pure nonsense

Happy New Year

2010-01-05T17:58:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year from Pure Nonsense! It has been entirely too relaxing of a month. Enough of this "holiday" stuff; back to business. New posts up shortly!

Metropolis Magazine's NextGen Competition is back!

2009-12-04T16:42:00.006-06:00

Our entire program at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts participated in this competition last year. Interior designers and industrial designers formed teams of 6 to solve the world's energy crisis. This year, the competition's theme is "ONE Design Fix for the Future".

"We’re looking for ONE design fix you can make now
in your designed environment—the products you use,
your home, your workplace, your city, or any commercial
application—that, in scale or as inspiration, can improve
our future."

I haven't entered a design competition in a couple of months... I think I'm up for the challenge. And hey, $10,000 for contributing a meaningful idea to society? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Graphic reminders

2009-12-04T16:30:00.003-06:00

I absolutely love these graphic decals designed by London-based Hu2 Design. The stickers, which aim to remind the user of where their energy/water/power is coming from, are clever and chic. Love the concept, though sadly the stickers are made from vinyl. Vinyl isn't the most desirable material to have in your home, however it won't kill you... at least not today. But, I applaud the concept for its simplicity and forwardness.

embarrassing, but....

2009-12-03T17:44:00.004-06:00

I hate to admit to this, but I've been watching "Launch My Line" on Bravo recently. Its a show where successful individuals pair with a fashion designer to design a clothing line. One of the contestants is an architect. He keeps saying something that is making me increasingly angry: "Fashion is a lot like architecture, they both start with a blank canvas." LIES. Architecture has a context you idiot! Or maybe he's as bad at designing buildings as he is at designing women's sportswear...

...OK, done ranting for the time being.

Uspenski Cathedral

2009-12-02T22:31:00.003-06:00

Obviously, data centers emit massive amounts of heat. What do we do to deal with this heat? We use air conditioning, which requires ridiculous amounts of energy that is continuously wasted. What do the Finnish do to deal with the heat? They USE it. The Uspenski Cathedral in Helsinki, Finland has planned a data center in the bedrock beneath the existing cathedral. The heat emitted from the data center will be captured and directed to "city’s district heating network, a system of water-heated pipes that are used to warm homes in the city." (1)

I love this concept. So simple. Like Taryn Mead said... focus on the cyclical, not the linear. One process's waste is another's resource.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded... in progress.

2009-12-02T22:10:00.008-06:00

So I've started reading Thomas L. Friedman's "Hot, Flat, and Crowded". As a disclaimer, I have not read Friedman's previous books, nor was I searching for a read like this. It kind of fell into my lap (and by fell into my lap I mean it was a gift from a great organization called Creative Core when I was at Greenbuild). I haven't even broke 100 pages in the book yet, but I'm intrigued. Here's an excerpt from chapter two of the book:

"To put it another way, The Industrial Revolution
gave a whole new prominence to what Rochelle
Leftkowitz... calls "fuels from hell" - coal, oil
and natural gas. All these fuels from hell come
from underground, are exhaustible, and emit
CO2 and other pollutants when they are burned
for transportation, heating, and industrial use.
These fuels are in contrast to what Lefkowitz
calls "fuels from heaven" - wind, hydroelectric,
tidal, biomass, and solar power. These all come
from above ground, are endlessly renewable,
and produce no harmful emissions."

Just listen to the sound of that... "fuels from hell". What if we stopped looking at energy sources on a grayscale spectrum and just went black and white, good and evil? Would that simplify things for the average American? Would that make it easier for advocates of these "fuels from heaven" to convince the rest of us to adamantly reject "fuels from hell"? I'd like to know.

Greener than Oz?!

2009-12-01T18:44:00.002-06:00

Talk about one step for man... one ginormous leap for biomimicry! Architecture giant HOK has partnered with a major car parts manufacturer to plan a city from the ground up in India based on the principles of biomimicry. By first acknowledging the context and culture, THEN addressing issues of space and aesthetics, this project is truly exciting (well, at least for us design nerds out there!)

Taryn Mead, Biomimicry Guild

2009-12-01T18:04:00.012-06:00

Last Tuesday I had the great fortune of attending a lecture at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago by Taryn Mead of the Biomimicry Guild. Taryn's lecture was a bit like Biomimcry 101. She began by discussing the cyclical nature of the natural design process. There is no waste. The products (and bi-products) of one process become the resources for another. To the contrary, the human design process is much more linear. "Heat me, treat me" as Taryn called it, how we develop products and manufacture. We tend to heat materials to high temperatures (which takes massive amounts of energy) then treat them with chemicals that are not only harmful to the environment, but harmful to us as well.

More recently, humans have taken notice of the other guys, and just how well their processes work. Biomimicry is the conscious emulation of nature's genius. (Note: biomimicry is not "copying" nature. Copying another species process for their environment would not satisfy the requirements of OUR environment). When attempting to evaluate nature's genius, we must take into account the operating conditions of Earth. Tayrn defined three principles:

1) Earth is water-based
2) Earth has limits and boundaries
3) Earth is in a constant state of dynamic equilibrium (or, it is always changing)

I find the third point particularly important... what works now, may not work tomorrow. As designers (and well, humans) we must accept this. Today's solution could very well be tomorrow's problem. She used a great analogy of a bowl. Nature acts as a sphere rolling around inside of a bowl. Regardless of the position or condition of the bowl, the sphere can shift and adapt. Historically, humans are a cube in a bowl. We don't shift and adapt to the moving bowl, we try to make the bowl sit still.

Taryn pointed out several instances where humans have looked to nature to inspire innovation. In Japan, when a train enters a tunnel it would create a sonic boom, disturbing the surrounding area. In nature, when a Kingfisher dives quickly into the water, there is no disturbance. By elongating the nose of the train to emulate the shape of the Kingfisher's beak, the sonic boom was eliminated.

Nature has discovered so many beautifully simple solutions to problems. We just need to pay attention. As a biologist, Taryn works with companies such as global architecture giant HOK to utilize biomimicry in its work. Obviously not every organization and not every project can bring in the Biomimicry Guild to work with them. When looking at an issue in your project/company/organization/situation, Taryn suggests asking yourself and your team two questions: "What is the function?" and equally important, "What is the context?"

So where do we figure out how to emulate nature? Where's the most valuable place to find more info? "Walk outside." Taryn says, "Start a journal. Take note of what you see around you."

Here are some valuable resources for further information on Biomimicry:
Biomimicry Institute
Biomimicry Guild
Ask Nature

Lightmos Thonglor by Architectkidd

2009-11-24T22:58:00.004-06:00

Recently completed facade by Architectkidd. Love love love it.

"Low cost and lightweight metal materials are cut into
panels or pieces to create a pattern over the existing
shop house. In the way these ad-hoc facades are
conceived, they are the opposite of typical facades
designed by architects and professionals."

PL06: Designing with Nature

2009-11-24T22:13:00.004-06:00

One of my secret obsessions (well, not-so-secret anymore, huh?) is biomimicry. For those who don't know, Biomimicry involves answering design problems with the question, "what would nature do?", and then drawing from nature's answer to solve a problem. With millions of species that have survived on this planet far longer than humans have, we have a lot to learn. And in recent years, with our own self-destruction becoming increasingly apparent, it is appropriate for us to look to nature for answers.

