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Neutra Unsold
Richard Neutra’s house for Edgar Kaufmann in Palm Springs was auctioned at Christie’s in May (here’s the PDF flyer ), sandwiched between other modern painters and sculptors. Bidding started at $9.5M. and it sold for US $16.8M. Phew – though they were expecting up to $25M. The Art Newspaper revealed last week that a week after the auction, it all came unstuck. They quote Christie’s as saying, “the Kaufmann House contract has been terminated by the seller by reason of a breach of its terms by the buyer.” They must be worrying about their $1.8M commission…
12.08.08 in buildings
Architect / protaganist:
Louise Cox head UIA honcho
Australian architect Louise Cox was appointed president of the International Union of Architects last month in Turin. We’d better find some more out about her. Judging from her bio she is pretty well ready for the job. Sadly her competitor for the job, Giancarlo Ius, died on the day of the elections – she has said that she will honour his policies as well as her own. So what will she do?
12.08.08 in architects
Sydney Opera House #1 wonder
The Brits apparently think the SOH is it in terms of modern wonders. A survey of 2000 Britons by a travel insurance company rates SOH at #1 ahead of worthy wonders the Eiffel Tower (#2) and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio (#3). The only other building down this end to make the list is the Petronas Towers at 6th equal with the Kremlin. The Ground Zero hole makes #8.
12.08.08 in buildings
Architect / protaganist:
I want that one
Some architects in the States have quite a sideline going in selling “readymade” plans through their websites. There lots of cons planting a house designed for snow loads in a desert earthquake belt, but for some customers the savings outweigh the lack of customisation. Design and documentation fees run at about a quarter of normal fees. And it does keep drawings from gathering dust in the archive.
09.08.08 in practice
technorati
Just need to post this for a while to get my Technorati links working.
08.08.08 in random-debris
Home Delivery
MOMA in New York has a prefab exhibition on at the moment (July 20th to October 20th) that includes five specially erected houses in a vacant lot nearby. This website shows them off, and has a timeline of prefabs as well as installation videos.
07.08.08 in museums
Architects seeth over East Darling Harbour
Things are not going well for the architects (Philip Thalis, Paul Berkemeier and Jane Irwin) who won the East Darling Harbour / Barangaroo competition 3 years ago, beating a hundred and something other entries . They complain of being sidelined as the government has sought to increase office space on the site by a third (it has already been increased once), and allow a single developer to take control. Philip Thalis:
06.08.08 in urban-planning
Architect / protaganist:
Street view
I think I have found a way to waste a lot of time… Google Streetview hits Melbourne and distracts all from their business. Shown is the front of a curved block of flats in Toorak by Roy Grounds.
05.08.08 in random-debris
The Pink Peril
Sound like The Vault all over? Bellemo and Cat’s Sidle playground shelter is made from old plastic playground slides (makes sense). It was entered in this year’s Institute awards, but is now under threat of removal by the City of Manningham. Locals are “divided” about it, when they’re not sliding on it, and the council would like to move the sculture to someplace where people can, “appreciate the artistic merit of the work”. I think there’s a spot just across from the Casino that might be vacant.
29.07.08 in urban-design
Architect / protaganist:
Comment [1]
It's up!
I finally dared to switch the new site on. It doesn’t look a whole lot different, but I promise it is. It is nowhere near finished so you’ll find a link through to the old site on the lower left, should anyone need it.
28.07.08 in random-debris
Cantilever of JCBA #2
These guys seem to be off on a propped out tangent all of their own with their cantilevered homes. This one is at Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula, and the article is at Arch Daily. Pic by John Gollings.
27.07.08 in architects
Denton's review
John Denton is interviewed after retiring as Victoria’s State Government architect. He doesn’t exactly give the current Labour Government a ringing endorsement. In particular he criticises its penchant for Public Private Partnerships, which tend to open the public land up to an unnecessary level of commercial development and shut the government out of the process.
26.07.08 in architects
Architect / protaganist:
Cantilever of the week
I stumbled across this JCBA house at Wallpaper.com, down at Separation Creek. A tree-like series of green boxes, with the first floor cantilevering off in all directions. Being where it is, I wonder how it would all work in a wild fire?
13.07.08 in architects
Architect / protaganist:
Charles and Ray Eames get franked
A United States stamp set has just been issued (June 08) profiling the work of the Eames. Buy at USPS.
13.07.08 in random-debris
Klein Bottle House
McBride Charles Ryan’s twisted Klein Bottle House in Rye won the top 2008 Residential Award at the RAIA state awards.
10.07.08 in buildings
Architect / protaganist:
Comment [1]
New Government Architect
Victoria has a new government architect, Geoffrey London. Unknown in Melbourne, London has spent his academic career in Western Australia, where he was also Government Architect. Expect a change of flavour form outgoing Govarchitect, John Denton.
06.07.08 in architects