Showing posts with label Architecture Inspirations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Architecture Inspirations. Show all posts
My maker friend Meredith suggested that our team watch this talk from renown maker Leah Buechley, so that we could chat about diversity and make a plan to really engage girls in the Makerspace project we are working on together.
Today I finally had time to watch it, and I was really struck by what Leah had to say, especially the reality of who Makers are in today's world.
Today's Makers consist of:
But what most intrigued me was the way that Leah looked at "outsiders" - the "base" culture of can-do-it-ive-ness that has been cultivated by ALL people, including people of color and women - and realized that they too, are worthy of being recognized as Makers. She highlights the importance of people like Lady Ada Lovelace, who realized that knitting machines (looms) could be used for computation; and Grandmaster Flash, who realized that two turntables could be wired together and records could be played in new ways, thereby becoming the grandfather of rap as we know it today. She even highlighted some interesting New Mexico examples: the low-rider culture, which interestingly is being featured in an exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum RIGHT NOW, and of course, Acoma Pueblo pottery.
2015 Closing Plenary by Leah Buechley from The UTeach Institute on Vimeo.Today I finally had time to watch it, and I was really struck by what Leah had to say, especially the reality of who Makers are in today's world.
Today's Makers consist of:
- 80% are males
- 44 years average age
- 97% have a college degree
- 80% have some post-grad work as well
- median income is $106,000 a year: a higher annual salary than 80% of US households and 96% of individuals
*Leah shares these metrics and who measured them in much greater detail in the video below.
This is great data from which to build a more sustinable, culturally-relevant platform for our upcoming project.
But what most intrigued me was the way that Leah looked at "outsiders" - the "base" culture of can-do-it-ive-ness that has been cultivated by ALL people, including people of color and women - and realized that they too, are worthy of being recognized as Makers. She highlights the importance of people like Lady Ada Lovelace, who realized that knitting machines (looms) could be used for computation; and Grandmaster Flash, who realized that two turntables could be wired together and records could be played in new ways, thereby becoming the grandfather of rap as we know it today. She even highlighted some interesting New Mexico examples: the low-rider culture, which interestingly is being featured in an exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum RIGHT NOW, and of course, Acoma Pueblo pottery.
I loved seeing a new perspective on who the audience is for Maker movement, and thinking about how we might make strides to make the Maker culture (which is being actively brought into our schools) more relevant for the diverse children we are trying to reach.
Did this talk inspire you?
What will YOU do to make what you love to do more relevant for your community?
What will YOU do to make what you love to do more relevant for your community?
Share your thoughts with us!!
I have always been interested in the way that indigenous people
solved architectural problems. Here are just a few ways that native New
Mexicans used plants and trees, as well as general good design
practices, in the design of their buildings.
Pithouses were relatively easy to build, plus they are thermally more efficient in our cooler climate than houses built above ground, since they had only the roof exposed to the weather. Pithouses were built in small family groups rather than large community groups like Pueblos because they required minimal upkeep, as these people were gatherers and farmers rather than communities. The Anasazi (Pre-Puebloans) worked garden plots and wildcrafted. Often pithouses were built in the early years while crops were being established, and were replaced with above-ground structures once families expanded and food needed to be stored.
Rainwater Collection
Rainwater collection was essential. Chaco had a sophisticated water canal and agriculture system. Stone check dams collected storm runoff for later use on other Pueblos. Stone-lined reservoirs were used for water storage. Rock terrace gardens were used on slopes and rock waffle gardens were used in the flats. The people integrated these places into their stories.
Timber wood
Straight, unbranched trunks of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas-fir, and Cottonwood were used for roof beams, support beams, and for thatching.
Gnarly Pinon and Junipers, as well as Oak, Mountain Mahogany, and Four Wing Saltbush have been used for lighter roof framing, wood lath (latillas) and closure for roof undersides.
In Taos, Pine and Aspen are the preferred latilla today.
These timbers were hewn with stone axes and reused regularly. Once the Spanish came with their tools and livestock, the harvesting occurred more quickly.
Ponderosa Pine
One of the largest native evergreens in New Mexico, the straight-grained wood of the Ponderosa Pine is used for ladders, vigas, and cradle boards.
Piñon
A combination of old and new resin is mixed to create a red paint.
Boiling piñon gum makes an aqua-turquoise paint.
