What we are suggesting here is that the answer to the topic is open-ended. Everyone is working within his/her own reality. And each individual is creative as long as they are facing the reality because reality imposes external constraints, which then stimulates the creativity.
And to be creative, one has to be prepared, to take in knowledge in their field as much as they can, in order to maximise the probability of creativity.
3.6.09
Is Creativity required in the making of sustainable architecture
2.6.09
29.5.09
Last week's threads...
Prompted by the presentations last Wednesday I mentioned some books and urban concepts that could assist you with your work, please find below some of these threads:
For urban public space (street project):
Gehl, Jan. Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1987.
A great website dealing with the same topics discussed in the book at: http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/placemakers/jgehl
Part of the PDF book can be downloaded from this website: http://a.parsons.edu/~creanm/interface/interface_readings/gehl_lifebtnbuld.1.pdf
Also check out Jane's Walk, a website dedicated to Jane Jacobs' work: http://www.janeswalk.net/
We also discussed some top-down approaches to the development of cities--Dubai and Brasilia were mentioned as examples. I suggested that comparison of cities such as these, conceived in different historical circumstances, need to consider the different social/ecological and economic context of today and that of some decades ago. Richard Sennett has extensively discussed the effect of these conditions in society and their resulting effect on cities, particularly in regards to people engagement or capacity to engage in social processes (including solidarity and democracy). See for example: "Fighting the flexible firm" and "Capitalism and the City". See also:
http://on1.zkm.de/zkm/stories/storyReader$1513
http://mondediplo.com/2001/02/16cities
and book in www.scribd.com, "The Culture of New Capitalism"
Finally, we talked about Rem Koolhaas and (in my view) his often contradictory critique to the current social/political and economic conditions--a critique that does not prevent him from successfully using these conditions to exercise a top-down approach to urbanism. Two articles reflect his views and perhaps epitomize his postmodern approach:
Koolhaas, Rem. "Junkspace." October, no. 100 (Spring 2002): 175-190. http://www.btgjapan.org/catalysts/rem.html
Koolhaas, Rem, and Sanford Kwinter. Rem Koolhaas : Conversations with Students, Architecture at Rice University 30. Houston, Tex: New York : Rice University School of Architecture; Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. (Available from the ABP library)
See you all on Wednesday. Presentations will run for 7 minutes and 3 min. for comments from your classmates, Prof Louis Sauer and I. Find details of your presentation and essay requirements in the website under Programe.
Beatriz C. Maturana
17.5.09
Grocon awarded bushfire cleanup contract
Stumbled on an obscure bushfire-related link while doing some research for another project.
http://www.grocon.com.au/pdfs/melbourne/BushfireCleanup.pdf
further links:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25116284-661,00.html
It is interesting because Grocon are known for their work with concrete-based construction. Eureka tower is an extremely unusual building because it is a concrete-based extra-tall skyscraper, rather then the usual steel frame.
Many of the residents of the bushfire areas were concerned about ending up in over-regulated concrete bunkers that would destroy their lifestyles in order to make them fire-safe. It is interesting that Grocon has won the contract for this job, as it would seem that the Government is indeed leaning towards concrete-based reconstruction. It should be noted that the contract is just for clean-up and demolition, but I'd imagine this would position the company excellently for reconstruction tenders.
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