It’s not architecture (or maybe it is?), but we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the major news this morning: the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Constitution guarantees marriage equality! And now back to your regularly scheduled programming …
L: Álvaro Siza, via Archdaily; R: Zaha Hadid, via Design Insider.
Celebrating Siza: Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza celebrated his 82nd birthday yesterday. The 1992 Pritzker Prize-winner is renowned for his “poetic modernism,” including the Leça Swimming Pools, the Expo ’98 Portuguese National Pavilion, and the recently completed “Building on the Water” in Huai’an, China.
Parametric Retrospective: Zaha Hadid’s career is far from over, but she has already compiled a large enough portfolio to merit her first retrospective: a comprehensive exhibition of the architect’s work to date opens tomorrow at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The show includes graphic artworks, drawings, models, photography, film, and installations, and runs until September 27th this year.
L: North Korea’s new airport, via BBC; R: Jørn Utzons, Casa Utzon, Hellebæk, Denmark, 1952, via Atlas of Interiors.
The Least Busy International Airport in the World?: Despite the fact that only a tiny number of visitors fly to and from North Korea each year, leader Kim Jong-Un has unveiled a gargantuan new airport in Pyongyang. The steel and glass building is reportedly six times larger than the original airport and is set to open on July 1st, welcoming a handful of tourists primarily from neighboring China, its main ally.
The Model Home: Curbed points us to the Atlas of Interiors, a remarkable online trove of architectural models and maquettes for your browsing pleasure. Details are scant, but the models — over 250 in all, from Aalto to Zumthor — were reportedly made by students at the Politecnico di Milano. Block out some time before diving in …
L: A virtual apartment through Oculus lenses, via Animal; R: Hulu’s “Seinfeld” set, via Curbed.
The Unreal Deal: If you’re looking for proof that virtual reality is becoming actual reality, look no further than a yet-to-be-completed high-end condo in Queens, where real estate agents are offering people the chance to see what their future apartment will look like using Oculus Rift headsets.
“Nothing is higher than architect”: So said George Constanza in the 148th episode of “Seinfeld” — an easy memory for online TV service Hulu is celebrating the fact it is now streaming all nine seasons of Seinfeld with a popup version of the comedian’s apartment at NYC’s Milk Studios open to the public this week. The faithful replica of the famous set is accurate down to the smallest detail — even if it happens to be more fragile than a movie set. (Meanwhile, a fan has also created a VR version of Jerry’s apartment … )
L: CanopyStair by Thor ter Kulve and Robert McIntyre, via Dezeen; R: Distinguishing Features Game by Frank Jacobus, via Fast Co.Design.
Strap-On Stairs: Two students from the Royal College of Art in London have designed a portable spiral staircase that allows ascent up any tree. Each step is fitted with a belt that straps to trunks of varying diameters, offering the chance to explore the canopy or even access a secret treehouse among the leaves.
Face/Off: Archi-Graphic, a forthcoming book by Frank Jacobus, explores a different kind of architectural visualization. The “Distinguishing Features” game is just one of the 60 infographics in the book; while the release date isn’t until October, you can play now on Co.Design.
Tall Tales: Developers have been reaching for the sky almost as much at the beginning of this century as they were 100 years ago — and the trend shows no sign of abating. Gizmag takes us on a whirlwind tour of super-tall towers past, present, and future with this handy guide:
Top image: Victoria City Aerial Berlin, painting by Zaha Hadid, 1988, via Designboom.