HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects (Part II) - Engadin Airport

On February 12th it was announced that HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects have won the first prize in the competition to design the new buildings for the Engadin Airport near St. Moritz. The competition was started last year and should satisfy the need of a growing airport, which is highest situated in Europe with 1707 (5600ft), for improvements and reorganization of it's infrastructure. The current airport was bought by the Canton Graubünden from the Army in 2004 and was consequently transformed into a civilian airport. Topping 17'000 flight movements a year, this airport has established itself as an important infrastructure to the remote region in the Swiss Alps. Stationed here are gliders, helicopters and five airlines that offer charter flights to Europe and elsewhere. But probably the most important effect this airport has for its region is the possibility that guests get high accessibility to the luxurious residencies, hotels and ski-resorts of the famous vacationing spot of St. Moritz. This region that heavily depends upon tourism, has gone to great lengths to expand offers to the high class segment, which this extension and redevelopment of the airport marks the peak so far.



About the project
(quoted from the press release)
In addition to operational facilities, the program includes a large restaurant, a hotel, facilities for events and hangars for aircrafts, helicopters and gliders.
The winning project titled “Sungate” proposes a monolithic building that combines all the different functions into one long shape creating a clear edge to the airfield. In the center of the building the hangar for aircrafts is combined with a large three-storey high lobby space creating a generous light filled gate mediating between the airfield and the valley. The lobby acts as a programmatic hinge that
allows for combining the different areas of the building into multiple scenarios of use. Thermal solar collectors on the roof over the hangar are feeding large water tanks that store solar energy while the building itself is built as a light construction, a hybrid structure combining aluminum and wood. With
the addition of a wood pellet furnace, the building is planned to be heated to 100% by renewable energy. With a large south-oriented terrace, various additional functions and the central lobby, the airport will become a destination for locals and international guests alike. The design was developed in collaboration with Mitsuhiro Kanada / Arup London for structure and Waldhauser Haustechnik AG,
Basel for MEP services.



What the jury had to say
(quoted and translated from the press release)
The exterior of the main building is convincing through its restraint and timeless elegance. The generous and centrally located foyer and lobby creates a gateway to the Engadin, not only for the village of Samedan but also for the arrival hall for the passangers. A transparent façade underlines the experience of aviation for the passangers and visitors alike. The capable organization of the single elements of the building allows adjustments for seasonal fluctuations in occupancy and passanger count due to a flexible spatial concept, the interior can adapt to the necessities of the offered services.



Conclusion
Obviously designing an airport offers certain challenges beyond the programmatic requirements due to the fact that additional to bulding codes, the airport has to adhere to whole different set of rules, those of the federal aviation agency (BAZL - Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt). Those constraints have limited the placement of a new building for the Engadin Airport, which is supposed to replace the old hangars and buildings, some still from the time this was an army airport.
This begs the question how to combine hangars, arrival and departure halls, and other programm parts? The result is as obvious as it is logic at the same time, a horizontal slab with programmatic segments. The simplicity of this diagram might be striking in it's clear structuring, the architectural representation however would create real challange in order to accomodate all the beforehand mentioned.
From my point of view, nowadays a common concept for airports is that the public areas and buildings are either designed or covered under an appealing skin that wraps around the vast open spaces that first Norman Fosters' Stansted Airport near London declared and defined almost 20 years ago as the quasi-standard of airport design. As a byproduct these sometimes beautiful boxes have some less appealing siblings that house functional elements for an airport, such as technology, hangars or various other elements, that are efficiently organized but not necessarily designed. An exception in Switzerland might be the new Terminal E by AGPS and the adjacent utility building that features a wooden cladding and it's height is declining to signify a change in what is stored inside, however the two buildings are still separated.
My point would be that the proposal by HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects was able to include representational elements of the design along with functional parts and distribute them under a combining roof. In this case the roof is a structure that defines the upper thickness of this "modernistic slab", which OMA is using recently but only figuratively. This structure which allows the different functional and programmatic parts to be connected with, was again developed like on the previous project I featured on dialog, in collaboration with Mitsuhiro Kanada of ARUP in London.
What is striking is the sectional melange of the aforementioned diagram, where the structure that covers the hangars is activated on top with a visitors terrace. This physical overlapping of the program is also enhanced by the semi-transparent façade that wraps around the more technical spaces and the public spaces alike.
The gorgeous renderings are certainly very seductive, but the also show this often contradicting desire to reveal the inside towards the outside and at the same time open it self, in this case towards the panorama of the Swiss alps.
Since such small airports function often differently than larger solely commercial airports, the building has to adapt accordingly, which also means to the certainly important high-end clientèle which I mentioned above. Thus the airport as itself is not only a built diagram but also a designed environment that as to have a lounge-like appeal but at the same time feel much more spacier and has to live up to the different user identification with the airplanes.
I think this proposal is rather successful in creating this inviting and friendly atmosphere, yet meet the expected demureness of this region. The gesture is clear and clean but offers the unexpected. It might actually live up to the high expectations, I am certainly already saving for my first "flight" to the Engadin.

Images © HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects,
More Images and info, with project credits: here
Press Release of the Airport Engadin: here (doc)
Project Text of HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects: here (pdf)

HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects (Part I) - Stadtraum HB Baufeld E

Last year the city of Zurich approved a masterplan by Kees Christianse of KCAP for the so called Stadtraum HB, a redevelopment plan of an area behind the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) in the center of Zurich. Most of the buildings belong to the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and have been included with some adjacent parts, along the former post building. The total area of 78'000m2 will be transformed into a mixed-use neighboorhood with 400 apartments and approximately 5000 will be working there in future. Additionally some 2000 students of the PHZ (College of Education) will be situated there.
There are nine lots and for each a competition is held. According to the masterplan this current lot "E" (Baufeld E) has to have a minimum of 40% housing and can have a maximum of 40m height.

The image above is one of the projects of the competition for the lot "E" and was designed by HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects.
They say the following on their website about their project:
"The proposal layers the functions horizontally resulting in deep floor slabs that are lit with internal courts and light wells. Since all the layers have different spatial and structural requirements a flexible hexagonal module has been adopted. Each hexagon is supported by three “ribbon columns” that can change orientation relative to the module and move from corner to corner. This allows for smooth adjustments between floors without expensive and inefficient transfer structure. In the front area of the building the ribbon columns run diagonally through the floors and together with vertical tension rods for a large truss supporting the cantilevered front of the building.
The three housing types are separated by roof gardens providing a variety of spaces, public and private, on the upper floors."



I had to share with you the two gorgeous images and on their website you can find more and some plans of the project. Admittedly I have worked in this office for a short while, unfortunately not on this project though. I haven't seen the results of the competition yet and to date I was not able to find out when they are being published, however I think it's worth looking at this project for instance, because it offers a rather fresh approach on the constraints, programatical and formal, that are imposed by the competition or the rather conservative architectural establishment in Zurich. It makes you wonder, how to be expressive without appearing so, in a sense subversive.
This project is based on a cell-like structure that horizontally organizes space (and program) and vertically works to load bearing. The huge cantilever is ARUP approved and creates a covered urban square. Admittedly the images look are seductive, what I can't find out, due to lack of material available on the project so far, is the distribution of the program. I assume the housing is located on the building's south side while the north side, the base and lower parts of the building are offices. From south the building appears to break down into multiple parts while it maintains a visually dominant and representational head on the north side, along with it's public program.
As much as I like the images, the real problem here is, that the surrounding lot's either had or will have competitions for future buildings, but mostly they haven't been defined yet, therefore there is no real context to this project. It is confined to function within strict rules, but imposed by the master plan and it's interior organization.
Final judgment therefore is nearly impossible, however I hope the winning project for the lot "E" in this case will be equally progressive with it's proposed architecture, as this building suggests it might be.

