I can’t write a critique of the shortlisted firms for the Venice Biennale Pavilion any better than Peter Johns, so just going to direct you straight to his brilliant post. Seems to be the way most of these big architectural comps are going – not really encouraging emerging firms or attempting to break the mould at all…
Update from The Age The Agethis morning, apparently ‘architects broadly welcomed the shortlist’…hmmm…
So about four weeks ago, I turned my computer on one day and a nice black screen said “No memory”. That’s it, just “No memory”. And wouldn’t go any further. So I’ve had it in with our work IT guru to try and get anything back, but its not looking promising! So once again my apologies for lagging on this blog, I’ve borrowed a friend’s spare laptop (who has a spare laptop??!!) for a little while and we’ll see how we go.
And the winners are …
Student Prize for the advancement of Architecture
Danny Brookes (RMIT)
Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize
Barry McNeil (commendation)
Associate Professor Anna Rubbo (USyd)
Bluescope Glenn Murcutt Student Prize
Sam Bresnehan (UTas)
Emerging Architect Prize
Dr Marcus White
Dulux Study Tour
Carly Barrett (HASSEL, WA)
Christina Na-Heon Cho
Yuri Dillon
Jefa Greenaway
Brendan Murray
Leadership in Sustainability Prize
Paul Pholeros, Healthabitat
National President’s Prize
Janet Holmes A Court
Gold Medal
Dr Graeme Gunn
Flicking over the TV tonight and found an interview with Frank Gehry when he was in Sydney recently. Check it out here. here
I went along to the State Theatre open day on Sunday, along with a lot of other architects, tourists and interested sticky-beaks. As much as I wanted to love this building, as I have watched it evolve from the grand viewpoint of the train, I just didn’t feel it. Some elements were great – the timber panelling around the Heath Ledger Theatre is gorgeous (shame it had to be Tasmanian!) and the gold bars suspended from the foyer ceiling provide a beautiful sense of grandeur. Considering how many people were in there and the muggy hot day it was, the space coped quite well with only a minimal amount of floor mounted a/c vents. (Look out for Marilyn impersonators!) And the amount of natural light was really effective, with sunshade blinds and filmed windows. I also actually liked the bare brick flooring of the lower level and the bareness of this floor’s fitout. So what was my problem? Tall poppy syndrome? Perhaps, I’m honestly not quite sure. I think it might be simply the time and day I visited. I think most of us can tell this is going to be a magnificent building at night, with the glowing fly tower and glittering golden facade. It certainly is grand and theatrical, with gold ceiling, gold stairs, gold carpet. But I think during the day it doesn’t really relate as well. Which maybe it never has to, so that is fine. I think I wanted it to relate to Northbridge a bit better, with perhaps a daytime use available (other than the very hot looking bare courtyard) and some more connection to James St and the Cultural Centre. So I guess really my ‘objections’ are with the brief, the architecture itself is really well done – now I’ll just have to go check it out at night to get the proper feeling. Did anyone else go? What did you think?
The more images you see, the more stories you hear, the more accounts you read, the more the scope of this disaster just gets more and more overwhelming. The area of flooding is astronomical – on about Tuesday I heard it was about the size of Germany and France combined – who knows how large it is in comparison now. And look at any weather map and you’ll see this little pocket of Australia is about the only area not soggy. The AIA has set up a blog for members (and hopefully non-members too!) to offer support and practical assistance to those members affected. Emergency Architects Australia are offering assistance to any Queensland residents needing assistance – check out their website for you can be involved. Donate (funds only) to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal here. Archicentre has also set up a ‘triage’ assessment process for assessing damage to properties affected by the flood.
How great was the Thom Mayne talk? I really enjoyed his insights into the industry over the past few decades, and his unique perspectives on past, present and future contexts. Was really interesting. And anyone who sits aroundhaving breakfast and discussing philosophy and CAD with the likes of Eric Owen Moss and Steven Holl must have learnt a thing or two along the way. It was so great to see so
many people in attendance – hopefully it’s not another thirty years until the Institue brings out a speaker again – I had no idea Wolf Prix had been to Perth, he would have been fascinating.
For those who don’t get the Lifestyle Channel, you can still get a lot of information on each of the episodes by checking out the Lifestyle Channel Grand Designs Aus website. You can watch videos, see 3Ds of the featured houses, and find discussions and comments from the architects, viewers etc, really quite interesting.
Further to this post, there were no WA winners in the recent Timber Design Awards or the Interior Design Excellence Awards. What’s going on?
Image from ABC news website
128 years after construction commenced on Sagrada Familia, it will be officially blessed by the Pope this Sunday, enabling the first masses to take place in the beautiful space. Once it has been consecrated the space will be open to up to 9 000 worshipers at each service, and should be complete within the next 16 years, if the visitors and faithful keep up the donations.
There are plans afoot to beatify Gaudi, which if successful will make him the first architect saint. Members of the Pro-Beatification of Antonio Gaudi Association have revealed two miracles attributed to him which are currently before the Vatican for consideration. It is hoped the sainthood may become official by June 10th, 2016, 90 years after his death.
