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Old Structures...
Randomness When you study history, one of the things that takes a while to really accept is the random nature...
10 months ago
13
10 months ago
When you study history, one of the things that takes a while to really accept is the random nature of events. People think they are in control and shape, at least to some degree, the future. When some truly random event occurs, we often attribute it to someone else’s will, unable...
A Weekly Dose of...
Four Monographs Of the numerous books publishers send me for review — be they requested by me, pitched by them, or...
a year ago
15
a year ago
Of the numerous books publishers send me for review — be they requested by me, pitched by them, or arriving at my doorstep unsolicited — the highest percentage of them are monographs. This fact goes against the occasional sirens over the irrelevance and anachronistic nature of...
Old Structures...
The Back Side I’ve discussed the old Croton Distributing Reservoir several times before. It was the southernmost...
9 months ago
24
9 months ago
I’ve discussed the old Croton Distributing Reservoir several times before. It was the southernmost visible part of New York’s first really good water system, and occupied the same spot that the New York Public Library does today: 40th to 42nd Street, from Fifth Avenue to a little...
CONTEMPORIST
A Home That Delivers A Rustic Symphony Of Exposed Wood Beams FINNE Architects has shared photos of a Pacific Northwest house they designed on Bainbridge Island,...
8 months ago
27
8 months ago
FINNE Architects has shared photos of a Pacific Northwest house they designed on Bainbridge Island, Washington. A 500-ft driveway winds through the woods up to the house, located in a clearing at the top of a gentle hill. The house was designed to be sustainable from the start,...
CONTEMPORIST
A Complete Renovation Was Given To This 1980s Plaster Clad House Michael Cooper Architects has shared photos of a 1980s plaster-clad home in Auckland, New Zealand,...
a year ago
5
a year ago
Michael Cooper Architects has shared photos of a 1980s plaster-clad home in Auckland, New Zealand, that they renovated to bring it up to today’s standards. The house needed a re-design inside and out, with the clients requesting a contemporary design. The clients also wanted a...
Old Structures...
Another Moment of Transition This a nice postcard of the north end of Union Square, using a hand-color photograph from 1910 as...
9 months ago
13
9 months ago
This a nice postcard of the north end of Union Square, using a hand-color photograph from 1910 as its basis. The centerpiece is the Metropolitan Life tower at Madison Square, seven blocks to the north of the foreground buildings on East 17th Street. Those buildings include the...
Cartogrammar
Ohio is still a piano In a hundred years, no one will remember our work. Strike that, make it about five years. Digital,...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
In a hundred years, no one will remember our work. Strike that, make it about five years. Digital, web-based work can break or disappear in an instant. I’ve certainly done some things which are now gone forever. Anyway, one broken thing was the crazy Ohio piano map I made nearly...
CONTEMPORIST
8,000 Discs Were Suspended To Create This Artistic Installation Canadian-based Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has shared photos of Binary Spectrum, a site-specific...
a year ago
51
a year ago
Canadian-based Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has shared photos of Binary Spectrum, a site-specific art installation they created for a lobby atrium inside a building in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Comprised of 8,000 translucent discs, Binary Spectrum is a poetic expression of...
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...
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:
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...
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
Does Brooklyn’s New Brooding Monolith Deserve Kudos? Closer in, SHoP’s Brooklyn Tower reveals texture, color, and personality, but for many it’s a bleak...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Closer in, SHoP’s Brooklyn Tower reveals texture, color, and personality, but for many it’s a bleak middle finger on the skyline.
Old Structures...
Elsewhere in the Archipelago After more than 30 years, it will soon be possible for the public to again visit Hart Island, at...
a year ago
21
a year ago
After more than 30 years, it will soon be possible for the public to again visit Hart Island, at least on some days and as part of guided tours. Given the nature of the island – it’s been the potter’s field for New York City for over 150 years – it’s a slightly weird place to go,...
Contemporist...
An Extension To This 1933 Home Creates A New Kitchen And Outdoor Terrace Heliotrope Architects has shared photos of a contemporary extension they completed for a home in...
4 months ago
38
4 months ago
Heliotrope Architects has shared photos of a contemporary extension they completed for a home in Seattle, Washington, that was originally designed and built in 1933 by Norwegian boat captain Ole E. Nelson.
Archinect - Features
Discussing Paid Research Opportunities for M.Arch Students at UW-Milwaukee SARUP In November 2022, we connected with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Architecture &...
a year ago
18
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...
Archinect - Features
The US Just Defined a Zero Emissions Building: Is It Enough? For the first time, the US government has issued a definition of a 'zero emission building.' While...
5 months ago
47
5 months ago
For the first time, the US government has issued a definition of a 'zero emission building.' While the effort to define a 'zero emission building' is both timely and commendable given the proliferation of unverified titles such as 'net zero' and 'carbon positive' in the AEC...
The Wandering...
Mapping Francis Younghusband in the Gobi Desert, 1887, Part 3: Hun-kua-ling sandhills to Ya-hu oasis [Go back to Part 2: From the Galpin Gobi to the Hun-kua-ling sandhills.] From here to the Ya-hu...
over a year ago
23
over a year ago
[Go back to Part 2: From the Galpin Gobi to the Hun-kua-ling sandhills.] From here to the Ya-hu oasis (which Younghusband reaches on June 23rd) the route is obscure, and we find old maps less useful. We have to rely more upon comparing his route description with images of the...
Old Structures...
Colorful and Accurate The map above, from 1884, shows the planned line of the new Croton Aqueduct from the reservoir on...
12 months ago
6
12 months ago
The map above, from 1884, shows the planned line of the new Croton Aqueduct from the reservoir on the right (to the north) to New York City on the left. The new aqueduct runs on a much straighter line than the old, which required more tunneling, and therefore reflects the more...
CONTEMPORIST
A Home Office Hides Behind A Sliding Wall In This House Blue Truck Studio collaborated with a new homeowner with DIY construction experience, to renovate a...
a year ago
23
a year ago
Blue Truck Studio collaborated with a new homeowner with DIY construction experience, to renovate a home for the owner’s family. The interior, contemporary yet comfortable in its design, includes a living room that has a large empty wall. However, this wall isn’t stationary but...
Contemporist...
Dyed Cement Shingles Cover The Counter Inside This Bakery Grizzo Studio has shared photos of MALAU, a new bakery in Pilar Centro, Argentina, that includes...
2 months ago
30
2 months ago
Grizzo Studio has shared photos of MALAU, a new bakery in Pilar Centro, Argentina, that includes handcrafted pieces of dyed cement in its design.
Old Structures...
Doodling In A Hotel A remarkable sketch by Cass Gilbert from July 1933: From left to right, the Dom Tower in Utrecht...
9 months ago
37
9 months ago
A remarkable sketch by Cass Gilbert from July 1933: From left to right, the Dom Tower in Utrecht (fourteenth-century, 368 feet high): St Mark’s Campanile in Venice (ninth century, rebuilt in the early twentieth century after it collapsed, 323 feet high): and Gilbert’s own...
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...
Common Edge
What Primitive Huts Teach Us About Architecture An enduring ‘origin myth’ continues to inspire contemporary designers.
a year ago
The Modern House
The low-key, light-infused renewal of a long-neglected Victorian cottage in Walthamstow
10 months ago
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
Construction Physics
The Grid, Part IV: The Hard and Soft Paths of Energy Strategy Today, the electrical grid has over 500,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 5 million...
a year ago
51
a year ago
Today, the electrical grid has over 500,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 5 million miles of lower voltage distribution lines, which supply power from nearly 6,000 large power plants. Together, this system supplies more than 4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity...
Archinect - Features
‘We Have To Get Much Better at Speaking To Wider and Wider Audiences:’ A Conversation With... In February 2024, Brett Steele took up the position of Dean of the University of Southern California...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
In February 2024, Brett Steele took up the position of Dean of the University of Southern California School of Architecture. Since then, Steele has been busy capitalizing on the opportunities and responsibilities that come with leading a Los Angeles design school in a city known...
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...
CONTEMPORIST
A Coffee Shop Inspired By The Spectral Allure Of The Aurora Borealis Design firm Unknown Surface Studio has shared photos of Uncloud Coffee, a new coffee shop they...
8 months ago
34
8 months ago
Design firm Unknown Surface Studio has shared photos of Uncloud Coffee, a new coffee shop they completed in Chonburi, Thailand, with a sculptural and eye-catching facade. Inspired by the spectral allure of the Aurora Borealis, the design abstractly interprets these atmospheric...
Contemporist...
A’ Design Awards And Competition – The Winners A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts in...
7 months ago
Common Edge
The Challenge of Creating a Women-Friendly Architecture School in Afghanistan Years of effort have been undone by political strife, while earthquakes have further destroyed...
a year ago
Old Structures...
Location and Purpose From 1932, “The Kips Bay Station, with a capacity of 2,450,000 pounds of steam an hour, is the...
3 months ago
37
3 months ago
From 1932, “The Kips Bay Station, with a capacity of 2,450,000 pounds of steam an hour, is the largest and most modern central station steam generating plant in the world.” The station was a steam-generating plant, located on the East River at 36th Street, decommissioned and...
SOCKS
90-Degree Axonometric’s by Auguste Merle (Late 19th – Early 20th C.) Auguste Merle was an Art Brut artist living in France at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries....
8 months ago
52
8 months ago
Auguste Merle was an Art Brut artist living in France at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His works depict imaginary buildings with meticulous detailing, using graphite on notebook paper. The rigorous yet inventive forms are depicted in 90-degree axonometric projections,...
Contemporist...
Pitched Roofs Cover This Dark And Moody Farmhouse Atlas Architects has shared photos of a modern house on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia, that...
a year ago
46
a year ago
Atlas Architects has shared photos of a modern house on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia, that was once a brown-brick, pitched-roof farmhouse built in the 1980s.
Contemporist...
A Modern Brick Home Designed Around The Original Placement Of Trees Exterio architects have shared photos of a new home they completed in Warsaw, Poland, that's...
5 months ago
Old Structures...
Before Iron The photo above, from the NYPL digital archive, shows South William Street (AKA a block from our...
a year ago
7
a year ago
The photo above, from the NYPL digital archive, shows South William Street (AKA a block from our office) in the mid-1860s. We’re looking at, from left to right 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17 South William. Here’s a roughly similar view in 2014 (not current because there is now scaffolding...
Old Structures...
