DUNE: Arenaceous Anti-Desertification Architecture

model by Magnus Larsson

An adaptive proposal for Northern Nigeria

Images at Flickr

After viewing this TED video on Magnus Larsson's vision to turn dunes into architecture here  I then found that BLDG BLOG, which was mentioned on the previous post, had an extensive story in April this year here. The architect acknowledges the challenges of his vision but proposes the scale of the issue is such that it demands every effort be put into combatting the desertification given the possibility that a 3rd of the world's land mass may have become desert by the end of this century, whilst population continues to climb and resources continue to be squeezed. Its an impressive idea and one hopes to see something come of it, even if evolution of the idea is first called for.

Master teachers from the early 20th century

Currently showing at MOMA in NY is a major exhibition Bauhaus: workshops for modernity 1919 -1933. This morning whilst visiting the excellent blog Little Paper Planes I was prompted to look into the weblinks which I found most worthwhile.The page below is a timeline in images and notes which allows for a comprehensive yet brief overview. From there I went on to look at various sites, one or 2 detailing the period the Bauhaus was located in Dessau where various Master teachers were given houses designed by Walter Gropius to live in and work in. Klee resided next door to Kandinsky with their respective families and was known to conduct free painting classes in his home-based atelier, as well as carrying out more formal duties at the Bauhaus. 

'Introducing the Miracle' - Paul Klee 1916

The following workshop below is from an extensive program running for the duration of the exhibition. As you can see it is on this weekend...Oh to be in NY! There are repeats of this and other workshops over the next few months.To read about the Master's houses click here. 

New in October - Paul Klee 1930

Lyn Meyer-Bergen - student in Paul Klee at Bauhaus

Visit the excellent website of important Bauhaus Master Gunta Stolzl teacher here. Stolzl was an influential weaver and also a painter. Her textile work is shown below.

today is a day for surprises

Today was one of those quiet blissful days where the rain we needed was softly drizzling down, a cool breeze was blowing and things were getting attended to slowly but surely. I suddenly found myself thinking of two different friends from when I lived in London 21 years ago! I'd never managed to get back to London and lost touch ages ago! Why had I never googled them I wondered? No time like the present. 

Sabrina I found had studied Textiles at Goldsmiths in London in the mid 90's. That was exciting...but then I could not find more! Much disappointment! maybe she moved back to Italy?

My friend Joy however has been a busy, busy person (which does not surprise me!) - she was a very talented and wonderful person when we met in a queue in Venice in 87 looking for somewhere to stay. I seem to remember we ended up taking the offer of accomodation at a Nunnery(as you do in Venice over summer!) and of we course got talking in the process.

Joy lived in London and I ended up there for another winter working till I returned to OZ in 88, so we used to meet up and I got to know a few people in her life and she in mine. I even spent some time doing photography at a place where Joy worked at the time. She was a brilliant photographer and I decided best to stick to my coloured pencils! I think Joy met half my family who drifted over to London over the next few years. So...really it is sad to have lost touch. 

BUT just awhile ago tonight... she answered my email...and was so happy as she HAD thought to google at different times and could never find any one of us! It was her birthday Saturday...so Joy, even though we have not been in touch for 21 years  

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y   F O R  S A T U R D A Y !

Now for an important aside. if you're wondering where I found this amazing layer cake that i took the liberty of adding the greeting to for this post it was made by architect Debi Van Zyl who lives in Los Angeles, is multi-talented. and happens to have a wonderful blog. Below is an image of the cake in the stage prior to its ultimate architectural realisation. Frankly I'm in awe...I had a terrible difficult time with a 3 layer chocolate cake a few years ago that was saved from a severe crash to the floor by a clever guest with quick reflexes - much to the delight of grateful onlookers keen to try a piece. NB the sophisticated palette!

Another reason to mention Debi is that she found the wonderful string gardens below that i posted on a couple of weeks ago.

Anyway, back to the story of Joy. She has a website I would like to share and I love this photo below too. This is a lovely way for this mellow, rainy old day to come to a close! It was so wonderful to have that email message returned. When Joy said it was her birthday 2 days ago so that made it seem extra special...I had to post something here...now...to mark this occasion! 21 years... amazing!

blueprint

I found this recently on designboom and it caught my attention immediately...the saturation of the blue with the fine white line detailing certain outlines and shapes and features of the location. The Taiwanese team from ou studio were part of DMY berlin design festival 09 and these images are of their installation called 'blueprint'. Read more here also. ou studio's website  contains some very fascinating projects - navigating it is tricky but rewarding. They concern themselves with spatial installation, furniture, interior, architecture, landscape and community development.
There's something so dynamic and forward thinking amongst increasing numbers of such studio enterprises globally that it enlivens the whole agenda of how things can be. This blurring of boundaries and collaborative push allows for optimum creativity and the realisation of projects in exciting new ways. There is something very potent in the idea of a blueprint - the fact something has been conceived to the stage of being put on paper and yet there is further to go and the thing is still in formation.

living, breathing walls

Patrick Blanc's vertical gardens have made the name of this French scientist come artist. Green roofs Australia have a post on his work that includes a YouTube video interview with Blanc in Paris worth watching.

Book available now in bookstores

Marche des Halles in Avignon

These images I found on the always intriguing  Saint Verde blog. Take a peek at theis post of his...and more. His references are exccedingly eclectic and very often quite unique. From there I went to Blanc's website and was enraptured with certain travel and project images.

Haus for Musik und Musiktheater

Ok...the images are small...but you can go to Sub-Studio Design Blog to see larger images from a post in March this year. There you will read about this building for the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria by UNStudio. When you take in the interior of this building in a larger photo, you might be just as curious about attending a performance here as I was! I found the Sub-Studio Design Blog full of the curious and inspiring!

Yes We Can Architecture

As seen on www.dezeen.com in the post dated  June 29th, 2009:   Qui est "in", Qui est "out" by Yes We Can Architects. These London based architects used hula hoops in this construction. I love this!

The instillation was in the courtyard of the 18th century Hotel d'Aures music school as part of the Festival des Architecture Vives: In (side) Out in Montpelier, France last summer. 300 hula hoops were used on a tight budget of 900 Euros assembled by a team of 4 in 2 days. The title is after a song by Serge Gainsbourg, 1966.