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Critical By Aaron Betsky December 13, 2019

"East River Valley" rendering (2018)

Get ready for fake architecture. Now that architects have the same tools as moviemakers and meme-posters to make anything look like anything else, buildings can seem more real in renderings than they do when they are actually built. At the same time, some structures are taking on shapes so weird and fantasticalsuch as the impossibly thin towers of Manhattan or the convoluted, gravity-defying curves of some museum buildingsthat you are left to wonder whether they are, in fact, real. Pretty soon, we will be living in a mix of virtual and physical reality, if we arent already. How do we make sense of it? By telling good stories. And if the future of architecture is fairy tales, as some experts insist, then perhaps nobody tells better tales than experimental architect Mark Foster Gage.

Imagine teetering over the ledge of a Manhattan skyscraper with no rails to hold you back. Turn around and slowly realize how the entire tower consists of childrens toys, car parts, and even a dildo tucked away among the stack of stuff that has, as if through alchemy, turned into steel or chrome, or maybe even gold. Where you are standing is only one of the structures that the New York City designer has dreamed upthough never builtover the past few years. Another imagines the East River completely transformed into a field of verdant meadows behind fanciful dams. In real life, a clients cottage in the English countryside recasts detritus as the building blocks of his bucolic vision of rural living.

"East River Valley" vertical parks, rendered views

If Gage is the magician of modern architecture, he is also its Wizard of Oz, tantalizing us with photo-realistic renderings of structures built from leftovers dipped in what looks like chrome. But dont just get swept up in the fantasyGage takes his craft very seriously. A professor and assistant dean at Yale University, he is one of the foremost practitioners of Object-Oriented Ontology (Triple O, if youre a tuned-in design student), a theory equally cryptic and of-the-moment. It gives him a basis to keep spinning his fantastical tales by means of conceptual buildings. Like many younger architects, Gage wants to push the envelope of construction; unlike most, he achieves that not through material experimentation, but by showing whats possible, he says, making images that seduce you into the future. For Gage and the other Triple O-ers, real buildings are whatever they can convince you they are. And renderings are the end result. These are not preparations or ideas for buildings, but complete shortcuts to the real world, he says.

As he sees it, the proliferation of images is an opportunity: pull up any image or form imaginable on your computer, and watch it be transfigured into something else entirely before dropping it inside a rendering so realistic that you swear you saw your own reflection in the stainless steel kitchen appliances that somehow landed in the lobby of an imposing building. I want to work not just with bricks, but with Pokmon, toasters, and whatever else is available, he says. Weve moved way beyond pyramids and boxes as models.

Gages buildings morph into monsters and cliffs that dissolve into smithereens, appearing as collections of all the bits and pieces the architect gathered to build up his designs. They blur the distinction between a single structure, its surroundings, and even the natural world. Youve seen this sort of technique in the movies and maybe in Las Vegas or Disneyworld. Gage just wants to make something good out of all that fake reality: I want to make a real reality out of the fiction that surrounds us.

"West 57th Street Residential Tower" rendering, New York City, (2015)

To do this, Gage uses something called Kitbashing; the term describes the mashing up of bits and pieces borrowed and stolen from everywhere, a trusty technique for hipsters kluging together their own tools and clothes. Gage, meanwhile, dreams of castles in the sky. Does he want to actually build anything? I spend a lot of time crafting images that make a building appear built instead of actually building it, he says. I really want to use technology to create something truly beautiful, and right now the only way to do that is through these super-realistic images.

They have a higher resolution than anything I could build now. Gages message is clear: Reality is less real than we think, and these fairy tales can usher us into a primeval universe that elevates the ordinary into the extraordinary. I want to awaken your curiosity and make you wonder: If my buildings seem real but arent, what about the one down the street? he says. Start reading into your surroundings, Gage suggests, and enjoy the ride into a new kind of reality, for which his architecture sets the stage. Jump off the ledge of his hyper-realistic skyscraper, even if only in your mind (because you know it cant be real), and fall in love with the idyllic alternative he has built for you.

