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Michael Wood's blog

DIA 2011: Mural Arts

Mural Arts is a dynamic organization that uses murals as a way to combat graffiti and transform neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Since 1984 they have served over 1500 at-risk youth and have created over 3000 works of art. Participants often paint murals with a narrative related to their own lives, such as this recent event where families of the imprisoned created a mural.

Currently, Mural Arts provides an eclectic variety of programs and tours to the Philadelphia community, including a tour narrated by “?uestlove” – the hip-hop Grammy-award winner from The Roots. In the future, Mural Arts will be working with Favela: mural artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn who notably revamped shanty towns in Rio de Janeiro. Details of this project are still yet to be released.

For more information on Mural Arts, see the following links:

Design in Action 2011 Conference Session

Mural Arts at the Gallery (Mobile Workshop)
A mobile workshop highlighting the remarkable work of the Philadelphia Mural Arts – the largest public art program in the U.S. Begin at the Gallery at Market East and see how Mural Arts is opening up its operations to the full view of passersby, sparking greater public interest and new income opportunities, too. Next, travel to see three distinct murals and meet the clients and artists that inspired each creation. If you’re looking to gain inspiration or more know-how on ways arts and culture projects can revitalize communities and spaces, this is a must.
Monday, October 10, 2011 at 3:50pm-5:30pm
No Fee
Limited to 40 participants

Design in Action 2011 Tours of Philadelphia

Mural Arts Love Letter
Mobile tour via public transit investigates the collaborative enterprise of Philadelphia Mural Arts and artist Stephen Powers (aka ESPO) to create Love Letter, a public art project consisting of a series of 50 rooftop murals from 45th to 63rd streets along the Market Street corridor in West Philly.
Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 1:00pm-3:00pm
Fee: $15/person
Limited to 45 participants

Mural Mile
A highlights walking tour focusing on some of Center City's most iconic murals. Route departs from the Radisson hotel and winds along some of Philadelphia's vibrant commercial districts and quaint residential streets. Hear insider details on the stories behind the murals.
Monday, October 10, 2011 at 12:00pm-1:15pm
Fee: $10/person
Limited to 45 participants

Sign up here for the Conference, including the workshops and tours!

DIA 2011: Teddy Cruz

One of the industry’s most respected voices on public engagement strategies, Cruz is known for his work regarding the border between Tiajuana and San Diego. Cruz – a 2011 Ford Foundation Visionary – concentrates on the adaptive style of architecture in border areas. Instead of focusing on the aesthetics of a community, he considers the lifestyles and needs which create organic communities. He will soon be embarking on a local project in Philadelphia.

For more information on Teddy Cruz and his work:

In addition to a keynote presentation at Design in Action 2011, Teddy Cruz will also participate in the following conference breakout session (More about the conference can be found here):

Mixplace Studio
Neighborhood revitalization can come about in many ways. Mixplace Studio asks how cultural organizations, especially smaller-scale groups, can help speed positive change. This West Philadelphia partnership brings a cultural group into working connections with acclaimed designers and a respected social service provider, jointly establishing a youth mentorship initiative, along with design-related research and exhibitions for jumpstarting community discussion. A study in multi-layered partnerships and long-term commitments.

Aaron Levy, Slought Foundation
Teddy Cruz, Estudio Teddy Cruz
Kira Strong, People’s Emergency Center

August Exhibitions Roundup

This month, we've gathered a list of our members' new and upcoming exhibitions and also threw in a few other architecture/design exhibitions that caught our attention.

In Reclaim Market Street!, AAO member San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association (SPUR) invites the public into the re-design process of the heavily trafficked Market Street. Planners, designers, and historians explore ideas for the area while looking to other major city centers via drawings and film. SPUR is accompanying this exhibition with a series of public events in hope of creating an on-going dialogue.

AAO MEMBERS' NEW & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

AIA Houston
Houston 175 Exhibition, until Oct. 29
For more information, see the Houston Press

AIA New York
Seen Since 9/11: Interviews and Photographs of New Yorkers by Tibo, Sept. 8-24

AIA San Francisco
Architecture of Consequence: San Francisco, Aug. 31-Oct. 21

SPUR
Reclaim Market Street!, Sept. 6-Jan. 6

A SAMPLING OF OTHER NEW & UPCOMING ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITIONS
Note: This is not intended to be a comprehensive listing.

