A Library Renaissance

David Chipperfield’s Des Moines Public Library. The deceptively simple facade creates a substantial, solid building by day, while at night it magically dissolves, transforming the building into a lantern. A lantern spreading the light of knowledge…or something. Looking at these images, I’m reminded of one of my favorite libraries - The alabaster-clad Yale Rare Book [...]

ARTIFACTS + ELEMENTS

Last week, Inhabitat launched their new column Green Building 101. If you haven’t check it out yet, I strongly recommend you do so. It’s a friendly primer on Environmental Design that’s easy to understand and a joy to read. Today’s topic: Sustainable Sites.

The Guardian’s Tim Adams spends a day with The Rem, [...]

1893 Columbian Exposition Monograph

At a flea market this weekend, I found an original 1894 monograph of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Most American architecture students learn a little about the fair in school, but I truly gained an appreciation for it after reading Erik Larson’s absolutely incredible Devil in the White City. With its 300 photographs [...]

For Lease: Facade Space

Amsterdam-based art school The Sandberg Institute is selling their facade, because as they say “more than always, the world is ruled by commercial and economical relationships. Culture defines, and most important, is defined these days by market dynamics.” Wait…this is an art school talking? Well, they’re calling this “artvertising,” but I fail to see [...]

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