Gage and the Triple O gang may be far away from making whatever we still think of as real buildings but, like great storytellers, moviemakers, and other weavers of tales and images, they give us something to dream of, something to aspire to, and something that tells us the deep truth that most of what we see around us today is just manipulated surfaces.

(Photos courtesy Mark Foster Gage Architects)

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Mark Foster Gage is the Most Prolific Architect of Buildings That Dont Exist - surfacemag.com

On Monday, President Trump announced J. Brett Blanton as his nomination for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC).

Blanton is currently the deputy vice president for engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority where he leads the planning, design, construction, and code enforcement for all properties controlled by the Airports Authority. While in the United States Navy he also oversaw some of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken by the Department of the Navy, according to the Whitehouses website.

All that said, Blanton is a licensed engineer (in the state of Georgia) but is not a licensed or practicing architect. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, followed by a Master of Science in Ocean Engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

If confirmed by the United States Senate, Blanton will serve a 10-year term and will be put in charge of maintaining the 18.4 million square foot Capitol complex, which includes Washington, D.C., landmarks such as the Library of Congress, U.S. Supreme Court building and Senate and House office buildings.

The previous AOC, Stephen T. Ayers, served from 2010 through November 2018 and oversaw the restoration of the U.S. Capitol Dome and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial. He also launched the renewal of the Cannon House Office Building, a monumental, five-phase project that Blanton would take over during his term. Ayers completed his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Maryland and received his Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, as well as an honorary Doctor of Public Design from the Boston Architectural College in recognition of his work in historic preservation.

According to Engineering News-Record, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee will have a scheduled confirmation hearing for Blanton on December 12.

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Will this airport engineer be the next Architect of the Capitol? - The Architect's Newspaper

A young, small architectural firm working in Los Angeles typically doesnt land business with the Amazons of the world, but one architects wide scope of services has opened doors, not only to Amazon but also to Ring, Blue Bottle Coffee and Lendlease the latter two are major companies in Los Angeles.

The reason? Weve brought properties to some of these companies (at no risk to them) and that is how we have been able to work with them, Matthew Rosenberg, founder and CEO, Los Angeles-based architectural firm M-Rad, told a seminar audience recently at the Buildings Show in Toronto.

Along with offering traditional architectural services, Rosenbergs firm provides pre-architecture and post-architecture services in a fiercely competitive market where architectural fees often are not enough to keep a design firm in the black.

Among Rosenbergs business strategies is investing in properties his firm designs. Forming partnerships with owners, property managers and other key players is integral.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Rosenberg said his Los Angeles firms extended business scope covers site sourcing, property analysis and parcel assembly. The firm also sources capital and underwrites properties.

To some extent we act like a developer, Rosenberg said, noting it adds an enormous value to M-Rads services.

Instead of looking for developers to hire us, we present them with capital deals, assemblages of four or six properties basically in a wrapped-up package ready to go, he said. M-Rads service includes yield and massing studies and development options on a given property basically delivered (to developers) on a gold platter.

It allows us to take part in the equity, get referral feesinstead of just working off (architectural) fee structures. It gives us a safety net to continue to grow.

He told delegates architects run very difficult businesses. The fee structure for designs is typically low, making it difficult for firms to get ahead.

Added value comes through meetings with the community to see what residents and business owners want to see developed, he said, noting that M-Rads scope includes interior design and furniture design.

The idea of these post architecture (services) is to speed up some of the revenue verticals. It also allows us to brand (through marketing strategies) our projects.

A case in point is the firms design and production of two fragrances because smell is one of the strongest ways to tap into someones (potential client) memory sense.

Rosenberg said his firm analyzes one or two properties daily all over the world for everything from zoning to building codes.

The ultimate objective is to learn as much about properties and the roles of all the consultants involved in a project in order to improve the final product.

If everybody at the table is not standing togetherthats a problem.

Rosenberg said a wakeup call came six years ago after M-Rad lost money on one of its first design commissions a multi-family development because the firm underbid the competition to get the job.

