What is the Thinking Hand in Architecture (and why we, as architects, must defend the natural slowness and diversity of experience) #ilmaBlog #Discourse #Theory #Architecture #Design
Posted: October 7, 2018 Filed under: Architectist, Architecture, Art, Design, Design Thinking, Isms, More FC3 | Tags: Architects, book, Design, Discourse, existential, isms, Theory Leave a comment
2009 Book, The Thinking Hand written byArchitect Juhani Pallasmaa
In The Thinking Hand, Architect Juhani Pallasmaa reveals the miraculous potential of the human hand. He shows how the pencil in the hand of the artist or architect becomes the bridge between the imagining mind and the emerging image. The book surveys the multiple essences of the hand, its biological evolution and its role in the shaping of culture, highlighting how the hand–tool union and eye–hand–mind fusion are essential for dexterity and how ultimately the body and the senses play a crucial role in memory and creative work. Pallasmaa here continues the exploration begun in his classic work The Eyes of the Skin by further investigating the interplay of emotion and imagination, intelligence and making, theory and life, once again redefining the task of art and architecture through well-grounded human truths.
Pallasmaa notes that, “…architecture provides our most important existential icons by which we can understand both our culture and ourselves. Architecture is an art form of the eye, the hand, the head and the heart. The practice of architecture calls for the eye in the sense of requiring precise and perceptive observation. It requires the skills of the hand, which must be understood as an active instrument of processing ideas in the Heideggeran sense. As architecture is an art of constructing and physical making, its processes and origins are essential ingredients of its very expression…”
Linking art and architecture he continues, “…as today’s consumer, media and information culture increasingly manipulate the human mind through thematized environments, commercial conditioning and benumbing entertainment, art has the mission to defend the autonomy of individual experience and provide an existential ground for the human condition. One of the primary tasks of art is to safeguard the authenticity and independence of human experience.”
Pallasmaa asserts that,
“Confidence in future architecture must be based on the knowledge of its specific task; architects need to set themselves tasks that no one else knows how to imagine. Existential meanings of inhabiting space can be articulated by the art of architecture alone. Thus architecture continues to have a great human task in mediating between the world and ourselves and in providing a horizon of understanding in the human existential condition.
The task of architecture is to maintain the differentiation and hierarchical and qualitative articulation of existential space. Instead of participating in the process of further speeding up the experience of the world, architecture has to slow down experience, halt time, and defend the natural slowness and diversity of experience. Architecture must defend us against excessive exposure, noise and communication. Finally, the task of architecture is to maintain and defend silence. The duty of architecture and art is to survey ideals and new modes of perception and experience, and thus open up and widen the boundaries of our lived world.”
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends.
Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
The 10 Most Important Things I Learned from My Parents and Hope to Teach My Kids
Posted: April 20, 2020 Filed under: Architectist, More FC3, Repost | Tags: Family, FC3, Goggins, health, ILMABlog, Inspiration, Kidness, Love, Motivation, Never Give Up, Patience, quotes, RESPECT, Stoicism, Stoics, Thinking, Virtues, Virtuous, Wisdom Leave a comment(Original: September 24, 2011; Updated on April 20, 2020)

1. Health is the greatest wealth you will ever have.
In light of recent events this seems more profound than ever before. We take our health for granted but sooner or later when something goes wrong we seem to appreciate it as our number one gift. Without a healthy body, mind and spirit we are faced to live a life of pain and suffering. Living a life of health means a life of balancing. It is fine to enjoy life but remember that we only have one body and one life. I like to think that the body we are given on earth will be the body that we have in heaven and that makes me want to respect my body and treat it like a temple. All the money in the world is not going to help save you if you do not have your health.
You can’t enjoy wealth if you’re not in good health.” “Happiness is the new rich. Inner peace is the new success. Health is a new wealth.
—Syed Balkhi

2. Education is the best gift we can give you; the rest is up to you.
The ability to acquire knowledge and use knowledge is a powerful weapon in today’s world filled with over-stimulation and contradictory information. More than ever there is so much propaganda and false information that we need to really educate ourselves. I like to learn about weird facts, history, art, science, architecture and inspirational/motivational topics. Using formal education as a springboard life can be filled with wonder by thinking about different topics in new ways using creativity and imagination. Now that many of us are in self isolation it is a great time to get reacquainted with an old book or some new ones.
“Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, you’ll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up.”
—David Goggins
Now that many of us are in self isolation it is a great time to get reacquainted with an old book or some new ones.
3. Respect Everyone – Treat Everyone the way you would want to be treated.
The world is so divided – maybe it has always been so – we need to remember that although we look at things from different perspectives we share more in common than you might think. We all want a healthy, happy family. We all want to help the poor and feed the hungry. We all want to protect our loved ones. We want there to be peace in the world.
“We are all great. No matter if you think you’re dumb, fat, been bullied, we all have greatness. You gotta find the courage. It’s going to be hard work, discipline, and the non-cognitive skills – hard work, dedication, sacrifice – that will set you apart.”
—David Goggins
Let’s respect the disparities that makes us unique and think about the other instead of hating our brothers and sisters for our differences.

4. Patience is a virtue (I am still working on this one).
I am (still) still working on this one. I like to live a fast-paced life but the current situation has forced me to slow down a bit…..OK a lot.
“Throughout your day find a moment, however fleeting, to just sit and be still. Doesn’t matter where you are. Take a few deep breathes, put your phone on vibrate so there’s no chance of interruption, and just reflect on the series of events that took place throughout your day. When you’re working, be ruthlessly present.”
The Stoic: 9 Principles to Help You Keep Calm in Chaos by Paul Jun
Connecting with nature and taking regular walks between blocks of work seems to help.

5. Slow Down – The more you rush at something, the longer it will take to complete.
It’s true. Let’s concentrate on the matter at hand.
Let your mind focus on the task at hand, what you’re trying to accomplish, and do it with diligence, patience, attentiveness, and care. Sooner or later, you’ll realize how much of an asset this is to your creativity and overall quality of life.”
The Stoic: 9 Principles to Help You Keep Calm in Chaos by Paul Jun
Measure twice and cut once…Isn’t that what they say?


6. Seize the Day – Take each day at a time.
I have been working on trying to focus on each day as it comes while also taking time to look at the long view of what is coming so I can work towards those items as well so as not be overwhelmed. I try to deal with each day’s problems as they come instead of worrying about the future. 99% of the things that you worry about will never occur.

7. Be Kind – It doesn’t take any longer to be kind.
When I told this someone they said “it actually does take longer, but it’s still worth it.” I guess they are right, it does take some thought and some action. It’s those small moments of acknowledging others or empathizing with their situation that makes connect with people. Passing people by without a friendly gesture of hello seems cold and heartless to me although sometimes I am scared to wave in fear of not being reciprocated. I must also learn to be strong and fearless and do the right thing despite the reaction from others.
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”
—Mahatma Gandhi

8. Be the Best you can – (truly) do the best you can.
“When you think that you are done, you’re only 40% in to what your body’s capable of doing. That’s just the limits that we put on ourselves….[When we think we have] “reached our absolute limit, we still have 60 percent more to give! That’s the governor in action! Once you know that to be true, it’s simply a matter of stretching your pain tolerance, letting go of your identity and all your self-limiting stories, so you can get to 60 percent, then 80 percent and beyond without giving up. I call this The 40% Rule, and the reason it’s so powerful is that if you follow it, you will unlock your mind to new levels of performance and excellence in sports and in life, and your rewards will run far deeper than mere material success. The 40% Rule can be applied to everything.”
—David Goggins

9. Family & Friends – The bonds of a family and true friendships are precious.
With regards to family and loved ones, now more than ever we are able to learn about each other’s strengths, weaknesses, personalities and flaws, since we are all living together 24-7 during self-isolation. We try to accept each other unconditionally because we love each other. No one is perfect, and our faults make us who we are. It’s funny that the things that annoy us most about our loved ones are things that remind us of ourselves.
“I’ve listened to someone as young as 14 and someone as old as 100 talk about their close friends, and [there are] three expectations of a close friend that I hear people describing and valuing across the entire life course.” They are: “Somebody to talk to, someone to depend on, and someone to enjoy.”
—William Rawlins, the Stocker Professor of Interpersonal Communication at Ohio University

10. The 99% Rule – Most people are good, only a few are not.
If you give people a chance you will see that most want to do you no harm. You always have to be careful about the 1% but generally speaking most people have good intentions. With the bombardment of social media and twisted ideological politics it’s hard to image that 99% are good – shouldn’t that number be much, much lower, right!? Wrong!
The definition of “divide and conquer” is to make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they will not join together against one.
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Accessed 20 Apr. 2020.
We must remind ourselves that the news media shows the 1% over and over again. Let’s look for sources where we can see people doing good. People want to help each other and not hurt each other. Do not let those in powers divide and conquer us. For example:
“The vast majority of people, when faced with simple, clear ethical choices, choose good over bad and even good over neutral. Imagine a stranger’s baby is about to fall off a chair next to you. You would try to catch it, right? Intuition tells you that you can count on nearly everyone else to try to catch that baby, too. Empathy is an evolutionary gift, an instinct that extends in concentric circles from the self, to loved ones, to community to countries and, for the enlightened, all of humanity — a concept dating to the ancient Greek Stoic Hierocles. Everyone is capable of widening one’s circle.”
—David G. Allan, CNN
Conclusion:
Original Post:
- Health is the greatest wealth you will ever have.
- Education is the best gift we can give you; the rest is up to you.
- Respect Everyone – Treat Everyone the way you would want to be treated
- Patience is a virtue (I am still working on this one).
- Slow Down – The more you rush at something, the longer it will take to complete.
- Seize the Day – Take each day at a time.
- Be Kind – It doesn’t take any longer to be kind.
- Be the Best you can – (truly) do the best you can.
- Family & Friends – The bonds of a family and true friendships are precious.
- The 99% Rule – Most people are good, only a few are not.
Original Post: The 10 Most Important Things I Learned from My Parents and Hope to Teach My Kids
Further Reading:
207 Inspirational David Goggins Quotes On Success and life
7 Pieces of Wisdom That Will Change the Way You Work
10 Productivity Lessons From Benjamin Franklin
Who Knows What’s Good or Bad? – David Allan – Medium
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Architecture of Hope #ilmaBlog
Posted: August 25, 2019 Filed under: Architectist, Design, Design Thinking, More FC3, Uncategorized | Tags: Architecture, Frank Furness, Frank lloyd wright, Hope, Joy, Love, Manifesto Leave a commentEveryone loves when new project is conceived. The designs that are imagined in collaboration with an Architect and an Owner is magical – it is one of the rare opportunities in life when we have some control about creating something meaningful. An architecture project offers hope and meaning to a world filled with complexity, anxiety and chaos.
When a project is developed there is a sense of hope that the world will be a better place. Great architecture allows people’s lives to change for the better addressing the programmatic needs of the client while offering beautiful, harmonic spaces for the occupants.
When an Architect envisions a space for a client, they are taking a wish and making it a reality. The new spaces that make up the built work will become treasured by those who are able to experience it. The building itself will shape the lives of the occupants and allow them to do the things they could not before. Great architecture is more than just a shelter or a place that addresses the client’s need. Great architecture transcends time and space and connects us in various ways: literally connects us in real time when using the space but also interacts with the occupants as experiences are etched into the memory of the building. There is a feeling you get when you are in a great building. It is difficult to describe but the space itself is more than the sum of its parts. It is a spiritual experience. An example of such a building for me is the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright or the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts by Frank Furness.





















Experiencing these buildings on various occasions exemplifies how Architects can design buildings in a way that epitomizes hope. There are two definitions for hope: (1) a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen and (2) a feeling of trust. Indeed, experiencing these spaces and many others the occupant does have a strong desire for something to happen and there is a feeling of trust that something will happen. When visiting these special places, it is easy to see that designing architecture of hope allows the visitor a chance to experience a space that otherwise would be unexciting and humdrum.
When starting out on a project it is important to address this inherent desire to create someplace distinctive and extraordinary by thinking about how we as great Architects can live up to the desires and hope of our clients, even when they may not clearly see or sense the hope in the vision they are trying to construct. Our jobs as Architects is to offer hope to our clients through our exceptional and distractive skills, blending art and science and craft when practicing Architecture. If we can do this then we can create an Architecture filled with hope.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Suggested Reading:
Architects Vs. “Sculptor” Architects based on a conversation btw @WJMArchitect and @FrankCunhaIII
Ophiuchus: The Serpent Bearer (Playing With Numbers)
The 10,000 Year Clock #ilmaBlog
Posted: June 12, 2019 Filed under: Design, More FC3, Science & Technology, Video | Tags: clock, Culture, Engineering, Future, Innovation, Science, STEM Leave a commentI want to build a clock that ticks once a year. The century hand advances once every 100 years, and the cuckoo comes out on the millennium. I want the cuckoo to come out every millennium for the next 10,000 years.
(Danny Hillis, a polymath inventor, computer engineer, and designer, inventor and prime genius of the Clock. He and Stewart Brand, a cultural pioneer and trained biologist)
The full scale 10,000 Year Clock is now under construction. While there is no completion date scheduled, we do plan to open it to the public once it is ready. The essay below by Long Now board member Kevin Kelly discusses what we hope the Clock will be once complete. This is one of several projects by Long Now to foster long-term thinking in the context of the next 10,000 years. Click here to read the rest of the story.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Architect’s Follow Up on the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris and Creating Safer Work Environments #UnderConstruction #Safety #Design #Architecture #LessonsLearned #SafetyFirst #Design #Build #Architect #ilmaBlog
Posted: May 5, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Construction, Design, More FC3, Safety | Tags: Architect, Blaze, Building Safety, Construction, Contractors, Design Build, FC3, Fire, Fire Safety, ILMA, Lessons Learned, Nortre Dame, OSHA, Paris, Risk Management, Risk Management Tips, Safety, Wood Construction, Worker Safety Leave a commentFollow Up on the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris and Creating Safer Work Environments
A few weeks ago on April 15th, 2019, a fire destroyed the roof and wooden spire of the Notre-Dame de Paris.
One of the most famous timber frame fires started just after midnight on the 2nd September 1666 in Pudding Lane. After burning for three days it destroyed nearly 90 percent of the inhabitants of London’s homes.

