3 Key Elements of Notable Architecture

1. A Vision
2. Artistic Talent
3. Power Brokers

If you read between the lines in this article on design in Los Angeles there is plenty of evidence.

In the Mist of Holiday Parties, Land Development Projects Prevail

In the past two weeks I have been bouncing from one holiday party to the next. I can't even eat the food. The other day in my delirious holiday party craze I craved cheetos and now my stomach hated me and continually muttered "never again" under its breath.

It is sometimes a mystery how any work gets done around the holiday season, especially around government bureaucracies or universities, but it does, or so certain news stories give that impression. Does it matter if this work got done before or during the holiday season? No. Is it a good idea that it gets news coverage during the holiday season? Yes, because this the time of year people get yearn for the case ADD and look for valid distractions. In my case I am a sucker for news stories from respectable publications such as the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

This story from the NY Times deserves a mention just because it talks about a Mexican architect, Enrique Norten, on his way to the revered status of an international signature architect and in turn probably national hero, and his participation in Rutgers University's growth vision.

Across the country, the LA Times reports on the 3 Mega-Projects that could, if their visions achieve what they promise, reshape the car and urban culture that defines Los Angeles today. From my cynical realism it sounds like certain big egos are trying to make a legacy in the city’s historic suburban fabric and convert parts of the city into urban hubs. Considering the locations, 2 in downtown and the other by Universal Studios, of the 3 projects (L.A. Live, Grand Avenue and Universal City) I can’t help but wonder if they build it, will they come? And how long will it take for them to come?

Fashion 101

~ Timeless and guaranteed elegance ~

One Word: Cashmere
One Concept: any Tone

Take Note: What I want for Christmas

All I want for Christmas is at least a week at the new Hotel Marques de Riscal that just opened in the town of Elciego.

It was designed by Gehry, one of my favorite 'signature' architects, over an ancient winery and holds a wine therapy spa. The mere thought is relaxing.

The Palette Entourage

Color makes all of the difference, especially if black is in the mix.

Fashion: the Mode & DNA

I just saw a great exhibition at the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) - "Breaking the Mode"- the pieces were great and no where near the commercial fabrics we see on a regular basis or the ultra magical haute couture wear that would otherwise be expected to be on display. To me it seemed as though a geometric theme, or rather genius, defined the pieces within the exhibition. My favorite contrasts were the particular pieces displayed in two different modes: one on a hanger and the other on the shape of the female body. It was clear; the pieces had a life of their own. The exhibition included designers that have challenged the traditions of shapes and forms in fashion.

There is another great exhibition on fashion across the pond. "Fashion DNA" is currently in process at the Nieuwe Kerk Museum in Amsterdam until October 22nd. Here the theme is Identity; the role of fashion on human identity, also known as human nature. I would go if I had the vacation days.

Le Vintage

Vintage is timeless. It is always in, otherwise it is not called vintage.

East Coast perspective on West Coast Cultural Elitism

Must read: Washington Post article about architectural differences and basically cultural snobbery between the OC and LA: Rhapsody in Orange County

The piece compares concert halls, architects (Pelli and Gehry) and the nouveau riche's insecurities and contributions to the art world.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts:

"Visitors from Los Angeles, the older and more glam neighbor to the north, scoffed with condescension...what would you expect from Orange County, an insufferably vulgar place of rich old men and trophy wives and idle youth bored with dropping C-notes in the Louis Vuitton shop? It's a wannabe place."

"But even if the two buildings are in different leagues, it's worth comparing them, and what they tell us about American cultural life. You might say that Pelli's [in the OC] hall and Gehry's hall [in LA] are bookends on a continuum of American cultural life. One building is an efficient space for a young orchestra, the other a destination venue for an institution that has effectively worked its way into the top ranks of American musical life. Pelli's hall marks an exuberant stage of naive youth, while Gehry's suggests the self-confidence of a cultural organization that has long outgrown the kind of civic bluster one heard in Orange County."

And let us not forget:
"Almost every institution in the rarefied world of American High Culture was built by exactly the same forces that have come together in Orange County's new concert hall: big bucks from the nouveau riche and a huge cultural inferiority complex."

