I stumbled upon the British Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 Expo, by Heatherwick Studio. It reminded me of the Blur Pavilion by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Both distorts and plays with our senses.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Delirious Dubai (Woods meets Koolhaas)
Lebbeus Woods criticizes Rem Koolhaas's proposal on laying out the grand urban experiment in Dubai. Koolhaas polishes his approach with a 'European sophistication' in which he is trying to "find optimism in the inevitable." It's true, who would criticize someone who is optimistic. Here is the rest of Wood's article.
A brief on the project:
"Designed for one of the biggest developers in the United Arab Emirates, Nakheel, Mr. Koolhaas’s master plan for the proposed 1.5-billion-square-foot Waterfront City in Dubai would simulate the density of Manhattan on an artificial island just off the Persian Gulf. A mix of nondescript towers and occasional bold architectural statements, it would establish Dubai as a center of urban experimentation as well as one of the world’s fastest growing metropolises. "
In Conclusion:
"Maybe Koolhaas doesn’t believe that Dubai is the place for a forward-looking vision. Or maybe he believes, true to his post-Modernist roots, that the past offers the best model for the future, if it is leavened with irony, and garnished with a dash of the surreal. Or maybe he simply doesn’t have a vision for the future. Who knows? We should care, however, because the world’s attention is focused on Dubai, and on Koolhaas and other architecture stars, and because—like it or not—what they do is taken as a model for the future, even when it is, how shall I say, not nearly good enough. LW"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/arts/design/03kool.html?_r=1&ref=design
A brief on the project:
"Designed for one of the biggest developers in the United Arab Emirates, Nakheel, Mr. Koolhaas’s master plan for the proposed 1.5-billion-square-foot Waterfront City in Dubai would simulate the density of Manhattan on an artificial island just off the Persian Gulf. A mix of nondescript towers and occasional bold architectural statements, it would establish Dubai as a center of urban experimentation as well as one of the world’s fastest growing metropolises. "
In Conclusion:
"Maybe Koolhaas doesn’t believe that Dubai is the place for a forward-looking vision. Or maybe he believes, true to his post-Modernist roots, that the past offers the best model for the future, if it is leavened with irony, and garnished with a dash of the surreal. Or maybe he simply doesn’t have a vision for the future. Who knows? We should care, however, because the world’s attention is focused on Dubai, and on Koolhaas and other architecture stars, and because—like it or not—what they do is taken as a model for the future, even when it is, how shall I say, not nearly good enough. LW"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/arts/design/03kool.html?_r=1&ref=design
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Car Sharing, Congestion Charge, and Mesh Network
Robin Chase, an MIT-trained entrepreneur who turned her car sharing concept into reality, with her Zipcar business.
The Window of Opportunity will end soon, efficient fuel cars are not the solution as it will only reduce our fossil fuel needs by four percent.
Idea of Road Pricing, imposing a cost on people who drive cars, as the real cost of driving cars is under priced, and taking into consideration all the negative externalities, from pollution, road maintenance, etc.
A great example she mentioned was Ken Livingstone, London's Mayor, who introduced a congestion charge with the purpose of reducing traffic congestion in central London.
Sharing cars and especially car pooling becomes an act of a social event, where people could get together and share their ride, transforming the idea of traveling.
Here is the full Ted Lecture: Robin Chase on Zipcar and her next big idea | Video on TED.com
The Window of Opportunity will end soon, efficient fuel cars are not the solution as it will only reduce our fossil fuel needs by four percent.
Idea of Road Pricing, imposing a cost on people who drive cars, as the real cost of driving cars is under priced, and taking into consideration all the negative externalities, from pollution, road maintenance, etc.
A great example she mentioned was Ken Livingstone, London's Mayor, who introduced a congestion charge with the purpose of reducing traffic congestion in central London.
Sharing cars and especially car pooling becomes an act of a social event, where people could get together and share their ride, transforming the idea of traveling.
Here is the full Ted Lecture: Robin Chase on Zipcar and her next big idea | Video on TED.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
