revitalization

Check out this great revitalization project Land8Lounge featured in their e-mail this week, it is an old cannery in California that was turned into a multifamily adaptive re-use facility.

http://land8.com/photo/albums/pacific-cannery-lofts-west-oakland-ca

Glad Tidings of the Holidays

I am spending part of my Christmas Holiday in Little Rock and I was looking at some of the festivities I could get involved in when I found great events held at the Down Town River Market.  It is a great development in Downtown LR that has a park, amphitheater, farmers market, and much more.  I happened across it by searching for places to ice skate and it hit me how a passive place like a park with the flexibility to be used for so many different things is so important in all cultures.  Whether it is an open plaza made only of concrete or brick, or a forest with a trail system and a few pavilions, it has so many Uses to so many different people. The river walk in Columbus has a concrete pad under an old bridge that I see being used for yoga, picnics, small acoustic jam sessions, and larger musical performances as well.  It's the simplest spaces that I think are the most successful.  So as part of my new found interest in social spaces and building of community thanks to  this seminar I will explore the LR River market and soak up the feeling of community a designed space can provide!

http://www.rivermarket.info/

Living with the Land

As I go into my last blog posts of this class I want to take some time to share a place that was such an important part of my life and what steered me into going back to school.  Those of you who know me can't help but know that I worked at The Land greenhouses at Epcot.  A tradition at the end of the internship is to tie your ugly white tennis shoes together and throw them up into a tree outside of the break room.  Well one of our leaders hated the tradition and all but told us not to continue the tradition. Well I am not one for taking subtle hints and was gonna add my shoes to the tree come hell or high water.  I decided to write a message on the bottom of my shoes and It simply told him not to worry when they were ripe, they would fall.  And they did...during a hurricane.  Most of the shoes blew away, but wouldn't you know, my pair and the message attached didn't blow away like many of the shoes and he got my message and has decided to allow the tradition to continue.  The message I wrote was inspired by the phrase I titled my blog off of, which I described in my very first post.

But I wanted to provide a little information to you about The Land and how great the experience of working there was and in the even that anyone stumbles upon this blog post they can know how wonderful the Land was as well.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/living-with-the-land/

In front of you the whole time

The world around us is full of amazing things that we truly never pay attention to, I learned that on a cool weather run the other day when a case of nature winning over man had escaped me the umpteen times i had run past the same spot.  Well it happened to me again today when I caught Mengli looking at a book of Hunderwasser Architecture and I wondered how I have gone through life and not explored this bazaar and fantastic style of architecture! So in the event that any of you out there are under appreciating Hunderwasser, here is just a little taste for you!
This guy is a real life Dr. Seuss!

And here is a website that has some other crazy cool buildings:
http://www.roxanneardary.com/blog/unusual-architecture-from-around-the-world/

Study Time

With finals approaching, I have been researching ways to help my students through finals week and trying desperately to help them pull up any grades they can in these last few days of class.  With this said I have found information about rest and meditation for stress free test taking to help improve scores.  This got me thinking of the power of de-stressing and having good, designated spaces to do so. So I did a quick look into designing contemplative spaces and turns out, there is a decent amount of info out there to support calming design.

http://chicago.shambhala.org/program_details.php?id=53134&cid=170

 
http://www.home-designing.com/2011/01/spaces-that-inspire-solitude-contemplation-and-creative-work

A long time ago I learned from an interior design teacher that most studio environments are gray because gray promotes creativity, something to think about when creating your own creative or study space.
http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/color.html

The things you find when looking for something else

I was searching for how to make a homemade cistern and came across an inventive bike rack in Portland that has a roof which catches rainwater. It was so interesting and inventive to me I had to share!

http://djcoregon.com/news/2012/02/16/portland-gets-creative-with-stormwater-project-adds-bikes-and-art/

Spontaneous Art

I was playing on land 8 lounges website and they had a picture of a street in Agueda, Portugal that was covered in Umbrellas and it is apparently something the city always does in the summer time.  They place Umbrellas all around and it has become a bit of an artistic expression as well as a part of their landscape.

