THE SUITABILITY OF SPECTACLES on THE HUMAN FACE

Prescription and fashion are the only reasons for adorning spectacles. Those who wear them for the latter wear it for the sake of fashion. While some wear elliptical geometries, others rectilinear. Their suitability obviously considered with respect to the physiognomy. Although a subconscious decision, it evolves from the human facial structure and its complimenting spectacle form. They articulate or hide certain visual mass of the face that they become capable of accentuating human features.

THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART EXTENSION: A CRITIQUE

The Glasgow school of art redevelopment designed by architect Steven Holl is built with light play as its driving concept. There exist huge tunnels and voids to extend natural light into the lower floors of the building. There is a narrative of light in the spaces of a temporal dimension. Although, in the winter, the light wells might just become grimly lit failures.
Even though the perceived campus is still rather small for the institution to function, the architect managed a solution which is functional, formidable and a designed environment that is conducive to learning. Holl’s description of his process and ideation is scarce. The scheme is advertised as a functionally thought out program and also that it generates contemplation, learning and creativity in the user.
The thin matte glass referencing of the mackintosh’s stone skin on the 1909 building is barely a valid response to the context. The reflection of the sky as a form of architectural “down-playing” is a failure since the reflection can also cause glare, the opposite of the “down play”.
The proposal promises great attention to detail and materiality.
Steven Holl said, "The site opposite the Mackintosh Building calls for a unique, inspiring and stimulating twenty-first century architecture with a great sensitivity to light, detail, and material. The new Glasgow School of Art Building will provide contemplative space for individual creativity and thought, and spaces of collective interaction for students, staff and the Garnethill community."
A formidable amount of media attention has made established critics, theorists and other loyalists of the historic mackintosh lash out against the Steven holl project. Some of them actually valid and most of them mis-informed, they are infuriated for many reasons and the cartoon like massing of the proposed structure is only their beginning to a long rant.
There is an opposition offered by the firms concerned. Their motive is to shoot down any accusation.
This dialectic however will remain redundant until the realisation of the project.

Suitability of Spectacle frames on faces

As I walked across the atrium of a mall, my eyes chanced upon flashy pink, yellow, leopard spotted, ominous black, sleek stainless steel and even red and white candy striped patterns. No, I do not speak of billboards or clothes but spectacle frames that rest placidly atop the ridge of your nose. According to me and dictated by current trends in spectacle frames, the title of this piece of writing must rightfully be the “Unsuitability of spectacle frames on faces”. It is most fashionable to be wearing chunky plastic frames that are in no manner proportionate to the size of your eyes or face or even remotely conducing to the shape of your face.

Round thick owl-eyed frames on small cute button noses or square frames on a round face, both are cool.

The vibrant colourful chaos on your pince-nez is completely justified. Unsuitable is in.

NOTES ON BECOMING A FAMOUS ARCHITECT: 79. Muses are overrated, Suzannas are underrated: ...

NOTES ON BECOMING A FAMOUS ARCHITECT: 79. Muses are overrated, Suzannas are underrated: ...: muse (mjuːz) — n a goddess that inspires a creative artist, esp a poet [C14: from Old French, from ...

Second Assignment

The second assignment given some weeks ago was to critique your building -the one that you designed last year in studio - 1000 words of pure, unbiased, non-plugging non-rhetorical criticism

Again, post here - will help carry the conversation forward

First Assignment

As some of you would remember, an assignment was handed to you in the first class regarding the Steven Holl - William Curtis.

You are requested it to post it online here - I think it was 50 words? Can't be too hard

The Architectural Critic in the age of New Media

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations..  the new needs friends.

Anton Ego, Ratatouille

Gone are the Kenneth Framptons & the Charles Jencks’. The new critique of architecture is happening in blogs, on forums and in webinars.  We no longer have to wait for the epic tomes in complex, unintelligible jargon by hallowed and stratospheric critics to know the reactions to our buildings, or those by others. Everyone has an opinion, & now everyone has a way to voice it.

There still exist a large number of journals and magazines that project intelligent criticism of buildings, but they are too slow, have too little reach and now, are increasingly becoming susceptible to the “aaj-tak” sensationalism that ails the rest of the media world.

 As architects, we need to know how to rationally criticize a built work. We also need to understand how to be prepared to tackle a world where information is instantly available, and so, to be sure we are original. Our opinion on architecture tends to be somewhat distorted towards heroicism, the ability to objectively quantify the true nature of a building should help us in our own work as well. Love need not be blind.

“Architects believe that not only do they sit at the right hand of God, but that if God ever gets up, they take the chair”

Karen Moyer