Ballarat International Foto Biennale
Now and When: Australian Urbanism, until Sept. 18
For more information check out Architecture & Design

McNay Art Museum
George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher, until Sept. 11
Check out a cool video on the exhibition here

Museum of Arts and Design
Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities, until Sept. 18
For more information check out a Daily Dose of Architecture

Nevada Museum of Art
Landscape Futures: Instruments, Devices and Architectural Inventions, until Feb. 12

Skyscraper Museum
Supertall!, until Jan. 31
Read a review in the New York Magazine

Yale School of Architecture
Ceci n’est pas une reverie: The Architecture of Stanley Tigerman, until Nov. 5
Read more in Architectural Digest

July Exhibitions Roundup

This month, we've gathered a list of our members' new exhibitions and also threw in a few other architecture/design exhibitions that caught our attention.

In New City Landscape, AAO member Harbourfront Centre takes on the meaning of nature in an urban context, and explores the possibilities of landscape design. The projects of four artists/designers address Toronto parkettes, the city as forest, the technological landscape, and an ecotopian vision of the future.

AAO MEMBERS' NEW EXHIBITIONS

AIA Houston
2011 Architecture Design Awards, July 7 - August 12

AIA New York Center for Architecture
Mapping the Cityscape, July 6 - Aug. 27
New Practices Sao Paulo, July 14 - Sept. 10
Building the Burble Bup, July 18 - Sept. 16

AIA Seattle
99K House Competition Gallery Exhibit, July 20 - Sept. 4

Dallas Center for Architecture
10 Under Ten, June 9 - Sept. 2
Context/Contrast, June 13 - Sept. 2

Harbourfront Centre
New City Landscape, June 18 - Sept. 18

National Building Museum
Investigating Where We Live, July 30 - May 28

Philadelphia Center for Architecture
Designing the fair of the Future, July 30 - Sept. 5

SPUR
Community-designed Yerba Buena, Aug.2 - Aug. 24

A SAMPLING OF OTHER ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITIONS
Note: this is not intended to be a comprehensive listing

Architecture + Design Museum Los Angeles
Rethink LA, Aug. 4 - Sept. 4

Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art (MAK) in Vienna
SPAN: Formations, until Sept 11

MOCA, Los Angeles
Art in the Streets, until Aug. 8

Royal Academy of Arts
Summer Exhibition: the Architecture Room, June 7 - Aug. 15
Read a review in Bustler

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Architecture + Art: Extended Collapse, June 25 - Oct. 16

Sir John Soane’s Museum in London
Wonders of the Ancient World, July 15 - Sept. 24

Storefront for Art and Architecture
Painting Urbanism: Learning from Rio, through July 30
Read a review in the New York Times

Superfront Brooklyn
Public Summer, through Aug. 28
Read a review in the Architect's Newspaper

UIC School of Architecture
Visionary Chicago, through Sept. 2
Read a review in Architecture Chicago Plus
Read a review in the Architect's Newspaper

Call for Entries: The Next 50

The Next 50, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World's Fair, is seeking temporary art, culture, and design projects to be on display from April 21-October 21, 2012.

Projects should illuminate today’s challenges and imagine tomorrow’s possibilities and fall into one of the exhibition themes: Arts, Culture and Design; History; Sustainable Futures; Science and Technology; Global Health; Learning; Commerce and Innovation Economy; and Civic Action.

Individuals, organizations, and youth are welcome to apply. Twenty projects will be selected and awarded a budget from $1,000-$50,000. Letters of Intent and applications are due July 22, so don't wait! Click here for details.

Open House Meet-Up in Tel Aviv

The following report was submitted by Eleanor Campion from Open-City (London).

