This is a big deal (The two largest pollution sources in the city)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Photographs of Automobiles Consumed by Nature - Peter Lippmann
Surrealists often utilize broken machinery, especially the machinery of movement (automobiles and, more traditionally, phallic locomotives) as metaphors for the paralysis of the rational (male) ego in relation to the overwhelming power and unpredictability of nature (which is typically gendered female).
Surrealists often utilize broken machinery, especially the machinery of movement (automobiles and, more traditionally, phallic locomotives) as metaphors for the paralysis of the rational (male) ego in relation to the overwhelming power and unpredictability of nature (which is typically gendered female).
Navy Pier Re-Design Proposals
Now on exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 South Michigan Avenue.
Now on exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 South Michigan Avenue.
Reclaiming Nature's Metropolis - Rollerhaus
A beautifully rendered entry for the "Living Cities Competition" by a local interdisciplinary production studio. The title of their entry refers to William Cronon's intriguing book "Natures Metropolis," which chronicles Chicago's explosive growth in the 19th Century as a process intimately tied to the domestication of the American Frontier.
A beautifully rendered entry for the "Living Cities Competition" by a local interdisciplinary production studio. The title of their entry refers to William Cronon's intriguing book "Natures Metropolis," which chronicles Chicago's explosive growth in the 19th Century as a process intimately tied to the domestication of the American Frontier.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Lessons from the World's Least Sustainable City
This essay is a summation/excerpt from Chapter 2 of Andrew Ross' book "Bird on Fire" and is as essential to understanding American urbanism as Jerry Herron's writings on Detroit. In many ways these two cities have a great deal in common - they both purely embody the ideology of the time and culture in which they grew. The future of Phoenix, like Detroit, will be nothing like its past. I suspect that resource scarcity (in this case water, oil and the lack of continued federal subsidies for sprawl) will cause Phoenix to shrivel to a more reasonable desert city of a quarter its current size (back to 1 million from 4 million... if not less).
Phoenix is the poster child of the elements of American culture/politics that want something for nothing. In this case, the birth place of modern Libertarianism happens to be a city that was essentially built as a military outpost by the Federal Government, and who's life has been largely dependent on both the military industrial complex (subsidiary tech and manufacturing companies), suburban housing subsidy, and social security (a massive retirement community). Phoenix has entire suburbs of people drawing military pensions and healthcare, essentially living a socialist lifestyle, who nevertheless live in planned communities where no one under 55 is allowed to live so that they can avoid paying a taxes for schools. In other words, ironically, if it were actually forced to a compete - in a world of a dramatically reduced Federal Government (as it's most prominent politicians champion), Phoenix doesn't have a chance.
Phoenix is the poster child of the elements of American culture/politics that want something for nothing. In this case, the birth place of modern Libertarianism happens to be a city that was essentially built as a military outpost by the Federal Government, and who's life has been largely dependent on both the military industrial complex (subsidiary tech and manufacturing companies), suburban housing subsidy, and social security (a massive retirement community). Phoenix has entire suburbs of people drawing military pensions and healthcare, essentially living a socialist lifestyle, who nevertheless live in planned communities where no one under 55 is allowed to live so that they can avoid paying a taxes for schools. In other words, ironically, if it were actually forced to a compete - in a world of a dramatically reduced Federal Government (as it's most prominent politicians champion), Phoenix doesn't have a chance.
Detroit: The Forgetting Machine
Detroit: The Forgetting Machine
(Photo Mine)
Another topic that will re-appear consistently in this blog. Jerry Herron understands Detroit's position in our nation mythology of progress better than any writer or academic I've come across. This piece is a bit of a summation of a much larger 3-part article he's written for The Design Observer Group and deals most explicitly with "Ruin Porn," or the photographic fetish of Detroit's decay. Detroit's ruins have have undoubtedly been a huge influence in my own work and perspective (of which I will elaborate in time). Herron's critique is spot on and, tangentially, reveals a major conflict between Art/Architecture and real world social problems. It is all too easy for a designer to treat Detroit as a visual resource, an uncanny/surreal inspiration rather than a real place where upwards of 700,000 people still live (the population of Alaska or Vermont by comparison).