Possible Causes For Blaze
Although officials say that the investigation could last several weeks and nothing can be ruled out at this time, there is much suspicion that the blaze may have been started by a short-circuit near the spire.
The short circuit may have been possibly caused by electrified bells, or negligence by construction workers carrying out the ongoing renovations, a theory fueled by the discovery of cigarette butts.

Typical Sources of Ignition
Not related to the fire, but for a matter of reference, sources of ignition during construction may generally include: (1) Hot works – cutting, grinding, soldering, hot pitching; (2) Faulty electrical equipment – damaged sockets and equipment, service strikes, temporary supplies and halogen lighting; (3) Arson – works in high crime rate areas, protests and objections to the scheme, disgruntled employees or contractors; (4) Reactive chemicals; (5) Fire Loading; (6) Fire Spread – The Offsite Risks; (7) and Constrained sites. It will be interesting to see what the investigators are able to uncover in the following weeks.

Ongoing Renovations


According to the New York Times, the biggest renovation at the cathedral took place between 1844 and 1864 when the spire and the flying buttresses were rebuilt. The most recent overhaul, however, was meant to be understated. “The idea isn’t to replace every single stone. I don’t want to give this cathedral a face-lift,” said Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect behind the project. The renovations, which are estimated to cost $150 million euro ($169 million) were still ongoing when the cathedral caught fire. Most likely something to do with the renovations of the cathedral led to its temporary demise.
Design Input
The event, which occurred during holy week sparked an intense national debate on how the 856-year-old cathedral should be rebuilt. The French public will get a say on how the fire-ravaged Notre Dame cathedral will be rebuilt, officials say.
FYI: In a separate blog post, ILMA plans to do a write up on the current designs that are being suggested by Architects and designers around the world.
Construction Workers – Risk Management
As a matter of course, this heartbreaking occurrence give us pause to consider the threats that can occur during construction. Some risks to workers that need to be managed during construction and renovations include the following: (1) Working at Height; (2) Slips, Trips and Falls; (3) Moving Objects; (4) Noise; (5) Manual Handling; (6) Vibrations; (7) Collapses; (8) Asbestos; (9) Electricity; (9) Respiratory diseases. (Sources: Top 10 construction health and safety risks) and OSHA’s Top Four Construction Hazards); From the perspective of keeping the building safe during renovations and/or construction and saving lives, the following should be considered:

Building Safety – Risk Management
- Installation of sprinkler systems and fire detection systems early on in construction
- Availability of standpipes
- Commissioning the sprinkler system
- Access to fire extinguishers
- Make sure your fire detection and warning systems work
- Maintaining means of egress; Building compartmentation and protected fire routes in as the building is constructed
- Protect emergency escape routes
- Secure the site against arson
- Protect temporary buildings and accommodation
- Store equipment safely
- Design out hot works
- Keep the site tidy
- Keep project site and equipment safe
- No smoking
- Increase security for the site – CCTV, Full height hoarding, signage
- Engagement of local fire departments – to assess water pressure and accessibility
- Proper fire risk assessment that considers fire loading and fire separation distances

Learning From the Tragedy of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris
As timber is becoming increasingly more popular in high rises it is important to consider the past when managing the risks of projects utilizing wood framing. Although there are many studies and test on modern day timber/wood designs, it is still important to consider the risks that are present on any jobsite. Spending the money to do construction the right way will help reduce the inherent risks with construction – both to safeguard people as well as the buildings that we cherish.
For more information on my take on what happened at Notre Dame, please consider checking out the original articles: Personal Reflection on the Tragedy of April 15, 2019 at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and What Makes Notre Dame Cathedral So Important as a Work of Architecture?.
Additional Reading:
- 16 Steps To Fire Safety On Timber Frame Construction Sites
- Reducing Risk in Timber Frame Construction
- Tall Timber Construction Code Is Still Thinking Small
- Notre-Dame Fire Investigators Focus on Short-Circuit and Cigarettes
- New photos show heartbreaking damage inside Notre Dame cathedral
- Before the Notre-Dame Cathedral caught fire, it was undergoing renovations
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Exclusive ILMA Interview with Tara Imani, AIA @Parthenon1 (Part 2)
Posted: January 1, 2013 Filed under: Architecture, JustArch | Tags: Angelina Jolie, Architecture, brad pitt, Design, eFAB, fc3arch, Gehry, HNY, I. M. Pei, ILMA, Interview, John Goodman, julia roberts, JustArch, Kahn, Louvre Pyramid, parthenon, parthenon1 16 CommentsWhat better way to ring in the new year than to highlight one of our new designer colleagues discovered on social media?
Tara Imani, AIA, CSI, is a registered architect and owner of Tara Imani Designs, LLC, a solo practice in Texas, focusing on residential renovations, commercial space planning, and architecture. She has been blogging for over a year now, beginning with her debut blog post on AIA KnowledgeNet in October, 2010 where she explored what is now a commonplace question in the field of architecture: “Is the Architecture Profession in Need of a Makeover Despite the Upturn in the Economy?” (<—You can click on the highlighted title to link to the blog and join the conversation).