Fame, Compressed From 2018, a Carol Highsmith photo titled “View of the Manhattan skyline from the Empire State...
3 months ago
19
3 months ago
From 2018, a Carol Highsmith photo titled “View of the Manhattan skyline from the Empire State Building in New York, New York.” We’re looking northeast across part of midtown to the Queensboro Bridge, Queens and the Bronx, and suburban Long Island and Westchester beyond. What’s...
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
The Modern House
Charlotte Taylor on the wonders of wood and her sudoku-orientated routine
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Home Designed As One Long Curve FRARI – architecture network has designed a new house in Vagos, Portugal, that has a single arcing...
a year ago
19
a year ago
FRARI – architecture network has designed a new house in Vagos, Portugal, that has a single arcing curved design. Through its shape and arrangement, the curved home protects itself from the busy road, while also opening up the interior to the outdoor spaces, like the yard and...
The Modern House
Our guide to Forest Gate: community spirit and small businesses in east London
a year ago
Common Edge
Letter From Ljubljana, Slovenia: The Human-Centered Urbanism of Jože Plečnik The architect created interventions small and large, all informed by his love of walking the city’s...
a year ago
Construction Physics
Building Fast and Slow Part IV: Construction of the World Trade Center This is Part IV in a series comparing the construction of the Empire State Building and the World...
over a year ago
18
over a year ago
This is Part IV in a series comparing the construction of the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center. Part I covers the design and construction of the Empire State Building, Part II covers the initial development of the World Trade Center, and Part III covers the
Old Structures...
Comparisons This type of imaginary collection was quite popular at the beginning of the twentieth century....
4 months ago
38
4 months ago
This type of imaginary collection was quite popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. Sometimes it was just buildings, like here, sometimes steamships were stood on end to show how big they were. (Note that the biggest steamship in 1908, when the Singer Building was new,...
Common Edge
Should NYC’s Housing Authority Demolish Public Housing in Manhattan? Plans for a phased demolition and rebuilding of the Fulton and Chelsea-Elliott Houses should be...
a month ago
The Modern House
Five standout things to see and do this May Is there a more delightful time of year than wisteria-filled May? As we get set for summer, we’re in...
a year ago
46
a year ago
Is there a more delightful time of year than wisteria-filled May? As we get set for summer, we’re in high spirits, not least because of the inspiring happenings in our diaries. From a series of workshops at a London bakery’s new homeware space to a […]
The Modern House
Quiet yet quirky – the family home of architect Will Burges serves as both inspiration and sanctuary
5 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Plaid-Inspired Wood Kitchen Is A Unique Design Feature Inside This Office BHDM Design has recently completed a workplace in New York for private equity consulting firm...
a year ago
46
a year ago
BHDM Design has recently completed a workplace in New York for private equity consulting firm Accordion, whose interior was inspired by motifs of menswear fabrics. An interesting design element in the workplace is the kitchen, which includes a unique plaid design. The plaid...
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...
devonzuegel.com
Israel's water miracle The saga of Israeli water management is one of the most inspiring stories of the last 75 years....
a year ago
10
a year ago
The saga of Israeli water management is one of the most inspiring stories of the last 75 years. Israel went from having a serious water problem to being a net water exporter to neighboring countries. Meanwhile, the population grew from ~1 million to well over 9 million. With...
There are two types...
Car Free Brooklyn Bridge – photos and drawings A Car-Free Brooklyn Bridge Is Possible Images and Illustratons AFTER: Aerial view looking east...
over a year ago
19
over a year ago
A Car-Free Brooklyn Bridge Is Possible Images and Illustratons AFTER: Aerial view looking east towards a car-free Brooklyn Bridge. Centre Street and Park Row next to the Brooklyn Bridge are reimagined as an extension of City Hall Park. © 2020 … Continue reading → The post Car...
Old Structures...
Training I spent most of Tuesday in an online course run by the California Office of Emergency Services, for...
a month ago
21
a month ago
I spent most of Tuesday in an online course run by the California Office of Emergency Services, for their Safety Assessment Program. This is training for “second responders”: the architects, engineers, and other building professionals who assess the safety of structures after an...
Old Structures...
Even A Joke Takes Effort From 1911, Cass Gilbert’s sketches of his father (top) and himself (bottom): From the Woolworth...
8 months ago
33
8 months ago
From 1911, Cass Gilbert’s sketches of his father (top) and himself (bottom): From the Woolworth Building lobby as completed in late 1912, the grotesque* of Gilbert holding a model of his building: Given that the grotesque is wearing glasses bit not a laurel wreath, a sketch much...
The Modern House
Mary Portas: the queen of the high street’s inspiring journey from homeless orphan to a London... Our guest on this episode of our podcast, Homing In, is Mary Portas. As a retail consultant and...
a year ago
11
a year ago
Our guest on this episode of our podcast, Homing In, is Mary Portas. As a retail consultant and broadcaster, Mary is best known for presenting TV shows such as Mary Queen of Shops, in which she came to the rescue of the UK’s failing high […]
CONTEMPORIST
A’ Design Awards & Competition – Last Call for Entries This article has been brought to you by A’ Design Award and Competition. A’ Design Award &...
a year ago
22
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 16,000 award winners from 110 different design disciplines. A’ Design...
The Solarchitecture...
7 key principles of solar passive design - Part 2. Balance it all with local climate and a holistic energy calculation.
over a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Glamping Tents Designed By Architects Architects Julio Cano and Barbara Bardin of Canobardin, have sent photos of the TipiTop Tents they...
4 months ago
30
4 months ago
Architects Julio Cano and Barbara Bardin of Canobardin, have sent photos of the TipiTop Tents they designed for the Costa del Sol Glamping Village in Spain. Each tent’s structure is made entirely of laminated pine wood, with a volume formed from three porticoes that support the...
CONTEMPORIST
Lofty Timber Vaulted Ceilings And Sandstone Details For This Sydney Building Photography by Brett Boardman Multidisciplinary architectural practice fjcstudio, has completed a...
a week ago
14
a week ago
Photography by Brett Boardman Multidisciplinary architectural practice fjcstudio, has completed a building in Sydney, Australia, that includes colonial stone masonry, lofty geometric forms, and a layered tapestry of handcrafted materials. Photography by Brett Boardman Photography...
Old Structures...
Straight and Curved I first started reading architectural theory and criticism when I was still an engineering undergrad...
6 months ago
50
6 months ago
I first started reading architectural theory and criticism when I was still an engineering undergrad student. It gave me a perspective on buildings that was notably different than that I was learning in my design and analysis classes, but because I was an outsider it took me a...
CONTEMPORIST
Plants Were Integrated Into This Home’s Design To Give It The Feeling Of A Tropical Resort Wallflower Architecture + Design has shared photos of a home they recently completed in Novena,...
a year ago
19
a year ago
Wallflower Architecture + Design has shared photos of a home they recently completed in Novena, Singapore, that integrates plants into its design. Located in a residential area in the middle of the city, the house sits on a fan-shaped property and has been designed to reflect the...
The Modern House
A contemporary flint house on the Kent coast, with lateral living spaces and an outdoor bath
a year ago
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #07: Sec. Pete Buttigieg [EPISODE] This is the seventh official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
5 months ago
44
5 months ago
This is the seventh 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 sit down with Pete Buttigieg, the US Secretary of Transportation. One of his major...
Old Structures...
Delaying The Obvious Solution The idea behind Columbus Circle was a good one. The corner of a large park (Central Park, in this...
6 months ago
39
6 months ago
The idea behind Columbus Circle was a good one. The corner of a large park (Central Park, in this case) is a good place to have a monumental space. The only problem was reality: the southwest corner of Central Park is the intersection of Central Park West (AKA Eight Avenue),...
Old Structures...
For The Encouragement Of Thrift When you spend as much time looking at buildings as I do, it takes something out of the ordinary to...
a year ago
6
a year ago
When you spend as much time looking at buildings as I do, it takes something out of the ordinary to stand out. In this case, I was on Sutphin Boulevard in Queens, on its northernmost leg. That’s the part of Sutphin that most people who have heard of it know: between its northern...
Old Structures...
Dry-Goods Palace This is a newspaper ad circa 1883, advertising that the store Wechsler & Abraham had moved about two...
3 months ago
34
3 months ago
This is a newspaper ad circa 1883, advertising that the store Wechsler & Abraham had moved about two blocks down Fulton Street to a new building that was something like five times the size of its old home. That name doesn’t mean much today, but in 1893, a change in ownership...
Old Structures...
Why People Cared This is remarkable, in a way: in a city full of apartment houses, the New York Sun newspaper felt...
4 months ago
30
4 months ago
This is remarkable, in a way: in a city full of apartment houses, the New York Sun newspaper felt that a complex of mid-rise buildings in Queens was worthy of note: I can think of two reasons off the top of my head, one related to housing and the other related to general...
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...
Construction Physics
Building Fast and Slow: The Empire State Building and the World Trade Center (Part I) The Empire State Building was completed in 1931. At a height of 1250 feet [0], it was the world's...
over a year ago
18
over a year ago
The Empire State Building was completed in 1931. At a height of 1250 feet [0], it was the world's tallest building, exceeding the recently completed Chrysler building by 202 feet. It would hold that title for the next 39 years, until 1970 when it was surpassed in height by...
CONTEMPORIST
Chairs For Sitting On Stairs ARTA Architects has designed the Tai Kwun Chairs for The Hong Kong Jockey Club, allowing a more...
2 weeks ago
20
2 weeks ago
ARTA Architects has designed the Tai Kwun Chairs for The Hong Kong Jockey Club, allowing a more comfortable and modular seating solution for these stairs. The chairs complement the distinctive design languages of the Tai Kwun arts and cultural centre’s ancient and contemporary...
CONTEMPORIST
Plants Are Encouraged To Grow Over The Exterior Of This New House Giles Miller Studio has shared photos of their first completed residential property in Kent,...
a year ago
51
a year ago
Giles Miller Studio has shared photos of their first completed residential property in Kent, England, that features a sculptural black facade. The house breaks down barriers between the building’s internal spaces and the glade of natural planting and trees that surround it. By...
The Wandering...
Constructing the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling I was flipping through Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament a couple months ago, and my eye was caught...
8 months ago
56
8 months ago
I was flipping through Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament a couple months ago, and my eye was caught by this handsome pattern I had not noticed before. This is Jones’s Plate XLII, in the chapter on designs from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. He calls it, “Part of the ceiling of...