How stinking cool is that!?

It got me thinking about spontaneous art and how things can just happen and become pretty cool and how some artist dedicate their life to creating installations that can mean nothing at all or have deeper meaning, but either way, they tend to strongly effect people.  I have always liked the practical joke Martha Schwartz played on her husband with her bagel garden.

And I got to meet Patrick Dougherty and help with one of his twiggy installations at LaBash at Purdue.

Even at a crazy event like burning man where it will eventually be destroyed (much like all of Patrick's works) they can create some amazing pieces.

Just something to think about I guess that no matter the medium, some thing intriguing can capture a persons imagination and lead to even more works of random art that can simply "be" and make a huge difference in the way we see the world we live in.

Building Castles

On many beaches throughout the world there are competitions for artists to sculpt the most well thought out and structurally sound sculptures out of sand.  The only materials are sand and water and the perfect balance of the 2.  In competitions I have seen the final product is then blown to pieces after being judged.  It is something that has taken the simple sand castle to an artistic extreme.  But something I have started to learn something about, called rammed earth is something that is so similar and much more permanent.  Rammed Earth Homes are not only healthy for dwellers and provide an beautiful alternative form of the most basic idea of shelter, but they are a green form of building.

Sand Castles 

 http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/outdoor-projects/better-than-the-sand-castle-beach-art-gallery#slide-3

How Rammed Earth Homes work?
http://home.howstuffworks.com/rammed-earth-home

Rammed Earth Homes

Rammed Earth home in Austin Texas
http://gliving.com/modern-rammed-earth-style-green-house-in-austin-texas/
http://earthshelters.com/
http://www.rammedearthhomes.com/

Long Runs

I pushed myself to do a 17.1 training run this weekend in Columbus, and believe me, i ran every inch of sidewalk in the "safe" part of Downtown in order to do so and some of it twice.  I know Robert is doing a whole thesis based on this topic, but I wanted to know about some of the best places for training.  So my first stop was of course google and a quick search sent me to an article in Runner's World about the top 25 cities to run in.  I am at the point of driving to Starkville to have a change of scenery, but my friend in Chicago runs a different route every long run she goes on and in the process gets to know her city a little bit better each time,
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-283-318-8155-0,00.html

I loved running around property at Disney because I could run the nice manicured sidewalks throughout the different connected resorts.  I wish the whole world was more aware of foot traffic for good, safe, connected routes for runners.

There is a great app called RunKeeper that people save their routes and the distance of the route is provided, so in an unfamiliar area you can learn the route and know how far it takes you.  Modern technology just can't be beat, and it for sure beats running in circles on a track or on a treadmill to know for sure how far your legs think they are going.
http://runkeeper.com/

And just in case this topic has you inspired to go running here is where I started
http://www.c25k.com/
When I first began I had only ever worked myself up to 2 straight miles, and that had honestly only happened once, now I can run 10 miles without stopping and I am training for a full marathon.  5K's are a phenominal accomplishment and very attainable goal.  Good luck if you want to try this and keep in mind how it is a great way to connect you to nature, to cities, and honestly to yourself.

The Warm Breezes that Blow

There is a lot of criticism to be found about wind energy.  I am all for not killing birds by changing the atmospheric pressure, or having people go crazy from a dull constant hum, but I am also for cleaner forms of energy and this Design III project has me thinking of the simple forms of energy production and how it really cant be that hard.

We already use photo-voltaic panels in our own department, that combined with geothermal heating and cooling makes our 3 buildings the most energy efficient buildings on campus.  What if we harnessed a little wind?  The Aiken village site we are looking at is bordered on the north by HWY 182 and on the East by HWY 12.  there are a steady stream of cars helping to produce wind all day and the wind isn't selective to the daytime alone, solar energy has to be stored, but wind energy is a little more around the clock. If all 3 of the above systems were incorporated into the building site, it could in theory have a negative footprint, it could be receiving more energy than it is using and all of it is renewable!

