architects news
Sverre Fehn
Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn died late last month at 84. Architectural Record has just published an obituary .
21.03.09 in architects
DCM back at stonehenge
After a false start or two, DCM has been reappointed as architects for the Stonehenge Visitor’s Centre in the U.K.
Building Design 13.01.09
17.02.09 in architects
Regrowth Pod
Butterpaper is happy to publish for discussion architects’ work related to bushfire reconstruction. The first is from Melbourne practice 1:1 Architects, a director of which lives in Kinglake West.
14.02.09 in architects
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Comment [1]
Future passes
Jan Kaplicky, 71, Czech founder of Future Systems , kaput . His last projects included the routemaster bus in London (he came second to Lord Norman’s entry), and a congress centre for České Budějovice that looks like something Madonna might have worn.
15.01.09 in architects
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obits
I wasn’t sure what to expect.. how would the world respond to Utzon’s death? Seeing a full-on Utzon death poster outside a newsagency today, I thought I would have a look around. Journos have painted Utzon as a one-trick pony, albeit with a brilliant Australian trick. Elizabeth Farrelly at the Sydney Morning Herald has done a quick 6 page condensation of Philip Drew’s biography, and it it is quite worth the read. Though it isn’t so much an obit for Utzon as it is for the original Opera house, before it as consigned to a “conspiracy of nobodies” (Drew’s words).
01.12.08 in architects
Utzon
At the age of 90, Jørn Utzon has died of a heart attack in his sleep. In 2005 he said , “I will not see it now, which makes me sad. Every day I wake up and think of the Opera House. It gives me such pleasure that the building means so much to the people of Sydney and Australia – that makes me very happy.” Thanks Jørn, that building does mean so much to us. The lights on the Opera House’s sails will be dimmed tonight and a memorial service will be held there in early 2009.
30.11.08 in architects
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Architecture of the century
It might be a little early, but Phaidon have released an atlas of 21st Century architecture. Japan impressed the editors the most, with 65 pages dedicated to the country. Switzerland and The Netherlands are deemed next sexiest. South East Asia and Australasia apparently don’t get a showing, the only south hemisphere contenders being from South America.
02.11.08 in architects
Lebbeus Woods sticks with the pencils
Israel’s Wall – 2004
28.08.08 in architects
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Architecture, the expression of the materials and methods of our times
Corb writing for Architectural Record in 1929, not a lot changes.
25.08.08 in architects
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Domesticated animals
Melbourne’s Nest Architecture , perhaps tiring of the lets-empty-the-place approach to architectural photography, worked with artist Tai Snaith to ‘people’ one of their houses with a collection of animals (stuffed, wooden, and real) and related bits and pieces. The result was then photographed by documentary photographer Jesse Marlow . They tell me a fun day was had by all. Maybe they can fit a horse in next time. More on their site .
18.08.08 in architects photographers
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Hearth with a view
Down in Queenstown, NZ, it gets so cold that people like to heat their driveways (don’t worry they’re on hydro). Not far away, Fearon Hay have recently erected a stone box, dug back into a spur, with a ridiculous view across Lake Wakatipu. Wallpaper magazine spotted the house and have just featured it. From a dark cavernous interior, the living room opens out to the light, the view, and a clever little fireplace (I don’t think that runs on hydro…).
13.08.08 in architects
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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
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
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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
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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
Big Guys
Building Design UK has uploaded its Largest Practice survey to their website, where it can be read as a book. Interesting to note the doubling in size of Woods Bagot (Australia) to over 500 staff. They now make #13 on the list. Other surprises are Herzog and de Meuron, now 51st with 188 staff, and OMA, which has more than doubled to 225 staff (#40).
20.04.08 in architects
Unlovely memories
The New Zealand and Australian war memorials in Westminster, London, have been criticised as ugly, bristlingly unlovely, and in the case of the Australian one by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and Janet Laurence, ‘a urinal’. It seems conservative Londoners have had quite enough of looking at depressing antipodean memorials. The New Zealand memorial was the work of Athfield Architects and sculptor Paul Dibble.
14.02.08 in architects