5007 Steps

It takes 5007 steps from the stoop of my apartment to reach the farthest point of Prospect Park and to return home. I can usually make the journey in forty-five minutes.

It’s great to have a rhythm and a routine. Even the familiar sites of a favorite path through the city make life that much more enjoyable.

I only have two weeks left in New York. How quickly this time has gone! There’s lots left to do here, but I am beginning to realize that one person can’t do everything.

I shaved all my facial hair last week and it feels strange to have long hair now that I actually have to comb. I don’t think I’ll keep it long when I get back to school. Maybe I will.

I finished Catcher in the Rye. It only took one day. I loved the setting since I could recognize all the New York locations, but I think the book is pretty empty. Maybe I’ll blog about it later. I’m not sure if the book is even worth blogging about.

One last note: lots of love to Weezer. As a Lost fan I was overjoyed to see the show get 12 Emmy nominations and even more overjoyed to see that my second-favorite band will be releasing it’s latest album Hurley with Jorge Garcia’s face on the cover. Listen to the song here.

You stay classy planet earth.

N8

Pier 54

six hours pass and yet the men need more
time to climb bridges to Manhattan's shore.
i have begun to lose count of the score
of bugs and mice and mats upon the floor.

the sound of morning clock and slamming door
are heralds to my architecture chore.
my dear siblings i certainly adore
i see and know that "we will watch them soar."

what now becomes of men who fought in war
and writers who do write of love and gore
when their old hearts, young spirits, shall long for
the days they embraced old pier fifty-four?

Transparent New York

I've been walking through New York for the past two months and sometimes I stop and wonder what the city must have been like twenty, fifty, or even one hundred years ago.  Am I walking the same sidewalks that so many famous New Yorkers have tread over theyears?

Here's an image I fond on historypin.com, a fascinating site that allows users to "Google Street-view" urban scenes the past via historical photographs.  This picture shows my office in 1935. How amazing!  It doesn't look much different now from how it looked then (other than the addition of a few Starbucks Cafes), and there are still plenty of people walking around the neighborhood sporting black fedoras just like in this picture - I guess styles really do come back around!

My office, October 7th, 1935

And while I'm on the object of time travel, here's a nifty website I found that maps the development of Manhattan through time.

An overlay map of New York showing topography, trains, ferries, zoning, and subway routes

Transparent New York

It's amazing to think that the whole island used to be just one big set of farms! Who would have guessed!

The Drawer of Dreams

Imagine this: you’re dodging bullets, running upside down through a hotel corridor while the fate of your friends and a multi-billion dollar corporation hangs in the balance. No, you’re not dreaming – oh wait, or maybe you are! This the essential plot of Inception, Christopher Nolan’s latest movie, which debuted mid-July as an action-packed blockbuster that messes with your mind (and if you see it in New York, considerably lightens your wallet!)

Yes, Inception came out almost a month ago, and yes I did have to pay $16 to watch it, but, all inconsequential facts aside, I had a conversation with a friend today that challenged me to rethink Ellen Page’s character, the architecture student Ariadne, who plays a pivotal part in the film. Ariadne originally enters the plot when Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) loses his favorite “architect” and needs to find someone who can create dream worlds in which he can stage his elaborate mind-heist and recover his sense of sanity.

Although Ariadne knows nothing about the dream-world other than what she learns from Cobb, she eventually discovers that her powers of design and creation are amplified and that the new world of dreams has a “physics engine” that allows her to snap streets, bend buildings, and eventually warp entire worlds. 

The plot thickens when Cobb’s late wife Mal begins to appear unexpectedly in the dream world and sabotage the plans of the main characters. The only character who seems to be able to understand what is going on is Ariadne, who acts as a sort of psychologist for Cobb as he struggles to understand and confess his feelings for his deceased wife.

“An architect is the drawer of dreams.” ~ Grace McGarvie

The role that Page so expertly portrays in the film is more than just a novice architecture student. Her innocence to the political nature of the team’s venture allows her to focus on the social aspects of their quest. She coaxed Cobb through the loss of his wife and travels with him to the brink of “Purgatory” to help him understand that he must give up his wife and return to the real world.

This underscores the role of an architect (or even an architecture student) in today’s society. Not only must one be able to understand the constraints of the constructed environment, but they must also be able to play the part of mediator and counselor for the client of a project. This will not likely involve travelling through four layers of dreams to an uncertain world of infinite subconscious, but it certainly forecasts the need for architects and other design professionals to develop meaningful relationships with their clients in order to produce the best products and experiences possible.

This entire idea comes back to Social Analyst Grace McGarvie’s quote: “An architect is the drawer of dreams.” Yes, she in this case she certainly is, and she may be even more.

BONUS FEATURE: For anyone who really wants to have their mind messed with, consider that the entire movie is a dream and that Ariadne is, in fact, a counselor (or maybe even Cobb’s daughter) who has been with him in a long dream and who travels with him to meet his wife so that she can commit inception (the placement of an idea) with Cobb and have him return to the “real world”). Yes, it’s a crazy idea, but it is definitely worthy of some thought.

