“Geode” Street Art Project / A Common Name

Designer: A Common Name
Project location: Los Angeles
Date: NA
Client: NA
Program: “Geode” Street Art Project

'The past couple months I have been working on a street art project around the Los Angeles area. Rather than using traditional paint or wheat paste methods in a 2D platform, I’ve been using paper in 3D. These sculptures come in all sizes and fit in the holes of buildings and pipes found while walking around. The finished shapes represent geodes, crystal, quartz, or any mineral formation that you would normally find in nature, now in our planned out cities.

A parallel aspect of these “geodes” in nature and in the city is they are always unexpected treasures. You might go hunting for treasures but you generally happen upon them during your adventures or casual interaction with the environment. I enjoy the fact that many people will not notice these, but some astute people will; that these will not last forever and the weather will affect them as naturally as it might in nature. So far I’ve made nine—several have been trashed or taken away, and one has fallen apart due to rain. Enjoy the images and feel free to hunt for the existing ones using this map of current locations.'

source (include photos):  A COMMON NAME, http://acommonname.com/street-art-project/

Didden Village / MVRDV

Architects: MVRDV
Project location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Date: 2002-2006
Client: Didden Family
Program: 45 sqm extension private residence and 120 sqm terrace

Most topping up on rooftops is done for two reasons: a need for additional space and the desire to live or work high above the city rooftops, closer to heaven than to other people. Dutch architecture firm designed an extension for the Didden family on top of an existing monumental house and atelier. The attic storey of the house below is extended by a sky-blue parapet. Behind it two gables of the same colour can be seen. It creates a crown on top of the monument. The extension is an example of the growing trend to exploit the urban roofscape for new living and working spaces.

The bedrooms are positioned as separate houses, optimising the privacy of every member of the family (one for parents and two adjoining children’s rooms). The houses are accessed via a suspended spiral staircase from the loft-like living room. The two spiral stairs to the two children’s houses coil around each other to form a double helix stairs. The houses are placed on the large rectilinear roof surface in such a way that they form a small number of outdoor spaces (houses, squares, streets and lanes) that make up a rooftop village.

The ‘village’ is enclosed by a parapet with windows that offer views of the street. Trees, tables, open air showers and benches added, optimising the rooftop life. By finishing all the elements with a blue poly-urethane coating a new heaven appears.

Unlike many similar projects, the Didden Village does not simply offer its owners additional living and sleeping space. It actually functions like a real small village, with alleys and courtyards equipped with benches, tables and a pool. Shoulder high parapets create the necessary air of privacy.

“The addition can be seen as a prototype for a further densification of the old and existing city. It adds a roof life to the city.” MVRDV

source: O'Grady, Elena. "Didden Village / MVRDV" 18 Feb 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 05 Apr 2012. http://www.archdaily.com/13370

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580)

                                                       Andrea Palladio (1508-1580)

- Palladio studied the architecture of ancient Rome, codified its elements in a famous treaise.

- His 500th birthday, with an exhibition at the Royal Academic of Arts in London. The exhibition is in Burlington House, a key building in the spreal, no photos, only drawings, plans, paintings, letters, ledgers, other artifacts to tell the story of Palladio's buildings.

- In Palladio's time, making buildings was as politically and financially challenging as it is now. lient and patron's insist and architects' persuit of perfection. Strong connection to'money', 'often the archhitect has to follow the wishes of those who spending rather than what one really ought to do'. 

- Palladio, born in Padua, grow up in Vicenza. First trained as a stonemanson. Under the sponcership of Giangiorgio Trissino, went to Rome in his thirties. He studied ruins and tried to make something new from the ancient buildings. He had a gift for compositon, combined things in nearly perfect equilibrium.

- Palladio essencially invented the modern architectural career.

- Palladio was the first architect whose reputation prceeded his buildings. To him, architecture existed to solve problems and he seemed to have given equal weight to elevating the image of his clients, making their lives function more smoothly, and creating beautiful objects of the world.

source: Paul Goldburger, 'All he surveyed. How Palladian was Palladio?', The Newyorker