(Photo Mine)
Another topic that will re-appear consistently in this blog. Jerry Herron understands Detroit's position in our nation mythology of progress better than any writer or academic I've come across. This piece is a bit of a summation of a much larger 3-part article he's written for The Design Observer Group and deals most explicitly with "Ruin Porn," or the photographic fetish of Detroit's decay. Detroit's ruins have have undoubtedly been a huge influence in my own work and perspective (of which I will elaborate in time). Herron's critique is spot on and, tangentially, reveals a major conflict between Art/Architecture and real world social problems. It is all too easy for a designer to treat Detroit as a visual resource, an uncanny/surreal inspiration rather than a real place where upwards of 700,000 people still live (the population of Alaska or Vermont by comparison).
Charles James "Genius Deconstructed" @ the Chicago History Museum
Charles James @ the Chicago History Museum
The exhibit is relatively small, but intriguing non-the-less. James began his career in Chicago as a hat maker and became the first well respected fashion designer among the European Haute Couture Fashion Houses.
'Smart Decline': A Lifeline for Zombie Subdivisions
This is sure to be an ongoing topic of this blog. For now I will simply say that the future of sprawling exurbs (basically any subdivision/development built in the last 20 years) is extremely gloomy. This is by far the most inefficient, resource intensive and heavily subsidized lifestyle ever created. New suburban houses are typically very poorly constructed. Even the most expensive houses aren't built to last more than 30 years. The majority of the added expense comes from higher quality finishes like granite counter-tops (i.e. the guts of a house in valued at $500,000 in any given location are no better than one valued at $150,000.
Unlike inner city houses that were carved up into apartments after the mass migration of the white-middle class to the suburbs, these fringe McMansions are not built well enough to endure a relative lack of upkeep or investment. In fact the entire suburban built environment is conceptualized as temporary. Big Box Retail (Targets, Wal-Marts, etc.) reach their maximum real estate value within the first 5 - 7 years of construction. In 10 years they're often abandoned for something closer to the newest housing construction.
These so-called "neighborhoods" - which are, in reality, nothing more than "developments" or commoditized products - are typically too far from transit and jobs to be viable, let alone valuable places to live in a future of oil shortages (when gas is $5 dollars a gallon and more). Studies already show that, due to transportation costs, living in the exurbs is, in fact, more expensive than living in more dense environments with higher housing prices (this is despite the massive subsidization of suburban home-ownership).
Things are changing, and fast. The housing market will never be anything like it was pre-2008. Historically housing prices increase at the rate of inflation (what we witnessed from the mid-90's to the mid-00's was an aberration). Despite the ambitions of Wall Street speculators, housing doesn't work very well as a pure commodity (more valuable in temporary exchange than in long-term use).
Prometheus - Official Trailer [TRUE HD]
I may be looking forward to this more than "The Dark Knight Rises." Ridley Scott directs his first Sci-Fi movie since "Blade Runner." Prometheus promises to be a loose prequel to "Alien." on of the greatest haunted house movies ever made... that happened to take place on a space ship.
Gil Scott-Heron - New York Is Killing Me (Chris Cunningham Remix) [Full ...
Ironically, or tragically, this was Gil Scott-Heron's last hit record. The poet died, unfortunately, at the age of 62 in New York City in May of 2011.
The Dark Knight Rises Official Movie Trailer Christian Bale, Batman Movi...
Maybe the most anticipated movie of the year. Both of the previous Christopher Nolan Batman instalments were filmed in Chicago. The newest one was mostly filmed in Pittsburgh, much to the chagrin of citizens of the Windy City.
Cults - You Know What I Mean
Fantastic new song with a retro/early Rock sound. San Diego born / NYC based "Cults" have blown up in the last several months.
Jeanne Gang: The Sky's the Limit
Jeanne Gang: The Sky's the Limit
Gehry's tower is both far more expensive and inefficient, and, though this is a matter of taste, I tend to find his work far too comical (as a non-architect friend of mine once quiped "it looks like something that Doctor Sues would draw")
(PhotoMine)
Jeanne Gang, a rising star of Chicago Architecture, has been getting a great deal of press recently (particularly for the Aqua Tower). I have mixed feelings about this building. From a distance it's relatively indistinguishable from adjacent glass box towers. In fact, by far the most distracting feature of the building are the two different glass types that were used (more reflective glass where there are no overhangs to increase energy performance, less reflective clear glass under the overhangs). I'm guessing that this was something that was value engineered. It would have been preferable to use the reflective glass everywhere, even if it was redundant under the overhanging slabs.
