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Old Structures...
A For Effort I’ve shown a few old train stations with curved steel in their canopies. The picture above, taken...
a year ago
8
a year ago
I’ve shown a few old train stations with curved steel in their canopies. The picture above, taken yesterday at the Peekskill station on the MTA Hudson Line – AKA, a local station on the former main line of the New York Central – shows a modern version. I’m not sure when this...
Old Structures...
Sort-Of Round This is the 3333rd blog post published on the Old Structures web site. People are attracted to round...
6 months ago
36
6 months ago
This is the 3333rd blog post published on the Old Structures web site. People are attracted to round numbers, and I could just as easily have waited for the 4000th post to say something, but I like the “third of ten-thousand” aspect of the current number. Some housekeeping: some...
99% Invisible
De Fiets is Niets [EPISODE] Today the Netherlands has a reputation as a kind of bicycling paradise. Dutch people own more...
a year ago
51
a year ago
Today the Netherlands has a reputation as a kind of bicycling paradise. Dutch people own more bicycles per capita than any other place in the world. The country has more than 20,000 miles of dedicated cycling paths. International policymakers make pilgrimages to the Netherlands...
Common Edge
From Venice to Detroit: Laboratories of the Future, Reconsidered Optimism and action trump didactic scolding every time.
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Curvy Concrete Cube With Cut Outs For Windows Is The Form Of This New Home Cadence Architects has sent us photos of a new modern home they completed in Krishnagiri, India,...
3 months ago
41
3 months ago
Cadence Architects has sent us photos of a new modern home they completed in Krishnagiri, India, that features a cube design with cut-outs. The K-Home, located in a busy residential neighborhood, has strategically scooped-out segments that create dynamic openings that frame the...
CONTEMPORIST
A Contemporary Gable Roof Runs The Length Of This Home Architecture firm JURY!, has shared photos of a renovation project they completed for a home in...
5 months ago
50
5 months ago
Architecture firm JURY!, has shared photos of a renovation project they completed for a home in Maasland, The Netherlands, that enhanced an existing dike house with a modern barn-inspired design. The original dike house includes a basement partially built into the dike, which is...
The Modern House
The low-key, light-infused renewal of a long-neglected Victorian cottage in Walthamstow
10 months ago
Old Structures...
Sequencing In Detailing That’s an illustration from a 1913 article called “Engineering Design Of The Woolworth Building”...
10 months ago
22
10 months ago
That’s an illustration from a 1913 article called “Engineering Design Of The Woolworth Building” from The American Architect. That’s the design of the most heavily-loaded columns in the building, below the tower. To put it in perspective, that built-up column, composed of plates...
Old Structures...
Tiny and Cute, But Purposeful This is the lighthouse at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island. The island is two miles long and a...
6 months ago
51
6 months ago
This is the lighthouse at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island. The island is two miles long and a tenth of a mile wide, cutting the East River into two roughly-equal half-channels. That alone makes the need for lighthouses at its tip reasonably clear, but the conditions are...
Contemporist...
A Home Filled With Rustic Italian Charm Was The Client's Request For This Renovation Architecture and interior design studio Bradley VanDerStraeten has shared photos of a Victorian...
a year ago
20
a year ago
Architecture and interior design studio Bradley VanDerStraeten has shared photos of a Victorian terrace house renovation in London, England, that was designed with Italian charm, and centered around a sociable kitchen and its pantry.
CONTEMPORIST
A Cluster Of Shingle-Clad Buildings Create An Island Cottage Experience For These Owners Akb Architects has shared photos of a cottage they designed that comprises a cluster of buildings,...
4 months ago
36
4 months ago
Akb Architects has shared photos of a cottage they designed that comprises a cluster of buildings, each scaled proportionately to the island’s one-acre size. Located three hours north of Toronto, Canada, the cottage includes four pitch-roofed structures, harmoniously clad in...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: A Project Tony Stark and Emma Frost – currently in a sham marriage – take a stroll: Bridge 28 in Central Park...
5 months ago
23
5 months ago
Tony Stark and Emma Frost – currently in a sham marriage – take a stroll: Bridge 28 in Central Park – currently in restoration – where we’re working: If you don’t see it, look at the iron handrail.
Common Edge
What’s to Become of the Mess That Is Penn Station? A talk with architecture critic Justin Davidson about the thorny knot of issues involved at New...
a year ago
95
a year ago
A talk with architecture critic Justin Davidson about the thorny knot of issues involved at New York’s most conflicted transportation-entertainment site.
CONTEMPORIST
Planter Boxes Were Designed To Help This House To Blend Into Its Tropical Setting Architecture firm Studio Saxe has designed a new home for their clients from Canada, who were...
a year ago
41
a year ago
Architecture firm Studio Saxe has designed a new home for their clients from Canada, who were looking to get away from the winter season and enjoy the tropical weather of Costa Rica. The home is surrounded by a tropical landscape, with the seasonal creek and wildlife of the...
Old Structures...
Some Same, Some Different In the same vein as yesterday’s post, here’s an 1865 photo of Leonard Street: We’ve got a bunch of...
11 months ago
12
11 months ago
In the same vein as yesterday’s post, here’s an 1865 photo of Leonard Street: We’ve got a bunch of loft buildings with the employees of Van Volkenburgh Brothers and Ladewig & Haydter (the nearer building), Wright & Ketchum and S. E. Halle (the middle building), and two firms...
CONTEMPORIST
Weathered Steel Covers The Exterior Of This Modern Home In Texas Photography by Casey Dunn Miró Rivera Architects has shared photos of a home they completed in...
6 months ago
39
6 months ago
Photography by Casey Dunn Miró Rivera Architects has shared photos of a home they completed in Austin, Texas, which overlooks a sweeping lawn shaded by towering native pecan and bald cypress trees. Photography by Casey Dunn The house is comprised of two wings flanking a central...
99% Invisible
Courtroom Sketch [EPISODE] Earlier this year, the city of New York closed off several blocks around the Manhattan Criminal...
a year ago
74
a year ago
Earlier this year, the city of New York closed off several blocks around the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse. Instead of early morning commuters, the sidewalks around the building were flooded with reporters, photographers, and camera people. They were there to capture the...
Old Structures...
A Change For Economy The 1868 lithograph above shows the building that would soon after become known as the Tweed...
a year ago
8
a year ago
The 1868 lithograph above shows the building that would soon after become known as the Tweed Courthouse. The Tweed Ring stole millions of dollars in the construction of the building, which is what it’s most often remembered for, rather than its architecture. The building was...
Construction Physics
How I Write Posts I sometimes get asked what my process is for researching and writing Substack posts. I always enjoy...
10 months ago
49
10 months ago
I sometimes get asked what my process is for researching and writing Substack posts. I always enjoy reading other people’s discussions of their writing process, so I thought it would be worthwhile to explain mine. First, some background. In school I was a competent but...
The Modern House
A fossil-shaped eco home in the rolling countryside of Devon
a year ago
The Modern House
Take a Dip: London’s best swimming spots – from lakes to lidos
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
This Kitchen Island Was Designed With Built-In Seating C. Kairouz Architects has shared photos of a renovation and extension project they designed for a...
a year ago
26
a year ago
C. Kairouz Architects has shared photos of a renovation and extension project they designed for a home in Melbourne, Australia. One of the design details in the new extension is the kitchen island that doubles as seating for the dining area. The design of the kitchen island has a...
Contemporist...
This Sculptural Home Is Full Of Curves And Surrounded By Landscaping Niko Architect has shared photos of a sculptural home with curves they designed that's been built...
9 months ago
19
9 months ago
Niko Architect has shared photos of a sculptural home with curves they designed that's been built into an artificially created landscape.
Old Structures...
Land Engineering This map shows the proposed street layout in Manhattan from the original northern boundary at 155th...
12 months ago
6
12 months ago
This map shows the proposed street layout in Manhattan from the original northern boundary at 155th Street (on the left, where the blocks are shown as featureless white rectangles) to the northern tip of the island (on the right). I mentioned two days ago that the street layout...
Common Edge
The Time-Defying Nature of Living Architectural Traditions Mere repetition is lifeless, a focus on design exploration creates nothing lasting, but living...
8 months ago
Old Structures...
Close To Home From Angelo Rizzuto in 1950, “Broad Street.” It doesn’t instantly look familiar because we’re all...
7 months ago
33
7 months ago
From Angelo Rizzuto in 1950, “Broad Street.” It doesn’t instantly look familiar because we’re all used to seeing the north end of Broad Street, where the Stock Exchange and Federal Hall are, or views looking up the street to the north. This is the sound end of Broad, as it runs...
Construction Physics
How to Build an AI Data Center This piece is the first in a new series from the Institute for Progress (IFP), called Compute in...
6 months ago
55
6 months ago
This piece is the first in a new series from the Institute for Progress (IFP), called Compute in America: Building the Next Generation of AI Infrastructure at Home. In this series, we examine the challenges of accelerating the American AI data center buildout. Future pieces will...
Contemporist...
This Wood Watchtower Is Also A Home For Bats NEXT Architects has shared photos of Watchtower Einderheide, a lookout in The Netherlands, that also...
2 months ago
30
2 months ago
NEXT Architects has shared photos of Watchtower Einderheide, a lookout in The Netherlands, that also doubles as a shelter for bats.
The Modern House
Our guide to Kentish Town: Technicolour townhouses, natural wine and nature in north London
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Stone Snakes Around The Curved Exterior Of This Modern Home Adrian James Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they completed in Oxfordshire,...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Adrian James Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they completed in Oxfordshire, England, that has a sculptural form which sprouts organically from its hillside setting. The home’s design is inspired by the crinkle-crankle Cotswold stone wall, with ribbons of cast...
Old Structures...
A Few Changes That map is from 1879 and it feels not quite right, like an alternate-history version of New York....
11 months ago
12
11 months ago
That map is from 1879 and it feels not quite right, like an alternate-history version of New York. The Upper West Side is referred to as the West End, Twelfth Avenue is shown along with Riverside Drive, and Columbia’s Campus at Broadway and 116th Street is shown as a park with a...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Minimal Observation How much can you determine about a building in a minute or two? The short answer is “not much” but...
9 months ago
20
9 months ago
How much can you determine about a building in a minute or two? The short answer is “not much” but sometimes you can get useful information about the structure from the street. It’s certainly easier if you know the history of the area – I am far more efficient at building...
The Modern House
Five things to do and see this August August has arrived – and come rain or shine we’ve plenty on the agenda this month. From an Italian...
a year ago
8
a year ago
August has arrived – and come rain or shine we’ve plenty on the agenda this month. From an Italian menu that will transport you to the Mediterranean coast to an exhibition celebrating contemporary African photography, here are five shows, suppers and soirees not to be […]
Old Structures...
Part Of A Wave I’m speaking today at the “Office To Residential Summit” a two-day conference on the various...
6 months ago
38
6 months ago
I’m speaking today at the “Office To Residential Summit” a two-day conference on the various architectural, legal, engineering, and logistics aspects of converting office buildings (of which there are currently more than needed) to apartments (not so much). My talk is about some...
Contemporist...
A Monochromatic Interior Sets The Vibe Inside This Retail Store Design firm Studiomateriality, has shared photos of a retail store they designed in Athina, Greece,...
9 months ago
19
9 months ago
Design firm Studiomateriality, has shared photos of a retail store they designed in Athina, Greece, that has a monochromatic interior to catch the eye of people walking past.
Cartogrammar
Seasonal relief Just a map for fun, made without writing any code, which is a nice change of pace. I finally spent a...
over a year ago
3
over a year ago
Just a map for fun, made without writing any code, which is a nice change of pace. I finally spent a bit of time catching up with the great Daniel Huffman’s excellent tutorial on creating shaded relief maps with Blender. Do try it out if you haven’t; he’s written it up thoroughly...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: A Busy Intersection Daredevil battles Stiltman – possibly the most ridiculous villain Marvel has invented – at the...
3 months ago
19
3 months ago
Daredevil battles Stiltman – possibly the most ridiculous villain Marvel has invented – at the corner of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, with the Chrysler Building on the left and the Socony-Mobil Building on the right. Also, per the Landmarks Preservation Commission:
devonzuegel.com
The Hard Parts of Open Source, by Evan Czaplicki Speaker: Evan Czaplicki Meeting: Strange Loop 2018 - September 2018 Video:...
over a year ago
9
over a year ago
Speaker: Evan Czaplicki Meeting: Strange Loop 2018 - September 2018 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_4EX4dPppA Slides: https://prezi.com/oowcpzsnwp-8/the-hard-parts-of-open-source/?webgl=0 [ References to videos, books, and articles mentioned in this...
