Summer "Reading" List

While I wish I could say I've been utilizing all of this summer free time to be productive, expand my portfolio and read extensively, I've done nothing of the sort. As the first summer in six years that I am not enrolled in at least one course as well as balancing either one or two jobs, I am enjoying the peace and quiet of a happy existence by the pool reading fiction and clipping images and articles from architectural magazines. 

I once received a compliment  about how I seem to stay somewhat up-to-date with the new happenings in the design world, and I'd like to share with you today the sites and blogs I subscribe to in order to stay current, even when I'm just watching television or am on my lunch break.

First, I subscribe electronically to Archidose's Weekly Dose  of Architecture. Here you provide your email address and get emails with outstanding new projects as well as a selected book for the week, usually something brand new and worth hearing about. This week's dose

Also, among various magazine subscriptions I stay current with Architectural Record and I do delight in an occasional Architectural Digest. There are also tons of blogs out there like Coffee with an Architect, which tends to be more sarcastic and humorous than the typical "oooooh this is pretty (or neat)" blog, as well as Life of an Architect, by Bob Borson which teeters on the line between serious and often quite funny. This week, Bob is enjoying his summer vacation and has had a few other groups stand in while he's out and I must share this breathtaking post by Andrewvl who included some of the wonders of Dallas, TX, and helped fuel the travel bug in me.

Finally, I subscribe to RSS feeds for Reddit architecture, Inhabitat- green design will save the world, TreeHugger, ArchDaily and when I have extra time I like to browse the job boards at Archinect.

While all of this is a stepping stone for learning and keeping current in architecture, I am a firm believer that you must experience architecture firsthand to truly understand it. But the pictures sure are nice to look at! :) Here are a few I spotted today:

The Velodrome by Hopkins Architects, Inhabitat

 

Tom Dixon Store

Mecanoo Architecten, Daily Candy

los-molles-house, Daily Candy

Entries for Young Architects Program, Arch Daily

Pedestrian Bridge, sanzpoint Architectura, Inhabitat

Wood-wrapped Green Office building, Inhabitat

Houston Ballet Center, Architectural Record

LAPD Main Street Parking Garage, Architectural Record

Vertical Gardens

Over the past few years the environmental awareness movement has all but taken over the architectural  (and design) community. If you are not green, are not studying new methods to be green, or do not intend to utilize green methods in the near future, your practice will inevitably start failing (unless perhaps you are a STAR-chitect). This means being environmentally conscious in all things, including adding more plants/trees, utilizing natural energy sources, eliminating hazardous chemicals, products, VOCs, etc.

We've always known the basics: position your structure on the lot to utilize space, views, and sunlight efficiently; flat roofs collect water and tend to buckle; build your house on stilts if the area tends to flood--you know, the basics. Nowadays, coupled with these "no-brainers," we are looking for the most cost-effective, most beautiful, and greenest (LEED certification brings home the bucks too!).

Recently I have become more intrigued with the vertical garden as a means of beautifying "boring architecture" or making the most out of small urban spaces like patios and rooftops. For those of you who have not seen this method of gardening, here are some examples:

Unfortunately, I don't possess the green thumb or direct sunlight possible for a vertical patio garden of my own, but they are great inspiration for "greening up."