Ecological Urbanism

This Harvard GSD conference in a little over a month is timely and packed with a strong list of speakers, most GSD faculty, naturally.

Ecological Urbanism: Alternative and Sustainable Cities of the Future

The conference will bring together design practitioners and theorists, economists, engineers, environmental scientists, politicians and public health specialists, with the goal of reaching a more robust understanding of ecological urbanism and what it might be in the future.

April 3-5, 2009

Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street,
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Limited space—Register Now
Early Bird Registration (before March 10, 2009): $100
Standard Registration (after March 10, 2009): $125
Students: $20

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Rem Koolhaas
Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design, Harvard University GSD

Homi Bhabha
Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities, Director of the Humanities Center at Harvard University

(via Dexigner)

Mountains

There are a bunch of projects using the literal and figurative idea of mountains as a stylistic point of departure. One of the recent visuals is that of the Zira Island development in Azerbaijan by BIG Architects. Some info via Arch Daily:

"In the words of Bjarke Ingels, the proposal for Zira Island [...] is an architectural landscape based on the natural landscape of Azerbaijan. This new architecture not only recreates the iconic silhouettes of the seven peaks, but more importantly creates an autonomous ecosystem where the flow of air, water, heat and energy are channeled in almost natural ways. A mountain creates biotopes and eco-niches, it channels water and stores heat, it provides viewpoints and valleys, access and shelter. The Seven Peaks of Azerbaijan are not only metaphors, but actual living models of the mountainous ecosystems of Azerbaijan."




:: image via Arch Daily

There's more that just representation in the form of mountains used in the concept. These impact the overall form, as well as the adjacent landscape implementation. Again via Arch Daily: "The landscaping of the island is derived from wind simulations of the microclimates created by the mountains. Swirly patterns created by the wind moving its way through the Seven Peaks inform the planting of trees and the design of public spaces. Where the winds and turbulence are strongest the trees becomes denser, creating lower wind speeds and thus a comfortable outdoor leisure climate."




:: images via Arch Daily

Additional info and images via Dezeen, Designboom, and Eikongraphia.




:: additional images via Dezeen

Another related project by BIG Architects is the much lauded Mountain Dwellings. While currently under construction, it's interesting to see how this project is being realized, versus the initial renderings.

VERDANT VISION




:: images via Dezeen

BARREN REALITY




:: images via Arch Daily

Ok, so it's probably a question of age... easier to plan for plants in photoshop than actually getting them to grow. It's more of a urban mountain that a verdant one. I do like this interesting graphic of how the program is adapted into the form - or how to terraform the flat plains into the mountains.


:: image via Arch Daily

Another interesting post about terraforming in a non-urban setting, via InfraNet Lab, discusses the work of Ecosign. "They have certainly carved a niche in ski resort planning, or what they call “mountain design.” Obviously a misnomer, mountain design sounds inverse to what actually takes place in their design process. Through a rigorous analysis of sun angles, prevailing winds, and topography they arrive at some kind of idealized clearings for the pleasure of downhill maneuvering, the mountain proper remains untouched."


:: image via InfraNet Lab

Although not much of a skier (aside from x-country) or particularly a fan of ski resort development, I'm more enamoured of the visuals these projects produce... mountain design distilled into plan form.




:: images via InfraNet Lab

Finally, the vision of mountain as reuse, courtesy of the excellent Eikongraphia: "What do to with Tempelhof Airport? After the airfield has been closed last October the city of Berlin has asked the ‘Berliners’ just that. One of the ideas that were sent to the municipality (and directly put aside) is the idea by architect Jakob Tigges. He proposes to construct a 1,000 meter tall mountain on the former airfield."






:: images via Eikongraphia

And it's literally planned as a mountain of garbage... now that's creative landfilling. It brings to mind the ideas of rewilding through some of the urban wilderness proposals... using refuse to create topography and habitat. Looks like the beginnings of some regenerative strategies.

Egyptian Avenue

Have you heard of Egyptian Avenue at the Highgate cemetery in London? I recently came across it and fell in love! The first section was completed in 1839 and was a popular burial spot up till the early 20th century.

This is how a cemetary SHOULD look.The entrance into this section of the cemetary (7 in all) is through a large Pharoanic arch which has lotus bud columns on either side. The stone was once painted to match the ancient Egyptian style but now has corroded away.

Once inside this main gate, you pass 16 tomb entrances (8 on either side) while you walk uphillThis shot is looking down the hill towards the main entry. This 'back door' is less grand but just as interesting. I love all of this stonework!

