Herzog & de Meuron, Schützenmattstrasse Apartments, Basel, Switzerland, 1993 (via subtilitas) The operable iron sun shades mimic the storm drains found throughout Basel.

Herzog & de Meuron, Schützenmattstrasse Apartments, Basel, Switzerland, 1993 (via subtilitas)

The operable iron sun shades mimic the storm drains found throughout Basel.

Etymologies of the Month (April 2011)

April 2011 saw Construction Tech II and the reading of Jacques Lacan’s Gaze Theory

  1. Screen (n): late 14c., probably from an aphetic (Anglo-Fr.?) variant of O.N.Fr. escren, O.Fr. escran “a screen against heat” (early 14c.), perhaps from M.Du. scherm “screen, cover,” or Frank. *skrank “barrier,” from a Germanic root related to O.H.G. skirm, skerm “protection” (cf. skirmish).
  2. Cantilever (n): 1660s, probably from cant (2) + lever, but earliest form (c.1610) was cantlapper. First element also may be Sp. can “dog,” architect’s term for an end of timber jutting out of a wall, on which beams rested.
  3. Gaze (n/v): late 14c., probably of Scandinavian origin (cf. Norw., Swed. dial. gasa “to gape”), perhaps related somehow to O.N. ga “heed” (see gawk). The noun is from 1540s, “thing stared at;” 1560s as “long look,” from the verb.
  4. Spectacle (n): mid-14c., “specially prepared or arranged display,” from O.Fr. spectacle, from L. spectaculum “a show, spectacle,” from spectare “to view, watch,” frequentative form of specere “to look at,” from PIE *spek- “to observe” (see scope).
  5. Opacity (n): 1550s, “darkness of meaning, obscurity,” from Fr. opacité, from L. opacitatem (nom. opacitas) “shade, shadiness,” from opacus “shaded, dark, opaque.” The lit. sense “condition of being impervious to light” first recorded 1630s.
  6. Lure (n): late 14c., “something which allures or entices,” from Anglo-Fr. lure, from O.Fr. loirre “device used to recall hawks, lure,” from Frank. *loþr, from P.Gmc. *lothran “to call” (cf. M.H.G. luoder, M.L.G. loder “lure, bait,” Ger. Luder “lure, deceit, bait,” O.E. laþian “to call, invite”). Originally a bunch of feathers on a long cord, from which the hawk is fed during its training, used of means of alluring other animals (especially fish) from c.1700. Technically, bait is something the animal can eat; lure is a more general term.
  7. Travesty (n): 1670s, from adj. meaning “dressed so as to be made ridiculous, parodied, burlesqued” (c.1660s), from Fr. travesti “dressed in disguise,” pp. of travestir “to disguise” (1590s), from It. travestire “to disguise,” from L. trans- “over” (see trans-) + vestire “to clothe” (see wear).
  8. Algorithm (n): 1690s, from Fr. algorithme, refashioned (under mistaken connection with Gk. arithmos “number”) from O.Fr. algorisme “the Arabic numeral system” (13c.), from M.L. algorismus, a mangled transliteration of Arabic al-Khwarizmi “native of Khwarazm,” surname of the mathematician whose works introduced sophisticated mathematics to the West (see algebra). The earlier form in M.E. was algorism (early 13c.), from Old French. Modern use of algorithmic to describe symbolic rules or language is from 1881.
  9. Mimicry (n): 1580s (n.), 1590s (adj.), 1680s (v.), from L. mimicus, from Gk. mimikos “of or pertaining to mimes,” from mimos “mime.” Zoological sense is from 1861.
  10. Suture (n): 1540s, “surgical stitching of a wound, etc.,” from L. sutura “a seam, a sewing together,” from sutus, pp. of suere “to sew” (see sew).

_

Moreno Del Valle, AVE Control Center, Albacete, Spain, 2011 (via subtilitas) The facade detail is reminiscent of the more well known de Young Museum by Herzog + de Meuron in San Francisco, CA from 2005.

Moreno Del Valle, AVE Control Center, Albacete, Spain, 2011 (via subtilitas)

The facade detail is reminiscent of the more well known de Young Museum by Herzog + de Meuron in San Francisco, CA from 2005.

