Renzo Piano – DesignApplause

chicago’s obama presidential library announces seven finalists.

Dec 21, 2015

the obama foundation today released a finalist list of seven choice – all modernist – architects for the honor of designing the presidential library in chicago.

no word on how many requests for qualifications (rfq) were sent out but 140 did respond representing 99 united states-based firms, 25 countries and 60 cities. the chosen seven represent four from new york, two from europe and one from chicago.

“the foundation received submissions from an impressive list of architects with a range of styles, expertise, and experience,” said martin nesbitt, chairman of the foundation. “we are pleased to see such a high level of interest in the design from so many highly-qualified architecture firms. these finalists offer a variety of backgrounds and styles, and any one of them would be an excellent choice.”

the obama foundation released the request for qualifications on 26 august of this year and asked for submittals by 16 september. the foundation and its advisers reviewed and summarized the responses and made recommendations to the president and first lady, who then made the final selection.

the firms are asked to return preliminary plans to the foundation during the first quarter of 2016. this process is not the traditional juried design competition, but the rfp requires defined, visual responses from each candidate to present creative ideas. it’s expected the architects will present at the white house.

of interest, the finalists have an additional challenge of providing concepts for two locations, jackson park and washington park, both founded in 1870 and linked to each other via the midway plaisance. 20 years later jackson park was developed by architect daniel h. burnham and his partner john root to site the 1893 world’s fair, columbian exposition. due to their close proximity to each other both parks attracted 27 million worldwide visitors over the fair’s six months. the final architect standing will have a big voice in which site will be chosen.

the architect will be responsible for designing the obama presidential center, a facility which will include a library holding the presidential archives, a museum focusing on the obama presidency and issues of our time, and space for programs and initiatives that advance the foundation’s public mission.

chicagoans may not recognize the names on the list, but they may be aware of their local work: adjaye’s retrospective at the art institute of chicago; piano’s modern wing at the art institute; ronan’s poetry foundation and gary comer youth center; diller scofidio + renfro is designing the university of chicago’s rubenstein forum; tod williams billie tsien architects work on the logan center for the arts also on the university of chicago campus.

the national museum of african american history and culture | adjaye associates | courtesy smithsonian

adjaye associates | london & new york
adjaye associates, has worked on projects across four continents. notable works include the nobel peace center in oslo, norway, and the smithsonian institution’s national museum of african american history and culture, currently under construction in washington, d.c. the art institute of chicago is currently running a mid-career retrospective of adjaye’s work.

new york city high line | diller scofidio and renfro | courtesy friends of the high line

diller scofidio and renfro | new york
the firm is led by three partners – elizabeth diller, ricardo scofidio, and charles renfro. their portfolio includes major institutional projects including lincoln center in new york, and the broad museum in los angeles. also, new york’s high line and the university of chicago’s future rubenstein forum at 60th street and woodlawn avenue. diller and scofidio, became the first architects to win a macarthur foundation “genius” grant in 1999.

modern wing at the art institute of chicago | renzo piano building workshop | courtesy rob cleary

renzo piano building workshop | genova, italy, paris & new york
founded in 1981 by renzo piano and no stranger to the president and first lady, as are a few others on this list, piano was awarded the prestigious pritzker architecture prize in 1998 and the aia gold medal in 2008. notable works include the modern wing at the art institute of chicago, the california academy of science, and the whitney museum’s new building on gansevoort street in new york. current projects include the palais de justice in paris, france.

poetry foundation | john ronan architects | courtesy john ronan architects/hedrich blessing

john ronan architects | chicago
john ronan architects has designed many academic and civic institutions in chicago such as the gary comer youth center where the obama foundation held its press conference to announce site selection in may 2015. other notable chicago works include the lyrical and refined poetry foundation and the gary comer college prep. ronan was awarded the aia institute national honor award for both the poetry foundation and the gary comer youth center. [ ronan interview ]

site santa fe | shop | courtesy shop

shop | new york
shop architects won the architecture design award from the cooper hewitt, smithsonian design museum in 2009. notable work includes the barclays center in brooklyn, the botswana innovation hub in gaborone, botswana, and academic buildings at the fashion institute of technology in new york and is currently designing uber’s new headquarters in san francisco.

