PORTFOLIO - done for the moment...

Im sure there will be many more iterations to come. view as spreads.


Feedback is welcome, enjoy!

Drawings from my senior project

First in set of 3. Led to some great design discoveries.

Found these while assembling and editing the latest round of my portfolio. 

They were all drawn in late 2009 and early 2010, for my senior project - The Estuary District. They are a mix of site analysis, concept development, and the general working out of ideas.

Enjoy -

2 of 3

3 of 3 ... discovery!

What do I have to work with? What does it want to be?

What do I want it to be?

What grows here now? How does it do it?

How did these buildings function?

Whats going on underground? What could that become?

Preview of portfolio - the inside cover/table of contents

New blogs and website links

Here are a few of the new website and blogs that I’m following. You can also find them now in the sidebar!


If anyone has any others they highly recommend – I’m always interested.


Enjoy!




An exploration of what makes old cities work and how we can apply that to the cities of today.

http://oldurbanist.blogspot.com/

The intersection of capitalism and urbanism.

http://marketurbanism.com/

A look at the policies and ‘best practices’ guiding the development of modern cities.

http://www.urbanophile.com/

Environmental news, sustainable home-ec, DIY projects, and a dash of politics.

http://www.thegoodhuman.com/

Steve Jobs quotes

I have discovered a few interesting quotes from Mr. Jobs over the past few days, and some great writing about his influence on things such as leadership, design, innovation, and consumerism. I'll continue to add to this post as I find them.


Enjoy -

"I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. Humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing about a third of the way down the list....That didn't look so good, but then someone at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of lomotion for a man on a bicycle and a man on a bicycle blew the condor away.

That's what a computer is to me: the computer is the most remarkable tool that we've ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds."

-Steve Jobs
-- Interview for the documentary "Memory and Imagination," 1990

Thanks: Huffington Post

“We don’t have good language to talk about this kind of thing,” Mr. Jobs replied. “In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains and the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service. The iMac is not just the color or translucence or the shape of the shell. The essence of the iMac is to be the finest possible consumer computer in which each element plays together. ... That is the furthest thing from veneer. It was at the core of the product the day we started. This is what customers pay us for — to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We’re supposed to be really good at this. That doesn’t mean we don’t listen to customers, but it’s hard for them to tell you what they want when they’ve never seen anything remotely like it.”

- Steve Jobs

-- Quoted from The New York Times, Oct. 7, 2011 

"Stay hungy, stay foolish"

- Steve Jobs

-- Numerous sources


...damn straight, Steve. RIP.

Physical Diplomacy

(The anniversary of 9/11 brought about a flood of emotion. The media forced us to replay that day; it took me back to being 14 – a sophomore in high school – and the wild range of emotions this new, shocking event evoked. My 9/11 (2011) started with a little NPR that resulted in much soul-searching, and ultimately I resorted to driving in silence with my thoughts.)

Maybe we lack, as a nation, a certain type of vanity. The kind that would cause us to pause and consider what the rest of the world thinks of us. There are plenty of voices screaming, “who cares!?” And while that may not be the official line towed by our noble diplomats, it is the voice of our physical legacy in the places we have entered in the name of peace and stability.

Field of abandoned blast-walls - Iraq
Courtesy: http://gocomics.typepad.com/the_sandbox/2008/08/graveyard-of-ol.html

BLDGBLOG ran a timely post on 9/11(http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/shape-of-war.html). Studio-X NYC hosted a discussion with photographer Simon Norfolk, focused on the spaces and technologies of post-9/11 warfare. While the discussion will surely explore the photographic qualities of such surreal places, and their modern implications, I would like to look at these new battlefields in the context of future diplomacy.

The physical works of militaries are some of the longest standing and most iconic on earth. We humans have a violent history; there is no doubt about that, and the infrastructure of conquest, control, and defense has long shaped our understanding of nations. The very need to build, the root of architecture, was to protect one’s self from the elements, the beasts, and inevitably, one’s neighbors.

Great wall of China. Thanks Wikipedia.

 Today we see the remains of warring, turbulent ages in the form of the majestic castles of Germany, France and England, the Great Wall of China, Hadrian’s Wall in Scotland, even the Acropolis in Athens. These iconic fortifications now help to form a national identity; they speak to a shared heritage and remain as symbols, sometimes painful ones, of pivotal points in a nation’s development. While these fortifications were useful in their own time, almost all were overrun by superior technologies or ceased fulfilling their intended purposed due to diplomatic resolutions.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. Thanks Wikipedia.

Military infrastructure, like built work of any kind, is a cultural barometer. The materials used, the methods employed, all illuminate the greater political forces at work, and can even point to the source of conflict. The Castles and Fortresses of Medieval Europe, adorned with Christian imagery, speak not only to a time of adherent devotion to faith, but also to the wars being waged amongst Christian kings, each proclaiming divine right to rule.