The Parthenon ruins in Athens. “For complex visual and psychological reasons, it’s an extremely powerful building.”
Architect Q&A:
11) Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?
This is a very interesting question because I try not to be defined by a certain style- I consider myself eclectic. In thinking more deeply about this, I have to say it was my formal education at Ohio State that has by far been the greatest influence on me. Sub-consciously when I sit down to design, I think about how we would go about solving various design studio problems and what would Professors Doug Graf, John Regan, Ben Gianni or Mas Kinoshita say about “that idea!” It is incredible to think what an indelible imprint our design professors make on our creative thought processes. Not to mention the influence of seeing how other students handle certain design problems. We learn from each other.
Aside from my background, I draw inspiration and learn new ways of doing things by reading various architecture magazines. But each client and project is different and it is important to respond to the immediate context, specific program needs, and design based on those parameters while addressing the required jurisdictional planning, building, and ADA codes (which are baseline requirements and should be exceeded).
“Every new project is essentially a blank canvas.”
~ Tara Imani, AIA
12) Which building type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?
There are so many building types I have not yet worked on. I would like to take existing programs and improve them such as Student housing at universities, solving urban and suburban decay, revitalizing neighborhoods, redesigning and adapting existing facilities to new uses. All of these projects excite me.
I would love to be part of a think tank team that tackles big problems. I like a challenge and to work with people who want to make a difference and aren’t afraid to try something new.
I’m very entrepreneurial and loved being part of my family’s start-up, creating everything from marketing materials, the company logo, branding our image, hiring new people, determining our core services, implementing new software systems and setting up the daily operations. Every day was an opportunity to wear many hats.
13) How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
I was asked to co-author a book on how to become an architect for emerging architects. This was in August 2011 and I have yet to complete it. I was gung-ho about the project and had actually been waiting for an opportunity to write such a book. However, it has proved more difficult than originally anticipated—due to the rapidly changing A/E/C industry (with Revit, a move to BIM, IPD, and changes to LEED including a new International Green Building Code, etc.). I was concerned that my lack of certain credentials would impede the book from being read.
The industry has changed so much due to technological advances that “seasoned architects” are in a reverse position of needing to be mentored and re-trained ourselves.
It is impossible to lead others without leading one’s self.”
~ Tara Imani, AIA
I get my inspiration and compass directions from architectural thought leaders such as James Cramer, founder of The Design Futures Council and Design Intelligence whose website and publications offer cutting edge information: www.di.net. And staying active in social media also helps stay current on what other firms are doing- such as Tweet chats hosted by the AIA or reading posts on www.aia.org ‘s Knowledge Net forum—a place where mostly architects go to ask questions and share hard-won wisdom with one another.
And I look to outside sources in other arenas such Twitter where you can interact with such innovative leaders as Tom Peters, Vala Afshar, Lolly Daskal, and Frank Stephens whose thoughts and ideas can inform architecture in ways our otherwise insular profession has not had in the past.
14) What does Architecture mean to you?
This question reminds me of an ongoing conversation/debate we had on AIA’s Knowledge Net site a few years ago where we all tried to define “What is good design?” Many of us easily fell back on Vitruvius’s Firmness, Commodity, and Delight (my favorite definition to date) while others said “modern” and still others wanted to focus solely on sustainability which, to me, is an underlying aspect that runs through all areas of design and is a pre-requisite consideration in the earliest stages of the design process.
When I hear the world ‘architecture’, I think of beautiful buildings like the Louvre museum in Paris or the Pantheon in Rome. Architecture is synonymous with Aesthetics and cannot exist without a parti (French word for concept/diagram); a unifying concept/idea that makes sense of the project’s many parts. This is what sets mere functional buildings with true architecture—that unspoken feeling of sublime awe when you experience a Gothic Cathedral (or so I’m told… I haven’t been to one- yet).
15) What is your design process?
My design process is iterative. It starts with meeting with the client and listening to their needs. Vetting clients is very important and sometimes (even though as they say “beggars can’t be choosers”) it is best to turn down a project if the client refuses to understand the legal requirements of certain tasks or doesn’t have an adequate budget—unless you can assist with a creative solution to help them find a way to build it for less cost or come up with a way to assist them in raising the necessary funds.
“The client needs to respect the design capabilities and experience of the Architect.”
~ Tara Imani, AIA
Once the project goals, budget, scope of services (what I will do), and the fee (most important) is determined and agreed upon, the next step is to get a signed contract and a retainer fee. Then, it is appropriate to begin to solve the design problem.
Sometimes, it is not possible to accomplish what I just wrote in the above paragraph as clients might be trying to decide if a particular site or lease space will work—in those cases, I can provide the client with a feasibility study for an agreed upon fee.
A lot of factors come into play that some clients might not be aware of—building codes differ by jurisdiction, fire codes are critical to comply with, occupancy loads are determined by square footages and use, construction budgets will be stretched. It’s not a matter of merely “drawing up a set of floor plans”. It’s a matter of orchestrating a confluence of design factors and meeting client expectations.
16) If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?
This is another intriguing question. For years I was driven by a need to make others around me happy. This led to being at everyone else’s beck and caw while ignoring my own needs. It’s a delicate balance to pursue worthy goals without being selfish.
To answer your question more directly: I would like to be a writer or an actor. I also enjoy dancing and the performing arts, so being an entertainer or speaker would be fun.
I feel I can do anything I set my mind to.
I’ve already mentioned some of my pursuits in play as a child; some of the other interests I had were creative writing, espionage, and organizing messy rooms/drawers/closets (even if it was someone else’s house).
Funny fact about me: At age 34 or so- when I was having a moment of frustration in the family business- I decided I would pursue my hidden desire to be a spy, so I called the FBI and asked them if they were hiring. LOL! I really did that. They said yes, they were but that the maximum age to train a new agent was 36. I did the math and thought that it was too late to do that. Naturally, I thought of the next thing: being a private detective. So I opened the Yellow Pages and called a few (there are only a few listed anyway) and got an interview with one. He was an older, handsome man much like the TV character Matlock. Without looking at my resume or discussing anything, he looked directly at me across his big wooden brown desk and simply got right to the point and said, “Miss, you don’t want to want to be a Private Detective.” Insert uncomfortable pause. “Trust me.”
Of course, I was not satisfied with his answer. I needed to know specifically why: Would I have to carry a gun? Was he ever shot at? I think I asked him if the job required having to sneak around dark alleys at 3:00 a.m.
Well, he wasn’t specific in his responses other than to shake his head yes to all of the above and more. I could tell his mind was made up so I took his advice and forsook any notions of suburban espionage.
17) What is your dream project?
I would love to work on a Hollywood set although I’ve heard the pace is maddening. My dream project is actually writing a book about Julia Morgan and having it made into a screenplay that I would get to co-direct. I envision it as an epic period piece along the lines of ‘Titanic’ spanning her whole life- like a series- and showing to the finest detail what life was like for women in 1893 Paris when Julia was accepted on her third attempt into the L’Ecole des Beaux Arts. I’ve envisioned various actresses playing her role from Julia Roberts to Angelina Jolie. I think John Goodman or Brad Pitt would make a great William Randolph Hearst (Julia’s lifelong client). So, it sounds like a match made in Heaven!
Click here to read Part 1 of this interview.
Tara’s Contact Info:
Tara Imani Designs 10333 Richmond Avenue, Suite 150 Houston, Texas 77042 Ph: (832) 723-1798 Fax: (832) 300-3230 Email: Tara@TaraImaniDesigns.com
Also Check Out:
- “Where East Meets West: The “Flow” of Floor Plans” by @GailGreenDesign
- “Much Ado About Nothing: The Physics of Space” by @GailGreenDesign
- “Eyes are Windows, Doors are Portals” by @GailGreenDesign
- Inspired Personalized Architecture
- Visionary Buckminster Fuller
- FDR Four Freedoms Park by Louis Kahn
- Architecture of Lebbeus Woods
- Architect Artist Le Corbusier
- Exeter Library by Louis Kahn
- Remembering Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye
- My 10 All-Time Favorite Architecture Books by @FrankCunhaIII
- Significant Architecture : 2012
- Inspired Personalized Architecture
- Order, Formulas, and Rules
- Attention Deficit Disorder – Designing Every 2 to 3 Minutes
- Architecture Shall Live On / Architecture Manifesto
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.
If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity!
Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.
Exclusive ILMA Interview with Tara Imani, AIA @Parthenon1 (Part 1)
Posted: January 1, 2013 Filed under: Architecture, JustArch | Tags: Architecture, Design, eFAB, fc3arch, Gehry, HNY, ILMA, Interview, JustArch, Kahn, parthenon, parthenon1 4 CommentsWhat better way to ring in the new year than to highlight one of our new designer colleagues discovered on social media?
Tara Imani, AIA, CSI, is a registered architect and owner of Tara Imani Designs, LLC, a solo practice in Texas, focusing on residential renovations, commercial space planning, and architecture. She has been blogging for over a year now, beginning with her debut blog post on AIA KnowledgeNet in October, 2010 where she explored what is now a commonplace question in the field of architecture: “Is the Architecture Profession in Need of a Makeover Despite the Upturn in the Economy?” (<—You can click on the highlighted title to link to the blog and join the conversation).