Images © HOSOYA SCHAEFER Architects,
Images and plans: here
Masterplan (PDF in German): here

Architecture in Europe - Overview Pt. 2

Here a map of the various sites I will feature in the upcoming posts.

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Architecture in Europe - Overview Pt.1

Over the course of the next few days I will finally resume my posting. The emphasis of this batch of posts is new and contemporary architecture around Europe and especially in Switzerland. I have plethora of new images which I would like to share with my readers.
Take with me a tour of Chur and see some interesting redevelopment near the train station in the city center, which has completely changed during the last five years. An exclusive tour of the House Gartmann will show you how one can build a house with only concrete and no insulation!

Then we will go further down the Rhine to the shores of the Lake Constance where one can find an excellent example of how swiss architects are trying to go beyond the typical box.

Similar, who knows, but certainly equally expressive in it's form is the new Agora by UN-Studio. I was able to get some images of this new building which one can find within a rather peculiar setting.

Talking about form and contemporary new public places, we have to consider the critically acclaimed Casa de Musica by OMA. I think you will be able to get a very good glimpse by the dozens of images I was able to shoot, why this building finds acceptance even between the more classical architects.

Another interesting building is the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, it attracts thousands of visitors each day, including myself late last year. We shall examine why this is probably one of the most successful UN-Studio buildings so far.

Also at the Lake Constance, but in Austria we find the famed Kunsthaus by Peter Zumthor. Recently there was an exhibit on his work with huge models that one could even enter.

Going back to Switzerland we have to look at the recent installation by Olafur Eliassion and how he yet again attacked the notion of a house and it's particular interiority.

After finally revisting my birth place I would like to share some gorgeous images of modernist church near the Lake Lucerne.

Last but not least, we will go to Basel and it's sourroundings to admire some of the work of Herzog & De Meuron.

Finally we will try to understand the shift of the formal vocabulary in the work of Herzog & De Meuron which was most probably consummated in last years and eventually reached their home town in a mysterious manifestation: a yet unpublished house.

Naturally there is much more to see, images, observations and some other very special features to look forward to.

SC

revamp

I will resume my work as architectural blogger shortly. please expect a revamp and more content soon.

Norman Foster's Bejing International AIrport

© CNN International.

Hey Iran, what are you doing?

Previously while watching news on CNN, they aired a piece of the Daily Show's Jon Stewart on the Iranian Hostage Crisis:
"Hey Iran, what are you doing? Hey Iran do you know how hard we're working to keep President Bombs-A-Lot from throwing down on you?..."
Via: iFilm
Related: news

Olten will hoch hinaus...

In dem Buch von Avenir Suisse und Angelus Eisinger Stadtland Schweiz konnte man 2003 einige interessante Visionen formuliert von MVRDV finden. Darunter eine über die Stadt Olten als erweiterten Infrastruktur Hub für die Schweiz mit einem riesigen Autobahnkreuz und integriertem Konglomerat von Hochhäusern, in der Mitte der Schweiz, mit bestem Anschluss nach Bern, Basel und Zürich. Nun scheinen gewisse Leute dies durchaus ernst zunehmen und planen gemäss Pressekonferenz von heute tatsächlich ein Hochhaus in Olten und zwar über 32 STockwerke und 110 Meter. Der Nutzungsmix enthält Wohnungen und Dienstleistung über 17'000m2. Die oben erwähnte Immobilienfirma spannt hierfür mit dem ortsansässigen Architekten Massimo Hauswirth und der Wirtschaftsförderung zusammen, es solle "zukunftsweisend sein für die Stadtentwicklung" (...) in Olten.
Nun nachdem Zürich einen neuen Turm erhalten wird von Gigon Guyer und Basel von Herzog & De Meuron und nach letzterem wäre der Oltener Turm auch der zweit höchste der Schweiz. Städtebaulich mag das ganze durchaus interesant sein, doch architektonisch kann das Oltener Projekt kaum mithalten, ja ich würde sogar sagen, dass es sich um einen völligen fehlgriff handelt. Das Gebäude erscheint als ein zu kurz geratener Verschnitt vonI. M. Pei's Bank of China.
Schade eigentlich, denn in der Schweiz sind Landreserven rar und vielerorts ist eine Nachverdichtung von städtischem Gefüge äusserst angebracht. Doch man solle nicht den Fehler wie in den USA machen und solche Projekte als reine Spekulationsobjekte ohne architektonischen Mehrwert verwirklichen.
Deswegen hoffe ich sehr, falls das Projekt grünes Licht erhalten sollte, dass ein gewisse Überarbeitung durchgeführt wird.
via: NZZ Online, Pressemitteilung Giroud Olma (PDF)

München part I, the fine Arts.

Three weeks ago I visited a friend of mine who works as an intern at BMW, inside the four-cylinder building - right. While there we took some time and visited three exhibitions, two at the Pinakothek der Moderne and one at the Haus der Kunst.
The latter is exhibiting the work of Andreas Gursky, probably one of the most important living photographers, in the first big presentation of his work after the famous show at the MOMA in New York 2001. Gurski's composed and digitally often altered photographs depict profane objects or places sometimes absolutely deserted or cramped with people. His Diptychon of the 99-Cent-Store got auctioned in November 2006 for $2.4M. His ocumentary style is presented on large-scale prints where one can observe some elements of his photograph form a larger structure, like the formula 1 track of Bahrain (pictured above) that looks like a painting rather then a photograph. At the same time you can emerge yourself into the richness of details, like small F1-race cars or the faces of the actors in the immense parades in Pyongyang. These images from North Korea of the parades for it's dictator are some of Gursky's most recent work. They do show the orchestrated grand imagery as the result of the (probably forced) obedience of the people that participate at those large parades, but on a second look one recognizes faces. The anonymity fades and you witness single fates of the opressed. Gursky mostly photogrpahs from an hightened place, even helicopter, to create a view that is challenging in it's originality and form.
Andreas Gursky at the "Haus der Kunst", until May 13th, further info.


The second Exhibtion I visited is a retrospective on Dan Flavin (1933-1996), which is the first of it's kind in Germany. Flavin who concentrated himself on developing and creating artistic representation with and on light, became one of the leading figures of modern minimal and conceptual art. The retrospective features 24 of his "monuments for V. Tatlin" and his initial work of the eight "icons", his earliest experiments with artificial light. Another highlight is the reconstruction of a show from 1968 that was exhibited at the gallery of Heiner Friedrich. The "untitled (to you, Heiner, with admiration and affection)" (pictured above) from 1973 on Flavin's barrier subject is dedicated to that gallerist who was a supporter and friend of Flavin. That piece is formed by small modules, adapting itself to the exhibition room and radiate a stark greenish colour. This barrier thematizes the relation of the space of the observer and the observed space, although one might seem immersed into the art, there is still a part one cannot reach to.
This retrospective was organized by the Dia Art Foundation and the National Gallery in Washington DC and Munich is the last stop of a tour through various museums.
Dan Flavin | Retrospective at the "Pinakothek der Moderne", the show is extended until April 8th, further info.


The third exhibition, also at the Pinakothek der Moderne, is unfortunately already over. It was called "Architektur wie sie im Buche steht" (Architecture as it is written in books) and displayed various representations of Architecture in books, comic magazines or fairytales. Some utopian creations of cities from "Wir" by Jewgeni Samjatin to Italo Calvino's cities were interpreted by architecture students in some small models that accopany the exhibition. The image above is the work from Andi Gerber, an architect in Zurich and PhD candidate at the ETH. This model, which was produced along his PhD thesis on textual representation of cities and the city as text, is a layering of such representations along one of his poems merging to a rhizomatic whole.
The catalog, which is rather a book, on the subject is a profound collection of texts reffering to the exhibition and thouroughly extending it. A fine reader that is unfortunately only available in German.

