1999.08.10 10:58
ae fragments/vitruvius
The importance/power of water remains vital with regard to electricity and urban design, specifically the power of hydro-electricity, and thus there is one more thing to "learn from Las Vegas" vis-à-vis Hoover Dam. The history of both Las Vegas and Hoover Dam are inseparable, albeit, Las Vegas is there because of Hoover Dam--a new and electric (powered) oasis in the Nevada desert.
Like the multitudinous fountains of the Villa d'Este garden near Rome--a Cardinal's Renaissance retreat brought to life subsequent to the reinstatement of a long destroyed ancient Roman aqueduct--the multitudinous flashing (splashing) signs of the Las Vegas strip and the old part of town are indeed water fountains reenacted as spent electricity (water power energy!).
Las Vegas is nothing less than an enormous hyrdo-electric reenactment of an oasis (complete with caravans, watering holes, and even a pyramid), and thus it is not at all unusual that the whole notion of reenactment is now Las Vegas' predominant theme.
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2002.08.10 12:31
Re: graffiti
Michael wrote:
I was astonished by the new wave of graffiti in Sweden and Germany. Everywhere, even in the countryside, on bridges, tunnels, sides of buildings facing the railroad tracks and highways. I see beginnings of its reappearance in the US as well.
Steve adds:
Michael's use of the word 'reappearance' immediately reminds me of how much graffiti there used to be in the US (for me specifically Philadelphia). Michael might also be right about a 'reappearance' now occurring, because when I see graffiti here now (like in semi-remote places as Michael describes) I think to myself, "Now that's something I haven't seem in a long time." Mind you, I still don't see it that often.
Although never as 'famous' as New York City graffiti, Philadelphia was full of graffiti in the late 1960s through the 1970s. What happened as reaction, however, is now something of an 'institution'--the 'anti-graffiti' mural projects. Apparently, there are now more urban murals in Philadelphia than anyplace else in the world. They can be found everywhere, especially within 'poorer' neighborhoods (which more or less accounts for at least half of Philadelphia proper these days, and, more specifically, where you can find many, many blank sides of buildings due to ever increasing gap-tooth housing stock). From the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s these mural projects have taken on a very grand scale in terms of size and in terms of exhibiting talent and design. Almost every mural here now is indeed public art.
My favorite mural still has to be the one on 5th Street a few blocks south of the Roosevelt Blvd. that was painted spontaneously by Lotus and Dan Past Bird from noon 11 September 2001 to about noon 12 September 2001.
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2002.08.10 12:47
Re: church plans (was synagogues)
While what P. says about 'sacred' sites remaining 'sacred' no matter what the religion (my take on the phenomenon, actually) is true, it is nonetheless worth noting that concerning Christian churches in the city of Rome, for several centuries all Pagan (temple) sites were strictly avoided as sites of Christian churches. The first pagan temple of Rome to be converted to a church is the Pantheon, but that didn't occur until the very early 600s. The story goes that some catacombs were caving in and that gathered remains of the fallen catacombs were deposited at the Pantheon, hence the buildings present name of Holy Mary of the Martyrs. If you believe in the Last Judgment, the Pantheon will surely be a 'watershed'.
In a more current situation, what was Congregation Ahavath Israel is today Grace Temple Church, Inc. (Talk about having it all.)
07081001 Jung Zaha House model 2382i01 b c
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07081003 Villa Stein des Monzie in Terrain model 2383i01
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2014.08.10 11:42
Book Review: "The City in the City—Berlin: A Green Archipelago. A manifesto"
...if what you are critical of in Lotus 19 is the architecture that actually exists, then Leon Krier, Manuel de Solà-Morales, James Stirling, and Rob Krier should not be listed. Be, at least, specific as to what you are critical of, and not over generalizing. I assume your "reality checking walk" means going to block 270 at Wedding/Kleihues, residential house near the castle of Charlottenburg/Johannes Uhl, new square following the historic city plan/Werner Düttmann, urban development of the Rollberge/Oefelein-Freund-Schmock, redevelopment at Schöneberg/Heinrichs-Wermund, urban renewal of the Bethanien district block 100/Grötzebach-Plessow-Ehlers, residential house Carmerstrasse 4/Jan & Rolf Rave, addition to the regional state bank Leibnizstrasse/Jan & Rolf Rave, two residential houses in the historic street/Uhl.
All these built works, with the exception of Wedding block 270, are featured at the end of Lotus 19. The fact that these designs were (obviously) already in existence before the publication of Lotus 19 means that they are not exactly representative of the 'new' content of Leon Krier, Manuel de Solà-Morales, James Stirling, and Rob Krier in Lotus 19.
So, what exactly is the "the unquestioned, mainstream content" of Lotus 19?
14081001 Lacaton + Vassal Nobel Center competition proposal Stockholm
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18081002 Parc de la Villette Netherlands Architecture Institute Villa dall'Ava Villa Geerlings Maison à Bordeaux Netherlands Embassy Y2K House IQ63 plans 224ji06 b
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21081001 museum collection 1999 Palace of Ottopia Lauf Haus der Kunst Schizophrenic Fold De Young Museum plans section/elevation 2305i12
21081002 museum collection 2000 Working Title Museum 001 Working Title Museum 002 Working Title Museum 003 Working Title Museum 004 Ludi Museum plans 2323i07
21081003 museum collection 2003 Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art Museum of Modern Art Kunsthaus Graz plans elevations section 228ai02
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