CONTEMPORIST
A’ Design Awards & Competition – Call for Submissions This article has been brought to you by A’ Design Award and Competition. A’ Design Award &...
a year ago
4
a year ago
This article has been brought to you by A’ Design Award and Competition. A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts around the world, and showcasing thousands of award winners from 139 different design disciplines. Line Series...
The Modern House
Carefully composed: the bright reimagining of a Victorian garden apartment
2 months ago
Archinect - Features
A Conversation with SCI-Arc's Undergraduate Chairs Kristy Balliet and Marcelyn Gow Archinect's Dean's List series allows us to connect with architecture's academic leaders (deans and...
12 months ago
51
12 months ago
Archinect's Dean's List series allows us to connect with architecture's academic leaders (deans and chairs) to learn more about their pedagogical stances, academic perspectives, and what they envision for the school during their tenure.  SCI-Arc is an institution known for its...
Construction Physics
Building the Bell System If someone was making a list of the most important American companies today, it’s unlikely AT&T...
5 months ago
54
5 months ago
If someone was making a list of the most important American companies today, it’s unlikely AT&T would be anywhere near the top. It’s large, but not notably so: it came in 32nd in the 2024 Fortune 500 ranking, just above Comcast and below Verizon. Its offerings are not unique:...
Old Structures...
Time Is Relative From 1949, “Manhattan from a Hudson River ferry.” The piers in the foreground are where the Battery...
5 months ago
35
5 months ago
From 1949, “Manhattan from a Hudson River ferry.” The piers in the foreground are where the Battery Park City landfill would be made circa 1970. From the left, the peaks are the New York Telephone building at 140 West Street, the Woolworth Building, 225 Broadway, AT&T at 195...
The Solarchitecture...
Follow up to circadian rhythm post Let's use the tools that Substack gave us!
over a year ago
Blog - Guerrilla...
Blocking Sediment Migration Blocking Sediment Migration from Colorado River Basin to Gulf of California I didn’t intend to map...
over a year ago
55
over a year ago
Blocking Sediment Migration from Colorado River Basin to Gulf of California I didn’t intend to map human migration for the Atlas in a Day project. My plans for a map of the migration of sediment in rivers raised some eyebrows at home, mostly wondering how the subject would fit in...
Old Structures...
That Certain Something About a dozen years ago, the Republic of Tanzania bought this building on East 53rd Street to serve...
a year ago
8
a year ago
About a dozen years ago, the Republic of Tanzania bought this building on East 53rd Street to serve as, among other things, the Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the United Nations. Looking at the building I felt sure that it was constructed before 1900 and that it was industrial...
CONTEMPORIST
Wood Covers The Interior And Exterior Of This Modern Canadian Cottage Akb Architects has designed a modern cottage in Canada that’s clad in rough-sawn cedar boards and...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Akb Architects has designed a modern cottage in Canada that’s clad in rough-sawn cedar boards and western red cedar shakes. The residence is hidden among trees with carefully sited openings providing views of a freshwater lake. Each volume is nested above and within the existing...
CONTEMPORIST
A Weathered Corrugated Metal Exterior Protects This Home On A Ranch Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects has shared photos of a home they completed on 20 acres of...
a month ago
30
a month ago
Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects has shared photos of a home they completed on 20 acres of working ranch property. The house layout consists of two roughly equivalent rectangular volumes. One accommodates a couple’s day to day life with kitchen/living/dining spaces and a...
The Solarchitecture...
Create homes that are havens for health and vitality Life is too short to spend it in bad buildings.
a year ago
Old Structures...
Notre Dame, Again In April 2019, it was not clear what would happen. Given the importance of the cathedral to the city...
a week ago
21
a week ago
In April 2019, it was not clear what would happen. Given the importance of the cathedral to the city of Paris, the nation of France, and the cultural heritage of Europe, it was clear that it would be rebuilt after the fire, but in what form and on what schedule were open...
Old Structures...
Metaphorical Significant Figures Continuing a bit further with yesterday’s line of thinking…what happens if we use the wrong code?...
6 months ago
52
6 months ago
Continuing a bit further with yesterday’s line of thinking…what happens if we use the wrong code? (I’m going to say now, at the beginning of this post, and I’ll repeat at the end: we can and should use the current codes. I use current codes in analysis and design; I use old codes...
Old Structures...
A Thomas Nast Holiday – 2 of 3 Santa looks a bit like Horace Greeley in this one.
12 months ago
McMansion Hell
mojo dojo casa house Howdy folks! Sorry for the delay, I was, uhhhh covering the Tour de France. Anyway, I’m back in...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Howdy folks! Sorry for the delay, I was, uhhhh covering the Tour de France. Anyway, I’m back in Chicago which means this blog has returned to the Chicago suburbs. I’m sure you’ve all seen Barbie at this point so this 2019 not-so-dream house will come as a pleasant (?)...
Old Structures...
An Original Or An Imitation Of An Imitation The Leonard Street facade of 249 Church Street: For this discussion, ignore the stone ground-floor...
6 months ago
39
6 months ago
The Leonard Street facade of 249 Church Street: For this discussion, ignore the stone ground-floor storefront, which was a 1920s alteration of this 1867 loft building, probably replacing cast iron columns and lintels. The rest of the facade is, per the Landmarks designation...
The Modern House
Designer and creative director Walé Adeyemi MBE on the London locations that have shaped his life,...
a month ago
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Unmistakable The Shadow returns home: R.M.S Olympic at sea: (It is surprisingly difficult to find a good view of...
6 months ago
21
6 months ago
The Shadow returns home: R.M.S Olympic at sea: (It is surprisingly difficult to find a good view of the ship from the rear. The front three-quarter view is the dramatic cutting-through-the-waves view, as well as being somehow less creepy.) Given how similar Olympic was to...
Old Structures...
Advertising Art From 1922, preserved in a scrapbook at the New York Public Library, a romantic view of the Bankers...
2 months ago
31
2 months ago
From 1922, preserved in a scrapbook at the New York Public Library, a romantic view of the Bankers Trust Building at Wall and Nassau Streets. (The angle is a little funny – see below.) I cropped the image – at the lower right there was a little extension: This could be a...
The Modern House
Architect Sophie Hicks on life in her hidden concrete haven in Kensington
a year ago
Old Structures...
A Blast From The Past, In The Past My mental image of hand-drawn, colored engineering renderings is that they were a nineteenth-century...
11 months ago
9
11 months ago
My mental image of hand-drawn, colored engineering renderings is that they were a nineteenth-century phenomenon. These drawings prove me wrong: they’re a 1922 description of the lower-Manhattan tunnel under the Hudson River, then in the early stages of construction. The second...
Blog - Guerrilla...
How Guerrilla Cartography’s Atlases Promote Diverse Perspectives Guerrilla Cartography aims to promote the understanding that there are many views of the world, that...
a year ago
41
a year ago
Guerrilla Cartography aims to promote the understanding that there are many views of the world, that how we understand space and place can vary, and that we should think critically about the maps and the graphics we make and consume. Our organization has designed processes for...
Contemporist...
These Home Owners Wanted An Office And A Yoga Studio Behind Their Existing Home Office of Ordinary Architecture has shared photos of two backyard getaways they designed for a home...
2 months ago
34
2 months ago
Office of Ordinary Architecture has shared photos of two backyard getaways they designed for a home in Seattle, Washington, that created space for a yoga studio and an office.
Old Structures...
Best Commute Ever The conference I am currently attending is at ETH, the famous engineering school in Zurich. My hotel...
5 months ago
31
5 months ago
The conference I am currently attending is at ETH, the famous engineering school in Zurich. My hotel is not far away in a two-dimensional sense. I picked it some months ago by looking at a map and thinking that it was a short walk from campus. It’s a short flight to campus if...
Old Structures...
Familiar Yet Not I’ve been playing around with 1940s.nyc. That site is a really nice front-end interface for the...
5 months ago
51
5 months ago
I’ve been playing around with 1940s.nyc. That site is a really nice front-end interface for the 1940s tax photos of every building in the city that can be found with a much less nice interface at the city archive website. My way of testing a site like this is to look at locations...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Courthouses Galore Foley Square, northeast of City Hall Park, has a collection of very large courthouses. Here’s Matt...
3 months ago
33
3 months ago
Foley Square, northeast of City Hall Park, has a collection of very large courthouses. Here’s Matt Murdoch, otherwise known as Daredevil, on the steps of a courthouse having just finished a case: Here’s a view looking north with the New York State Supreme Court and its large...
The Modern House
How boutique hotels and the Balearic Islands came to inspire this craft-led Hackney home
a year ago
Old Structures...
Raking Sunlight Pro tip, as computer manuals said back when (a) everyone was not yet comfortable using a computer...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Pro tip, as computer manuals said back when (a) everyone was not yet comfortable using a computer and (b) computer manuals still existed: environmental conditions can help in building investigation. For example, I like conducting facade inspections on very cold days because you...
Common Edge
Urban Farming: A Sustainable Pathway Out of Nigeria’s Unfolding Food Crisis Havana, Tokyo, and Paris offer successful examples of how it might work.
5 months ago
Blog - Guerrilla...
Vermont's Great Retreat To begin the process of creating this map, I asked questions. Devoured books. Consumed articles....
over a year ago
22
over a year ago
To begin the process of creating this map, I asked questions. Devoured books. Consumed articles. Talked to historians and librarians. And read maps. Lots of maps. As I did, I wondered if there was something in the landscape, the communities, the culture that made Vermont...
Contemporist...
A' Design Awards & Competition - Call for Entries A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts...
10 months ago
9
10 months ago
A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts around the world, and showcasing 18,000 award winners from 139 different design disciplines.
CONTEMPORIST
A White Concrete Exterior Protects This Seaside Mediterranean House Ramón Esteve Estudio has shared images of a new home they designed in an urbanized area of a small...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
Ramón Esteve Estudio has shared images of a new home they designed in an urbanized area of a small seaside town in Valencia, Spain. The house has a white concrete envelope that generates a large protective shell for a harmonious and delicate interior. Large overhangs and a system...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: An Alternate Past Comic books are essentially a fantasy medium, which makes it easy for the writers to create...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Comic books are essentially a fantasy medium, which makes it easy for the writers to create alternate pasts and futures. Above, a panel from “Gotham By Gaslight” in which a nineteenth-century version of Batman searches for Jack the Ripper. Note the building in the center...
The Modern House
Good Fortune: the best Chinese restaurants in London
a year ago
Old Structures...
Not Quite Changing First, “Facade, 317 Broadway” from Berenice Abbott’s “Changing New York Project”, taken in 1936....
10 months ago
17
10 months ago
First, “Facade, 317 Broadway” from Berenice Abbott’s “Changing New York Project”, taken in 1936. Second, a street view photo of 319 Broadway, today. 317 Broadway is at the southwest corner of Thomas Street and Broadway; 319 at the northwest corner. So unless this building moved...
Old Structures...
The Story Can Be Oversimplified The title of this blog post is true of a lot of narrative history. Simple stories are more effective...
11 months ago
11
11 months ago
The title of this blog post is true of a lot of narrative history. Simple stories are more effective on an emotional level, and are easier to tell. So we often tell them. For example, Wikipedia (my go-to source for oversimplified explanations) states that the 1916 New York zoning...
Blog - Guerrilla...
Bangalore's Disappearing Lakes In an area of pronounced water scarcity high on the Deccan plateau, at an altitude removed from...
over a year ago
15
over a year ago
In an area of pronounced water scarcity high on the Deccan plateau, at an altitude removed from river-water and of water extraction from the ground, despite being historically nourished by monsoons, Bangalore's current population faces deep inequities of access to water which are...
Common Edge
Notre Dame Cathedral and the Rebirth of Artisanship The miraculous rebuild was enabled by the century-old French system of trade guilds and education.
5 days ago
Contemporist...
Rough And Rugged Materials Are Combined With Modern Forms On This Home Arno Schuurs and Paulien van Noort of design-build firm GetAway Projects BV, has shared photos of a...
10 months ago
12
10 months ago
Arno Schuurs and Paulien van Noort of design-build firm GetAway Projects BV, has shared photos of a new home they designed in Gorssel, The Netherlands.