CONTEMPORIST
A Tube Shaped Treehouse Wrapped In Diamond-Shaped Metal Tiles Artistree, a company that creates treehouses and tiny homes, has shared photos of their design named...
11 months ago
9
11 months ago
Artistree, a company that creates treehouses and tiny homes, has shared photos of their design named “The Spyglass Treehouse”, which provides a unique window into the surrounding environment. Inspired by old-fashioned spyglasses used to magnify what is in the distance, this...
Old Structures...
Small Trusses For the last nine years, the high point, for me, of the annual APTI conference has been the student...
a month ago
21
a month ago
For the last nine years, the high point, for me, of the annual APTI conference has been the student competition run by the Preservation Engineering Technical Committee. This year, In Montreal, was no exception. This year, I had no role in the competition, which frees me to say...
Common Edge
Hope and Squalor: Venezuelan Refugees at Chicago Police Stations Nearly 3000 people are living in tents and inside police facilities.
a year ago
The Modern House
How Cobbie Yates and Joseph Hyland maximised space in their compact Deptford apartment
a year ago
Construction Physics
A Cycle of Misery: The Business of Building Commercial Aircraft "There are no historic precedents or current parallels for the magnitude of financial exposure...
10 months ago
61
10 months ago
"There are no historic precedents or current parallels for the magnitude of financial exposure risked by an American airframe company" – George Ball, managing director at Lehman Brothers, 1982 "You can't win, you can't break even, and you can't quit" – Jean Pierson, former CEO of...
CONTEMPORIST
A Large Mural Adds Color To The Interior Of This Narrow Home Spaces Architects@KA has shared photos of a tall and narrow house they designed in New Dehli, India,...
9 months ago
19
9 months ago
Spaces Architects@KA has shared photos of a tall and narrow house they designed in New Dehli, India, that includes a large wall mural. The colorful mural, which spans multiple floors, depicts a tree with leaves, flowers, and birds. Interior walkways provide an unobstructed view...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Yup Sometimes, this game is not much of a challenge. Above, the Midtown North precinct house, as seen in...
a year ago
10
a year ago
Sometimes, this game is not much of a challenge. Above, the Midtown North precinct house, as seen in Daredevil. Below, the Midtown North precinct house, as seen in Apple Look Around.
Old Structures...
Not Quite Before, Not Quite After A building that was discussed at great length at last week’s Office To Residential Summit was 25...
6 months ago
38
6 months ago
A building that was discussed at great length at last week’s Office To Residential Summit was 25 Water Street. Old Structures has no connection to that project, but it’s a block from our office, so I’ve been watching the progress. Here’s what it looked like last December: It was...
Old Structures...
A Thomas Nast Holiday – 2 of 3 Santa looks a bit like Horace Greeley in this one.
12 months ago
Common Edge
The Making of Ponchartrain Park in New Orleans How a pair of wealthy outsiders, Edith and Edgar Stern, helped inspire the first neighborhood...
9 months ago
33
9 months ago
How a pair of wealthy outsiders, Edith and Edgar Stern, helped inspire the first neighborhood development exclusively available to Black middle-class families.
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
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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...
Coffee with an...
Design explained with Bar Charts Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple bar charts. Right. This isn’t...
9 months ago
53
9 months ago
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple bar charts. Right. This isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE
Archinect - Features
Architectural Licensure Is Becoming More Diverse, but Barriers to Equality Remain According to recent data, the demographics of candidates on the path to architectural licensure are...
3 months ago
46
3 months ago
According to recent data, the demographics of candidates on the path to architectural licensure are beginning to counter the longstanding underrepresentation of women and people of color in the profession. However, deeper studies of the licensure experience reveal ongoing...
Old Structures...
We Become Accustomed – Part 1 I want to spend a few days talking about a building that is not very exciting, because it...
a year ago
8
a year ago
I want to spend a few days talking about a building that is not very exciting, because it illustrates an important phenomenon about change. When I talk about change in this blog, I most often mean technological change in the built environment, as new forms of construction...
Common Edge
Capturing America, One State Capitol at a Time A new book celebrates the lost grandeur and optimism of democracy.
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Wood Details Are Found Throughout This Apartment’s Interior Architecture and Design Studio Cuaik CDS has sent us photos of an apartment they have recently...
a year ago
21
a year ago
Architecture and Design Studio Cuaik CDS has sent us photos of an apartment they have recently completed in Madrid, Spain, that includes wood details throughout its interior. In the living room, a wall-mounted TV is disguised as art, while illuminated wooden shelves on either...
Old Structures...
A Less Obvious Canyon A few months ago I wrote about the appearance of streets lined with old, pre-zoning skyscrapers. I...
7 months ago
37
7 months ago
A few months ago I wrote about the appearance of streets lined with old, pre-zoning skyscrapers. I mentioned my two favorite examples: Thames Street between Broadway and Trinity Place, and Pine Street between Broadway and Nassau Street. I skipped the obvious example, Broadway, as...
The Modern House
My Modern House: Tom Morris’ Brutalist flat on the Barbican Estate This week, we’re taking a trip down memory lane – and to the Barbican apartment of Tom Morris,...
a year ago
7
a year ago
This week, we’re taking a trip down memory lane – and to the Barbican apartment of Tom Morris, multihyphenate writer turned interior designer and founder of Morrisstudio, the outfit known for its considered craft-led approach to creating homes. However, when we first visited Tom,...
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...
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...
Old Structures...
Being Stalked From The Past Once again, one of Angel Rizzuto’s photos, this one from 1954, gets very close to us. This is the...
7 months ago
49
7 months ago
Once again, one of Angel Rizzuto’s photos, this one from 1954, gets very close to us. This is the intersection of Whitehall and Stone Street looking east. (For once, the logic of the street grid and the actual cardinal points align exactly.) Almost every building in this view has...
The Modern House
The Modern House guide to Christmas gifts that give back The festive sprint comes with ample occasions for gift giving, from Secret Santa to stocking...
2 weeks ago
11
2 weeks ago
The festive sprint comes with ample occasions for gift giving, from Secret Santa to stocking fillers. Where to start? This year, we’ve decided to focus on gifting with an altruistic inclination and present an edit of design-led festive finds that support the work of charities […]
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #06: Mike Schur [EPISODE] This is the sixth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
6 months ago
42
6 months ago
This is the sixth 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 sit down with Mike Schur, who created the critically acclaimed NBC comedy The Good Place, and...
Old Structures...
Reuse, Not Really Adaptive From an elevated subway station in Queens: two generations of roof. Or, if you prefer, a palimpsest...
4 months ago
32
4 months ago
From an elevated subway station in Queens: two generations of roof. Or, if you prefer, a palimpsest in steel. The roof over the rather wide platform is supported by two lines of columns. That’s a column in the lower left, with the curves of the lower flange of the built-up main...
CONTEMPORIST
A Metal Roof Wraps Around This Off-Grid Cabin To Protect It From The Elements Cameron Anderson Architects has shared photos of a small off-grid cabin they designed as part of a...
6 months ago
40
6 months ago
Cameron Anderson Architects has shared photos of a small off-grid cabin they designed as part of a luxury farm stay in Australia. The building is situated on a gently undulating site with its elevated position offering uninterrupted views of the surrounding farmland. A wrapping...
McMansion Hell
every small city has that one dictator chic house I don’t know why, but every city, no matter how big, has some insanely stacked dictator-looking...
a year ago
6
a year ago
I don’t know why, but every city, no matter how big, has some insanely stacked dictator-looking McMansion somewhere outside the city limits. If you sort your Zillow results as Price: High - Low, this house will pop up first. It costs something like $5,000,000. It is 10,000 square...
Construction Physics
Building Apollo A review of Angle of Attack: Harrison Storms and the Race to the Moon
a year ago
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...
99% Invisible
Autism Pleasantville [EPISODE] A few years back, journalist Lauren Ober was diagnosed with autism. She then made a podcast about...
9 months ago
49
9 months ago
A few years back, journalist Lauren Ober was diagnosed with autism. She then made a podcast about her experience called The Loudest Girl in the World. And she found herself imagining a fantasy world where everything is tailored to Lauren’s very specific autistic needs. And she...
Construction Physics
The Shape of Nuclear Policy Book review: Nuclear Politics: Energy and the State in the United States, Sweden, and France
6 months ago
Old Structures...
Evolved To Fit The Conditions If you’ve always known something, it can be difficult to see how weird it is. New Yorkers walk...
7 months ago
61
7 months ago
If you’ve always known something, it can be difficult to see how weird it is. New Yorkers walk through construction sites all the time, intentionally so on the part of the builders and with the blessing of the Department of Buildings. It looks something like this: Like so many of...
Contemporist...
A Circular Off-Grid Home In Costa Rica Studio Saxe has shared photos of a secluded circular home they designed that's located deep within...
a month ago
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a month ago
Studio Saxe has shared photos of a secluded circular home they designed that's located deep within Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula.
CONTEMPORIST
This Tall Black House Appears To Be Made From A Series Of Stacked Boxes Studio for Architecture & Collaboration (StudioAC) has designed a modern single-family home with a...
11 months ago
6
11 months ago
Studio for Architecture & Collaboration (StudioAC) has designed a modern single-family home with a black exterior in Toronto, Canada. The home has a gable roof and appears as a series of stacked boxes, with different levels defining the various areas of the home. The rear of the...
Common Edge
Encounters With Damian: Columbia University’s Homeless Neighbor Near and around campus, the juxtaposition between privilege and poverty is glaring.
a year ago
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...
Old Structures...
Previous Work A minor point, but it never hurts to look at the details. The photo above shows repair work on a...
a year ago
8
a year ago
A minor point, but it never hurts to look at the details. The photo above shows repair work on a 1920s steel-frame building. The black-painted iron is the top landing, at the roof level, of a fire-escape; there used to be (and will be again, soon) a parapet on either side of it,...
SOCKS
Matmata: Underground Dwellings for an Extreme Climate The ancient Berber village of Matmata in South Tunisia, located between the Eastern coast and the...
a year ago
27
a year ago
The ancient Berber village of Matmata in South Tunisia, located between the Eastern coast and the desert, is characterised by settlements of dwellings dug into the clay-gypsum layers of the ground. The dating of the first inhabitations is uncertain. In these dwellings, vaulted...
