The Space Between

Finished the AIA Japan blogs!

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:02:00 -0700

Finally! The American Institute of Architecture (AIA) blogs are published! After finishing mid-terms, a crashing motherboard, failing my last architecture exam :( , running into my 5-year rolling clock :( and not getting an extension since Graduate School doesn’t count, all while loving my Augmented Reality thesis, etc. etc. all has been a whirlwind! So excited to spend the rest of Spring Break with my dear boyfriend < yeah!>in yet another Asian Capital City < double yeah!> I wonder if this (urban, civic spaces + technology) could possibly point me in the direction of my dream path. To connect with innovation of physical and digital communities with the city? I guess I should tip my hat to Dick Williams, who pointed me to SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association) and, where last week I got to hear a lecture on Democratizing Power of Technology. So quickly my world is opening up to interactions with “The Dawn of the Municipal Chief Innovation Officer”, finding an urban planning mentor, and of where the physical and digital environments interact. In the meantime, check out our AIA Crafting the Future conference in Japan. I’ll catch up with everyone after I graduate and after I now finish 2 more architecture exams…

"There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid..."

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:56:47 -0700

““There are some things
which cannot be learned quickly,
and time,
which is all we have,
must be paid heavily
for their acquiring.
They are
the very simplest things
and because it takes
a man’s life to know them,
the little new
that each man gets from life
is very costly
and the only heritage
he has to leave.””

- Earnest Hemmingway (via. The Urban Stage by Richard Williams, 277)

pinoytumblr: Filipino designer creates World’s 1st...

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:33:46 -0700

pinoytumblr:

Filipino designer creates World’s 1st Biodegradable car

World renowned Filipino product designer Kenneth Cobonpue has created the world’s first and only biodegrable car made out of bamboo and rattan called the Phoenix.

Cobonpue is known for his signature designs using natural fibres and materials. The Phoenix is his latest venture in partnership with design apprentice Alberth Birkner which is created using rattan, steel, bamboo and nylon. Showcased for the first time at the “Imagination and Innovation” exhibit at Milan, the Phoenix is a testament of high quality craftsmanship to create an environmental friendly solution to transport.

Read more here

Nice creative expression of a Bamboo and ratan car.

pinoytumblr: RakenrollDirected by Quark HenaresWritten by Diego...

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:35:22 -0700

pinoytumblr:

Rakenroll
Directed by Quark Henares
Written by Diego Castillo & Quark Henares

quarklovesyou: I’ve been waiting to show you guys this for five years now. here’s the Rakenrol trailer. should be out in theaters June, but you know how we roll :)

I want to see this!

jomiewankenobi: Analemma 2010 Hungarian photographer Tamas...

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:19:06 -0800

jomiewankenobi:

Analemma 2010

Hungarian photographer Tamas Ladanyi photographed the sun’s position at 9 AM GMT every ten days in 2010, and the result is this striking infinity symbol in the sky, known as an analemma.

Happy old year.

Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s to all the wonderful stories...

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:12:53 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s to all the wonderful stories that happen within, around and through turkeys.

”I wish that the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country, he is a bird of bad moral character, he does not get his living honestly, you may have seen him perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the fishing-hawk, and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to its nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the bald eagle pursues him and takes it from him…. Besides he is a rank coward; the little kingbird, not bigger than a sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest… of America.… For a truth, the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America” Benjamin Franklin

My sister and I are spending so many holidays apart. We had the harebrained idea to dress up as turkeys and connect via the internet. What does this mean? I’m not sure, except for the fact we figured out a way to pull off connecting using technology in a very different way. And here’s a chance to wish all our friends and family Happy Holidays, all while finishing designing a hospital and going to Grad School.

Here’s our process.

First off, the concept emerged, which you’ll have to ask one of us it’s underlying meaning. Secondly, my roommate, adventured to the most amazing 4-story fabric store (that is amazingly organized) in San Francisco, Britex. We bought 7 yards of tulle which costs $1.25 a yard. Lastly, we each spent an hour on the sewing machine to make ourselves modern turkey costumes.

Some fun things about our costume… Kegan has turkey toed welding gloves and Leslie wrote all the semantic classifications of turkeyness. hahaha. Happy holidays and … internet connections to be continued….