I just wanted to provide a few links to back up my theory of how easy this all could be.

just a little side note, play around Appalachian State's websites, they do some crazy cool sustainable practice stuff!http://sustain.appstate.edu/

http://www.carbontrust.com/resources/reports/technology/small-scale-wind-energy
http://www.windustry.org/home-and-farm-scale-wind
http://www.windspireenergy.com/

http://sustain.appstate.edu/strides/attributes/id/972
http://www.renewablegreenenergypower.com/solar-energy-facts-concentrated-solar-power-csp-vs-photovoltaic-pv-panels/
http://www.tva.com/environment/technology/solar_photovoltaic.htm our LA building is on the TVA site

http://www.mississippipower.com/residential/geoexchange.asp
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/GeothermalEnergyFacts.php

The Wino's Dilemma

Many years ago I was far to skinny to be reading a book called Skinny Bitch (hope I'm allowed to say that), written by 2 former models about how they have stayed skinny without starving themselves. Sounds like great advice for someone trying to keep off the freshman 15 right!? Well the first couple of chapters were down right funny and very truthful, my personal favorite line going something like, "Skinny Bitches don't smoke, because smoking kills your taste buds so you eat things that taste like shit, when you eating things that taste like shit you get fat." not a direct quote but close enough.  But as I got farther into I realized I was being told the only way to be skinny was to eat only organic and to be a vegan! It was a watered down version of Food Inc. minus the research to back it up!

I was then given one of the least romantic valentine presents in the history of valentines day as a commercial hollidy...Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma.  (a used copy at that) It took me a full year to get over myself and read it.  I mean it was quite thought full in retrospect because it was some thing I wanted to read, but I'd sya that's more of a happy Thursday present and less of a romantic gesture.

 It was full of insight about where we get our food, why we eat what we eat, and how to make informed decisions about where our next meal comes from.

Ok Michael, sorry to say I will still choose the convenience of buying things at Kroger, but I will be smarter about brands and about choosing local hormone free chickens and such.

Skinny Bitches... I refuse to live by the label of "Organic" because if I learned one thing in undergrad it is that "organic" is a tricky tricky word.

So how does the title of my blog fit into this? Well the two above source are only a fraction of the things I think about when choosing what I do, buy, and eat.  I have seen the ugly side of me and the things stress and lack of time to make the right decisions can do to my body so i am now more aware of what goes into it that when i was a broke undergrad taking every opportunity to get a free slice of pizza.  Now I am a broke grad student raising my own egg laying chickens and eating fresher more filling and wholesome foods.  I am also a runner and watching my carb and calorie intake and I am human and want to wind down with a drink once in a while.  i stay away from the carbonation and carbs of beer and I'm not feeling the hard liquor thing without the added cons of mixers. So I turn to wine.  110 calories a glass and I am in a happier place.  But one thing I remember from skinny bitch was to stick to an organic red wine, good luck finding that at Corkey's!
Also with the things I have been learning in grad school I want to think about the environment and how the farming practices of a winery effect the world around them so I can enjoy a nice glass of vino at night.

Turns out there is a sustainable wine growers alliance in California!

They follow the 3 E's shown above and have been doing so since 2004.  They list their sustainability reports on their website and provide a list of wineries that are associated with their standards of sustainable practice so i can in turn make a smarter decision about the wine I choose to enjoy.And I am sorry to report my "go to" wine is not on the list and I hereby proclaim that I will no longer be buying it.  It is time to step out of my comfort zone, do a little research, and try something new while trying to make a little bit of difference in my world.
http://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/

Eco-Creative=Wonderful!

