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May 11, 2005
Sirens
Richard Florida is still squawking away about the creative class, although his newest tome is about the global competition places like Estonia will give places like Pittsburgh, in their jockeying of the VW/MAC class... heres a nice substitute for the book, which would be a collosal waste of time, as it continues the Mislead notion that a creative class will somehow bring renaissance to Omaha. The other side of this equation, usually represented by Joel Kotkin, is finely tuned in his newest linguistic flip, the 'ephemeral city', and San Francisco, Kotkin claims, represents it best. The long dormant marxist in me finds Kotkin's bemoaning of the dividend dweller and service industry hangers, not too mention Florida's creative class (who reign supreme in our costal cities) a most appealing affront - as is his true love for the City... Although in many ways Florida and Kotkin are talking about two different TYPES of cities, and two totally different types of problems. So as much as Kotkin can get under my skin for some of his politics on sprawl, as well as his right of center pronunciations (denunciations) of left of center policy, his latest piece asks some real questions, and has some tough words for other cities seemingly following SF's lead. "...great artistic centers usually arise not from conscious promotion of bohemianism but as the result of a vibrant commercial culture and an invigorated middle class." Where are the Families? Where are the working and middles class homesteads? Where is the diversity? What are the parameters of a truly great metropolitan center? Some good things to chew on. Local blogger BK Squeeze has his own great rant on the 'Ephermalation' of Brooklyn..."Families started moving back into many of overlooked Brooklyn nabes in the 70's, 80's and 90's, reversing the urban flight trend. Now those same kinds of families could not settle in those neighborhoods even if they tried..." Another recent article by Joel Kotkin in The Next American City.
Big interview with Eco-Conscious architect William McDonough, via Land+Living... choice quote: "Why take something as exquisite as a tree and knock it down? Trees make oxygen, sequester carbon, distill water, build soils, convert solar energy to fuel, change colors with the seasons, create microclimates and provide habitat."
Anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winners in Parachute Pavillion competition sponsered by the Van Alen Institute.
National Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced their 2005 Dozen Distinctive Destination Winners... Among the winners, Helena MT and Bisbee AZ.
Transportation Alternatives crash maps... Hightest incident locations 1995-2001. Manhattan: E 33rd St @ Park Ave, 118 Pedestrian Injuries; Ave A @ E Houston St, 3 Fatalities. Brooklyn: Utica Ave @ Eastern Pkwy, 4 Fatalities.... Eastern Parkway is New York's most dangerous road for pedestrians, more dangerous then the Media hyped, Queens "BLVD of DEATH". UPDATE: Gothamist is reporting that a sweet 21 year old girl was killed Sunday night at, you guessed it, Houston and A. Sad...
Interesting video of a "straw bale and adobe house design and construction with green building materials for the home, passive solar, rainwater cisterns, earth plasters, and photovoltaics."
AIA is holding their annual conference in Las Vegas this year. How wonderfully fitting...
Fascinating piece on modeling The Gherkin, in ArchitectureWeek.
Posted by jmarston at May 11, 2005 09:57 AM