obama library concept for hawaii’s failed bid to win the presidential center | snøhetta | courtesy snøhetta

snøhetta | new york & san francisco
originally founded in norway, snøhetta was awarded the prestigious mies van der rohe prize in 2009 for the norwegian national opera & ballet. snøhetta’s body of work includes the bibliotheca alexandrina in egypt, the expansion of the san francisco museum of modern art, and the james b. hunt jr. library at north carolina state. in 2014, obama spoke at the dedication of the firm’s national september 11 memorial museum pavilion, calling it “a sacred place of healing and hope.”

logan center for the arts on the university of chicago campus | tod williams billie tsien architects | courtesy of university of chicago/jason smith

tod williams billie tsien architects | new york
williams and tsien founded their firm in 1974. their studio — by choice — designs only institutional, academic, civic, and residential work. they were awarded the 2013 national medal of arts by president barack obama. noteworthy work designed by williams and tsien include the barnes foundation in philadelphia, the logan center for the arts at the university of chicago, and the neurosciences institute in la jolla, california. they are currently designing the united states embassy complex in mexico.

[ download rfp ]

antonio o’connell + pepsi + liter of light. design week mexico 2015.

Oct 21, 2015

Mexico City hosts Design Week Mexico. One of the exhibitions is called ‘Light in the Darkness’- where Mexican artist Antonio O’Connell contemplates the idea of living without light. He has partnered with Pepsi and Liter of Light to bring “Ignite the Light” – a program that fuses art, philanthropy and social commentary and action.

Pepsi, through their Pepsi Challenge, a worldwide initiative bringing attention to communities that lack access to electricity and basic lighting solutions. Liter of Light, using empty recycled plastic bottles, innovative designs and simple circuitry, builds solar lights for day and night with zero carbon emissions.

“Light in the Darkness” is a a large scale, mixed media art installation that mirrors Liter of Light’s core work, the use of recycled plastic bottles to transform colors and lights in unexpected ways, illuminating an otherwise ordinary space and shedding light on the millions of people who live without it on a daily basis.

We talk to the artist.

[DesignApplause] Antonio, please tell us about the concept behind ‘Light in the Darkness’.
[Antonio O’Connell] We live in a world of great social contrasts where imagination is a luxury for some but a necessity for others. Many of us take for granted that we open a faucet and we have running water or turn a switch and have light. I thought of the idea of living without light and remembered a quote by Gaston Bachelard in his book “Poetics of Space”: “The house we were born in is more than an embodiment of home, it is also an embodiment of dreams”.

So “Light in the Darkness”” alludes to the ephemeral construction of “favelas” and shanty towns but with a vision of hope when light is provided to homes with Pepsi® PET bottles by the “Liter of Light” Foundation. Light transforms a dark place into a place of fantasy where new forms and colors are possible and the hope to dream farther.

[DA] What has this particular project taught you?
[AO] I wasn’t aware of the “Liter of Light” foundation and their simple but innovative way to bring light into communities that have none. By participating in this Pepsi® global initiative I was inspired by the wonderful job their doing and felt motivated to be a part of it.

[DA] You’re both an architect and an artist. Tell us what each discipline means to you and how they play off the other for you.
[AO] For me it’s hard to tell them apart because I see my work as it is. I guess it depends on the context you view the work it can be experimental Architecture or Installation Art. You can think its Art but then again isn’t Architecture a form of Art? I left my “conventional” architectural work since 2006 and began to focus on more conceptual and/or experimental work.

[DA] What’s the process of concept to the finished piece in your Architecture or Art? Do you use the computer or old school methods?
[AO] The concept is always embedded in the finished piece, even during the process, which is usually hand crafted from sketching to modeling to building. I don’t use computers because my work is very intuitive and hands on, besides it alludes to the self building in marginalized communities as well as the hand craft of the traditional construction workers in Mexico.

[DA] Who has inspired and influenced you in both Architecture and Art?
[[AO] Influence and inspiration comes from everywhere not just Architecture and Art, but to name a few, in Architecture it has been Enric Miralles which I had the chance to meet and study a small course, the Deconstructive movement as well as the Russian Constructivists, Vladimir Tatlin, Peter Eisenman, Archigram, Lebbeus Woods, Thom Mayne, Rem Koolhaas, Coop Himmelblau, Samuel Mockbee, Hundertwasser, Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano, the Mexican architects Luis Barragán and Juan O’Gorman. In Art there are many as well but usually artists trained as architects or their work related to Architecture: Gordon Matta-Clark, Kurt Schwitters, Situationist International, Bauhaus, Tadashi Kawamata, Ai Wei Wei, Richard Serra, Joseph Beuys, Francis Alÿs, González Gortázar, Mathias Goeritz, the Mexican Muralist Movement, Gabriel Orozco, to name a few.

[DA] Design Week Mexico goes back to 2009. Have you been involved with this event before? Can you tell us about the evolution over the past seven years and how the city and world responds to a design week?
[AO] This is the first time that I’ve been involved with Design Week Mexico. I don’t really know about the evolution of Design Week Mexico during these years, I just know it has grown a lot. People are more aware about design and interested to see what’s being done. This makes it a great opportunity to present this project with Pepsi® that blends design, art and architecture with a social cause benefit program.

[DA] What other architecture & design events have been able to attend?
[AO] I was invited to a work for Kartell Loves Mexico design event.

[DA] Anything else you wish to say that we haven’t talked about?
[AO] I am very happy to take part in such an important initiative like Pepsi Challenge and be able to support the efforts of “Liter of Light” to bring attention to important matters like access to basic services for those in need.

intermingle. expo chicago 2014.

Sep 19, 2014

expo chicago 2014 | click images> enlarge

This is Expo Chicago’s third year. Despite two (a minority) DA confidants saying they thought show was unimpressive, I thought it was a refined, albeit, mindful presentation. The presence of George Lucas and ‘curator’ Shaquille O’Neal added dash. Fredric Snitzer added game and we applaud more of it. fyi – jon pylypchuk unsuccessfully attempted to quit smoking.

various titles | jon pylypchuk | fredric snitzer gallery – miami | 2012

It’s no secret, this is a tough show to get vetted into. The 2014 official release says 140, including special exhibits/projects and Exposure an initiative introducing galleries who are less than seven years old. There are 25 Exposure galleries in 2014. There are 17 countries, 43 cities. In a 2013 interview with president and director Tony Karman, he wants quality over quantity, meaning a smaller show, about 100 exhibitors. ‘When the marketplace can sustain it and quality of dealers are beating down the door, we’ll consider it. But only if the exhibitors want it, not me. It’s their space.’

What does DesignApplause look for? You have to consider our introduction to the co-existence of fine art and design. We have followed Art Basel and DesignMiami for the past six years. We first became very familiar with the design galleries at DesignMiami and then ventured to Art Basel to search for those artworks and artists who do or could also reside in a design gallery.

expo chicago 2014

DesignMiami took advantage of the drawing power of fine art over 11 years ago and has become closely entwined with Art Basel. So much so, that in the beginning DesignMiami’s venue was across the bay in the then barren, Miami Design District. For the past three years DesignMiami now resides across the street from Art Basel Miami and the crossover has been seamless.

The Design District has since attracted the best of design-centric brands and there are more and more art and design happenings when both shows are running. You find yourself walking across the street and then going west of the bay. And though ‘Design Weeks” are now too many to count and attend, Basel and Miami are both major worldwide events and unique with its offerings of fine art and design.

The original Expo Chicago concept was for an ‘Art and Design Exposition’ and Karman correctly turned the focus towards fine art and scrapped ‘design’ from the tagline in order to get the new exposition firmly up and running. In 2014, there are special exhibitions and installations at Expo that continue to feature design.

We adapted to Expo’s format by looking for artists with architecture or design backgrounds at the show. It’s impossible to look at a gallery’s offerings and predict the backgrounds of the artists. Each gallery builds their collection differently. From ‘We only focus on fine art’ through ‘No, we’re not showing anyone today with that background. Wait! This artist studied architect and this one studied design. To, ‘We didn’t bring anything to Chicago but we have two artists designing furniture and show it in our gallery in New York.’