Nevertheless the experience of the tower from the ground level (where the accompanying photograph was taken) is unlike anything that has ever been built. The remarkable eroded facade is the result of organically forming the concrete slabs of the building. Behind the glass this is a very standard (and relatively cheap) tower. In my view this relatively simple innovation and the impression that it gives from the street make this the most important skyscraper built in the United States in the last several years (Better than Gehry's N.Y.C. tower at 8 Spruce Street). See below:
(Photo Mine)
Gehry's tower is both far more expensive and inefficient, and, though this is a matter of taste, I tend to find his work far too comical (as a non-architect friend of mine once quiped "it looks like something that Doctor Sues would draw")
To be fair the NY tower is more impressive from a distance than the Aqua. But, again in a fashion typical of Gehry, there's always a sacrifice of detailing. In this cause many of the undulating facade panels on the less visible west facade do not line up - which, regardless of intent, looks like a mistake.
In the end both of these towers may be surpassed in beauty by the twin apartment Towers that Beijing based "M.A.D. Architects" have just completed in Toronto. See below:
In this case the formal move was created by rotating the same elliptical plan around a circular core. The effect is quite elegant and, from my perspective, slightly anthropomorphic. The tower to right in the accompanying image inspires associations of a tight skirt around a woman's hips, or perhaps a person in a straight jacket (their arm defining the acute ridge on the towers left). Then again, maybe I'm just seeing things.
Rahm Emanuel, A Progressive in the Age of Austerity
Rahm Emanuel, A Progressive in the Age of Austerity
I'm not typically a fan of Thomas Friedman - who has written wildley simplistic and poorly reasoned books like "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" and, even worse, "The World is Flat." In many ways I consider him part of the 90's era crowd that thought the digital age would make place/location irrelevant and that the internet would diminish the importance of central cities in the global economy. This was always more of a conservative political argument than anything based on an understanding of history, culture or business. In reality the importance of central cities has arguably increased dramatically over the last 20 years. The sprawling environment that most American's take for granted (or took for granted before 2008) will be more of a tangent to history rather than a change in its course. With demographic changes, the burden of student loans, the explosion of the housing bubble and rising gas prices, it makes increasing sense for people to live more moderately sized lives in more urban environments, especially if the city can meet the same basic conveniences and expectations of the suburbs (schools, recreation, etc).
I appreciate this article because it calls attention to a larger dilemma that Rahm Emanuel and the City of Chicago currently face. Despite the characterizations of his opponents, Rahm Emanuel, like President Obama, is not part of the old Chicago Democratic Machine. He, like Obama, is a 21st Century Pragmatist. Emanuel ran on an honest platform that the City was going to have to make some "tough decisions" and I largely applaud his efforts so far. It's easy to blame local politicians for all of the problems that you see in your community - the decline of the middle class especially. Old-school Chicagoan's have been pointing fingers at Daley (and now Emanuel) for pandering too much to the Global Elite. Daley invested heavily in the beautification of downtown while arguable neglecting many struggling neighborhoods on the South and West Sides. The most recent battle in our City's little political civil war is over the NATO/G8 summits this May (This will surely be a recurring topic of this blog).
While I don't agree with everything that President Obama, or Rahm Emanuel have done (I'm not sure where I stand on the NATO/G8 issue for example), I do understand their motivation. The reality of our City and our Nation in the 21st Century is far different and, in many ways, more complex than it was 60 years ago.
We are forced, by our economic system, to compete - as individuals and as people. This, of course, facilitates any number of wondrous things, but it's also, in many ways, a race to the bottom for most of us. We live in a winner-take-all society. These days you're either "winning" or "losing." All other subtleties of life are devalued. We and our Cities have been commoditized.