Kerez at Leutschenbach

Just at the gates to Zurich next to the train tracks to Winterthur in Leutschenbach a new public school is under construction. Christian Kerez participated at a competition 2003 for this school building and got a second place, after the revision his proposal was recommended for realization. Probably the most daring part of the project is the gymnasium (Trunhalle) on the fifth floor, not where you usually think you would find one. Each level host a corresponding grades and the outside balconies and stairs can be used as emergency routes allows the interior hallways be used for school purposes and related functions.
The jury apparently applauded the buildings strong presence and signal-like effect, at night the gym shines like a signal above Zurich North.
Further reading:
An article just after the competition, Tec21.pdf.
A newsletter from the City of Zurich about the development in Leutschenbach, dated March 2006, Leutschenbach Development.pdf.
More images in my Swiss Architects flickr-set.

Vacheron Constatin HQ by Tschumi

Just recently I went to Geneva and visited en route Vacheron Constatin, a luxury watch manufacturer. Pictured you see their new headquarter that was finished 2004, after Bernard Tschumi won the competition 2001.
It's basically a single-surface metal (probably steel) envelope that wraps around the head-offices and the production parts in one single gesture.
What is interesting, the parking of either side is connected below the thinner production part of the building, which bridges it actually. I wasn't able to see whether delivery docks are situated below (tucked away notably) since the security got a little nervous about me taking pictures of the building.
However, check out some further exterior shots in my new Geneva set.

Kerez wins Warsaw Museum of Modern Art competition

MoMA competition Warsaw, © Christian Kerez
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Yesterday at an official event in Warsaw the winner of the architecture competition for the museum of modern art in Warsaw has been announced. Christian Kerez, Assistant Professor at the ETH and Architect based in Zürich was awarded the first prize. Daniel Libeskind, a juror of the competition, presented the winner and his modest L-shaped building with a wavy roof.
The future museum will be erected next to the Culture and Science Palace in the center of Warsaw. According to Libeskind the proposal fits well into the neighboorhood of the palace, which was built in a Stalinist style, despite being an avantgarde project. The museum is scheduled to be opened 2010.

Images | via: e-warsaw.pl, museumcompetition.pl, Argauer Zeitung Online
Thanks to Stephan.

Schweizer Architekturzeitschriften und Newsanbieter

2005 startete Stefan Kurath und sein Büronetzwerk UrbaNplus eine Newsletter Aktion namens urban_plus_news.
In fast schon bester Guerilla-Advertisment Manier versandte er E-Mails an Büro's von Architektinnen und Architekten die er kannte. Das UrbaNplus-Newsletter war so ausgelegt, dass man es gerne weiterversenden sollte und gespiesen wurde es von verschiedenen Imputs durch Kolleginnen und Kollegen die gerne auf eines Ihrer neuen Bauten aufmerksam machen wollten, eine Einweihung eines Projektes oder einer Austellung nun das Spektrum war breit gefächert. Mir schien die ganze Aktion schien ziemlich gut anzukommen, im Endeffekt eigentlich ein P2P(Peer to Peer)-Informationssystem für Architektinnen und Architekten. Zum Glück für Stefan und leider für uns Benutzer und Leser, hatte er immer mehr zu tun in seinem Büro und die anfänglich monatlichen Neuigkeiten wurden immer weniger bis sie schliesslich Mitte August 2006 versiegten. Das Büro durfte überhand nhemen, deswegen lässt sich nur hoffen dass er bald vielleicht einen Praktikanten einstellt um die News weiterzuführen ;-)

Letze Woche nun habe ich mich für dene neuen Newsletter der Swiss-Architects-Seite eingeschrieben. Swiss-Architects ist eine Platform für Architektinnen und Architekten sowie deren Büros um sich online präsentieren zu können, mittlerweile gibt es auch Ableger in der ganzen Welt doch geführt wird die Seite und die "Spin-Offs" von den PSA-Publishers in Zürich.
Nun ich weiss nicht so recht was ich erwartet habe von diesem Newsletter, die Idee für einen solchen ist wahrlich nicht neu (siehe weiter oben) und die Seite von Swiss-Architects war nun auch nicht bekannt als eine News-Seite (oder doch?).
Was mich allerdings aufhorchen liess war dass es in Zusammenarbeit mit Hochparterre enstehen wird und, dass Inge Beckel mit an Bord dieses Newsletter sein sollte als "editorin".
Inge, eine gestandene Redakteurin bei Tec21 sowie Verfasserin vieler Artikel die in diversen Schweizer Architekturzeitschriften abgedruckt wurden, sollte als einen gewissen Standard setzen und in meinen Augen auch das redaktionelle Rückgrat bilden. Wenn man beispielsweise einen Blick wirft ins Impressum von Marc Angélil's neues Buch Indizien, wird man merken dass sie keine unerhebliche Mitarbeit daran geleistet hat.

Soweit so gut, doch als ich die gestrige Ausgabe dieses Swiss-Architects-Newsletters erhalten habe, war ich doch etwas überrascht über einen Artikel von Axel Simon über die vier führenden Architekturzeitschriften der Schweiz. Um die Liste auch nun hier nochmals zu erwähnen, er listete das "Hochparterre", "Tec21", "Werk Bauen und Wohnen" sowie die "Archithese".
Im Grunde genommen liesse isch an dieser Liste nichts auszusetzten, doch ich hätte es gerne gesehen, dass das Magazin "Trans" welches an der ETH Zürich erscheint ebenfalls eine Erwähnung irgendwelcher Art gefunden hätte. Qualitativ und bezüglich Autorenschaft kann das "Trans" durchaus mithalten, deshalb würde ich für eine demnächst erweiterte Fassung dieser Liste plädieren. Die "grossen vier", wie so oft haben schon genug Aufmerksamkeit.
Ich denke dem bliebe nichts weiteres hinzuzufügen, bis auf einen Verweis auf die baldige neue Ausgabe von "Trans", möge das "Rauschen im Blätterwald" erst dann richtig beginnen...

Monocle, a new magazine by Tyler Brûlé

Everyone knows the cover of the New Yorker magazine, a caricatured gentlemen holding a monocle in his hand... (just a word of explanation, a monocle is "a corrective lens just for one eye")1.
Maybe Tyler Brûlé has had that image in mind when he chose a name for his new magazine Monocle, but then again it just might be coincidence. Nevertheless, Thursday at 09.00 GMT, the new magazine "Monocle" will be officially launched.
Back in 1996 Brûlé launched wallpaper* that redefined the lifestyle journalism. With his advertisment agency Winkreative, a spin-off from Wallpaper* founded 1998 with offices in Zurich and around the World, he came up with the corporate design for the new Swiss Airlines Ltd, that after the grounding of the famed Swissair needed a fresh, new and "swiss" look. Despite maybe some critics of the new Swiss logo and design he won acclaim for it and various awards, but after all one has to admit that it is just gorgeous!
Having that background it isn't a hard guess, that this new magazine will again have a striking visual approach but what is different now? According an article on Brûlé and his new magazine, "Monocle" should inform and entertain "an international audience of disillusioned readers, Listeners and viewers" (Leser, Zuhörer und Zuschauer).2 Having read some other articles on Monocle, it seems that Monocle will be a high-gloss hybrid that wants to appeal to wallpaper* as well as to Vanity Fair readers, combining that afore mentioned savvy visual style with profound journalism. Five parts, from "a" as in "affairs", "business", "culture", "design" to "e" like "edits" don't leave much not to be covered. The topics in the forthcoming first issue seem to be interesting and "new", but let's leave the judgements to the readers.
We can only hope for a great magazine that will this time really enrich the market, it's start has been certainly well-founded (£5 Million) through unnamed private investors and wide spread (200'000 copies). Some of those arguments, but maybe only the possibility to work with Brûlé has for instance brought Dan Hill, city of sound-blog and BBC, to the magazine.

So I hope the guys over in London are having a great party and I wish the makers good luck :-)

tiled materials on mtexture.com

mtextur_2
Originally uploaded by scisar.

