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Debating architecture
Melbourne has a series of architectural debates running at the moment. I’m aware of this because I was in one. That is part of the reason it’s been a little quiet here – lots of things waiting to be written, but all for others. That’s what happens in careers sometimes – the hobbies start to take more of a centre stage. I write about architecture a lot and produce it a little.
12.10.12 in events
Not ornate enough?
Can anyone spot the glaring error? Apart from labelling all Post-WWII buildings “plain”.
03.09.12 in heritage
American banners
Drew Carling and Jenni Draper report from the US pavilion, which has just opened at the Venice Biennale.
31.08.12 in exhibition
Dreamers
Until the end of September 2012, the ABC is showing its Dream Build series online. This is like a little brother to Grand Designs, six minute snapshots of completed projects revolving around interviews with delighted owners. It is an engaging watch, and is able to focus on aspects of the representation of architecture missing from the magazines, namely a sense of the third dimension, and a sense of the owners behind the designs.
19.08.12 in television
Parlour call
This Friday is the last chance for women involved (now or in the past) in Australia architecture to complete the first Parlour survey: “Where did the women go”. Go here if you want to tell them.
14.08.12 in researchers
Windsor Hotel - the ongoing saga
2011 rendering, Windsor Hotel with lowered corner building, DCM
29.07.12 in heritage
Architect / protaganist:
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Frank and Ike
Another month, another wounded architect. This time, it isn’t due to the recession resentments of Spanish leftists, it’s conservative Washingtonians who want a monument to Dwight Eisenhower that’s lot more conventional than the one proposed by Frank Gehry. They don’t seem to like any of the “isms” of the past century or so. We find out who wins this coming Friday.
03.06.12 in architects
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JJ Clark, wunderkind
[ Old Treasury Building, Melbourne. Gil Meydan ]
20.05.12 in exhibition heritage
The Valencia Effect
Is this a sign of things to come? As austerity measures dig in, are “los indignados” of Spain wondering about the money that fed a cultural building boom? Where complex buildings were designed by foreign architects, who didn’t seem to know that their hefty fees were being added to the country’s debt.
14.05.12 in practice
Architect / protaganist:
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Gallery fatigue
I finally got to the William Kentridge exhibition at ACMI last weekend, with a friend. It closes at the end of May. It is worth every cent. Etchings and drawings of characters in his films take up most of the space. He has a particular way with blotchy skin that reminds me of the late Lucian Freud’s work. The self portraits – William as “Felix” and “Solo” – move about within ghost like bubbles that remind me a bit of one of Freud’s models, Sunshine boy Leigh Bowery.
10.04.12 in galleries
Shades of green
This morning’s Background Briefing on RN examined the flaws in home energy rating systems. The show was unsurprising: they found many houses with low ratings and high performance, and vice versa. No prizes for guessing that architect-designed green homes suffered in the ratings department for not under-glazing, and not air-conditioning. The software wasn’t designed to be used like this and it encourages a conformity of design that suits standard project homes. From my experience, it is a bit of a lottery what the software will think of a custom-designed house.
01.04.12 in sustainability
A colourful evening
It was my first journey into the 26 year old Dulux colour awards. This is one of several industry awards in architecture, and this one now covers New Zealand also, so it was a big event. I have to admit the main reason I went along was that it was in the Regent Theatre, which I had never ventured into before, musicals not being my thing. The basement ballroom is a hidden Melbourne treasure, giant in scale, yet detailed to the umpteenth degree in 1920s exoticist splendour. Hundreds of ceiling panels, each individually painted. A late nod to the Marriner Group for bringing this beauty back from rat-infestedness.
28.03.12 in awards
Accent e-book
Hyundai Australia has just published an e-book covering their six blogger-lead tours around Sydney and Melbourne in August last year. I was one of them, and get a double page spread, thankfully with no mugshot. They seemed to like the Ashton Raggat McDougall buildings I showed them the most. Click the image below to view the book.
25.03.12 in books
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Life Architecturally on telly
Life Architecturally (trailer) from Britt Arthur on Vimeo.
22.02.12 in films
Architect / protaganist:
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