Category: Commentary
Posted by Lorenza on 10/31/2005 6:27:00 AM
An Austrian supermarket spree
 My September (2005) journey, through Tyrol - Austria, allowed me to explore about 15 MPreis supermarket stores; driving through towns along a 100 km route, west and east of Innsbruck.
The following images and text describe some of the MPreis locations I visited and my overall impression of the chain and it's unconventionally designed stores.
Link: MPreis
Reference: MPreis: Seriously sexy supermarkets (L+L)
|
| |
 |
|
Category: Announcements
Posted by James on 10/31/2005 6:24:00 AM
New contributor at Land+Living
 In L+L's teething months, an architecture student contacted us to inquire further about one of our posts. We stayed in touch sporadically, and just two months ago we posted one of her student projects on L+L.
And now, because of that email about that early post, we have invited her to join us as a contributor; please welcome Lorenza Casini! Her inaugural post is related, of course, to that first email contact.
|
| |
|
|
Category: Events
Posted by James on 10/27/2005 4:13:00 PM
Panel Discussion: Small Lot Subdivisions and New Housing Typologies
 A panel discussion with City Planning officials, architects, and developers will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2005 from 11am-3pm.
cityworksLosAngeles is staging a panel discussion on the subject of the Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance and its potential to allow new models of affordable housing. Join a lively discussion moderated by Mark Surdam of Enterprise Home Ownership Partners and Frances Anderton of KCRW's DnA in advance of an upcoming design competition intended to probe opportunities afforded by the ordinance.
Link: cityworksLosAngeles
RSVP: workinprogres@earthlink.net (by 11/2)
|
| |
|
|
Category: Events
Posted by James on 10/26/2005 11:27:00 AM
A festival of Architecture and Music in Toronto
 In June 2006, New Music Arts Projects presents soundaXis, a city-wide festival celebrating architecture, music and acoustics that will transform Toronto into a playground of sound and space exploration. For two weeks, the city will be alive with concerts, interdisciplinary installations, symposia, screenings and site-specific musical events. Events will be held across the city, presented and hosted by many of Toronto’s most innovative arts organizations.
June 1-11, 2006
Link: SoundaXis
Link: Iannis Xenakis
|
| |
|
|
Category: Appliances
Posted by James on 10/26/2005 10:11:00 AM
The Australians tap the Danes again - this time for a barbeque
 Now this is by far the best barbeque design I have seen: clean, sleek, and simple. Designed by architect Jeppe Utzon (grandson of Jorn) as a simple table, the grill is constructed from Corian and stainless steel. The grill cover panels extend to create extra bench space when the grill is in use and feature a lock to prevent from being closed while in operation.
It is a beauty, but beauty comes at a price: $7,999 AUD, that's about $6,000 USD. I guess it costs a lot to look this good.
Link: Electrolux
Firm: Utzon Architects
Via: gravestmor
|
| |
|
|
Category: Materials
Posted by Deborah on 10/26/2005 8:51:00 AM
An alternative to Portland Cement
Lithistone is an environmentally friendly alternative to Portland Cement that Ryan Waxman and Brett Fitzgerald use to fabricate countertops, sinks and decorative products. Lithistone will not contribute to indoor air pollution through off-gassing because it uses natural organic high colorfast pigments from Bioshield earth pigments, and non-toxic sealers and glosses. Lithistone is made from a variety of aggregates including crushed slate, granite, quartz, sea shells, marble and limestone. Furthermore, it can be carved, cast or sculpted. Lithistone provides natural contrast to a contemporary interior.
Link: Lithistone
|
| |
|
|
Category: Architecture
Posted by Deborah on 10/25/2005 8:36:00 AM
Creative conversions of underused buildings
LoftyHeights is a new project started by Oliver Bollmann that looks at adaptive reuse and green building practices in the San Francisco Bay area that aspires to become a clearinghouse where architects, city officials, investors, home owners and real estate agents come together to post and learn about local, and potentially sustainable, building opportunities. The focus of the project is the existing urban environment, often underused or abandoned, the message is the idea that urban density is more sustainable. The site has been in existence since July 2005.