Car culture turning up the need for architectural symbols:
"Orange County is building new cultural institutions because traffic has choked off its access to old ones."

All that being said:
"[While] Gehry hall, despite its dramatic exuberance, exudes a kind of Apollonian calm...Pelli's concert hall captures the energy and brusque pragmatism of art in the age of unsentimental capitalism."

Fall Hues It is all about Glamour

Rich and royal purples; plush and simply Fabulous.

Design & Political Aid

My new building was designed with attached parking, how convenient. The parking spaces are somewhat difficult to get into on a first try, but at least I do not have to worry about finding a parking spot every night on the streets.

I have learned that even though most apartment buildings in West Hollywood have incorporated parking amenities to their residential structures, parking is still in high demand; and on certain streets it is more than just a commodity, you must have a parking permit and a parking permit can only be obtained if you legally own or lease living quarters in the appropriate parking district. I know it is nonsense, but this is the result of living in a capitalist society that is run on democratic principles and that constantly pretends to offer fair solutions that really only translate into adquiring payments for the sake of convenience.

It seems to me that at one point a group of people must have felt entitled to have more convenience no matter the price and then everyone else was manipulated to comply. I don't want to inconvenience my guests so I was suckered into using the beauracractic establisment and paid for parking permits.

WeHo (aka West Hollywood)

I moved from one saturated housing market to another saturated housing market, oh yes, I did this on purpose.

As a femme of le monde my standards are higher than most; I want to live in West Hollywood, but the problem with this aspiration is that I am not the only one, and the places on the market are not up to my standards (at least none of the ones I have seen) and I really don't want to pay New York City prices (because this is just a whole other philosophical discussion). Basically once you get a place in West Hollywood, you don't want to move for two main reasons, the neighborhood is adorably accomodating and RENT CONTROL (need I say more).

Until I find a place of my own, I will keep to the basics and repeat the following words:
Safe Chic Spaces

The Perfect Gift: The September Edition of VOGUE

Georgie is definitely a man after my own heart...
I'm moving to LA and he decided to get me the new VOGUE, you know the September issue, the huge 700-pager that covers the latest and greatest styles for the next two seasons to help keep my nerves under control during my long flight back to the left coast.

I was tempted to flip through it, but then I told myself....RESTRAIN, IT WILL BE WORTH IT

Optimism

Just the Basics

Design over Location?

The cost of design...

In this case, it is more like the cost Real Estate and its three main principles:

Location
Location
Location

Basically any decent location in places like New York, Paris, London, Rome, Los Angeles and other metropolitan areas are just so coveted that it is really hard to find anything that is reasonable priced.

Is $3000 a month for a basic two-bedroom apartment with no living room in New York City obnoxious or what?

The worst part about it is the demand is high enough that developers see no reason why their supply should not exceed record prices. Nowadays, every price has to be over the top, even when the design is below par.

Oreo Cookie Birth - The Place

I said I would follow-up, a little late, but I found it.

As it turns out, The Oreo was born in Manhattan, like many other legacies. According to one Nabisco employee, oreo cookies were first produced in 1912 at the National Biscuit Company facility in Chelsea.

Sally's Victorian Camel

I love the vision Sally conveys:
Victorian with a psychedelic edge

Pyramid its Legacy in Cancun

After cruising down the Hotel Lane in lovely Cancun there was no doubt in my mind that the Mayan pyramid has played a major role in the architectural designs of Cancun's finest buildings (all Hotels); many of which were destroyed in the fury of Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

The tourist moguls of Cancun capitalize and exploit the legacy of the Mayan people. The locals, which I found out where mainly implants from different parts of Mexico and the world (yes, there is a lot of migration to Cancun) survive on the backbone of tourism. Everything in Cancun is for the tourist, the American or Foreign tourist. It's about selling the product of paradise with a mix of a long forgotten past that they hardly know anything about, and if it weren't for the fact the images speak enough to incite most to pay a hefty sum for the sake of 'culture' they wouldn't make as much money as they do.

Now if they could only sell some decent Mexican food, I would go back more often.

