Archive for 'Editorials'
Mexico’s UNAM Campus: Revolution Past and Present
Mesoamerican motifs and revolutionary ideals live on in a dynamic fusion, at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México campus in Mexico City – an independent university with a rich and deep cultural heritage.
Image courtesy Mark English Architects.
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Mexico’s Vasconcelos Library: A Unique Building Concept
“ It’s an interesting building from the inside. The books hang from a ceiling structure in open cages. Visitors walk along bridges, catwalks, ramps, and stairways, all within a giant 70-foot shell. Inside, it’s clean and orderly, a refuge from the chaos outside.”
(Image: Mark English Architects)
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Lyon’s La Confluence District: Walking Tour
The French city of Lyon’s “La Confluence” is a bold island of modernity exists on a sliver of land between two rivers. “Part of the logic of making the architecture more bold is to make it interesting from all angles.” How does this compare with similar redevelopment efforts in San Francisco?
Image: Mark English Architects
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Casa Gilardi by Luis Barragán
“Color isn’t just a surface decoration for Barragán. It’s not an afterthought. It’s foundational to his architecture. His spaces can’t stand alone without the color.” Image courtesy Mark English Architects
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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From Hand to Computer: Drawings for Communication
Earlier, we showed the power of hand drawings as communication tools. Now, we do the same with CAD – taking it to the next level.
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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MASP: A Brazilian Masterpiece
Mark English on Lina Bo Bardi:
“Her building is one of a kind… heroically sized in every way: the biggest span, the most prominent location. It’s a brave building, amazing and gutsy.… I don’t like overly designed, overly gestured work. In MASP, the building has a sweeping sense of movement, but also a neutral feel. The art is the star, not the building.”
(Image: Mark English Architects)
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Desert Modern Walking Tour: Palm Springs
The simplicity of Desert Modern architecture finds a natural home in Palm Springs, California. Image: Mark English Architects
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Sao Paulo, Brazil: Modern Buildings and Climate
In countries where energy costs are high, buildings rely less on high-tech conditioning and more on simple features such as brise soleil to create natural shade. The Modernist gems of Sao Paulo show how climate response can be both inspirational and livable. Image: Ciccillo Matarazzo pavilion, Mark English Architects
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
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Rock Whisperers: The Subtle Power of Incan Masonry
The Incas of the Andes had a special relationship with rock, which was key to their empire. Even today their masonry inspires awe, and perhaps fear. The Incas thought that rocks were people, with their own volition and personality. Inca stoneworks live on today, as monuments and often as foundations for later buildings.
by Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA
