Homework Update

Studio presentation went well yesterday, as did the Art History test. We got to watch Casablanca and then write about that. Since I hadn't seen Casablanca, but have been meaning to, it was perfect.

Right now I'm on break checking email. Just finished my interior design history test which I certainly didn't ace, but also didn't bomb. Considering I missed the last class and only studied for 30 minutes before class, I'll take it. Now I have to go back and turn in my hastily written research paper and give my last presentation of the week (about my research topic).

If I liked Art Deco when I decided to write about it, I'm sure ready to move on to something else at this point.

In Bed with Architects

Sometimes getting sick isn't entirely bad. I've been fighting some sort of bug since Friday when I went home from school early, and it still has a hold on me today seeing as how I only made to one out of three classes. On one hand, I've been panicking about how many projects I have to work on. But being forced against my will to slow down and lay in bed for a while was a good idea. Why? It gave me time to watch some DVDs that I checked out from the library (you know you're getting old when you start borrowing movies from the library).

First up was Architectures-Vol. 5 (2005). It offered a look at six vastly different buildings including: The Alhambra in Grenada, The House of Sugimoto in Tokyo, Zaha Hadid's Phaeno in Germany, and Palladio's Villa Barbaro. I really liked getting a more in depth look at some individual buildings compared to the usual fly-by in my art/design history classes. It set the perfect tone for what was to come. That was on Saturday.

The next day I ended up watching Sydney Pollack's Sketches of Frank Gehry (2005). I'll admit that my only in-person experiences with Gehry's buildings has been with the Experience Music Project(EMP) in Seattle and a view from afar of his building for Barry Diller in New York. But I haven't been impressed. (I also questioned the line of jewelery he designed for Tiffany & Co.) Yet, after watching this movie I have a better understanding of where he is coming from and what he is trying to do. Does it always turn out well? Not at all! However, when it does work, it definitely bridges the ever-widening gap between art and architecture. It was nice to be able to gain a better appreciation for the man and his work, even if I still rather hate EMP.

Lastly, since I didn't make it to my art history class tonight I figured that I would at the very least make myself watch the other architectural movie I had borrowed. It was My Architect (2003) in which Nathaniel Kahn made a documentary about his search to find his father, architectural icon Louis Kahn, through visiting his buildings and interviewing people who knew him. This was the movie out of the three that I least wanted to watch. I had picked it up more out of a sense of obligation to watch it than because I really wanted to--I looked forward to learning more about Louis Kahn, but was wary of the family component to the movie. Would it take over the movie? Well, yes and no. It didn't take over the movie, it WAS the movie. But not in a bad way. In fact, I ended up liking this one the best out of the three for the way it brought the human element into the architecture. There are awkward moments, funny moments, sappy moments, intriguing moments; all of which may seem strange or disjointed by themselves. But they blended together and by the end of the movie I was won over. Good architecture isn't about something aloof and self-important, it is inspirational and becomes the backdrop on which we play out our lives.

It makes me sad that I'm out of movies now. Hopefully I'll be better tomorrow because I have an interview scheduled at 9am and I also need to vote! Can't stay in bed forever (sadly).

Spruce Street School

Our Studio class went on a construction site visit today (I swear to God, this year has been field trip after field trip--not that I'm complaining) and from the 10th floor of the building we were able to look down on kids playing on a playground built on a roof. The place is Spruce Street School and is only a block or two from my school (which is visible in the background to the right). Seems like a perfect example of the potential for adaptive urban re-use. I've walked by the building before and you can tell they have something up there, but it was fun to be able to look down on it and actually see it!

And the heights don't end there. A volunteer orientation meeting I attended tonight was held in the Presidential Suite at the Westin. I can tell you that the view of downtown and Elliot Bay and the sunset is spectacular from the 47th floor. I should have taken a picture, although I didn't think about it until after I'd left. Oh well. Tomorrow night I get to be an "Art Handler" and help carry pieces on and off the stage at the big Pilchuck auction/gala. Wheee!

In the Land of the Slot-Machine Song

Bryn and I took a brief trip up to the Tulalip Casino yesterday (we were bonding). Although they have the best buffet I've been to in the Pacific Northwest, we skipped it in favor of one of their less filling restaurants. I had a salmon burger, because haaaaay, I'm from a salmon tribe! Well, and I wanted one. And it came with authentic Native American french fries.

