a recession? Architect Daniel Libeskind shares his thoughts.
Frank Lloyd Wright. From within outward.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum celebrates the golden anniversary of its landmark building with the exhibition Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward. May 15 – August 23, 2009. New York. via archicentral [PR]
New York City 2259.
above: Procedural uses CityEngine computer software to envision New York City in 250 years, inspired by
The Fifth Element.
above: fifth element cityscape
above: fifth element cityscape
above: fifth element cityscape
Of interest is the prediction of lower water level. Where does that come from?
[via archidose]
AIA announces the 2009 COTE top ten green projects.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored at the AIA 2009 National Convention and Design Exposition in San Francisco. via designtaxi [PR]
Peter Zumthor. 2009 Pritzker Prize.
Swiss architect Peter Zumthor to be named winner of the 2009 Pritzker Prize, the highest recognition for architects. via nyt [PR]
Gehry to design eisenhower memorial.
Congress created the Eisenhower Commission in 1999 to plan and raise money for the memorial. Frank Gehry to design it. via portfolio.com [PR]
High voltage design.
Architect Dietmar Koering of Arphenotype has designed these electricity pylons for a competition to envisage a new power transmission network in Iceland.
Each pylon to be between 17 and 32 meters tall, with the shape of each varying according to its
longitude and latitude.
Project Overview:
Adaptability is an distinction of evolution, but today’s instant variations in [virtual] extended phenotypes call for something stronger: adaptability of nature! In nature material is used with optimum efficiency. Cells continually adapt to precisely fulfill their function.
Through researching organic forms and their production methods the intelligence of the material itself should support the design language, the lightness and stiffness. Fibrous systems and computation is the answer for this new task. Fibrous system in biology: inspiration! Like in the evolution through phenotypes, the production is based on a clear code; where the evolution part and the random variation is bounded to the specific landscape and site.
Architectural form and its relationship to nature, environment and society has rich antecedents to the human body. The idea is that the power net is building one main spine of nowadays society which enables living on a high standard in an age of communication; therefore the spines of the power net reflects an organic language.
The organic structure is covered with a high reflective “lotus-effect” color. It will be cleaned through natural weather conditions and will reflect the nature itself, which strengthens the idea of a graphical integration to the landscape. The final tower will blend into its environment physical and virtual. It creates a feedback loop in the observed system.
Each transmission tower is shaped in height between 17m and 32m by computer-driven equipment according to its site / longitude and latitude. This approach permits the structures to be modeled and easily fabricated translating into a reasonable cost.
Construction::
For maximum strength and stability the construction method is based on the idea of a Tripod. Once the parameters are set, it is just the location of tower by latitude and longitude, which will result in unique towers.
Material:
The main material used for the towers is an aramid-fibre-matrix bounded with eco resin through thermosetting, which gives the material stability to degration, UV, weathering and wind. The main structure will be built through filament winding and resin transfer molding. This material allows also in computer aided manufacturing an organic design language without much more costs. The thickness of the material will change through the whole system, calculated by software to adapt the stiffness to site + location and natural forces like wind.
The towers will be prefabricated and mounted on site on concrete foundation, which will support the idea of natural material on site.
Today’s pursuit to build lightweight for economic, material engineering and environmental reasons is the logical response to today’s changing society where flexibility is the prime survival quality.
Future:
Once the system is set up it will be a leading manufacturing site for fibrous systems. The high tech environment makes it hard to copy the design language and production method, which leads to a unique company.
The competition’s organizers Landsnet the Association of Icelandic Architects.
Buckminister fuller. Starting with the universe.
First major US exhibition of Fuller’s work in 35 years and a testament to his fascinating mix of utopian vision and organic pragmatism.
March 14 – June 21, 2009 via mcachicago [PR]
Renzo piano's latest skyscraper.
Construction of The Shard began this week and by the time of its completion, in early 2012, London will be the host of one of Europe’s tallest buildings and one of the most techno – logically advanced towers ever built.
The tower to stand at 1,017 feet (310 m) tall and have 72 floors, plus 15 further radiator floors in the roof, making it the tallest building in the country. Renzo Piano, the building’s architect, worked together with architectural firm Broadway Malyan during the planning stage of the project.
