san ysidro land port of entry: miller + hull

in this day and age of massive and spectacular digital output it's great to see a firm sticking to their artistic integrity.

i've been checking in with miller + hull since i started studio. a professor introduced me to their work and after seeing the correlation between his [professor] work and their [miller + hull] work i'm beginning to see some of the influence has made it's way into my hand... through a different process, but with the same aesthetics. all i can say is, woohoo.

however, i am enamored with their watercolors in addition to their works of design!

the images are from a new project for the san ysidro united status land port of entry. it will be constructed in three phases and are on target to achieve LEED platinum certification thanks to energy efficiency, water conservation strategies, and an integrated design process. more impressive is the fact that this project is the first to be open 24/7/365 to achieve this LEED status in the united states.

the site sees 20% of the border crossing traffic into the united states. 34 lanes of traffic! the complex is both a welcoming center, first impression of the country, and critical facilities for national security. craig curtis - partner at miller + hull - "this project will set a new standard for land ports of entry, not only for surpassing general service administration's sustainability goals but for enhanced processing of visitors and increased security measures." who knows, maybe border crossing could actually be an enjoyable and memorable experience - for the right reasons.

construction starts next year.... four masts rising 100 feet support a 275 foot canopy made of ethylene tetraflouroethylene - the same material that clads the national aquatics center from the 2008 beijing olympics. this means; rain and sun protection but also allows natural light to pass into the officer's booths.

thanks to a 700,000 gallon rainwater reclamation system the site will cut water consumption by over 12 million gallons annually = 100 households.... nice work out in the desert.

outlines of the future phases and more in depth information on the sustainable features can be found aqui.

tolo house_ alvaro siza

álvaro leite siza vieira's tolo house (son of architect alvaro siza) is based in lugar das carvalhinhas, portugal. it’s a great work manipulating the hillside slope. the result is a superb layering of space based on rigorous, modular abstraction of cubic geometries. organized along a long linear spine the interconnected volumes reveal a unique elevation on each of its four sides.

the project include three bedrooms, a social bathroom, a living room, a dinning room, a small kitchen with a support washbasin, pantry, and even a small outdoor swimming pool. the outdoor patios, corresponding to the roofs of various levels, are connected through a pedestrian path bordering the lot.

the pragmatics of the site [steep topography] in concert with the economic constraints produced a partially buried house. enclosed with concrete provides high thermal barrier, while the revealing some cubes references the surrounding cliff faces. the plan layout attempts to preserve the pre-existing trees; hence the rotations in plan adapting to the natural morphology of the terrain…

you’d never even notice this house as you approach from car at the highest part on the north end of the project. a stone footpath provides access from the south, at the bottom of the hill: a more rustic option. additionally, the concrete spaces take advantage of the site’s southern exposure: receiving optimal southern exposure.

visual tension is created through the manipulation of concrete and wood. carving reveals light adding drama to the sculpted cubes cascading down the hillside. the material palette is simple, clean, and reserved: concrete, wood, white surfaces.

“the roof functions simultaneously as pavement support for the gardens: similar to the traditional threshing floors and patios in the northern regions of the country with hilly terrain.” its fragmentation only adds to its allure.

photos found @: fernando guerra

surplus to the rescue

while devastating in scope, a great opportunity - even necessity - exists to put concept to action. below is a terrific diagram from SEED, a group of researchers from clemson university, illustrating the surplus of shipping containers found throughout the caribbean.



their research is very graphic, informative, visual, and clean. great examples of innovative thinking. great opportunities available.

we're #12

came across this article on mothernaturenetwork. it's a great article that highlights some of the city's best green locations, markets, and activities.
among the highlights are;

"reclaiming wisconsin’s largest brownfield for energy-efficient buildings and greenspace produced 2,100 new jobs, and a similar effort is planned to renew the 30th street Industrial corridor as a "greenlight district" for jobs."




they also remark on some the city's 'greenest architecture.'

"perhaps the most notable is hotel metro, located in a historic art deco building on the corner of milwaukee and mason streets downtown. The first hotel in wisconsin to apply for LEED certification, hotel metro features bamboo planking and cork public area flooring, recycled carpeting in guest rooms and architectural features made from reconstituted forest products and recycled glass."

"nature lovers can observe the local flora and fauna at the city’s many parks, take a hike at the schlitz audubon nature center or explore the gardens, natural habitats and trails at the wehr nature center."

... i was surprised to notice the city's urban ecology center, and will allen's growing power failed to make mention... the article also overlooks a lot of the cities more local attractions, like the riverwest farmer's market, sweetwater organics and others that are more neighborhood related [local] attractions. these are, in my opinion, the city's greatest contributions to green living.

flat packing

what took so long?

"shipping containers revolutionized commerce and the transportation of goods, and almost singlehandedly made globalism possible through a dramatic reduction in shipping costs, time and losses. but they are not problem-free; unless trade is balanced they tend to pile up at one end of the line. they are expensive to move when empty, particularly on trucks, where it costs the same to move an empty one as a full one."



cargoshell, a dutch manufacture, has engineered a new shipping container that folds down to one forth the size of conventional containers. it is made of composite materials, making it lighter than its precursor.

the use of composite materials also offers other added features including;

- the composite walls act as an insulator, eliminating condensation.
- it is low maintenance; the composites don't corrode.
- gps can be built into the container because the composite, unlike steel, does not block the signal.
- steel containers need a lot of paint, with a lot of toxic rust inhibitors that are pollutants; the composites need no paint.
- to top it all off, they even have float bags built in so that if they go over the side of the ship (not an uncommon event) they will float, and can be traced back by the built-in gps system quickly.

check out the full story via gizmag

cop15

been trying to follow the cop15 conference
the optimism...
the compromise....
the frustration....
the hope...
the disappointment....

i was intrigued by this first hand account by thom yorke. acquiring a press pass he has logged thoughts at deadairspace

here are a few of his thoughts;

"and as i wrote the previous entry my battery goes dead and obama walks past with a very grim expression, everyone thought he was stroming out but no he'd just been in talks with the chinese. just now a french delegate tells me that brazil has stormed out of the talks. this is all so sad. still peace and goodwill to all men. love and understanding.

just no more business as usual ok?? this is all starting to really feel like some enormous vaguely pointless corporate expo."

"well ... i am truly disgusted about the way things have ended here. if you read in tommorrows headlines that a deal was reached?? remember it was nothing like what was needed and was filed by a bored complicit press who needed to show something for two weeks of crap.. and that it reflected the wests inability to lead decisively.
that it will make alarm bells ring throughout the world.
we have no international agreement. this is all too too late.
i feel deeply traumatized by the whole experience. if you'd been there you would also have been."

i also stumbled upon an interview via pitchfork brought to you by the age of stupid


please leave your thoughts if you're at all concerned, outraged, inspired, hopeful....