Common Edge
Why Gardening Should Be Our Metaphor for Local Development If your town isn’t cultivating its own economic growth, then it’s being mined for someone else’s...
2 weeks ago
Old Structures...
A Simple Drawing For A Difficult Structure – Part 1 Continuing from yesterday’s dive, we have an 1870 drawing by Washington Roebling showing the...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Continuing from yesterday’s dive, we have an 1870 drawing by Washington Roebling showing the relationship of the Brooklyn tower of the Brooklyn Bridge to the caisson that serves as its foundation. There’s a lot going on in this line drawing and it’s worth the time to describe it...
Old Structures...
Another Tool Our inspections tend to be very close up – one of my first, in 1988, had me lying on the floor in an...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Our inspections tend to be very close up – one of my first, in 1988, had me lying on the floor in an abandoned building with my arm, up to the shoulder, inside a hole in the wall, trying to get the sense of a beam-to-column connection by touch – but sometimes long-distance tools...
devonzuegel.com
Georgist land taxes balance community benefit & the efficiency of markets One thing I like about Georgist land taxes is they reflect a deep-seated intuition many people have...
5 months ago
41
5 months ago
One thing I like about Georgist land taxes is they reflect a deep-seated intuition many people have that land should be owned by the community, while still employing markets to ensure efficient use of this limited resource. People feel that land is special and should serve the...
Construction Physics
How California Turned Against Growth Even before it became a state, people migrated to California in search of a better life: for jobs,...
4 months ago
43
4 months ago
Even before it became a state, people migrated to California in search of a better life: for jobs, the chance to become rich and famous, or simply the comfortable climate and beautiful landscape.
CONTEMPORIST
Bamboo And Traditional Craftsmanship Weave Nature Into The Design Of This Retail And Exhibition... Design firm llLab., has shared photos of a sculptural bamboo installation they recently completed as...
2 months ago
31
2 months ago
Design firm llLab., has shared photos of a sculptural bamboo installation they recently completed as part of the Element pop-up store at HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai, China. Aligned with Element’s sustainable branding philosophy, this project embraces bamboo to explore a spatial...
Construction Physics
The grid part II - the golden age of the power industry Welcome to Part II of our history of the electric power industry. For Part I, see here. By 1930, the...
a year ago
49
a year ago
Welcome to Part II of our history of the electric power industry. For Part I, see here. By 1930, the US was using 114 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, generated by more than 4000 power plants. Most electricity was generated by coal (56%) and hydroelectric (34%)...
Old Structures...
Bucolia First up, some very tame woods, with a picnic bench: About a mile away, a peaceful – if rainy and...
10 months ago
11
10 months ago
First up, some very tame woods, with a picnic bench: About a mile away, a peaceful – if rainy and foggy – stretch of water, as seen from a causeway: This is, against most people’s expectations, the Bronx. More specifically, it’s Pelham Bay Park, and Eastchester Bay, where the...
CONTEMPORIST
A Curved Green Roof Allows This Winery To Blend Into The Landscape Architecture studio Aleš Fiala has recently completed the design of Gurdau Winery in the Czech...
a year ago
37
a year ago
Architecture studio Aleš Fiala has recently completed the design of Gurdau Winery in the Czech Republic, which includes a unique curved green roof. The building’s location in the open countryside naturally brought with it high demands for architectural and landscape integration....
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...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: One Accurate, One Not First, from a 1940s Sunday newspaper strip of Miss Fury, a realistic view down the facade of a fancy...
4 months ago
29
4 months ago
First, from a 1940s Sunday newspaper strip of Miss Fury, a realistic view down the facade of a fancy New York apartment house to the street: Second, from a modern Captain America comic, “the City of Manhattan”. Where’s that, Kansas? It’s been “New York” since 1664, “Nieuw...
Archinect - Features
Being Laid off in Architecture Is Tough; So Is Waiting To Be Findings from our recent Archinect Business Survey suggest that many architecture employees do not...
3 months ago
41
3 months ago
Findings from our recent Archinect Business Survey suggest that many architecture employees do not feel secure in their current roles. For those facing the looming prospect of layoffs in the coming weeks or months, the emotional strain can be as taxing as that experienced by...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Nostalgia A piece of a 1987 Daredevil comic, with some thugs attacking pieple on the subway. The route map (on...
11 months ago
7
11 months ago
A piece of a 1987 Daredevil comic, with some thugs attacking pieple on the subway. The route map (on the left, abive the man in a blue jacket, blue pants, and badly-outdated boots) is clearly the Vignelli Map, in use from 1972 to 1979. The cars with the big central cicular fans...
SOCKS
“I called them Ghosts”. Visual Poems and Sequences by George Wylesol George Wylesol is a Baltimore-based artist who primarily produces illustrations and comic-like...
8 months ago
55
8 months ago
George Wylesol is a Baltimore-based artist who primarily produces illustrations and comic-like sequences of drawings, often accompanied by written text in the form of short poems. His works blend mundane objects and settings with surreal plots and visual associations, resulting...
Old Structures...
Helping The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has received a well-deserved award – a 2024 “Excellence...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has received a well-deserved award – a 2024 “Excellence in Historic Preservation Award” – from the Preservation League of NYS: here. It’s an interesting award in that the Foundation, which ordinarily funds projects and provides...
SOCKS
The Square and the Circle: The Palace of Charles V in Granada (1527) The palace of Charles V in Granada was built starting in 1527 as a summer palace for the emperor....
over a year ago
20
over a year ago
The palace of Charles V in Granada was built starting in 1527 as a summer palace for the emperor. The Renaissance building is located inside the Alhambra, the former Nasrid complex on Sabika hill, a notable example of Islamic architecture.  The structure is built in stone and is...
Contemporist...
The client asked for "a hotel-like bedroom and bathroom in their home, so they could feel as if they... Studio Kloek has shared images of a bedroom and bathroom suite they designed for their client who...
7 months ago
68
7 months ago
Studio Kloek has shared images of a bedroom and bathroom suite they designed for their client who desired "a hotel-like bedroom and bathroom in their home, so they could feel as if they were on vacation every day."
Old Structures...
Personal History Revisited A few years ago I pointed out all the differences 170 years had made in Flushing, where I grew up. I...
10 months ago
12
10 months ago
A few years ago I pointed out all the differences 170 years had made in Flushing, where I grew up. I recently came a cross a more recent map, titled “Map of the village of Flushing, Queens County, New York”, from 1894. This was four years before the western half of Queens County...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Famous and Less So On the left, Steve Rogers jogs off the Brooklyn Brige onto a walkway that doesn’t actually exist at...
10 months ago
12
10 months ago
On the left, Steve Rogers jogs off the Brooklyn Brige onto a walkway that doesn’t actually exist at the foot of the bridge. The S-curved pickets in the handrail above a stone base look very much like the walkway along the Hudson River in Battery Park City, on the other side of...
A Weekly Dose of...
Reading About Drawings Instead of digesting a new book or diving into a novel, something others do often but I do rarely, I...
11 months ago
21
11 months ago
Instead of digesting a new book or diving into a novel, something others do often but I do rarely, I spent my holiday break reading a five-year-old book about a trio of intertwined topics I'm particularly fond of: drawings, exhibitions, and New York City. Drawing on...
Old Structures...
Modern Perception First, the Carson, Pirie, Scott Store in Chicago, as it appeared in the past: In my opinion – and...
6 months ago
49
6 months ago
First, the Carson, Pirie, Scott Store in Chicago, as it appeared in the past: In my opinion – and many other people’s opinions – it’s one of Louis Sullian’s most amazing designs. Here’s a close-up of the corner entrance as it appears today (actually yesterday, after I finished my...
The Modern House
Modern Life: six remarkable modernist homes on the market Those modernist architects were on to something. From the 1930s to the 1970s, these design pioneers...
a year ago
21
a year ago
Those modernist architects were on to something. From the 1930s to the 1970s, these design pioneers showed us a brave new world where form followed function. Out went the fuss and flourishes of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, all ornate stucco and cornicing, and in came […]
The Modern House
Living in a boxy, brown-brick terrace – enhanced by Danish design sensibilities
3 months ago
Archinect - Features
10 Tips for Overcoming and Preventing Burnout in Architecture If you’re experiencing burnout in your architecture role, you’re likely not alone. In 2023,...
4 months ago
38
4 months ago
If you’re experiencing burnout in your architecture role, you’re likely not alone. In 2023, Archinect’s Mental Health Survey found burnout to be a common theme among those who told us they were experiencing stress at work. Our community has also raised the issue among themselves,...
The Modern House
A couple’s self-renovated 1960s home built on to a 17th-century cottage in Somerset
a year ago
The Wandering...
The Mathematics of the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling (This is the math geek part about the Sala de la Barca ceiling. For instructions on constructing the...
8 months ago
54
8 months ago
(This is the math geek part about the Sala de la Barca ceiling. For instructions on constructing the pattern with compass and straightedge, go over to Part 1.) In the process of figuring out how to draw this pattern, I ran into a lot of questions, and had to do more than a little...
Old Structures...
6:52 AM, November 27 Half an hour after dawn, and the setting full moon is just to the right and below the ONE WAY sign....
a year ago
7
a year ago
Half an hour after dawn, and the setting full moon is just to the right and below the ONE WAY sign. The construction on the left is poart of the Battery Resliency program to prtocet lower Manahttan against sea level rise.
CONTEMPORIST
This Barn-Inspired Home Hides A Playroom With Climbing Wall Under Its Gable Roof Tomas Beranek and Arthur Nuss of Global Architects collaborated with client and builder Bram van de...
a year ago
9
a year ago
Tomas Beranek and Arthur Nuss of Global Architects collaborated with client and builder Bram van de Wal to design and complete a barn-inspired modern home in The Netherlands. The barn house has a natural look and the modern simplicity of timber frame construction. The exterior...
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...
Old Structures...
Minor Errors From a New York Public Library scrapbook, an 1880 view of Union Square. The title on the web page...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
From a New York Public Library scrapbook, an 1880 view of Union Square. The title on the web page says “South side Union Square B’way” except that this is definitely (see below) the north side of the Square, AKA East 17th Street. Is the first word written in pencil “South”? If I...
Old Structures...
A Change of Pace I’ve done a lot of research over the years, most of it historical, rather than engineering. In other...
6 months ago
36
6 months ago
I’ve done a lot of research over the years, most of it historical, rather than engineering. In other words, I’ve generally been researching the history of structural engineering, construction, and the built environment, rather than performing analysis on the structures I’ve...