Simple Design, Exhibit A: The Oreo Cookie

Talk about a minimalist design, the Oreo cookie, has one of the most popular cookies of all time. This past weekend, I was at little restaurant in the West Village that my friend Papi recommended and on its menu was a giant OREO under the desert section. It was a delicious home-baked OREO (well, restaurant-baked, but in New York it's basically the same thing).

Since then I learned that the Oreo debuted on March 6, 1912, wow that's almost a 100 years of Oreo cookies. I wonder what they are going to do for the centennial?

But, really back to the design, it is simple, and yet so successful, in my mind it is classic minimalist. It has two colors (black and white), two different materials; it makes a statement and is instantly recognizable. Let's face it, they are addictive.

The perfect piece: Architecture & Fashion

At times I wonder about myself:
I mean there are times when I set off on a mission with a particular design in mind. I don't always know where the concept came from because until just recently I use to not indulge in fashion magazines and or television. This is a recent new mental exercise.

I have come to the resolution that these concepts are a result of some innate curiosity and vision.

Obviously Fashion Designers and Architects have their own styles too; (for better or for worst) everyone does. People tend to pick and choose and then create accordingly. Otherwise, since all the manufactures gather every year and decide on the fabrics and hues of the moment, we would all be virtually wearing the same garments with different tags over our aggregated bodily shapes. And this would just be tragic, absolute Tragedy. As it is, at an every day level, variety is minimal and when there is variety it is not necessarily always better. Perfect example, the person that you see walking in a public place and think: Why? What were they thinking?

Two questions to consider:
Why do you wear what you wear?
Why do you live how you live?

"Change me" Campaign ~ from Getty Images

I recently received an email from a good friend Edu. He constantly sends me the most random things.

Here is what the email said:

"I encourage you to engage in the artwork and participate.....

The "Change Me" campaign supports the effort to fight disease in the developing world using Getty's massive photo collection to draw public attention to Friends of the Global Fight. Visitors to a special web site ( www.gettyimages.com/changeme) can pick an image from Getty's library, write a caption about how the image is meaningful to them, and share it with friends. Getty will donate $10 for each caption submitted. The captions will appear online and may be selected for a traveling exhibition and a companion book."

I checked it out, and I thought there were some interesting pictures...it is definitely worth a view.

Oh How I Love Thee ~ Frank Gehry

I like Frank Gehry.
I like Tiffany & Company.
And now Gehry is designing jewlery for Tiffany's.
Umm...
Each collection has great pieces.
They have classified them in six different motifs: Torque, Fish, Orchid, Fold, Equus and Axis

I love the cuff links from the Axis collection.
But it is so hard to pick from them all.
They all seem to incorporate his usual free form sculpture like concepts of his architecture.

I just want to play with them all.

Spanish Rocks

Architecture by its very nature is grounded by its foundation in sediment of immobile terrains. You want to see architecture up close to get its complete monumental effect, you have to travel to it. Sure you can find pictures on the internet and sometimes some sites even have those cool nifty web tours, but it is really not the same. These voyeuristic mechanisms only help you make decisions on whether you should visit one place over another.

Architectural models and renderings on the other hand can travel. I am constantly amazed by the precision and craft behind models. Renderings are cool, but it’s more about computer projects than actual old-fashioned skills.

A few months ago there was an exhibit at the MOMA on Spanish Architecture. Most of the projects on display were either in the design stages or in the early stages of construction. Only a few were actually completed. But all I could think of as I took in each structure was how much I wanted to visit Spain and tour the country once all of these projects were completed. The draw was not just that the architects were very innovative with their designs, but the patrons and architectural functions also seemed to be of a need breed.

I'm already starting to plan a trip for 2009 to Spain. Maybe if I plan accordingly I will also hit up Dubai (most of its tallest structures should be completed by then as well)

Johnny Goes West, or Not

It use to be that one traveled to the fashion Mecca’s of the world (Milan, Paris, New York, London) but now with the wings of transportation, commercialization and globalization have become a widespread reality and fashion travels to its new markets.