We had to pay for that project with another project. Its an endless vicious cycle, he said.

A 740,000 square foot bio-tech research campus commission M-Rad won involved a lot of free spec work. Architects work for free because they must, but they can also ask for something.

The developer provides time and gets equity. Engineers can do that, owners can do that, and architects can do that, Rosenberg told the seminar.

We have to realize that the angle is not for one person to get rich.

The end goal is to design and develop better projects and if we can all come together at the beginning of the process, that is where we will be able to add greater value than we are adding now.

In the long run he hopes M-Rads agenda raises the bar across the industry, creating a shift in the way architects do business to improve efficiencies and create new revenue channels.

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M-Rad re-thinks an architect's relationship to a project - Daily Commercial News

The post World War two city boom was filled with dreams of cars and highways that extended across fast-growing cities. But much of that boom came at the expense of ensuring that these metropolises catered to basic human needs.

Thanks to the vision and expertise of four trailblazing female architects, some of north Americas iconic cities evolved to ensure a balance between modernism and human urbanism.

The last major push for urban planners to create new city spaces was after World War II, when towns were expanding rapidly to create a new modern era of suburban living, cars and highways.

Among those urban planners were four women -- all architects.

These trailblazing women are the focus of a documentary called City Dreamers by Montreal-based director Joseph Hillel.

Through rare film clips of the women and the work they did throughout the 20th century, he pieces together thelegacy left by these architects.

Many of the attempts to improve cities today look backto the work of these women.

Old boys club

Their names may not be well known outside architectural or urban planning circles, but they have been there since these cities began changing in the 1950s.

They are Phyllis Lambert, based in Montreal.

Denise Scott Brown, who worked primarily in Philadelphia.

Blanche Lemco van Ginkel, who worked in both Toronto and Montreal.

And Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, who was based in Vancouver.

Back then, architecture was really seen as a man's job.

They managed to break into theold boys club and assert themselves not as the assistants, but as the architects, which wasn't always easy.

In the documentary, one of the architects jokes about the fact that when the doors close at a meeting and she was asked to leave as it was assumed she was one of the secretaries.

But to really appreciate what they accomplished in the 20th century, you have to understand that architecture is not just about designing houses.

That's the first lesson Hillel learned in putting together this documentary.

Architecture is not only buildings, its more of a holistic point of view and its more human than I thought,Hillel toldRFI.

They [are] always putting the people, the humans, in the centre of their work and their thinking, he adds.

Milestones

Each woman contributed her own theory, vision, or approach to urban landscaping and planning.

The starting point for the documentary for Hillel was via van Ginkel.

Shes a woman I had heard about, since Im in Montrealbecause she saved Montreal, Hillel explains matter-of-factly.

During the 1960s when many large cities were destroying old parts of the city to make way for highways to accommodate increasing commutes between the city and the suburbs, she pushed back to save Montreals old port.

Along with her husband, Sandy van Ginkel, they co-found van Ginkel Associates in 1956 that focused on conserving historic districts, and ensuring pedestrian-friendly spaces abound.

Lambert is also well-known in Montreal for her activism in preserving many of the patrimonial buildings that were slated for destruction to make way for new buildings that took away from the identity of the city.

Shes also responsible for the first building of The Seagram building, in New York City, as well as the founder of the Canadian Centre for Architecture.

I knew Denise Scott Brown from readings. . . I read Learning from Las Vegas, its a classic, explains Hillel.

She, along with her husband Robert Venturi, designed many building complexes and developed architectural theories.

But when he was awarded the Prizker Prize in 1991, the equivalent of a Nobel Prize, he asked that his wife also be included, but the panel refused.

In 2013, a petition was passed around asking that she be given a prize retroactively, but the jury declined to revisit the decision.

Oberlander is considered the world leader in landscape architecture, which means she looks to build spaces that are filled with local nature that suit the needs of the urban population. She imagines and promotes sustainable and socially conscious designs that look to benefit entire communities of all ages.

She invented for example, the concept of green roof tops in many major cities.