Chicago occupies an endlessly fascinating position within our cultural/economic system precisely because it isn't easy to commoditize. People don't quite buy into it in the same way the buy into the idea of N.Y. or L.A. for example. It is not a political capital like London, Paris, Washington D.C., Moscow or Beijing. It is not an unquestioned cultural capital like New York, L.A. or again London and Paris. It's not even a lifestyle capital like the cities of the Pacific Northwest or Denver. Chicago isn't new and cheap like Atlanta or Dallas. Our city is a balance of everything. It is the most diverse economy in the country and by many measures the 4th most important business center in the world (after N.Y.C., London and Tokyo). In many ways it is a cultural "feeder" for New York and L.A. Countless actors, comedians and artists start their careers in Chicago, but there's also a sense that there's only so far you can go before moving to the coastal capitals. In many ways this dynamic gives our city its unique character and honestly. Chicago has few pretensions compared to its rivals. There are no "Real Housewives" of Chicago (I know they exist, but thank god they haven't made us look as shallow and superficial as Orange County or Atlanta). In my mind Chicago is one of the only sane places in this country, but of course that's subjective.
For now Chicago doesn't have a lock on any one industry or product. This is both a blessing and a curse. It means that we haven't suffered the fate of Detroit, but we also can't be as secure as New York. Chicago has to continue to re-invent itself. It has to fight to stay relevant.
I'm not typically a fan of Thomas Friedman - who has written wildley simplistic and poorly reasoned books like "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" and, even worse, "The World is Flat." In many ways I consider him part of the 90's era crowd that thought the digital age would make place/location irrelevant and that the internet would diminish the importance of central cities in the global economy. This was always more of a conservative political argument than anything based on an understanding of history, culture or business. In reality the importance of central cities has arguably increased dramatically over the last 20 years. The sprawling environment that most American's take for granted (or took for granted before 2008) will be more of a tangent to history rather than a change in its course. With demographic changes, the burden of student loans, the explosion of the housing bubble and rising gas prices, it makes increasing sense for people to live more moderately sized lives in more urban environments, especially if the city can meet the same basic conveniences and expectations of the suburbs (schools, recreation, etc).
I appreciate this article because it calls attention to a larger dilemma that Rahm Emanuel and the City of Chicago currently face. Despite the characterizations of his opponents, Rahm Emanuel, like President Obama, is not part of the old Chicago Democratic Machine. He, like Obama, is a 21st Century Pragmatist. Emanuel ran on an honest platform that the City was going to have to make some "tough decisions" and I largely applaud his efforts so far. It's easy to blame local politicians for all of the problems that you see in your community - the decline of the middle class especially. Old-school Chicagoan's have been pointing fingers at Daley (and now Emanuel) for pandering too much to the Global Elite. Daley invested heavily in the beautification of downtown while arguable neglecting many struggling neighborhoods on the South and West Sides. The most recent battle in our City's little political civil war is over the NATO/G8 summits this May (This will surely be a recurring topic of this blog).
While I don't agree with everything that President Obama, or Rahm Emanuel have done (I'm not sure where I stand on the NATO/G8 issue for example), I do understand their motivation. The reality of our City and our Nation in the 21st Century is far different and, in many ways, more complex than it was 60 years ago.
We are forced, by our economic system, to compete - as individuals and as people. This, of course, facilitates any number of wondrous things, but it's also, in many ways, a race to the bottom for most of us. We live in a winner-take-all society. These days you're either "winning" or "losing." All other subtleties of life are devalued. We and our Cities have been commoditized.
Chicago occupies an endlessly fascinating position within our cultural/economic system precisely because it isn't easy to commoditize. People don't quite buy into it in the same way the buy into the idea of N.Y. or L.A. for example. It is not a political capital like London, Paris, Washington D.C., Moscow or Beijing. It is not an unquestioned cultural capital like New York, L.A. or again London and Paris. It's not even a lifestyle capital like the cities of the Pacific Northwest or Denver. Chicago isn't new and cheap like Atlanta or Dallas. Our city is a balance of everything. It is the most diverse economy in the country and by many measures the 4th most important business center in the world (after N.Y.C., London and Tokyo). In many ways it is a cultural "feeder" for New York and L.A. Countless actors, comedians and artists start their careers in Chicago, but there's also a sense that there's only so far you can go before moving to the coastal capitals. In many ways this dynamic gives our city its unique character and honestly. Chicago has few pretensions compared to its rivals. There are no "Real Housewives" of Chicago (I know they exist, but thank god they haven't made us look as shallow and superficial as Orange County or Atlanta). In my mind Chicago is one of the only sane places in this country, but of course that's subjective.
For now Chicago doesn't have a lock on any one industry or product. This is both a blessing and a curse. It means that we haven't suffered the fate of Detroit, but we also can't be as secure as New York. Chicago has to continue to re-invent itself. It has to fight to stay relevant.