The Shard tower was announced with the hope that it would be the tallest building in Europe on completion, surpassing Frankfurt’s Commerzbank Tower, which at 849 ft (259 m) had been the tallest building in Europe since 1997. The Commerzbank has since been surpassed in height by two Moscow skyscrapers, Triumph-Palace and Naberezhnaya Tower, both of which the Shard tower would, in turn, surpass. However, since 2000, construction has started on three skyscrapers in Moscow that will rise higher than the Shard tower, including the 2,009 ft (612 m) Russia Tower that is now on hold. Even though the Russia Tower is on hold the other two, the Federation Tower East and the Mercury City Tower are still scheduled to be completed before the shard. Still, if completed on schedule, the Shard London Bridge may become the tallest building in the European Union.
Like the Empire State Building in NYC, Sears Tower in Chicago, Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, The Shard at London Bridge will become a recognizable symbol of London throughout the world.
Architecturally breathtaking, the concept behind The Shard was designed within seconds in a Berlin restaurant by the renowned architect Renzo Piano, a few years ago. “The tower is designed to be a sharp and light presence on the London skyline, and to be sustainable from every point of view: human, technological, energetic and economic.” Says Piano and he really means it.
The Shard has many sustainable credentials and is expected to use around 30% less energy than other comparable buildings and will also be a virtually car-free building. Can you imagine that? A 320 meter building with parking space for only 47 cars! Modern offices and efficient, flexible spaces suitable for a range of different working environments. A hotel, to be operated by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts as their first European location, would be expected to take up around a fifth of the available space in the tower. A large pre-let for office space in the tower has been agreed in principle by Transport for London. World recession? We’ve read that 40% of the building has been leased.
[LINK]
Brit insurance designs 2009 winners.
“The design world’s Oscars”
Icon Magazine
2009 Brit Insurance Design of the Year judges are: chaired by Alan Yentob and including Paola Antonelli, Karen Blincoe, Peter Cook, Sarah Mower and Yves Béhar.
And the winners are…
The winners and shortlisted designs below. Winners were revealed at the Awards Dinner on 18 March 2009.
Architecture
above: winner— Snøhetta, Oslo Opera House (Oslo, Norway)
above: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Westminster Academy (London, UK)
above: Romera y Ruiz Arquitectos, Eight Inscribed Houses and Three Patios (Spain, Gran Canaria)
above: Steven Holl Architects Beijing, Linked Hybrid (Beijing, China)
 ø Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects, Alison Brooks Architects, Maccreanor Lavington Architects, Accordia
 ø Housing (Cambridge, UK)
 ø Design Indaba, 10×10 Project (Cape Town, South Africa)
 ø Shuhei Endo, Education Centre (Osaka, Japan)
 ø Herzog de Meuron Architects, CaixaForum Cultural Centre (Madrid, Spain)
 ø West 8 + DTAH, Spadina Wave Deck for Waterfront Toronto (Canada)
 ø Adjaye Associates, Contemporary Museum of Art (Denver, USA)
 ø Junya.Ishigami+Associates, Kanagawa Institute of Technology KAIT Workshop (Kanagawa, Japan)
 ø McDowell Benedetti, Castleford Bridge (Yorkshire, UK)
 ø Subarquitectura, Tram Stop – Sergio Cardell Plaza (Alicante, Spain)
Fashion
above: winner—Italian Vogue: A Black Issue, July 2008
above: Prada by Miuccia Prada, Spring/Summer 09
above: Viktor & Rolf, Barbican Art Gallery and Siebe Tettero for The House of Viktor & Rolf
above: Helen Storey with Tony Ryan, Wonderland – biodegradable materials
above: Duckie Brown, Spring/Summer 09 – Menswear
above: Basso & Brooke, Spring/Summer 09
 ø Linda Grant, The Thoughtful Dresser blog
 ø Louise Goldin, Spring/Summer 09 – Knitwear
