28.6.11

big plans

Candilis, Josic, Woods, Bochum University Competition, 1962

Hans Kollhoff, Project for the Analagous City, 1976

Kenzo Tange Plan for Tokyo Bay

Le Corbusier, Plan Voisin, Paris 1920
Rem Koolhaas, Parc de La Villette, France 1982
Roberto Burle Marx, Parque Del Este, Caracas, Venezuela, 1956
Rockefeller Center, New York, New York 

Sir Edwin Lutyens, Plan of Imperial Delhi, India, 1912-1930 

18.6.11

temporary architecture

Voronoi is a temporary pavilion for relaxation in the context of Kernel Festival 2011, set in the park of Villa Tetoni Travesi Desio, Italy. the pavilion dwells on the use of solar energy, and provides settings for  relaxation and sharing. Here is our take on it*.

The pavilion is made from four complementary systems, based on a voronoi geometry: a structural grid, a roof, a serie of nests and two cores.
The structural grid is a trellis that acts as the backbone of the pavilion. It supports the floating roof and the suspended nests.
The roof geometry is made of pvc profiles and fabric, peaking in areas to orient specific faces southward, outfitted with a solar panel, a microprocessor and led rope lighting. The advantage of using solar power allows the roof to become a lighting installation at night.
The nests are suspended cushions that fuse the concept of hamac and day beds. They occupy each a cell of the voronoi grid, are approached only from the park. Small and medium cells are individual nests oriented to the park, large cells are communal benches oriented to a projection space.
The cores form the inner cells of the voronoi. They are made of vertical arrangement of PVC tubes and form the projection space of communal spaces.
The result is an architectural and programmatic arrangement that allows different uses and appearances between day and night.

* competition entry in collaboration with Boulos Douaihy.

3.6.11

Nicosia

I had the pleasure to be invited to Nicosia University's Architecture School for final reviews. I was positively surprised by the school, the students' work and the city. 


I have to say that my surprise came when searching for city maps. Here is what i found. Division never seemed more futile, especially when this small city is daily confronted to its others.

2.6.11

the right to movement

i am increasingly finding the limitation of movement to "third world" subjects a tacit expression of discrimination. The boundaries of the us, canada, australia, uk and european union start at the door of their offshore embassies. Constraints are established by requesting more documents, proofs, funding, itineraries that are suitable of immigration applications. Patience and compliance is a prerequisite to the  process with the grand prize of getting to destination. I reflect on this fact as I applied last month to a shenghen visa, and to a visa to Cyprus (yes!). ironic to think that this walling behavior is exactly what pushes people to consider immigration, in order to avoid such situations, if they have the right passport. i am constantly tempted to cancel vacation trips to avoid stress and the burdening process of a visa beforehand. or while i'm at it, keep going to turkey ( they don't ask for visas). Control of movement is something apartheid and colonial planning have constantly deployed as a latent tool of limitation(see here, here and here). Like the right to the city, the right to movement is something one needs to claim.