Granted there is still a purpose to travel for the sake of fashion (purchases). Certain locations get certain items first, and there is even highly coveted "exclusive" pieces that can only be purchased in particular parts of the world. But convenience or rather accessibility is the new mantra.

Perfect example: When I was in Miami I went to Tiffany's at Bal Harbour and they did not have the new Frank Gehry Collection (yet), the sales associate informed me that I could find what I was looking for in New York City and expect to see in their location by the Summer of 2006.

Major fashion houses are not just seeking out their piece of real estate on fashion strips around the world, they are also catering to consumers in a new way: they are traveling to them with an entourage. New wealth and talent in cities such as São Paolo, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and others have been attracting attention and have started playing hosts to fashion weeks and catwalks.

So now fashion travels to its customers as well, but it travels because it knows that people will spend; there are markets to be conquered.

Is this just another form of manifest destiny?

It's Flowing...Like the Nile

Eminent Domain Abuse:

ART DECO

&

FASHIONISTA's in WHITE

Frigid Monsoons

Today as I was walking to work, and as I walked in the frigid monsoon that was hitting the Morningside Heights (and the rest of New York City) this morning I wondered: Are buildings in certain parts of the world with more rain fall cleaner than buildings that are located in cities that get less rain fall?

I pondered on the question and then as I sat in a conference room waiting for a meeting to start and engaging in small talk with the top design and construction executive at my job it dawned on me that I should ask him the rain question that was lingering in my mind. From his expertise he said that it really does not make a difference unless it is limestone facade. Apparently (rain) water is a natural cleanser for limestone and apart from this particular material there is really no significant difference because though it may be thought that the water would clean the facade it may also be transporting pollutants that counter affect any of the water's cleansing properties.

Wow, pollution, it had not crossed my mind when I was thinking about the question, but as he was saying it all I could think was, good point!

His answer was a real eye opener, I have always thought of myself a very environmentally conscious person. I grew up in San Diego, a city where if you liter you can be charged a $1000 fine. But when I was living there you wouldn't ever think of littering, San Diegans would literally make the culprit regret their action. You just did not do it; everyone was a tree hugger. Bottom line is that you don't litter, you wait till you get to a trash can. Otherwise you will be socially reprimanded or fined. Unfortunately this has changed, now I would say it is a little different, more people have moved in from different parts of the country and it has become a lot harder for the natives to regulate the new inhabitants.

I guess since I feel like I am constantly trying to do 'my part' I take pollution for granted. I think that it only affects health, clean air and that is just all around awful, but still I forget (and do not know) about all of its negative implications. This subtle example of rain water not functioning as a natural cleanser for more than just limestone facades is a reminder of how much pollution affects our daily lives.

A penny for your thoughts

"The ethos of corporations and the administration come together in one very important place: They see democracy as something they need to manipulate. Ehen people devote themselves to manipulation, they are empty."

"I've rarely read a memoir that isn't all crap"

Norman Mailer, 83, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner in a recent Time-Out New York Article

"And the Oscar goes to..."

Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 78, was named the winner of the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize on April 9th. He got his start in architecture professionally in the 1950s and is known for designing bold, open structures that blend with their surroundings and often using water as a design theme. Over the last six decades he has built a variety of projects, everything from homes, apartment buildings, sports arenas, museums and even public areas all mainly in Brazil. He was picked by a jury of architects, critics and academics who recognized his work for its daring concepts, modern designs and construction ingenuity.

According to Paulo ''Construction is a transformation of space,'' ... ''When you build, you need to imagine the universe is something entirely new that didn't exist before.''

Other architects who have received this prestigious award sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation include Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Ieoh Ming Pei, and Rafael Moneo. Through my current job I have had the pleasure of meeting two of these architects that are often referred to as Signature architects: Renzo and Moneo.

A funny topic of conversation...

Bathing suit season is less than 50 days away and there should be two things that everyone should be doing to get ready for it, well this if you plan on actually partaking in activities that concern sunbathing, water, sun or all of the above: find a hot bathing suit and not skipping out on crunches at the gym.