A great and loved creation of hers is Vancouvers Van Dusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre.

Lasting Legacy

Through their vision and determination, city centres were saved, nature was incorporated into metropolis, and people were included in urban planning plans. Cities are not just about the buildings.

In his hometown of Montreal, Hillel attests to the impact of these women.

In Montreal. . . we didnt have that drive to have high rises, as was the case in Toronto, Vancouver, New York and many other cities.

Theres an impact to that; you walk in Toronto and you dont see the sun. So in a way Montreal was not growing like all thosewe developed a more human scale city, with the likes of Lambert and van Ginkel leading the way.

Despite the women being between the ages of 87 to 93, they remain active in their work, or at least as consultants.

Hillel is currently making the circuit of film festivals to screen his documentary.

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City Dreamers: The female architects who built 20th century cities - RFI

December 11th, 2019 by Editor

The International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off (WFCT) 2020, to be held September 22-24, announces the Architects Window Film Forum. Architects will be provided a single day track designed specifically for their needs. These courses will provide insight into the various window film products and services available. The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida will host the full day of educational seminars earning architects 4 continuing education units (CEUs).

Film sponsors may support the Architects Window Film Forum program by providing industry subject-matter experts. Show management will encourage architects to enjoy a full day of education, and will be given the opportunity to visit the WFCT exhibition floor as well. The educational track will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2020.

The expansion came as a result of requests from those allied to the industry. We are delighted to be able to develop this offering during the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off, said senior event director, Tricia Lopez. This program helps to meet two growing needs while providing a platform that services the architectural community, said Lopez.

More information on the Architects Window Film Forum will be available in coming months and on wfctevent.com. Contact 540/720-5584 with questions.

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International Window Film and Conference and Tint-Off Expands with New Program for Architects - Window Film magazine

Photo: Unsplash

Wondering what buildings are coming down or going up in Albuquerque? Local building permit data can shine a light on what's under construction near you.

In the past week, the city issued 275 building permits, according to data from BuildZoom, a platform that helps homeowners and businesses with new construction and remodels.

Of those permits, 13 were for new construction, one was for a demolition project and the remainder were for repairs and renovations.

Read on for a selection of the most noteworthy new permits.

Applicant A&S Plumbing Inc. was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a commercial structure at 1400 San Mateo Blvd. SE. The work is described as: "Installation of new fire line and water service."

Applicant B&D Industries Inc. received a permit for repair/renovation of a commercial structure at 2401 Aztec Road NE. The permit defines the work as: "Install (one) new three-phase 120 208 volt electrical panel with three branch circuits to battery plant."

Contractor CH Mechanical LLC was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a commercial structure at 5230 Fourth St. NW. The work scope is described as: "Bob's Burger renovation - new plumbing throughout."

Contractor Bsi Roofing LLC received a permit for repair/renovation of a commercial structure at 2024 Fifth St. NW. The work scope is described as: "Re-roof."

Contractor Air Pro Inc. was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a commercial structure at 1405 Martin Luther King Ave. NE. The work scope is described as: "Installation of a new water heater and a new furnace."

Applicant Solar Works Energy LLC received a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 1648 Moon St. NE. The work is described as: "Installation of new solar array."

Contractor Solar Works Energy LLC received a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 8517 Bellehaven Ave. NE. The work is described as: "Installation of new solar array."

Contractor Desert Suns Heating & Cooling was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 308 Sierra Place NE. The permit defines the work as: "Installation of a new roof."

This story was created automatically using local building data from BuildZoom, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing.

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A roundup of construction permits filed last week in Albuquerque - Yahoo News

Sunday Stories Amy Millhorn LeonardDec 9, 2019 at 4:30 PM

There are many gems found in Downtown Kingsport, but one of those has been providing specialty items for area shoppers for over 43 years. That business gem is Gazebo Party & Gift Shop. In operation in the same location all that time at 225 East Market Street, current owner Jo-Rita Clayton found herself looking for a new home after the untimely sale of the building last summer. Now that shes found that home, she wants to make sure customers know exactly where to find Gazebo Party & Gift Shop.