Regrettably I have found out about something I could have 100% have planned to go to but can't now because I have work tonight.  That seemingly amazing thing called Moss Rock Festival is today in Hoover, Alabama and looks fantastic.  I have a friend who will be attending on my behalf and letting me know what  she thinks of it but from what I'm finding online it looks great.  It is in a neighborhood in Hoover called the Preserve, very Desperate Housewives or Stepford Wives looking but a pretty cool concept for a neighborhood.  It has a village green, hiking trails, rock climbing, and a real feeling of family for those who live there.  The largest problem I see with it is the lack of density, but it has the theory behind it making it a very pleasant place.
http://www.hooverpreserve.com/Index.aspx

The Moss Rock Festival that is held there is a gathering of artists in every respect of the word with many different types of creations that are meant to improve the earth.  Jewelry, clothes, furniture paintings,architects, activists, and so many more who are gathering to help educate the masses on their craft. It just seems like something I for sure want to plan to attend next fall!
http://mossrockfestival.com/category/blog/

Living Machine

http://www.livingmachines.com/?gclid=CKbtqp_FsLMCFUeRPAodJlAAlg
I found a website for a company who builds living machines and they have examples of some schools where they have installed living machines and waste water management wetlands as a part of the living Machine System.  They even Show examples of how the system itself is an attractive feature in the lobby of buildings where they are actually cleaning the water as people walk past every day thinking they are pleasant to look at.  So cool how something that ecologically makes such a difference is an attractive feature as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AKBuRv-tcMw

Urban Development

I have a connecting in Australia at the moment and I learned about an interesting feature that got me searching the web for more information.  It is a "beach" in the center of a city.  The city is Brisbane in Queensland Australia and the beach is along the bank of the Brisbane River and is an attempt to reclaim land and create a natural corridor along the river.  The ares seems quite interesting  when I explored it on google earth where I also found a great pedestrian bridge called the Kurilpa Bridge.  It is far from the urban prairie lands of Chicago but a very interesting park space for the people who live in Brisbane.

http://www.visitsouthbank.com.au/











http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurilpa_Bridge

http://brisbanedevelopment.com/brisbanes-largest-urban-renewal-project-since-southbank/

A Social Experiment

I was looking at information on intentional villages and came across a village in North Yorkshire, England called Botton.  It is considered a social experiment of an environment where nearly half of the residents are adults with learning and mental disabilities.  The documentary I am posting a link to is about 45 minutes long but explains day to day life in the village and follows one man as he attempts to go back into society after living in Botton for 25 years or so.  It answered a lot of questions I had about watching our class video about the effect intentional communities for these types of individuals has on their long term well-being.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co6zuyLfVnc

One Last Halloween Post

I have always had a fascination with Halloween or All Hallows' Eve.  As a Christian I have recognized All Saints day as a day to honor the departed family and friends I trust to be in Heaven.  My family would always place fresh flowers on our loved ones graves and try to remember them fondly instead of mourning the fact they were no longer with us on earth.  

But the lore and legend attached to the Eve of All Saints day has held particular folly and interest.  I like the thought of dressing as someone else to trick the devil.  I like the story of Jack in Ireland and his tricking the devil and how he walks the earth for eternity with a lighted turnip, I could only hope to catch sight of him one dark and spooky night.  I also like the background attached to trick or treating.  It goes back to when families in England would prepare food for the souls returning to earth for one night and how the poor would beg for cakes baked for the festivities.  It became a custom and then it developed to the point where if you didn't treat the less fortunate to a handout they would play a trick on the household.  Modern day trick or treaters are far less concerned with the tricks and always receive ample treats.  

I come from a state where religion and pagan practices merge and I feel that has aided in my enthusiasm toward ghosts and goblins and super natural lore.  But without those stories, October 31st would simply be another day...and whats the fun in that?

Halloween factoids:

• Halloween is based on an ancient holiday 'All Hallows Eve'. It was the one day of the year where dead spirits were allowed to walk the earth.
• Bats fingers are actually parts of its wings and their "fingers" are bigger then their body
• Bats always turn left when exiting a cave
• "Phasmophobia" is a fear of ghosts.
• Of the 4000 species of mammals on the planet, there are 900 different species of bats.
• Worldwide, bats are the most important natural enemies of night-flying insects.
• 9% of Americans report having been in the presence of a ghost.
• During WWII, Americans tried to train bats to drop bombs. They failed.
• Wiccaphobia: Fear of witches and witchcraft.
• Samhainophobia: Fear of Halloween. 
• Samhain is what people who regard themselves as witches call Halloween
• Chocolate is the number 1 for of candy sought out by trick or treaters
• Cats are nocturnal and over the years have been linked to witchcraft and bad luck that comes in the night
• Some believe black cats are witches in disguise or witches reborn
• Halloween was mostly celebrated in the UK and brought over to the America's by English settlers, but has become celebrated throughout most of the world.