Contemporist...
This Tall And Skinny House Also Has A Rooftop Pool Story Architecture has shared photos of a new tall and skinny home they recently completed in Ho Chi...
9 months ago
51
9 months ago
Story Architecture has shared photos of a new tall and skinny home they recently completed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for a family of four with two sons.
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...
99% Invisible
Side Projects [EPISODE] This week we’re highlighting a couple of series that live inside the 99pi production tent. We’ve got...
4 months ago
41
4 months ago
This week we’re highlighting a couple of series that live inside the 99pi production tent. We’ve got a preview of a new miniseries for you called Not Built for This, created and hosted by Emmett FitzGerald. It’s a show about climate change, but not in the way you might think....
There are two types...
DONALD TRUMP & EVIL – A Post-Halloween / Election-Eve Story Almost forty years ago, I owned a small house in the Greenwich “backcountry” just a few miles from...
a month ago
32
a month ago
Almost forty years ago, I owned a small house in the Greenwich “backcountry” just a few miles from the Westchester County Airport. One morning, I was talking on the phone with a friend whom I would see later in the … Continue reading → The post DONALD TRUMP & EVIL – A...
CONTEMPORIST
Glazed Pink Tiles Cover This New Home Addition Office S&M Architects has shared photos of a home addition they designed for a Victorian house in...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
Office S&M Architects has shared photos of a home addition they designed for a Victorian house in North London, that includes glazed pink pillow-shaped tiles. The handmade glazed tiles in a pink shade complement the home’s warm brick tones and draw upon the clients’ love of...
A Weekly Dose of...
Architectural Exhibitions and Their Books Preparing for this post I counted roughly one hundred books in my library that are related to...
a year ago
20
a year ago
Preparing for this post I counted roughly one hundred books in my library that are related to exhibitions. Surprisingly, given that I tend to buy catalogs and other companion books to exhibitions I visit, only a quarter of those hundred are exhibitions I have seen in person....
Common Edge
Ugly Buildings Are Not Simply a Matter of Aesthetics Bad architecture must come from some underlying ethos.
a year ago
devonzuegel.com
What are startup cities for? While the startup cities industry is still small, it is already quite heterogeneous. Each project...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
While the startup cities industry is still small, it is already quite heterogeneous. Each project has its own distinct set of goals, motivations, and scope. However, this diversity isn’t fully captured by the vocabulary we use right now. To help myself create a mental map of the...
Old Structures...
Three Dimentionality I was in Minneapolis a few months ago and took some pictures of the Lumber Exchange, one of the...
9 months ago
19
9 months ago
I was in Minneapolis a few months ago and took some pictures of the Lumber Exchange, one of the first tall buildings constructed there. Here’s an overall view of the original wing (the building is L shaped, with the wings constructed at different times): It’s not deserted – the...
A Weekly Dose of...
The Past and Future of Architecture Books The recent receipt of two review books got me thinking about the past and the future of architecture...
a year ago
21
a year ago
The recent receipt of two review books got me thinking about the past and the future of architecture books. The first one is This is Architecture: Writing on Buildings, a collection of excerpted texts about buildings, spanning from the mid-1800s to the 2010s.  This is...
CONTEMPORIST
Hempcrete Walls Are On Display Inside This Home’s New Extension Architecture studio Cairn, has shared photos of a house renovation and extension they completed for...
3 months ago
33
3 months ago
Architecture studio Cairn, has shared photos of a house renovation and extension they completed for a home in London, England, that uses a new low-carbon concrete. The ‘House made by many hands’ is the first building structure in the UK to specify a low-carbon limestone calcined...
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...
Common Edge
What Would Jane Jacobs Do? Toward a New Model for Houses of Worship Cities need to prepare for a wave of declining churches.
a year ago
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...
CONTEMPORIST
This 1950s California Ranch Home Was Updated With A Black And White Palette ANACAPA Architecture has sent us photos of a home renovation they completed for a young family of...
11 months ago
7
11 months ago
ANACAPA Architecture has sent us photos of a home renovation they completed for a young family of four who sought to update their 1952 California Ranch home nestled in the San Roque neighborhood of Santa Barbara. The original home had an awkward layout that chopped up the...
CONTEMPORIST
Clad In Stone, Wood, Steel, And Glass, This House Nestles Quietly Within The Natural Surroundings CCY Architects has designed a contemporary home in Aspen, Colorado, that’s nestled into a gently...
a year ago
23
a year ago
CCY Architects has designed a contemporary home in Aspen, Colorado, that’s nestled into a gently sloping site amidst a grove of aspen trees on the edge of a large, open meadow with views out to the Elk Mountain Range. Clad in stone, wood, steel, and glass, the house complements...
99% Invisible
Chick Tracts [EPISODE] Since Chick Publications started in the mid 1960s, it has sold more than one billion tracts. There...
a year ago
20
a year ago
Since Chick Publications started in the mid 1960s, it has sold more than one billion tracts. There are two hundred and seventy different Chick Tracts, with titles like “The Death Cookie,” “Kidnapped!,” “Mean Momma,” “The Sissy?,” and “Satan Comes To Salem.” Many of these are...
CONTEMPORIST
A Garage Transformed Into An Apartment With A Home Office YR Architecture + Design has shared photos of a modern 575 square foot (53 sqm) live/work studio in...
a year ago
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a year ago
YR Architecture + Design has shared photos of a modern 575 square foot (53 sqm) live/work studio in Columbus, OH, that was once a 2-car garage. The homeowners were determined for their two-car garage to be an asset, with the couple seeking to maximize their property, and at the...
Old Structures...
Adelaide House, Part 3 – Facades Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. So on Tuesday I effectively said that Adelaide House...
8 months ago
26
8 months ago
Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. So on Tuesday I effectively said that Adelaide House was either small for a skyscraper or forty years behind the times, and yesterday I said that the steel was pretty familiar for an old skyscraper but maybe a little old-fashioned....
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...
Old Structures...
Reflections That’s 21 (left) and 20 West Street, with 17 Battery Place off to the right. This was taken early in...
6 months ago
30
6 months ago
That’s 21 (left) and 20 West Street, with 17 Battery Place off to the right. This was taken early in the morning and the facades facing me are the west facades of the buildings. Across West Street, to my right, is a modern apartment house with a mostly-glass facade. It doesn’t...
devonzuegel.com
IVF egg retrieval notes I’ve now done two egg retrieval cycles. Given that I had a zillion questions before I started, I...
8 months ago
57
8 months ago
I’ve now done two egg retrieval cycles. Given that I had a zillion questions before I started, I thought I’d share my notes for others who might have similar questions. Things I would’ve loved to know beforehand Overall the process was way easier and less intense than I...
CONTEMPORIST
A Modern Landscape Was Designed For This Californian Backyard SUBU Design Architecture has shared photos of a landscape design they completed for a home in...
a year ago
7
a year ago
SUBU Design Architecture has shared photos of a landscape design they completed for a home in California. The client asked the designers to create a kitchen garden and an outdoor gathering space for her large family to celebrate birthdays and holidays. One area of the yard was...
A Weekly Dose of...
Conceiving the Plan Conceiving the Plan: Nuance and Intimacy in Civic Space Edited by Yael Hameiri Sainsaux Skira,...
over a year ago
17
over a year ago
Conceiving the Plan: Nuance and Intimacy in Civic Space Edited by Yael Hameiri Sainsaux Skira, August 2022 Hardcover | 12-1/4 x 12-1/4 inches | 240 pages | 170 illustrations | English | ISBN: 9788857246543 | $45.00 PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION: In Honor of Diane Lewis...
CONTEMPORIST
Rammed Earth Walls Surround This House In Australia Luigi Rosselli Architects have shared photos of a home they renovated in Sydney, Australia, that had...
a year ago
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a year ago
Luigi Rosselli Architects have shared photos of a home they renovated in Sydney, Australia, that had rammed earth walls added. The original home, whose design was akin to that of a drilling platform, had two existing floors hovering above, and was entirely disconnected from its...
99% Invisible
The White Castle System of Eating Houses [EPISODE] White Castle has its own take on fast food hamburgers. For starters, the patties are square, with...
10 months ago
32
10 months ago
White Castle has its own take on fast food hamburgers. For starters, the patties are square, with five holes in each patty. And they’re small, too –- two-and-a-half inch sliders. Just big enough to fit into the palm of your hand. And since they’re steamed on a bed of onions,...
CONTEMPORIST
A New Extension And A Garden Studio For This Heritage-Listed Home Paul Archer Design has sent us photos of a rear addition they completed for a Grade II Listed Town...
a year ago
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a year ago
Paul Archer Design has sent us photos of a rear addition they completed for a Grade II Listed Town House in Greater London, England. Not only did they design the addition, but they also created a small garden studio that provides a workspace for the musician owner. A large...
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,...
CONTEMPORIST
White Stained Oak Cabinets Paired With Cool White Marble Creates A Soft Aesthetic Inside This Home Andrea Rodman Interiors has shared photos of a home in Vancouver, Canada, that they completed for...
a year ago
57
a year ago
Andrea Rodman Interiors has shared photos of a home in Vancouver, Canada, that they completed for their clients that wanted a minimalistic interior. Throughout the home, the interior was inspired by Japanese design, its simplicity, and maple wood tones. One area that stood out in...
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...
Coffee with an...
Buildings are important People are born in themGrow up in them Fall in love in them Get married in them Raise kids in them...
a year ago
10
a year ago
People are born in themGrow up in them Fall in love in them Get married in them Raise kids in them Grow old in them Die in them Buildings are important. People decide big things here Decide on small things too Draw conclusions inside Make plans Change plans Change our minds Make...
The Modern House
Le Creuset’s new Azure collection finds a perfect home in Ella Jones’ expressive interior
a year ago
devonzuegel.com
Property values should be normalized by acre In the US, it's common for local governments to focus on tax revenue produced by a property, without...
5 months ago
40
5 months ago
In the US, it's common for local governments to focus on tax revenue produced by a property, without considering the costs it adds to the city's budget. This is like measuring how far a car can drive without considering how much gas it uses to get there. Different properties...
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...
It Looked Familiar – They’re Just Messing With Us Daredevil – Matt Murdock- is blind. He’s got radar, but that doesn’t allow him to read what’s...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
Daredevil – Matt Murdock- is blind. He’s got radar, but that doesn’t allow him to read what’s printed on a flat surface. So why would he have a poster of the NYC subway map in his kitchen?