Reconstruction of the Acropolis of Athens from NW: The entrance (Propylaia) to the Acropolis is at the bottom right, so that the first side of the Parthenon to be seen is the West side, the rear side.
Architect Q&A:
1) When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
I discovered my love for architecture, interiors, and fine furnishings at a young age. I enjoyed going furniture shopping with my mom and would find myself critiquing the various layouts in the showroom, wondering why the designers did it that way and wanting to try different layouts or do something similar in my own way. Maybe you’ve done this yourself, too, when you were growing up: rearrange the furniture in your parents’ home when they were out of the house for a while. I did that to my mom on a few occasions and it met with much resistance. That started at an early age, too- as soon as I was strong enough to move stuff around or coax my brother into helping. My passion for architecture started with house plans. After cleaning out the lower level hall closet and finding my parents’ stack of builder house plan books, I was hooked. I began drawing my own floor plans and elevations, pinning them up on the wall in my bedroom. My 5th grade bff (as the kids say nowadays) saw them and remarked at how much patience such detailed drawings would take; but to me it was sheer joy. I never noticed the time. It was my dad who first told me I was going to be an architect. And since he was an electrical engineer, he kept me well-supplied with proper drawing tools—sketch pads, quadrille paper, charcoals, pens, and pastels for rendering elevations. So I knew since 5th grade that I was going to be an architect. In 8th grade, I did write in my journal that I wanted to be an interior designer. So, I today, I am both—with a focus on Interior Architecture and space planning.
2) What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
The biggest challenge has been overcoming fear. The first fear was the looming board exam that I had heard mentioned whenever I told an inquiring adult what I wanted to be when I grew up. So, along with my dream, I had a fear attached to it—of this monster test where I mistakenly believed I would need to bring the equivalent of my dad’s metal trunk full of books and reference materials to pass the exam. The other challenge was time management and the constant tension of wanting to spend time with loved ones (my boyfriend who became my husband) versus cranking out the project. So, self-discipline and deferred gratification are two critical traits any architecture student will need to master early on if they want to be successful.
Left: Tara’s website; Right: Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall as captured by Photographer Mathijsvanden Bosch.
3) Any memorable clients or project highlights?
Every client and project has been a memorable experience and learning opportunity. My most favorite firm to work for was Chris Abel Architects, AIA in Laguna Beach, California where we did high-end custom residential design for both new builds and renovations. It was a beautiful place and location and everything about it was miraculous. I worked for months helping Chris hand-draft a 5,000 sf beach home and additional guest house for a beachfront site in Kauai (using a now-ancient drafting arm- this was circa 1992). The other memorable project I did with Chris was a two-story master bedroom suite and first floor pottery studio addition adjoining to an existing living room via an indoor atrium; it was a very eclectic home overlooking both the Pacific Ocean and the Aliso Viejo Canyon- the style can best be described as modern adobe exterior with an oriental interior motif (Chris designed a huge circle-shaped opening leading into the atrium which contrasted with the sloped adobe fireplace and otherwise rustic décor). The most difficult part was getting the infamously strict Laguna Beach Design Review Board to approve the project and meet the height restrictions while ensuring the uphill next door neighbor’s view would not be blocked. That was my first project to manage. The client was very unique; she liked to wear (what we secretly referred to as) “leopard skinned bowling shoes” and during our morning jobsite meetings she preferred to drink her orange juice only after it’d been warmed in the microwave. She was very astute and noted: “This is your first project, isn’t it?” I didn’t quite know how to respond, so I simply acknowledged and clarified that no, it wasn’t my first one to work on, but yes, it was my first one to manage. I knew I had a lot to learn about everything—especially about how to deal with clients and how to manage the bidding and construction process. The latter point is a story for another day!
4) How does your family support what you do?
Architecture can be an all-consuming business and few people can succeed while being loyal to their family (time-wise, etc.). My father encouraged me to apply to architecture school and my mom enabled me to attend The Ohio State University by securing the necessary loans. Otherwise, I was working as a bank teller for Buckeye Federal bank immediately following high school graduation. The manager was upset when I left to go to school as they had put us new hires through three weeks of intense professional training at their special facility. So, two types of support are necessary—financial and emotional. One without the other will not be sufficient. Over the years, family support has been touch and go. But my dedication to architecture—whether consistent or not—remains my responsibility and no one else’s. In 1992, only five years after graduating from school, my husband and I made a decision to start a home health care and infusion therapy company with his sister, an RN. It required us to move from southern California to Houston, TX. My co-workers at Chris Abel’s firm thought I was crazy to move to the “armpit” of the south. But work had been very slow and I was lucky to be employed at a time when many of my contemporaries were working outside the field. It was a huge time of change, too, with firms transitioning to AutoCAD. I stayed in the healthcare business until 1998 and returned to architecture 6 months later. I was able to find work because of the social connections I had made while studying for the licensing exams—so I always kept one foot in architecture while I was helping run the health care company. And my family supported me by allowing me to take a paid 3-month sabbatical to study and pass the remaining exams. I passed all except one- the design exam which became two computerized exams that I took and passed a few years later after our daughter was born.
5) How do Architects measure success?
I can only speak for myself. When I think of a successful architect, I think of someone who has achieved a solid portfolio of built work spanning many years and whose buildings, designs, and/or residences resonate with their end-users.
6) What matters most to you in design?
Design is a vast subject and covers so much. I value beauty, good proportions, quality materials, and durability.
7) What do you hope to achieve over the next 20-30 years?
That’s a long time. Your question has prompted me to realize I really only think in terms of today and the next year—of course, I envision a great future for my family for many years. Professionally, I would like to continue in the area of tenant build-outs, space planning, and interior design. I have been begging my husband for years to team up with me to renovate houses and I think he’s about ready to do so.
8) Who is your favorite Architect? Why?
I can say that I am not an avid follower/groupie of any particular architect except that I love the designs of Andrea Palladio, the 14th c. Italian architect famous for his beautiful houses, symmetrical designs, and arched windows. While a student, the theories of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto resonated with me— his inclusive programs (as opposed to Mies van der Rohe’s exclusive, stark plans). I also love many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes and especially his Guggenheim Museum and I love Frank Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles—I guess in part because I have been there and experienced it. These days, I’m revisiting various architects’ manifestoes to get fresh ideas and perspectives. There is one architect I admire for her sheer perseverance as much as her work: Julia Morgan who was the first female architect in California who started out as a Civil Engineer and who endured many trials and challenges on her path to becoming a successful Architect. Ironically, her work was absent from the curriculum at OSU.
9) What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?
My favorite historic project is The Parthenon in Athens, Greece (built between 447 – 438 B.C); I admire it because it is such an iconic image exemplifying all that is beautiful and graceful in architecture. It is the inspiration behind my twitter handle: @Parthenon1. My favorite modern (contemporary) project is the Denver Airport design by Fentress Architects; I love tent structures and am so intrigued at how well-integrated the forms are with the rest of the structure and successfully done despite the harsh climate of wind, snow, and ice. It, too, is a beautiful iconic image with the white peaks of the tents rhythmically rising, echoing the mountains beyond.
10) Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?