CONTEMPORIST
The Neutral Palette Of This Home’s Interior Evokes The Tranquility Of A Spa Developer Comma Projects, together with interior designer Kate Richards and building designer Jayson...
9 months ago
26
9 months ago
Developer Comma Projects, together with interior designer Kate Richards and building designer Jayson Pate Design, has completed a duplex in Queensland, Australia, with a distinctly neutral interior. Let’s take a look inside one of the villas where the design objective was to...
CONTEMPORIST
Creative Patterned Designs Cover The Facade Of This Brick House Manoj Patel Design Studio has shared photos of a home they’ve completed in Vadodara, India, that...
a year ago
41
a year ago
Manoj Patel Design Studio has shared photos of a home they’ve completed in Vadodara, India, that includes unique brick designs on its facade. Located in the middle of an urban area, the eye-catching facade showcases a brick accent section that has a variety of artistic patterns....
CONTEMPORIST
Distillery-Inspired Materials Are Featured Throughout The Interior Of This Gin Bar Architecture and experimentation office Grizzo Studio together with Rocio Martinez Serra, has sent...
11 months ago
31
11 months ago
Architecture and experimentation office Grizzo Studio together with Rocio Martinez Serra, has sent us photos of the Moretti Gin Bar that they have recently completed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The design of the bar incorporates elements that have been inspired by the gin...
Old Structures...
Peeking Ahead The picture above – an aquatint according to the New York Public Library – was created in 1834, and...
a year ago
10
a year ago
The picture above – an aquatint according to the New York Public Library – was created in 1834, and shows an active urban setting, with families, men talking business or politics, carriages, and dogs. If you didn’t know the date you’d probably guess the nineteenth century; if you...
Old Structures...
On The Spectrum Between Solid and Hole For study, two photos of the elevated structure supporting the 2 and 5 trains in the Bronx. This...
11 months ago
7
11 months ago
For study, two photos of the elevated structure supporting the 2 and 5 trains in the Bronx. This piece of the subway system has a slightly odd history. The portion south of and up to 180th Street, at the south end of Bronx Park, was planned as part of the original IRT subway, but...
99% Invisible
Devolutionary Design [EPISODE] It’s hard to overstate just how important record album art was to music in the days before people...
a year ago
25
a year ago
It’s hard to overstate just how important record album art was to music in the days before people downloaded everything. Visuals were a key part of one’s experience with a record or tape or CD. The design of the album cover created a first impression of what was to come. Album...
Archinect - Features
Freelancing and Architecture: A Complicated Relationship For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition,...
7 months ago
35
7 months ago
For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition, little more than placeholder labels as one moved between secure, salaried positions. However, the past decade has seen a notable increase in skilled workers and professionals becoming...
Old Structures...
More Blatant Fakery First, a 1908 postcard, issued when the Singer Building was brand new: Second, a photo from about...
10 months ago
12
10 months ago
First, a 1908 postcard, issued when the Singer Building was brand new: Second, a photo from about the same time: It’s standard practice in New York real-estate glamor pictures to pretend that the buildings between you and the subject don’t exist. Narrow streets and big buildings...
SOCKS
Constructing Knowledge through Geometry: Ramon Llull’s Figures in Ars Magna, 1305 Catalan polymath, Ramon Llull was the first person to conceive a device able to externalise the...
over a year ago
16
over a year ago
Catalan polymath, Ramon Llull was the first person to conceive a device able to externalise the human mind. In his seminal opus, the Ars Magna, Llull conceived a series of figures that could replicate the mental ability to connect information in order to acquire knowledge. Thanks...
devonzuegel.com
The unconference toolbox by Jason Benn & Devon Zuegel So, you’ve been invited to an unconference! Maybe you’re not entirely...
a year ago
10
a year ago
by Jason Benn & Devon Zuegel So, you’ve been invited to an unconference! Maybe you’re not entirely sure what that means (did the organizers misspell "conference"?), or maybe you’ve been to dozens of these before and you’re looking for some ideas for how to run an awesome...
The Modern House
MRTN Architects’ garden studios in Melbourne are a place to work – or not to work
8 months ago
Old Structures...
A Different Definition of Speed I’ve mentioned the “Speedway” a few times in passing. It was a pleasure drive along the Harlem...
2 months ago
29
2 months ago
I’ve mentioned the “Speedway” a few times in passing. It was a pleasure drive along the Harlem River, meant to provide a place for people with horses and horse carriages – i.e., the upper middle class and the wealthy – to have fun. There was nothing inherently terrible about...
The Modern House
A beloved mid-century home built for a lifetime of colour and creation by two architects
7 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
An Observation Tower That Looks Like Twisted Wood Rises Above The Swedish Landscape White Arkitekter has shared photos of Observation Tower Kärven on the Swedish west coast, which they...
3 months ago
31
3 months ago
White Arkitekter has shared photos of Observation Tower Kärven on the Swedish west coast, which they completed after winning Varberg Municipality’s architectural competition. Recently opened, the tower in Getterön nature reserve north of Varberg, measures 39 feet (12m) high and...
Common Edge
Making the Case for Sustainable Housing: It’s Time for a New Argument How to undo the tension between affordability and sustainability.
a year ago
A Weekly Dose of...
2023 in Architecture Books, So Far Life, they say, throws you curve balls, and that's just what happened last month, when a family...
a year ago
27
a year ago
Life, they say, throws you curve balls, and that's just what happened last month, when a family emergency had me put this blog on hiatus. This post, appearing on a Friday instead of its regular Monday, does not mean regular weekly posts will resume, as I'll be dealing with said...
SOCKS
Database, Network, Interface : The Architecture of Information. An exhibition at Archizoom (EPFL),... We are pleased to announce that we are curating an exhibition that will open in September at the...
over a year ago
12
over a year ago
We are pleased to announce that we are curating an exhibition that will open in September at the Archizoom Gallery (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland.  In an age characterised by the increasing dematerialisation of cultural production and transmission, Database, Network, Interface...
Old Structures...
Not Saved I vaguely know Fort Tilden – a former army base near the west end of the Rockaway peninsula – but...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
I vaguely know Fort Tilden – a former army base near the west end of the Rockaway peninsula – but its remote location and the lack of anything there that really interests me mean that I don’t know it particularly well. So the headline “Time to pay last respects to the abandoned...
Archinect - Features
How Architectural Licensure Helps and Hurts the Profession Our Archinect In-Depth: Licensure series concludes with a look back on a four-month journey through...
3 months ago
42
3 months ago
Our Archinect In-Depth: Licensure series concludes with a look back on a four-month journey through the U.S. architectural licensure system. Reflecting on the challenges and opportunities in the current system highlighted by readers and commentators, we offer final thoughts on...
Common Edge
Architects Must Address the Issue of Toxic Building Materials Ending the cycle of pollution within our buildings benefits worker health, community health, and...
a year ago
99% Invisible
The Price is Wrong [EPISODE] Insurance companies are not climate activists, but they know more about climate risk than just about...
3 months ago
41
3 months ago
Insurance companies are not climate activists, but they know more about climate risk than just about anyone. And as storms get more extreme and unpredictable a lot of insurers are running the numbers on Florida and realizing that the math just isn’t working anymore. For decades,...
The Architectural...
Architect Releases Academic Dissertation That Questions Architects’ Taste Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new...
8 months ago
19
8 months ago
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new houses made in a traditional style. But this is exactly what the average person appreciates. “Why do many architects dislike the very thing that residents often enjoy?” asks architect...
Construction Physics
Airport Reading List The major sources I found helpful for learning about airports and their construction are listed...
9 months ago
51
9 months ago
The major sources I found helpful for learning about airports and their construction are listed below. As usual, these are listed roughly in order of how useful I found them. And because “useful” isn’t the same as “actually interesting to read” I’ve marked the books that are...
CONTEMPORIST
A Large Green Roof Covers This Riverside Home Architect Pawel Naduk of 77STUDIO in Warsaw, Poland, has designed a modern house with a green roof...
a year ago
26
a year ago
Architect Pawel Naduk of 77STUDIO in Warsaw, Poland, has designed a modern house with a green roof that’s located on the bank of the Vistula River. The home has been designed to subtly integrate into the natural shape of the land and allows for a usable green roof. A sloped ramp...
The Modern House
A handsome mid-century house designed by a Hepworth in Glastonbury
a year ago
The Modern House
Far-Flung: Four remote homes (and one hotel) scattered across the Scottish Isles With gargantuan views across machair-robed mountains and legend-laden lochs, the wild and windswept...
7 months ago
34
7 months ago
With gargantuan views across machair-robed mountains and legend-laden lochs, the wild and windswept Scottish coast offers up a different kind of island dwelling. These far-flung homes (and one beach-front lodging) offer a sense of considered and quiet retreat amid what is an...
Old Structures...
Wrong But Impressive I’m generally anti-graffiti. If the graffiti itself doesn’t cause permanent damage to the wall it’s...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
I’m generally anti-graffiti. If the graffiti itself doesn’t cause permanent damage to the wall it’s on, the cleaning probably will; the content generally ranges from idiotic (here’s my name – isn’t it impressive?) to puerile (pictures of genitalia being the most common); and it’s...
Common Edge
San Francisco’s Love Affair With the Ferry Building John King, urban design critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, talks about his new book, Portal.
a year ago
The Modern House
How architect Alex Nikjoo lifted a lower-ground floor flat with a lightness of touch
4 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Round Fireplace Is A Unique Feature In The Living Room Of This Remodeled Home Aaron Kohler and Marc Straumann of architecture and design firm KOHLERSTRAUMANN, have shared photos...
a year ago
31
a year ago
Aaron Kohler and Marc Straumann of architecture and design firm KOHLERSTRAUMANN, have shared photos of their latest project, a renovated family home in Lausen, Switzerland. The architects completely transformed the space by changing the floors, renovating all bathrooms and the...
The Modern House
Picture erfect: an ingenious creative sanctuary in the leafy heart of London Fields
a week ago
devonzuegel.com
Independence for whom? I recently spent a day at Sea Ranch, a strange and beautiful place. Sea Ranch is a planned community...
over a year ago
9
over a year ago
I recently spent a day at Sea Ranch, a strange and beautiful place. Sea Ranch is a planned community with a distinctive architectural style: simple timber-frame structures clad in wooden siding, and gardens all planted with native flora. The Sea Ranch Design Committee enforces...
The Modern House
Why deli and wine bar Lulu’s is winning the hearts of locals in Herne Hill
a year ago
Common Edge
How Might We Talk About the Shoreline of San Francisco? Bay Lexicon continues Jane Wolff’s exploration of landscapes and how finding a common language can...
10 months ago
37
10 months ago
Bay Lexicon continues Jane Wolff’s exploration of landscapes and how finding a common language can enable better conversations about them.
CONTEMPORIST
Wall-To-Wall Built-In Wood Cabinetry Create A Warm Interior For This Renovated Home Design firm Atelier SUN has completed the renovation of a home near Toronto, Canada. The house was...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Design firm Atelier SUN has completed the renovation of a home near Toronto, Canada. The house was built in the 1980s during an era of mass-produced developments, which resulted in excessive structural elements such as columns and beams throughout the space. The updated design...
Construction Physics
Contribute to the US Megaprojects Database! The US Megaprojects Database Very large construction or technology development projects are...
a year ago
54
a year ago
The US Megaprojects Database Very large construction or technology development projects are sometimes called “megaprojects." By directing thousands of workers and billions of dollars towards the achievement of a single goal, great things can be achieved. The output of...
99% Invisible
The Six-Week Cure [EPISODE] In the mid-1900s, people flocked to Reno, Nevada — not for frontier gold or loose slots, but to get...
a year ago
9
a year ago
In the mid-1900s, people flocked to Reno, Nevada — not for frontier gold or loose slots, but to get out of bad marries.  The city became known as the “Divorce Capital of the World.” For much of modern history, it has been relatively easy to get married, and extremely difficult to...
The Beauty of...
Silver Machine (Stoke-on-Trent Bus Station, Hanley, Staffordshire, UK) With a horrid shock of recognition, I suddenly realised what Stoke-on-Trent Bus Station reminded me...
over a year ago
16
over a year ago
With a horrid shock of recognition, I suddenly realised what Stoke-on-Trent Bus Station reminded me of. As a one-time public transport officer in a local authority I, like most others, often experienced the depressing feeling of being unable to source enough funding to keep an...