CONTEMPORIST
An Extended Sloped Roof Runs The Length Of This Modern Home RHAW architecture’s Rolf Reichardt, in partnership with the villa’s residents Marieke Jansen and...
6 months ago
34
6 months ago
RHAW architecture’s Rolf Reichardt, in partnership with the villa’s residents Marieke Jansen and Jaap Maashas, has designed a home in Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands, that has a sloped roof, and is made of timber, glass, and concrete. The home is a country house with a...
The Modern House
A mid-century gem among the treetops on the Dulwich Estate in Crystal Palace
a year ago
A Weekly Dose of...
Summer in the City From the middle of March, when a family emergency put this blog on hiatus, until the middle of July,...
a year ago
8
a year ago
From the middle of March, when a family emergency put this blog on hiatus, until the middle of July, when a funeral mass was held for my dad, my life was split almost evenly between my home in New York City and my parent's home in Central Florida. The emergency in March was an...
Common Edge
Sharon Egretta Sutton on the Democratic Power of “Place-Based Activism” A talk with the self-proclaimed activist scholar.
11 months ago
Old Structures...
Gotcha! There are times I feel sorry for the people who run the huge online archives that we use for...
a year ago
30
a year ago
There are times I feel sorry for the people who run the huge online archives that we use for research. They have to deal with thousands (or tens of thousands, or more) resources – usually individual files in multiple formats – on hundreds or thousands of topics. And if they make...
Contemporist...
A’ Design Awards And Competition – The Winners A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts in...
a year ago
The Modern House
Spotlight on South-East London: listings for £500,000 and under to set your sights on From the waterside delights of Deptford to the local-first feel of Dulwich, Crystal Palace’s...
a year ago
8
a year ago
From the waterside delights of Deptford to the local-first feel of Dulwich, Crystal Palace’s community spirit to Camberwell’s gorgeous Georgian architecture – by way of Brockley, Blackheath and Borough, in all their vibrant variation – there isn’t much South-East London doesn’t...
Common Edge
“What Would Jane Jacobs Do?” Is the Wrong Question Proponents of City of Yes are misapplying her ideas (again).
3 months ago
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:
Archinect - Features
Architects, How Is Work Feeling These Days? We want to hear from our community: How are you feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and...
7 months ago
60
7 months ago
We want to hear from our community: How are you feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector? How easy or difficult are you finding it to secure projects? What is your employment outlook? What are you hearing from clients? Fill out our anonymous survey below.
The Modern House
A flexible family home with flair in Clapton
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Exterior Lighting Shows Off The Post And Beam Structure Of This Home Ward + Blake Architects has shared photos of a modern post and beam home they completed in Wyoming,...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Ward + Blake Architects has shared photos of a modern post and beam home they completed in Wyoming, that’s been placed on a hillside, just above a farmable portion of the site to preserve the ongoing agricultural use of the property. The home has generous roof overhangs that...
Common Edge
Architecture Always Reflects the Values of Its Current Culture What we build is who we are.
a year ago
Benny Kuriakose
The Kerala Mosques That Have Been Restored To Their Past Glory The remaining structures are a testament to the rich cultural and historical heritage of a society....
a year ago
2
a year ago
The remaining structures are a testament to the rich cultural and historical heritage of a society. They include architectural styles,...
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,...
99% Invisible
The Little Levee That Could [EPISODE] Most of the stories in this series have been about places that are ill-prepared for the extreme...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
Most of the stories in this series have been about places that are ill-prepared for the extreme weather that is coming their way. But this story is about a place that managed to get the kind of infrastructure that will actually help it survive climate change. How after more than...
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #02: Jamelle Bouie [EPISODE] For those reading along at home: welcome back to our read-along series on The Power Broker, a...
10 months ago
17
10 months ago
For those reading along at home: welcome back to our read-along series on The Power Broker, a groundbreaking book by Robert Caro looking at one of the most infamous urban influencers in modern history: Robert Moses, who reshaped New York City. On today’s show, Elliott Kalan and...
Old Structures...
Mannahatta Before it was Manhattan, it was Mannahatta – a Lenape word meaning “hilly island” – when it still...
2 months ago
29
2 months ago
Before it was Manhattan, it was Mannahatta – a Lenape word meaning “hilly island” – when it still had a lot of hills. A few links to help explain:
The Modern House
Our guide to Camden Town and Primrose Hill: from panoramic views to a community ceramics space
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Colossal Curved Glass Window Shows Off The Biggest LULULEMON Flagship Store In The World AIM ARCHITECTURE has shared photos of the LULULEMON Flagship Store they designed in Shanghai, China,...
6 months ago
35
6 months ago
AIM ARCHITECTURE has shared photos of the LULULEMON Flagship Store they designed in Shanghai, China, that uses curved glass to create an eye-catching retail destination. The facade with its curved glass window, allows people on the street to witness the movement of activity...
CONTEMPORIST
A Playroom Inside This Hotel Was Designed With A Desert Theme Sarit Shani Hay Design Studio has shared photos of a modern playroom they designed for a boutique...
a year ago
11
a year ago
Sarit Shani Hay Design Studio has shared photos of a modern playroom they designed for a boutique hotel in Israel. Inspired by the unique topography of the desert landscape, the ‘Grow with Six Senses’ playroom emulates the natural features of the surrounding scenery, transforming...
Common Edge
Let’s Stop Using the Terms ‘Traditional’ and ‘Modern’ By now, the terms are arbitrary and confusing.
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
Dramatic Wood Ceilings Are Found Throughout This House Carlos Castanheira of CC&CB Architects has shared photos of a home they designed in Porto, Portugal,...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Carlos Castanheira of CC&CB Architects has shared photos of a home they designed in Porto, Portugal, that uses wood and copper throughout its design. The home’s exterior has a copper-clad roof and matching copper siding, while the exposed timber structure connects with the rest...
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
5
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 ·...
Construction Physics
Fusion Power Reading List The challenge with reading about a topic like fusion is balancing the tradeoff between technical...
5 months ago
50
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,...
Archinect - Features
How Do We Teach AI? In Florida, One Architecture School Offers a Precedent As our recent Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence series demonstrated, AI will inevitably...
5 months ago
42
5 months ago
As our recent Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence series demonstrated, AI will inevitably play a sizeable role in the future of the architectural profession. For architecture schools tasked with equipping students for the future of practice, the advent of AI poses...
Common Edge
Kelp Farming May Help Clean New York’s Polluted Waterways and Fight Climate Change The seaweed found in Newtown Creek, Gowanus Bay, and the East River could suck up carbon and...
a year ago
Common Edge
Condocide: Death of a Building Type The building collapse in Miami may not have been an aberration. The condition of aging condos...
a year ago
50
a year ago
The building collapse in Miami may not have been an aberration. The condition of aging condos nationwide is dire.
A Weekly Dose of...
Book Briefs #47: Three Altrim Titles Here is the next installment of "Book Briefs," the series of occasional posts featuring short...
over a year ago
18
over a year ago
Here is the next installment of "Book Briefs," the series of occasional posts featuring short first-hand descriptions of some of the numerous books that publishers send to me for consideration on this blog. Obviously, these briefs are not full-blown reviews, but they are a way to...
A Weekly Dose of...
Self-Published Books by BNIM and KPF Over at World-Architects I wrote about two self-published books recently published by BNIM and...
a year ago
54
a year ago
Over at World-Architects I wrote about two self-published books recently published by BNIM and KPF: ALL - The Tom and Ruth Harkin Center by BNIM Design in Detail by Kohn Pedersen Fox The "Found" feature also includes responses to a few questions on why the firms opted to...
Contemporist...
A New Bunkhouse Provides Additional Accommodation For A Family's Cabin On An Island SHED Architecture & Design has shared photos of a two-story bunkhouse on Guemes Island in Washington...
10 months ago
21
10 months ago
SHED Architecture & Design has shared photos of a two-story bunkhouse on Guemes Island in Washington State, that provides additional sleeping accommodations for a family's cabin.
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...
The Modern House
How artists Amy Dennis and Neville Rae built a home in which their family and practices could grow...
a year ago
The Modern House
How to be more mindful when working from home
a year ago
A Weekly Dose of...
On Hiatus Monday is when I would normally post a new book review, but instead, this blog and its related...
a year ago
22
a year ago
Monday is when I would normally post a new book review, but instead, this blog and its related newsletter are going on hiatus indefinitely due to a family emergency.
The Modern House
Tiny homes: six pocket-sized pads that prove good things come in small packages A stamp-sized floorplan demands hardworking design – and a finite footprint is a license to get...
6 months ago
21
6 months ago
A stamp-sized floorplan demands hardworking design – and a finite footprint is a license to get creative with space saving ideas, ingenious storage solutions and volume-accentuating trickery. Here, we’ve collated a selection of some of our punchiest petite offerings, all...
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...
Archinect - Features
Echoes and Requiems: Reflecting on the Legacy of Woodbury University School of Architecture... In the summer of 2006, I received a call from my friend and colleague Catherine Herbst, who had...
6 months ago
36
6 months ago
In the summer of 2006, I received a call from my friend and colleague Catherine Herbst, who had recently become the head of Woodbury University School of Architecture in San Diego (WUSD) following the departure of the previous chair, Geraldine Forbes, to New Mexico. During our...
CONTEMPORIST
Painted Drop Shadows Around The Windows Create An Interesting Effect On This Building Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has unveiled its own new office that’s located within a century-old,...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has unveiled its own new office that’s located within a century-old, three-storey brick building in Toronto’s Corso Italia neighborhood. A unique design feature not often seen on the exterior of a building, are the painted drop shadows surrounding...
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.
Common Edge
Why Nearly Every City in the U.S. Needs a Walkability Study A talk with urban planner Jeff Speck and his new business partner, Chris Dempsey.
10 months ago
Common Edge
In Warsaw, a Student-Designed Architectural Response to Dark Times The Freedom Pavilion offers a beautiful way to contemplate peace, freedom, and solidarity with...
a year ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Distinct Dining Area Was Created In This Home By Surrounding It With Cabinetry Toronto-based architecture and design practice Great Lake Studio has shared photos of a home they...
a year ago
5
a year ago
Toronto-based architecture and design practice Great Lake Studio has shared photos of a home they designed, that’s clad in custom charred cedar and has a pitched roof. Inside, the main level of the home is the gathering place, with the living room, dining area, and kitchen all...
