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The Function of Form

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:11:36 GMT

Farshid Moussavi, partner in Foreign Office Architects, starts the introductory essay in her book with a denial of Louis Sullivan�s aphorism form follows function, and then asks: if not function, what does form follow? Book review @ bd "As that word �affective� might suggest, her philosophical guide is Gilles Deleuze � nothing wrong with that � but it has left her text groaning beneath the weight of academic verbiage."

ART: Professional Surfer

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:57:04 GMT

Professional Surfer is a group exhibition that considers web browsing (aka 'surfing') as an art form. Rhizome | A favorite from John Michael Boling's 530s; BEUYS.GIF

Century City Pastoral

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:51:35 GMT

A. Quincy Jones beloved "barn" had been for sale for two years, but it was recently bought by the Annenberg Foundation, saving the building's unique interiors. Frederick Fisher is at work on some respectful renovations, and the building will be taken over by an Annenberg-sponsored arts org later this year. The Architect's Newspaper

Herzog & de Meuron skyscraper up for auction on Ebay

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:12:45 GMT

Well, the 20" model of 56 Leonard St is up for auction. It's actually a very nice looking model, and even breaks apart into individual units. Ebay

French bread spiked with LSD in CIA experiment

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:30:46 GMT

The mystery of Le Pain Maudit (Cursed Bread) still haunts the inhabitants of Pont-Saint-Esprit, in the Gard, southeast France. On August 16, 1951, the inhabitants were suddenly racked with frightful hallucinations of terrifying beasts and fire. - Telegraph

The State of the Internet

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:53:08 GMT

Fabulous animated data visualization from JESS3 describing the state of the internet. FlowingData

The City From Three Stories Up

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:39:09 GMT

"Architecture critic Paul Goldberger's new book is called Why Architecture Matters. To talk about that idea, Kurt and Paul headed to the High Line, a formerly dilapidated train track thirty feet above the street that was recently transformed into an extraordinary public park." Studio360

Featured Job Today: in New York

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:30:15 GMT

Form Architecture seeking Interior Design Assistant in New York, NY

View thousands of active job listings in our jobs section | Post a Job

In the School Blogs

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:28:26 GMT

Carys, at Birmingham City University, has been a very busy school blogger these days and spoils us with copious insight on the informality of Lagos' formal economy, brain libraries, virtual gaming environments for lost souls, and the occasional automatic trussing script. Keep up it coming, Carys. Dorothy, at University of Michigan TCAUP, translates Nic Clear's critical text Architectures of the Near Future into a visual polemic. Collage lovers, this is your lucky day. Daniel, at University of Oregon, is pleased to have just finished his winter studio and shares some pretty sweet project images with us (and with sweet we not only refer to that half-eaten cookie). Faysal, at Architectural Association, contributes to his prnt scrn series as he continues to breed fascinating little virtual creatures. Case of early mad scientist syndrome...? Much more recently posted in the School Blogs...

Lighting up Hadrian's wall

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:46:33 GMT

Thousands using gas flares will illuminate the whole course of Britain's biggest historic monument. Guardian

Detroit: the last days

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:55:37 GMT

Detroit is a city in terminal decline. When film director Julien Temple arrived in town, he was shocked by what he found � but he also uncovered reasons for hope - Guardian

In Focus: Luke Hayes

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:11:29 GMT

In Focus is Archinect's new series of features dedicated to profiling the photographers who help make the work of architects look that much better. What has attracted them to architecture? How do they work? What type of equipment do they use? What do they think about seeing their work in blogs? In this feature, we talk to London-based photographer Luke Hayes.

Archinect: What is your relationship with architecture? What drew you to architecture, as a photographer? Luke Hayes: Two of my family members are architects, and I have always been interested in the built environment. Not just architecture, but also infrastructure and buildings or structures that perform a function that are not necessarily designed with their architectural merits in mind. Whilst at art school, I experimented with large format photography and was naturally drawn to shooting buildings. Subjects I chose were often more obscure structures such as a holiday hut or a 1960s modern church. My principle influences were Jeff Wall, Hiroshi Sugimoto, The Becher's and Julius Schulman.