Check out the addictive game

BBBC Malcolm Reading Haiti Design Competition

From what I’ve seen and heard, it’s not easy to get architecture commissions in the current economy without being a sell-out or an over-competitor. The company I am working for has entered, and been denied, at least five architecture competitions RFPs since I have started working with them. This is pretty dejecting for me as an intern because I have been working primarily on architectural competition submissions and dejecting for the firm as wells since we are heavily reliant on competition entries for commissions.

The most recent competition we entered, a project intended as disaster-relief earthquake recovery housing for citizens of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, involves the design of a series of low-cost housing units. My boss was so eager to win this competition that he asked me to design a website to promote awareness and provide publicity for our design.

Check these two websites for a better idea of what our design will feature –

Haitisofthouse.com
Haitigreenhome.org

When it comes to being selective about design proposals and competitions, I think of this quote by Philip Johnson, who offers a humorous view of the architectural profession:

“Architects are pretty much high-class whores. We can turn down projects the way they can turn down some clients, but we've both got to say yes to someone if we want to stay in business.”

9 Miles in Manhattan

The subway is fantastic but it never lets its riders experience the magic of the city above!

This is a set of photos I took when I was still trying to get acquainted with the city. I walked from Queens to the Guggenheim, then west through Central Park and south down Broadway to meet up with some friends for a night out on Houston Street. (It's the red line in my latest blog).




9 miles. 5 hours. Definitely worth it. Check out the Picasa album below.

Nine Miles in Manhattan

And yes, there will be many more photos to come...

Who's Homeless?

I made a word cloud from this blog. The results aren't very surprising. New York, People, and Photography are each things that I have been thinking a lot about while in the city.

The one big surprise from my word cloud is the word "Homeless." I have discussed the idea in passing in many of my blog posts, but I've never really dedicated an entire entry to the topic of homelessness. Stay tuned for that post in the near future.

I wonder if my overabundant use of the word "Homeless" is subconscious. I am, after all, living away from my family and still settling into New York. Besides the fact that I will be sleeping on an air mattress all summer, I still don't feel like I'm completely at home in New York.

In fact, my working schedule isn't very different from my school schedule. At school, I usually arrive before 9 am to prepare for classes and, and I attend lectures and work in studio until at least 5 pm. My schedule here is a 9:30-6:30 routine, but I have consistently stayed at the office later in order to finish work and spend time with co-workers.

I thought that a summer internship would mean more free time and more opportunities to relax at home. Due to my full workday schedule I feel just as removed from my Brooklyn apartment as I do from my school apartment when I have to spend late and long hours in studio.

Does this mean that I'm mildly homeless? Or does my participation in my company's studio culture and my explorations around the city of New York make me appreciate the city I am in even more? Perhaps I feel homeless in the sense that I don't spend much time in my apartment, but I certainly feel comfortable out on the streets and at my office.

Information is Beautiful

One of my good friends is considering transferring from being an architecture major to being in a program with a greater social impact. I would argue that Architecture has one of the greatest social impacts or any profession. Nevertheless, he is interested in the idea of "neuroaesthetics" and the of the human mind's ability to process complex ideas and information with a preference for what is "beautiful".

I think this website is perfect for anyone who sees the beauty of information. http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/

44,000 and Moles

I recently found out that there are 44,000 homeless people in New York's five boroughs. Of those 44,000, over 6,000 spend their nights on the street. How is this possible?

Isn't there a housing crisis that has lowered the price of home and apartment ownership drastically? Aren't there government sanctions, such as Section VIII, that have allowed for reduced cost rent? Aren't there homeless shelters and all sorts of accommodations for underprivileged citizens to make use of? How is it possible for a city to be so desperate? A large portion of New York lives life above and beyond the limits of luxury while a vast population exists far below the poverty line.
How can I come to understand what it means to be homeless and live on the streets? I even hear that there are a kind of mole people - New York citizens that live in the abandoned subway stops and rail lines. I couldn't imagine living that kind of life, but for some reason the destitute nature of their existence makes me want to experience it all the more. At what other point in my life will I have the opportunity to see what it's like to live like a homeless person?

For all the atrocities that homeless living brings to the city, in all honesty the entire built environment of New York caters perfectly to the lifestyle of a homeless person. There are always people out on the streets, making it easy for homeless people to blend it. There is SO much trash and garbage overflowing from most of the garbage bins here that any homeless person would certainly never go hungry. Moreover, the maze of streets in most of the boroughs and the dark corners and parks cater perfectly to the late-night denizens not wishing to be caught or noticed, and in a city with so many flashy lights I couldn't imagine a better place for a homeless person to slip out of view than a side street or subway stop in New York city.

These are definitely questions worth pondering. Above ground, for now.

Atlas

Who is John Galt?

