Eric Baldwin
While the vast majority of Iowa is devoted to agriculture, you can still find great works of archite cture quietly hidden between the fields and tractors. The state’s architecture is unique, both formally and spatially, but also in terms of the context and communities that these buildings emerge from. At once pragmatic and contemporary, the architecture…
Whether it graces cathedrals or offers panoramic views to the sea, glass has been used throughout hi story to redefine architecture. As glass has shaped architecture, so, too, has it constantly evolved into endless material variations, shapes, and sizes. Fritted glass is one such variety, often a ceramic frit silkscreened on the material, which allows for…
A long, narrow strip between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, Chile is a country with an emerging de sign culture as dynamic and remarkable as its landscape. Chilean architects are increasingly gaining recognition: Pedro Alonso and Hugo Palmarola won the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale, Alejandro Aravena served on the Pritzker jury, and Smiljan…
Through a process akin to sorcery or alchemy, writers take the various structures, ideas, and peculi arities of language and translate them into fantastic stories and unique experiences we come to love and, more importantly, learn from. Crafting a great story parallels architecture because both endeavors operate under certain guidelines (like grammar or zoning) and they…
When Le Corbusier proposed his five points and lifted Villa Savoye off the ground, he carefully arti culated a critical method to approach architecture and design. His pilotis, or columns, carried the load of the structure and simultaneously grounded his new aesthetic. Essentially a series of reinforced stilts, pilotis literally and figuratively supported Corbusier’s desire for…
Earlier this week, we took a look at contemporary architecture schools, but of course all academic b uildings are designed, and many of them are opportunities for schools to celebrate their outlook through design. Schools of economics, in particular, seem to lend themselves to statement architecture, where spreadsheets meet space and finances meet form. Rich examples…
Dutch tile manufacturer Mosa offers unique and distinct tile concepts for walls, floors, façades, an d terraces. Sustainability is at the core of Mosa practices, for which the company makes use of Cradle-to-Cradle principles and produces chemically inert, durable tiles. With a vision for a future where only sustainable materials are used, Mosa works with manufacturers,…
Design schools are incredible places of innovation, critique, and powerful problem solving. As archi tecture for architects, the best school designs can motivate, encourage, and inspire the next generation of designers. These buildings often adopt the very vocabulary and ideas being explored in contemporary practice and academia, expressing the dynamic relationships being taught within them: theory…
Modern-day economic troubles notwithstanding, there’s no denying the architectural legacy of G reece. The Ancient Greeks’ ideas on proportion, scale, and order continue to influence many of the great architecture projects of the 20th century. As design has evolved, so too has their response to landscape, environment, and public space. Even amongst the harsh conditions Greeks…