Louis Kahn's FDR Memorial!

This summer I had the privilege of visiting the FDR Memorial on Roosevelt Island, designed by none other than Louis Kahn.  Thanks to my professor Christian Volkman from the Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York and Sciame Construction for arranging this tour for my fellow students and I.

It was also my first trip to Roosevelt Island, which added to the excitement of the trip.  But seeing the monument, even when it was still in construction, really was amazing.  Even after his death, the memorial is true to Kahn's high level of quality and detail, thanks to a few architects on the job who used to work with Mr. Kahn and are helping to preserve his vision.

Every single part of this memorial is constructed out of Mount Airy Granite as per Louis Kahn's original specification.  It is a bright white, with a few black and gray specks.  The lines are clean and strong, with open joints between each block.  The precision is incredible, and I can't wait to go back when it is complete.

I have had issues in the past, with buildings that almost seem like they were made more for the photographs in magazines than for the people who lived there. And then there are the buildings that don't look so great when you read about them and look at photos, but are incredible when you visit them in person.  This memorial has both qualities.  It has that harmonious balance of proportions, materials, and spirit.  It took my breath away.  The palpable quiet, the utter peace one can experience there.  I enjoyed it when I was there, and I enjoy it still now as I look back at the photos a few months later.  

To read more about the memorial and updates on his progress, click here and here.

Do You Like Going To The Movies?

Alright folks, I've been out of the country for the last month, which explains why I haven't posted anything in a while.  The time has come where I can finally say that I am in my LAST semester of architecture school!  Before launching into a long post about what I'm going to do for my thesis, here's the final results of the previous semester.  Click here to read previous posts about the project.

Our given program was to design a film house.  Its requirements were to include indoor and outdoor movie theaters, cafe/restaurant space, retail space, administrative space, a film archive, and any other components we might want to add.  The way we interpreted the program was left open.

I was interested in questioning the way movie theaters are designed and the way we watch movies in the 21st century, mainly because I hate going to the movie theaters and would rather watch something at home.  This got me thinking...why would anyone actually want to go to the movie theater when they could watch a movie at home, where they can be free, on the couch or bed, in their pajamas or nothing at all, with whomever they want or no one at all, eating whatever they want, and not sitting in an ugly, poorly designed multiplex franchise theater?  Its a good question - one that we as architects should be asking ourselves about this relatively  new typology.  In fact, the movie theater typology was taken from the vaudeville and opera theaters of the past, with the only change being that of a screen and projector room.  Perhaps its time for a more thoughtful approach.

I'm not saying that my building answers the question, but I hope its a start.  Or at the very least a conversation opener about the subject.

My movie theater essentially contains five different types of movie watching opportunities, ranging from the most interactive and social to the most private and intimate.  They are as follows:

1. Communal Theater - most similar to a traditional movie theater, with opportunities to move the furniture around and create clusters of seats.  Seats include couches of varying sizes and armchairs.

2. Garden Theater - An outdoor theater, enclosed by walls, situated in a garden.

3. Private Party Theaters - A series of smaller spaces, each for 8-10 people, to be used for private parties.

4. Restaurant/Video Art Theater - A restaurant whose walls are used for the display of video art.

5. Private Bedroom Theaters - A series of bedroom sized spaces for spending the night, watching movies in the room, with balconies overlooking the communal theater.

Click on images to enlarge.  Leave a comment and let me know your own thoughts on going to the movies.

Concrete, Metal, and Wood

These are some material tests I've been doing for my studio project.

Something is Happening

I've been living on my computer, spitting out as much as I can in as little time as possible.  Something is slowly starting to emerge.........

New Haven Site Montages

In studying our site for studio, more about which you can read here, I have composed these photo montages of the street view from both ends of the site.  Click on them to enlarge.

And below are a few of my favorite photos of the day, walking around the area.

Yale Art Gallery by Louis Kahn, with Richard Serra sculptures in the sunken courtyard.

Yale Repertory Theater, and just to the left of it is the Yale Center for British Art, another Louis Kahn building.

Nice roofs.

See the all those skylights in the top right of the photo?  That's the roof of the Yale Center for British Art.

There are a lot of walled in courtyards, which make for some interesting street views such as this.

And this.

Another walled in courtyard, with people sitting outside of it.

Another street view of the Yale Center for British Art, with beautiful orange barrels framing the view.

And this is our site.