Humans have an innate desire to connect with nature. We haven't always lived in concrete forms with computers and electricity. We used to inhabit rock caves with sticks and daylight. While biophilia does not advocate a return to primitive spaces and lifestyles, it does encourage us to weave nature into our spaces. Biophilic design refers to natural analogs that we experience when outdoors; the effect of daylight filtering through trees or the sound of water trickling down a spring.

All three speakers in this session discussed these feelings and how to incorporate them. Jason McLenna of the Cascadia Green Building Council (a leader in the field of sustainability and biophilia) discussed the Living Building Challenge and some projects that have been certified or are registered. The Living Building Challenge takes sustainability to a whole new level (think a hybrid LEED on steroids). Forget reducing carbon footprint... LBC eliminates it. Living buildings are an amazing feat, and obviously are not easily achieved. But solutions to the problems in our current buildings can often be found by returning to nature.

SPEAKERS: Bill Browning - Terrapin/Bright Green LLC, Laura Lesniewski - BNIM, Jason McLenna - Cascadia Green Building Council

YL12: Historic Preservation Goes Green

2009-11-23T10:45:00.008-06:00

During my junior year in college I took a course in Historic Preservation. What struck me about historic preservation projects was the lack of innovation and technology that was used. Sustainability was only discussed in terms of historic preservation encouraging re-use. There was no mention of energy efficiency or performance. Since then, LEED for Historic Preservation has been developed and much more effort has gone into preserving the character while enhancing performance. This session presented case studies which achieved just that.

The presentation began with a great quote, "We can't build out way out of the global warming crisis." (Richard Moe). I think that is a great point. Despite its great intentions and standards, LEED for New Construction is somewhat adding to the problem. As many of the other speakers during the week pointed out, we have a significant existing building stock to use. We need to consider the possibilities in these buildings before moving to new construction.

Architectural Resources Group began the case studies with Cavallo Point, The Lodge at the Golden Gate.

"Originally built in 1901 as Fort Baker, a military installation on
San Francisco Bay, the property consisted of historic buildings
arranged around a 10-acre parade ground. Working with a
private client and the National Park Service, ARG developed
the conceptual master plan for the site’s adaptation to a
conference center. ARG also served as Architect of Record
for the rehabilitation of the 18 historic buildings."

The project required many unique processes that were dictated by the buildings themselves. In order to restore the tin ceilings in the existing spaces, ARG froze the tiles in order to remove the paint without harsh chemical solvents. They also reconstructed second story porches that were original to the buildings but had been removed over the years. By updating systems, and making the buildings as efficient as possible within the limits of the historic context, ARG was able to sustainable restore the military site for re-use.

The next case study was perhaps my favorite. The original building itself was just amazing. The Linde + Robinson Laboratory on the CalTech campus was 75 years old and obviously not at top performance. By utilizing the existing solar pit in the lab as a solar energy system, complete with fiber optics, daylighting was brought to the lower levels of the building that didn't have any windows.

Some highlighted LEED Points include:

Daylighting via historic coelostat
Hydrogen fuel cells for main and back up power
Aircuity lab monitoring system
Chilled water tank and radiant panels for HVAC
Concentrated photo voltaic system for main power
Energy monitoring system
Underground storage tank to collect storm water for landscape irrigation
60% reduction in energy use
Lighting control system
Individual HVAC controls and operable windows
Energy efficient lab equipment

This project's manipulation of light really intrigued me. I found myself sketching daylighting strategies in my notebook during the presentation. Now, not every historic building has such cool features, but there is something in EVERY building that could be of use. The key is to put the effort into evaluating the property before disregarding it and moving towards new construction.

SPEAKERS: Deborah Cooper - Architectural Resources Group, Ralph DiNola - Green Building Services Inc., Eric Soladay - Rumsey Engineers

OR02: Reviving the Oldest Approach to Sustainable Design - How Cultural Values and a Sense of Place Leads to Green Building Designs

2009-11-21T11:35:00.005-06:00

The focus of this session centered around the democratization of green building and design. The people of the Pinoleville Pomo Nation have long distrusted most outsiders (and for good reasons). Then, a group of UCBerkley students approached the Nation to discuss their experiences with the US EPA's Native Housing programs and to engage the Nation in somewhat of a design charette.

When they talk about the democratization of design, they brought out two tensions: modernity vs. tradition, and facts vs. values. What the UCBerkley group aimed at was a weaving together of new technologies with the Nation's traditions. The students looked at what the Pinoloville Pomo Nation valued: things like morning light and roundness. In the past US EPA's Housing initiatives tended to bring in forms, values, and efficiencies from the outside like square spaces with many corners, which the Pomo believe were spaces for evil spirits to hide.

So the UCBerkley group aimed at engaging the experts on Pomo living... the Pomo themselves. The method is co-design, where the users become the experts. The end-users and designers both control idea creation. When the group met, they 1) met in the usage environment (on Pinoleville Pomo Nation land) and 2) met without titles, just first names (this eliminated roles, which promoted cross-group interaction).

In the end, the students (with the help of the Pomo) were able to develop low-fidelity prototypes which were able to incite increased feedback and criticisms (when compared to more professional models). As the group left, they felt positive that they had gotten the Pinoleville Pomo Nation thinking about how to implement their values into their buildings. What they did not expect was that when they returned after some time, the Pomo would have already begun implementing aspects from the charette model into structures.

Context is just as important as performance. User perspective is just as critical as expert knowledge. What the Pomo discovered is that they could trust outsiders to aid them in re-establishing a native architectural vocabulary, and the UCBerkley group discovered much about the ability of non-experts to develop designs that satisfy their values and traditions while incorporating facts and modernity.

SPEAKERS: David Edmunds - Pinoleville Pomo Nation, Ryan Shelby - UCBerkley, Kimberley Tallbear - UCBerkley

SU18: Road to a Green Campus - 10 Stops Along the Way

2009-11-20T14:24:00.004-06:00

Once again, as a recent college grad, I was drawn to the sessions involving campus sustainability. This one, led by three of USGBC's Higher Education sector leaders, was a great basic outline for the implementation of sustainability on any campus. Granted, there are some colleges and universities who are leading the way in sustainability programs, but even those who have just started to think about sustainability can manage to take on each and every one of these steps as their program develops.

1. Commit to a green campus
The only thing worse than a campus that ignores sustainability is a campus that half-asses their approach. Be strong.

2. Engage stakeholders
Take an integrative approach in your program. Involve students, faculty, alumni, board members

3. Assess the landscape
Take a detailed look at your current facilities and programs. What works? What doesn't? Where do you have opportunities for improvement and what resources do you have to achieve your goals?

4. Chart the course
First, focus on LEED EBOM (Existing Buildings, Operations, and Maintenance). Evaluate your current design standards, review your master plan, look at your current procurement practices, review operations standards. After you have made appropriate changes to your current situation, then you can move towards planning future build-out.