Similarly, CHUs (containerized-housing-units), blast walls, fields of storage tanks, sallyports and bunkers all speak not only to the style of war being fought, but also to the resources and capabilities of the opposing forces. The physical presence of our military is indicative of a globalized force. Support systems are all containerized, ready for shipment to any corner of the globe. Bases are a package of components, each ready to plug-and-play in rapid deployment. And while these technological advances allow for the economical fabrication of miniature cities, they have come to demonstrate the kind of commercialization that has overrun our culture and permeated the military. In parts of the world where vast open land is part of tribal heritage and western notions of land owenership are foriegn, the imported 'Wal-Mart-esque' sprawl of bases and facilites convey a message of 'land-grabbing'. All of this is the result of a quick-fix mindset (the “surge” anyone?); whereas less economical solutions might prompt the more thoughtful allocation of resources, and greater emphasis on long-term strategic vision. Most importantly, we could leave a light footprint, and meaningful physical legacy; indicative of a country that respects the sovereignty of other nations and respects the future of its own image.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesco_bastion
Thanks: US Navy

  The Romans built castras, the source of the word “castle”, many of which served not only as military outposts, but also as centers of trade, and provided the foundations of great cities around the Mediterranean and throughout Europe. Then again, maybe a comparison to the most notorious empire in history is not a good place to start a discussion on modern American diplomacy. The fact remains, the Roman Empire spread language, learning, governance, and commerce in a way never before witnessed. Starting to sound like familiar foreign policy? And the staying power of their outposts is evidenced by the great cities that sit atop their foundations today.

Roman "castra" - this one failed to become anything greater than a fort.
A view into the future?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

Regardless of our best diplomatic efforts, oratory and written resolutions have little staying power in the lives of those affected by conflicts. The places built, and things left behind will influence their collective feelings towards a foreign force that came in the name of peace and prosperity.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Camp_marmal02.JPG


These ideas are too readily dismissed as phenomenology, when in fact there is an undeniable truth that the built environment speaks; and is much longer-winded than even the most verbose politician.

See also: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/26/iraq-withdrawal-us-bases-equipment_n_975463.html

More on this to come…

Bikes - for real this time

Today I came face-to-face with the realities of modern transportation.

My beloved truck, a 2004 Nissan Frontier, may have finally died after struggling for several years with a bad supercharger. As I waded through rush hour traffic in the rain the rumbling under the hood grew from concerning to deafening and downright alarming not only to me, but also to the other drivers in traffic – that’s when I knew it was bad; I had other drivers yelling their personal diagnosis’ at me above the roar of metal on metal.



There she is - hiding in the woods

 The shock of the proposed repair bill was enough to make me laugh at the mechanic, who smugly starred me down,  his body language conveyed the message clearly, “well, I’m your only chance, so you better just pay up”, ha, little did he know who he was dealing with. I walked away (actually got a ride from a coworker) with my head up, committed to washing my hands of the trucks and suvs I had become so accustomed to and devote myself to my bike.


Now, this poses several issues – all surmountable, but not without some sacrifices. First and foremost, we live in a country built on the personal automobile. Never mind the cultural stigma of not owning a car, in most of this country it is simply impractical to use it as a means of real transportation as opposed to a hobby. The infrastructure is single-purpose, the planning is short-sighted, and distances between many necessary, day-to-day places too far. I won’t belabor the point that the current state of our transportation infrastructure has been influenced by corporate interests, market demand, and cultural flaws, but it has subsidized an addiction to oil and the automobile.


Here is the point I will belabor – we are primed to become a nation of the Bicycle.



"Yeah! Burn those dinosaurs!"

 

Lets start with the freedom of the car. A selling point of every car commercial – the open road with the wind in your hair – it plays to powerful underlying sentiments quintessential to American culture. In keeping with the tradition of freedom of movement and individual choice (long used as rallying cries against trains and other mass transit) the bicycle is champion. Conveniently, few car owners have ever thought of freeing themselves from the constraints of gas station locations, but it is a limiting factor. The bicycle takes these shared ideals and brings them to a whole new level: they allow you the ultimate freedom of movement as far as your own legs will take you. You simply fuel yourself, and hop on your self-powered machine. No more burning subsidized dinosaur goo – how is that for real personal freedom?