Jakob + MacFarlane, Orange Cube, Lyon, France, 2011 (via eVolo) “Designed by Jakob + MacFarlane as a part of an urban planning project to replenish the docks of Lyon, the five-storey orthogonal cube plays off the fluid movement of the river saône, exploring the effects of subtraction and voids on the quality and generation of space.  Built on a regular framework of 29 x 33 m, the structure stands autonomously on the site, a wharf with a predominantly industrial background. The most noticeable element of the design – its bright orange shade – is an abstraction of lead paint, an industrial color often used for harbor zones. The external skin is a light facade, punctured with a pixilated pattern that resembles trailing droplets, a reference to the adjacent river’s flow. This porous envelope allows sightlines and natural daylighting while establishing a distinct identity for the building. The structural regularity of the cube is broken on the north-west corner which faces the river. Conic in form, the large, diagonally-running void generates new space: a large atrium is created which is circumscribed by a series of outdoor corridors that connect the office platforms together. The facade is pulled into the depth of the volume, resulting in a shift in interior/exterior relations, as well as facilitating light and views. Another volumetric subtraction on the entry and roof level establish direct relations between the building, its users, and the site. Featuring a double-height layout, the ground floor accommodates a design showroom. The display concept, which was also created by jacob + macfarlane architects, was developed as an extrapolation of the ‘orange cube’s architectural language. taking the treatment of the facade, a three-dimensional volume was generated for an L-shaped wall that wraps around the space. Sixty ‘alvéoles’ are used to display furniture pieces, while the unit as a whole define the circulation of the floor.”

Jakob + MacFarlane, Orange Cube, Lyon, France, 2011 (via eVolo)

“Designed by Jakob + MacFarlane as a part of an urban planning project to replenish the docks of Lyon, the five-storey orthogonal cube plays off the fluid movement of the river saône, exploring the effects of subtraction and voids on the quality and generation of space.  Built on a regular framework of 29 x 33 m, the structure stands autonomously on the site, a wharf with a predominantly industrial background. The most noticeable element of the design – its bright orange shade – is an abstraction of lead paint, an industrial color often used for harbor zones. The external skin is a light facade, punctured with a pixilated pattern that resembles trailing droplets, a reference to the adjacent river’s flow. This porous envelope allows sightlines and natural daylighting while establishing a distinct identity for the building. The structural regularity of the cube is broken on the north-west corner which faces the river. Conic in form, the large, diagonally-running void generates new space: a large atrium is created which is circumscribed by a series of outdoor corridors that connect the office platforms together. The facade is pulled into the depth of the volume, resulting in a shift in interior/exterior relations, as well as facilitating light and views. Another volumetric subtraction on the entry and roof level establish direct relations between the building, its users, and the site. Featuring a double-height layout, the ground floor accommodates a design showroom. The display concept, which was also created by jacob + macfarlane architects, was developed as an extrapolation of the ‘orange cube’s architectural language. taking the treatment of the facade, a three-dimensional volume was generated for an L-shaped wall that wraps around the space. Sixty ‘alvéoles’ are used to display furniture pieces, while the unit as a whole define the circulation of the floor.”

Foreign Office Architects, John Lewis Department Store, Leicester, England, 2008

Foreign Office Architects, John Lewis Department Store, Leicester, England, 2008

Tomb of Akbar the Great, Agra, India, 1600-13 “A jali (or jaali, Gujarati જાળી) is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy and geometry. Early work was performed by carving into stone, while the later more elegant techniques used by Islamic and Indian architects employed an inlay using marble and semi-precious stones. Jali typically use Islamic geometric patterns, and less often arabesques. This architectural decoration was used in Islamic architecture as well as in Indian architecture.”

Tomb of Akbar the Great, Agra, India, 1600-13

“A jali (or jaali, Gujarati જાળી) is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy and geometry. Early work was performed by carving into stone, while the later more elegant techniques used by Islamic and Indian architects employed an inlay using marble and semi-precious stones. Jali typically use Islamic geometric patterns, and less often arabesques. This architectural decoration was used in Islamic architecture as well as in Indian architecture.”

Renzo Piano, New York Times Building, Manhattan, NY, 2007

Renzo Piano, New York Times Building, Manhattan, NY, 2007

Laurie Baker, Indian Coffee House, Trivandrum, India, c. 1985 (via stapati; dracorain) “Throughout his practice, Baker became well known for designing and building low cost, high quality, beautiful homes, with a great portion of his work suited to or built for lower-middle to lower class clients. His buildings tend to emphasize prolific - at times virtuosic - masonry construction, instilling privacy and evoking history with brick jali walls, a perforated brick screen which invites a natural air flow to cool the buildings’ interior, in addition to creating intricate patterns of light and shadow. Another significant Baker feature is irregular, pyramid-like structures on roofs, with one side left open and tilting into the wind. Baker’s designs invariably have traditional Indian sloping roofs and terracotta Mangalore tile shingling with gables and vents allowing rising hot air to escape. Curved walls enter Baker’s architectural vocabulary as a means to enclose more volume at lower material cost than straight walls, and for Laurie, “building [became] more fun with the circle.” A testament to his frugality, Baker was often seen rummaging through salvage heaps looking for suitable building materials, door and window frames, sometimes hitting a stroke of luck as evidenced by the intricately carved entry to the Chitralekha Film Studio: a capricious architectural element found in a junk heap. Baker’s architectural method is one of improvisation, in which initial drawings have only an idealistic link to the final construction, with most of the accommodations and design choices being made on-site by the architect himself. Compartments for milk bottles near the doorstep, windowsills that double as bench surfaces, and a heavy emphasis on taking cues from the natural condition of the site are just some examples. His Quaker-instilled respect for nature lead him to let the idiosyncrasies of a site inform his architectural improvisations, rarely is a topography line marred or a tree uprooted. This saves construction cost as well, since working around difficult site conditions is much more cost-effective than clear-cutting. (“I think it’s a waste of money to level a well-moulded site”) Resistant to “high-technology” that addresses building environment issues by ignoring natural environment, at the Centre for Development Studies (Trivandrum, 1971) Baker created a cooling system by placing a high, latticed, brick wall near a pond that uses air pressure differences to draw cool air through the building. Various features of his work such as using recycled material, natural environment control and frugality of design may be seen as sustainable architecture or green building with its emphasis on sustainability. His responsiveness to never-identical site conditions quite obviously allowed for the variegation that permeates his work.”