On mtexture.com you can search a database with architectural materials, concrete, brick, wood, carpets, resin you name it. Search for colors, surface appearance or just for materials, like for concrete on this image.
The great part is, that all materials are downloadable for free and they are even tiled, so you can easily use them as textures for architectural renderings! The site is published by the architecture office h2c in Zurich.

via: mtexture.com h2c

Seasonal Greetings

Blogging will resume shortly.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

s

Teaser

Teaser
Originally uploaded by scisar.

A teaser before I resume blogging tomorrow. Enjoy.

leap of absence - is over tomorrow

I am sorry for leap of absence. Unfortunately I was busy with my exams. Coverage and posting continues tomorrow.

Coup attempt in Thailand?

Apparently the PM of Thailand has been overthrown in an army coup. The Council of Political Reform has claimed responsibility and declared their loyalty to the king.
Breaking News via: Swissinfo/SDA, BBC World, CNN

Koolhaas unveiled Cornell Building

A computer rendering of how Milstein Hall, designed by Rem Koolhaas, will look behind Sibley Hall on the campus of Cornell University.

Rem Koolhaas was hired last January by Mohsen Mostafavi, the dean of the Architecture Department at Cornell.
The building will be a box, not a "...massive presence, but nevertheless a strong presence." “We didn’t want to do a literal masterpiece, but an almost mysterious single beam of modernity,’’ and furthermore Koolhaas said, that “The box is always an isolated thing. But here, we use the box as a connector. You could say it’s a postmodern use of the box.” However, the design will be very simple, according to Mostafavi, but pro- and diagrammed based on the research of the daily use. “It’s definitely an exercise in modest, discreet intervention."
The plans have now to be approved by the City Council of Ithaca, where the University is located Upstate New York.
Groundbreaking is expected in 2007 and completition in 2009.
via: NY Times

Herzog & De Meuron Art Museum for Miami

H&dM were recommended and picked by Terence Riley, the Miami Art Museum's new Director, and a commitee that was researching on works of various architects for months. A civic panel endorsed the choice.
The new home for the museum is expected to cost $208 million and will be the Bicentennial Park/Museum Park on Biscayne Bay.
First designs of the project will be reveiled at the Art Basel in 2007.
via: NY Times and Miami Herald.

Dezain.net

The design weblog Dezain is my main referrer today. So thank you to Eizo Okada and his Dezain and to all of you readers for visiting my blog and I hope to entertain you in future with more interesting stories and posts.

The Architecture of Roche and Novartis

As mentioned in my previous post about the introduction of a new tower by Roche, design by Herzog De Meuron, 10vor10 shows that Novartis is building there too.

I will update this post tomorrow with some images and further information, but as a sneak-peak: Frank Gehry, Sanaa, Diener & Diener and others were hired for designs.

Neill Blomkamp - Aspiring Director

Once one of my professors at the ETH told us to go out become inspired, watch movies, go to the theater or dance. Well back than we hadn't much free time so we had to be inventive, but after my year in the US I consider myself a Hollywood-Movie pundit. That's right. So I'd like to introduce you in future to movies or directors I have on my personal watch-list.

Today It's Neill Blomkamp, a Johannesburg native, is a fairly gifted young aspiring director. One that grew up with all that new technology and computers and he doesn't fear using it in his shorts and advertisements, which he has been doing so far. He uses CGI as it is just a cutting method, you can't tell whether the shown object is a built prop or just digitally generated. Absolutely great to see.

He has done commercials for Nike and Citroen most notably.
Groundbreaking and certainly important for his future film making are his shorts Tetra Vaal and Alive in Joburg. The latter features some sort of aliens that are stranded on earth and live in the shantytowns of Johannesburg. You could clearly read it as a critique, because it describes a situation that resembles Apartheid.

Tetra Vaal continues by introducing a robot that performs as a modern police-soldier, replaceable and repairable fighting in a urban-war zone, that unmistakeably looks like Joburg's Townships.

He did another short about a robot that is introduced to a company as "co-worker" and his integration afterwards, or lack thereof; especially in means of love. That might sound absurd at first, but once again the 'bot seamlessly blends in and you even start forgetting that it's synthetic, or even cgi. The robots, although not having that appeal visually, perform "humanoid" what makes you symphatize.

The ad's for citroen, feature cars transforming into robots - again. After I heard that Michael Bay is re-adapting Transformers for the big screen, I hoped that Blomkamp would be involved in it somehow, since the two 'bots from the ad's would make pretty good 'Transformers'.
That seems quite unlikley, but Blomkamp will direct Halo - yes, the alien/marine-shooter-game big-screen adaptation. The project that Peter Jackson was to direct at first will be the cinema-debut for a director I hope hearing from much more in future. Jackson him self acts now as Executive Producer and the Halo-Project which is slated for screen in 2008 is in pre-production.

Of course his ability in utilizing CGI is astonishing and not much seen before, but his filmmaking where he is able to express his vision as a director I suppose is most visible in his short films. They are almost all a combination of a documentary-style, hand-crank-camera and "normal" filming. The intensity might not be there yet, but reminds me of a less graphical Tony Scott or a Michael Mann, actually two of my favourite directors. Actually Blomkamp is represented also by Ridley Scott's Production Company, RSA Films.
I hope I was able to share a little bit of my excitement of Neill Blomkamp's work and why I really look forward on seeing more of his work.

Below you'll find two excerpts from his collections of shorts and advertisements.
- The Citroen-Ad:



- and the new short yellow/adicolor, a darker version of Cameron's iconic Dark Angel:

Log 8

For a moment let's stay at 41W25th, Log 8 is out, so go get one!

Peter's minute - updated

Peter answered some questions.
He's reading Houellebecq's latest and thinks building a sacred space might be interesting.
Since we live in a super confidential world I won't comment much on it, except we all look forward for some more pics and his new "bible" Eisenmanual.

update
Although still no picture, here an article about the two Pompeii train stations that Eisenman Architects is designing.

Ceal Floyer at the Swiss Institute

Who ever walked south on broadway in SoHo, might have noticed a sleek flag with the letters S-I on it.
Well, that's the logo of the Swiss Institute of Conteporary Art, which this fall will host an exhibition about the British Artist Ceal Floyer between September 20th and October 21st. The opening reception is on September 20th between 6-8pm.

Herzog De Meuron Tower for Basel

updated on 15.9.06, 16.9.06
Here we go again, after the recent post about the redevelopment of the fair in Basel by Herzog & De Meruon, today at a media briefing in Basel their design for the new tower for Roche was announced and introduced.
Roche, a global health-care company, based in Basel, will be redeveloping their headquarters-campus, also by adding a 160m (524 feet) tower; which would become Switzerland's highest tower. The timetable suggests an approval by the city's council by the end of 2007 and once approved, construction would take place between 2008 and 2011.

First comments from politicians, no matter what couleur, suggest that they are excited about the project and really look forward to it. What pleased them most is the fact, that this tower by Roche is a bold statement for the city of Basel as location.

Take a look at some images, the official presentation and read the official media release.

The redevelopment of the Roche campus will cost about $640 million and will include two buildings by Herzog & De Meuron. The 160m tower mentioned above, will gather 2400 Roche-workplaces, that are currently spread over Basel. Additonally a new research and development (R&D) centre will be built to replace the old laboratory.

Roche is Switzerland's second-biggest pharmaceutical company behind its Basel-based rival, Novartis. It has a total workforce of 70,000 people worldwide, including 7,500 in Switzerland.
Roche, confident in maintaining a strategy of growth, created 1000 jobs in the city of Basel in the past years; their half-year net income rose a 37% to $3.6 billion.
Meanwhile Novartis will invest about $1.5 billion to redevelop it's own campus, not far from the Roche site, their masterplan has already been introduced and Novartis hired such architects as Frank Gehry, Sanaa and Diener & Diener to name a few (more about the Novartis plans here.)


Below a visualization of the project:


Furthermore an interview from from the guys at venicesuperblog (blogging about la Biennale) with Jacques Herzog from HdM about the ETH-Studio Basel and their project on Switzerland, which is shown in the Italian Pavilion:

My Celebrity look-alikes

fun isn't it?

9/11 - The New Cityscape of Fear - updated

Cityscape of fear
The online news magazine Salon recently featured an article about the Cityscape of fear, claiming that the American Architecture is still reeling from the 9/11 attacks. Security is the main concern, even five years since the attacks occured, and you can see the effects everywhere: from jersey barriers in front of the Lincon Center, posts and bollards became ubiquitous aswell as planters and fences. These barricades are sucking the soul out of urban life.
Highrise Boom
The San Francisco chronicle claims that altough the terror threat fails to stem the high rise boom, defensive measuers focus on fortifying the buildings bases against possible attacks. Currently there are five towers are under construction that will exceed 30 stories.While Chicago approved recently the 2000-foot Fordham Spire and Boston will maybe feature soon a 1000-foot tower in the historic finacial district. While Lord Foster's WTC-Design of the "kissing towers" has been rejected, he was able to lead on a series of new mayor towers in New York City that have been introduced after 9/11. Actually his Hearst Tower opened just last year. 2002 the design for the new 1046-foot New York Times Tower by Renzo Piano was hailed as breakthrough for the Manhattan Skyline, it's construction end is slated for 2007.

The World Trade Center Site
Last Thurday the plans were unveiled of the last three skyscrapes that will join the Freedom Tower around the former World Trade Center site. These towers altogether will reshape the current skyline of lower Manhattan but the future ensemble won't dominate as much like the former WTC's Towers did. Lord Foster also designed one of the three, which would mark his second tower in Manhattan. The other two were designed by Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki. Nicolai Ouroussoff, the NYTimes Chief Architecture critic, writes in his architecture review of the new towers that they illustrate how low our expectations have sunk since the city first resolved to rebuild the site. Mixed views allegorise fellow Archinecter's discussion of the new designs. BBC menwhile ask what exactly it means to build a skyscraper after 9/11 and examines the design of the centerpiece of the WTC site, the Freedom Tower.
The 1776-foot tower had to ensure maximum safety and security, and had to incorporate a number of features. Most notably is the multi-layered glass curtain wall to protect the building form explosions on street level, from which the curtain wall extends about 40 meters and mostly hosts building technology. The building's base, which more resembles a plinth, is probably the strongest sign of retreat and security that has been designed for future towers. "People that still are clinging to the expectation taht the tower will become a monument to the highest American Ideals, the current design should finally shake them out of that delusion." Nicolai Ouroussoff wrote in his review of the Freedom Tower.
Fear rising? - Epilogue
It is said that Americans are safer now more than they were before the 9/11 attacks. But whith Bin Laden still on the run, after three wars and maybe on the brink of a fourth, poeple feel less secure. Accordingly the Wired Magazine writes that security technology is booming. "Of course, even as technologies improve, none is likely to end the post-Sept. 11 era of hyper vigilance." BBC has again some interesting statistics that show how 9/11 changed America.

9/11 - Comments and upcoming posts

Today is Monday, the Sepetmber 11th. The Newspapers and TV-Channels around the world are remembering the terrorist attacks five years ago. CNN streams its live TV coverage of 9/11 through it's multicast service pipeline for free. Just navigate on the right side of the site to where it says "pipeline".

Furthermore I'll be posting some interesting articles, about the presumed state of being of the world today and of course what that means for the architecture of today.

Dialog now on blogger-beta

As you might notice, I run now the new blogger-beta which is powered by google. Most probably the whole service will run on a similar engine like gmail, so enjoy the slightly updated look.

Lange Nacht der Museen in Zürich

Die Lange Nacht der Museen findet heute wieder in Zürich statt, zwischen 19 und 2 Uhr. Gewissen Veranstaltungen laufen aber schon heute Nachmittag und das Kunsthaus feiert sogar bis 5 Uhr morgens. Also ab in die Stadt!

Brief von Grass an Danzig

Gelesen bei und dokumentiert vonFAZ.
Ich habe das Geständnis von Grass und die Kontroverse darum genau verfolgt, zur Zeit lese ich seine Autobiographie "Beim Häuten der Zwiebel". Der Brief an den Bürgermeister von Danzig, welcher heute dort verlesen wurde, ist Grass's erste Wortmeldung nach seinem "Geständnis", respektive Interview, in der FAZ.
Mehr zum Thema später, hier zunächst der Brief zum nachlesen:

Sehr geehrter Herr Adamowicz,

ich danke Ihnen für Ihren Brief und für das Vertrauen, das Sie mir gegenüber auch in der gegenwärtigen Situation beweisen. Bevor mein jüngstes Buch, „Beim Häuten der Zwiebel“, öffentlich zur Kenntnis genommen werden konnte, hat die Meldung über eine zwar gewichtige, aber nicht den Inhalt des Buches dominierende Episode im Verlauf meiner jungen Jahre eine Kontroverse ausgelöst, die unter anderem die Bürger der Stadt Gdansk verunsichert und die zugleich für mich existentiell bedrohliche Ausmaße angenommen hat.

In meinem Buch, das meinen Lebensweg vom zwölften Lebensjahr an, dem Jahr 1939, erzählend beschreibt, berichte ich, wie ich mich in meiner jugendlichen Verblendung als 15-Jähriger zur U-Boot-Waffe melden wollte, doch nicht angenommen wurde. Anstelle wurde ich im September 1944 als annähernd 17-Jähriger ohne mein Zutun zur Waffen-SS eingezogen. Das geschah in dieser Zeit nicht Wenigen meines Jahrgangs. Die zwei Wochen militärischen Einsatzes vom Beginn bis gegen Ende April 1945 habe ich nur zufällig überlebt.

In den Jahren und Jahrzehnten nach dem Krieg habe ich, als mir die Kriegsverbrechen der Waffen-SS in ihrem schrecklichen Ausmaß bekannt wurden, aus Scham diese kurze, aber lastende Episode meiner jungen Jahre für mich behalten, doch nicht verdrängt. Erst jetzt, im Alter, fand ich die Form, davon in größerem Zusammenhang zu berichten. Dieses Schweigen kann als Fehler gewertet und - wie es gegenwärtig geschieht - verurteilt werden. Auch muß ich akzeptieren, daß durch mein Verhalten meine Ehrenbürgerschaft von vielen Bürgern der Stadt Gdansk in Frage gestellt wird. Es steht mir nicht zu, in dieser Situation auf all das hinzuweisen, was während fünf Jahrzehnten mein Lebenswerk als Schriftsteller und gesellschaftlich engagierter Bürger der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ausmacht, doch möchte ich für mich beanspruchen, die harten Lektionen, die mir in meinen jungen Jahren erteilt worden sind, begriffen zu haben: meine Bücher zeugen davon und mein politisches Handeln.

Ich bedauere es, Ihnen und den Bürgern der Stadt Gdansk, mit der ich als gebürtiger Danziger zutiefst verbunden bin, eine Entscheidung aufgebürdet zu haben, die gewiß leichter und auch gerechter zu fällen wäre, wenn mein Buch bereits in polnischer Übersetzung vorläge.

Zum Schluß meines Briefes will ich mich bei den Bürgern Ihrer und meiner Stadt bedanken, die mir weiterhin Vertrauen schenken. Als ich zu einem frühen Zeitpunkt, zu Beginn der fünfziger Jahre, begreifen mußte, daß aus deutscher Schuld der Verlust meiner Heimatstadt Danzig als endgültig zu erleiden war, habe ich dieses, zugegeben, schmerzhafte Verständnis auch öffentlich vertreten, nicht zuletzt, als ich im Dezember 1970 den damaligen deutschen Bundeskanzler Willy Brandt nach Warschau begleitete.

Seitdem ist dieser Verlust durch die Nachkriegsgeschichte der Stadt Gdansk mehr als erleichtert worden, denn von Ihrer und meiner Stadt gingen politisch wegweisende Impulse aus in Gestalt einer wiederholt Freiheit erkämpfenden Arbeiterbewegung, die schließlich verbunden mit den Namen „Solidarnosc“ und Lech Walesa in die Geschichte eingegangen ist. In meinen Büchern nahm dieser Prozeß auf erzählende Weise Gestalt an; und in meinen politischen Texten habe ich die zuerst in Gdansk praktizierte und Gewalt verhindernde Methode des „Runden Tisches“ als beispielhaft gewertet. Ich sah viele Gründe, auf meine ehemalige Heimatstadt stolz zu sein, ging doch von ihr eine geistige Haltung aus, die europaweit wirksam wurde, als es darum ging, diktatorische Herrschaft gewaltfrei zu beenden, so auch zum Fall der Berliner Mauer beizutragen und die Möglichkeiten für wahre Demokratie zu öffnen. Das alles machte mir Mut, das immer wieder stockende Gespräch zwischen Polen und Deutschen, Deutschen und Polen fortzusetzen, auf daß wir alle aus der Geschichte, so schmerzhaft sie war, eine Lehre ziehen, die wechselseitiges Verständnis erlaubt.

Freundliche Grüße

Günter Grass

Rogers awarded Golden Lion

Today La Biennale di Venezia announced, that Richard Rogers will be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achivement Award.

microserfs quote of the day

On Barbies:
"I remember when my Barbie discovered my brother's G.I. Joe's," said Karla. "Talk about a spree. She was in fragments within an hour."

LOL, so ninetees, so funny, so microserfs.

update
Just found this one: ho to frag like a pro by WiredMag; but then again, read a man to kick a n00b's ass, un-wired!

Jacques Herzog auf DRS3

errata/update
Stephan Achermann hat mich gerade auf die Focus Sendung vom Montag auf DRS3 aufmerksam gemacht, Jacques Herzog (HdM) im Gespräch mit Hannes Hug.
Wer kein Radio hat oder nicht die Frequenz von DRS3 kennt, hier der Webplayer, zusätzlich kann man per iTunes den Podcast des Gesprächs runterladen: einfach -U drücken und "http://pod.drs.ch/focus_-_die_talkshow_mpx.xml" eingeben - et voilà.

Mel Gibson: kaplah!

First read about here: "...when it comes to Mel Gibson, they sure nailed it."
...oh, and me-like the klingon reference.

Spuren der Zeit auf SF

Heute Montag 14. August 22.20 auf SF 1
Das geplante Chaos
Raumplanung als Hoffnung, Selbstbetrug und Lebenslüge
Ein Film von Thomas Buomberger, Benedikt Loderer

Über das Thema Agglomeration in der Schweiz und die schleichende Zersiedelung zur "Hüsli-Schweiz".

Via: Vielen Dank an urbaN_plus_News für diese Meldung. An alle Architektur-Interessierten, bitte hier anmelden für das urbaN-plus-Newsletter: urban_plus_news [at] urbanplus.ch

-Sasha

Messe Basel 2012, updated

Die Messe Basel (Art, BaselWorld) plant ihr Messegelände bis zum Jahr 2012 mit rund 350 Millionen Franken zu modernisieren. Die wichtigesten Neuerungen sind die Erweiterung der Halle 1 und der Umbau von dem Gebäude 3. die beiden Gebäude werden mit einer Überbauung über den Messeplatz verbunden. 200 Millionen des Gesamtbetrages wird Die Messe tragen, der Rest wird von den Kantonen beider-Basel finanziert.

Der Altbau der Halle 1 zum Messeplatz wurde inzwischen nicht als Denkmal deklariert.
Denn der Art-Deko Kopfbau wird ja durch die Brückenförmige Überbauung ersetzt. Neben der freiwilligen Denkmalpflege verzichtet auch der Basler Heimatschutz auf Rechtsmittel und ein Rekurs, über den Regierungsentscheid das Gebäude nicht unter Denkmalschutz zu stellen, soll zurückgezogen werden.
Der Verein Freiwillige Basler Denkmalpflege forderte zwar Alternativen von der MesseBasel, ihr Projekt sei aber terminlich, finanziell und politisch die beste Lösung; welche nun eine weitere Hürde genommen hat.
via: BaZ,
Messe Schweiz,
Info Projekt 2012,
Bilder des Neubaus.

update, in English:
The MesseBasel, host of BaselWorld and ArtBasel, has passed another hurdle on their way to the expansion-project 2012, that features a bold renovation and new building by HERZOG & DE MEURON. The $ 280 Million project was greenlighted by the local government and preservation issues have been resolved so far.
via 1 and via 2, images.

Airlines terror plot disrupted; updated

This morning at 2am the Police and Scotland Yard have struck and arrested about 21 people, suspected in having plotted to blow up up to ten airplanes bound to the US.
Newest reports indicate a liquid explosive was to be triggered by a bluetooth-enabled electronic device.
via: BBCWorld, CNN

update
Agent Infiltrated terror cell / plotted by the Qaeda?: CNN
Assets of 'plane plotters' frozen: BBCWorld
The Bank of England released names of nineteen suspects whose accounts have been frozen: Bank of England, Full News Release and Names Annex.pdf, Bank of England Notice.pdf

What happened to Archinect?

What happened to Archinect?
Originally uploaded by scisar.

What happend at the guys over at archinect? Someone forgot to pay the bills?
Hey guys' don't let the site down! Is there a paypal account we could all donate money?
we want our favourite architecture news site back!!!

-s

Eisenman's Italian Job

Peter Eisenman to design two train stations near Naples, via
More on The Italian Job in Log 7.

HOPP SCHWIIZ, Allez les Suisses!

2:0, group leader @ 4:0, before France!!!
Ukraine and Cologne beware!!!

forthcoming

dialog
Finally I have some forthcoming posts, read something about all the fuss around the new Olympic Stadium in Beijing and whether China is really so cool. Also don't miss the new projective practice (a tautology, an oxymoron?, no: Theory is dead, long live Theory!). And many more things.

Pritzker Price 2006 goes to Paulo Mendes da Rocha

Patriarch Plaza and Viaduct do Cha 2
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Paulo Mendes da Rocha was awarded the Pritzker Price, the most prestigious award in the field of architecture. The good news must have arrived to him this January and I must say, like last year I was hoping to hear about a different Laureat. Nevertheless, it was granted to one of the great brazilian architects, who has a quite restpectable oevre to show, which you could read as being in the modernist tradition.
Mendes da Rocha, a graduate of the private McKenzie University in São Paulo, has built a number of importent builings. For the renewal of the old center of São Paulo, this pictured steel and concrete canopy is certainly very important. It is the Patriarch Plaza next to the Viaduct do Cha, the image was taken shortly after Christmas 2005 on a Sunday.
Her some additional information on his work (photobook) and the mediakit of the Pritzker Prize jury.

Eisenman/Koolhaas in Conversation

Some images form the
AA news site:
1
2
3

We are still waiting for news on the talk.
-S

Inventioneering Architecture (2)

Originally uploaded by scisar.

The exhibition which was seen before at the CCA in San Francisco now arrived in Boston. Last Friday evening the show was kicked off at the arrival hall of Terminal E at the Boston Logan Airport.

Previous post, via and some further
info; Images.

Koolhaas warning over future of Britains's public spaces

Koolhaas (...) claimed that a combination of private sector-dominated redevelopment, risk-averse culture and a crackdown on anti-social behaviour were conspiring to create soulless cities.
Koolhaas used Las Vegas as an example of how private sector-dominated regeneration and risk-averse development can "drain a city of its lifeblood", saying: "All the wildness and unpredictability of the city has not so much been tamed as been completely removed. We have surrendered vast sections of our privacy to protect the public realm."
Via.