We are still here! Jo-Rita exclaimed. We just moved across the street, but on the opposite corner at 238 East Market Street!

Gazebos new bright turquoise door faces the corner.

I have been getting many calls daily asking where we have moved to and I just tell them to meet me at the corner of Cherokee and East Market Street, said Jo-Rita. We love the new location! The move gave us a chance to really reorganize our stock to give our customers more of what they want. We still carry many items which cannot be found anywhere else in the Tri-Cities area.

Love to give homemade cookies and candies as gifts? Gazebo Party & Gift Shop has everything to make those items even more special like Peters Caramel, peppermint crunch and other candy add-ins, Merckens chocolates in 1, 5 and 10-pound bags, a large variety of sprinkles, sugars, fillings, royal icing mixes and dusts, over 300 different candy molds and the areas largest selection of cookie cutters to choose from.

For professional and amateur cake bakers and decorators, Gazebo offers a complete line of flavorings by LorAnn, Superior and Crme Bouquet along with AmeriColor food colorings and a variety of fondants and fillings.

Gazebo has the largest selection of cake decorating tips in the region, Jo-Rita said. They also stock cookie, cake and candy making utensils and the bags, boxes, boards, drums and more in which to place and display your goodies for gift delivery.

Gazebo Party & Gift Shop also has Wind & Willow cheeseball and soup mixes, Aspen Mulling spices, Captain Rodneys Boucan cheese bake dip mixes and savory cracker seasonings to be used to make holiday party fare more sumptuous or as Christmas gifts beautifully packaged in gift bags also found at the shop. Gazebo is an authorized dealer for quality RADA Cutlery. Gazebo has everything to make your Christmas gift-making and giving superbly special!

Interested in learning to make delicious and beautiful cakes, cookies and candies? Gazebo Party & Gift Shop offers classes. For more about classes and what Gazebo Party & Gift Shop has to offer, check out more on their Facebook page: Gazebo Party & Gift Shop. Or call Jo-Rita at (423) 245-0771. Make sure and visit this Downtown Kingsport gem at its new location, now at 238 East Market Street.

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Gazebo's new location gives customers 'more of what they want' - Kingsport Times News

BARNEGAT, NJ In years past, Barnegat residents looked forward to the tree lighting at the Townships Municipal Hall. While holiday traditions certainly have their place, theres always room for improvement. In this case, it was a matter of preparing for what seemed to be inevitable.

Mayor Al Cirulli and I thought that construction would be underway on our new building, explained Committeeman Al Bille. We needed to find an alternative that would still brighten up the town.

It didnt take long to settle on the right place to highlight the greetings of the season. Gazebo Park became the ideal choice situated in the middle of the downtown area and adjacent to the roadway. While it wasn't the first time the Township decorated the gazebo, it seemed a novel idea to conduct the tree lighting there.

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Setting up the holiday fare became a collaborative effort. The Garden Market, which is located in Barnegat, donated a live Christmas tree and bows for the gazebo, Bille shared. The Township also received discounted rates for wreaths and garland.

Santas elves appeared in different forms for the tree lighting and to decorate other parts of the Township. Kathy Herring of the Recreation Department coordinated the efforts.

First, the Barnegat Garden Club took on the amazing task of trimming the flower barrels and adorning them for the holidays.

Jay and Bob from the Department of Public Works strung up the white lights in the park. That said, DPW workers posing as elves did something even more amazing.

The power company wanted $500 each to get our street decorations working, said Bille. Our guys got them operational with the help of a truck they borrowed from Stafford.

December 5th marked the first time Barnegat lit the tree in Gazebo Park. Miraculously, the rain held off that evening until after the mayor flipped the switch. And, then, thats when Barnegats own magic continued with some slight pitter-patter.

As the bright lights went on, it shouldnt be hard to guess who appeared to all the wondering eyes. Twas Barnegats Santa and Mrs. Santa there to welcome all to the start of the season. Soon after, they were off to visit the streets of children of all ages.