Laurie Baker, Indian Coffee House, Trivandrum, India, c. 1985 (via stapati; dracorain)

“Throughout his practice, Baker became well known for designing and building low cost, high quality, beautiful homes, with a great portion of his work suited to or built for lower-middle to lower class clients. His buildings tend to emphasize prolific - at times virtuosic - masonry construction, instilling privacy and evoking history with brick jali walls, a perforated brick screen which invites a natural air flow to cool the buildings’ interior, in addition to creating intricate patterns of light and shadow. Another significant Baker feature is irregular, pyramid-like structures on roofs, with one side left open and tilting into the wind. Baker’s designs invariably have traditional Indian sloping roofs and terracotta Mangalore tile shingling with gables and vents allowing rising hot air to escape. Curved walls enter Baker’s architectural vocabulary as a means to enclose more volume at lower material cost than straight walls, and for Laurie, “building [became] more fun with the circle.” A testament to his frugality, Baker was often seen rummaging through salvage heaps looking for suitable building materials, door and window frames, sometimes hitting a stroke of luck as evidenced by the intricately carved entry to the Chitralekha Film Studio: a capricious architectural element found in a junk heap. Baker’s architectural method is one of improvisation, in which initial drawings have only an idealistic link to the final construction, with most of the accommodations and design choices being made on-site by the architect himself. Compartments for milk bottles near the doorstep, windowsills that double as bench surfaces, and a heavy emphasis on taking cues from the natural condition of the site are just some examples. His Quaker-instilled respect for nature lead him to let the idiosyncrasies of a site inform his architectural improvisations, rarely is a topography line marred or a tree uprooted. This saves construction cost as well, since working around difficult site conditions is much more cost-effective than clear-cutting. (“I think it’s a waste of money to level a well-moulded site”) Resistant to “high-technology” that addresses building environment issues by ignoring natural environment, at the Centre for Development Studies (Trivandrum, 1971) Baker created a cooling system by placing a high, latticed, brick wall near a pond that uses air pressure differences to draw cool air through the building. Various features of his work such as using recycled material, natural environment control and frugality of design may be seen as sustainable architecture or green building with its emphasis on sustainability. His responsiveness to never-identical site conditions quite obviously allowed for the variegation that permeates his work.”

Laurie Baker, Sreekaryam Loyola Chapel and Auditorium, Trivandrum, India, 1971

Laurie Baker, Sreekaryam Loyola Chapel and Auditorium, Trivandrum, India, 1971

Laurie Baker, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, India, 1971

Laurie Baker, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, India, 1971

‘Brise soleil, (from French, “sun breaker”), in architecture refers to a variety of permanent sun-shading techniques. In the typical form, a horizontal projection extends from the sunside facade of a building. This is most commonly used to prevent facades with a large amount of glass from overheating during the summer. Often louvers are incorporated into the shade to prevent the high-angle summer sun falling on the facade, but also to allow the low-angle winter sun to provide some passive solar heating.’

‘Brise soleil, (from French, “sun breaker”), in architecture refers to a variety of permanent sun-shading techniques. In the typical form, a horizontal projection extends from the sunside facade of a building. This is most commonly used to prevent facades with a large amount of glass from overheating during the summer. Often louvers are incorporated into the shade to prevent the high-angle summer sun falling on the facade, but also to allow the low-angle winter sun to provide some passive solar heating.’

Jean Nouvel, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France, 1981-7

‘The Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) was established in 1980 in Paris, when 18 Arab countries concluded an agreement with France to establish the Institute to disseminate information about the Arab world and set in motion detailed research to cover Arabic and the Arab world’s cultural and spiritual values. The Institute also aims at promoting cooperation and cultural exchanges between France and the Arab world, particularly in the areas of science and technology, thus contributing to development of relations between the Arab world and Europe.’ 

I would think this image was cool if it were not the only thing I could ever see on my macbook. 

I would think this image was cool if it were not the only thing I could ever see on my macbook. 

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