5. Research financing
"Paid-from-Savings" (available at the USGBC Store) is a valuable tool in guiding you towards evaluating cost and value in implementing sustainable programs. Focus on investments with payback (it makes sense for your bottom line, and will make programs an easier sell to your institution).

6. Build capacity
Build upon the resources you currently hold. Train people in-house, utilize their knowledge and experience with your facilities to develop programs

7. Engage green building occupants
Students, faculty, and administrators tend to respond to change better when involved in the process. Engage building occupants and educate them on how to use their space effectively. Many new and efficient technologies are unfamiliar and require some sort of training in order to take full advantage of them.

8. Use the campus as a living laboratory
Publicise your sustainability program(s) to the campus and community. Help your campus community draw connections between facilities, their daily activities, and their environmental impact. When testing new technologies or programs, be sure to include education on their purpose and impact.

9. Celebrate success
Acknowledge even the small victories on your campus, it will keep stakeholders engaged and build momentum.

10. Determine what's next: DREAM BIG!
Once you begin to reach your goals, don't stop creating new ones. What seemed nearly impossible 10 months ago may be a bit more possible now. Keep stretching your ideas and forcing your team to dream big.

SPEAKERS: Jaime Van Mourik - USGBC, Kristin Simmons - USGBC, Rachel Gutter - USGBC

RD12: Existing Buildings - Opportunities for Development

2009-11-20T00:49:00.003-06:00

As was the theme for many sessions and discussions that occurred at Greenbuild this year, redevelopment and reuse of existing properties dominated this session. Ariella Rosenberg Maron discussed the plans that NYC Mayor Bloomberg has for the existing building crop in NYC. PLAN NYC outlines a carbon reduction plan that requires a 30% reduction in emissions as well as an extensive commissioning and benchmarking of these properties.

The key in redevelopment really does lie in these two practices: commissioning and benchmarking. The first, commissioning, involves an in-depth evaluation of the existing building's structure, performance, fixtures, occupants and energy use. The latter of the two is an on-going process that documents the building's performance. Both of these practices prove valuable in the diagnosis of our existing building stock and renovation. NYC in particular has a quite diverse building stock. By streamlining an approach to be data-centered, it is easier for the city and each buildings' owners to make sound judgements on how to proceed with each property.

Cook+Fox Architects has made great use of existing buildings in NYC by evaluating the intended and original concept of the building, and utilizing those attributes in the renovation process. Lately in NYC, building renovation has almost taken on a competitive nature. As Ariella Rosenberg Maron noted, "we're going to solve global warming with testosterone"... meaning if Owner A makes his building more energy efficient, then Owner B is going to one up Owner A. And hey... why not? If egos can work to benefit a Nevada school district, then why not the city of New York?

Overall, this session provided great case studies and information on current programs that support building renovation in lieu of new construction. After all, "the greatest space that you'll ever create is the space you don't build".

SPEAKERS: Rick Cook - Cook+Fox Architects LLP, Ariella Rosenberg Maron - NYC Mayor's Office of Operations, Terrance Parker - Louis Dreyfus Property Group

GR13: LEED and Beyond - Expanding Sustainable Master Planning for Higher Education

2009-11-18T21:12:00.005-06:00

As I have mentioned before on this blog, during my time at Syracuse University I sat on the Building Committee for the University's latest (and greatest) residence hall. The recently complete Ernie Davis Hall was the first new residence hall completed for over three decades. Aiming for LEED Silver, the hall was to be a state of the art facility. And I have to say, I'm fairly proud to have played a role in the process. It was interesting to be involved not only because I'm a designer, but also because I was a student at the time. I can not stress this enough: involving students in the planning and design of campus facilities is CRUCIAL to a successful master plan and to facilities development.

LEED + Beyond: Expanding Sustainable Master Planning for Higher Education was right up my alley. I walked into the session pumped. The very first important point the speakers made? There is limited interest on campus from students regarding campus design. I was crushed. I knew tons of students at SU who wanted to know more and be more involved with the design of campus facilities. It wasn't a lack of interest, it was a lack of communication, which, of course, is a common theme in many student-administration relationships. Most of the time students simply did not know how or where to get involved. Most students did not know there was even a residence hall being planned, let alone that there was a University Department that handled these projects. After several minutes of internalized frustration, my mind wandered back to the speakers in front of me.

I am pleased to report, that the remainder of the session focused on how to successfully implement sustainability programs and sustainable master planning on your campus. One of the most important points, in my opinion, was that the success of sustainability initiatives on campus lies in programs, not projects. "This generation demands instant gratification", one of the speakers said. I couldn't agree more. My generation does not want to hear that there is a strategic plan to implement our ideas over the next 8 years. We want it now. And why not? In a world of massive problems that require massive change, students need to push their administrations to start NOW, not later.

Obviously there is much to take into account when planning a campus sustainability program. The speakers cautioned against mixed messages on campus. You cannot install solar panels to take advantage of California sun right over a nice green lawn that requires excessive watering. As smart as many people are, most are not as fully educated on the basic principles of energy/water/material efficiency the rest of us (if I do say so myself..). Campus sustainability requires a holistic approach. University officials need to assess their current facilities and analyze opportunities for better space utilization and identify areas in need of renovation before any talk of new construction begins. Each program initiated on campus need not stand alone, but be integrated into the larger plan.

There could not be a more perfect quote to sum up campus sustainability... "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe". (John Muir, 1911)

SPEAKERS: Judy Chess - UC Berkley, Jim Cowell - CalTech, Jaime Van Mourik - USGBC

BL14: Saving from the Start - Cutting Energy and Construction Cost in New School Design

2009-11-17T17:47:00.003-06:00

Last fall, for a semester-long design project, I worked with 4 talented designers to propose renovations to a local elementary school in Syracuse, NY. The project, initiated by the school's principal (in preparation for the tentative renovations in 5 years), was broad in scope. Our design included a 100,000 square foot interior renovation and 50,000 square foot addition. Addressing everything from ADA accessibility, FF&E, and material updates to master planning and site issues, we delivered a efficient, comprehensive, and relatively cost-effective option for the future.

After surviving that project, Saving from the Start - Cutting Energy and Construction Cost in New School Design sounded intriguing. There has been a 550% increase in the residential population in Clark County, Nevada, resulting in a 228% increase in the student population. With such a rapidly expanding population, the School District had to rush to meet demand. But instead of rushing to pop out many low-cost, low-quality, trailer-looking schools, the Clark County School District took another approach: competition. Design a prototype school that can be adjusted to a variety of sites and conditions. And what better way to get the very best prototype than to make architects fight for it. Even I know that ego can bring out the best in a designer (emphasis on the "can"), and CCSD was really hoping for the best.

The challenge? Reduce energy consumption by 67%... AND reduce construction costs by 20% (like the cherry on top of the sundae, right?). Four firms competed to design "healthy learning environments for academic excellence" while satisfying the terms of the competition. The winner? Perkins + Will. "Never be afraid to ask your design team for something entirely unreasonable", Eric Brossey de Dios of the Perkins + Will team advised the crowd. The only way for them to achieve the goals set by CCSD (and achieve them by the greatest margin) was to accept that fact that it was going to happen.