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #08: Shiloh Frederick [EPISODE] This is the eighth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
4 months ago
41
4 months ago
This is the eighth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott also sit down with Shiloh Frederick. Born and raised in New York City, Shiloh is a writer and...
The Modern House
A Piers Gough apartment with a secluded balcony and spectacular views of the Thames
a year ago
Old Structures...
Begging The Question The title refers to one of the classic logistical fallacies, where an argument is made that assumes...
6 months ago
42
6 months ago
The title refers to one of the classic logistical fallacies, where an argument is made that assumes its conclusion. The specific instance of this fallacy that often bothers me concerns code updates and existing buildings. Every time a code – for example, the New York City...
Archinect - Features
'Starting a Successful Woman-Owned Business in a Heavily Male-Dominated Industry Is No Joke':... In this episode of our Studio Snapshot series, Archinect connected with Allison Bryan, Founding...
2 months ago
34
2 months ago
In this episode of our Studio Snapshot series, Archinect connected with Allison Bryan, Founding Principal of multi-disciplinary design practice Open Studio Collective, based in Bozeman, Montana, and Ojai, California. Trained in both graphic design and architecture, Bryan talks...
Old Structures...
Someone Else’s Entertainment Not everything you find on a rooftop is of much interest.
yesterday
Old Structures...
Buildings Are Meant To Be Used With the partial exception of industrial buildings, you can always distinguish buildings constructed...
3 weeks ago
16
3 weeks ago
With the partial exception of industrial buildings, you can always distinguish buildings constructed before the 1950s from their later counterparts by looking for light courts. If your lights are, at best, incandescent bulbs, and your ventilation is mostly or entirely though...
Old Structures...
Split Personality Live, from Montreal, the Cathedrale Marie Reine du Monde et Saint Jacques: Putting aside the...
a month ago
19
a month ago
Live, from Montreal, the Cathedrale Marie Reine du Monde et Saint Jacques: Putting aside the building’s architectural merit – and there is a great deal – I find this kind of church interesting structurally. We have at least three very different types of structure here. There’s...
Old Structures...
Silly. But… After a site visit in Sunset Park yesterday, I was on the ferry back to Manhattan and I happened to...
5 months ago
34
5 months ago
After a site visit in Sunset Park yesterday, I was on the ferry back to Manhattan and I happened to look out the window. Maybe it’s only obvious to me. That’s our office, as seen looking up Broad Street from its foot at the East River.
The Architectural...
Can We Afford More Modernist Buildings? A common myth suggests that the unattractiveness of new buildings over the last century is due to...
a year ago
8
a year ago
A common myth suggests that the unattractiveness of new buildings over the last century is due to rational or economic reasons, implying that building beautifully is too costly. In this article, I’ll debunk this idea and uncover the real reason behind the prevalence of...
CONTEMPORIST
Bi-Fold Windows Connect The Inside And Outside Spaces Of This Home Extension Ben Callery Architects has shared photos of a rear home extension they completed in Victoria,...
a year ago
47
a year ago
Ben Callery Architects has shared photos of a rear home extension they completed in Victoria, Australia, that includes a deck for indoor/outdoor living. The deck has been designed with a shaded area that’s home to built-in seating and a couch. The other end of the deck has...
The Beauty of...
High Speed at High Speed (Tianjin West station, China) In scale and speed of construction, Tianjin West seems almost impossible – especially when viewed...
a year ago
22
a year ago
In scale and speed of construction, Tianjin West seems almost impossible – especially when viewed from Britain. It is, therefore, the perfect embodiment of China’s high speed rail network, on which the station can be found. It is also, I am sorry to say, the antithesis of the...
Old Structures...
Not Gone – Not Yet There From a 1924 aerial survey of New York City, a funny-looking blob: Looking down on a building is one...
4 weeks ago
16
4 weeks ago
From a 1924 aerial survey of New York City, a funny-looking blob: Looking down on a building is one of the most difficult ways to recognize it. Fortunately, the late-afternoon shadow helps: That’s the Woolworth Building’s silhouette. Our office building was constructed in 1932,...
Archinect - Features
How to Get a Job at Workshop/APD Established by founding principals Andrew Kotchen and Matt Berman in 1999, New York City-based firm...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Established by founding principals Andrew Kotchen and Matt Berman in 1999, New York City-based firm Workshop/APD has grown into a design force whose reach far exceeds the American Northeast with completed projects also in the Rocky Mountains, South Florida, California, Europe,...
Old Structures...
Escheresque I’ll probably talk about this project more in the future, but seeing that it just started, I’m going...
a month ago
11
a month ago
I’ll probably talk about this project more in the future, but seeing that it just started, I’m going to have a movie-style trailer consisting of a single photo: That’s roof framing at the Hopewell Furnace, an early-1800s ironworks in Pennsylvania. (Note that this is a...
Old Structures...
First-Mover Status The Empire State Building gave up its title of “tallest” more than fifty years ago, but that’s not...
7 months ago
32
7 months ago
The Empire State Building gave up its title of “tallest” more than fifty years ago, but that’s not particularly important. It’s still a beautiful building and still loved by tourists and natives alike. The biggest change in its status over that period if time is the gradual...
Old Structures...
Gain Some, Lose Some This is the Bradbury Building, an 1893 office building in downtown Los Angeles: It’s a nice enough...
7 months ago
59
7 months ago
This is the Bradbury Building, an 1893 office building in downtown Los Angeles: It’s a nice enough facade but really nothing special. A lot of people are familiar with the building because of its inside: The office space is a rectangle donut around the atrium, connected by...
CONTEMPORIST
A Green Exterior Helps This Cabin Blend Into The Forest Scalar Architecture has completed a modern cabin in Connecticut that has a minimal ecological...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Scalar Architecture has completed a modern cabin in Connecticut that has a minimal ecological footprint. Designed as a 1200-square-foot retreat for a family of writers and producers, the cabin is only accessible via foot or light utility vehicle. The cabin is located in a hilly...
Archinect - Features
The Industry Reacts to Interest Rate Cuts: Archinect’s State of AEC September 2024 Welcome to the fourth installment of Archinect's new series, State of AEC. At the end of each month,...
2 months ago
33
2 months ago
Welcome to the fourth installment of Archinect's new series, State of AEC. At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically. Since our last edition, the...
Common Edge
A Model for a Healthier, Adaptive Approach to Community Development The Smiling Gecko project in Cambodia addresses a more complex and systemic view of community life.
11 months ago
The Modern House
How architect Charlie Luxton built a hidden home into a hillside in Oxfordfordshire
a year ago
The Beauty of...
Riding the Steel Breeze (Port Talbot Parkway, Neath Port Talbot, UK) Some stations are born parkways, some achieve parkway status, while yet others have parkway status...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Some stations are born parkways, some achieve parkway status, while yet others have parkway status thrust upon them. Such is the explanation for an arrival at Port Talbot Parkway being such a strange experience. As passengers step out of their trains they find themselves...
Old Structures...
108 Years First up, “A view of the Federal Hall of the City of New York, as appeared in the year 1797, with...
10 months ago
15
10 months ago
First up, “A view of the Federal Hall of the City of New York, as appeared in the year 1797, with the adjacent buildings thereto” as engraved in 1850. This is looking north up Broad Street, with the old Federal Hall at the intersection of Broad and Wall streets. Next, “Broad...
CONTEMPORIST
This Alley Between Buildings Was Transformed With A Series Of Arches Photography by Robin Hill Daniel Toole Architecture in collaboration with SB Architects, has...
7 months ago
55
7 months ago
Photography by Robin Hill Daniel Toole Architecture in collaboration with SB Architects, has transformed a nondescript alley in Miami, Florida, with a series of concrete arches. Photography by Heywood Chan This alley was originally surrounded by trash rooms, dumpsters, mechanical...
Construction Physics
Does construction ever get cheaper? I've mentioned a few times that I generally prefer looking at construction progress through the lens...
a year ago
20
a year ago
I've mentioned a few times that I generally prefer looking at construction progress through the lens of cost indexes rather than productivity indexes. Whereas productivity indexes try to track changes in the amount of construction we get for a given amount of labor (for labor...
Construction Physics
What Would It Take to Recreate Bell Labs? For most of the 20th century, AT&T was almost entirely responsible for building and operating...
5 months ago
50
5 months ago
For most of the 20th century, AT&T was almost entirely responsible for building and operating America’s telephone infrastructure. It manufactured the phones and electrical equipment, laid hundreds of millions of miles of wire across the country, and built and operated the...
Old Structures...
What’s In A Name? Apartment houses everywhere often have names seemingly disconnected from their surroundings. I grew...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
Apartment houses everywhere often have names seemingly disconnected from their surroundings. I grew up in a building that was for no apparent reason called the Westgate, although at least the building immediately to its east was called the Eastgate. (There was no gate between...
Contemporist...
The Black Exterior Of This Home Leads To A Pink Kitchen Inside Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they completed in Wivenhoe, England, for an artist...
6 months ago
70
6 months ago
Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they completed in Wivenhoe, England, for an artist who wanted a light-filled interior with room to work and to entertain.
Common Edge
Picturing an Exhibition: Closing the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale Much in the architecture world, and the world at large, has changed since the exhibition opened.
a year ago
A Weekly Dose of...
My Biennale Haul Two weeks ago I was in Venice for the Biennale, covering the 18th International Architecture...
a year ago
38
a year ago
Two weeks ago I was in Venice for the Biennale, covering the 18th International Architecture Exhibition curated by Lesley Lokko for World-Architects. It was my first trip back to Venice since the 2018 Biennale, which was the 16th edition and was curated by Yvonne Farrell and...
The Modern House
Why modern living is easy at Farnley Hey – Peter Womersley’s first domestic dwelling
7 months ago
Common Edge
Measuring Progress: The Building Sector’s Response to the Climate Crisis From huge CO2 reductions to surging solar investments, the sector is paving the path to a...
5 months ago
40
5 months ago
From huge CO2 reductions to surging solar investments, the sector is paving the path to a sustainable future, but the time for bold action is now.
There are two types...
What’s good for General Motors is good for America On March 15 I tweeted, “If America hadn’t decided to create a new national transportation system...
a year ago
23
a year ago
On March 15 I tweeted, “If America hadn’t decided to create a new national transportation system based on individuals in private cars driving everywhere for everything, climate change would be a very different—and smaller—problem than it is.” I posted the … Continue reading → The...
CONTEMPORIST
This Modern House Sits On Top Of Stilts In The Forest Architects Carlos Maia, Débora Mendes, and Igor Macedo of Tetro have designed a new home in Nova...
a year ago
26
a year ago
Architects Carlos Maia, Débora Mendes, and Igor Macedo of Tetro have designed a new home in Nova Lima, Brazil, that’s immersed in lush Atlantic Rainforest nature that includes large leafy trees, foliage, shrubs, birds, and wild animals. The house, white in color and with a unique...
Archinect - Features
Sound and Place: Archinect's Summer Music Playlist to Keep You Moving “The interference patterns of visual, sonic, and kinetic waveform transmissions that flooded the...
a year ago
9
a year ago
“The interference patterns of visual, sonic, and kinetic waveform transmissions that flooded the dance floor and enveloped me were deeply transformative. Along the perimeter, bass-bins sent out shock waves that rattled your ribcage and tweeter horns above them fired a percussive...
The Modern House
From the Ground Up: six plots now for sale We’ve all harboured a fantasy of a DIY project – and the hard-earned sense of achievement that comes...
a year ago
5
a year ago
We’ve all harboured a fantasy of a DIY project – and the hard-earned sense of achievement that comes with self-building. After all, what could be more rewarding than a home constructed by you, entirely for you? Well, it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing, […]
Benny Kuriakose
Sustainability in School Design Sustainability is a practice that seeks to minimize the negative impact of buildings on the ...
a year ago
2
a year ago
Sustainability is a practice that seeks to minimize the negative impact of buildings on the environment by efficient and moderate use of...
Common Edge
Making the Economic Case for Biophilic Design Green building pioneer Bill Browning on why designing with nature is good business.
a year ago
99% Invisible
Shade Redux [EPISODE] This past May, the city of Los Angeles rolled out a brand new, state-of-the art feature for bus...
a year ago
51
a year ago
This past May, the city of Los Angeles rolled out a brand new, state-of-the art feature for bus shelters. It’s called La Sombrita. La Sombrita is a metal screen that’s intended to provide shade for the thousands of people who ride the bus every day. The shade screen is about two...
devonzuegel.com
Digital vs analog error correction The purpose of this writeup was to summarize something interesting I learned recently, to make sure...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
The purpose of this writeup was to summarize something interesting I learned recently, to make sure I understood it. I figured others might find it interesting, too. ~ ~ ~ Digital signal processing corrects for errors better than its analog counterpart. This is one of the...
