Arquitectura

From Pompidu Paris to Ground Zero New York

by davij ^Pro @ 2008-05-05 – 00:38:18

PLEASE CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENJOY

Architectural Drawing, Facade

I was in the early university years of Architecture in the early seventees when the Centre George Pompidu Arts Museaum graced the pages of architectural magazines and has stirred quite a distraction in the present day style of modern and international of the Miesian, Corbusier, Paul Rudolph and I.M.Pei's design principles. The controversial design is the work of a newly formed Architect Partnership of a Florence born, Yale Graduate, British Architect Richard Rogers and an Italian Architect and professor, Renzo Piano who won international competition for a Museaum of Modern Arts in Paris, a structure built in honour of President George Pompidu of France. Both Architects are influenced and disciples of the Modernist movement of Van dehr Roe and Cobusier, departing to the "borgoise", classical, colonial, baroque and heritage architectural expression. The result was a bold structure, devoid of decoration, a building named "inside-out", where the usually hidden unsightly structural framing and mechanical systems, became the showcase of the unusual structure.

The conformists denounced the style as repulsive and obstructionist. The modernist and the young architects acclaimed it as an ingenious reflection of the time, a masterpiece of nature and technology, thus the birth of the term -"high tech" architectural style. Non architects may not clearly perceive that despite the unusual exposition of the mechanical elements of the Pompidu structure,the structural elements and its mechanical components are treated and designed aesthetically to be a part of the geometry, that in the end both function, natural lighting,circulation and communication, a difficult task, was achieved. As shown in the following photos
from a Rogers Museum in London, featuring the works fo this British genius, see it if you can.

Model: Centre Pompidu, ROGERS + Workshop, London

Dessin architural: Coupe-transversal POMPIDU. Rogers-Piano architectes

The Centre Pompidu therefore stands as an important Architectural Landmark as the beginning of High Tech Architectural Style, which continues to influence today's modern structures. Among noted influences is the infamous Lloyd's Bank of England, which today has it's enemies as a brutalist piece of structure amidst the elegance of Victorian English Street, the building of course was also designed by Richard Rogers with another Yale classmate, the honourable Sir Norman Foster, who together has formed Foster and Rogers Architects, the top Architectural firm in the universe, authors of many of the most important structures in the world.
Isn't just fitting then, that the Father of High-Tech Architecture is awarded to construct the main tower to rise above the vanished New York Lantern of the World Trade Center, presenting a new, much more refined structure from Pompidu, the Freedom Tower to catch the glorious New York sunset and once again illuminating the Hudson (river).

MODEL: FREEDOM TOWER, Ground Zero, NY, ROGERS + Workshop

THE NEW LAMPS OVER HUDSON, Foster-Rogers, Maki and Piano, Architects

The Taj Majal

by davij ^Pro @ 2008-01-25 – 06:38:29

One of the most beautiful creations of all time.

PLEASE CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Perfection, symmetry, heavenly! - "the TAJ MAHAL of Agra" (A.D. 1630-53)

Reference: The History of Architecture, SIR BANISTER FLETCHER, Edition Fifteenth

THE PYRAMIDS

by davij ^Pro @ 2008-01-23 – 05:37:19

The Pyramids of Cheops: Gizeh

PLEASE CLICK TO LARGE FOR BETTER VIEW OF DRAWING!

to be continued....

Optical Delusion

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-12-03 – 02:38:49

Many times, the Architect's intent and vision do not translate to the public's interpretation. Below are actual prominent buildings in Montreal of which I was actually involved with: 1000 La Gauchetiere, the tallest building in Montreal, the Architect respectfully considered the the historical site around it, especially the Roman Renaissance Style of the heritage cathedral facing it. The Architect employed similar Montreal greystone building materials at the base of the building as the Church and the surrounding heitage buildings. The Architect also designed two domed endblocks blending it with the magnificent dome of the Cathedral and then rises up in the sky in glass and granite terminating with a copper clad hat.