Warming piñon pitch makes an all-purpose glue used for gluing turquoise in place among other uses.
Piñon gum was used to keep rawhide leather pliant.
Juniper
Widely used in construction. Also burned in homes for pest fumigation. Soft bark used for mats.
Gambrel oak
Used for tools, ceilings, wood details.
Coyote Willow
Straight limbs, sometimes with leaves attached, have been used at various Pueblos for thatching roofs, for the tops of storage bins, and for corn-drying racks.
Cottonwood
Indicator species for high groundwater
Used for digging sticks.
Favorite wood for firing pots at some Pueblos.
Common Reed
Most commonly used as closure for roof underside and for insulation.
Globe Mallow
Boiled mallow is added to gypsum as a glue for house paint at Santo Domingo. At Taos, they mix the pulp with earth for very hard floors.
Apache Plume
Used for making outdoor brooms, as well as brooms used for spiritual protection when stored behind ovens at Sandia. Roots are used for cording for fencing and ramadas (shade structures).
Yucca
Used for storage baskets and blankets. Woven with turkey feathers or rabbit fur for warmth. These might be used for clothing as well as sleep.
Yucca also used for tiny paintbrushes for pottery making.
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
Boiling the leafy stems makes a black paint. Acoma potters are especially known for the use of this paint.
Tansy Mustard
Same as Rocky mountain bee plant.
Also, an indicator species that likes the heavy soils caused by adobe and earth plaster weathering. (This plant tells you where ruins may be.)
Lichens
plus piñon resin makes yellow paint.
Cattails
Used for woven sleeping mats (sometimes along with yucca in the same mat), and a lath over roof vigas to support mud adobe roof covering.
Four wing saltbush
An indicator plant for ruins, as it flourishes at disturbed sites. It is also used whole to caulk or cover the roofs of buildings.
Jimson weed/ datura
A ruin indicator as it grows on disturbed sites.
Little bluestem & side oats grama
Used for broom making, and at Zuni for making mats to close door openings.
Cholla cactus
Used live for fencing and food for 600+ years at Jemez Pueblo. The skeletal remnants of dead plants are used for stockade fencing.
Sagebrush
Indicator of deep, fertile soils
This is just a start. I'll add more as I get my research typed. ; )
More info on many of these plants, and many, many more... is available in the book:
Wild Plants of the Pueblo Province: Exploring Ancient and Enduring Uses by William W Dunmire and Gail D Tierney
Design Techniques
Pithouses 1100ADPithouses were relatively easy to build, plus they are thermally more efficient in our cooler climate than houses built above ground, since they had only the roof exposed to the weather. Pithouses were built in small family groups rather than large community groups like Pueblos because they required minimal upkeep, as these people were gatherers and farmers rather than communities. The Anasazi (Pre-Puebloans) worked garden plots and wildcrafted. Often pithouses were built in the early years while crops were being established, and were replaced with above-ground structures once families expanded and food needed to be stored.
Rainwater Collection
Rainwater collection was essential. Chaco had a sophisticated water canal and agriculture system. Stone check dams collected storm runoff for later use on other Pueblos. Stone-lined reservoirs were used for water storage. Rock terrace gardens were used on slopes and rock waffle gardens were used in the flats. The people integrated these places into their stories.
Plants used in Indigenous Architecture in New Mexico
Timber wood
Straight, unbranched trunks of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas-fir, and Cottonwood were used for roof beams, support beams, and for thatching.
Gnarly Pinon and Junipers, as well as Oak, Mountain Mahogany, and Four Wing Saltbush have been used for lighter roof framing, wood lath (latillas) and closure for roof undersides.
In Taos, Pine and Aspen are the preferred latilla today.
These timbers were hewn with stone axes and reused regularly. Once the Spanish came with their tools and livestock, the harvesting occurred more quickly.
Ponderosa Pine
One of the largest native evergreens in New Mexico, the straight-grained wood of the Ponderosa Pine is used for ladders, vigas, and cradle boards.
Piñon
A combination of old and new resin is mixed to create a red paint.
Boiling piñon gum makes an aqua-turquoise paint.
Warming piñon pitch makes an all-purpose glue used for gluing turquoise in place among other uses.
Piñon gum was used to keep rawhide leather pliant.
Juniper
Widely used in construction. Also burned in homes for pest fumigation. Soft bark used for mats.