This is a particularly challenging question and one that I see many of us in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry grappling to answer every day on social media sites- what I call the new agora or Roman forum- such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+. To read many tweets, posts and forum discussion threads is to realize that we’ve all embarked on a mysterious expedition to define the Next architectural manifesto that will solve the world’s problems through innovative, sustainable design. It feels very much like we’re on the precipice of a major breakthrough but we haven’t yet been able to put it into concise words or build with new forms and materials. There are many thought leaders I look to such as Rachel Armstrong from Britain with her Architecture 2.0; and Ed Mazria who conceived and developed Architecture+2030 (a program to train architects to systemically address CO2 emissions from buildings). Definitely sustainable design, adaptive reuse and retrofitting existing buildings to be more “green” (yikes, I can’t believe I’m using that word!) and high technologies are going to govern how architects practice for years to come. I recommend reading “Building (In) The Future- Recasting Labor in Architecture” compiled and edited by Phil Bernstein and Peggy Deamer—according to at least some of the essays, the future of architecture is going to be much more fabricated off-site and mechanized like the car industry. IKEA is one example of this with their new pre-manufactured housing. I personally don’t like this trend but am keeping an open mind toward it. I don’t want to see the loss of art and craft and design in the move toward BIM (Building Information Modeling) – another buzzword among many others such as IPD (Integrated Project Delivery- how a project is funded for risk/reward-sharing in profits).
Click here to read Part 2 of this interview.
Tara’s Contact Info:
Tara Imani Designs 10333 Richmond Avenue, Suite 150 Houston, Texas 77042 Ph: (832) 723-1798 Fax: (832) 300-3230 Email: Tara@TaraImaniDesigns.com
Also Check Out:
- Exclusive Interview: Meet Architect Arnie Untoria of @USA_Architect
- The Blind Design Paradox in Architectural Design by @WJMArchitect
- About @FC3Architecture +Design LLC
- A well documented set of construction drawings NOW decreases additional “hidden” construction costs LATER! by @WJMArchitect
- What would you say to young students thinking about a career in #Architecture? by @WJMArchitect (Part 2)
- What would you say to young students thinking about a career in #Architecture? by @WJMArchitect (Part 1)
- @WJMArchitect Recognized for #GreenDesign #Architecture
- #EcoMonday Interview with Bill Reed (Part 3) hosted by @IMCInteriors and @FrankCunhaIII
- #EcoMonday Interview with Bill Reed (Part 2) hosted by @IMCInteriors and @FrankCunhaIII
- #EcoMonday Interview with Bill Reed (Part 1) hosted by @IMCInteriors and @FrankCunhaIII
- Architecture Shall Live On / Architecture Manifesto
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.
If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity!
Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.
Sustainable Cities
Posted: June 27, 2011 Filed under: Architecture, Green, Repost | Tags: City, EcoMonday, green, Interact, Sustainable, Twitter 1 Commentwritten by Cathe Reams
The challenges presented by sustainable urban development are immense. Today, more than half of the world’s population already lives in cities and the numbers are rising. Cities are responsible for around 75 percent of all energy used, 60 percent of all water consumed and 80 percent of all greenhouse gases produced worldwide. To face the multitude of challenges arising from urbanization and demographic change, cities are looking at ways to improve the efficiency of their infrastructures. With the right technology cities can become more environmentally friendly, increase the quality of life for their residents, and cut costs all at the same time.
For a real-world look at how our solutions can be implemented today, please download “Smarter Neighborhoods, Smarter City”. This report contains detailed recommendations on how to help America’s largest urban area – the City of New York – plan for more sustainable growth.
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Sustainable development & urban infrastructure
Cities continue to grow as more and more people move into urban areas and with this shift towards urbanization, cities are experiencing an increasing strain on their current infrastructure systems. Roadways, power grids, telecommunications lines and public transportation are all systems which rely on a strong infrastructure to handle demand. Optimizing these infrastructural networks is an immense task which requires public and private cooperation.
Power generation and distribution
To meet the growing demand for power, an intelligent and flexible grid infrastructure, is essential. An overloaded power grid can cause the kind of blackout which swept through New York City and much of the Northeast corridor in the US in 2003. Blackouts like these can be prevented with a modern, reliable, environmentally friendly, and affordable energy grid system which works to match the supply and demand balance of our energy systems.
Siemens offers components and solutions for the entire energy conversion chain. This starts with power generation in highly efficient combined gas and steam turbines, solar power plants and wind turbines. The electrical power generated there can be transported to cities with little loss via high-voltage direct current lines which help maintain and efficient transmission on energy through the country.
Sustainable transportation
How do we get from point A to point B in the most efficient manner possible? How do we get people out of gridlock and on the move again? For starters, intelligent traffic control systems contribute to helping traffic flow. They reduce fuel consumption, air pollution, and noise by allowing cars to stop less frequently. Additionally, particularly in cities where space is limited, public transportation systems become increasingly important network for connecting people. Trains in particular are an environmentally friendly alternative to cars and airlines. The Siemens Velaro is a good example. This fourth generation high-speed train consumes only 0.14 gallons of fuel per seat per 100 miles.
Sustainable healthcare infrastructure
In healthcare, too, a shift in thinking about the use of energy and raw materials has set in. Both ecological and economical requirements must be considered when faced with the challenge of creating sustainable infrastructure solutions. Siemens helps hospitals to pave the way for the future – with green hospitals. With its modular Green+ Hospitals concept, Siemens is firmly gearing its healthcare portfolio towards environmental care and sustainability.
The most decisive factor for protecting the environment and minimizing costs in hospitals is power consumption. Energy costs can be reduced through energy optimization, building automation, and the use of energy-saving equipment. A smooth and safe workflow with structured clinical pathways, short examination times, and the comprehensive use of IT is also key to the economic efficiency of a hospital. And with more comfort and gentle treatment for patients, Green+ Hospitals can attain greater competitive appeal and also ensure a better quality of life.Read the rest of the article by clicking here.
What’s a green city to you, how is your city green, how can it be more sustainable?
Include the hashtags #GreenCity and #AIANJ & share your thoughts on Twitter.
[Repost] Luke Russert: What I Learned From My Dad
Posted: June 20, 2011 Filed under: Repost | Tags: Family, Father's Day, guidance, Luke Russert, Motivational, Parade, Sunday, Tim Russert, tribute 1 CommentWhat I Learned From My Dad
by Luke Russert
“Believe in yourself.”
If there was one phrase my father never liked to hear, it was “I can’t.” His dad—my grandpa—was a garbage man from South Buffalo, N.Y. He never got to finish high school and held down two jobs to provide for his family, but he never complained. Through education and years of hard work, my dad rose from South Buffalo to become the preeminent political journalist of his generation.When I was a freshman in high school, I had a terrible time with geometry. My dad found me a tutor, but I still struggled. So my teacher suggested I meet with him at 7 each morning before school for extra help. I told my dad, “That’s crazy! I can’t do that!” He replied, “You’re doing it. I’ll bring you.” Every morning at 6:45 a.m., we’d leave the house. Despite working 12-hour days, often with a Todayshow appearance between 7 and 8 a.m., my dad never once missed driving me to school.After months of studying, I was facing the final exam. I was so nervous. If I bombed, I was looking at summer school and—worst of all—failure. On the day of the final, my dad took me to school. He got out of the car and walked with me the first 20 yards. Then he hugged me and said, “Luke, believe in yourself. You can do it. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay. I love you, and I know you can do this.” His words made me realize I needed to trust in my ability and in the hours of work I’d put in. I ended up passing, and it’s still one of my proudest achievements. When I got my grade, the first person I called was Dad. He screamed, “Yes! You worked your butt off, buddy! You earned it, and you believed in yourself!”
Even now, whenever I worry that a task is too much for me or have doubts about performing my job as a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News, I think back to that geometry exam. No matter how hard something is, if you’re willing to work, you can succeed. I’m forever grateful to Dad for that lesson.