The prototype consisted of site-cast concrete panels forming classroom boxes which were air conditioned, within a larger multi-purpose box that drew the conditioned air from the classroom spaces. Extensive energy modeling via BIM (Building Information Modeling) ensured that the most cost-effective and energy efficient solutions were chosen.

Overall, the case study was a great insight into how a state organization could the most for its money (well, the taxpayers' money anyways). And now, looking back at my own project, I can see how having 5 other groups working on the same school benefits the district's students in the end.

SPEAKERS: Eric Brossey de Dios - Perkins + Will, J.P "Paul" Gerner - Clark County School District, Alan Locke - IBE Consulting Engineers

SU13: Transforming Cities - New Research and Growing Opportunities in the US Green Retrofit Marketplace

2009-11-16T17:08:00.007-06:00

Perhaps one of the most prevailing themes I encountered at Greenbuild was "the retrofit". Over and over again I heard conversations on how the the answer is global warming and rising energy costs is not in the construction of new buildings, but in the renovation of existing buildings. And, to be perfectly honest, I had not realized that this was such a "groundbreaking" concept. As an interior design major, I always focused on how to work and re-work a building in order to adapt user to space. It was always implied in my work that many (if not most) of the spaces I would work on would be existing buildings. But alas, along with the economic downturn comes a focus on how to save money and where. And the answer for many architects, owners, and occupants lies in the retrofit.

Transforming Cities focused mostly on the numbers regarding green retrofits, and how architects, designers, facilities managers, owners, occupants, and specifiers can sell the idea of a green retrofit to a client.
-76.9 billion square feet of non-residential building stock at the moment
-an expected 20% growth in green retrofits

From energy efficient lighting, day lighting, and mechanical to improved views, air quality and occupant comfort, retrofits benefit all parties involved. Many of the projects presented had demonstrated a payback of 5 years or less. A constant monitoring of a projects current and post-renovation performance is critical in analyzing the life cycle cost of investments and provides quantitative research to build upon.

The Merchandise Mart in Chicago is the largest LEED-EB certified building in the world. In the past couple of years, the MMPI has initiated retrofit projects at all scales in the building such as changing out the majority of its interior lighting to LED fixtures. These projects led to a massive reduction in energy: 21% in just 7 years! That's a major stride for a building that has 4.2 million gross square feet (the largest commercial building in the world). If the Merch Mart can do it.... why not you?

SPEAKERS: Harvey Bernstein F.ASCE, LEEP AP - McGraw Hill Construction, Richard Anderson - New York Building Congress, Myron Maurer - Merchandise Mart Properties (MMPI), Daniel Burgoyne LEED AP - State of California Department of General Services

OF03: Canalscape and the New Downtown Phoenix Park

2009-11-15T15:10:00.006-06:00

As we walked through the downtown Phoenix area winding our way through the relatively new city blocks from the Convention Center towards our off-site session, I could not help but realize just how young the city is. Coming from a city like Chicago (which in the grand scheme of history is pretty young too), I was struck by how "new" everything looked. The downtown area was full of contemporary buildings, endless glazing, metal cladding, bright colors and interesting architecture. With plastic name badges hanging from our necks and sunglasses on, we found our way to the New Downtown Phoenix Park and entered a recently renovated building centered in the park's landscape.

The session, "Canalscape and the New Downtown Phoenix Park", had initially sparked my interest because of the mention of canals. We were in a desert... very little water... and I had not really SEEN any canals. The first speaker, Nina Mullins of the Salt River Project, gave a broad history of the Phoenix area and the development of the canal system. One particular piece of information that blew my mind was the gross mileage of canals in Phoenix: 181 miles. Now that number seemed relatively obsolete in my mind until compared with cities that are famous for their canals. Phoenix has significantly more canals than both Amsterdam AND Venice! But why don't we view Phoenix as the city of canals? Why is water, such a precious element of the desert landscape, not a focus?

That is just what the next speaker focused on. ASU, in collaboration with the Salt River Project, has been working as a consultancy with private parties to beautify and actually utilize the space around and near these canals. From city ordinances that force developers to landscape any areas that abut the system. ASU's Planning School is also working on projects to re-orient Phoenix developmental tendencies to focus more on the canals, as major meridians of the city. This so-called "Urban Acupuncture" draws on the literal and implied energy of the canal system in order to push urban infill. By involving as many different groups as possible in Phoenix, the project seeks to document, analyze, and utilize the DNA of "place" or the nature, people, and history of the area. What Nan Ellin calls the "Tao of Urbanism" challenges parties to 1) protect what they value 2) enhance what is under performing and 3) add what is desired to the community.

Shifting the focus of urban energy from canal to hard scape, we learned more about Phoenix Civic Park by EDAW-AECOM and Architekton. The park, which borders the edge of downtown Phoenix and ASU's downtown campus, is surrounded by historic buildings. The concept for the park was centered around rhythms of the urban environment and layers of the site's context. By building height layers, creating varying pattens of shade that interact and respond to the changing weather, and ensuring that the park could wear multiple hats, allowed the project to serve Phoenix and its inhabitants with a really multi-purpose urban landscape. The elements that were particularly special were light and sound elements that interacted with the park's users. From water features to massive light sticks emerging from the ground, the park takes root in the site and engages its visitors.

While it was not what I expected, it was engaging and entertaining. Greenbuild Day 1 was off to a great start!

SPEAKERS: Nan Ellin - ASU, Jay Hicks - EDAW, Braden Kay - ASU School of Sustainability, Nina Mullins - Salt River Project, Eric Vollmer - Architekton

Greenbuild Series

2009-11-14T22:46:00.008-06:00

Greenbuild 2009 was a 4-day gathering of green-minded professionals (and even some skeptics) in Phoenix, Arizona. Filled with educational sessions, networking events, a product expo, and more, the week was bursting at the seems with energy, enthusiasm, innovation, and questions. While it was my first year attending the USGBC conference, I felt at home. Being surrounded by so many designers, architects, manufacturers, and greeniacs was an exciting thing.

My intent over the next two weeks is to recap some of the ideas from the educational sessions I had the privilege to attend during the past couple of days, as well as draw some conclusions and pose questions on the material covered and my general experiences during Greenbuild.

Urban "Decarbonization"

2009-10-29T14:43:00.006-05:00

Adrian Smith Gordon Gill, an amazing Chicago architecture firm, has created a plan for district-organized "decarbonization" in urban environments. The plan calls for an initial total building survey of, in this case, the Chicago Loop.
And if ASGG sounds familiar... they are also the firm planning renovations of the Sears (Willis) Tower.
Yet another reason I love Chicago! So much architectural talent and brainpower!

Syracuse University's Green Grade

2009-10-13T21:56:00.006-05:00

Syracuse University, my very own Alma mater, has been given a "B" on its "Green Report Card". In an in-depth survey of major colleges across the country, Syracuse was rated in several areas including Administration, Climate & Energy, Green Building and Student Involvement. Now, compared to many institutions, a grade of "B" is not too shabby. However, as a former student of Syracuse who was involved in many areas and organizations on campus from a residence hall Building Committee under the Office of Campus Design and Construction to the very beginnings of the Campus Sustainability Committee, I think we could do much better than a measly old "B".