Gambrel oak
Used for tools, ceilings, wood details.
Coyote Willow
Straight limbs, sometimes with leaves attached, have been used at various Pueblos for thatching roofs, for the tops of storage bins, and for corn-drying racks.
Cottonwood
Indicator species for high groundwater
Used for digging sticks.
Favorite wood for firing pots at some Pueblos.
Common Reed
Most commonly used as closure for roof underside and for insulation.
Globe Mallow
Boiled mallow is added to gypsum as a glue for house paint at Santo Domingo. At Taos, they mix the pulp with earth for very hard floors.
Apache Plume
Used for making outdoor brooms, as well as brooms used for spiritual protection when stored behind ovens at Sandia. Roots are used for cording for fencing and ramadas (shade structures).
Yucca
Used for storage baskets and blankets. Woven with turkey feathers or rabbit fur for warmth. These might be used for clothing as well as sleep.
Yucca also used for tiny paintbrushes for pottery making.
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
Boiling the leafy stems makes a black paint. Acoma potters are especially known for the use of this paint.
Tansy Mustard
Same as Rocky mountain bee plant.
Also, an indicator species that likes the heavy soils caused by adobe and earth plaster weathering. (This plant tells you where ruins may be.)
Lichens
plus piñon resin makes yellow paint.
Cattails
Used for woven sleeping mats (sometimes along with yucca in the same mat), and a lath over roof vigas to support mud adobe roof covering.
Four wing saltbush
An indicator plant for ruins, as it flourishes at disturbed sites. It is also used whole to caulk or cover the roofs of buildings.
Jimson weed/ datura
A ruin indicator as it grows on disturbed sites.
Little bluestem & side oats grama
Used for broom making, and at Zuni for making mats to close door openings.
Cholla cactus
Used live for fencing and food for 600+ years at Jemez Pueblo. The skeletal remnants of dead plants are used for stockade fencing.
Sagebrush
Indicator of deep, fertile soils
This is just a start. I'll add more as I get my research typed. ; )
More info on many of these plants, and many, many more... is available in the book:
Wild Plants of the Pueblo Province: Exploring Ancient and Enduring Uses by William W Dunmire and Gail D Tierney
— Rachel Preston Prinz (@Archinia) December 17, 2015
Our
newest service is called Placemaking. It's an entirely new way of using
Architectural and Archaeological research to PROMOTE the best of what
makes a Place great!
You know those (expensive) historic reports you procured to get that grant, document that archaeological site, or register that district? The ones that you spend a boatload of money on and then are thrown into some abyss called a "file cabinet" from which they never return?
Well, that's where we come in. As architectural storytellers interested in archaeology, and travel-o-philes, we are always looking for the things that will draw us to a place. We craft itineraries based on our discoveries.
In this service we reverse engineer that process, so that the information that once disappeared... becomes a tool for tourism and economic development.
We discover, and then report on your unique Place's culture, historical record, great food, wine, breweries, unique attractions, and bring to light some of the great stories that make your community shine...
we can build architectural and other tours and training materials for your guides, and get you the news coverage, magazine articles, blogposts, and tweets to keep you on people's minds. And we have the connections to provide websites, apps, and videos too.
The sky's the limit.
What do you Dare to Dream for your community?
Let us know how we can help.
You know those (expensive) historic reports you procured to get that grant, document that archaeological site, or register that district? The ones that you spend a boatload of money on and then are thrown into some abyss called a "file cabinet" from which they never return?
Well, that's where we come in. As architectural storytellers interested in archaeology, and travel-o-philes, we are always looking for the things that will draw us to a place. We craft itineraries based on our discoveries.
In this service we reverse engineer that process, so that the information that once disappeared... becomes a tool for tourism and economic development.
We discover, and then report on your unique Place's culture, historical record, great food, wine, breweries, unique attractions, and bring to light some of the great stories that make your community shine...
we can build architectural and other tours and training materials for your guides, and get you the news coverage, magazine articles, blogposts, and tweets to keep you on people's minds. And we have the connections to provide websites, apps, and videos too.
The sky's the limit.
What do you Dare to Dream for your community?
Let us know how we can help.
The slime molds towards the end of this video turn mazes into labyrinths!
Vineet, our awesome Clemson intern, suggested this documentary on decay to us.
It was so great, we had to share with all of you too!