PLEASE CLICK TO READ CAPTION AND ENLARGE IMAGE to 800x600. The building below, Maison des Cooperants, is also a prestigious office building in Montreal, dwarfing a Gothic Cathedral in front of it, the building's hat is also often a subject of different public interpretation:

PLEASE CLICK TO READ CAPTION AND ENLARGE IMAG to 800x600. Images are excerpt from the book: the business of architecture, written and illustrated by davij, architect, published 1993-ISBN-0-9696877-0-2

Richard Meier, Architect

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-11-22 – 01:05:22

One of the most influential Architect of our times is Richard Meir, one that I also personally admire. I have actually been in one of his offices in his New York Office, although I have never met the man -and his office is true to his architectural style, the walls are bare without furnishing - all white. Except for a minimal glass block at the entrance -everything is awashed in white, contrasted only by the wood plank natural coloured flooring. The hall is empty except for simple table in the middle and a building model of the Long Island Courthouse Building, also in white. But surprisingly you could sense the artistic beauty and character of the whole space despite the white surround.
Meier's work came into prominence in the 8o's primarily because of his signature white-enameled porcelain coated metal panels but more importantly is the simplicity and quiet elegance of his modernist style.
Of Miesian and Corbusier's influence translated into original Miere's expression, the Meier's building earned its own character. Meire's architecture does not contempt the historical and Baroquian embelishments in building but rather deconstruct the old thought and re-construct it to reflect the modern times. Critcized by many, especially in the advent of Post Modernist movement in the 80's and the return of building materials such as Granite and Stone Facades, decorations and embellishments in building, Meier in his latter designs have employed the use of Stone and Granite Claddings and added some complimentary colors to his still predominantly white-clad metal structures. Meier's architecture is geometrical symmetry, clean horizontal lines all matching each other and the use of natural lighting and despite its white metallic exterior, the interior looks out to the exterior surrounding, a delicate balance of technology and nature integration - that is quqite a contrast from Gehry's sculptural, aeshtetical chaos and sometimes brutal implantation to existing site. Here are few examples of his works:

PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!

More:

TO SEE MORE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7IkplGHXwc

The Architect's Office: Situations

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-10-16 – 04:33:49

A major difference in today's Architect's office is the disappearance of the "drafting board", the T-square and the "traingle" as shown in these pictures which is now of course replaced by a computer at each desks. I miss those times, when we use to draw by hand, now everybody has the same signatures and handwriting from the available fonts from the CAD menu. There was so much uniqueness of drawing style and ability from architectural designers and draftspersons, unfortunately in this digital age, that individual personality is gone.

Going back to the 90's, these are some familiar situations in an Architect's office:

"A Multi-National Architectural Group"

"Office Politics"

"Sunglasses at Night"

PLEASE CLICK PICS ABOVE TO 800 X 576 RESOLUTION FOR BETTER VIEWING
to be continued....
above excerpts from the book "the business of architecture"/author-illustrator-davij/published 1992-ISBN O 969677-0-2/All Rights Reserved

Humour: A Date with an Architect

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-10-15 – 03:51:42

PLEASE CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES ABOVE TO 822 X 608 RESOLUTION.

F R A N K L L O Y D W R I G H T

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-10-14 – 18:18:39

"The Mind of an Architect"

PLEASE CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES ABOVE.

The Architect Overseas

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-10-12 – 04:58:16

Of WC and Mecca !

Please Click to enlarge!

the business of architecture

by davij ^Pro @ 2007-10-11 – 04:42:42

As I have written in my main blog, flip, I will be starting a series of blogs, actual scans from my published book in 1992, which basically chronicles the life of an architect and my own experiences, but the lighter side and quite irreverent and humourous look in the business of architecture. So we start when the architect was a student, ( for architecture students today, of course times have changed, the computer and CAD has taken over all the T squares and the different pen and pencil sizes, erasers, etcetera which are today almost obsolete -sad!):

At no time in his career an architect had more fun than when he was a student. As any college student, at that young age, especially in the '70s, Calculus, booze,"mary-jane", girls, the Beatles were all part of the curriculum. But at the same time, the serious transformation is taking place on th eprospective architect in his percepetion of the built environment. Influenced by his architects professors and architectural subjects, the student starts to percieved things differently to the amazement of his family and friends. Young students will be dreaming of fame and glory as the famous architects they start to discover. Few will realize that dream after graduation, but most architects will have decent success in their carreers or related fields. These experiences of the architect as a student is the first chapter of my book and the subject of the following blogs, enjoy!

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK ALL IMAGES TO LARGE:

The book cover:

The book back cover:

The picture below shows a typical student of the '70s.

Arhitectural Thesis:

Communication Gap:

to be continued......