Contemporist...
The Sculptural Exterior Of This House Was Inspired By The Folds Of A Ribbon Studio Ardete has shared photos of a home they have designed in Mohali, India, that has a distinctly...
a year ago
The Modern House
The Green Series #3: how to make your home airtight   Passivhaus buildings are designed to be almost completely airtight, with no unsealed gaps in the...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
Passivhaus buildings are designed to be almost completely airtight, with no unsealed gaps in the exterior of the building. While a typical home might struggle to achieve that, there are ways to reduce unwanted draughts and heat loss. Continuing our series of Passivhaus hacks,...
Old Structures...
Old Adventures In Photo-Bombing Someone occasionally notices that most of Manhattan has little open space to create picturesque...
10 months ago
15
10 months ago
Someone occasionally notices that most of Manhattan has little open space to create picturesque vistas. Or to put it another way, it’s difficult to get decent pictures of a lot of buildings here because there’s so much stuff in the way. There’s also stuff in the background, which...
Old Structures...
Small Details In “How London’s Crystal Palace was built so quickly”, Jennifer Ouellette gives a good summary of a...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
In “How London’s Crystal Palace was built so quickly”, Jennifer Ouellette gives a good summary of a recent paper “Thread form at the Crystal Palace” by John Gardner and Ken Kiss. My even shorter summary: the 1851 Crystal Palace in London was made possible, in part, through the...
devonzuegel.com
OWD #3: Disney World & other underworlds Every place has some dirty secrets, even Disney World. We all have to get rid of waste somehow! In...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
Every place has some dirty secrets, even Disney World. We all have to get rid of waste somehow! In this episode, the Bertauds and I discuss methods of sanitation and waste management from around the world, and how these hidden systems shape our cities. RSS · Apple Podcasts ·...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Cleveland Bridge While I was in England last week, I briefly visited the city of Bath. There’s a lot to look at...
9 months ago
29
9 months ago
While I was in England last week, I briefly visited the city of Bath. There’s a lot to look at there, but let me start with the Cleveland Bridge over the River Avon. The top view is a little boring except for the non-structural toll houses, little Greek temples over the walkways,...
The Modern House
Plate in the Sun: London’s best restaurants for alfresco dining
a year ago
The Solarchitecture...
The Solar Manifesto - Part 2. ...or how hard it is to name the foundations of a healthy home?
over a year ago
Blog - Guerrilla...
Homeless and Shelters in São Paulo When I was looking at the homeless census maps, my curiosity was sparked and I started to wonder...
over a year ago
18
over a year ago
When I was looking at the homeless census maps, my curiosity was sparked and I started to wonder what other visualizations and cartographical explorations could be possible. I have a deep interest in censuses because I have been working specifically in a peripheral communities’...
The Modern House
Life and love in a 1960s townhouse in north London
10 months ago
Construction Physics
The Birth of the Grid The day must come when electricity will be for everyone, as the waters of the rivers and the wind of...
a year ago
83
a year ago
The day must come when electricity will be for everyone, as the waters of the rivers and the wind of heaven. It should not merely be supplied, but lavished, that men may use it at their will, as the air they breathe. - Emile Zola, “Travail”, 1901
Contemporist...
Giant 'Woven' Fabric Graces The Window Of This Flagship Store Architecture firm LAAB has shared photos the Cozey flagship retail store they designed in Toronto,...
a month ago
30
a month ago
Architecture firm LAAB has shared photos the Cozey flagship retail store they designed in Toronto, Canada, that includes an eye-catching window showcase.
Common Edge
Why Mass Transit in America Disappeared A talk with the author of The Great American Transit Disaster: A Century of Austerity, Auto-Centric...
a year ago
78
a year ago
A talk with the author of The Great American Transit Disaster: A Century of Austerity, Auto-Centric Planning, and White Flight.
devonzuegel.com
A libertarian just won the Argentinian presidency – how did that happen? If you're wondering how the heck a hardline libertarian just won the Argentinian presidential...
a year ago
18
a year ago
If you're wondering how the heck a hardline libertarian just won the Argentinian presidential election, here's some background. First, a key fact is that the government is printing money at an accelerating rate, resulting in 143% annual inflation as of the most recent count....
Archinect - Features
Delivering Projects on Time Is a Challenge. Here’s How Architects Do It U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “plans are nothing; planning is everything.” This...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “plans are nothing; planning is everything.” This sentiment rings true in architecture, where architects are required to establish project timelines potentially spanning several years for schemes potentially costing millions of...
The Modern House
Rosh Mahtani: the Alighieri founder’s inspiring journey from school outcast to acclaimed... Journal readers will know the name Rosh Mahtani – partly because we’ve visited her in the past, but...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Journal readers will know the name Rosh Mahtani – partly because we’ve visited her in the past, but partly because she’s very, very good at what she does. Despite the joy it brings, Rosh started her cult jewellery brand, Alighieri, when she was in an […]
CONTEMPORIST
A Kansas Ranch Home Gets A Mid-Century Modern Inspired Renovation FORWARD Design | Architecture has sent us photos of a home renovation they completed for an existing...
a year ago
9
a year ago
FORWARD Design | Architecture has sent us photos of a home renovation they completed for an existing mid-century ranch in Leawood, Kansas. Before Photos The existing house was a small two-bedroom home, with the clients originally wanting a temporary addition with the intent of...
99% Invisible
Category 6 [EPISODE] On the campus of Florida International University, in Miami, there’s a place ominously named “The...
6 months ago
54
6 months ago
On the campus of Florida International University, in Miami, there’s a place ominously named “The Extreme Events Institute.” They map the risk of storm surge for the whole Caribbean, and study how the public perceives the threats from natural disasters. They’re also home to the...
Common Edge
O.J. and L.A. What the iconic car chase revealed about Southern California’s landscape.
7 months ago
Contemporist...
This New House Was Designed To Fit Into A Protected Historic Neighborhood Architecture firm FLOWER, together with interior design studio Saltwolf, has completed a new home in...
8 months ago
64
8 months ago
Architecture firm FLOWER, together with interior design studio Saltwolf, has completed a new home in Boulder, Colorado, whose design was inspired by the nearby historic houses in the neighborhood.
The Architectural...
Architects vs. the Public: A Surprising Study Sheds Light on Aesthetic Preferences Do architects have a different taste in buildings compared to the rest of us? A recent Swedish study...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Do architects have a different taste in buildings compared to the rest of us? A recent Swedish study delves into this question, and the findings are intriguing. In the study “Green City Branding – How People Respond to the Built Environment“, people were asked to rate five...
Old Structures...
Reuse, Recycle When it was created in 1968, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority inherited from the New York...
4 months ago
35
4 months ago
When it was created in 1968, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority inherited from the New York City Transit Authority, from when it was created in 1953, the subway system as created by two private companies (the IRT and BMT) and the city-owned IND. All three parts of the...
Old Structures...
Imitation There’s a phenomenon that I think of as “life imitiates art imitates life imitates art…ad...
10 months ago
19
10 months ago
There’s a phenomenon that I think of as “life imitiates art imitates life imitates art…ad infinitium”. A work of art – a drawing, a painting, a movie – is base don reality and augments, making it look better than it does in real life, and then people change what they’re doing to...
99% Invisible
Whomst Among Us Let The Dogs Out (Again) [EPISODE] All kinds of songs get stuck in your head. Famous pop tunes from when you were a kid, album cuts...
a year ago
111
a year ago
All kinds of songs get stuck in your head. Famous pop tunes from when you were a kid, album cuts you’ve listened to over and over again. And then there’s a category of memorable songs—the ones that we all just kind of know. Songs that somehow, without anyone’s permission, sneak...
Archinect - Features
The Books You Should Read for Summer 2024, According to Leading Voices in Architecture Is your bookshelf ready for Summer? If not, we have you covered.  Continuing a recurring tradition,...
6 months ago
67
6 months ago
Is your bookshelf ready for Summer? If not, we have you covered.  Continuing a recurring tradition, Archinect has reached out to notable figures across the architecture community who have been featured in our editorial over the past year, asking them what books they believe...
CONTEMPORIST
Handmade Turquoise Tiles Line The Entrance To This Spanish Restaurant Photography by Adria Goula EL EQUIPO CREATIVO has designed Txalupa Gastroleku, a restaurant in San...
9 months ago
20
9 months ago
Photography by Adria Goula EL EQUIPO CREATIVO has designed Txalupa Gastroleku, a restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain, that draws inspiration from the nearby old port and the small and colorful fishing boats. Photography by Txalupa Gastroleku Stepping inside, you’re immediately...
Old Structures...
Gaudy This scrapbook clipping is listed as 1895 to 1945. The presence of the entrance kiosk for the City...
a week ago
9
a week ago
This scrapbook clipping is listed as 1895 to 1945. The presence of the entrance kiosk for the City Hall subway stop means it’s after 1904. I’m not sure if the Municipal Building (built 1909 to 1914) would be visible from this angle or would be off the left side of the frame; the...
The Modern House
Our Guide to Oxford: neighbourhood restaurants and riverside walks in the city of dreaming spires
7 months ago
Common Edge
Living in the Face of Fear: The Heterotopic Hope of the Maggie’s Centers The UK cancer centers are an incredible legacy for its co-founder, Maggie Keswick Jencks.
a year ago
There are two types...
A Short Discussion of Residential Building Heights in New York City NOTE: The following was written for the Tenth Anniversary Edition of Street Design, The Secret To...
a year ago
3
a year ago
NOTE: The following was written for the Tenth Anniversary Edition of Street Design, The Secret To Great Cities and Towns, where it will appear in a shorter version. This version still needs a little editing for its new context. Part … Continue reading → The post A Short...
Blog - Guerrilla...
Shelter: An Atlas Food, water, shelter. The tripartite of basic needs. Without these no living thing can survive. Not...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Food, water, shelter. The tripartite of basic needs. Without these no living thing can survive. Not a spider, not a badger, not a tree, not a human. The first two — food and water — are obvious; without them, sustenance is impossible. The food we eat gives us energy through...
CONTEMPORIST
A New Extension Adds A Home Office And Bedroom To This Miami Bungalow Upstairs Studio Architecture has shared photos of a 900 sqft addition in South Miami, Florida, for...
4 months ago
33
4 months ago
Upstairs Studio Architecture has shared photos of a 900 sqft addition in South Miami, Florida, for owners who were looking for a little extra room in their traditional home, that was open to the outdoors, and allowed for a private primary bedroom and studio apart from the main...
Old Structures...
Finding Something Nice To Say Howe trusses look backwards to me. Structural logic generally says that compression members should...
3 weeks ago
14
3 weeks ago
Howe trusses look backwards to me. Structural logic generally says that compression members should be stockier than tension members because, while the gross stresses are the same (force divided by cross-sectional area), compression members may buckle and tension members will not....
The Modern House
The beauty of life in the heart of the Barbican
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
The Rugged Materials On This Home Reflect The Desert That Surrounds It Imbue Design has completed a desert home where the owners could put up their feet and relax in the...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Imbue Design has completed a desert home where the owners could put up their feet and relax in the natural desert landscape of Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah. The home was designed in such a way as to disrupt the land as little as possible. With that in mind, the designers...
99% Invisible
Meet Me at Riis There’s a particular slice of beach along the New York City shoreline, that, for the past 80 years,...
a month ago
26
a month ago
There’s a particular slice of beach along the New York City shoreline, that, for the past 80 years, has been a pivotal site for queer liberation. It’s called the People’s Beach at Jacob Riis Park, also known, simply, as Riis. This history is deeply connected to an abandoned,...
The Modern House
An architect's dream: four architect-owned homes for sale A busman’s holiday? A total breakdown of the work-life balance? It would be fair to assume that an...