Designs for the Future seem to come from the Past

Today in seminar we watched a video called Inventing the Future but the most dynamic and inclusive ideas are more than 50 years old!  Early in the video they said that in the early part of the last century Architecture was driven by Industry and now we are striving to have it be driven by Nature and Ecology.  There needs to be an integration of Nature, Technology, and Humanity.  The most talked about individual in the video was Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller and in the late 1940's-through the 50's came up with many interesting and valid designs such as the now popular geodesic dome and the Dymaxion House and Car.  He was seen a a bit radical because as a society we are so short sighted, he was dreaming up ways to fix what we were breaking by consuming too much energy and resources.  Now that we have dug ourselves into a hole, his ideas, teachings, and creations aren't looking so wacky.
The video talked much more about eco-villages and living machines and all the ways we can reduce energy consumption and start giving back what we have been taking from the earth.  It was very touching for me to see how simple it all can be and it angers me to know society in general, myself included is not doing their part to change the way we consume at a fast enough rate.
I wanted to know more about specifically 2 places we talked about in class today: the Rocky Mountain Institute and Dancing Rabbit EcoVillage.

The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has something on their website that caught my eye "Reinventing Fire"
It's about how they have 30 years of research to support how we can live without dependence on Oil, Coal, or Nuclear Energy.
http://www.rmi.org/ReinventingFire

I just think it is mind blowing that we as a nation are not living from this example!

The other example is the Dancing Rabbit EcoVillage in Rutledge, Mo.  It is a steadily growing intentional community of people wanting to leave the earth better than they found it.  They are building their own homes, living a life that isn't dependent on the car, setting examples of green design by utilizing a LEED building, and spreading the word by giving tours and telling people how this can be done and proving it works.  

http://www.dancingrabbit.org/

These are actual success stories and living classrooms.  I have said it before but these examples are the key to change.  They let the public know what can be done and how to do it for themselves.  

Google Doodle

I hate to state the obvious, but Google Doodles Rock! They inform you of things you never knew you wanted to know, such as today, October 29th, would have been Bob Ross' 70th birthday! How amazing is that? Ok so it's a little over blown on my part, but honestly think of how something as common as a search engine can inform the masses of really useless info.  Imagine how that could impact really important issues such as reminding people to vote, or read a book (not a top 10 list).  It never fails to intrigue me enough to click on it and read about something, someone, or somewhere I didn't know about.  I love watching Bob Ross as a child at my grandmothers on one of 3 channels that she got...Him and good old Justin Wilson, the Cajun Cook in his red suspenders...And that random squirrel Bob Ross sometimes had.  He made art look so easy, there was a whole following of his who would sit in fron of the television and follow his movements, record his words and actions to an actual VHS tape and practice the technique after he was off the air.  How foreign is that concept to us now? We are in such an age of instant gratification where we can simply YouTube a how to or even the good old Bob Ross video itself.  I think we loose something that way.  I learned to read crochet patterns on YouTube...It could have benefited me much to to take the time to go to a knit shop and receive an actual lesson. Anyway, I guess that is quite the rant, but I will include a link to a video of the one and only Bob Ross, and a taste of Justin as well :)

Quiet Pond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX2AEfZpWT8&feature=related
Feeding Peapod the Squirrel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVgQmPDkHOY&feature=related
Justin Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4umRMJlrs

Artful Expression through Pumpkin Carving

In the spirit of Halloween I was looking at interesting pumpkin carving.  It is something I have only tried to  carve a pumpkin a hand full of times but last year I impressed myself a little with my Jack Skellington.