> untitled mix-media video | daniel buren | galeria milario galguera – mexico city/berlin

above> a screenshot of two images in a mixed media slide show of artist daniel buren. Buren is a French conceptual artist who’s work since the 1990s has become more architectural. This is a humorous presentation depicting online crowd sourcing, voting to blow up ugly buildings.

grid structure #1 | alois kron – schlaeger | cristin tierney – new york | 2014

above> Grid Structure #1 uses 22 cubes from the installation at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT. Kronschlaeger says light is always of utmost importance to his site-specific pieces and in this case, the vast space provided at Navy Pier, felt his work taking on a new look, a new personality of sorts. The gallery told us Kronschlaeger is an artist wanting to be an architect.

> concept drawings | byung hoon choi | gallery friedman benda – new york

above>> we see a series of ‘one stroke’ concept drawings by artist Byung Hoon Choi of outdoor benches made of basalt. The fine artist teaches furniture design.

once upon a time | jessica stock – holder | kavi gupta chicago – berlin | 2014

above> ‘Once Upon a Time stretches vertically 50 ft. high in response to the specific architecture of the fair. Spectators are invited to climb the work to take a fractured view through the artwork over the exhibited works and gallery booths. This transformed view takes place once, exemplifying Stockholder’s title, upon a specific place at a particular time.’ The installation is part of IN/SITU, a ‘special program’ situated throughout the exposition floor. IN/SITU provides a dynamic opportunity for exhibiting galleries to showcase large-scale installations, site-specific and performative works. DesignApplause includes Stockholder as a counterpoint to our architecture and design theme. She is trained in neither disciplines, but the artist has been celebrated for site-specific sculptures and installations that challenge boundaries, ‘blurring the distinction among painting, sculpture and environment, and even breaching gallery walls by extending beyond windows and doors.’

martino gamper | salon 94 | at frieze london 2008

Salon 94 in New York said they weren’t showing any architects or designers but had several back in their showroom.

volunteers jennifer mahanay and anna mort assist at chgodsgn

above> One of several ‘special exhibitions’ CHGO DSGN is a major exhibition of Recent Object and Graphic Design by more than 100 of the city’s leading designers. Curated by Rick Valicenti, 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, 25 designers from CHGO DSGN present their work. The Chicago Cultural Center’s exhibition programs are generously supported by the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). DesignApplause is honored to be in this CCC exhibit. [ details ]

[ At Expo Chicago 2014 ] 1> spin-the-spin | alice aycock | galerie thomas schulte | 2014 (aycock is a sculpture who were closely with architects and landscape designers)
2> kultur = kapital | alfredo jaar | galerie thomas schulte – berlin | 2012 (jaar is an architect)
3> relics | mark fox | robert miller gallery – new york | 2014 (fox designs wallpaper)
4> transference | yamini nayar | gallery wendy norris – san francisco | 2014 (nayor is influenced by design while at rhode island school of design studying photography)
5> les naturalistes | ysabel lemay | catherine edelman gallery – chicago | 2012 (lemay was a graphic designer for 15 years)
6> nardos de angustia | mark di suvero | john berggruen gallery – san francisco | 2010 (di suvero’s close friends include architects renzo piano and norman foster)
7> exploded pyramid for a wall situated alto relieve | daniel buren | galeria milario galguera – mexico city/berlin | 2010 (since the 1990s, buren’s work has become more architectural)
8> from the series entitled “sum over histories study for a timescape III | alice aycock | fredrick snitzer gallery – miami | 2012 (aycock is a sculpture who were closely with architects and landscape designers)
9> untitled | tsuyoshi maekawa | whitestone gallery – tokyo | 2014 (maekawa practiced as a graphic designer and printmaker)
10> b&w | david levin | marianne boesky gallery – new york | 2014 (levin studied architecture at pratt)
11> maskelyne (moon crater near equator) | john little | john mccormick gallery – chicago | 1984 (little designs textiles)
12> a-city: ac-2, sector 1576n, a-city | lebbeus woods | gallery unknown | 1986 (woods is a conceptual architect)
13> ‘shop columbia’ | student and alumni art boutique from columbia college chicago
14> ‘saic | school of the art institute of chicago art and design exhibit
15> ligne roset | expo chicago sponsor