The Modern House
Textile designer Pauline Caulfield’s art-filled home and studio in Primrose Hill
a year ago
devonzuegel.com
On bounties Michael Kaminsky recently emailed me an interesting post he wrote about bounties in open source, and...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
Michael Kaminsky recently emailed me an interesting post he wrote about bounties in open source, and I took the opportunity to write up some thoughts that had been swirling in my head for a while. You can find the (lightly edited) response I sent to him below. ~ Bounties are...
Old Structures...
Ephemeral Elephant I mentioned the Colossus of Coney Island once before, but it’s time to expand on that a bit. (The...
11 months ago
19
11 months ago
I mentioned the Colossus of Coney Island once before, but it’s time to expand on that a bit. (The fact that I mentioned this building three and a half years ago and did not remember having done so until I searched for it makes me wonder if I’ve written too many blog posts.)...
Blog - Guerrilla...
TRANSitar Lima THE RIGHT TO THE CITY: Who has the right to move freely through the city and who doesn’t? Map of...
a year ago
54
a year ago
THE RIGHT TO THE CITY: Who has the right to move freely through the city and who doesn’t? Map of Lima, Peru About the project TRANSitar Lima is a project that seeks to create a visual record of transphobic violence, based on collective mapping sessions. Trans, transvestites, and...
Archinect - Features
Some of the World’s Most Beautiful Coffee Shops Happy International Coffee Day! To celebrate this culturally significant October 1st holiday, we...
2 months ago
37
2 months ago
Happy International Coffee Day! To celebrate this culturally significant October 1st holiday, we have picked a few of our favorite examples of coffee and architecture existing in blissful harmony.  So pour yourself another cup of your favorite roast (how about Archinect's very...
Common Edge
Contemporary Architecture and the Modern City Americans don’t like modern buildings because they don’t like the modern city.
3 months ago
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...
CONTEMPORIST
Two Shingle Covered Cottages Connected By A Living Room And Kitchen In Between Bates Masi + Architects has designed a house in Montauk, New York, that’s built on land that was...
a year ago
22
a year ago
Bates Masi + Architects has designed a house in Montauk, New York, that’s built on land that was once home to early settlers in the 17th century. Remnants of horse stables, barns, and workers’ cottages scatter the landscape, however, one such cottage, a late addition built in the...
Contemporist...
The Exposed Wood Ceiling Of This Home Shows Off Its Structure Eva Hinds Arquitectura has shared photos of a modern home they have completed in La Libertad, El...
10 months ago
39
10 months ago
Eva Hinds Arquitectura has shared photos of a modern home they have completed in La Libertad, El Salvador, that has exposed structural elements.
Old Structures...
You Are There Early on in the movie Bull Durham, a character going to a baseball game walks from the dark...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
Early on in the movie Bull Durham, a character going to a baseball game walks from the dark underside of the stadium – where the stairs, bathrooms, and food concessions are – through one of the tunnels to the seats. The camera follows and, if you’ve ever been to stadium, the...
Common Edge
The Enduring Legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright Why we still care, almost seven decades after his death.
3 months ago
The Modern House
Suea is the cook and creative playing with her food in Brooklyn, New York
a year ago
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
58
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...
devonzuegel.com
Part 1: The story so far of California Forever A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the...
10 months ago
25
10 months ago
A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the future of my home state in my lifetime. This post is part of a series I’m writing about this bold proposal. California Forever was founded by Jan Sramek in 2017 as a way to create...
A Weekly Dose of...
Rereading the Nineties Some of the references consulted during the research phase of my 2021 book Buildings in Print: 100...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Some of the references consulted during the research phase of my 2021 book Buildings in Print: 100 Influential & Inspiring Illustrated Architecture Books, but not mentioned in the book's "selected bibliography," were old catalogs from the Prairie Avenue Bookshop, the beloved and...
Construction Physics
The blast furnace - 800 years of technology improvement The modern world uses shocking amounts of steel - in the US, we make roughly 575 pounds of steel per...
a year ago
22
a year ago
The modern world uses shocking amounts of steel - in the US, we make roughly 575 pounds of steel per person per year. At the peak of US steelmaking in the late 1960s, it was closer to 1500 pounds per person, which is roughly how much China makes now.
CONTEMPORIST
The Reinterpretation Of A Gabled Roof Is On Display At This New House Architecture firm Studio KUNZ has shared photos of a home they completed in a small town in the...
9 months ago
30
9 months ago
Architecture firm Studio KUNZ has shared photos of a home they completed in a small town in the south of Brazil. The home sits on a high plateau, surrounded by an idyllic landscape formed by araucaria trees, which was key for a young couple who have a close relationship with life...
The Modern House
Zen and the art of mindset maintenance in a former warehouse in east London
a year ago
Common Edge
Climate Lessons From the Floating Villages of Cambodia Social and cultural values may be as important as hard (and expensive) infrastructure.
a year ago
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
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Unmistakable Ms. Marvel is set largely in Jersey City. Despite being the second-largest city in New Jersey,...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Ms. Marvel is set largely in Jersey City. Despite being the second-largest city in New Jersey, Jersey City does not have much of a visual image. If you asked the average person in the New York metropolitan area to name a physical landmark there, it’s likely they would draw a...
devonzuegel.com
Part 6: Is the proposed new city in California climate resilient? A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the...
8 months ago
61
8 months ago
A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the future of my home state in my lifetime. This post is part of a series I’m writing about this bold proposal. One of the biggest questions I had when I first learned about this...
The Modern House
The Modern House: a potted history Twenty years ago, The Modern House was a mere kernel of an idea; today, it is widely recognised as...
7 months ago
55
7 months ago
Twenty years ago, The Modern House was a mere kernel of an idea; today, it is widely recognised as the UK’s leading design-led estate agency. How did we get here? Today, co-founders Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill were asked this very question on BBC Radio 4’s Gap […]
The Modern House
Picture erfect: an ingenious creative sanctuary in the leafy heart of London Fields
a week ago
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #9: Majora Carter [EPISODE] This is the ninth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
This is the ninth 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 Majora Carter, an urban revitalization strategist and real estate developer from...
Construction Physics
How the Gas Turbine Conquered the Electric Power Industry A prophecy expressed frequently in engineering circles at the present day is that turbines actuated...
a year ago
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a year ago
A prophecy expressed frequently in engineering circles at the present day is that turbines actuated by hot gases, other than steam, will eventually come to the front as prime movers. — A Scientific Investigation Into the Possibilities of Gas-Turbines,
CONTEMPORIST
Curved Green Roofs Cover This Creekside Cabin MAP Architecture has shared photos of a contemporary cabin they completed in Suffolk, England,...
a year ago
50
a year ago
MAP Architecture has shared photos of a contemporary cabin they completed in Suffolk, England, that’s located adjacent to the creek and reedbeds within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The ‘Creek Cabin’, with early...
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...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Far From Home Traveling to another country usually gets you views of a built environment that is in some respects...
9 months ago
30
9 months ago
Traveling to another country usually gets you views of a built environment that is in some respects fundamentally different than the one you’re used to. London is, for a New Yorker, the worst place in the UK to get that feeling because of the many similarities between the two...
CONTEMPORIST
A Large Double Height Ceiling Allows The Social Areas Of This Home To Open Completely To The Outside Padovani Arquitetos has sent us photos of a project they designed in Campinas, Brazil, that takes...
a year ago
25
a year ago
Padovani Arquitetos has sent us photos of a project they designed in Campinas, Brazil, that takes advantage of the topography to create a modern home with a horizontal design and lower garage. The home has been designed in such a way that the interior is hidden from the street....
The Modern House
The house that art built: Paul Huxley and Susie Allen invite us into their west London home and...
2 days ago
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...
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...
Common Edge
‘My Photographs Are a Celebration of the Making of Things’ A talk with Christopher Payne about his recent book, Made in America.
11 months ago
McMansion Hell
Bonus McMansion Hell: Ye Olde Barrington In which I am in my castle era.
a year ago
devonzuegel.com
On [there being more than] liberty Recently, Ayaz Matin sent me an email asking the following question: When I was looking at your...
over a year ago
9
over a year ago
Recently, Ayaz Matin sent me an email asking the following question: When I was looking at your website I came across these words: Individual liberty is the single most important value that society should uphold. I’m more utilitarian and communitarian now. I still believe we...
Construction Physics
Building Fast and Slow Part II - The World Trade Center Part II in our series comparing the construction of two Tallest Building in the World projects - the...
over a year ago
18
over a year ago
Part II in our series comparing the construction of two Tallest Building in the World projects - the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center. See here for Part I. Unless otherwise noted, information and quotes are from “City in the Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World...
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 […]
A Weekly Dose of...
American Modern Home American Modern Home: Jacobsen Architecture + Interiors by Simon Jacobsen Rizzoli, October...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
American Modern Home: Jacobsen Architecture + Interiors by Simon Jacobsen Rizzoli, October 2022 Hardcover | 11 x 11 inches | 224 pages | English | ISBN: 9780847872053 | $75 PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION: Hugh Newell Jacobsen, the legendary architect and late co-founder with his son,...
The Modern House
Tim Little: the owner of Grenson footwear on his journey from Adidas ad man to sole trader For this week’s episode of Homing In, Matt Gibberd talks to Tim Little, who – after zigging and...
9 months ago
20
9 months ago
For this week’s episode of Homing In, Matt Gibberd talks to Tim Little, who – after zigging and zagging his way through the worlds of marketing, advertising and, latterly, shoes – now sits at the head of Grenson, the traditional cordwainers that have been handcrafting […]
The Architectural...
The 10 Most Common Arguments of Modernists – and Why They Don’t Hold Up After discussing architecture with modernists for years, it is clear that the way modernists argue...
a year ago
6
a year ago
After discussing architecture with modernists for years, it is clear that the way modernists argue is based on a dogmatic worldview. Despite their assumptions rarely being based on empirical studies and scientific investigations, they find it hard to imagine anything other than...
The Modern House
A handsome mid-century house designed by a Hepworth in Glastonbury
a year ago
Archinect - Features
How To Reduce the Stress of an Architecture Job Search At some point in their careers, most, if not all, individuals in the architecture profession find...
5 months ago
53
5 months ago
At some point in their careers, most, if not all, individuals in the architecture profession find themselves looking for new employment. This can include graduates looking for their first job out of architecture school, experienced designers and architects moving from one firm to...