Tel Aviv conference confirms international impact of Open House

An architectural showcase that started in London almost 20 years ago celebrated its growing global appeal with its first-ever international conference. Held in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 22, 2011, the Open House Worldwide conference welcomed delegates and Directors from Barcelona, Dublin, New York, and many other international cities that have become part of the hugely successful Open House concept.

The Open House initiative, which began in 1992 with Open House London, gives people free access to the most innovative, inspiring, and engaging examples of a city’s architecture, highlighting the value of good design in creating and sustaining a vibrant city. The inaugural Open House Worldwide Conference coincided with Tel Aviv’s own Open House Weekend or ‘Batim Mibifinim’ (Houses from Within), marking the fifth year the city has given people the opportunity to learn about architecture through experiencing and exploring hundreds of public buildings, interesting homes, and unique apartments.

This model of engagement between the architectural profession and the public is now sweeping cities across the globe, with its ability to foster a deeper understanding of urban design and spark widespread public interest. Mayor’s of cities showcasing Open House events are openly some of its biggest advocates for celebrating their city’s architecture.

Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv:
“Tel Aviv-Yafo’s blueprint is founded on the belief that proper planning can create a quality of life that not only has physical attributes, but also contributes to strengthening community ties”

More than 100 delegates attended the conference, discussing the continued development of the Open House concept, as well as the chance to bring this event to all parts of the world and other exciting opportunities for increased international collaboration.

Victoria Thornton, Founder of Open House:
“The intention was to open up London’s exemplary buildings to the general public who don’t otherwise have access. We saw direct experience as one of the key ways of helping the wider community to become more knowledgeable, engaged in dialogue, and confident they could make informed judgements on architecture.”

More at http://www.openhouseworldwide.org

Michael Lingerfelt Q&A

Michael Lingerfelt, President of AIA Florida and former Disney Imagineer, recently spoke to high school students about design. Below, read our Q&A with Lingerfelt about design education.

Katherine Stalker, AAO (KS): As a former Disney Imagineer, I’m sure it was easy to capture the student’s attention. What did you present and how did the students respond?
Michael Lingerfelt, AIA FL (ML): The presentation centered around the fact that math, science, and the arts are some of the skills Disney "Imagineers" use to create the attractions. I included images common to any Disney guest and explained how math, science, or the arts were used to create the experience.

KS: Could you speak a bit about the importance of fostering creativity in young people?
ML: Creativity is one skill that will never be replaced by a computer or shipped overseas. The companies, and their employees, that succeed in the modern economy must be more "Right Brain" centered. One only needs to look at the contrast between Microsoft and Apple. At Disney, the Project Managers, Accountants, and Engineers used the Microsoft “industrial” computers, while the Creative folks all used the Apple free-flowing “artistic” computers.

KS: Your future successor, AIA Florida President-elect Peter Jones, also works with high school students at Indian River HS. What type of work does AIAFL perform in communities?
ML: The Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects is committed to leading the shaping of Florida's future. Obviously, the students are our future and we need to challenge them to "be the best they can be" so they can compete in a world economy. I saw recently where the United States school system is now ranked 19^{th in the world}. I remember meeting a hotel receptionist in the Netherlands that spoke five languages fluently and that is commonplace in Europe. Architects are trained to be problem solvers and to visualize the outcome before it is realized physically. Who better to tackle the issues of education, transportation, crime, poverty, or overcrowding than architects?

KS: What suggestions do you have for architects who are interested in K-12 design education?
ML: Explore the innovative ways that students learn, listen to their dreams, listen to the educators, and don't be afraid to design those spaces that uplift the human spirit and enhance the learning environment.

KS: What are your thoughts on how to communicate the importance of design and inspire young people to appreciate, and possibly go on to practice, architecture?
ML: Architecture is the music of the soul that humanity experiences. It can be like a funeral dirge that brings down a person’s spirit or like a brilliant piece of orchestral music that causes a person’s spirit to soar. What other profession allows one to share their imagination in a way that helps humanity? I have spent a career building some of the most visited places in the world. It has taken me all over the world and constantly demands that I learn new ways to practice my craft. It is the blend of Math, Science, and Art… Architecture!