Koolhaas warning over future of Britains's public spaces

Koolhaas (...) claimed that a combination of private sector-dominated redevelopment, risk-averse culture and a crackdown on anti-social behaviour were conspiring to create soulless cities.
Koolhaas used Las Vegas as an example of how private sector-dominated regeneration and risk-averse development can "drain a city of its lifeblood", saying: "All the wildness and unpredictability of the city has not so much been tamed as been completely removed. We have surrendered vast sections of our privacy to protect the public realm."

Google Keynote Countdown @ ENGADGET

Let's see what 'L-Page' has in the pockets for us...
Watch here.

Happy new Year!

Happy new Year!
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Seasoned greetings from some sandy hot beach. Best wishes for 2006.
Feliz ano novo.
-s

Swiss Curve at the New York Marathon

Tomorrow morning, we'd be all up fairly early in SpaHa, where the Swiss curve lot will be, as seen on the site of the Swiss Consulate in New York. 5th Ave and 119th, about four miles up the end of the marathon.
See you there.

time out

well it's been a bit quite around me the last ten days. well we had a couple of deadlines, you know, the usual.
expect a revamp tomorrow with some pics and so on.
-s

OMA goes neo-postmodern

In an article of the dutch newspaper volkskrant the new HQ of the publisher PCM in Amsterdam was reveiled. See for yourself
big image of the foamcore model. The design is by OMA

Inventioneering Architecture

The four architecture schools of Switzerland partnered in an exhibition and a lecture series that is currently shown and held at the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco. The event "showcases" Swiss architectural teaching and conteporary Swiss architecture.
The Exhibit is mounted on a long wawy platform, that represents a geological cut through Switzerland, from Mendrisio to Zurich to Lausanne and Geneva.
The schools represented are the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), the Academy of Architecture at the Universita della Svizzera Italiana and the Institute of Architecture at the University of Geneva.
The Exhibit started October 3rd and lasts until October 27th. The first lecture took place last week with Marc Angelil from the ETH (my former professor) and is available as video and podcast over architecture radio.
Last Friday I was listening to the lecture while working but I was missing the slides, so be sure to see the video too.

-s

(to be updated)

why does it always rain on me?

why does it always rain on me?
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Rain batters Northeast for eighth straight day, says CNN. Such weather pisses me off. ;-)

back in NYC

Oh yeah, for those who haven't noticed, I'm back in the city (of New York, of course).
-s

New iMac, new Video iPod, new iApps

updated
Over Apple's iPod site:
Yes the new iPod arrived, and it does video, with a realtime decodeing of MPEG4 and H.264 with 260'000 colors. Prices like usual, the 60GB version for $399. iTunes 6 got released too, looks very sleek to me and you can choose to download from 2000 video clips and even some TV shows, for now only Disney and ABC (Lost, Desperate Housewifes). I didn't download a show yet, but $1.99 seems fair to me, comes down to what a DVD-Set would cost. Oh yeah, a new iMac is out too, with a pretty cool show (-off to your friends) function that lets you control (remotely) the iApps, nice! And iSight is built right in.

Jamie Cullum @ Irving Plaza

Yesterday I went to see the concert of JamieCullum. First I was suprised to see that much people waiting to enter, but apparently he's got even some listeners here in the States and as I have experienced later during the concert, that must have been die-hard fans. The adience was cheering frentically!
Well the concert was great, he's really an entertainer: From the first song on the audience was doing as told, singing along, clapping. Obviously his band is great too, but he could theoretically take over any instrument, as he showed us, especially during the intermezzos, in between the songs. Yesterday his new album came out and so we heard some new stuff, which is awsome btw, but he didn't dissapointed our expectations of hearing some older songs.
Pictures here!
update

Architecture Week 2005: Exhibition Reception

What to do tonight:
Tonight at the AIA Chapter New York the exhibition of the designawards 2005 will be opened with a reception.
Our firm won an Honor Award in Architecture.

The event starts at 6pm. -s


Design Awards Committee
"Description: Exhibition of award winning projects demonstrating excellence in contemporary architectural design around the world. Awards granted in three categories -- Architecture, Projects, and Interior Architecture -- chosen from hundreds of international, national, and local submissions. Competition and exhibition organized by the AIA New York Chapter Design Awards Committee."

update:
Check out some images of the event.

hmm

t'es où?
dove siete?

Toyo Ito wins Royal Gold Medal

Breaking News at BD

Zentrum Paul Klee

DSCN9949.JPG
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Last Thursday I had to go to Berne and since I was already there I went to see the new Zentrum Paul Klee, which has a 4000 piece strong collection of paintings, aquarelles, drawings and biographic material on Paul Klee. The center combined public (from the Art Museum of Berne) and private collections to the most important on Klee. The building was designed by Renzo Piano and was inaugurated this summer. The building emerges from the glacial shaped hills of the "espace mittelland" sourrounding Berne and form a structural skeleton of beams that resemble a wave or a moraine.
The detailing is as usual, or at least like at the Fondation Beyeler, which was also designed by Piano, very precise executed and stunning in it's features. He multiplied the highway and added a string of public walkway outside and one inside the building. The latter forms the "Museums Weg" (street), which is a public connection/corridor between the three main buildings. This corridor disembogues in each building into a public foyer, which host the ticketing and café area, the museum-shop, an exhibit on the building's architecture and the entrances to the exhibits and additional program, such as auditorium, archives and a research library.
The column-free space, that the skeleton creates hosts in the middle building the main exhibit, inside it's belly. The paintings and drawings are hung on cardboard walls, approximately 2.5 meters high, that orginse and break the large hall down into more intimate spaces. Cotton-fabrics hung down from above enhance the intimacy. The gaps between the beams mostly host windows, shich again are covered by fabrics to dim and disperse the light, since the Klee's work is very light sensitive and therefore need controlled lighting.
You could argue that for the latter fact it was usefull hiding the building below ground, at least parts of it, but the potentially very lighty lit exhibit space needs additionally darkening if you like. But since the exhibited works could be rearanged and the walls removed completely, the curator got an additional multifunctional room, which surely helps the museum's flexibility. The public space with the free areas have the only real façade of the building, facing towards west, and they feel generous layed out and spaced, although I got a slight feeling of a typical european trainstation because of how the façade looks like from the inside (the huge glassfront in a shape of a half-ellipse).
Overall surely a very nice addition to the museum-landscape of the city of Berne and Switzerland. Architecturally certainly interesting, although I don't agree on certain issues (the form forced certain compromises in my opinion but that's a whole other discussion).
If the buidling is worth it's 110 Mio sFr.? I suppose, otherwise it most probably wouldn't have been built. But let's not forget the collection which it hosts, is remarkable and absolutely worth a trip to Berne.
-s

back in CH

hello all,
as some may have heard, I am back in Switzerland, only for three weeks though. So I hope to catch up with as much of my friends here as possible. I'm still going through my pictures to sort them a bit, unfortunately, the camera didn't provide always a correct date, so I have to guesstimate. However, I arrived safely last Saturday and already had since two quite successfull Jass matches.
Tomorrow I have to go to the embassy and by the way, it's Berne eitherway, I'll go see the Paul Klee Zentrum. Yes, it's Renzo Piano (please forgive me P.), but hey I liked the Fondation Beyeler building, so I'm all agog with curiosity.
Switzerland hasn't changed a bit since I left in March, apart of those floodings of course and it's almost mind-boggling, after six months in such a busy and noisy borough like Manhattan, that here in my old room, it's so silent, quiet. Unbelivable, actually not, I'm just not used to it anymore.
-s

COLDPLAY in concert at Madison Square Garden, NYC!

oh man, I saw coldplay last wednesday in concert, the opening act was rather crappy, ok maybe it was just somewhat too loud to be appreciated, but then at 9.15pm the clocks stopped ticking and coldplay entered the stage: the madison square garden freaked out and people started cheering frenetically and we all were satisfied not only with x&y but the best of parachutes and a cold rush to the head. they rocked the arena! I had a great seat, but noone was sitting, the moment they entered everyone just jumped up of their seats and was standing the next two hours cheering, clapping, dancing and singing along, even p.diddy who was sitting, I mean standing 8 meters from me and gwyneth who was behind me. we had a great time. so if yiu get to buy a ticket for a show this fall/winter, just get it.

