'wild urbanism' at zaryadye park

congrats to the all those at DS+R and their winning proposal for zaryadye park in Russia!

This super cool concept, of 'wild urbanism' plays well within the city.  Bringing various landscape typologies together and allowing users to wanders is quite perfectly positioned, especially within the urban city center - where our paths are quite often, dictated for us.

beautiful images (as always) and a clever film clip help sell the idea.  architecture holding hands with 'nature' - well played.

the deep

super amazing stop motion animation.  takes the metallic and brings 'em deep down below the horizon.

done by an american director PES.  these amazing stop motions take everyday tools and bits of metals pieces, recombines them into a creepy under water world.  it has the atmosphere of being on board steve zissou's yellow submarine looking through a port hole searching for the jaguar shark.  totally love it.  now you can see too!

"The murky underwater world of fish, seaweed and other aquatic lifeforms is created entirely from old hand tools, nut crackers, calipers, films lenses, faucet knobs, chains, and skeleton keys - that exact opposite of what you might expect to animate sea life with - demonstrating why PES is clearly a master of his craft."

minneapolis water works

This project has always tickled my interest.  I'm glad the my alma mater (Kate Orff of SCAPE with Rogers Marvel) will get to play a hand in the re-shaping, re-imagining, and re-definition of Minneapolis' historic, iconic waterway.

you can get the whole scoop via minneapolis parks foundation website.  great firms were chosen, super exciting!

existential sensitivity

so, wow, how time flies.

let me attempt to get back into the swing of things.  for your viewing pleasure...

thanks to the guys at spirit of space for helping steven holl revamp his 32BNY series.  what was once a small publication, now, morphs into video for today's audience.  listen to these guys (wow, kipnis) debating what has become of today's modern architecture.

let's explore a fuller range of possibilities. thanks for the reminder.

build wood skyscrappers

OMG.
this video is fantastic!  Micheal Green lays out very methodically, and in language easily understandable, why we should be building in wood.  he makes the claim that not only is it possible to build 20 story buildings (hopefully, higher) in wood, but necessary.  think about it, wood sequesters carbon (versus concrete and steel which contribute loads of carbon), large logs burn slowly (fire safety), we can grow them, we can engineer them, and with an increasing amount of people moving to the city, we'll need to house these new city dwellers.  wood feels better, looks better, and is better for the environment - when's the last time you hugged a steel column? or rubbed your hand over a steel panel? (i won't get into concrete, cuz that's a big weakness of mine).  but seriously, why the hell aren't we doing more with mother nature's super material?

PS. super clean graphics! very nice.