CONTEMPORIST
Crafting Connection: A Contemporary Addition to a Historic Bungalow Carter Williamson Architects has shared photos of a new home extension that they designed for an...
7 months ago
35
7 months ago
Carter Williamson Architects has shared photos of a new home extension that they designed for an Australian house in a heritage conservation area. The designers’ brief asked for an open, warm home in which a family could truly gather, one that respected the home’s history while...
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....
SOCKS
The Permanence of Form from Vernacular to Rationalism: Giuseppe Pagano’s “Architettura Rurale... Giuseppe Pagano was a central figure in Italian architecture of the first part of the 20th century....
6 months ago
40
6 months ago
Giuseppe Pagano was a central figure in Italian architecture of the first part of the 20th century. Along with his practice as a rationalist architect and his political engagement, which led him to leave the Fascist Party, join the Resistance, and later be deported to Mauthausen,...
The Architectural...
Four Versions: This Is How Penn Station, NY, Might Look if Rebuilt You may have heard about ReThinkNYC, a movement and not-for-profit corporation dedicated to...
6 months ago
60
6 months ago
You may have heard about ReThinkNYC, a movement and not-for-profit corporation dedicated to rebuilding the original Pennsylvania Station in New York through ReThinkPennStationNYC. Collaborating with classical architect Richard Cameron, they have developed three new variations on...
There are two types...
Why GoDaddy’s Microsoft Exchange Email for Mac Users S*cks After three years of unreliable, expensive email service from GoDaddy and Microsoft, I’ve...
over a year ago
16
over a year ago
After three years of unreliable, expensive email service from GoDaddy and Microsoft, I’ve reluctantly concluded that I have to find a new service for my domain name email. For reasons I won’t go into here, that’s a problem. GoDaddy is … Continue reading → The post Why GoDaddy’s...
The Modern House
Photographer Finn Beales and arts director Clare Purcell on how light and the landscape inspired...
a year ago
Old Structures...
The Inspiration The 14th Street station on the Eighth Avenue subway has an art installation by Tom Otterness called...
7 months ago
27
7 months ago
The 14th Street station on the Eighth Avenue subway has an art installation by Tom Otterness called “Life Underground” It consists of a series of brass figures, both human and animal, engaged in various pursuits. Everyone always focuses on the alligator climbing out of a sewer to...
Old Structures...
An IStructE Talk I’m giving an in-person and online talk on March 7 for the UK Institution of Structural Engineers on...
10 months ago
15
10 months ago
I’m giving an in-person and online talk on March 7 for the UK Institution of Structural Engineers on the connections between the development of fire-resistant construction technology, New York social history, and the origins of skyscrapers. More information here: New York’s...
The Modern House
Author Kat Hill on why we all yearn for the sanctuary of a modern bothy
6 months ago
99% Invisible
The Bottom of the Bowl [EPISODE] Reporter Emmett Fitzgerald was used to hearing people call his home state of Vermont a “climate...
4 months ago
38
4 months ago
Reporter Emmett Fitzgerald was used to hearing people call his home state of Vermont a “climate haven.” But last summer, he got a wake up call in the form of a devastating flood. All throughout the United States, people are watching the places they love change in unpredictable...
devonzuegel.com
Urban sprawl is a tragedy of the commons We tend to choose larger homes than we want our neighbors to choose. The result: sprawling...
over a year ago
4
over a year ago
We tend to choose larger homes than we want our neighbors to choose. The result: sprawling development that doesn't match what people actually want from their communities. People aim to maximize access and space when deciding where to live. All things equal, most people like...
Cartogrammar
A guide to not being a sidewalk jerk Hello friends. It has become apparent that you are all terrible at being pedestrians. I feel...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
Hello friends. It has become apparent that you are all terrible at being pedestrians. I feel confident saying that despite some good eggs and battle-tested walkers such as New Yorkers, most Americans are obliviously selfish, inconsiderate users of sidewalk space. It’s true even...
Common Edge
Revisiting Brooklyn’s Barclays Center—a Telling Landscape The arena and plaza have become notably more commercialized since 2012, while the towers lag in...
a year ago
5
a year ago
The arena and plaza have become notably more commercialized since 2012, while the towers lag in affordability and represent a modular failure.
Common Edge
How the Much-Maligned Porch Supports Walkable, Sustainable Communities Its aesthetic detractors don’t understand the porch’s ability to create community.
4 months ago
Common Edge
Architecture and the God Problem Defining divinity and higher powers, in the context of design, is often fraught.
a year ago
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...
A Weekly Dose of...
Places in Time I Like most human beings, I can be contradictory at times. One area where this manifests is...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Like most human beings, I can be contradictory at times. One area where this manifests is architectural surveys: books that usually collect buildings of a certain typology, but also ones spanning a particular timeframe or through some other theme. I've written a few of them...
CONTEMPORIST
Cork Was Used As The Exterior Siding On This Home Extension Mitchell + Corti Architects has designed a new rear ground floor extension for a home in England,...
a year ago
60
a year ago
Mitchell + Corti Architects has designed a new rear ground floor extension for a home in England, that’s clad in cork. The architect mentions, “We chose to clad the extension in something a little different a dark patterned cork, in order to use a sustainable material and test...
Old Structures...
Less Than The Original Construction on LEGO Notre Dame has moved ahead but will pause while I’m out of town. We’ve got the...
6 months ago
37
6 months ago
Construction on LEGO Notre Dame has moved ahead but will pause while I’m out of town. We’ve got the apse built up to the vault level and the beginning of the crossing: I’ve been playing around to see if I can do a fly-through style photo, to give a sense of what the building...
Contemporist...
This Home's Addition Is Designed To Feel Like You've Stepped Into The Garden BENT Architecture has shared photos of a project they designed in Victoria, Australia, that included...
a year ago
29
a year ago
BENT Architecture has shared photos of a project they designed in Victoria, Australia, that included the design of a rear extension that answers the statement, "Imagine if your home could feel like living in a garden pavilion".
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...
99% Invisible
How the World Ran Out of Everything There’s an image that’s stuck with many of us from the early pandemic: dozens of cargo ships...
a month ago
28
a month ago
There’s an image that’s stuck with many of us from the early pandemic: dozens of cargo ships anchored off the coasts of US ports, stacked high with hundreds of thousands of containers filled with goods, just sitting there in a traffic jam. At the same time, grocery store shelves...
Old Structures...
A Generational Change A view of Park Avenue by Angelo Rizzuto from June 1959m looking south. The big tower on the left is...
8 months ago
24
8 months ago
A view of Park Avenue by Angelo Rizzuto from June 1959m looking south. The big tower on the left is the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, with St. Bart’s in front of it; the ornate tower that seemingly ends the avenue is the New York Central Building, not yet sold by the railroad and...
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...
99% Invisible
The Siren of Scrap Metal [EPISODE] Amid the noisy bustle of Mexico City, there is one iconic sound echoing on repeat in the background....
a year ago
37
a year ago
Amid the noisy bustle of Mexico City, there is one iconic sound echoing on repeat in the background. A recording that blares from trucks looking to buy old household items and appliances, either to fix and resell or to sell for scrap. The crews inside these trucks are essentially...
CONTEMPORIST
A 1970s Four Bedroom Home Renovated For A Couple That Loves To Entertain Architecture firm Side Angle Side, has shared photos of a 1970s ranch home they renovated in Austin,...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
Architecture firm Side Angle Side, has shared photos of a 1970s ranch home they renovated in Austin, Texas, for their clients that wanted a home for entertaining. The transformation involved converting a four-bedroom floor plan into a spacious, open, one bedroom home. A long...
99% Invisible
The Society of Ambiance Makers and Elegant Persons [EPISODE] Hailing from central African cities of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, sapeurs have become increasingly...
8 months ago
43
8 months ago
Hailing from central African cities of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, sapeurs have become increasingly recognizable around the world. Since the 1970s, sapeurs (from: le sape, short for “Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes”) have been known for donning technicolored...
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...
Common Edge
Building Emissions Are Falling, Now the Real Work Begins There has been a significant drop this year. The path toward net-zero intensifies.
a year ago
The Modern House
Take a Dip: London’s best swimming spots – from lakes to lidos
a year ago
A Weekly Dose of...
Three Monographs Just as last week's Places in Time III post featured a trio of books that were initially listed in...
a year ago
21
a year ago
Just as last week's Places in Time III post featured a trio of books that were initially listed in my earlier holiday gift books post, two of the three monographs featured here were also on that list. As happened when I wrote this post, each book begins with a rhetorical question...
Common Edge
Why So Many Banal Boxes? Because Architecture Reflects the Ethos of Its Time The 5-over-1 is a perfect embodiment of our increasingly selfish and self-isolated existence.
6 months ago
Old Structures...
Baseball in New York 2 Yesterday’s list of teams was fun to out together, but this is ultimately a blog about the built...
2 months ago
18
2 months ago
Yesterday’s list of teams was fun to out together, but this is ultimately a blog about the built environment, so let’s discuss what’s really important: the fields and stadiums where the various teams played. Today: some of the fields in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Atlantics, played...
Old Structures...
It Can Go Either Way Much like the photo from Monday, this April 1959 photo by Angelo Rizzuto could be either demolition...
8 months ago
27
8 months ago
Much like the photo from Monday, this April 1959 photo by Angelo Rizzuto could be either demolition or construction. The steel frame on the left is on the site of 350 Park Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets on the west side of Park Avenue. The ornate masonry box just north of...
Common Edge
What Los Angeles Transit Could Learn From Charlotte On accidentally discovering the Queen City’s wonderful light rail system.
a year ago
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.
The Modern House
Hannah Carter Owers on selling the family home in two days in pursuit of the perfect 1970s retrofit...
11 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Home Renovation Where The Walls Were Removed So The Interior Connects With the Exterior Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they renovated in London, that included opening up...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they renovated in London, that included opening up the walls to connect the interior spaces with the garden. The designers removed the whole ground floor, including the external walls to the rear, the stairs, most of the interior,...
Old Structures...
A First Attempt If you’re familiar with a final product, looking at the early ideas can be disconcerting. Things...
10 months ago
15
10 months ago
If you’re familiar with a final product, looking at the early ideas can be disconcerting. Things seem familiar but wrong, as can be seen in this 1870s map with a proposal for Morningside Park. The Upper West Side was pretty sparsely populated at that time because of the...