roadtrip

well, well, well, labour-day weekend is up and ahead and I am going on a small road trip up to Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts to some houses and other architecture around there. So far from me, greetings,
-s

ps1 closing

well, I have been a little absent the last weeks, my apologies for that. as you read, the last ps1-warm up will be held next weekend, I haven't seen any of them yet. the summer is about to finish, some last hot and humid days, 30 or even 40 degrees celsius were normal. I was working, mostly, but had some time seeing friends and going out. Life is great, and goot just nicer since I moved to the greenwich village, no unfortunately not permanently, only to my only too near departure in september.
what is there to say, the campuses get populated again, a new season starts soon in whatever field you might be interested.
oh its time, I have to go...
good bye and please listen to some schuman, maybe the widmung. that would describe the state of my mood. grandious evgeny kissin's play.
oh, don't miss next week the new mirrailles movie (john lecarré's the constant gardener), the novel was fantastic, the movie is expected to be the same!
-sasha

PS1 opening

DSCN9110
Originally uploaded by scisar.

The warm up hasn't been kicked of yet, but it's pavillion was inaugurated at a private party last thursday night. Almost our whole office including the boss was there and when you flip through the images, you might find some celeb-arc-rities. It was fun and exiting to attend such a party.
-S

Go Yankees!

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Originally uploaded by scisar.

Yesterday night I went to see a Yankees vs. Mets game in the Bronx. It was very entertaining and the Yanks won in the last Inning and with the last Batter Giambia. It was really fun, and I think I got at at least the basics of the game. The stadium was filled with roughly 55'000 people, very exiting.
-S

Big Sur

DSCN8981
Originally uploaded by scisar.

Xefirotarch's MoMA/P.S.1 Pavillion for the courtyard, currently under construction - until this weekend.
More pictures here.

PS.1's warm up 2005 and Xefirotarch

Everyone who is familiar with the Term PS.1, knows what awaits us in Queens very summer. For all others here a small explanation:
The PS.1 an Art Museum with contemporary collection of young and aspireing artis of the New York area, is loosly affiliated with the MOMA, hence the additional name 'MOMA Queens'. Every Spring there is an architectural competition issued, with invited architects only - of course - to design a pavillion for the summer events in the museums courtyard.
These pavillions attract always a quite fair amount of young people, but maybe it's also because of those summer events, that are called 'warm up'.
The pavillion for this years' warm-up, was designed by Hernan Diaz-Alonso, nd his office Xefirotarch. Hernan used to work for Peter Eisenman, and therefore is visits the office from time to time.
Yesterday I was in Queens to take a look at the construction of his pavillion structure, which has a very special form, or shape and was manly created using MAYA, at least I suppose so. we had a little chat with Hernan, and he thinks the structure comes quite near to the renderings and they are on schedule, because the have to finish construction this sunday, for the private party next week. The first public event, or rave with dj's will kick off the warm up 2005, on July 2.
I'll post the images later this afternoon on my flickr page.

Here some additional reading of Hernan's project:
1 LA Times
2 Metropolis Interview

I'm sane but overwhelmed

The concert tonight was just great. First Jason Mraz rocked away with his barebone acoustic setup, constisting of a guitar and bongos. The songs are very good crafted and the lyrics are stunning. Now every geek can claim a song his/her own.
About an hour later, Alanis came and she was just amazing. Maybe a slice calmer than she used to be, but her voice hasn't lost any intensity and easily fills the radio city. After only two songs the audience was singing along with full strength. Thankfully she didn't only play from her debut "jagged little pill", it was more sort a "best of" all her albums. The audience cheered accordingly.
This was the beginning of her tour and I'm glad that I was able to experience it, along with a crowd of 6000.
Rock on!
-S

Louis "band-aid" Hall

hello Switzerland, today I'd like to introduce you all to Louis Hall. He is a friend of mine and we work at the same office (EA). Apart of being a student of Architecture, an unpaid intern he also is a musician, a singer songwriter I might say. Infact a fairly good one. About two weeks ago, I was at his first feature appearance in a music bar in the Lower East Side. His genre would be folk, rock and despite being maybe a little bit sceptic before, I was blown away afterwards. Absolutely great songs, Bravo! I'm still waiting to get the record of that show, so if anyone knows someone of a Label or the big five, let him know. In the meantime check out his three songs at that link above.
Peace out.
-S

jagged little pill acoustic, second take

More or less to the day, ten years ago Alanis Morissette released her Album Jagged little Pill. For this reason she starts an acoustic tour with the songs from that album, starting tomorrow in the Radio City Music Hall. I managed to get a ticket for this concert so I'm very excited and really looking forward to it. Jason Mraz, who got a awesome critique in the NZZ am Sonntag, will serve as opener!
Pictures will follow.
So far
-S

famous ppl

Well yesterday was interesting, when I arrived at the office, guess who was there...Bruce Mau! Ain't that cool?
However, while chatting with friends on the way home, just at 6th Ave, Gabriel Byrne walked by.
So far.

-S

The Rise of Darth Vader

I just returned from the Loews at 66th Street, where I watched Episode III. The crowd in the cinema cheered as it started and I have to say it was great. Better than expected, recalling my bad feelings about Episode II, but the Saga is complete and it got completed well, thanks George.
May the force be with you.

Log & Volume

The new Log was just released with Bob Somol and Sarah Withing as Guest Editors.
Interesting so far (just got it this afternoon).

I also had a chance to flick through a copy of Volume, the AMO/GSAPP, Koolhaas/Wigley, magazine. It is a bit Content-like, but I can't tell any further, 'cause I need to go through the articles first.

-S

dialog

Peter was at the ETH last Saturday, any witnesses? How was it?
I heard rumors that it was packed.
-S

Holocaust Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe

The Holocaust Memorial was officially opened with a ceremony today, tuesday May 10. We saw the life broadcast it earlier this day in the office and were very exited about it. I am still trying to get ahold of a taping, that I could then somehow put on this site, we'll see about that. Of course we saw Peter talking, and I must admit, we were very moved by the ceremony, which had a very appropriate ending with recitals of Mendelssons work and a Kadish.
Thank you to those pointing out newscasts and links about the ceremony to me, thanks Nik.
I'm still working through the plethora of articles that popped all over the net and newspapers (some of them copied Reuters' mistake of naming Serra peter instead of Richard) for an overall view of opinions about the memorial.

EA and the Times

In the today's issue of the New York Times there is a quite big and interesting review of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe that Mr. Eisenman and his office designed.

P.S.: Since this story is all over Germany currently, I will try to make an overview of interesting Articles and Interviews concerning this week's opening of the Memorial.
That is indeed a special week for our office.

update
An article by the Guardian and a collection of articles from Die Zeit with a wonderfull reading of the Mahnmal by Giorgio Agamben a Italian Philosopher.

Admin's Notice

Coverage of the blog's topic continues as of today.
Apologies for the downtime, but due to technical problems I was unable to transfer pictures between the camera and the computer.
Greetings

S-

proof of life

Hi y'all, long time no see, right?
Well, I have to apologize for not having been posting since my return of D.C., but as you might have guessed, I've been pretty busy at the office. Actually everything is just great and I'm having lots of fun, I just returned from the niki (NYC(i))-nightlife at 3am and I'm going back to D.C. at 6am. You get the picture ;-)
I'll continue posting regularly on Monday and you'll also get a wrap up of what happened in the past three weeks, a'ight?
Greetings from Morningside Heights,
-S

P.S.: I almost forgot, SINCITY is just an awesome movie, go watch it when it starts in CH...and have you seen these PSP's?
Gotta get some sleep now, cya'round.