Much theorizing has been done about the chicken-and-egg relationship between architecture and society, the degree to which one shapes and determines the other. Does a society make a city in its own image? Yes. Does a city’s structure produce a…
Readying the apartment for occupancy – Alexander C. Gorlin
Architect Alexander C. Gorlin was engaged to handle consolidation and renovation, recasting of function allocations, and generally readying the apartment for occupancy. In planning his conversion/renovation scheme, Gorlin set his sights on creating an open loft-like space projecting, without recourse…
Design of the Guggenheim Museum
For Hollein’s more recent design of the Guggenheim Museum in Salzburg, as yet unbuilt, Hollein was a reverse Michelangelo, designing spaces to be carved out of the center of a rocky mountain. In Frankfurt the city block was his rock;…
U.S. homebuilders: ignoring solar
Whether many forms of solar energy are practical for wide-spread use is still debatable. Solar collectors for industrial heat are restricted to favorable geographic locations. Photovoltaic cells that turn sunlight directly into electricity are competitive only for specialized applications, such…
HOW TO CHOOSE A BUILDER
People either ardently love or completely despise their builders. So how can you find one that will get through the arduous process of building or renovating without inspiring homicidal thoughts? Decide what type of builder you need. There are three…