The location of Gazebo Park stands prominently in the center of many of our local businesses, Bille concluded. We plan to do the tree lighting there every year from now on, as well as other similar Township events.

Stephanie A. Faughnan is a local journalist and Director of Writefully Inspired, a professional writing and resume service. Feel free to contact her at sfaughnan@tapinto.net.

Continued here:
New Holiday Tradition in Barnegat Starts This Year - TAPinto.net

LEWISTON, Maine Jennifer Hayes was surprised by the large number of people already lined up in Kennedy Park Friday afternoon when she arrived to set up tables to hand out warm clothing and food to those in need.

The 34 Christmas stockings filled with snacks went within minutes, said Hayes, 43, who set up the gifts with her 45-year-old sister, Amy. This is the best Christmas gift ever.

The Hayes sisters set up the tables with hot cocoa, snacks, baggies full of soap and other hygiene products, socks and homemade scarfs and hats in front of the gazebo in Lewistons Kennedy Park at 1 p.m. Within an hour, a lot of the handouts were gone.

We are doing this in honor of our father, who passed away six years ago today, Hayes said. This is something he would have done.

She also was celebrating her own triumph over seven years of homelessness and getting sober. Seeing so many people benefit from the donations made her happy, Hayes said.

The sisters held a similar event in Portland two years ago because there are more homeless in that city, but decided to bring the event closer to their home in Auburn this year.

They all said thank you, Amy Hayes said of the people who took a stocking or other gift and then disappeared as quickly as they had appeared in the park.

Youre a sweetheart, Jesse Kontoes, 59, of Auburn told Jennifer Hayes as he pushed his walker toward the table with the drinks and food. Hayes explained that Kontoes is mentally challenged.

Kontoes said he was hit by a car last year, and pulls up his pant leg to show a big bump that necessitates his continued use of the walker.

He opted for a drink of juice and a pre-cooked pepperoni pizza.

Im having pizza tonight, he beamed.

Mickaela Tirel, 20, of Auburn took her time sorting through the remaining items in the boxes on the table. She picked up mostly baggies full of hygiene products.

Im pregnant and homeless, Tirel said. Her baby is due in late summer.

This holiday season Tirels needs are especially pressing, as her 3-year-old son is coming for Christmas.

I need a place to go for my family, she said. I have no place [where] he can go.

Jennifer Hayes could relate to Tirel.

I was addicted to drugs and homeless for seven years while I was in Boston, she said. I moved back here eight years ago and moved in with my mom until I saved enough to get my own place. I now rent a home with my fiance.

Related:Carolyn Fish talks about being homeless in Bangor for years

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This Auburn woman who used to be homeless gives out food and warm clothes to those in need - Bangor Daily News

Buffalo, Minn.

Built in 2019, this three-bedroom, three-bath house has 2,960 square feet and features new construction with two bedrooms on the main level, vaulted ceilings, fireplace, eat-in kitchen, finished walkout basement, porch and deck. Listed by Bruce McAlpin, 612-669-6324, and Bonnie Knutson, 612-219-2373, Edina Realty.

Eden Prairie

Built in 1993, this four-bedroom, three-bath house has 2,912 square feet and features four bedrooms on one level, fireplace, formal dining room, hardwood floors, crown moldings, deck, porch and fenced yard with paver patio, fire pit and gazebo. Listed by Josie Patterson, 952-212-5107, and Brace Helgeson, 612-310-4300, Coldwell Banker Burnet.

Woodbury

Built in 2014, this five-bedroom, four-bath house has 3,719 square feet and features four bedrooms on one level, hardwood floors, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen with center island, glass-paned barn doors, patio, porch and full finished basement. Listed by Karie Curnow, Edina Realty, 612-226-3644.

Note: Listings active as of Dec. 11.

Photos provided by Bruce McAlpin and Bonnie Knutson/Dean Riedel, 360VIP Photography/Karie Curnow

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Home listings: What $465000 buys in the Twin Cities area - Minneapolis Star Tribune