Some interesting questions arise here...
Vineet, our awesome Clemson intern, suggested this documentary on decay to us.
It was so great, we had to share with all of you too!
Some interesting questions arise here...
My Manifesto of Faith in Design
I love you mother. Always your daughter, Now, too, your protector
Mother I humbly vow to hold sacred all that you are I promise to be mindful of your needs, and the balance of taking and giving. I will use the sun, wind, and water to nourish you. I will replace what I use of yours.
I will allow all the beings you are in relationship with, from worms to
humans,
a place to grow and be strong,
so your even your subtlest needs
are met. I will honor your cycles. I will pray with you. I will help you to find healing. I will not take what I do not ask for. And I promise,
I will reach into you and ask for your guidance.
I love you mother. Always your daughter, Now, too, your protector
We often get requests on how to "save a historic property"...
and Old House journal had a great article on where to start several years ago... Here it is!
When Historic Properties Are Threatened
Enjoy!!!
and Old House journal had a great article on where to start several years ago... Here it is!
When Historic Properties Are Threatened
Enjoy!!!
From: The Sense of Unity: The Sufi Tradition in Persian Architecture
<An unpublished book of Murshid Samuel L. Lewis I have been lucky enough to have been gifted.>
There is so much about architecture that is sacred. And so much that has been lost.
I believe that this Sufi text offers a glimpse into the divine, as it is revealed in architectural forms.
"The shapes used in architecture are inseparable from the traditional concepts of mathematics, particularly geometry and the geometric forms... the purely quantitative conception of mathematics prevalent since the Renaissance has forced into oblivion the symbolic and qualitative mathematics ...from the Hermetic and Pythagorean trends of medieval (and previous) intellectual life. Geometric forms and numbers are not just what they appear to be quantitatively. They also have a qualitative and symbolic aspect that, far from being imaginary, is, to say the least, at least as much a part of their reality as their quantitative side. Each number and figure, when seen in its symbolic sense, is an echo of Unity and a reflection of a quality contained within that Unity.
The Square...is not just a square. It is also the symbol of stability and completion...
The octagonal form... is not just an architectural device to enable an architect to place a dome upon a square base, but a reflection of ...divine form....
(which, in the Islamic tradition, is a throne held up by 8 angels)
The dome is not just a way to cover (space)... it is a reflection of the (heavens... or Spirit, who are represented by the circle or sphere). Throughout traditional architecture, geometric shapes are more than just technical devices... (they) remind man of ... spiritual principles."
"In Islamic architecture, the color white represents the divine.
Always below white, is black, representation of nothingness.
Black, in this tradition, is only dark because of the intensity of its light.
Then we find the colors - of the earth, the sky, the water, and fire...
These, used together within geometric space, remind the viewer of their place, their moment in time, their connection to both everything, and nothing."
I was talking to an old architect friend the other day and noting that I find that many of my projects are benefited by structuralist studies of the ruins I am working in. (more on structuralist studies coming later...) and I wondered, if one of Frank Gehry's buildings were to fall into ruin, what an archaeologist would say about the structure when she came upon it. There is no order, no form... no magic of the type mentioned here. Would they say "this is a society that had much and said little"? Would they think we valued strangeness? Would they find a titanium plate from the exterior and wonder why on earth would we build a building that could fly through space but was attached to the ground?
When you are designing, think about what you might actually be saying to those that come after you. Think about form, function, and presence. Think about inspiration. Even think about art. But, if you want to be really great at design, think mostly about how to describe how you approach these ideals. Because believe it or not, they DO matter, and someday, if you are really lucky and make it big, you will get asked...
Happy designing!
Hope you have a great day!
<An unpublished book of Murshid Samuel L. Lewis I have been lucky enough to have been gifted.>
There is so much about architecture that is sacred. And so much that has been lost.
I believe that this Sufi text offers a glimpse into the divine, as it is revealed in architectural forms.
"The shapes used in architecture are inseparable from the traditional concepts of mathematics, particularly geometry and the geometric forms... the purely quantitative conception of mathematics prevalent since the Renaissance has forced into oblivion the symbolic and qualitative mathematics ...from the Hermetic and Pythagorean trends of medieval (and previous) intellectual life. Geometric forms and numbers are not just what they appear to be quantitatively. They also have a qualitative and symbolic aspect that, far from being imaginary, is, to say the least, at least as much a part of their reality as their quantitative side. Each number and figure, when seen in its symbolic sense, is an echo of Unity and a reflection of a quality contained within that Unity.