This 'tunnel' leads you to the Circle of Lebanon, seen above.

Close up of one of the tomb entries. Now I just have to go to London to visit in person!

Pictures via flickr.

Today's archidose #290

Louis Sullivan, Wainright Building, construction, originally uploaded by Remiss63.

Construction of the Wainright Building in St. Louis, Missouri by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, 1890-1891.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
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Today's archidose #289

Alice Tully Hall, originally uploaded by archidose.

Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2009.

Check out the flickr set for 25 more photos of the exterior and lobby.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

Planting Air: Thigmotrope

One can't help but be impressed by the creativity of landscape professionals in coming up with inventive new ways to express the concept of vertical greenery. The latest, spotted via Land+Living and later picked up on ASLA's blog The Dirt - this link to a NY Times article shows the use of varieties of Tillandsia, more commonly known as air plants, to create a dynamic interior green wall at the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, California (i.e. Napa). Using an idea that every vertical greenery designer should be award of, Thigmotropism, which is "...the phenonomenon by which a living organism grows towards a supporting structure," the designers attached said Tillandsia to metal rods allowing them to float away from the wall in a light and dare I say 'airy' way.




:: images via NY Times

While the NY Times hails the uses of soil-less epiphytes as a 'new' solution (Patrick Blanc would politely disagree, I gather) this project does use the solution in a beautiful and appropriate way. "The vertical garden, a striking substitute for wasteful displays of cut flowers, was produced through a collaboration by Flora Grubb, a landscape designer; her fiancé, Kevin Smith; and Seth Boor, an architect. Because it was conceived fairly late in the building process, there was no way to include irrigation infrastructure, so the drought-tolerant plants are misted by hose every few days."

:: additional images via Land+Living

There isn't any irrigation, so the plants are watered via hand misting... usings a minimal amount of irrigation. And in typical fashion, it looks like the designers and builder are inching towards some movement towards packaging with their site Thigmotrope... although I've always thought that the marketing genius of a garden store owner and landscape designer named Flora Grubb was a pretty good stroke of wit, and a lot more sexy of a concept that Thigmotropism... call it destiny.

:: final image w/ designers - via Thigmotropism

Book Review: GSD 08 Platform

GSD 08 Platform: A Year of Research Through Studio Work, Theses, Exhibitions, and Conferences at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, edited by Lluís Ortega & Michael Kubo
Actar, 2008
Hardcover, 241 pages



In terms of books, the output of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) is more prolific than just about any school of architecture. In addition to Rem Koolhaas's Project on the City output and the CASE series, books stemming from studio work are numerous. On my weekly page I've reviewed Function of Ornament, Project Zagreb -- both beginning life as studios at GSD -- and a couple readers from the school's excellent Harvard Design Magazine. Their books are marked by a depth of research that is equaled by the quality of the graphic output, be it diagrams, architectural drawings or renderings. Where other schools would not even think of aiming for a book before a class starts, in many cases that is the goal of GSD studios, owing as much to the school's name and reputation as to the high-quality content.

GSD 08 Platform, like the school's Studio Works, gathers together a year's worth of select student projects. But where those publications clearly focused on the studio, this new book tries to capture the experience at the GSD in and beyond the studio. Alongside the typical imagery of student projects are the professor's project descriptions, excerpts from lectures, essays from students and professors, exhibit documentation, and interviews with architects. All of this fits into eight sections (Techniques, Nature, Non-Formal, Typology, Geographies, Technology, Material, Discipline) that are highlighted by colored pages. It is evident the book's design is carefully considered, be it the graphic design and even the bookbinding.

The sense that one gleans from the various contributions is of a school that embraces those from beyond its borders -- visiting professors and lecturers, especially -- but that is at the same time exclusionary, like an inaccessible castle in days of old. This is reinforced by the omission of bios for the major contributors, making the book geared to those "in the know" rather than to an audience who is not familiar with people the school calls guests, much less their own faculty. Other quibbles of the book are the lack of descriptions for student work (a couple thesis projects receive this treatment) and the lack of even snippets of syllabi or reading lists for classes beyond studios. Highlights include Sanford Kwinter's talk on chreods, Teddy Cruz's speculation on the future of first-ring suburbs, Jin Young Song's impressive thesis project in Korea's DMZ, Homi Bhabha's humble portrayal of the Aga Khan Award), some displays of manufacturing techniques on stone facing, and Shigeru Ban's retelling of how he became involved with disaster relief buildings.

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