Much accolades to my 2nd cousin Willa, who has pioneered a new ...

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:42:13 -0700

Much accolades to my 2nd cousin Willa, who has pioneered a new amendment to the California food code. Thank you also to all my family and friends (especially in Facebook) who have helped sign petitions and write letters over the past year.

We invite all who read this to join us tomorrow, Friday, October 22nd at 11:30am at a noodle factory 2939 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 for a press conference to mark the event that people can still enjoy Asian Noodles in the state of California.

Here is a blog I wrote up for my Information Organization / Information Retrieval class which is a quick summary of all the work that went into re-defining the word noodle. Writing this has helped me realize that the good fight, is to help push the boundaries of our words and definitions.

—————————————————————————————————

My extended family owns rice noodle factories in San Francisco that serve many of the Asian restaurants. For the past year they have been having to deal with a new law that has put their noodle factories in jeopardy. The reasons for this conflict stem from cultural categorization issues.

Basically, the new California Retail Food Code only scoped and defined noodles - from a Western perspective of being made from egg and flour. They did not consider that other cultures make “noodles” out of other ingredients; as in my family’s case — rice. The new food laws required all noodles to be immediately refrigerated, which in concept sounds like it would protect public health. However, when you refrigerate rice noodles, this makes the noodles hard, dry, and affects the look and taste. For the past year, all the asian noodle factories in California were in violation and started getting fined and cited for breaking this food law. The food inspectors would refuse to allow exceptions and for the past year, my cousin has been involved with a campaign along with Martin Yan, from Yan Can Cook, and State Senator Leeland Yee to redefine the category of noodles.

Last week, on Thursday, September 30th, 2010 marked the passing of Asian Riced Based Noodles amendment to the California Retail Food Code. The new amendment passed by California’s Legislative Council can be found here: SB 888.

This is an example of cultural categorization systems and how embodied language and culture can cause conflicts.

I wonder if there are other cultural examples of how language can constrain thought. Add your examples below…

We’re more than half way through a week of...

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:40:00 -0700

Blue Oak Ranch Reserve barn

California grasses

Back of a truck-bed-tour of 3,200 acres

Moss in the afternoon

Late night fire pit fun.

Sunny View

Foggy View

Entry Gate to BORR

Swimming in the 3 acre pond w/ the frogs

We’re more than half way through a week of “camping” in the 3,200+ acres of Blue Oak Ranch Reserve (BORR) near San Jose. I am so lucky to have the chance to work and meet a number of Berkeley College of Environmental Design (CED) Master students and sleep under the stars. There’s not much sign of civilization (besides a kitchen, gourmet meals, a shower, and wifi). Throughout the week we have met with a number of researchers, biologists, artist, wastewater experts, and CED faculty. We are working on a design/build master plan, figuring out how to collaborate with students to create a field station for the 21st century, and think about how to create a framework to start collecting and analyzing data collected by the sensors at this 2-year old field station. The data will begin to analyze and benchmark environmental changes while rehabilitating the natural environment to attract native species.

This has been a great way to learn about a California land ethic of trees and endangered species. We’re also learning about GIS and how geologists and architects can start collaborating with a garmin! Hopefully it’ll warm up to go swimming in some of the ponds. Check out our Blog.

"What you need to learn is that being creative is not enough in this business. You have to become..."

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 23:13:36 -0700

“What you need to learn is that being creative is not enough in this business. You have to become techinical. Creative people are born creative - you’re lucky. Technical people however can never be creative. Its something they’ll never get. You can’t buy it, find it, study it - you’re born with it. Too many creative people don’t want to learn how to be technical, so what happens? they become dependent on technical people. Become technical, you can learn that. If you’re creative and technical, you’re unstoppable.”

- Robert Rodriguez (via feltron :: roomthily :: ronenreblogs) (via austinkleon)

A Wayne Wang video to remember an afternoon of exploring...

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:27:00 -0700

A Wayne Wang video to remember an afternoon of exploring SF’s Chinatown. I have never seen so many markets. I guess those Chinese School lessons paid off as I could order enough Zongzi for everyone’s lunch for the upcoming camping trip… NEAATO.