Chosen by the 2014 selection committee comprised of Isabella Bortolozzi, Isabella Bortolozzi Galerie | Berlin; Chris D’Amelio, David Zwirner | London, New York; Rhona Hoffman, Rhona Hoffman Gallery | Chicago; Anthony Meier, Anthony Meier Fine Arts | San Francisco; David Nolan, David Nolan Gallery | New York; and Marc Selwyn, Marc Selwyn Fine Art | Beverly Hills; in addition to Candice Madey, On Stellar Rays | New York and Jessica Silverman, Jessica Silverman Gallery | San Francisco, who make up the EXPOSURE selection committee, these galleries present the best in contemporary and modern art.

[ 2014 exhibiting galleries include ] Galería Álvaro Alcázar Madrid
Ameringer | McEnery | Yohe New York
BASE GALLERY Tokyo
Galerie de Bellefeuille Montreal
John Berggruen Gallery San Francisco
Blain|Southern London | Berlin
Marianne Boesky Gallery New York
Jonathan Boos, LLC New York
Bortolami New York
Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi Berlin | London
BORZO modern and contemporary art Amsterdam
Russell Bowman Art Advisory Chicago
Rena Bransten Projects San Francisco
CABINET London
Valerie Carberry Gallery Chicago
David Castillo Gallery Miami
Cernuda Arte Coral Gables
Chambers Fine Art New York | Beijing
James Cohan Gallery New York | Shanghai
Corbett vs. Dempsey Chicago
CRG Gallery New York
Cristin Tierney Gallery New York
Stephen Daiter Gallery Chicago
Maxwell Davidson Gallery New York
Douglas Dawson Chicago
DC Moore Gallery New York
MASSIMO DE CARLO Milan | London
Elizabeth Dee New York
Catherine Edelman Gallery Chicago
Debra Force Fine Art, Inc. New York
Galerie Forsblom Helsinki
Forum Gallery New York
Marc Foxx Los Angeles
Honor Fraser Los Angeles
Fredericks + Freiser New York
Friedman Benda New York
Galeria Hilario Galguera Mexico City | Berlin
James Goodman Gallery New York
Goya Contemporary Baltimore
Richard Gray Gallery Chicago | New York
Garth Greenan Gallery New York
Galerie Karsten Greve Paris | St. Moritz | Cologne
Kavi Gupta CHICAGO | BERLIN Chicago | Berlin
Hackett | Mill San Francisco
Haines Gallery San Francisco
Hales Gallery London
Carl Hammer Gallery Chicago
Richard Heller Gallery Santa Monica
Galerie Ernst Hilger/Hilger NEXT Vienna
Hill Gallery Birmingham | Detroit
Nancy Hoffman Gallery New York
Rhona Hoffman Gallery Chicago
Vivian Horan Fine Art New York
Edwynn Houk Gallery New York | Zurich
Susan Inglett Gallery New York
Galerie Michael Janssen Berlin | Singapore
Jenkins Johnson Gallery San Francisco
Robert Koch Gallery San Francisco
Alan Koppel Gallery Chicago
Lisson Gallery London | Milan | New York
Diana Lowenstein Gallery Miami
Lawrence Markey San Antonio
Matthew Marks Gallery New York | Los Angeles
Marlborough Gallery New York | London | Madrid | Monaco | Barcelona
Barbara Mathes Gallery New York
The Mayor Gallery London
McCormick Gallery Chicago
Meessen De Clercq Brussels
Anthony Meier Fine Arts San Francisco
Jerald Melberg Gallery Charlotte
moniquemeloche Chicago
Nicholas Metivier Gallery Toronto
Laurence Miller Gallery New York
Robert Miller Gallery New York
THE MISSION Chicago | Houston
Anne Mosseri-Marlio Galerie Basel
Carolina Nitsch New York
David Nolan Gallery New York
Gallery Wendi Norris San Francisco
Richard Norton Gallery Chicago
One and J. Gallery Seoul
P.P.O.W New York
Gerald Peters New York | Santa Fe
Andrew Rafacz Chicago
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery New York
Salon 94 | New York
Julie Saul Gallery New York
Galerie Thomas Schulte Berlin
Carrie Secrist Gallery Chicago
Marc Selwyn Fine Art Beverly Hills
William Shearburn Gallery St.Louis
Shoichiro/Galerie Sho Contemporary Art Tokyo
Sicardi Gallery Houston
Jessica Silverman Gallery San Francisco
Manny Silverman Gallery Los Angeles
André Simoens Gallery Knokke-Zoute
Fredric Snitzer Gallery Miami
Thomas Solomon Gallery Los Angeles
MARC STRAUS New York
Hollis Taggart Galleries New York
Tandem Press Madison
Paul Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco
Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects New York
Vincent Vallarino New York
Van Doren Waxter New York
Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects Los Angeles
Linda Warren Projects Chicago
Weinstein Gallery Minneapolis
Whitestone Gallery Tokyo
Max Wigram Gallery London
Zolla/Lieberman Gallery Chicago
Pavel Zoubok Gallery New York
David Zwirner Gallery New York | London

