More Movie Theater Musings

Last week I went to the movies with some friends.  It reminded me of everything I hate about the movies - Cheaply built spaces designed to herd people in, then herd them back out, and get them to spend more money in between.  Ugly carpets, bad lighting, nothing really feels clean, unhealthy food, the list goes on.

But ultimately, most of these problems stem from the fact that the typical movie theater typology actually doesn't fit with our movie watching experience.  The first movie houses were designed to simply look like other theaters.  They just replaced the stage with a screen.  To me, that is the beginning of all the problems.  I would like to build a cinema one day that starts at the beginning, and considers movies, how and why we watch them, separately from other forms of theater and performance.

Until then, you can read here about a cinema i designed in school, which I hope one day will become real.  And you can see some photos of this beautiful, but antiquated theater where I was last week.

Jungle Gym Circus Inspiration

A few years ago, I helped design and build this:

(You can read more about it here.)  That has led me to develop a fascination with the circus, acrobats, and their equipment they climb on, as a great way to learn about architecture, and how the forms of things inform certain choreographies.

So now I find myself working on the design of another climbing structure, this one much bigger, and for now top secret.  But I can tell you that I have found a great source of inspiration in the most obvious but overlooked place - the playground.

This particular playground, recommended to me by a friend, has all of its jungle gyms build from basic industrial materials, and I think its great. 

If you're interested in learning more about playground design, I recommend the blog Playscapes.

Paranorman in the Windows!

As you know from previous posts, I hate going to the movies.  (read more about that here) But I do really like the Loews Movie Theater near Lincoln Center, because they always have some interesting artifact in the window from the making of the latest movie showing there.  In this case, a few months ago, they had the dolls that were used in the  making of the stop motion animation ParaNorman movie.  To give you a sense of scale, each one of those characters is about as tall as my forearm, if not smaller.  The detail is amazing, and it is invigorating to know that this intricate art of stop motion animation is still alive and well.  I was happy to have this little window (pun not intended) into the world of the making of one.  

Edouard Vuillard At The Jewish Museum

I really enjoyed the Edouard Vuillard exhibit at the Jewish Museum in New York City this summer.  His paintings, to me, are a quiet window into a busy world.  

Beach Architecture

As the weather turns cold here in New York, I like to look back at my favorite impromptu beach structures to remind me that it will be hot again soon.

Stainless Steel Straw

I'm not sure why I'm completely obsessed with my stainless steel straw. But I think its brilliant.

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.