Space, time and architecture; the growth of a new tradition by Sigfried Gideon.

I was given this book as a graduate student in architecture at The a Ohio State University. Like all of the very best architects.... I, too, am dyslexic & didn’t read it. No time like the present... I plan to read it now & provide commentary. Let’s just say, right now, I believe it to be an overstated book that is hardly relevant in both practical architectural practice as well as in theoretical discourse. I am wholly and entirely disappointed by the majority of books and critical articles I have read to date. So, why am I sitting around and not writing myself... tho I do have nearly 250 published articles thus far.

tour of the frank lloyd wright home and studio in oak park

All photos in this blog post were taken by myself on a photo tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, Chicago. I was given permission by the Trust to take these pictures and do not use them to garner any wages from such.

While visiting Chicago recently, I made every effort to see as much Frank Lloyd Wright work as possible. I have been to see his work several times before, but each time I see something new or have an altered angle/perspective. Likely my impressions of his work are filtered through the lens of what I am currently thinking/writing about architecturally. 

the architect as a social activist

Samuel Mockbee's Mason's Bend, Hale County, Alabama. Photo courtesy of Rural Studio.

“Architecture has to be greater than just architecture. It has to address social values, as well as technical and aesthetic values. On top of that, the one true gift that an architect has is his or her imagination. We take something ordinary and elevate it to something extraordinary.”
Samuel Mockbee, Architect, 1944 - 2001.

A visit I still covet, I was fortunate to meet the phenomenal architect Ana Escalante in Palm Springs, California a few years ago. Over the course of several days of conversations, she talked about architects as those who solve all types of problems with the same kind of creativity and rigour that we also use when designing a building. Dovetailing her wisdom with that of one of my favorite architecture professors, Jacqueline Gargus, at The Ohio State University, “Well, there was a woman who lived in a shoe.” That is to say that you can theoretically make a living space out of anything, even an old shoe.

Passive House Seminar

Courtesy of Matthew Engel blog 

Yesterday, I started out on the road at 5am to attend a day-long seminar (presented by HalfMoon Seminars) in Cincy about the green building trend called Passive House that is soon to become much more of a mainstream practice... my prediction. While I could explain to you many of the facts and details about this new green building standard, I prefer to let you know why I am sold. Americans cringe at the idea of having to turn off their lights with hyper-maintenance, to wash our hands with cold water, to freeze during the middle of the night under a down comforter, and to just skimp on the comforts we have grown up with. I am the type of person who loves to skimp and save on energy whenever possible.. but this is just not a realistic expectation for the average American.

moms at work

You are looking at the little blond-headed reason why I work as a freelance writer part-time from home. I worked at two different architecture firms after he was born, asking for flexibility with my work schedule so that I would not have to make the choice between FAMILY or WORK.

In the AIA Ohio Architypes Winter 08 Newsletter, I wrote an article entitled, "Caution: Moms at Work." It is yet another plea for women in the architecture field who have children... for employers to understand better the life of a working mother and to have more compassion.

East Germany started a program that supported working mothers with state-subsidized childcare, laundry services, one-year paid maternity leave, and hot lunches for moms and babies. As a result, psychologists found that the moms felt less guilty and were were much more productive and happy workers. Babies were also happier because their moms were better equipt to care for them in the evening hours.

You can read the full article at www.aiaohio.org..."newsletters".... "winter 08"... second page.