EXPOSURE, the section of the fair dedicated to galleries that have been in business seven years or less, allows the opportunity for younger galleries to participate in a major international exposition. Chosen by the 2014 EXPOSURE selection committee comprised of Candice Madey, On Stellar Rays | New York and Jessica Silverman, Jessica Silverman Gallery | San Francisco—who participated in the EXPOSURE section in 2012 and 2013 and have now entered into the main section of the fair—a special presentation of one or two artists by each of the participating galleries provides critical exposure for their programs, offering an important opportunity for curators, collectors and art enthusiasts to survey the best in innovative and emerging work.

[ 2014 EXPOSURE exhibiting galleries includes ] Blackston New York
Bourouina Gallery Berlin
Brand New Gallery Milan
Callicoon Fine Arts New York
Carroll / Fletcher London
Lisa Cooley New York
Ana Cristea Gallery New York
Eleven Rivington New York
James Fuentes New York
Greene Exhibitions Los Angeles
Hannah Hoffman Gallery Los Angeles
Zieher Smith & Horton New York
Charlie James Gallery Los Angeles
Luis De Jesus Los Angeles Los Angeles
Tristian Koenig Melbourne
Josh Lilley London
Longhouse Projects New York
Luce Gallery Italy
Marlborough Chelsea New York
Mihai Nicodim Gallery Los Angeles | Bucharest
On Stellar Rays New York
Romer Young Gallery San Francisco
TIF SIGFRIDS Los Angeles VAN HORN Düsseldorf
Y Gallery New York

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Living architectures marathon.

Jun 29, 2013

“Living Architectures” is a series of films that seeks to develop a way of looking at architecture which turns away from the current trend of idealizing the representation of our architectural heritage.

Through these films, Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine put into question the fascination with the picture, which covers up the buildings with preconceived ideas of perfection, virtuosity and infallibility, in order to demonstrate the vitality, fragility and vulnerable beauty of architecture as recounted and witnessed by people who actually live in, use or maintain the spaces they have selected. Thus, their intention is to talk about architecture, or rather to let architecture talk to us, from an «inner» point of view, both personal and subjective. Unlike most movies about architecture, these films focus less on explaining the building, its structure and its technical details than on letting the viewer enter into the invisible bubble of the daily intimacy of some icons of contemporary architecture.

Through a series of moments and fragments of life, an unusually spontaneous portrait of the building would emerge. This experiment presents a new way of looking at architecture which broadens the field of its representation.

The volumes and the complete series of films will be first presented to the Italian public in a tour entitled Living Architectures Marathon which, between 27 June and 20 September 2013, will visit some of the main exhibition institutions in Italy: the MAXXI in Rome, the Triennale in Milan, the Pecci Centre in Prato, the Mart in Rovereto, and Casa Cavazzini in Udine. Each presentation will be based on a free screening of the series of films and will offer the public an opportunity to meet the filmmakers along with several other special guests. [ details ]