The Space Between an architecture undergraduate degree at the...

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:24:00 -0700

The Space Between an architecture undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona and becoming a fully licensed architect was complemented with the opportunity to volunteer as the Associate Director with the American Insitute of Architects (AIA) Arizona. This experience taught me how to practice communication, collaboration, planning then execute, and work with the AIA Staff, executive board, and other Associate Directors in our Western Mountain Region. All while helping to tease out a positive energy and empower other Architecture Interns to work on licensure, mentoring each other, and having fun! I made many dear friends through the process, and will remember this experience fondly.

Many challenges faced our Associate group and internship experience during the past 14 months such as a depressed economy, our Architecture exams changed from 9 to 7 exams, our state was one of the last states to require the Internship Development Program, and the 6 month rule taking affect. However, through these hardships, we successfully created a collaborative group and energy that has made Arizona one of the best places to be an Intern-Architect.

There was a nice transition article written up in the Tuesday “Just the Facts” newsletter. And I’m excited for Suad Mahmuljin, Assoc. AIA, who couldn’t be a better person to continue the efforts of continuing to make Arizona the best place to be an Intern-Architect.

serenastyle: 7knotwind: BOOK SHELVES rock and rollvia:...

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

serenastyle:

7knotwind:

BOOK SHELVES rock and roll
via: davidgarciastudio

subtilitas: The third project that showed up last week is...

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:17:26 -0700

subtilitas:

The third project that showed up last week is Shigeru Ban’s Centre Pompidou in Metz, France. While not open to the public until May while the interior gallery work continues, the undulating canopy and exterior finishes are almost complete. A complex glue-lam timber lattice hovers over a series of stacked, cantilevered galleries, and is protected from direct sun and rain by a translucent textile membrane. The positioning of the galleries creates a number of flexible configuration options for new exhibits; and the external spaces covered by the hanging cubes and tent structure allows for various outdoor exhibits and performances. During the day, the museum looks like a white cloud against the horizon, and at night when lit within the complex structure is displayed (a nod to the external structure of the original Centre Pompidou in Paris), and the museum acts as a new beacon for Metz. More here.

This is going public in May 2010. And the weaving seems to mimic Shigeru Ban’s bamboo work.

Dipity for Be2Camp. A time line for web 2.0 for the built...

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:30:07 -0700

Dipity for Be2Camp. A time line for web 2.0 for the built environment.

austinkleon: SXSW 2010: Dan Roam on Visual Thinking on...

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0700

austinkleon:

SXSW 2010: Dan Roam on Visual Thinking on Vimeo

Dan Roam (Author of “The Back of the Napkin”) gives a complete overview of the history and definition of visual thinking, and a bonus of the history of the human species in 5 minutes.

davidgalestudios: How architecture firms name themselves.

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0700

davidgalestudios: How architecture firms name themselves.:

While most architectural firms are known simply as John Doe & Partners (or John Doe + Partners, plus signs having replaced ampersands among the smart set), over the last several decades architectural practices with names such as Mecanoo, UNStudio, and OMA have appeared—and that’s just in Holland….

bigredfeet: What Beautiful HTML Code Looks Like

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0700

bigredfeet:

What Beautiful HTML Code Looks Like

25+ Useful Infographics for Web Designers | Webdesigner Depot

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0800

25+ Useful Infographics for Web Designers | Webdesigner Depot:

bigredfeet:

Infographics can be a great way to quickly reference information.

Instead of pouring over figures and long reports to decipher data, an infographic can immediately make apparent exactly what a dataset actually means.

Below are more than 25 infographics that can be useful to web designers.

Some are incredibly practical, some provide information that might be of interest to designers and some just present data that might be interesting to those who design websites all day.

If you know of any good ones that we may have missed, please add them in the comments section below.

austinkleon: Marian Bantjes: Influence map beautiful way to...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0800

austinkleon:

Marian Bantjes: Influence map

beautiful way to diagram influences.

What if Schematic Architecture drawings could evoke experiences...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0800

What if Schematic Architecture drawings could evoke experiences such as RIBA’s 2009 award winner of ”A Defensive Architecture” by Nicholas Szczepaniak of University of Westminster. Via (@Bodius).