 ø Alber Elbaz, Creative Director, Lanvin, Spring/Summer 08
 ø Miuccia Prada and James Lima, Trembled Blossom, Fashion Film
 ø Maison Martin Margiela, Spring/Summer 09 – 20th Anniversary Collection
Furniture
above: winner—Konstantin Grcic, MYTO Chair for PLANK
Above: Adam Goodrum, Stitch Chair for Cappellini
above: Nacho Carbonell, Evolution Series
above: Wieki Somers, Cloakroom, Boijmans Museum, Rotterdam
above: Tord Boontje, Fig Leaves for Meta
 ø Tokujin Yoshioka, Venus Chair
 ø Ronan/Erwan Bouroullec, Magis Steelwood Family for Magis
 ø Shay Alkalay, Stack Chest of Drawers for Established & Sons
 ø El Ultimo Grito, Composite bench system for UNO
 ø Terrence Woodgate and John Barnard, Surface Table for Established & Sons
 ø Jurgen Bey, Witness Flat series for La Galerie de Pierre Bergé et Associés
 ø Nendo, Cabbage Chair for the XXI Ct Man Exhibition curated by Issy Miyake
 ø Arik Levey, Workit, work station for VITRA
Graphic Design
above: winner—Shepard Fairey, Obama Poster (show overall winner )
above: Daniel Eatock, Big Brother Logo
above: Mevis & Van Deursen, Baghdad Calling
above: March Studio and Aesop, Aesop Stores and Branding
 ø Troika, All the Time in the World for British Airways, T5, Heathrow, London
 ø Sender LLC and mo/de, official election campaign, Barack Obama Logo
 ø Kenya Hara, Designing Design Book
 ø Lex Reitsma , Jan Bons – A Designer’s Freedom
 ø The Guardian graphics, illustrating current financial climate
 ø Chase and Galley, IsNotMagazine
 ø Karel Martens & Enrico Bravi, Werkplaatz Typografie Arnhem, Oase #74
 ø Lorraine Wild, Martin Kippenberger exhibition catalogue
 ø Cornel Windlin, Rebecca Stephany, Marco Müller, Project Vitra
 ø Job Wouters aka Letman
 ø Engine Service Design, The Social Innovation Lab for Kent County Council
Interactive
above: winner—O’Reilly, Make Magazine
above: Lucky Bite, Dinner Table Game for Science of Survival, Science Museum
above: Troika, Cloud, Digital Sculpture for British Airways, T5, Heathrow, London
above: The GreenEyl, Appeel
above: Jeff Lieberman and Dan Paluska, Absolut Quartet
above: Joachim Sauter, Art + Com, Kinetic Sculpture for BMW Museum
 ø Rumpus Room, Video for Pet Shop Boys – Integral
 ø Bartle Bogle Heagarty, BA Terminal 5 “Live” Adverts
 ø Post-Spectacular, Fid.Gen Bar Codes
 ø Chris O’Shea, Joel Gethin Lewis, Andreas Muller, This Happened, Events
 ø Troika, Digital by Design
 ø Media Molecule, Little Big Planet for Playstation
 ø Zoo Films director James Frost, Radiohead House of Cards
Product
above: winner—Singgih S. Kartono, Magno Wooden Radio, Manufactured by locals in Java
above: Senz XL Storm Umbrella
above: Francois Azambourg, Pixel for Ligne Roset
above: Tony Mullin, Green Felt Protest Suit
above: Marloes Ten Bhomer, Rotation Moulded Shoe
above: Kode Design, Armadillo Vest with Facemask
above: Joe Wentworth, Ipogeo light for Artemide
 ø Jorre can Ast, Jar Tops for Royal VKB
 ø Noam Toran & Onkar Kular, The MacGuffin Library
 ø Revital Cohen, Life Support
 ø HomeHero, HomeHero Fire Extinguisher
 ø CinqCinq Designers, Clean
 ø Demakersvan The Netherlands, LightWind – Outdoor lamp
 ø Trent Jansen, 3D Stencil
Transport
above: winner—Medellin Metro Cable, Line J, Colombia
above: IDEO, Aquaduct Concept Vehicle for water filtration
above: District, Trek District Bicycle
above: Mar Kayaks, K2 Kayak for Nelo
above: Eric Larson, Ricky Biddle, Ben Shao and Austin Cliffe, Balance Sport Wheelchair
 ø London and Continental Railways, High Speed 1 and St Pancras International
 ø Daimler, Car2Go – car sharing
 ø Alp Transit, Lotschberg Base Tunnel, Switzerland
 ø Richard Jenkins and Dale Vince, Ecotricity Green Bird vehicle
 ø KTM, Stunt Motor Bike
 ø New Deal Design, Charge Spots for Better Place
 ø Think Norway, Th!nk City Electrical Car
The 91 shortlisted designs including winners will be on show at the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year Exhibition from 12 February until 14 June at the Design Museum in London.
Find out more at designsoftheyear.com