In terms of the physical makeup of our towns and cities – think for a second how much surface area is devoted to the automobile. Parking lots, highways, interstates, all built to store and accommodate our two-tons of personal armor, our carapace of sorts, enclosing a living room on wheels. Our cities have been transformed into places for our cars, not places for people. The bicycle, as opposed to an automobile, is a human-scale machine. They lack noisy, polluting combustion engines, can only go as fast as you can peddle, and cost far less over a lifespan. Most of the mechanical needs of a bike are so simple a child can do it. Gone are the days of DIY auto repair, today it requires specialist, a computer technician, and a garage full of specialized tools – not so with a trusty bike.





The only parking lots I dream about. Thanks Wikipedia.



On the East Coast, especially New England, towns were spaced a long walk apart, usually about 6- 10 miles. With sprawling infill and urbanization, the density is perfect for biking. So many times I hear people in the dense, older suburbs of DC where I live in say, “ I could walk it, but its just a bit too far”, that’s where the bike comes in. It is ideal for the suburban ring, as well as the city of course, but it expands your radius of travel 10-fold without burning anything except a few calories.


On that note: http://velocracy.com/2011/07/12/how-the-transportation-future-was-won-by-the-dutch/


Can you imagine, for a second, a city devoid of all combustion engines? There is a place you can experience this phenomenon – Venice, Italy. As night falls in the city, and the bustling crowds retreat, the silence becomes conspicuous. No rumbling freeways in the distance, no blaring horns, just the quiet lap of water in the canals. Imagine instead hearing birds, quiet sidewalk conversations, and the “whizzz..” , of a bike zipping past.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

Ok, do you want to tie this to some of the political issues of the day? Sure, let’s go there:

·         Riding a bike could greatly reduce obesity = lower healthcare costs.

·         Riding a bike reduces pollution – air particulates and smog, noise pollution, and runoff of all the fluids that leak from our beloved vehicles. = lower healthcare costs from environmental hazards, lower environmental cost of clean-up and regulation.

·         Riding a bike saves money – no more car insurance, maintenance bills, gas bills, and car payments = lower household debt.

·         And, in this political season it must be said, riding a bike could help create more jobs – with an increase in demand for bicycles there will be an uptick in small business (bike retailers, many locally owned), manufacturing, and all the related apparel and accessory industries. As well as infrastructure/construction jobs to widen the roads a bit and paint all those bike-lane lines.

For a complementary list of additional factors that keep us in our cars, look no further:
http://www.theurbancountry.com/2011/05/making-sure-nobody-walk-or-bikes.html


So, if we assume some of the infrastructure is in place(http://velocracy.com/2011/07/11/the-case-for-separate-bicycle-infrastructure/ ) – paths, roads, trails, alleys, etc. (ah, the versatility of the bike!) – minus a few extra bike racks, what is holding back the bicycle uprising? It is held up by oil subsidies, cultural norms perpetuated by archaic industries, and the lack of a legal framework that gives bikers rules and rights like the auto-driving public. Historically, the “right-of-way” that we refer to as our roads were reserved by the government for the travel of all people; cars are just big enough, loud enough and dangerous enough that they have edged out everything else. In the US, biking remains the marginalized mode of transportation. Many cities have taken steps to remedy this, most recently, L.A., an auto-addicted metropolis if there ever was one. The recent legislation, Rosendahl’s Ordinance, (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/22/opinion/la-ed-cyclists-20110722) outlines the rights of bikers not be harassed or otherwise intimidated by drivers. While cities continue to build bike lanes on the unprotected shoulders of busy streets, they often fail to acknowledge the real needs of the biking community. 


With a continued focus on national health and the economic issues facing America’s urbanizing population, planners, politicians, and drivers should take note. Increased use of bikes, through ownership and bike-share programs, is a continuing trend. As personal vehicles become less attractive, due to costs and associated health and environmental issues, biking has the potential to become a dominant mode of transportation in some parts of the US. 


If you are interested in reading more on bikes, and lots of beautiful picture of people on them, you need to check this out:
http://www.velocracy.com/
From the Velocracy site: "Worldwide, less than 8% of the population owns cars, but everyone is paying a huge price for their existence and abuse, and the Western world, even the United States, is starting to realize that."


For the truly chic:


Courtesy: Copenhagen Cycle Chic



http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/

If you want to be on the cutting edge of biking, and have the hottest set of wheels when gas gets to $10 a gal. check this out:

http://weburbanist.com/2009/03/03/futuristic-strange-concept-bicycles-designs/

And to wrap it up, a short photo study from Amsterdam. Here it is understood that the bike possesses all the desirable qualities of urban transportation - and they do it with class:


http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/ 



Courtesy: www.ski-epic.com

 

 It amazes me that a country with such a strong cultural tradition of personal independence, DIY ethic, and appreciation for the self-driven (literally!) that the bicycle has remained marginalized, for hobby and recreation, in the US. I think its time we give bicycles serious consideration as an integral part of our transportation system.