I'm reading Atlas Shrugged and I think it's especially pertinent that I'm in New York as I'm reading it. Even though the book doesn't specify a time or era in which its events take place, it's fun to imagine that all of the events occur in the present day. I like to imagine that some of the people I ride the subway with might be modern Dagny Taggarts (or Howard Roarks if you've read the Fountainhead).
Besides this yearning for a brush with greatness and a continual apprehension that I might meet someone famous on the streets of New York, I also wonder at how many superheroes are from New York. Spiderman, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Hellboy for certain (plus Batman of Gotham and Superman of Metropolis). Am I leaving any superheroes out? And what is this obsession with Superheroes from New York?It's a pretty big contrast from The Last Airbender, the latest M. Night Shyamalan film, which, all its negative reviews and flashy 3D graphics aside, does a great job of casting the main hero as a bucolic, nomadic hero. Is it New Age? Is it just simple settings to contrast with a monumental story? I can't say for sure. What I do find fascinating however is The Last Airbender's ability to cast its hero in a stoic and spartan light (similar to Samurai Jack for those who remember that old TV show). Just as many other superheroes struggle with their power and responsibility, Aang of The Last Airbender proves no exception to the rule other than his existence in a pastoral, unadulterated landscape.This makes me wonder why New York, which, I would argue, is the major metropolitan hub for culture and economy in the Western World, is the place where so many super heroes choose to call home. Each of the heroes who live in New York certainly are a representation of the beliefs of the American way of life - compare any of them to The 99, a group of Islamic super heroes inspired by the 99 godly traits of Allah. Surely "American" heroes like those from New York take on a nationalistic, cultural, and arguably patriotic slant?
The characters from Atlas Shrugged seem no different from the classic New York-based superheroes, except that their abilities are closer to those of Batman, the classic "Superhero without super powers." Each of the characters exhibits a vast array of skills that are either mental, social, or economic in ability, and which make the character stand in brilliantly stark contrast to the petty New York citizens that surround them. I hope I'm not one of those petty citizens.
Who is the Howard Roark of our day? Who are the heroes that we idolize? Who is John Galt?

Snips

I usually don’t tell people that I cut my own hair. I’ve been doing it since last summer, and it’s been a real journey of self-discovery. I like the feel of having short hair and of being able to run my fingers through it. Feeling the breeze on my head when I walk or ride my bike is very liberating.

At the same time, long hair is very stylish. Having a long head of groomed hair seems so majestic and free. Having short, buzzed hair seems to imply a militaristic or Spartan reserve. A buzz cut is the sign of a man who is regulated, either by his own will or someone else’s.

With all this in mind I found it very strange when my roommate, after watching me cut my own hair, asked me to cut his as well. Now, to set the record straight, my roommate has a lot of hair. I could never imagine having so much hair in a this hot New York summer, but he manages to pull it off pretty well and so I was shocked when he asked me to cut most of it off (firstly because I think longer hair is stylish, and secondly because I’ve never cut anyone’s hair but my own!)

Nevertheless, I took on the challenge and gave him a haircut. It was a really strange experience – I was altering the way he looked in a very permanent way and he trusted me to do what I thought looked fashionable and feasible. I don’t often have that kind of responsibility. Or do I?
















THE FARNSWORTH HOUSE: A BUZZ HAIRCUT?


I see all sorts of parallels between cutting hair and architecture. A haircut is like the design of a building – the client puts his livelihood in an architect’s hands and expects the architect and his (or her) team to create a space that is both beautiful and pragmatic. Essentially, architecture is like a very permanent, very expensive haircut.

How does this play out in the built environment? Just like hairstyles change over time, so do building types. Some buildings can be very clean-cut (compare Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House to a buzz haircut) while others can be very formed and sculpted compare Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall to the “Big Hair” styles of the 70’s).














WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL: BIG HAIR?

As an architecture student, I am essentially learning how to “cut hair” and develop a style at a slightly larger and more permanent scale. I think New York is a great place for seeing a whole range of “styles”, but every place has its own vernacular design and its own culture to convey. I need to learn how to take what I see from nature and the built environment and craft it into buildings that are responsive to the physical and ecological themes of the place. I need to learn how to create something that exemplifies utility, commodity, and beauty. And maybe I need to give a few more haircuts too.

CAPS LOCK

For the past week my boss's keyboard has been broken. He always writes his emails giving me recommendations and advice for what to do on the projects at hand, and I find his messages very helpful. However, his computer is very old and his keyboard is currently broken so that the caps lock cannot be turned off.

Normally if I receive an email in all-caps I delete it as spam, but I have been living with my boss's emails flying at me in all caps for the past week. It's a really weird phenomenon, but for some reason, CAPS LOCK IS GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS ANGER AND AGGRESSION. Plus it's just poor typographical form. Anyways, I've been a bit on edge at work when I receive his "angry" emails, (but just to set the record straight my boss is a great guy).

This brings me to my main point. New York is a city with its caps-lock key stuck on. Almost everywhere I've been and almost everything I've seen is either superlative, excessive, over-sized, or overwhelming. The buildings are bigger, the people are more forward, the culture is more diverse, and the lifestyle is WAY more fast paced. I enjoy it, but just like my boss's emails, it certainly has been keeping me on edge.
Times Square is a perfect example of this kind of "Caps lock" lifestyle. I commute through the square every day and recently I made the mistake of walking above ground during peak operating hours. Here's a photo of what it looks like.

TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK