Inspirational Imagery: architecture

Showing posts with label architecture. Show all posts

Beinecke Rare Book Library, Yale University

Last fall, Dennis and I felt like getting out of the city for the day, so we took the train up to New Haven. The goal was to have a relaxing day and to eat at the oldest burger joint in the country, Louis Lunch. (In addition, he really wanted to go to the preppy mecca, J. Press)

We did all of that, and then I remembered that the Beinecke Library was on Yale's campus. I wanted to check it out, because I'm familiar with their incredible online archive. Fortunately we got there about 20 minutes before they closed.

I was in for a pleasant surprise (actually, an understatement) when we got there and discovered the cool building that the collection was housed in. I wasn't familiar with this building before we went.

Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill designed the library in 1963 with the sensitive nature of the collection in mind. They created a windowless structure out of thin marble, of which natural light shines through. The marble, plus the dim light gives interior a really dramatic impression.

Above is a photo of the building, and below is a detail of the exterior.

This is the interior of the library. It's really jaw-dropping. Not what you would expect to see coming in from outside.

The 5-story center core of the building houses the books and manuscripts behind glass. Of course, you may not browse the stacks! You have to put in a request for the materials that you want to view. There are a few items on view behind cases around the periphery of the library.

This is one of the coolest buildings I've been to; definitely worth the visit if you ever find yourself on Yale's campus.

Miscellaneous Abstract Art

Otto Herbert Hajek (1927-2005), 71 / 11, 1971

Ovni (a.k.a. Anna Taratiel), Ibirapuera, ROJO® ®out Urban Stage, Sao Paulo, 2009

Tomma Abts, Feio, 2007

Momo, 5 Shapes, 2 Sides (you NEED to click on that link! DO IT!), 2007-09

I have lost the information about this painting. Frown!

Beukelsblauw, Rotterdam

Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman, painted this block of nondescript houses in Rotterdam so that people would notice them again. The previously unnoticed block has become one of the most oft-photographed blocks in the town.

I love this blue color on its own, but when it's contrasted with pretty much any other color: the yellow flowers from the shot above, the red scooter from the top.

Mummenschanz

Eric was so pumped to tell me about Mummenschanz, which is a Swiss avant garde pantomime troupe. They were founded in 1972 by Bernie Schürch, Andres Bossard, and Floriana Frassetto. I had never heard of it before, but he remembered them from when they would perform on Sesame Street.

Above and below are photos of a couple of their acts.

This is the Mummenschanz theatre, in Villars-sur-Glane, Switzerland.

Miscellaneous Jewelry

Necklace, Christian Dior, Spring 2011

Bracelet, Emporio Armani, Spring 2011.

Sunray necklace, Mawi

Orange and black vulcanite Brooch and Pendent Earrings, c. 1870.

Archigram: Monte Carlo

Archigram was an avant-garde architectural collective active in the sixties and seventies. Funded by mainstream architects, their futurist projects and ideas were largely unrealized. To illustrate their big ideas, they had a fantastic presentation style of drawings and elevations which seem to function better as pop art more than architectural plans.

Below are some pieces of their presentation for a competition to design an hockey arena/convention center and public park in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Their project, developed between 1969 and 1973, was not built.

Competition Logo

Kit of Parts: Instructions, designed by Ron Herron; pink felt tip pen on layout paper

Main foyer of the arena. Check out the dude's suit in the lower right!

Hockey Sur Glace Et Conference, Ron Herron (the plan for the arena)

Parts Diagram, Ron Herron

Hendrix Interior, Ron Herron, Dennis Crompton, Peter Cook

Miscellaneous

Dusk in Chinatown. East Broadway in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge, New York City.

There were quite a few series of Boy Scouts-related cigarette cards. This one is from about 1903-1917. The New York Public Library has quite a few other cigarette cards online, arranged by category.

Edward T. Grigware (1889-1960) was a painter of western realism, also illustrated many war-related posters for the WPA. This one was done between 1941 and 1943.

Julius Shulman, The Saltbox and the Castle, the Last Remaining Houses on Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, 1967

Who knew LA ever looked like that?

Miscellaneous

This poster is for when the Clash did a residency at Bond's International Casino (now Bond 45, a restaurant) in Times Square in 1981. They played 17 shows in three weeks to support "Sandinista", which, by the way, is one of my favorite albums of all eternity; so as you can guess, I would just about die to be around at that time!!!! And to top it off, the opening bands included the Fall, the Slits, the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, and Bush Tetras – all the goods.

It's worth mentioning that all the shows were sold out and they caused fire hazards, riots, police intervention, etc.

For VERY extensive details about the residency, check out this site. It has scans of all associated news articles, set lists, photos, and a timeline of events.

Nakagin Capsule Hotel, designed by Kisho Kurokawa, built between 1970 and 1972. It's currently in poor shape, and future plans whether to demolish or restore have not yet been solidified.

Rodolphe Menudier shoes on display by Jean-Michel Volat. He has some really nice photographs.

Miscellaneous

Nico in 1960's London

The sheet-music cover of "Niscona" – a ragtime song, by Canadian female composer, Mollie King; 1905.

I like a few things here: the illustrated typography, and the printing. It's cool how the brownish color looks like it's the substrate, but then but there is white too; so it's unclear whether there's white ink involved, or a whole lot of brown ink.

I am not sure where this is. It's a stock image that's been floating around my archives for years. It looks kind of like some work that Favela Painting, a duo of Dutch artists, has been doing in Brazil. (see below)

Compare the before and after (this is the after), and see some other documentation about the project.

Miscellaneous

Early 70's MGB GT.

It was in my work neighborhood a couple of weeks ago. Once, Eric and I saw an aqua blue one for sale on the Blue Star Highway in West Michigan. It was soooo cute!