What we're committed to at LoftyHeights is to bring forth the creative conversions of underused buildings, buildings that sit idle after the dot.com crash or others, including warehouses, industrial, R&D and offices, into living homes that create community while remaining kind to our dwindling resources. Creating a quality of space for the owners out of an everyday structure, using green practices, encouraging proximity and density.
Link: LoftyHeights
|
| |
|
|
Category: Landscape
Posted by Deborah on 10/24/2005 8:42:00 AM
Designing for the 24-hour environment
Designing for the 24-hour environment requires that the designer have an understanding of the materials that can be used to illuminate spaces shadowed by darkness. Convention points us towards traditional forms of lighting like halogen, solar, LED etc... but what of the luminescent properties of the materials themselves? Properties that include: transparency, reflectivity, retro-reflectivity, photo-luminescence, thermo-luminescence, screening, fiber-optical luminescence and fluorescence? This was the focus of a project lead by Pierre Bélanger, Assistant Professor Faculty of Architecture, Landscape & Design, University of Toronto that used night as the point of departure for a rooftop landscape architecture plan.
Link: AL&D
|
| |
|
|
Category: Interiors
Posted by Deborah on 10/22/2005 7:41:00 AM
Wallpaper and paint for the eco-stylish
Farrow and Ball wallpapers and paints are beautiful, tactile and unparalleled in quality and finish. Think of them as hand-crafted products that use time-tested palettes for their line of paints, and employ a 19th century method of dragging and stripping for their papers. Sound old-fashioned? Maybe, but Farrow and Ball wallpapers, Emulsions, Exterior Masonry and Eggshell paints are environmentally preferable with low VOC emissions; the same goes for their papers.
As a user (ok, F&B addict) I can testify to the fact that there is little to no smell after an application, and the matt finishes allow light to blend with the colour rather than reflect off of it. There are over 100 Farrow and Ball colours to choose from, most of them with unconventional names and descriptions like Dead Salmon and Pigeon, but they do not custom blend, which can be a downside for some. On the plus side, Farrow and Ball paints are to be stirred not shaken and they don't separate when left to stand. Furthermore, most distributors offer free (with purchase) in-home consultation. Sample pots are available, and recommended, before committing to a colour.
Link: Farrow and Ball
|
| |
|
|
Category: Landscape
Posted by James on 10/19/2005 11:22:00 AM
A green promontory overlooking the harbor for all New Yorkers to enjoy
 Redesigned by Rogers Marvel Architects and Ken Smith Landscape Architecture, this one acre elevated plaza at 55 Water Street in Manhattan is to be reopened today. Elevated plazas are always something of a challenge, and the previous life of this space was less than stellar despite its riverfront location with generous open sky. Indeed the original plaza with its unwelcoming street access was only built to gain a density bonus when the double-tower complex was originally built in 1972.
The Municipal Art Society and the property landlord (New Water Street Corp.) held a design competition in 2002 to revitalize the space. The design by Rogers Marvel and Ken Smith starts by marking the site with a 50-foot-high LED illuminated translucent glass beacon at the northeast corner of the site, which also serves as an additional park entrance via elevator. The primary entrance is a multilevel assent of escalators, stairs and overlooks rising from street level. Above the park unfurls as a broad events lawn of artificial grass surrounded by a stepped amphitheater, and a gently sloping landscaped "Dune," inspired by regional topography, which rises up to a "Boardwalk" terrace overlooking New York Harbor.
Visit: 55 Water Street
Landscape Architect: Ken Smith Landscape Architecture
Architect: Rogers Marvel Architects
Article: NY Times - An Elevated Plaza Finally Worth Going Up to See
Images: 55 Water Street
Images: Municipal Art Society
More: Tropolism
|
| |
|
|
|
|