I saw the beginnings of real effort being put forth by the administration and staff of the University during my four years there. However, it just still hadn't/hasn't reached its full potential. As my professors would always say, "just keep pushing it... PUSH your ideas..." Sitting on the Building Committee for a new residence hall on campus I saw major opportunities for truly sustainable design, living habits, and initiatives, and a sad lack of fervent support to follow these items through to the end. Often, these shortcomings were the result of a quickly diminishing budget and constant pressure from the higher-ups to focus on "other" areas. In my opinion, at Syracuse University, it is often the younger minds who see the real need for (and the willingness to fight for) sustainability on campus. However, those younger minds tend to NOT serve on the Board of Trustees or Steering Committees of many initiatives. What's that saying? You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Hopefully, the progress that Chancellor Nancy Cantor has made with Syracuse University over the past few years will continue onward with even more urgency and tenacity. I hope that the University continues to pursue (and achieve) LEED-qualified projects, sustainable initiatives and a broader cross-discipline education in sustainable practices (both environmental and life-style).

Grade: B
Effort: Above Average (but shows definite potential for outstanding improvement)

Greenbuild 2009

2009-10-04T21:39:00.002-05:00

So, my latest focus has been on planning my trip to Greenbuild 2009 in Phoenix, AZ. For those who don't know, Greenbuild is a national conference of green builders, designers, architects, planners, facility managers, manufacturers and more. With three days of seminars, tours, a product expo, and endless networking, it is sure to be a great week.

"Buildings play a critical role in protecting and
improving our environment and the health of
the people who occupy them" (source)

There are over 100 educational seminars covered in the cost of Conference Registration ($225 for students/young professionals <-- that's me! ... and somewhere north of $700 for others). Topics range from sustainable urbanism to designing healthy interiors. Where does the problem arise? SCHEDULING! How can I be expected to jam pack all of these wonderful events into 3 days?! Decisions must be made.

I'm sure I'll be updating from the conference with pictures and news. Just one month away!

Tivi Design's Grace Bar

2009-10-04T21:37:00.001-05:00

Eroding sink by Gore Design

2009-10-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

BEAUTIFUL glass-fiber reinforced concrete sink by Gore Design out of Tempe, AZ. What if our tubs and shower floors were naturally eroding forms? Pretty cool stuff.

The Economy + The Architecture Firm

2009-09-18T17:30:00.005-05:00

Interesting Article on PSMJ's blog about Economic Recovery, what firms are up against, and where they should be heading. Closing line:

"The biggest challenge facing CEO’s right now is
to UNLEASH the young…..and SHED the old…"

Unleash the YOUNG. yes, please. I understand the need to re-hire senior level associates as work picks up, but the industry may lose a whole bunch of these young designers to other professions if entry-level positions don't start appearing in the Career Section (not me, personally, but I presume there are recent grads that are not as hell-bent as I am about getting a design position!)

Empire State Building... going green

2009-09-14T16:04:00.004-05:00

With the help of the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Empire State Building is set to go green by 2013. The renovations will add to the much-needed updates of each floor and reduce the iconic building's energy dependence

PANTONE Announces Spring 2010 Colors

2009-09-14T12:41:00.005-05:00

* Turquoise: PANTONE 15-5519
* Tomato Purée: PANTONE 18-1661
* Fusion Coral: PANTONE 16-1543
* Violet: PANTONE 16-3320
* Tuscany: PANTONE 16-1219
* Aurora: PANTONE 12-0642
* Amparo Blue: PANTONE 18-3945
* Pink Champagne: PANTONE 12-1107
* Dried Herb: PANTONE 17-0627
* Eucalyptus: PANTONE 15-0513

I'm liking Tomato Puree... I'm liking it alot!

Chicago Model City

2009-08-16T22:06:00.004-05:00

I recently took a lovely little day to meander Michigan Avenue downtown Chicago. My first stop was the Chicago Architectural Foundation's current exhibit. The Chicago Model City is an INCREDIBLE scaled (1:50) model of the city. I probably spent 15 minutes walking around it and I still feel like I missed a lot! The detail is amazing and I have to give serious props to the craftsmen who made it.

I then wandered over to check out the new Modern Wing at the Art Institute. I've heard so much about it, and it really does live up to all the hype. The CY Twombly exhibit is to die for... I HIGHLY recommend it!

translucent concrete

2009-08-11T17:28:00.004-05:00

One of my personal favorite products... translucent concrete from LitraCon. "Litracon™ is a combination of optical fibres and fine concrete. It can be produced as prefabricated building blocks and panels. Due to the small size of the fibres, they blend into concrete becoming a component of the material like small pieces of aggregate."

Architect vs. Interior Designer: the battle

2009-08-11T17:11:00.007-05:00

I recently attended an Alumni networking event in Chicago for Syracuse Alums. I ended up talking to two recent graduates of the Architecture program at SU. An interesting topic came up. One of the grads asked me what we (meaning the Interior Design majors) thought of them over there at the Architecture school. First reaction: what have you heard. Second: I'm glad you asked. I shared a bit about how I felt that the architecture school wanted nothing to do with the interior design program and more or less passed us off as decorators. I expected agreement or at least similiar response but what I got suprised me. He said that they just don't consider us at all. Anger. Followed by disgust and more anger. Then I rationalized his point. As interior designers, we deal with the space that architects create. Many times architects don't "deal" with our work as interior designers. It almost becomes a one-sided relationship.

I am always amazed at the disconnect in many schools between the architecture programs and the interior design programs. Meanwhile, in the industry, architects and interior designers work together constantly. Why not integrate the programs morein school to prepare architects and designers to collaborate and prehaps, oh I don't know... understand a bit more about how the other thinks? Seems simple enough to me.

The other student did mention that she had interned for a firm that had her working on interiors projects which made her realize that the projects are difficult and complicated. I smiled. Yes, yes they are. If only there were one semester in each program dedicated to the work of the other, also known as Enlightenment 101. Just imagine!

Sustainable Skyscraper

2009-08-07T21:05:00.007-05:00

There is a lot of talk lately about what we can do to "green" our existing buildings. As I posted a couple of weeks ago, the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is planning a massive overhaul aiming for 80% energy independence. I can really appreciate efforts such as this that take the architecture and design of our collective past and challenges us to be accountable for our past work. Gone are the days of luxurious commercial construction when we could afford to abandon old buildings and construct something that better fit our needs.

Now is the time when companies and architects alike need to reevaluate the differences between desire and necessity, impossible and difficult, and corporate values and social goals. As I mentioned, there are a few projects that really look at the urban environment as a re-use project. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, based in Charlotte NC, has conceived what many would call the impossible project: a self-sustaining, eco-city skyscraper. The project transforms a vacant parking lot in Dallas into a wonderful building, utilizing green walls, greywater re-use, photovoltaic panels and a community garden to provide inhabitants with produce.

Check it out!

Inhabitots.com

2009-08-05T23:33:00.009-05:00

On the one year anniversary of Inhabitots.com's launch, I find it only fitting to shoot a post their way.

Inhabitots.com is a fantastic blog about green baby products, ideas, etc. From the bloggers who brought you Inhabitat, InhabiTOTs has created a fantastic online niche for the parent with green on his/her mind. Last spring I worked on the design for a concept store for the future with a friend. We asked "what does retail look like in the year 2030?" Hmmm... retail of the future. To us, retail of the future combines retail stores and boutiques with blogs and online shopping. We challenged ourselves to design a concept store in Chicago for the Inhabitots.com.

Housing only regional products, the store would be interactive and work with the blog and discussion board on the website. Users could upload reviews, photos of their children interacting with the product, and have the product sent directly to their home (thus reducing the energy required for the product to go from source to warehouse to store to user). It was a great exercise in the limits of the physical store and the possibilities of the online realm.

Along with green baby products, the store would house an organic cafe with local produce and products and an interactive digital library where children could play and relax while parents do light reading or research on green lifestyles and products.

Overall, I think the concept is quite interesting, not to mention fun! What does retail in the year 2030 look like? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

hey, I could do that...

2009-08-05T23:07:00.004-05:00

I have always really enjoyed designing lighting fixtures and furniture on the side of all of my other interior design work. I designed this luminaire for my lighting class in college. Weighs about 30 lbs but its pure beauty. I have millions of ideas swirling in my head, especially for upcycled pieces and unconventional material pieces.

I never really considered the production side of the industry until recently. What exactly does it take to have a manufacturer produce your piece? Is it worth getting a design patent? How would I even start?! For these things and more I would love some answers.

Shipping Container livin'

2009-08-05T14:28:00.002-05:00

I've seen a lot of shipping container re-use designs for residences... this is by far one of my favorites.

Thoughts about right now.

2009-08-04T20:49:00.005-05:00

As my friend Jenn blogged early this spring, I do not want to talk about this recesscion anymore. I graduated from college 12 weeks and 2 days ago. 12 weeks! What have I been doing since then? I've been lamenting the current economy. I've been staring at a small graph indicating the teetering Architectural Billings Index (ABI) yearning to see that white billings line shoot upwards.

Alas, all I am left with is sore eyes and a heavy heart. I check employment sites and company sites and job boards and I log into LinkedIn, to Twitter, to Blogger, to Archinect to discussion boards hoping that I will see that long-desired and desperately needed job posted that I would be perfect for. Yet still, I am left with nothing other than the good old "it will all get better soon" comment from a fellow blogger or discussion board regular. And they're right. It will get better soon. We just need to wait it out.

But lately, it has occured to me that waiting is such a waste of time. At school I had the privilegde of working in and outside of the studio with many brilliant designers, many of whom are in the same rickety little boat as I am. This year colleges across the country may have graduated the most ambitious, socially-conscious and willing class of designers in history. We are the class of designers that not only has the skills nessecary to change the world around us, but the will to do so. But where do we go from here?

I've joked around with some of my designer friends that we should just start our own design firm. Just imagine. A young, collaborative, innovative, multi-disciplinary design firm... the kind we've always wanted to work for! We could not match the experience of well-established firms or even be able to attract lots of clients, but we could figure it out and design well. There is one thing that younger designers have that the seasoned ones may not: fresh perspective. In my experiences, I've found that we're more willing to push ideas. Someone says "no, we can't do that" and we say "well, why not?". We're the generation of designers who demand answers and are not afraid to challenge tradition (which can be positive and negative).

To be completely honest, the only reason I'm not gathering designers and forming this amazing think tank of design genius... is money. Of course, right? It's like this horrid little cycle of ideas like this that swirl around in my head 24/7. This is the time that I wish I knew more about business, more about getting a government grant, more about marketing and more about business administration. So, what's a young designer and recent grad to do? Well it's back to the job sites and the resume sending and the cover letter writing and the waiting. I continue to wait for that amazing opportunity to come scampering along as I stare down the ABI.

That's enough rant for one post. I'm sure there will be more!

Urban Mole

2009-08-03T20:42:00.004-05:00

Remember the movie Tommy Boy? Remember Michelle? Remember Michelle's filing system? Well, in case that gem of a scene has slipped your movie memory... she had a suction-powered system of pvc pipes running throughout the office with a canister to enclose documents in. The system ensured speed and efficiency in order to deliver documents.

The Urban Mole by Phillip Hermes is a concept parcel transportation system envisioned for the year 2020. Seems simple enough. Safety would be my biggest concern in terms of feasibility... but nevertheless, I really like the concept! The more services that can be integrated into the urban environment the better! Now, if we could just get all delivery services underground, we could relieve congestion, create more pedestrian pathways and more public space (...Jane Jacobs? Yes please...)

Read more about it at The Design Blog.

Farnsworth House.... with a side of guilt

2009-08-03T20:21:00.007-05:00

I am quite embarrassed to admit this. I live west of Chicago, about a 30 minute drive from the famous Farnsworth House by the even more famous architect and legend, Mies van der Rohe. Yet, much to my own dismay, I have never visited the home. Fear not, it's on my list of things to do!

I was perusing the Farnsworth House website, looking at photos, reading a bit of history... and I came across an interesting page, more of a call to action for lovers of architecture and design. The Farnsworth house was built right on the flood plain of the DesPlaines river. In September 2008 the river had record flooding and the house was very nearly washed away. The Foundation that looks after the property has asked quite candidly for ideas. The website lists a few ideas that have been thrown around in past years to solve the problem and asks for any innovative suggestions. They seem quite open and willing to listen.

Here is a photo of the Farnsworth House during the September 2008 flooding...

SO... if you've got a spare minute and a knack for innovation, come up with an idea to save this historic home!! I sure would appreciate it...

B-E-A-utiful.

2009-07-30T10:16:00.002-05:00

Viewing Tower for outdoor sports park in Reusel, Netherlands by Ateliereen Architecten. Love the combination of steel and half logs!

Lovely little energy forest

2009-07-29T19:34:00.003-05:00

Great concept by Neville Mars for an array of tree-like structures with PV material on surface to gather energy and charge vehicles... not to mention reduce that hotter-than-hell car feeling that you get mid-summer after an hour or two in a parking lot!

Milan looooves them some PVs

2009-07-29T19:17:00.005-05:00

Italy's Milano Fiera is making some changes to the facility in preparation for the 2015 World Expo. The fair facility is planning for 2.9 million square feet of photo-voltaic planels to be installed, carrying a max 18 megawatt capacity. It is not clear if the plan calls for just that existing grey roof to be covered or if they are going to attempt to cover the ungelating glass canopy below.... those curves might prove tricky to capture enough light to justify the cost. I think there are waaaay too many projects out there throwing PV panels on surfaces and locations that just aren't the best option! PV panels do take a bit of energy to manufacture and let's not even discuss where they go once they've lost their juice... those things aren't exactly recyclable!

Fellowship Application

2009-07-20T21:33:00.003-05:00

So I did it. Today I finalized and hand-delivered my application for the highly-coveted SOM Travel Fellowship. Along with a 12-page portfolio of my work, I submitted an abstract and itinerary of my proposed topic of study: the design of the studio environment. Here it is:

"Constant shifts in cultural and economic dynamics around the world demand new approaches in design. Now more than ever, designers must readily adapt in order to create design that responds to and even foresees the effects of these changes. How/where does a designer develop the skills needed to adapt? My research intends to argue that the studio2 environment sets a strong precedent for how a designer will learn to change, adapt, and evolve as situations present themselves.