The Square...is not just a square. It is also the symbol of stability and completion...
The octagonal form... is not just an architectural device to enable an architect to place a dome upon a square base, but a reflection of ...divine form....
(which, in the Islamic tradition, is a throne held up by 8 angels)
The dome is not just a way to cover (space)... it is a reflection of the (heavens... or Spirit, who are represented by the circle or sphere). Throughout traditional architecture, geometric shapes are more than just technical devices... (they) remind man of ... spiritual principles."
"In Islamic architecture, the color white represents the divine.
Always below white, is black, representation of nothingness.
Black, in this tradition, is only dark because of the intensity of its light.
Then we find the colors - of the earth, the sky, the water, and fire...
These, used together within geometric space, remind the viewer of their place, their moment in time, their connection to both everything, and nothing."
......end of excerpt......
I was talking to an old architect friend the other day and noting that I find that many of my projects are benefited by structuralist studies of the ruins I am working in. (more on structuralist studies coming later...) and I wondered, if one of Frank Gehry's buildings were to fall into ruin, what an archaeologist would say about the structure when she came upon it. There is no order, no form... no magic of the type mentioned here. Would they say "this is a society that had much and said little"? Would they think we valued strangeness? Would they find a titanium plate from the exterior and wonder why on earth would we build a building that could fly through space but was attached to the ground?
When you are designing, think about what you might actually be saying to those that come after you. Think about form, function, and presence. Think about inspiration. Even think about art. But, if you want to be really great at design, think mostly about how to describe how you approach these ideals. Because believe it or not, they DO matter, and someday, if you are really lucky and make it big, you will get asked...
Happy designing!
Hope you have a great day!
I think you
might be onto something here Jessica…
“…dualistic, conceptual assumptions
can mask important material attributes that have physical consequences for environmental,
economic, and social health.
As a result of
discounting material options without proper investigation, designers may implement
solutions that are less beneficial for a given context than other available
alternatives. In the field of sustainable design, many professionals
ideologically favor either “high-performance” or “low-impact” approaches. As high-performance
designers gravitate toward materials deemed highly technological, globally renowned,
and symbolically modern, they may overlook selections that do not meet their common
criteria.
Likewise,
low-impact designers favor materials they consider to be lower technology,
locally cultivated, and historically embedded, and they can alienate
innovations that arise beyond their area of focus. While designers’ patterns of
thinking are based on experience, which is applied to ease decision making,
sustainability is a complex challenge that requires decision makers to rethink
their conventions through more thorough inquiries.”
From
Thesis By
Jessica Anne Ekblaw
Jessica Anne Ekblaw
Graduate School of
Cornell University
January 2012
I hope you enjoy this really inspiring TED talk about architectural-scale sculptures using sailing technology!
http://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman.html
Everyone should be watching TED. Its the best of design, music, ideas, and science. Here's a little TEDArchitecture for you! (link below)
Thomas Heatherwick: Building the Seed Cathedral | Video on TED.com
William Highet is a retired architect with a mission. His passion for a favorite historic neighborhood, The Royal Mile of Edinburg, which was falling into ruins, caused him to spend several years of his life (with the help of his wife) documenting the structures along the historic lane in exquisite detail. His final piece from his efforts - a panoramic painting nearly 30 feet long - documented every corbel, every spire of this lane... which led to its preservation. His is a labor of love - one that most architects would not undertake for free. And it has been said by many that he saved a community by his efforts.
Highet's fine art webpage
How can you contribute your gifts to the world you live in?
Why Skateboarding Matters to Architecture
http://www.archdaily.com/246526/why-skateboarding-matters-to-architecture/
Quirk , Vanessa . "Why Skateboarding Matters to Architecture" 21 Jun 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 17 Jul 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/246526>
"Back in April I posted about James Turrell's Skyspace at Rice University, a flat-topped, 72-foot-square pyramid housing a seating area for viewers. The Skyspace opened on June 14, and Rice has posted a video with commentary from some of the people involved (unfortunately not Turrell) and some students impressions of the new addition to the campus's public art."
- From A Daily Dose of Architecture Blog
- From A Daily Dose of Architecture Blog
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