Global Midwest - Re-Shoring and It's Discontents
Re-Shoring and its Discontents
"Re-Shoring" refers to companies bringing their manufacturing operations back to the United States (in this case the Midwest) due to the rising costs of transportation, labor in China, logistics and quality control concerns. This trend is sure to continue and strengthen. Once the entire world has been brought into the "Global Market Place" we can expect a leveling off of the competitive advantage of low wages. At that point it's possible that companies will locate were it makes sense logistically.
Based on natural resources, infrastructure and geographic location, there are few places in the world where it makes more sense to live and work than the Great Lakes. The question, of course, is that if a leveling off of wages and working conditions occurs, will American's be forced by competition to endure the same in-human treatment of workers that we now see in China and Mexico? Let us not forget that these are the same working conditions that Americans suffered during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Vocational trades and factory jobs only became a path to the Middle Class through a long fought battle for fair treatment and compensation. A battle that largely took place in Midwestern industrial cities and who's legacy has painted a perception of these places as "unfriendly business environments."
"Re-Shoring" refers to companies bringing their manufacturing operations back to the United States (in this case the Midwest) due to the rising costs of transportation, labor in China, logistics and quality control concerns. This trend is sure to continue and strengthen. Once the entire world has been brought into the "Global Market Place" we can expect a leveling off of the competitive advantage of low wages. At that point it's possible that companies will locate were it makes sense logistically.
Based on natural resources, infrastructure and geographic location, there are few places in the world where it makes more sense to live and work than the Great Lakes. The question, of course, is that if a leveling off of wages and working conditions occurs, will American's be forced by competition to endure the same in-human treatment of workers that we now see in China and Mexico? Let us not forget that these are the same working conditions that Americans suffered during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Vocational trades and factory jobs only became a path to the Middle Class through a long fought battle for fair treatment and compensation. A battle that largely took place in Midwestern industrial cities and who's legacy has painted a perception of these places as "unfriendly business environments."
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Psychology of Architecture
The Psychology of Architecture
Jonah Lehrer has also written one of the most important books of the last 10 years ("How We Decide")
Jonah Lehrer has also written one of the most important books of the last 10 years ("How We Decide")
Savage Beauty
http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/
This was perhaps the most amazing exhibit I've ever seen. A true and tragic genius. McQueen articulated an uncanny and surreal perspective that I continue to aspire to in my own work, albeit in a different medium
This was perhaps the most amazing exhibit I've ever seen. A true and tragic genius. McQueen articulated an uncanny and surreal perspective that I continue to aspire to in my own work, albeit in a different medium
"My Baby's Got a One Track Mind"
From the Surrealists perspective the mannequin represents the arrested or paralyzed female - her aspirations and behaviors trapped or frozen by the objectification/commoditization of a market/capitalist society.
Why did America destroy its great cities?
Why did America destroy its great cities?
This could be the title of an entire seminar - if not a book - and, in many ways it is one of the primary topics of this blog. America has, with few exceptions, never been an urban or cosmopolitan people or culture. Our national mythology revolves around movement to the frontier, individualism, escape, etc. In many ways our culture has never really cared about where they are... only where they're going.
This could be the title of an entire seminar - if not a book - and, in many ways it is one of the primary topics of this blog. America has, with few exceptions, never been an urban or cosmopolitan people or culture. Our national mythology revolves around movement to the frontier, individualism, escape, etc. In many ways our culture has never really cared about where they are... only where they're going.
New Yorkers realize the City is terrible place to live
New Yorkers realize the City is terrible place to live
Hilarious. The Onion wrote this right before they announced they were moving from NYC back to Chicago (the humor newspaper was originally created in Madison Wisconsin).
Hilarious. The Onion wrote this right before they announced they were moving from NYC back to Chicago (the humor newspaper was originally created in Madison Wisconsin).
Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Kunstler is often a bit too doomsday/preachy... but this is perhaps the most well-reasoned and concise piece that he's written in a while - take heed
Kunstler is often a bit too doomsday/preachy... but this is perhaps the most well-reasoned and concise piece that he's written in a while - take heed
Can artists save Grand Crossing?
Can artists save Grand Crossing?: Theaster Gates is fighting blight with artists-in-residence
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