The casino boasts a recently opened resort hotel. The pictures above are from A) the big hallway outside their meeting rooms for conventions and such, and B) the glamoxurious swimming pool area. The whole place is done well in that "new money" kind of way. And for a casino, it seems fitting. Lots of slick materials combined with abstract representation of water or trees to make it more "authentic" and of course there is the ubiquitous swarm of metal salmon swimming on the ceiling in the first picture I posted. If I had a dollar for every time I've seen some artist throw a few cutout metal salmon in a space and call it, "Pacific Northwest," I'd have my school loans paid off. Ugh. And I won't say anything about the swimming pool area except to say that since it was in a casino and there weren't any humans using the facilities, I kept expecting some white tigers to stroll in at any minute. I mean, it could be worse, but if I'm at a hotel I'd sort of not want to feel like I'm in an exhibit at the zoo while swimming in the pool.

The good news though? We put $40 into some slot machines and walked out with $72. At least we know when to stop, right? No matter, the Seattle Premium Outlets next door gobbled up our money anyhow. But now I have an umbrella and a decent winter scarf. And they were on sale! I love sales!!!

"Pioneer Lounge" Concept

Above are some images I used in my Interior Studio project that I just presented/turned in on Moday. The concept was a small private space in Pioneer Square owned by a pair of DJs. I wanted to create a place that was intimate for them to hang out in and listen to music, either alone or with friends--sort of the antithesis of a huge club or super-trendy bar. More like a basement den. These are the images I was working on this weekend when I wasn't doing laundry or loading the dishwasher. And I'm happy that it all came together well enough, although I wish I hadn't been so behind on it and had been able to spend more time focusing on the materials.

Underground Tour

Normally I find doing the usual touristy things (in my home city or elsewhere) to be gauche and annoying. But I'll admit, they are usually pretty fun once you (I) get down off your (my) high horse and DO them. Bryn and I spent the morning doing some roaming in Pioneer Square to celebrate the third anniversary of the day we met. Since he's so very proper and also slightly crazy, he made sure to let me know that it was our leather anniversary and to plan accordingly. He kept threatening me with strange bondage gear outfits from The Crypt, but I knew he was only (mostly?) kidding. Our gifts to each other? We ended up with a lovely matching set of anniversary gloves. Mine are tasteful black, to be picked up later this month when a new shipment arrives with my size. His are garish yellow, like a cross between a school bus and a bottle of mustard. Of course, his size was in stock. I don't know anyone else who would actually buy that color.



Anyhow, we ended up going on the Underground Tour also, which was super fun. There were only maybe two other people on the tour from Seattle, with people from across the country and also some from Thailand and London. The guides made corny jokes. The underground parts were cool and creepy. And I learned some more interesting details about this city I grew up in. We also wanted to go to the observation deck at Smith Tower, but alas, it was closed today. It is kind of cool to think though, that when it was built in 1914 it was the tallest building in the world outside of New York City. And it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi for a really long time (almost fifty years). The photos above are from the tour and also a shot of Smith Tower.

Kengo Kuma

Monday night I went and saw a presentation by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma at the Seattle Central Library. (Space.City has cool lectures like this throughout the year.) Above are some images of his work. He really does some fascinating things and what I especially liked about the projects he shared with us was how focused he was on finding connections between the location and materials. For instance there was a house using rice paper and he ended up going with a guy who plants his own rice to make the paper instead of importing rice from Thailand. He also really tries to keep a sense of lightness, even with materials like stone. Yay, fun!

Construction Update

Been awhile since I've posted any photos of the construction going on outside our window. They are making good headway it looks like. And there are even a couple of scary cranes that I am hoping do not fall on our apartment. *crosses fingers*

Hard to believe there used to be the old Broadway QFC there. And Bartell's. And Taco Bell. And a house and four-story apartment building.

Cool Architecture...

Yesterday was difficult. I've got this class on Friday's that goes from 9:30 - 3:50 with a one hour lunch in the middle. We only meet once a week. Let me tell you, it makes for a looooong day. We are also working in groups right now on a project that we have to present in two weeks. Getting eight people to focus on the same thing for fifteen minutes is hard to do, unless you pay them. Sadly, a lack of funding means that this is not a viable option for me at the current moment in time. Having a panic attack at the end of my second week of school does not bode well for the rest of the semester. Still, I shall try my best to prevail!

The image above is something our teacher showed us yesterday during her lecture. (I have to say, this teacher is AMAZING!) The photograph is of the Sony Center in Berlin. No, it is not in Las Vegas or Singapore, nor does it have anything to do with the Disney franchise. That thing in the photo is an illuminated, suspended oval roof. It's an interior shot of one of the buildings at Sony Center! Helmut Jahn was the architect on that project. Crazy.

She also told us about David Fisher's Dynamic Tower currently being built in (where else?) Dubai. It features rotating apartments built around a central core so that the skyscraper undulates with movement. If you choose to click on the "Dynamic Tower" link above, you will also be able to view digital renderings of how the tower will move and even fill out a reservation form if you want to get in on the action and relocate to Dubai. (Or maybe just a seasonal home to add to your real estate portfolio.)