2 months ago
42
2 months ago
A busman’s holiday? A total breakdown of the work-life balance? It would be fair to assume that an architect would find bringing their work home – in the most literal of senses – a bit of a drag. But as this collection of architect-owned homes […]
CONTEMPORIST
A Seamless Terrazzo Flows From The Wall To The Countertop In This Kitchen Studio Modijefsky has shared photos of a project where they transformed a 17th-century inn into a...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Studio Modijefsky has shared photos of a project where they transformed a 17th-century inn into a modern family home in Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands. As part of the renovation, they designed a new inviting, and open-plan kitchen with a cooking island and a terrazzo countertop....
A Weekly Dose of...
A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books is on Substack I'm breaking my blogging silence to do two things:  Alert readers to the fact I am still writing...
2 months ago
38
2 months ago
I'm breaking my blogging silence to do two things:  Alert readers to the fact I am still writing reviews of architecture books under the title A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books, but over at Substack, not Blogger. Put a new post at the top of this blog so I don't have to look...
Old Structures...
Imagine Standing There Every so often, I mention New York’s industrial past. Compared to a truly industrial city like...
9 months ago
19
9 months ago
Every so often, I mention New York’s industrial past. Compared to a truly industrial city like Philadelphia or Chicago, it’s small-scale stuff, but compared to the present it’s astonishing. Looking at one of the parts of the city devoted to industry before 1920, it’s hard to...
The Beauty of...
How Serifs Lost the Road War but Won the Streets It is 1961. At Benson Airfield in south Oxfordshire, a test car driver employed by the Roads...
over a year ago
16
over a year ago
It is 1961. At Benson Airfield in south Oxfordshire, a test car driver employed by the Roads Research Laboratory is revving the engine of his Morris Oxford and preparing to release the handbrake. With his car (unbalanced atop due to the addition of a large road sign attached to...
The Modern House
Jonny Gent: music, martinis and mayhem from the founder of Sessions Arts Club  The line between art and food is a fine one. Both are sensory, emotive and experiential; both are...
10 months ago
27
10 months ago
The line between art and food is a fine one. Both are sensory, emotive and experiential; both are fundamentally creative endeavours. But for Jonny Gent, painter and founder of Sessions Arts Club and Boath House, two new stars in the British hospitality firmament, the line […]
devonzuegel.com
My questions about Próspera, answered I recently visited Próspera, a Honduran startup city. I had a ton of questions and figured others...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
I recently visited Próspera, a Honduran startup city. I had a ton of questions and figured others might too, so I wrote an FAQ to share what I learned: Próspera FAQ This FAQ is intended as a reference, covering the basic facts and current status of the project. My hope is that...
There are two types...
Notes on Beyond Architecture: The New New York The post Notes on <i>Beyond Architecture: The New New York</i> appeared first on There are two types...
3 days ago
Old Structures...
Photographic Tricks That’s a 1911 panorama, taken from the east side of Fifth Avenue and 8th Street, looking south (on...
10 months ago
9
10 months ago
That’s a 1911 panorama, taken from the east side of Fifth Avenue and 8th Street, looking south (on the left), west (in the middle) and not-quite-north (on the right). I’m not sure how the photographer, Burton Welles, managed this, but it’s an impressive shot. On the left, we have...
Common Edge
Mass Timber Construction Is Evolving Rapidly With owners and developers warming up to plyscrapers, wood-based projects are on an upward...
8 months ago
Old Structures...
The Big Time We’re working on the Gothic Bridge in Central Park, seen above. Tim went to the night-before prep...
a year ago
17
a year ago
We’re working on the Gothic Bridge in Central Park, seen above. Tim went to the night-before prep for the Thanksgiving parade and found this float: And then he watched the parade on TV and found it again, second from the end:
Old Structures...
Adaptability The building types that have had the most success in new York are the ones that are most-readily...
2 months ago
34
2 months ago
The building types that have had the most success in new York are the ones that are most-readily adaptable. Rowhouses have been turned into apartment houses, churches, schools, museums, and offices; tenements have been upgraded to better apartments again and again and again. If...
CONTEMPORIST
Elevated Elegance: A Unique Home In The Forest With A Trio Of Tile-Clad Gables Exterio Architectural Studio, together with interior design firm Hola Design, has shared photos of a...
8 months ago
55
8 months ago
Exterio Architectural Studio, together with interior design firm Hola Design, has shared photos of a contemporary home they have completed near Warsaw, Poland, that’s surrounded by a pine forest. The home is designed to bring a large family together, with the form taking shape...
Old Structures...
Different Types of Commercial Use From 1880, a view of Broadway looking north from Morris Street to Trinity Church. Given how deserted...
9 months ago
20
9 months ago
From 1880, a view of Broadway looking north from Morris Street to Trinity Church. Given how deserted it is, it’s either early in the morning on a weekend or a holiday. Wm. M Fleiss & Co, on the left, is at 47 Broadway. Broadway is lined with office and loft buildings which are...
Archinect - Features
Architects and Clients Downbeat About Economy: Archinect's Business Survey Results... Throughout May and June 2024, we invited our community to offer us insights and feedback on how you...
5 months ago
32
5 months ago
Throughout May and June 2024, we invited our community to offer us insights and feedback on how you were feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector. As we explained at the time, this project was motivated by several observations from economists within and beyond...
Archinect - Features
ChatGPT Interviews Matias del Campo: Architecture, Hallucinations, and other Exotic... What is artificial intelligence? How can we maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks?...
a year ago
6
a year ago
What is artificial intelligence? How can we maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks? Is the role of the architect safe from AI? In any conversation about the impact of artificial intelligence on the architectural profession, such questions are at the forefront of...
The Modern House
‘I go to bed thinking about it’: why Tate Modern director Frances Morris returns to her childhood... Where does our spirit go when we die? Frances Morris has this question figured out: she will return...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Where does our spirit go when we die? Frances Morris has this question figured out: she will return to the home in which she was born, a Georgian house abreast the Meridian Line in Greenwich. Listen to this deeply personal conversation on our podcast, Homing […]
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Anachronistic The Falcon and Black Widow above the streets of Manhattan…he’s flying and she’s doing gymnastics in...
a month ago
10
a month ago
The Falcon and Black Widow above the streets of Manhattan…he’s flying and she’s doing gymnastics in mid-air, I guess: The location is instantly recognizable: the building on the far left with the single dormer is the Washington Life Insurance Building at 141 Broadway, the...
Contemporist...
An Exposed Structure Shows Off This House Design That Wraps Around A Pool Architecture firm Apiacas Arquitetos, has shared photos of a home they completed in Sao Paulo,...
4 months ago
41
4 months ago
Architecture firm Apiacas Arquitetos, has shared photos of a home they completed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that was designed with a single-story layout that wraps around a swimming pool.
A Weekly Dose of...
Three Lessons from Three Monographs Writing a blog devoted to architecture books means featuring monographs — lots of monographs. Not...
a year ago
19
a year ago
Writing a blog devoted to architecture books means featuring monographs — lots of monographs. Not exclusively, of course; but before this blog transitioned to its current weekly format, one of the thematic days of the week was appropriately devoted to monographs: Monograph...
Archinect - Features
Discussing Paid Research Opportunities for M.Arch Students at the UW-Milwaukee SARUP In November 2022, we connected with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Architecture &...
a year ago
22
a year ago
In November 2022, we connected with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Architecture & Urban Planning (SARUP) to unpack its Mellows Graduate Research Positions (formerly called the Mellowes Master’s Research Assistantships).  For the 2024-2025 school year, SARUP is...
Common Edge
What I Learned From Six Recessions in Architecture Life is imperfect, and architects understand this better than most.
a month ago
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Newsy A dying world from a horror comic called “Epitaphs from the Abyss”: What’s that on the right? The...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
A dying world from a horror comic called “Epitaphs from the Abyss”: What’s that on the right? The New York Times Building as seen from Times Square (from the north) in 1908:
CONTEMPORIST
This Bread-Inspired Facade Was Designed For A Manufacturer Of Bakery Machines Romulo Neto Architects LDA has designed a modern building for a company that produces bakery and...
a year ago
20
a year ago
Romulo Neto Architects LDA has designed a modern building for a company that produces bakery and pastry machines. Inspired by the company’s principal activity of creating machines that produce dough for bread and pastries, the architects designed a facade that’s reminiscent of...
99% Invisible
You Ain’t Nothin But a Postmark [EPISODE] Over a decade after Elvis Presley’s death, the king of rock & roll took over headlines once again as...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Over a decade after Elvis Presley’s death, the king of rock & roll took over headlines once again as Americans weighed in on which portrait of Elvis would be forever immortalized on a 29 cent US postage stamp. It was put to a popular vote: should the stamp feature an image of...
99% Invisible
Breaking Down The Power Broker [EPISODE] In 1974, two very significant things happened, if you are a fan of 99% invisible. Number one is that...
a year ago
99
a year ago
In 1974, two very significant things happened, if you are a fan of 99% invisible. Number one is that 99pi host Roman Mars was born. And number two, The Power Broker by Robert Caro was published. Roman learned about the power broker when he first started to cover cities and...
The Architectural...
New academic dissertation questions architects’ taste Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new...
8 months ago
59
8 months ago
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new houses made in a traditional style. But this is exactly what the average person appreciates. “Why do many architects dislike the very thing that residents often enjoy?” asks architect...
Old Structures...
A Different Configuration I almost didn’t recognize this photograph, even though I’ve been involved with the building since...
6 months ago
45
6 months ago
I almost didn’t recognize this photograph, even though I’ve been involved with the building since 2011. The New York Public Library digital archive has this labelled as the “Onderdonk Mill, Roslyn” and if they hadn’t mentioned the town name I wold have gone right by it. We’ve...
99% Invisible
The Wilderness Tool [EPISODE] Imagine one of those old-timey lumberjack photos. The kind where two men in plaid are working away...
a year ago
28
a year ago
Imagine one of those old-timey lumberjack photos. The kind where two men in plaid are working away at a tree, holding opposite ends of a huge, human-length saw. That is a vintage crosscut saw. Some avid crosscut seekers spend hours mining websites like eBay and Craigslist. But...
The Modern House
The best of Stoke Newington and Newington Green
4 months ago
devonzuegel.com
Everything is Amazing, But Nothing is Ours Back in 2015, I wrote a blog post called Dropbox: the First Dead Decacorn. At the time, it was the...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
Back in 2015, I wrote a blog post called Dropbox: the First Dead Decacorn. At the time, it was the most widely shared take I’d ever written. I learned several things from writing this piece, and none of them had to do with Dropbox: I learned, for instance, that a great way to get...
Benny Kuriakose
Courtyard – The Beauty and Functionality Courtyards are an ancient building technique used throughout the ages in Indian houses of all eras....
a year ago
2
a year ago
Courtyards are an ancient building technique used throughout the ages in Indian houses of all eras. With the rise in modernity, the use...
Blog - Guerrilla...
The Migration of the Word Honey This map was a first for me. It was my first collaborative map, it was my first map I worked on...
over a year ago
17
over a year ago
This map was a first for me. It was my first collaborative map, it was my first map I worked on using LinkedIn’s chat as much as Photoshop, and it was my first exposure to Guerrilla Cartography. Karen reached out to me to work on the Atlas in a Day project, but immediately we had...
Common Edge
Rice University Builds an Opera Theater It’s time to appreciate one of Allan Greenberg’s best works of architecture.
a year ago
SOCKS
From Videogame Landscapes to Embrodery Canvas: La Sentinelle by Marine Beaufils (2022-24) Marine Beaufils is a French embroidery artist whose meticulous work draws on the analogy between...
a month ago
25
a month ago
Marine Beaufils is a French embroidery artist whose meticulous work draws on the analogy between pixels and needlepoints, as she translates scenes from her favorite video games, movies, or scientific imagery from screen to embroidery canvas. This process freezes a fragment of a...
Archinect - Features
'Architecture Education as an Active Project': A Conversation with Mariana Ibañez, Chair of... Academic leaders have the demanding task of steering and shaping a school's culture and pedagogy....
a year ago
26
a year ago
Academic leaders have the demanding task of steering and shaping a school's culture and pedagogy. Not only are they responsible for overseeing an institution's administrative affairs, but they are also charged with fostering environments for students and faculty to thrive. Since...
The Modern House
Planned to Perfection: six meticulously designed modernist flats Looking for the chance to live inside a piece of architectural history? Here are six London flats...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Looking for the chance to live inside a piece of architectural history? Here are six London flats for sale within buildings that exemplify the best of British modernism, from the Barbican to Trellick Tower. The brains behind these sprawling estates and soaring blocks followed new...