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The MAXXI, Rome. By Zaha Hadid Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

Describe how you work... who are your clients? LH: Most of my work these days is commissioned, and usually I am briefed 1-2 weeks before the shoot takes place. Where possible, I will meet with the project architect and take a walk round the location and try to identify important angles, views etc. But usually it is a brief phone call or email, and I am left to take my own interpretation of the building. Some of my clients include Zaha Hadid Architects, The Design Museum, Chapman Taylor, Carmody Groarke.

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JS Bach Music Hall, Manchester. By Zaha Hadid Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

Do you mostly work in a specific region? What is your travel schedule like? LH: Last year I traveled quite a lot, MAXXI rome, 100% Design Tokyo, but usually most of my work is in London. This year, I am hoping to visit Abu Dhabi, Japan and China. A goal of mine is to work for a longer period of time in a foreign country.

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Serpentine Pavilion 2008 by Olafur Eliasson. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Tate St Ives, Cornwall. By Evans and Shalev. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Artists residence, North London. By Carmody Groarke Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs? LH: I'm aiming to capture the signature of a building. In so doing hopefully describing the architect's vision as well as the functionality of the building. Sometimes it's not always possible in one shot, so I also try to shoot as if taking a visual journey around the structure.

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Serpentine Pavilion 2007 by Zaha Hadid Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Magna, Science Center, Sheffield. By Wilkinson Eyre. Photography by Luke Hayes

What are your thoughts about including people in your photos? Is it important to photograph a building in use, or by itself? LH: People are usually what the architecture is created for, and so it is very important to show interaction. As well as scale and movement around the structure. But sometimes a beautiful sculptural form works better on its own.

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Serpentine Pavilion 2008 by Frank Gehry. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Westminster Kingsway College by Bond Bryan Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

What are your favorite pieces of equipment? LH: 1DS MK111 with a 24m TSE.

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The Willis Tower, Skydeck Ledge by SOM. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion by Zaha Hadid Architects. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Prada Store, Tokyo. By Herzog & de Meuron. Photography by Luke Hayes

Do you work alone? LH: Usually I work alone.

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Calais infrastructure. Photography by Luke Hayes

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Tate Modern, London. Photography by Luke Hayes

How do you feel about seeing your photographs on blogs and websites? LH: It's all still very new. Blogs and websites that are promoting architectural news and events are great. As long as we are credited and hyperlinked!! The gray area between what needs to be payed for and the benefit to the client needs to be addressed. Especially if the website sells advertising space, because I believe any potential advertisers would be more likely to spend money on a site that has great photography. So maybe we should be paid something?

Luke Hayes studied photography at Falmouth College of Arts and graduated in 2000. Ever since, he has been working in photography.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

MONU #12 - REAL URBANISM RELEASED!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:48:14 GMT

Just like the "Ideal Woman" on the cover of this issue on Real Urbanism - a sculpture by the Brooklyn based artist Tony Matelli - most of our cities are shaped by a particular set of values...read more on monu-magazine.com

Post-Mao, Post-Bourdieu: Class and Taste in Contemporary China

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:10:04 GMT

�Post-Mao, Post-Bourdieu: Class and Taste in Contemporary China,� is a special issue of PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies guest-edited by Yi Zheng (University of Sydney) and Stephanie Hemelryk Donald (RMIT University). The special issue explores the relationship between taste, choice and social stratification in contemporary China. link via

Those 70s Photos...

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:43:03 GMT

"Two years after Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency, the new institution sent out 100 photographers to document the nation�s environment writ large." Alexis Madrigal-Wired Designer Michael Reynolds Stands Next to an Interior Wall in One of the Structures. The collection is also on Flickr here, as part of the National Archives.