In my own experiences, the studio environment played a vital role in the formation of ideas and abilities to adapt to change. I noted distinct changes in thought process when my environment shifted from a dilapidated building on a suburban campus in Upstate New York to a newly renovated building in a historic and vibrant area of London. As the qualities of my environment changed, the way in which I designed changed as well. I was intrigued further when I noted similar changes in the work of fellow designers under the same circumstances.

There are three parts of the studio environment’s dynamic that I would like to explore:

STUDIO: The physical environment. How do the spaces that house design programs influence designers’ work? From style to arrangement, how does the studio enhance or hinder the ability to adapt and design?
BUILDING: The context of the studio space within a larger campus3. Does a studio environment within a specifically art/design community differ from that of an academic university that offers a wide breadth of disciplines.
CAMPUS: The context of the campus within/around the city/town/village. How does a studio’s juxtaposition within an urban context support or hinder a designer’s ability to explore, engage and adapt to cultural, social and economic influences?

In order to explore these conditions, my travel itinerary includes a varied list of design studios and architecture programs around North America and Northern/Western Europe including the Berlage Institute, Glasgow School of Art, Central St. Martin’s, and Zaha Hadid’s studio in London. By spending time observing, interacting with the students/designers in each program and documenting STUDIO, BUILDING, and CAMPUS qualities, I hope to draw conclusions about how the design of a studio that enables and encourages its designers to become engaged with surrounding cultures, conditions and issues, and prepares them to be readily adaptable to changing situations.

I plan to present my research findings in the form of visual and qualitative data accompanied by several comprehensive case studies. This research will contribute to a more developed investigation of the design studio in relation to designer adaptability, and I am extremely passionate about the possibilities for research findings in this area."

1 “Design” refers to practices including and/or related to architecture, interior architecture, interior design
2 “Studio” refers to any space where students engage in independent or curriculum-based design learning
3 “Campus” refers to the surrounding academic buildings, facilities or support services of the studio

SO, now all I have to do is wait 3 weeks for the results. Best scenario: $50,000 to travel and research, second best scenario: $20,000 to travel and research, worst case scenario: nada. Fingers are crossed and itinerary is being further developed! More to come....

And this is why I love Chicago

2009-06-30T11:12:00.004-05:00

The Sears Tower in Chicago is poised for a $350 million dollar renovation scheme to make it a bit more self-sustaining. The plan which includes photo-voltaics, wind turbines, and interior retro-fits. If successful, the Sears Tower will produce 80% of its power needs. (80%!!!!) Imagine that... renovating our *existing* buildings to perform better.... way to go Chicago!

Although there was a big controversy about the Sears Tower being renamed the Willis Tower, I am prepared to put aside all negative feelings about the renaming in favor of the property moving forward in history and serving as an example for skyscraper owners around the world. Pretty great stuff.

New Website!

2009-06-19T20:38:00.007-05:00

After months in the battle between slow internet and an ornary computer, my website is up and running! MEINDL.COM, a constant work in progress, serves as my internet home and online portfolio. I hope that the site will open some doors (I'll even take an open window or skylight). While I tried going the Dreamweaver route and building the site from scratch, I found that not even I, a quick-learning tech saavy Mac-user could throw together a beautiful, portfolio-worthy site. So, I turned to Wix.com. Check it out.

NeoCon 2009

2009-06-19T20:14:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again, and the NeoCon World's Trade Fair took Chicago by storm. As per usual, Monday was overwhelming with crowds of designers, manufacturers and the like running around like chimpanzees grabbing free swag from the showrooms, scanning badges, talking design and attending seminars.

Perhaps my favorite nuance of NeoCon is what I like to call the "badge scanning". For those of you not familiar with industry trade shows like NeoCon, everyone is given a printed badge in a plastic holder to clip onto your shirt. The badge lists your name, company and location. Being a very important person, mine read "Kirby Meindl, Syracuse University, Naperville IL". At times it was like watching children on an Easter Egg Hunt. Hungry eyes scan badges as the crowds of people pass looking for that one important person, that great networking opportunity, or that possibile employer. I enjoyed an overpriced and underpoured coffee at one of the NeoCon cafes as I observed this annual ritual go down.

Among the 5 levels of NeoCon gloriousness, I found Bucky Fuller. The 1954 Geodesic dome by Buckmister Fuller was on display in the Merchandise Mart lobby. It was just as glorious as I imagined. With commercial furniture vignettes arranged under and around it, it glistened in the spotlights as men and women in suits sat around it acting as if they hadn't noticed the massive structure looming over their shoulders.

NeoCon this year was a wonderful break from the perilous job hunt but even there I felt a soft hum of the ever crippling economy. While showrooms still had open bars and handed out canvas bags with imprints of their logo and a clever saying about how the bag was colored green and at the same time WAS green, it was the actual conversation that brought the mood down a bit. Architectrue firms set up tables at the ASID career fair, smiled, accecpted resumes (and immediatly throwing them into an absolutely enormous pile) and said they would be in touch. The professionals offereing portfolio reviews provided me with a significant ego boost while praising my portfolio and commenting that I should have absolutely NO problem finding a job.

While the economy wavers on the edge, design still manages to overcome. Themes for this year's products centered around sustainability, ergonomics and the majority of the products were aimed at the remaining profitable markets: Healthcare and K-12 Education. I say some really amazing design, talked to some very convincing reps and networked with helpful professionals. Overall, NeoCon 2009 was a success! Now that the parties of the year have past... what will the second half of the year hold for the industry?

McMansions in Venezia?

2009-06-10T16:02:00.004-05:00

Great piece compliments of BLDG BLOG.

Watch the VIDEO here!

This is just great.

2009-06-08T18:27:00.002-05:00

Off of FailBlog.com

Brick Weave House (Studio Gang)

2009-06-01T13:01:00.004-05:00

Architectural Record has come out with its 2009 Record Houses edition. This year, in contrast with others, the houses seem a little less extreme and bit more reflective of the economy and times. One of my personal favorites is the Brick Weave House by Studio Gang Architects out of Chicago.

Anyone who knows my designs, knows I love to play with light and views... apparently Studio Gang does as well. The massive brick weave wall on the street side encloses a small courtyard. The front facade makes a bold yet reserved statement. I would love to see this in context in a Chicago neighborhood... I think Studio Gang is on to something here.

Biodegradable Cell Phones... hayyyyyy

2009-05-29T16:41:00.002-05:00

Check out this disposable cell phone made from HAY on Inhabitat.com

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle VCT?

2009-05-29T16:18:00.002-05:00

Mannington Commercial, producers of commercial grade flooring from carpet to sheet products, has taken recyling to the next level. For two years now they've had a carpet recycling program called LOOP. Mannington is taking on an even more important program: VCT recycling. Now I'm not one for VCT... I understand that its cost effective at first and has easy install/replacement... but not so healthy for users or the environment (there's something about melting VCT offgassing into a child's lungs that keeps me up at night).