CONTEMPORIST
Before & After – A 1970s Home Received A Contemporary Renovation Floisand Studio Architects has shared photos of a contemporary renovation project they did for a...
a year ago
29
a year ago
Floisand Studio Architects has shared photos of a contemporary renovation project they did for a home in Seattle, Washington. The original 1970s Seattle rambler had a typical boxy layout, while the exterior featured brick with blue and red accents. The new exterior includes new...
Construction Physics
Supersonic air travel recommended reading Aviation has a huge number of enthusiasts, which is why essentially every aircraft model ever...
9 months ago
33
9 months ago
Aviation has a huge number of enthusiasts, which is why essentially every aircraft model ever produced has a book written about it. Supersonic aircraft are no exception. There’s a large number of books written about the Concorde, the Tu-144, and the American SST project. Many of...
Archinect - Features
Exhibit Columbus’ University Design Research Fellows Showcase Proposals That Activate the... How do you activate invisible spaces, and what does it mean to design for the public? These were the...
a year ago
7
a year ago
How do you activate invisible spaces, and what does it mean to design for the public? These were the themes that sparked important conversations at Exhibit Columbus’ 2023 Design Presentations organized by the Landmark Columbus Foundation. Each Exhibit Columbus cycle focuses on a...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Wha? From a 25-years-old Avengers story: a man sees some news on televsion: The Verrazano Narrows Bridge,...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
From a 25-years-old Avengers story: a man sees some news on televsion: The Verrazano Narrows Bridge, huh? It sure looks like something else…
The Modern House
Rest, relaxation and refuge at a ryokan-inspired home in Hackney
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Before + After – An Apartment Remodel In Milan Creative studio Lascia la Scia, has shared photos of a modern apartment renovation in Milan, Italy,...
5 months ago
39
5 months ago
Creative studio Lascia la Scia, has shared photos of a modern apartment renovation in Milan, Italy, they completed that included reworking the layout to include a main open-plan living space as well as a home office and second bedroom. Before we see the renovated space, here’s a...
CONTEMPORIST
A Rock Inspired Exterior Was Designed For This Skincare Boutique Architecture firm LMTLS has shared photos of SKIN1004, a new skincare boutique in Seoul, South...
10 months ago
32
10 months ago
Architecture firm LMTLS has shared photos of SKIN1004, a new skincare boutique in Seoul, South Korea, that has a rock-inspired facade. As the first offline flagship store in Myeongdong, the location embraces the concept of “untouched nature”, with rich brown and beige tones...
Old Structures...
Born In The Bronx The central dome of the US Capitol on May 9, 1861: There was a certain symbolism to its incomplete...
6 months ago
35
6 months ago
The central dome of the US Capitol on May 9, 1861: There was a certain symbolism to its incomplete state given that the Civil War had begun the previous month, but that was a coincidence. The replacement of the original wooden dome had been planned for some time. The old dome was...
Old Structures...
Very Urban Angelo Rizzuto’s title for this photo is “Cityscape – New York City”. Don’t feel embarrassed if you...
5 months ago
38
5 months ago
Angelo Rizzuto’s title for this photo is “Cityscape – New York City”. Don’t feel embarrassed if you can’t recognize anything New Yorkish in it – it took me a minute. The arch bridge in the background is the Henry Hudson Bridge, carrying the Henry Hudson Parkway (the northern...
Old Structures...
 A Simple Drawing For A Difficult Structure – Part 2 The illustration above, from the May 1883 issue of Harper’s Magazine, courtesy of the New York...
a year ago
7
a year ago
The illustration above, from the May 1883 issue of Harper’s Magazine, courtesy of the New York Public Library, gives a better sense of the Brooklyn Bridge caissons than yesterday’s working drawing (repeated below) even if it’s got less technical information. Note that May 1883...
The Modern House
A hidden warehouse apartment in the heart of east London
a year ago
Old Structures...
Martin Luther King Jr. Day A few comments about today’s holiday. First, if you’re so inclined, the city Parks Department has...
11 months ago
21
11 months ago
A few comments about today’s holiday. First, if you’re so inclined, the city Parks Department has opportunities for public service: here. Otherwise, memorials and celebrations: here. Some of the permanent memorials to King in New York: here. Some of his relationship to New York...
Construction Physics
The Long, Sad History of American Attempts to Build High-Speed Rail, Part II Last week, we looked at the early history of high-speed rail in the US. Though the US attempted to...
a year ago
53
a year ago
Last week, we looked at the early history of high-speed rail in the US. Though the US attempted to build its own high-speed rail routes soon after they debuted in Japan in 1964, these efforts were unsuccessful, outside of the popular-but-troubled Metroliner
Old Structures...
Happy Presidents’ Day The cover of the dinner menu for Washington’s Birthday from the SS Columbia of the Hamburg-Amerika...
10 months ago
26
10 months ago
The cover of the dinner menu for Washington’s Birthday from the SS Columbia of the Hamburg-Amerika Line. That’s a portrati of the Columbia on the right, apparently about to run down a sailboat. Columbia had a weird history, having served as a liner between Germany and the US,...
The Modern House
Nice Modernism: introducing the friendly face of modernist architecture After almost a hundred years of modernist architecture, the writer and critic Alan Powers argues...
4 months ago
39
4 months ago
After almost a hundred years of modernist architecture, the writer and critic Alan Powers argues that the canon is ripe for reappraisal. Here, he makes the case for “Nice Modernism” – an altogether gentler strand of architecture that emerged in the 1930s and is typified […]
Old Structures...
Moving Goalposts The image above, of the Grand Union Hotel on the east side of Park Avenue is labelled by the New...
a year ago
5
a year ago
The image above, of the Grand Union Hotel on the east side of Park Avenue is labelled by the New York Public Library as 1868 to 1900, but is likely from the late 1870s, or early 1880s. The hotel is the building on the right with three flags and with S-curved mansard roofs on its...
Old Structures...
Before and After Electricity A while back, I put up a photo of the Bowery as seen in 1894, with the Third Avenue elevated tracks...
10 months ago
48
10 months ago
A while back, I put up a photo of the Bowery as seen in 1894, with the Third Avenue elevated tracks above. Here’s the picture: Here’s a 1909 postcard of a similar view: The third, express track wasn’t added to the el until 1917 and the Bowery is a wide street, so the tracks have...
SOCKS
Botany as an Artistic Practice: Anna Atkins’ Blueprints Anna Atkins (1799-1871) was a British botanist and photographer. She was in direct contact with...
over a year ago
21
over a year ago
Anna Atkins (1799-1871) was a British botanist and photographer. She was in direct contact with William Henry Fox Talbot, (the inventor of calotype, an early photographic technique), and with Sir John Frederick William Herschel, (the inventor of the cyanotype, a technique that...
Old Structures...
Outlived Its Welcome But Not The Need I’ve been trawling in the HABS index and came across a survey from 1974 of the Bronx portion of the...
7 months ago
35
7 months ago
I’ve been trawling in the HABS index and came across a survey from 1974 of the Bronx portion of the Third Avenue elevated. After the rest of the line (in Manhattan and the very southernmost bit of the Bronx) was closed and demolished in the early 1950s, the portion from 149th...
CONTEMPORIST
A Calming Interior Was Designed For This Home In Spain Susanna Cots Interior Design has shared a project they recently completed in Spain, that includes a...
a year ago
53
a year ago
Susanna Cots Interior Design has shared a project they recently completed in Spain, that includes a calm material palette. Large windows were integrated into the homes’ design so that the surrounding nature and the gardens could be seen from within the home. In the garden,...
Archinect - Features
Architecture's Interest Rate Prayers Answered: Archinect’s State of AEC August 2024 Welcome to the third installment of Archinect's new series, State of AEC. At the end of each month,...
3 months ago
33
3 months ago
Welcome to the third installment of Archinect's new series, State of AEC. At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically. In our previous edition of the...
Common Edge
Developers Are Dangerously in Control of New York City Urbanist Roberta Brandes Gratz’s remarks on receiving the Preservation Leadership Award.
8 months ago
The Modern House
Our guide to retrofitting: how to future-proof your older home
a year ago
Archinect - Features
‘In the Climate Context, Architects Need to Push a New Frontier’; A Conversation with Mario... When TECLA was unveiled to the world at the beginning of 2021, it captured the attention of both the...
a year ago
5
a year ago
When TECLA was unveiled to the world at the beginning of 2021, it captured the attention of both the architectural community and the imagination of the mainstream media. The world's first 3D-printed house made from raw earth, TECLA was one of 17 projects showcased at COP26 in an...
CONTEMPORIST
A Green Roof Covers The Pool House At This New Home Robert Young Architects has shared photos of a home they designed in Hither Hills, a rolling...
a year ago
12
a year ago
Robert Young Architects has shared photos of a home they designed in Hither Hills, a rolling topography of dunes between Montauk and Amagansett, New York, for a family that wanted a year-round retreat. Located on a steep site, the home features multiple levels, a swimming pool,...
SOCKS
Alain Biltereyst: Traces of Abstraction in the Urban Environment Contemporary Belgian artist Alain Biltereyst works on abstract paintings characterized by bold...
10 months ago
28
10 months ago
Contemporary Belgian artist Alain Biltereyst works on abstract paintings characterized by bold patterns and colors. Most of the time, the shapes he depicts are not purely the result of chosen arrangements but act as a sort of “found art”: they are extracted from existing signs,...
The Modern House
The big blue: a striking sculptural staircase forms the focus of this converted coach house in...
2 months ago
Old Structures...
Up, Down, and Up, Like Its Surroundings I took these pictures on Mercer Street yesterday, of an oddly formal little building. Whatever...
10 months ago
13
10 months ago
I took these pictures on Mercer Street yesterday, of an oddly formal little building. Whatever “Firemen’s Hall” meant, I had never heard of it. The name and original use are linked and sort of obvious: when the building was constructed in 1855, New York’s fire-fighting needs were...
Old Structures...
A Year Late… …but who cares? Today is a de facto holiday for a lot of people, and that seems like a good time for...
5 months ago
36
5 months ago
…but who cares? Today is a de facto holiday for a lot of people, and that seems like a good time for a blog post I should have written last summer. Some of our projects are very big, involving hundreds of thousands of square feet of building. Some are not. The smallest structure...
99% Invisible
Model Village [EPISODE] For decades, society has dealt with people with dementia and other forms of cognitive decline by...
a year ago
31
a year ago
For decades, society has dealt with people with dementia and other forms of cognitive decline by storing them away in unstimulating, medicalized environments. But around the world, a new architectural movement is starting to challenge that old paradigm. Designing environments...
Construction Physics
Fusion Power Reading List The challenge with reading about a topic like fusion is balancing the tradeoff between technical...
5 months ago
51
5 months ago
The challenge with reading about a topic like fusion is balancing the tradeoff between technical detail and readability. A book or article should give enough detail to provide some understanding of what’s actually going on, what progress has been made, what the challenges are,...
99% Invisible
Mini-Stories: Volume 19 It’s that time again—mini-stories are back! Get ready for a whirlwind tour of short, surprising, and...
5 days ago
13
5 days ago
It’s that time again—mini-stories are back! Get ready for a whirlwind tour of short, surprising, and fascinating tales. This week we have punny highway signs, a PAC funded by exercise, the explosive history behind the Nobel Prize, and some long toes. Let’s get into it! Slow Down,...
Archinect - Features
Let's Talk About Architectural Licensure Welcome to Archinect In-Depth: Licensure. Over the coming weeks, Archinect will explore the journey...
7 months ago
69
7 months ago
Welcome to Archinect In-Depth: Licensure. Over the coming weeks, Archinect will explore the journey undertaken by those in the United States seeking to practice as a licensed architect, including reflections on the history of licensure, comparisons to other countries, the cost...
Old Structures...
Other People’s Perception Every once in a while, something slightly out of the ordinary reminds me of how our work looks to...
5 months ago
38
5 months ago
Every once in a while, something slightly out of the ordinary reminds me of how our work looks to people not in the AEC world. Yesterday morning I was walking up Thames Street from Trinity to Broadway and took this photo: That block of Thames is a great illustration of why the...
The Modern House
Beautiful, useful and sustainably flexible: the hand-crafted, customised and highly experimental...
9 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
This Small Shingle Clad Cabin Has An Organic Shape Photography by Peter Markos Markos Design Workshop has shared photos of a small organically shaped...