If you're not a member of a gym that's okay, no one said you can't workout at home, but if you're like me and you need the energy of others to sometimes push you when you're feeling lazy then you should consider joining a gym. Knowing that bathing suit season is just right around the corner most gyms will soon start to have specials to lure new members ; so you should be on the lookout and you can save on skipping on initiation fees. However, you shouldn't just join a gym for the sake of saving a couple of bucks, don't join a gym you don't feel comfortable in because most likely you will not end up going. The gym should not be a task it should be enjoyable.

So where does one look for a bathing suit? As a Californian I have an allegiance to certain brands, mainly surfer brands such as Quicksilver, Roxy - Quicksilver for girls and Billabong. The quality of these brands is really great because they know their clientele are people who use bathing suits on a regular basis not just seasonally and for the sake of fashion. The designs are not bad either, actually I think they are quite stylish trendsetters. But if these brands do not offer what you are looking for I would suggest going to a department store such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom's. (Even though I am not always the biggest fan of department stores they are convenient) These places are one stop shops and have a variety of styles for a variety of body styles and fashion preferences. Before you make a purchase ask yourself if you will actually wear the bathing suit and if you will feel comfortable, because afterall your primary concern should be enjoying the weather and not you and your bathing suit- you should have gotten that over with right after you walked out of the store with a smile on your face.

Hard~Rocks & Dress Rehearsal

Part of my morning ritual entails reading various headlines; I seem to bypass war and political headlines. My eye prefers headlines that refer to slightly vague subjects. As a New York transplant I probably see the New York Times webpage at least 20 times a day. This morning the following words poked my curiosity: "Adiós for a Spanish Hotel Where They Dressed to Kill"; partially because I found the use of 'Adiós' slightly patronizing and also because I was curious to see what hotel was closing down. The content of the article provided some interesting information.

As it turns out the Hotel Reina Victoria in Madrid, near Plaza Santa Ana, is the subject at hand. For the past sixty years Spain's most famous matadores have been using it to dress in it before a bullfight and it has become a part of their highly ritualized culture. This summer it will reopen as the new Hard Rock Hotel Madrid. I know, unbelievable. The traditional decor will be replaced by modern high-fashion decor, and most likely so will the clientele.

I'm sure the new hotel will look amazing, but it would have been better if the change had also incorporated some of the aspects of the original structure. Change is inevitable and it does not necessarily have to be bad, but in this case I am not a fan because though I am not a diehard preservasionist there is something to be said about tradition and sense of respect and acknowledgement for the accomplishments of the past.

The Apple doesn't Fall far from the Tree

It's a family thing; Architecture is Fashion's older cousin. But for me it is hard to play favorites.

Fashion has definitely learned a lot from architecture, I mean how could it not? Before rags became couture, we were building architecture in sheets!

Consider architecture and fashion, they are both in the Design Family and this family is known for the statements it makes. Whether it is with brick, steel, silk or cotton 'The Designers' create the business of style. Each has different markets, but at times preferences overlap. With the help of technological innovations, commercialization and globalization both have enjoyed increased popularity in everyday culture.

But who pushes each other more, the designers or the patrons? Who creates the change? Or, better yet, how does the change come about? Because at the end of the day designers have to worry if there is a market for their designs and though there may be buyer for every market there is not always a profitable market for every prospect.

Mind Fuck

"I want freedom for the full expression of my personality."
Mahatma Gandhi

"Those who create are rare; those who cannot are numerous. Therefore, the latter are stronger."
Coco Chanel

"But man does not create... he discovers. "
Antonio Gaudi

"Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep. "
Le Corbusier

“In fashion, you know you have succeeded when there is an element of upset.”
Coco Chanel

"Necessity, who is the mother of invention."
Plato

We'll leave you with a thought...
....to quote our muse:
"I never saw anybody take so long to dress, and with such little result."
Oscar Wilde

Sublime subjects: Architecture & Fashion

Architecture design, Fashion design...
What is their story?
Or
What story do they tell?
In the days to come I will attempt to draw on the secret lives of designs: the icons that create them, the icons they create and the identities they evade. It takes more than a vision to create architecture and fashion. There is a legacy of talent, money and politics behind each creation.

investigator