“It’s okay to be scared.”
In 2004, my dad and I were on a South Bend, Ind.–to–D.C. flight that hit very bad turbulence. The plane kept lurching, and it seemed to fall hundreds of feet in a few seconds. I was terrified, and I held on to the armrests for what I thought was literally dear life. But Dad, a veteran flier, didn’t flinch. He put his hand on my back, saying it would be okay, and eventually we reached smoother skies. Still, I walked away from that experience with a fear of flying. Even though I dreaded getting on airplanes, I forced myself to travel. But because I wanted to appear tough, I didn’t mention my fear to anybody.One Sunday night, I was due to fly back to Boston after visiting family and friends in Washington, D.C. The sky looked ominous, and I hoped my flight would be canceled. It wasn’t. Dad drove me to the airport, and he could tell I wasn’t myself. I was curt and furiously tapping the door handle. As we pulled up to the terminal, I really started sweating and I blurted out the truth: I was terrified about flying. He said, “I’m coming in with you.” At the counter, to my astonishment, my dad used his airline miles to get himself a ticket to Boston! I asked, “Don’t you have to be on the Today show in the morning?” He responded, “I do, but I’m going through security and walking you to the plane.” I was mortified—I was 21 and I needed an escort. I told him not to worry. My dad said, “It’s okay to be scared. Let’s talk.” We went through security and had a beer at the airport bar. He told me not to be afraid—that airlines only fly under safe conditions, that pilots are very well trained—and he quoted a statistic about air travel being the safest form of travel. He also said to think of turbulence as “rough waves that hit a boat. It might get choppy, but you know you won’t sink.” When boarding was announced, he said, “I love ya, buddy. Call me when you land,” and I got on the plane. Even though the flight was a bit bumpy, my dad’s boat analogy eased my mind.I learned that night it’s okay for a man to show fear and vulnerability. My dad could have said, “Suck it up. It’s only an hour-and-a-half flight.” Instead he went out of his way to support my weakness. To this day, I don’t believe in a “no fear” attitude. All of us have fears, and they’re real. But if you can acknowledge them and understand them—you might need help, like I did—you can overcome them. I’m still not crazy about flying, but whenever I step onto a plane, I think of Dad’s image of a boat in the ocean and it brings me tranquility.
“Remember the little things.”
People are always coming up to me with a “Tim Russert story”: about politics, sports, Buffalo, or just a chance encounter. Often, it’s about a thoughtful thing my father did. Dad was a big believer in random acts of kindness. It was not uncommon for me to come back to my room in college and find a FedEx box containing magazines, a Twix bar (my favorite), and a note from him. The packages brightened my day. It wasn’t so much what they contained—it was that my dad, the busiest man I knew, took the time to show he was thinking about me.
When I started at NBC News, a coworker sought me out and told me a story I’ll never forget. He was working for my dad when his own father became seriously ill, and he needed to take days off. Whenever he asked my father’s permission, my dad always said yes. But he did much more. My coworker talked about the many emails and phone calls he got from Dad, just checking up on him and his sick parent. When his father passed away, my dad sent flowers and gave him all the time off he needed. The man said, “I hadn’t even been at NBC for that long, so to know Tim Russert cared that much about me and my family meant the world to me.”
I’ve tried to continue my dad’s caring ways, whether it’s by making a quick phone call, giving an unexpected gift to a friend, or helping someone who’s a few dollars short at the grocery store. Take it from me and my dad—the little things do matter.
Timeless Architecture – Saying Good Bye to a Teacher/Mentor is Never Easy
Posted: April 28, 2011 Filed under: Architecture, More FC3 | Tags: Architecture, Perrella, Theory 3 CommentsA Project called “Soul City” dedicated to the memory of Stephen Perrella: Click Here.
Stephen’s friends came together to write Letters to Destin, his son earlier this year. Here is an excerpt of my submission: Click Here.
The following was published on March 19, 2008 by Daniel Pavlovits in the Architects Newspaper:
As a tireless advocate for the possibility and necessity of the radical in architecture, Stephen Perrella seized a moment at the dawn of the digital avant-garde in the 1990s to argue for a typology of architectural production that he coined HyperSurface architecture.
Born on Staten Island, Stephen Perrella first studied applied art and graphic design at Iowa State University, only to later return to his boyhood dream of becoming an architect and completing his architecture studies at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture in 1991. He later went on to informally study philosophy at the New School as a means to deepen his understanding of the relationship between culture and architecture, and to develop a theoretical voice.
During the years of his architectural studies at Pratt, he sensed the movement in debate surrounding critical architecture practice and theory, editing two volumes of the Pratt Journal of Architecture, publishing the work and ideas of theorists, artists, and architects, among them John Hejduk, Mark Wigley, and Peter Eisenman, who would later become central figures in the late-20th century architectural avant-garde.
It was through his work on these journals at Pratt that Bernard Tschumi, Dean of Columbia GSAPP, invited him to become editor of the GSAPP Office of Publications. Last week, Tschumi said, “He came along right when architectural practice was changing from hand-drawing to generating images by computer, and he was a front-row witness and promoter of that incredible time.” It was during his tenure at Columbia that he became known as a fervent advocate of the possibilities of and necessity for the radical in architecture, while editing both the GSAPP faculty newsletter Newsline as well as the faculty’s journal Columbia Documents.
Columbia in the 1990s was the seminal school of emergent avant-garde thought and practice, and Perrella became a champion of those he deemed to embody the radical in architecture; years later, many of these became established as the elite thinkers of our generation.