They Said It

This month, we came across quite a few notable public figures speaking about the importance of architecture. Here's a sampling:

President Barack Obama, at the 2011 Pritzker Prize Ceremony

Architecture is about “creating buildings and spaces that inspire us, that help us do our jobs, that bring us together, and that become, at their best, works of art that we can move through and live in. And in the end, that’s why architecture can be considered the most democratic of art forms.“

Rapper Pharrell, on his new youth center, the Pharrell Williams Resource Center

"I believe the architecture of a building says a lot about its soul and I wanted a building for the center that makes a statement to the world and to the kids - something that will stand as a monument of optimism, and felt Chad [Oppenheim Architecture+Design] was the only architect that could capture that. We want the building to look like something out of the future, so it will inspire the kids in it to aspire to greater things."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, at the National Mayor's Summit on City Design

"Let me say two words: design matters. And cities matter also... If you let mayors do their job, with the proper resources, cutting through red tape, cutting across agencies that are now working together: the department of transportation, EPA, Department of Energy, and certainly our friends at HUD. When you unleash the power of the federal government and un-restrict us from legislation and red tape and paperwork, you'd be surprised at what we can do and how quickly we can do it. Cities matter. Design matters also."

June Exhibitions Roundup

A lot of interesting exhibitions continue their run this month. Our current spotlight falls on the collaborative exhibition, GLIMPSES of New York and Amsterdam in 2040 (June 8 – September 10, 2011). The exhibition highlights work by architects in both cities and delves into the future of daily life in both these cities and related planning issues.

ARCAM and the Center for Architecture, in collaboration with Urban Progress, commissioned architects and landscape architects in both cities to contemplate the “future of the future,” with an emphasis on five basic necessities for living: breathing, eating, making, moving, and dwelling. Each glimpse is a powerful statement on the future of daily life in New York and Amsterdam. Combined, they provide insight into the way in which the cities may address long-term planning issues. For the latest updates on the exhibit, visit Glimpses blog.

Below, see a list of all the current exhibitions at our member organizations. Drop us a note if we missed yours!

AIA New York

GLIMPSES of New York and Amsterdam in 2040 (June 8 – September 10, 2011)

Swimming to Manhattan (June 10 – July 11, 2011)

Mapping the Cityscape (July 6 – July 30, 2011)

New Practices Sao Paulo (July 14 – September 10, 2011)

AIA San Francisco

2011 AIA San Francisco Design Award Winners (May 12 – July 14, 2011)

The Architectural League of New York

Architectural League Prize of Young Architects and Designers 2011: It’s Different (June 15 – July 29, 2011)

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Chicago Model City

Chicago: You Are Here

Neighborhoods Go Green

National Building Museum

Designing Tomorrow: America’s World’s Fairs of the 1930s (October 2, 2010 – July 10, 2011)

Walls Speak: The Narrative Art of Hildreth Meière (March 19 – November 27, 2011)

Subscribe to the video podcast on iTunes and watch on the go.

LEGO® Architecture: Towering Ambition (July 3, 2010 – September 3, 2012)

Washington: Symbol and City (Ongoing)

Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection (Ongoing)

Philadelphia Center for Architecture

Nora Chase: Games without End (June 20 – July 28, 2011)

Vintage Neon (Semi-permanent)

3-D Model of Center City Philadelphia (Semi-permanent)

Iconic Philadelphia Architecture Photographs (Semi-permanent)

San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association

Adapt! Climate Change Hits Home: SPUR Exhibition (May 18 – July 22, 2011)

Seattle Architecture Foundation

14^th Annual Architecture Model Exhibit (June 21 – July 24, 2011)

Blueprints: 100 Years of Seattle Architecture (Permanent)

May Exhibitions Roundup

This month, we've compiled a listing of exhibitions currently on view at AAO member organizations. If we missed yours, send us a note at aao@architecture.org. Here's one highlight:

Tight Urbanism at AIA Seattle: A study of alleyway architecture in the U.S., Australia, and Japan, organized by the chapter's emerging professionals travel scholarship recipient. After it's run in the chapter's gallery, the exhibition will be displayed in situ in the Seattle alleys that it addresses.