I have yet to try something terribly difficult this year, I have stopped at drawing on one with a sharpie this year.  But I am hoping to follow some of the stuff I found online.
http://inspirationfeed.com/photography/65-creative-pumpkin-carving-designs/
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-decorating/
http://www.vermont.org/pumpkin/

Land 8 Spotlight

I once upon a time joined the Land 8 Lounge and have since played little with it.  However today I got an email that said 2 of my favorite things (admittedly though I have far too many favorite things): Florida and rooftop garden.  so I couldn't help but open the email that I unfortunately usually send to the trash folder.  Turns out the email held much more interesting things that sent me into an hour long exploration of the University of Kentucky's arboretum, an "in-between garden" in the Netherlands, and an Art and Nature park in Indiana I can't believe I didn't know about before this last trip (not that I would have had the time to go for a run there).

instead of telling you all how fantastic these places seem I will give you the links and let you explore for yourself, but be warned, I'm not done exploring, so it will suck you in and take up too much of your time as well!

rooftop garden
http://land8.com/photo/grovenor-rooftop-garden-3?context=album&albumId=2025679%3AAlbum%3A555622

Kentucky Arboretum
http://land8.com/photo/hand-rendered-site-plan

In-between garden
http://land8.com/profiles/blogs/the-tussentuin-the-in-between-garden-brings-people-together

100 Acres Art + Nature Park
http://land8.com/profiles/blogs/in-place-100-acres-art-nature-park-the-power-of-the-path

Looking up

When thinking of ecological design I am reminded of how important the ground plane is and how water and earth are so drawn to each other.  Placing a building on top of the earth is like wrapping a scarf around your mouth.  It makes it hard to breath, eat and drink.  While working on the design charrette for an eco resort in St Croix the only option for the steep slopes and sustainability was to place the buildings on stilts.  Well for this imaginary Aiken village project it is not the only option but I think it is a very interesting option.  The site has potential to be something new and innovative for the people of Starkville to see how something as simple as not using a slab foundation can aid in restoring streams south of Starkville and fostering an environment of healthier choices leading to happier living.  I found a few interesting sites that featured tree houses and they inspired me to start thinking upward again, there are even whole resorts built above the ground, so why couldn't there be a dorm or apartment designed using the same principles?

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-best-treehouse-hotels

http://www.archdaily.com/43355/treehouse-rpa/

http://awesomespaces.tumblr.com/page/86

http://naturalhomes.org/hemloft.htm

What is Sustainable

When looking into sustainable design you come across a lot of talk of green, energy, and eco....What is sustainability? I found one quote on a website that i think says it well.

Sustainability is: "Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs."

http://www.keepbanderabeautiful.org/sustainability.html?gclid=CMTj25n8mbMCFQeDnQodnV8Aeg

I look into sustainable designs and I can clearly see the point is simple, make the world better than you found it by using renewable resources and reducing your carbon foot print.  Then why does it seem so hard? why are people so much less willing to sacrifice a few conveniences to insure a better future.  

I'm guilty. I live 24 miles away from school and work, yet I drive less than I did when I lived in town.  When I come to school and work, I am invested in being here, I have not once this semester driven to home and back because I have forgotten something, or just wanted to go to my house, I make it work and I feel a little better about myself.  Imagine how great I will feel when I don't have that commute!

It's the little things like taking the train on a long trip instead of driving, or going to the grocery one time a week instead of 3.  

There are some really good examples of people making lifestyle changes work.  Here is an example of a plan to make a zero energy use neighborhood.

http://www.asla.org/sustainablelandscapes/geos.html

http://www.ecolandscaping.org/

This last website is a great resource for information about ecological landscaping from compost to bioretention, pest management to rainwater harvesting.  just a couple of things to think about when trying to wrap your head around what builds a "sustainable" design. 

What is an Eco Village

In light of our upcoming project I wanted to do a little research into what exactly and Eco Village is.  I have my own preconceived notions about some aspects of community living and the odd interactions and rituals that seem to be a part of what I view as "Communes" that are really just a term with negative connotations about community living.  A community is a wonderful thing, and as it has recently been pointed out to me, a community is a gathering of people who share a commons belief.  That isn't to say all of the inhabitants don't have different points of view on topics or sit around chanting mantras and never challenging an idea. My very own thesis is on the idea that people in a neighborhood, town or community will come together to share the practice of gardening out of the joy they get from coming together to grow and learn from each other.

