Commonwealth Building (formerly the Equitable Building) – Photo from OHS photo file 1784
You know this building is famous, right? Like, crazy famous.
Okay, perhaps less well-known than the Portland Building (ugh), or the iconic Big-Pink/US Bankcorp tower, but definitely more important than both. And yet no one ever calls it out. No one ever takes the time to revel in it’s significance. Maybe because it’s a plain building in a neighborhood that boasts many ornate structures of the late 1800s. Or perhaps because it’s a 14 story skyscraper that takes up a half of a tiny Portland city block, simply dwarfed by the other towers in town.
To most, seeing the Commonwealth is like seeing someone on the sidewalk. They could be the most famous person in the world, but their stature means nothing if you don’t recognize them. They’re just another face in a sea of people. And unfortunately, this building has become just another facade in the crowd.
So take a look at it sometime. Seriously. Stop and take a look. Designed by local architect Pietro Belluschi (herein referred to as: “The Man”) in 1944, the structure was way ahead of it’s time as one of the first tall “glass box” buildings. It showed up to the party before most of the iconic modern skyscrapers in the great US cities, most notably the Leaver House in New York City. Originally named the Equitable Building, the green glass and aluminum sheathing looks like what you see on most contemporary buildings. But this the first time it was ever used, and the double-glazed window system (meaning two pieces of glass with air trapped between them) was a state-of-the-art construction idea, creating an invisible insulation to help keep the glass building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Of course the air conditioning helps, it was the first commercial building in the world to have that, too. A tiny roof deck for employees of the building gives great views of the city, it’s a shame, but totally understandable, that it’s not open to the public.
Admittedly the Commonwealth’s fame is really geeky, but when it opened in 1948, you can only imagine the ooh’s and ahh’s that it garnered from both Portlanders passing by and the envious/curious designers throughout the world. Today this office building is kind of drab and stuffy space to be in, especially when compared to buildings where you can open the windows and get some fresh air. But for the era, you couldn’t ask for a cooler spot. Today the spaces are totally off limits to the general public, except for the tiny Starbucks on the ground floor, but if you get a chance, walk into the lobby, or at least press your nose against the heavy glass doors under the metal awning. You’ll see minimal fixtures, polished materials, and a huge art piece by “The Man”, himself hung overhead on the way to the bank of elevators. The Commonwealth is an example of how many cities changed after World War Two. Long before the Mad-Men era was even relevant, our tiny city was making waves and pushing ideas for urban America.
Which should be reason enough to point up at it next time you walk by with a friend or visitor and say:
“See that? That’s a building that changed the world.”
pittock mansion in portland – during the year in which jenny finally gets around to seeing the most famous house in her city.
1. jcestnik.com (hey, that’s me!)
Previous visitors here will no doubt see that jcestnik.com has undergone a major remodel to resemble what I can only hope looks like a credible design portfolio and collection of ideas. While there is still plenty to be done, including uploading photos, reworking narratives, and teaching myself whatever coding it’s going to take to get the final pesky flaws to fade away leaving only perfection, I’m generally happy with what a few sporadic hours of work has produced thus far.
And now that’s it’s officially summer in the northwest (okay, so half of July was nice) I’ll be trying my darnedest to finish posting my past work so that I can focus on the future.
The “I’m turning 25 this month and am supposed to have it all figured out, even though I still have a good 20 years minimum before I’m considered credible in my profession” future.
Right.
But the truth is, I have an awesome job with a great firm, a fantastic family who puts up with my incessant ramblings about what’s cool in design, and a group of friends who get me out of the house and my head out of the clouds as a reminder that there’s more to life than the structures we inhabit. These days, I love being a young designer. I’m happily overwhelmed with the possibilities that I see in front of me.
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2. Semper’s Sixth
You’ll notice a feature on the menu called “Semper’s Sixth”. The short of it is that since graduation I’ve wanted a way to keep up on innovative architecture stories. Since the lectures and publications that I unfortunately all too often took for granted aren’t as accessible as they once were, I realized that I needed a way to stay abreast with the latest design trends and ideas. God willing, I’ll have to speak intellectually on something of the sort one of these days.
But rather than continue to occasionally post a narrative here, I decided to start a design blog based on one of my favorite texts I’ve studied to date: “The 4 Elements of Architecture” by Gottfried Semper. In 1851 he wrote that the origin of architecture can be explained through the “lens of anthropology”, and that all architecture can be be divided into four parts: the hearth, mound, enclosure, and roof. It was a bold stance for the time, especially during an era when ornate Greek and Gothic Revival designs were commonplace. Semper argued that early structures were based on the craft of their barbaric originators. The hearth, for instance, was akin to the fire and ceramics of early man as well as the first indication of creating a place in space. “Around the hearth the first groups assembled; around it the first alliances formed; around it the first rude religious concepts were put into the customs of a cult.” Over time, other scholars suggested that perhaps there was another element. Columns, or pillars, would be important enough to be considered a fifth element. Fair enough.
But I’m still stuck on that early experience of architecture. The so called “Sixth Element”. The element that grasps our primitive sense of what’s “good”.
Now the only problem is that I have no idea what “good” architecture is. That’s what I’m going to find out… and like some outrageous design problem, documenting it is the only way I can see how to make a dent in finding the answer. The way I see it right now, fantastic architecture should exude happiness. It should make people proud to design, smile upon seeing, or become excited to experience. Yes, it must embody honest, maybe even barbaric, tectonic expression, but it will also be fun… heck, it might even be funny.
So for the next year, I’ll be discovering how Semper’s elements translate to 21st Century design methods and types. The goal is that by August 1, 2011, I’ll have a better understanding of what the elements mean, examples of designers embodying them, and a proposal of how they’ll shape the future of architecture. When all that’s said and done, and no doubt after crossing my fingers for the majority of the time, I should finally be able to say “Yes. That’s what’s good.”
With less than 12 hours before much of the world (and this young designer – go Slovenia!) sinks their souls into one month of football, there’s an opportunity to take a moment and check out the South African stadiums that will soon house international competition.
The Moses Mabhid Stadium, capacity 70,000, catches eyes with its signature arch and tensile roof membrane. While most contemporary arenas are built to maximize efficiency sight-lines inside, and to be iconic monuments outside, the designers of MMS also addressed green building practices. Daylighting, water and energy conservation, and natural ventilation techniques are all employed. With an average temperature range of 46-64°F during the cup, and also during the peak of their rainy season, the stadium’s new mechanical system rainwater collection process will be put through a rigorous test.
As an added (and awesome) programmatic element, visitors can ride to the top of the arch in a cable-car which offers vertigo inducing views of the surrounding landscape as well as the match below. I wonder how many people can ride to the top at a time, and what the wait would be for such a trip. It’s bound to be a popular attraction, even if football isn’t your thing.
Tye River Cabin by Olson Kundig Architects – Photo by Tim Bies
Here’s a slick looking cabin described by the designer as a “wooden tent on a platform that opens to the forest and the river.” Located in Skykomish, east of Seattle, Washington, the small building has a cast in place concrete core with a wood/glass panel wall system . It’s reminiscent of Semper’s Four Elements, emphasizing the mound, hearth, enclosure and roof. The building responds to the context, ultimately blurring the threshold between indoors and outdoors, which is an elegant way to create a large space while maintaining a small footprint. Though I wonder how often the cabin is experienced that way, especially given the frequently rainy and cold months in the northwest.
Herman Düne on the Take-Away Shows – Video by Vincent Moon
It’s not often that I depart from architecture on this blog, but I tonight I find myself with the same admiration and borderline obsession of an idea, only this time of the music persuasion. La Blogotheque, a French weblog, has a weekly video of a band or artist playing in setting outside of the typical venue or studio. The resultant is a raw cut of performance, and results in sound with some real soul.
Watch one, or two, if you get a chance. From legends like Tom Jones, personal favorites like Herman Düne (as shown above), and newly found artists like Erik Truffaz and Ed Harcourt, Take-Away Shows are a stunning foray into the honest expression of music in our built environment.
pallet house by Schnetzer Andreas Claus and Pils Gregor – photo via inhabitat
Designs utilizing shipping containers have been in the spotlight for a few years now as their modular and transportable properties allow for new iterations of almost every building typology. While they are a functional building block, getting them can be a bit of a challenge. Enter wood pallets, a readily available, and frequently discarded or burned rigid material. University of Vienna students Schnetzer Andreas Claus and Pils Gregor devised a method to assemble them into a home. A 650 square foot (60 meters squared) residence can be built out of 800 pallets with a cost of about $5,400. Adding insulation, wiring, and glazing materials can vary depending on the location, availability, and cost.
The design team notes that the structure can be used for emergency housing or first aid stations, so it is easy to dismantle and relocate as needed. However, the simple and alluring design makes it appropriate for more permanent communities as well. There is no reason why dwellings for those in need should be any less elegant than for those of affluence.
multitouch light switch by basalte – photo via dornob
It almost seems like I’m turning into some sort of obsessive fangirl when it comes to building details, but if products like this keep surfacing, I’m not sure how I could ever change my ways. Basalte created a series of LED illuminated, brushed metal plate switches that hint at the next generation of lighting control in residential and commercial design. Using a similar concept as touch screen smart-phones, different finger strokes and taps on the metal plate control connected light fixtures. So for example, one tap can turn a light on and off , while touching multiple points on the same plate would control an entire set of lights. The color of the LED that glows in the reveal changes depending on the command.
It’s rare to see a product that could easily appeal to gadgets fans as well as universal design advocates. The idea is simple and the execution is elegant and accessible. Yet given the material palette and form, I wonder if the same problems that plague smart phones arise here. Do fingerprints and oil deposits build up on the face? Can the switch still be controlled if one is wearing gloves? (Though an integrated temperature sensor might indicate it’s for indoor use only.) Concerns aside, Basalt’s offers a unique option to a building element that rarely steps away from the standard. It’s one that I’d definitely install if I ever find them in the USA.
johnson chapel by butler rogers baskett – photo via dezeen
Often time places intended for quiet meditation and prayer are guilty of loud ornamentation and excessive design. These spaces easily (and like Gothic cathedrals, often intentionally) become a display of people, procession, and form in their own right. The Johnson Chapel at Trinity School aims to focus on “subtraction, refinement and integration”, where a simple material pallet coupled with daylight creates a dynamic space without over stimulation. Maple woodwork becomes a place for seating, storage, and sound. A low supply – high return mechanical system is integrated into the room, hiding grills under the riverbed rock and within the edges of the floating ceiling.
I’m just amazed by this 1,000 square foot chapel. It’s a beautiful display of clean lines and use of materials that embodies the intention of the program. The detailing is simple, but elegant, which is by no means simple to achieve in practice. The pictures alone instill a vibe of tranquility, I can only imagine how peaceful it is to actually be there.
In some marvelous fusion of “paint chip samples” and “Wheel of Fortune puzzle board” comes a conceptual design for a customizable wall by Amirkhan Abdurakhmanov (aka Amirko). The idea is simple, prism shaped blocks are stacked into rotating columns and aligned into rows against a wall. When each block is turned (revealing a white, black, or color surface) a unique plane of pixelated color emerges.
While this could be an awesome addition to any contemporary residence, the practical applications for commercial and retail design are what make the idea viable. Changing displays for new merchandise could now involve completely modifying the space in which it is sold without having to apply a fresh coat of paint. The fixed locations of colors do restrain the gradient that can be displayed, but given the modular design there’s no limit to how finite the variation between each tile could be. In addition to color, I’d love to see what grayscale or tactile material versions of this design might look like. That being said, if I ever got the chance I wouldn’t hesitate to spec or install this “as-is” in my own designs.
olympic medal concept and final design – photos by omer arbel/robert keziere
For a line of jewelry that is by no means awarded lightly, this year’s olympic medals employ the playful concept of a locket. Designed by Omer Arbel, the initial design consisted of two pieces that would separate to reveal a small cavity to hide a keepsake after removing a pendant necklace found inside. Unlike the medal, which is traditionally put on display or stored away, the pendant could be worn daily by the athlete.
After a series of iterations and modifications to the form based on an abstraction of Vancouver’s regional topography, the final medals were “cropped” from a large orca motif by Vancouver artist Corrine Hunt. Each medal became a unique keepsake while still remaining part of a larger work of art. They are a reminder that design based on driven development of fundamental ideals can yield a magnificent result… much like the ambition found within the athletes of the Olympic Games.
pittock mansion
