options II studio
tristan al-haddad
staging performance
program driven apertures frame elevated public performance space with screened hotel backdrop.
Simplistic beauty has been the goal from the start. Beauty that comes from a modest operation and becomes delightfully absurd. The field of steel columns with operable planter boxes defines a new datum with which the topography plays. Entering the site, the avenues cut into the field to allow movement and gathering spaces. As you move up the hill, you slowly rise out of the forest and see a field of living and dying plants that stretch out over the site and crawl up the hotel.
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Final pins are already starting! Here are a few shots from Frederick Pearsall’s 3rd Years. The studio worked in pairs on a collaborative learning building on campus.
Tim Frank is offering a private showing of his work at MODA this Saturday, April 24th at 1 PM. Meet gray matter(s) at octane at 12:30 for car pooling and coffee, or join us at MODA at 1PM.
Georgia Tech’s annual showcase of music and art projects exploring the creative space of human-machine interaction. This year’s concert focuses on group play where novel interdependent connections between humans and machines aim to revolutionize the musical experience. //
GrayMatter(s) sits down with Doug Allen to talk about the future of the COA, what the change to schools will bring, and what this means to students in general. Professor Allen also speaks on how he came to Tech, and a brief history lesson on how the College developed into what it is today.
Painting by Monica Cook
Architecture is often humanized, (or rather humans architecturalize themselves) so why has there not been an in-depth analysis of personality disorders and architecture? I want to open a conversation about the topic of the psychopath and architecture.
Hervey M. Cleckley, M.D., is the author of The Mask of Sanity, and a pioneer in the field of psychopathology. One of the main characteristics that he defined in a psychopath is the absence of empathy. This is often confused with criminality and violence, which are not characteristics of the psychopath who generally lacks purpose for their behavior. //
Gernot Riether will lecture and teach a workshop with Patrik Schumacher from Zaha Hadid Architects and his Institute at the University of Innsbruck this summer.
The workshop is open to all students from TU Innsbruck, University of Applied Arts, Vienna and AA, London. If you are in Europe this summer and would like to know more about this unique opportunity e-mail Prof. Riether at gernot.riether@coa.gatech.edu //
Last Saturday at Southern Polytechnic State University’s High Octane, Preston Scott Cohen, Professor and Chair at Harvard GSD and Principal of Preston Scott Cohen, Inc, gave a lecture titled: Discretized Curves and Tectonic Language. His lecture was built upon a vast explanation of theory and philosophy that would support and inform his process of architectural language. One of the most defining features in his architectural understanding was his classification of PLAN. Cohen believes there are three. The Anatomical, the Sleep, and La Jatee. //
There’s no arguing that Whittier Mill Village is pretty adorable. Founded in 1896 as worker housing for Whittier Mill, it still retains a certain turn-of-the-century charm. The mill took its name from its owners, the Whittier family of Massachusetts. The Whittiers were already well established fabric mill tycoons when they decided to extend their empire south to the outskirts of Atlanta. The company sited the mill on the Chattahoochee River, along the Southern Rail line, and built about 30 homes to house its new work force. The homes were a mix of triplexes, duplexes and singles with hip and gabled roofs, front porches and reasonably sized yards. Unlike other similar communities in area, the mill owners paid for the up-keep of all of its housing, ensuring that the neighborhood maintained a tidy appearance. The mill expanded its housing in 1925, but like most businesses, the mill fell on hard times during the Great Depression. It was able to recover, and remained in operation until 1971. The mill was torn down in the 80’s, but the surrounding homes still remain as a memorial to the industry that built them. //
Last Fall Jude Leblanc senior studio Have visited New Orleans as a part of the studio project. We’ve visited 9th ward which had greatest loses during Hurricane Katrina in 2007. This devastated area is still not recovered. There is a lot of controversy weather that area should be rebuilt. The 9th ward area is mostly in the low-lying flood zones – populated by the very poor. With so much of the New Orleans lying below sea level, devastating floods are inevitable. In 2008 after long deliberation the court allowed resettlement of the area. It was heartbreaking to walk in that area which was used to lively neighborhood. From conversations with residents we learned that they are convinced that government is against the resettlement of mostly poor African American neighborhood. Some residents came back but that was only a small percentage. Make It Right Foundation started with Brad Pitt with bold idea to rebuild in 9th Ward and bring back its residents. However not many are ready to come back and with slow progress they have completed 14 homes so far. I was very skeptical when I saw only small number of houses and few others in progress. //
The Georgia Tech Jazz Band and Orchestra put forth a wonderful show Tuesday, April 6, 2010. Marking the last spring show for director Ron Mendola, the concert took off, pulling the audience back into time as Mendola reveals the environment of the composition’s creation. Songs like the risqué, “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Hard Hearted Hannah” come to life at the hands of the band. //
Join AIS for a Friday afternoon tour some of Atlanta’s top architecture and planning firms!
Friday April 16th 3:00-7:00
Car-pool to 2 international firms (Perkins + Will and Portman) and 2 small firms (Houser + Walker and Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh). Don’t miss this opportunity to go behind the scenes and get to know these firms one-on-one! Meet at the coffee cart at 3:00 SHARP! (3:05 and you’ll be left behind!)