I found a site for an Eco village in Ithica New York that makes all of my ill thought out ideas of what an eco village is. Below are some links to all sorts of different looking eco villages and each has a slightly different program making each individual from the others.

http://gen.ecovillage.org/  this is a website for the clobal ecovillage network and they have a map of the world where you can find an Eco Village near you.

http://ecovillageithaca.org/evi/

http://www.theecovillage.com.au/ an Australian Eco Village of people who enjoy both beach and city living

http://www.thejunglelodge.com/staying-here/your-retreat/  a sustainably built resort in Panama

http://www.lokomuna.de/  I honestly can't tell you a thing about this place because the whole site was in German, but it appears it was built in an existing city which lead me to think it is higher density than other eco villages and a neat urban twist on the concept of sustainable living

My kind of town

Well it was a super short visit, but I already can't wait to go to Chicago again. I barely saw anything, though I ate lots! I had deep dish pizza and spaghetti and meatballs my first night, and only had to walk a block from my friends apartment to get it. We had drinks at the top of the Hancock building, I tried the dim sum experience for the first time in china town and rode a Ferris wheel at the navy pier in the city that housed the very first Ferris wheel. And had ice cream and popcorn on the pier of course. Unfortunately I didn't make millennium or Jackson parks but now I know how to get back. I only have a few pics, but I hope you enjoy. And the one that is dark and has shrubs up a hill, there are at least 3 live bunnies in it! Right smack dab in the middle of the north side's downtown, about 3 blocks from the navy pier.

All my Bags are Packed...

I am about to embark on a road trip up north to visit the great city of Chicago for the first time in my life! i am beyond excited and equipped with the itinerary from the departments case study trip.  I regret to inform you and myself that I will only be able to make it to a fraction of the locations recommended, but I will be sure to see the places I have read about and want to discover.

the first on my list is Jackson Park, I read Devil in the White City Twice and would love to see the place that inspired such a large and costly undertaking and how it looks today (I hear nothing like it did).

And right near where i am staying is a newer park, Mary Bartelme Park, which I have heard is a must.  I look forward to seeing the prairie within the city and will be posting my pictures upon my return with my opinions of the areas I was able to visit.

I will also be going to West Lafayette Indiana which is honestly a place I have had the luck of getting to visit 4 times now.  It is a beautiful campus at Purdue and I got to tour a Frank Lloyd Write house that is still owned and occupied by the man who commissioned it to be built.  I hope to explore something new this trip, but have done zero research as of now as to what that should be, so stay tuned!

here is a link to this great pictorial tour of the grand canal of the World Colombian Exposition.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brooklyn_museum/sets/72157606873382962/

Creepy

In the spirit of it being October and Halloween being just around the corner I have been doing some general research for how to decorate my own yard and entry way and have come across some interesting things having to do with landscapes.  This website is a collection of photos of places in the words that are just naturally creepy. Enjoy!
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/creepiest-landscapes/15802

inspired by halloween

When I was in Italy there was so much to be explored in such a relatively short period of time there was simply no way I could see it all, and unfortunately something I didn't even know I was missing until i had missed it was visiting the Brion Vega Cemetery designed by Carlo Scarpa.  Scarpa was more than just an architect, he was an artist.  He grew up in the region of Italy surrounding Venice and Vicenza. Most of his works are found in Italy but he had projects in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
I want to focus on this odd and intriguing cemetery that feels more like a sculpture park than an eternal resting place.  It has fountains, concrete staircases that lead to the heavens, viewing portals and glass.  It is a cold feeling playground.

the staircase pattern was used a lot

there is an island you can not reach in this pond
perhaps as a metaphor of the afterlife

famous portals out into the courtyard as a view from the main tomb

The boarder wall that you can see when looking through the portal and at the pond area isn't so tall that it stands out about the surrounding corn fields giving it a hidden feel within the landscape.

http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2008/09/18/carlo-scarpas-brion-vega-cemetery/