Our professor wanted to expose us to the Preservation side of architecture. Arlington, Texas has a number of historical sites scattered about. Of course, one must keep in mind that "historic" in the DFW Metroplex means it's older than about 50 years old, once again proving Eddie Izzard correct when he makes fun of us.
"We've restored this building to the way it looked over FIFTY YEARS AGO!!!"
"Surely not! No one was alive back…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on August 5, 2009 at 3:48pm —
No Comments
I only recently found out that Julius Shulman died at 98 on July 15th, 2009. If you have not had the chance to do so, please read his obituary. He was to architectural photography what Annie Leibovitz is to people portraits, or what Ansel Adams is to natural photography. Shulman was a Photog, which is photographer lingo for "master of the lens." And among photogs, Shulman was a grand master, an icon, accomplished something few others can ever do:…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 29, 2009 at 11:47am —
No Comments
The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, TX, is a Pritzker Prize masterwork by I.M. Pei and Russell Johnson, nestled in the heart of the Arts District. My class was lucky enough to be offered an in-depth architectural tour of it by architect Tom Cox. There are so many photos and so much information to cover, that I've split it into a three part series.…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 25, 2009 at 3:09am —
No Comments
From concept to implementation, to re-implementation, 7 cubes, Golden Scale to one another, realized in physical 3D form. Documenting mistakes, misconceptions, and admitting I'd have to start over after completing about 90% of the project was only half the fun.
Following our exploration of
The Golden Ratio, my Professor assigned…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 15, 2009 at 11:39am —
1 Comment
In the latest blog entry, we compare and contrast great architecture to...a bowl of soup?
Architecture separates space. Before the structure, there is only the client, the environment, and space. The plan must meet the means, needs, and desires of the client. The structure must durably transcend the challenges the environment poses to achieve those ends. An engineer considers this before designing a structure. An architect makes an art of…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 7, 2009 at 10:20am —
No Comments
Today we explore Part II of Italian Architecture. My hand is still pretty badly burnt, so once again, my commentary will be rather spartan. Hopefully by Monday it'll be healed enough to type out more than just a few lines here and there. (
more)
To see the entire spread and read my other blog entries, visit…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 3, 2009 at 8:22am —
No Comments
Caio! Today (and tomorrow) we examine some of the beautiful sites of Italy. Much of the typical American styles for academic and government structures is heavily borrowed from Italian works (that which isn't borrowed from Greece, that is). It seems only right to give an homage to it. These photos were taken by my wife in 2003. Almost all of these photos may be clicked on to see a larger image. (…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 2, 2009 at 8:01am —
No Comments
In the center of Southlake Town Square is the Town Hall, which also serves as a municipal courthouse, public library, Tarrant County commissioner's office, and more. To say the least, it is a large building that draws a lot of traffic. The building itself is handsome, stately, and cuts a fine figure from the park plaza in front. Situated as the center of town square, this red brick structure stands above all the others surrounding it. The area in…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on July 1, 2009 at 8:22am —
No Comments
Southlake Town Square is at the forefront of a new architectural and urban planning movement in the Dallas/Fort Worth area I will simply dub it the
Town Square Revival Movement, because to be honest, it's not like this is an entirely new concept to civilization, it just hasn't been used in so long that it's a lot like the Romanesque Revival Movement in the late 19th century. Anyway, in case it hasn't officially been named yet, I call…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 30, 2009 at 11:42am —
No Comments
This Friday we have the honor of interviewing author, architect, and critic John Hill from what is perhaps the world's most popular architectural blog site A Daily Dose of Architecture which is nearing the 4.5 million mark on views. He also runs A Weekly Dose of Architecture and wiki-style architectural catalogue The Archi-Tourist. John comes to us from New York City, and some how in addition to all that, he is also currently curating a selection of…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 26, 2009 at 9:31am —
No Comments
(for the full article, click here)
Human hubris often gives the impression that great architecture is and was our idea. But animals have been pulling off architectural miracles hundreds of millions of years before humans decided to even build the first lean-to out of some fallen branches. In examining only a few natural feats of civil and…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 25, 2009 at 10:10am —
2 Comments
(for the full story, click here)
In part two of this week's main photo spread, we explore the interior of E. Fay Jone's "Marty Leonard Chapel" and witness the sublime beauty within.
As one steps through the door of the Marty Leonard Chapel, there is an ever present aura of peace and light. The glass ceiling and crossbeams…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 24, 2009 at 5:40am —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here)
Fort Worth, Texas is blessed enough to have four buildings designed by AIA Gold Medalists Philip Johnson, Louis Kahn, I.M. Pei, and E. Fay Jones. On the Southwest corner of I-30 and Hulen, is one of these remarkable gems of brilliant architecture, landscaping, and design recognized worldwide: The Marty…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 23, 2009 at 9:03am —
No Comments
To view the entire story, click (here)
No dreaded tie for me! Three architecturally-related Father's Day gifts made this the best one ever: The Sims 3, a book on Frank Lloyd Wright, and a 2008 Kia Rondo. But what do these have to do with architecture? Trust me, my friends, and read on. (…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 22, 2009 at 11:16am —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here)
For our Friday Feature, we interview Bouler Design Group for tips on how to achieve success in architecture and design. Students and Professionals alike will have an interest in this firm's ability to withstand an increasingly competitive market, and how they managed to achieve it through modern…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 19, 2009 at 8:29am —
2 Comments
For the full story, click (here)
In Part 4 of of "Historic Dallas" we visit one of the most controversial sites in Downtown Dallas: Founder's Square. The hotly debated, roaming alleged log cabin of John Neely Bryan, Dallas's founder, rests here now. Founder's Plaza is directly across the street from The Old Red Courthouse and the JFK…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 18, 2009 at 8:28am —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here.)
For most people, the name "Dealey Plaza" is a grim reminder of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. But it has a rich history and is the true birthplace of Dallas, Texas. Part 3 of "Historic Dallas" shows this National Landmark designed by landscape architects Sidney J. Hare and S. Herbert Hare of Kansas City, Missouri. The choice…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 17, 2009 at 9:00am —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here)
In Part 2 of our ongoing series of historic Dallas architecture, we see the grand "Old Red Courthouse," or locally known as "Big Ol' Red". It's currently a museum for Dallas County History & Culture, and "Big" doesn't really do it justice. The thing takes up an entire city block, and looks built to withstand…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 16, 2009 at 8:24am —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here)
This begins a series of architectural photos I'll be doing on Historic Dallas buildings, monuments, museums, etc. Our journey begins with the Historic District in Dallas, at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza.
It occurred to me last week that I may not live in Rome, Greece, Egypt, or some other…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 15, 2009 at 12:29pm —
No Comments
(for the full story, click here.)
What do Paolo Soleri, Michael Shealy, and Dennis Holloway have in common? Before LEED Certification, the Kyoto Protocol, and public awareness of Global Warming, these three visionaries saw the potential benefit of--and even requirement for--sustainable architecture with low environmental impact. Their…
Continue
Added by Brandon Safford on June 12, 2009 at 3:00pm —
No Comments
