The creation of this rock-cut architecture spanned 12 dynasties…(and sometimes I feel like working on a project for a year seems like a long time).
RED LINE by GREGORY OREKHOV (Moscow)
This bold site-specific art installation makes a strong statement being in Russia at the moment. Also, feels like it’s part of a fairy tale. More here.
1,000 Trees by Heatherwick Studio's (Shanghai)
Proposed Canada Earth Tower by Perkins + Will (Vancouvers)
This 40 floor timber project is designed along the City’s Central Broadway corridor and transforms a 1.3-acre lot - aiming to become a new benchmark for green building construction. Read more.
Industrial Site Converted to Urban Wetland by eLandscript (China)
This impressive landscape firm collaborated with various practices to connect multiple banks created by the convergence of these four Shenzhen rivers with a series of paths and elevated promenades.
The Rainbow Bridge, which crosses two of the rivers, was completed by German practice Schlaich Bergermann Partner and the Flora Trellis Cafe was designed by LAAB Architects, and features glass curtain walls sheltered by a white rhombus-coffered canopy.
More here about this project.
Permeability House / Tangu Architecture (PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA)
So much about this home feels like an attempt to take advantage of plant space and the extensive screening appears to piggy-back on that . Read more.
Central Park Theater by Manuel Herz Architects (Swiss)
l'Arc de Triomphe wrapped by those honoring late artists Christo & Jeanne-Claude
I’ve seen Christo’s drawings of this for years - so good to finally see images of this project being realized. In the link (below) there is a photomontage (sketch) of an early wrapping idea in 1962.
The Arc is covered by 25,000 sq metres of silvery fabric, secured by 3,000 metres of red rope and fulfills one of the many life-long proposals of Christo & Jeanne-Claude, who were best known for large-scale wrappings and other massive site-specific artistic interventions.
Lots more excellent images/information here.
2019
El Terreno Communal Garden - Vertebral Architects (MEXICO CITY)
Lots to love about this entirely recycled/re-used educational garden. It will be on my list when headed to Mexico City (hopefully in the near future). Read more.
Ghost Wash by Colwell Shelor Landscape Architecture (Arizona)
Thoughtful xeric plantings (especially up against this house) with smart material choices for the desert. Read more.
The Wave by Atelier Scale (China)
I like when this happens.
This temporary display was created for the 2020 Shenzhen Flower Show, it was so popular it was voted to become a permanent part of the park where the show is held. Read more.
Walter De Maria, The Lightning Field 1977 (New Mexico)
One of the more interesting site specific land art projects. Consisting of 400 stainless steel poles arranged in a rectangular 1 mile × 1 kilometer grid. I love how it celebrates the anticipation and power of the thunderstorm.
Peking Man Cave Shelter (THAD)
The roof structure’s elegant form recalls the ancient terrain of the area, mimicking the hillside that once protected the dwellers of this now historic site. More info. here.
Peking Man Cave is the site of a group of Homo Erectus fossils (from approx. 750,000 yrs. ago), discovered in 1929–37 during excavations at Zhoukoudian near Beijing, China.
Taiyuan Botanical Garden (CHINA)
Impressive glulam domes, site planning and design by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects. More here.
Memorial Idea
First pass at site specific memorial for Seth, Adam and Andy. I’m thinking it could be 3 large cairns (markers) and a long line of rocks/sticks between the Opus hut and where these friends last skied. The materials would be from the avalanche detritus. I image it being restacked/aligned over time or just evolving into something else potentially.
Andrew Goldsworthy
Seth and I had conversations (not infrequently over the years) about the power of ephemeral art. My initial thoughts about how to memorialize Seth, Adam and Andy is to make something Goldsworthy-esque (over the summer) in the area where he and his close friends died. Something that will require revisiting over time to either reassemble or make anew. Something that will surely be a group project. Something subtle. Something beautiful.
Jiangyin Greenway - Weaving and Stitching Jiangsu, China
For all the construction that is currently taking place in China, I’m always happy to see when cities there embrace large-scale green projects. More here.
Champs-Élysées 2.0 (Paris)
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo announces studio PCA-Stream’s accepted proposal for transforming this historic avenue. The PCA plan will split the avenue's 1.2 mile eight-lane highway into bike lanes/walk-ways, as well as, introduce pockets of greenery (over the next 10 years) - with a goal of improving air quality and making it a more sustainable and desirable public space. More here and worth watching the impressive animated fly-by at the bottom of this link on PCA’s site.
Proposed High Line Extension (NYC) - Diller Scofidio + Renfro
I’ve loved this project since first hearing about it in the early 2000s.
Completed in 2009, the 1.5 mile elevated park was created on a former railroad spur along the west side of Manhattan and designed as a "living system” - part landscape architecture, part urban design.
The newly announced proposed extension will connect the High Line to the new Penn Station expansion allowing pedestrians to walk from the parkway to the station concourse without crossing busy roads.