Photo compliments of InteriorDesign.net

Billions of pounds of VCT end up in US landfills every year, and Mannington is attempting to take a small chunk out of that figure. The site, in New Jersey, accepts VCT from a 500 mile radius (kind of like reverse regional product selection). If we could get one manufacturer in each area of the country to jump start a program like this... who knows what we could accomplish?!

Sun(ergy)

2009-05-27T21:26:00.005-05:00

Transparent Plastic Solar Cells.... what?! Check it out, Konarka has come up with a transparent plastic solar cell that fits neatly into windows and produces energy.

Less nonsense, more good sense.

2009-05-27T20:50:00.004-05:00

It's tough in this day and age to land the blame on a single element for our current economic situation. Fingers are pointed and decisions are made that do nothing to remedy the situation. But does anyone ever point the finger at design? DWELL Magazine Editor-in-Cheif Sam Grawe lays it out plain and (not so) simple in the June issue of DWELL. It's a bit lengthy, but worth a read:

Ooops!... We Built It Again
Sam Grawe, Editor-in-Chief
DWELL, June 2009

When it comes to levying blame for our current economic woe there is no shortage of culprits to castigate. When I do it, it goes something like this: First, I blame the irresponsible borrowers who bit off more than they could chew by buying a new house with three garages 60 miles away from where they work, even though they hadn’t paid off their Bowflex. Then, I denounce the decades of work by those foolhardy bureaucrats who were bent on the deregulation that enabled those borrowers to get loans for both their new homes and their Bowflexes. Next, I take a big bite out of the buccaneer bankers who bundled those bad loans into default credit swaps and bought big houses on Long Island. After that, I get red in the face at the once-sound institutional giants that mistook themselves for drunks at some two-bit casino and gambled on insuring the infallibility of those swashbuckling bundles. Somewhere in there, I’ll turn on a TV and get fired up at the mainstream media’s inability to do anything other than propagate the establishment’s status quo. Finally, I’ll save my biggest finger to wag at the elected officials who bail out the now-failed institutions with taxpayer money that then buys lobbyists who funnel money back to the elected officials so they vote for exactly what the institutions want – like another round of bailouts. And just when I think I’m ready to let go and maybe enjoy a glass of wine after a long day of work, I get to thinking about another culprit whose complicity in this whole mess has yet to be fully exposed or discussed, and that’s bad design. You heard me right, bad design!

Bad design has become so ingrained that it’s basically part of our national identity – as American as an Applebee’s Sizzling Apple Pie Skillet Sensation. As proof, I offer you the recently opened Capitol Visitor Center, where you’ll find 580,000 gleaming square feet of it – think homeland security meets half-baked neoclassicism meets Embassy Suites – right under the nose of our democratic process.

Sure, the Capitol Visitor Center didn’t cause this mess; it’s merely a telltale symptom of the greater pandemic. The real problem is the root thoughtlessness, both programmatic and aesthetic, that informs design decisions made around the country on a daily basis. You’ll sometimes hear architects talk about a building having good bones. Well, badly designed buildings have bad bones. How many schemes have you seen to transform foreclosed exurban housing into variable multi-family homes? Not many, I reckon. Why? Bad bones. Their design was focused on wooing perspective home buyers with features such as impressive double-height foyers, facades that bring new meaning to the term “historical friction”, and a feel-good array of surface options. As long as the house sells, who care how much energy was wasted making it, or how crummy the “bones” no one sees are? But with housing starts down more than 80 percent in some areas, and the very nature of once-assured systems being completely overhauled, there has never been a better time to care.

For years, our magazine has been prognosticating that this simply couldn’t go unabated. It’s not that we wanted people to lose their jobs or homes, but being nice modernists, we wanted to point out that there are better ways of doing things. So we championed the revival of once-forlorn downtowns and people who saw the good bones to work with there. Density makes for a richer cultural experience and also lessens the environmental impacts of building and living. As the average American home grew in scale (to about 2500 square feet in 2004, according to the National Association of Home Builders), we told stories about people who dared to dream a little smaller – like the residents in this issue, who inhabit spaces smaller than 1000 square feet, and not just in cramped mega cities. If good design decisions can allow one family of three (and a dog) to live happily in a mere 400 square feet (“My House”, pg. 51), then imagine the benefits that would come with replicating that model on a massive scale.

Right now, we must be cognizant of making good decisions in order to avoid bad design, but given the uncertainty of what were once certainties, we may not have that luxury forever. If we’re ever going to wean ourselves off of our bad habits, we need to quit them while we still have the choice – and thinking small is just a start.

In my mind, it isn't necessarily the fault of real designers... the burden lays on those who enter the architecture and design industry with dollar signs in sight. It's the McMansion builders and architects who have lost sight of the purpose of design that have brought us here. But now is the time for true designers to begin the healing process. It is time for us to design with conscience again.

Save paper... draw mid-air!

2009-05-12T16:54:00.004-05:00

I first came across Front Design (http://www.frontdesign.se) at the Design Museum in London, and have become a big fan in recent months. Check out their "Sketch Furniture" concept. The designer draws mid-air and the computer translates the motion into a sculpture. Pretty amazing stuff!

Metro Madrid Commercial

2009-03-23T22:58:00.002-05:00

This commercial for Metro Madrid is absolutely beautiful. Check it out!

Let's hear it for the Lotus Leaf

2009-03-23T22:40:00.005-05:00

Now I have to say, I've fallen in love with Biomimicry over the past year and have been searching and searching for more products and case studies to quench my thirst. For those of you who don't know, Biomimicry is design that mimics nature, and it truly is the goal to sustainability (at least in my opinion). My latest and greatest discovery is the Lotus Leaf.. not that I discovered it.. but yea, you know what I mean. This leaf, even in the heaviest of rainfalls remains dry. Water beads off of its surface and takes along with it dirt and debris. So, what does this mean for design?

How about an exterior paint that cleans itself? How about reducing the need for energy-consuming power washing or toxic repainting? Cool stuff. It's been around in Europe for 10 years, but of course, the US is behind. I can't wait until this becomes a commercial market standard. (Lotus Leaf Paint)

green (house)

2009-03-12T22:40:00.002-05:00

Belgium architect Carl Verdickt really hits the spot with this minimalist take on a inhabitable greenhouse. By utilizing the basic technology and insulation/ventilation technologies of the traditional greenhouse, the home is able to save energy. The use of pre-fab steel framing is another fantastic choice. Anyone who knows me could probably guess what I'm about to say next... My favorite bit of design is the monolithic concrete counter top cantilevered in the middle of the kitchen area. GORGEOUS. I would, however, like to know how that roof is insulated... hmmm..

and on the 7th day...

2009-03-12T00:28:00.002-05:00

... I finally made a blog. Why? That's an excellent question, my friend. I am a student of design, a very curious student at that. Now, I use the term "design" in the broadest sense, as I believe that it really has no definable limits. I would say that on a daily basis, I am thinking about design about 90% of the time. (The other 10% is devoted strictly to thought on the tension that exists between clouds and sunshine.)

But back to the question of "why?" My daily thoughts have nothing to do but bounce around in my head and occasionally pour out in the form of drivel to a poor colleague in my studio. My hope is to spark at least one though in the head of at least one curious person out there.

Am I allowed to tell myself to break a leg? Eh... why not...