8 months ago
32
8 months ago
Photography by Peter Markos Markos Design Workshop has shared photos of a small organically shaped cabin clad in wood shingles they designed, that began as a project during the pandemic, however, they didn’t have any money or land for the project. Peter Markos explains, “My...
Blog - Guerrilla...
We are Survivors. We are Stardust. STARLIGHT AND AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER This map wouldn’t exist without an igniting spark from an...
over a year ago
29
over a year ago
STARLIGHT AND AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER This map wouldn’t exist without an igniting spark from an aerospace engineer. I was visiting with a friend (said engineer) when the theme for the Atlas in a Day Challenge was announced. Upon hearing the theme of Community, she shared that the...
The Modern House
Henry Thorold and Jess Ayers’ remarkable railway cottage conversion in north London
a year ago
The Modern House
How a love of Japan and the 1970s shaped Sherrill Smith’s Hackney home
a year ago
99% Invisible
Raccoon Resistance After Toronto unveiled its “raccoon-resistant” compost bins in 2016, some people feared the animals...
3 weeks ago
18
3 weeks ago
After Toronto unveiled its “raccoon-resistant” compost bins in 2016, some people feared the animals would be starved but many more celebrated the innovative design. Rolling out this novel locked bin opened a new battlefront in city’s ongoing “war on raccoons.” Toronto’s new...
Old Structures...
A Thomas Nast Holiday – 1 of 3 Nast is best known as a political cartoonist, but he largely created the popular US version of Santa...
a year ago
10
a year ago
Nast is best known as a political cartoonist, but he largely created the popular US version of Santa Claus from his childhood memories of Christmas in Germany. For the next three days, examples of his work. Today 1863, with references to the Civil War in Santa’s costume.
Old Structures...
Originality Is Not Easy, Part 3 The first two parts of this series looked at patents that involved odd details that were not really...
3 months ago
31
3 months ago
The first two parts of this series looked at patents that involved odd details that were not really part of the metal-frame revolution that was taking place in the 1890s but rather adjacent to it. Neither of those patents reflected actual structure that I’ve ever seen in an old...
Old Structures...
Slow, But Faster Than Original My in-home team for rebuilding Notre Dame – LEGO Notre Dame – has fallen behind schedule. As of...
4 months ago
43
4 months ago
My in-home team for rebuilding Notre Dame – LEGO Notre Dame – has fallen behind schedule. As of today, we’re about up to where the Parisians were in 1200 or so. From a month ago, construction of the nave walls: and the forest of nave columns: From yesterday, the nave walls and...
There are two types...
“Big Real Estate’s Continuing Stranglehold Over New York City” Recently, the Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman wrote in the New York Times about the causes of...
over a year ago
21
over a year ago
Recently, the Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman wrote in the New York Times about the causes of unaffordable housing in New York City. He blamed the crisis on a few things, including a powerful financial “monoculture” in the city, NIMBYs, … Continue reading → The post “Big...
Old Structures...
Ancient Sensationalism Sometimes you learn a little historical nugget and you don’t think about it. It sits in the back of...
a month ago
20
a month ago
Sometimes you learn a little historical nugget and you don’t think about it. It sits in the back of your head for years – decades, actually, in this case – until you’re reminded of it. The murder of Gulielma Sands in 1799 is a good example. It was a tragedy for Ms. Sands and a...
Old Structures...
The Name Lost Meaning From the great archive of her photographs that Carol Highsmith donated to the Library of Congress,...
3 months ago
29
3 months ago
From the great archive of her photographs that Carol Highsmith donated to the Library of Congress, “View of a Manhattan street from New York City’s High Line, a 1.45-mile-long elevated linear park, greenway and rail trail.” Except that you can’t see the High Line because she was...
Common Edge
Warlords in Our Midst Why Elon Musk is worse than science fiction.
4 months ago
McMansion Hell
in which i take on the argument that windowless bedrooms will somehow solve the housing crisis (lol) We Cannot Countenance Windowless Bedrooms in which i take on the argument that windowless bedrooms...
a year ago
SOCKS
The Hidden Territory: USGS’s 1950’s to 1970’s Isometric Geological Diagrams The online archive of the United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey is a valuable...
a year ago
59
a year ago
The online archive of the United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey is a valuable resource filled with detailed three-dimensional territorial maps employing various representational techniques. Thanks to the work of artist, designer, and developer Jill Hubleys...
Cartogrammar
Beyond the Sea, flowing and exploding edition Last year I took a whack at mapping what you’d “see” if you looked straight across the ocean from...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
Last year I took a whack at mapping what you’d “see” if you looked straight across the ocean from coastlines around the world. Since then, an interactive version of that has been a back-burner idea. Well, finally, here we go. To recap, these arcs represent straight-line paths out...
Old Structures...
The Big Day and We’re Two-Faced Our new website is up and, as with all such changes, things are not going as smoothly as I might...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Our new website is up and, as with all such changes, things are not going as smoothly as I might have hoped. There’s a minor glitch with the menu on the new website, which I expect will be fixed shortly. More importantly, we wanted to change to the new back-end in such a way that...
McMansion Hell
2007-core nostalgia extravaganza Quick PSA: someone on Facebook is apparently impersonating me using an account called “McMansion...
3 months ago
37
3 months ago
Quick PSA: someone on Facebook is apparently impersonating me using an account called “McMansion Hell 2.0” – If you see it, please report! Thanks! Howdy folks! I hope if you were born between 1995 and 2001 you’re ready for some indelible pre-recession vibes because I think this...
99% Invisible
Top Billing [EPISODE] There’s a rumor about the 1987 film Outrageous Fortune, a rumor that has dogged producer Jacob Reed...
4 months ago
51
4 months ago
There’s a rumor about the 1987 film Outrageous Fortune, a rumor that has dogged producer Jacob Reed since his days in film school. The comedy, starring Bette Midler and Shelley Long, is mostly forgotten. But a feud between the two stars was legendary, a fact referenced on TV by...
99% Invisible
Dear John and Roman [EPISODE] Last year, Roman Mars teamed up with Hank Green to guest host Dear Hank & John — this year he’s back...
a year ago
29
a year ago
Last year, Roman Mars teamed up with Hank Green to guest host Dear Hank & John — this year he’s back on the Greens’ show once again, but this time with Hank’s brother John. In their podcast Dear Hank & John, “hosts John and Hank Green (who are also authors and YouTubers) offer...
Common Edge
How FEMA’s New “Resilience Zone” Program Works “The goal is to ensure that the most at-risk...communities have the support, resources, and...
a year ago
9
a year ago
“The goal is to ensure that the most at-risk...communities have the support, resources, and opportunities they need.”
Construction Physics
Why do we need infrastructure policy? My title at IFP is "Senior Infrastructure Fellow," which means that in addition to publishing this...
a year ago
10
a year ago
My title at IFP is "Senior Infrastructure Fellow," which means that in addition to publishing this newsletter, I do work related to infrastructure policy. At a high level, that work is figuring out which things we should be building, and how we can make building those things...
99% Invisible
Rocket Man [EPISODE] In the twentieth century, the jetpack became synonymous with the idea of a ‘futuristic society.’...
7 months ago
62
7 months ago
In the twentieth century, the jetpack became synonymous with the idea of a ‘futuristic society.’ Appearing in cartoons and magazines, it felt like a matter of time before people could ride a jetpack to work. But jetpacks never became a mainstream technology, leaving many to...
Old Structures...
How Far Is Far? I was up on a rooftop in the mid-Bronx (Belmont, to be somewhat more exact) last week and saw a...
11 months ago
9
11 months ago
I was up on a rooftop in the mid-Bronx (Belmont, to be somewhat more exact) last week and saw a familiar profile: That’s Billionaire’s Row, on the order of eight and a half miles away. It’s no surpise that you can see a big building from a distance – that’s the essence of all...
Contemporist...
A Stepped Design For This Renovated Century-Old Edwardian House In San Francisco Andrew Mann Architecture has shared photos of a century-old Edwardian house they renovated in a...
7 months ago
Old Structures...
The Public Realm This is the 1895 firehouse constructed for Engine Company 31 and Battalion 2 of the Fire Department...
4 months ago
18
4 months ago
This is the 1895 firehouse constructed for Engine Company 31 and Battalion 2 of the Fire Department of New York, at Lafayette and White Streets. The fire department facilities were moved elsewhere over 50 years ago, but the building is landmarked and reusable, so it has been...
Common Edge
Turning Point: The Three Climate-Planning Scenarios Available to Us Continued inaction could leave us with fewer, and far riskier, options for mitigating a warming...
3 weeks ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Modern Addition For An 1830s Brick Farm House Hollaway Studio has shared photos of a modern home addition they have completed for a former...
a year ago
49
a year ago
Hollaway Studio has shared photos of a modern home addition they have completed for a former farmhouse in Kent, England, that dates back to the 1830s. The original home comprises of formal brick walls, a slate roof, white sash windows with views across the landscape, an original...
devonzuegel.com
America's hidden urban laboratory: the South America hasn't built many walkable places in the last few decades, but there are a few exceptions....
a year ago
7
a year ago
America hasn't built many walkable places in the last few decades, but there are a few exceptions. While collecting a list of these special places, I was shocked to discover that most are in the Southeast. My mental image of contemporary southern development did not include an...
Archinect - Features
Meet NYIT School of Architecture & Design's New Faculty Members The School of Architecture and Design at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), with campuses in...
a month ago
25
a month ago
The School of Architecture and Design at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), with campuses in New York City and Old Westbury, Long Island, delivers a technology-driven, design-focused education across its Architecture, Interior Design, and Digital Art & Design programs.  As...
There are two types...
My Comments at the Midtown South Social Equity and Music Festival Fifty-one years ago, the Pennsylvania Railroad tragically tore down Pennsylvania Station. Not only...
3 months ago
42
3 months ago
Fifty-one years ago, the Pennsylvania Railroad tragically tore down Pennsylvania Station. Not only is it the best building ever torn down in New York, but in the combined Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, we got the worst building in … Continue reading → The post My...
The Modern House
The masterful resculpting of an urban cottage in Cambridge
3 months ago
Old Structures...
Not Famous Is Good Theater fires were among the worst building-related events of the nineteenth and early-twentieth...
4 months ago
37
4 months ago
Theater fires were among the worst building-related events of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries in the US. The Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago killed over 600 people; closer to home, the Brooklyn Theater fire killed about 280. I serious do not recommend reading about...
Common Edge
The Art and Angst of Architecture in Southern California An excerpt from An Urban Odyssey: A Critic’s Search for the Soul of Cities and Self.
3 weeks ago
The Modern House
Step Outside: six top-tier terraces in London homes for sale With the sun hanging around until the early hours of the evening and the daffodils’ golden trumpets...
a year ago
55
a year ago
With the sun hanging around until the early hours of the evening and the daffodils’ golden trumpets heralding that spring is in full swing, it finally feels like we’re properly coming out of hibernation. And where better to admire the return of the rays than […]
99% Invisible
RoboUmp [EPISODE] In the major leagues, there are four umpires on the field — one behind each base, and one behind...
a year ago
20
a year ago
In the major leagues, there are four umpires on the field — one behind each base, and one behind home plate, who has arguably the most important job, calling balls and strikes. A strike is basically any hittable pitch — something over the plate, between the batter’s chest and his...
CONTEMPORIST
The Remodeling Of This Home’s Rear Addition Created A Light-Filled Interior Cox Architects has sent us photos of a project they completed that included the re-modeling of a 775...
a year ago
31
a year ago
Cox Architects has sent us photos of a project they completed that included the re-modeling of a 775 square foot (72 sqm) brick addition. BeforeThe original Edwardian house, located in a leafy South London Conservation Area, already had a rear brick addition, however, it was not...
Old Structures...
Clogging Up Traffic Traffic in lower Manhattan is always bad, but is today impassable even for pedestrians. The New York...
a month ago
25
a month ago
Traffic in lower Manhattan is always bad, but is today impassable even for pedestrians. The New York Liberty are getting a ticker-tape parade for their WNBA championship. First, congrats to the Liberty and happy days to their fans. Second, there is something very New York about...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Artistic From a stand-alone comic about the Penguin, a museum in Gotham City: From the Look Around feature in...
7 months ago
34
7 months ago
From a stand-alone comic about the Penguin, a museum in Gotham City: From the Look Around feature in Apple Maps, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Fifth Avenue facade: From 1900, when the main facade of the center block was complete, but the wings not yet constructed: The rough...