design, architecture, urbanism… with a grain of salt

For more photos click here

Well done Mr Rem + team | via ArchDaily.com

At the risk of over-blogging a single subject (all too common on Design/Archi blogs) I’ve sourced and relayed from the depths of designboom images of an exhibition on Australian vernacular/nostalgic/romantic guru, Mr Glenn Murcutt. 

A self-proclaimed man-of-the-hand (to quote “I do not use a computer other than word processing and probably will never.”), this exhibition appears as a wonderful display of design-process and its relationship with an exquisitely crafted build-process adapted precisely to its environment.

[Photo: Nacása & Partners Inc, sourced from GALLERY MA website]

….Unfortunately for those that aren’t actually in Tokyo between now and August 9, you’ll have to enjoy the images on the Gallery Ma (Tokyo) website.

[Photo: Nacása & Partners Inc, sourced from GALLERY MA website]

One final quote from Glenn:

I have established a miniscule practice. I have no staff whatsoever. No secretary, no typist, no tea maker, no draftsperson, no computer operator and a body of clients waiting for work in the order of two years. 

The method of practice compliments the project.

Church San Benedetg: Zumvitg, Switzerland, by Peter Zumthor.

Arguably, one of those projects where everything is perfect. (Well, except for those ugly cupboards they´ve put near the door. I won´t be showing photos of those.)

We set ourselves a limit of 5 of the most basic moments:

(1) form : impression

_photo by artist Hiroshi Sugimoto

(2) door : threshold

(3) window : light

(4) structure : materiality

(5) quiet : context

Is my summary. In short, if you find yourself lost in the mountains of Switzerland, make sure you find this little place, it´s incredible.

Now for some other links from people who took better photos than me and did more research:

http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6708&page=4

http://kubuildingtech.org/cooltour/gallery/sumvigt/index.html

http://flickr.com/photos/roryrory/2458139391/in/set-72157604836784920/

http://www.artnet.com/artwork/425010786/1158/hiroshi-sugimoto-saint-benedict-chapel—peter-zumthor.html

… Grain of salt just got mobile. Blogs are now coming from the road.

Currently in… Margeret river, it’s wet and cold and crisp.

This is more if a test you’ll have to put up with. When I find something Architecturally informative, I’ll post. Have a good weekend.

Beijing Hides Dilapidated Buildings - The New York Times 

unknown weegee photography exhibition

water main burst uproots madison avenue around 1938

To proceed to the full DAU…grain of salt Bookstore, click here

AUGUST FEATURED BOOK

An informative little guide for the budding student, and the post-graduate that missed a few pointers in the learning process. A couple of favourites are as follows.

Number 92;

A quote from Eliel Saarinen.

“Always design a thing by considering it in its larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan”

Number 28;

“A good designer isn’t afraid to throw away an idea”

This book and others featured are now part of the Grain of Salt bookstore.

An image of Foster’s chicken pen. A beautiful place to draw really…

An Architect´s Office | Arch Daily

Whether people are fully conscious of this or not, they actually derive countenance and sustenance from the ‘atmosphere’ of the things they live in or with. They are rooted in them just as a plant is in the soil.