Perrella was not satisfied with merely publishing and advocating the radical in architecture, but went on to develop and coin a production typology he termed HyperSurface architecture. The theory of HyperSurface architecture went beyond the possibility of not only topological forms that emerged as a result of computer applications. It also argued for a practice that seized on the immateriality of capitalism, namely the media image. Perella wanted to think through the infusion of form with media and media with form to work between the two, or as he argued, from “the middle-out.” His belief was that formal and spatial possibilities in architecture cannot be understood apart from the immateriality and destiny of capitalism in the form of the image. This was the genesis of his attempts in theoretical writings and in a series of speculative projects to find an architectural language that had its origin between the two, privileging neither one or the other, but rather fusing them in one stance.
I got to know Perrella in 1999 after inviting him out to Sydney to speak at a student conference. From that series of email exchanges and subsequent week together in Sydney, a working relationship developed between us, as well as with two other colleagues from Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the dissemination of the HyperSurface project, both in lectures around Europe and the United States. Over the years and through several speculative projects, Perrella became both a teacher and mentor, as well as a close friend. His contribution to rethinking the possibility of radical architecture will perhaps one day find a new lease on life in a future generation.
DANIEL PAVLOVITS IS THE EDITOR OF HAECCEITY INC, AN ONLINE JOURNAL OF CRITICAL AND RADICAL THEORY IN ARCHITECTURE.
Daniel Pavlovits
Santa Filomena Chapel by Architect Pedro Maurício Borges
Posted: March 18, 2011 Filed under: JustArch | Tags: Architecture, Capela de Santa Filomena, FG+SG Architectural Photography, Inspirational, Inspiring, Pedro Maurício Borges, Portugal, Reposted, Think Positive, Tina Komninou 1 Comment[reposted] In Architecture We Trust!
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
Project Title: Capela de Santa Filomena
Location: Lugar de Netos, Ferreira-a-Nova, Figueira da Foz
Client: Câmara Municipal da Figueira da Foz
Arquitect: Pedro Maurício Borges
Assistants: Rita Curica, Tiago Hespanha, Vitor Canas, Filipe Ferreira
Structural Engineer: ARA – Alves Rodrigues & Associado, Lda (Eng. Fernando Rodrigues)
Watering Engineer: Rita Martins
Electrical Engineer: Camâra Municipal da Figueira da Foz (Eng. Antonino)
Construction: Andrade & Teles, Lda.
Project: 2004 – 2005
Construction: 2005 – 2008
photographer: Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
In 2008 a spiritual modernity opened its doors in Portugal’s Figueira da Foz. The chapel ‘Capela de Santa Filomena’was designed by architect Pedro Maurício Borges and it did not go unnoticed. A bold, sexy, angular and dominant structure in the middle of a suburbia type area were everything else stands still and pay their respects to this holy place of architecture.
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
Looking at this chapel from afar you cant help but say ‘ What is it and What is it doing here?’. It is as though you have spotted a ‘CHANEL’ store in the meat packing district. You are gloriously happy to have found it but keep thinking that you are hallucinating. This glorious feeling is instantly projected in this case by two factors. Firstly, the protruded angular shape of the building leading to the sky and secondly the simplistic façade finish which stands out from its surroundings. The actual structure is built on a sloping pavement, as if it has been dropped from the sky. A sloping surface towards either the underground or the holy over world.
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
Consisting of just three openings (entrance and 2 windows) the main attraction is what we would call the rectangular display window. Clear cut protruding opening with a visible depth and one single powerful display that is understood worldwide. The window is perceived as a picture frame placed on the façade to attract and symbolise what this architectural brand stands for. This idea is made even stronger with the second window acting as a complete reverse. Here the frame is punched inwards from the exterior shell, bringing it levelled with the interior walls. A clear and contrasting approach between a protrusion of ‘In God we Trust’ to invite you in and an inset detail to express the respect and focus of the subject at hand.
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
Once inside, the simplistic and light essence is of prime importance. Clean cute, pure white, natural daylight directly form the nave with a black framed office desk and monasterial seating benches. Everything is discreet with a language of subtleness and openness. In an all white interior The Crucified Christ brings deeper meaning and certainly a more meaningful one. You know what you are here for you don’t need tassels, murals, and vitros to remind you that you are on holly ground. After all we are all here for the man in the window. The recherché that has invited you in and now will rotate around to face you and you will open your heart and soul to him without the feeling of judgement or betray. This comes easily in a chapel such as this. In a chapel were the divine light is entering from either sides of the holy figure in the window and you are left to admire and feel. The dramatic angular lines pointing towards the heavenly clouds through the upper window is a dynamic element filed with symbolism. One main attraction, one man show with many hidden meanings and a world of magic that you have never seen. What else can we ask for in order to enter.
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
This monument is a true factor in all that it stands for. No excess, no frills no pretend. A strong architectural approach to a strong belief. At the end of the day this is our equivalent religious hierarchy to that of a CHANEL store and we are ready to buy whatever is for sale. However what we want to buy comes with a powerful question ‘‘Is the man in the window for sale?”.
photo © Fernando Guerra, FG+SG Architectural Photography
photo © Pedro Maurício Borges
sources: Pedro Maurício Borges