Saturday, February 02, 2013

Blaine Brownell Lecture - KSU CAED

I am a big fan of Brownell's Transmaterial books and Transstudio website. They are thoughtfully organized and offer all the information one would want when looking at new materials being offered to designers. It also allows one to take stock of how newer materials perform in order to re-purpose familiar (and potentially cheaper/more available) materials to fulfill a newly discovered purpose. They are more then eye-candy, however at times that adds the frustration of being a designer. It is akin to being in a toy store but not being able to touch anything.

Blaine Brownell Lecture
Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
7pm


More from Kent CAED events blog (ps, happy birthday Peter!):


Blaine Brownell is a Minnesota based architect, author, educator, and former Fulbright scholar. . He worked with Yung-Ho Chang, Mark Wamble, and NBBJ before establishing the design/research practice Transstudio, which focuses on disruptive material applications and emergent environmental building strategies. Brownell is considered one of the preeminent scholars of advanced materials for architecture and design, having authored theTransmaterial series for Princeton Architectural Press (2006-2010), in addition to an online material catalog that provides today’s architect and designer with a steady flow of inspiration that could be likened to a 21st Century version of the Grammar of Ornament. Brownell has been published in over forty design, business, and science journals, and has lectured widely in North America, Europe, and Asia. He was selected for a “40 Under 40” award by Building Design & Construction magazine in 2006, and Transmaterial was nominated for an International Book Award by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2007. Brownell was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Tokyo University of Science as a Fulbright recipient (2006-07), and the Visiting Professor of Sustainable Design at the University of Michigan (2007-08). He is currently an assistant professor and director of the Master of Science program in Sustainable Design at the University of Minnesota (2008-present).



Blaine E. Brownell, AIA LEED AP
Assistant Professor, Co-Director, Master of Science Program in Architecture,University of Minnesota, School of Architecture

Friday, February 01, 2013

Creative Culture Grants - Finalists, Get Your Vote In!

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture [CAC] new Creative Culture Grants awards $150,000 American Dollars(!) to 2 creative local projects as selected by popular democratic opinion, meaning you have to vote.

Voting occurs from February 1st until February 20th. so do us all a favor and figure out your favorite and vote for it.

VOTE!

There are six proposals under consideration:
(taken from the CAC CCG webpage)


AHA! FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Lead Organization: LAND studio
Project Partners: Cleveland Public Library, Positively Cleveland, Downtown Cleveland Alliance and others.
This project is a free, multi-day festival of lights in downtown Cleveland’s public spaces to celebrate the recent development boom and “illuminate” changes to our urban landscape. AHA will bring together people from across the region in the spring or summer of 2014 to highlight these beloved public spaces through art installations using light, video projections and live cultural performances by a combination of local, national and international artists.


CLEVELAND IMAGE FESTIVAL
Lead Organization: Cleveland Museum of Art
Project Partners: The Transformer Station, LAND studio, the Great Lakes Science Center and others.
Celebrate historical, contemporary and emerging image-making during the Cleveland Image Festival in April 2014. Throughout the month, at programs and displays at museums galleries, and public spaces throughout Cuyahoga County, you’ll have a chance to discover and learn how digital image technologies are transforming culture through the widespread accessibility of the Internet and social media. Engage and participate through social media platforms and other avenues in this collaborative project by Cuyahoga County’s leading arts and culture venues.


DARING TO BE "DUMBO"
Lead Organization: Dancing Wheels
Project Partners: WKYC-TV Ch. 3, The Diversity Center of Cleveland, Girl Scouts of America and others.
Led by Dancing Wheels, this project will expand on the dance company’s world premiere performances of the multi-media ballet “Dumbo” (May 6-11, 2013) to create an entertaining and educational TV documentary based on the issues of bullying and social injustice.  Using the life stories of artists and community figures, the documentary will explain how they rose above the ridicule to become successful.  The program will be made into a school assembly program that will be performed at schools and in the community throughout the county.  The documentary will premiere in March 2014 and will air on WKYC-TV Ch. 3 in Northeast Ohio, and outreach programs will take place between April and August 2014. 


EAST MEETS WEST: CLEVELAND ROAD TRIP
Lead Organization: Zygote Press, Inc.
Project Partners: LAND studio, St. Clair Superior Community Development Corp., Gordon Square Arts District and others.
This project is a year-long, community-wide collaboration between businesses, artists, commuters, neighborhood residents and city government intended to bridge the east (via Superior Ave.) and west (via Detroit Ave.) side divide of the Detroit-Superior Bridge over the Cuyahoga River.  Between August 2013 and August 2014, EmW will employ a multi-media approach to bridge this gap using sign-painting and artist installations to unite the neighborhoods along this corridor while giving artists the opportunity to work collaboratively with businesses beginning in the Gordon Square Arts District on Detroit and ending at East 55th St. and Superior Ave.


MOBILE ENCOUNTERS
Project Partners: Kent State University’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, Bike Cleveland and others.
This projectwill temporarily transform two streets in Cleveland into physically active cultural corridors.  Concentrating multiple urban acupuncture points of activity, the temporary interventions will stimulate long-term change, complete with safe bicycle amenities, pop-up shops, reactivated vacant lots, organized play activities and interactive public art installations, which respond to the distinct cultural flavor of each neighborhood.  To take place on Payne Avenue between E. 30th St. and E. 40th St. (May 18 - June 9, 2013), and on Lorain Avenue between W. 41st St. and W. 32nd St. (August 24 - September 14, 2013). 


OUT OF THE BOX AND INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Lead Organization: Cleveland Public Theatre
Project Partners: Cuyahoga County Public Library, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, St. Clair Superior Development Corporation and others.
Cleveland Public Theatre seeks to build on the momentum that inspired Gordon Square Arts District and energize neighborhoods in the process of revitalization.  By commissioning artists to make great performances inspired by neighborhoods, and transforming vacant spaces into exciting new places to make art, we break out of the confines of conventional arts institutions into the community.  A dozen performances throughout Cuyahoga County to take place in vacant commercial, industrial and public spaces are planned, beginning in February 2014, culminating with a festival of performances in July 2014 (performances will be free or pay as you can). 


Thursday, January 31, 2013

2013 CPAC Fellowship - Thank you Cuyahoga County, I hope I can live up to your expectations


I found out a while back, November maybe, that I had been selected as a finalist for the 2013 Community Partnership for Arts and Culture Community Workforce Fellowship. I did my best to keep it under wraps until the final awards ceremony last week at MOCA when it became a bit more real (I had to walk on a small stage, accept a certificate and get out of there without falling over myself). The honor is amazing so I want to take some time and effort and put out there exactly what this may mean. For those you not interested in self exploration of the creative process or whatever, this isn't the post for you.

I have been very lucky in this "creative career" trajectory and while I am humbled by the recognition (which is very nice!) and the grant (to be used for doing "more stuff") I am well aware that this could not have happened without whatever force connected me to so many talented and driven people that pushed me to do more then just punch a clock and never be satisfied with "good enough". I'm not going to name drop, but those of you whom know of which I speak, well, know.

TOIstudio started as an experiment in sorting out why a math and science nerd such as myself loved the act of design. Not just of creation, but what was behind the creation. While many failed experiments (which could be construed as set backs) occurred, most of the time they created a pool of knowledge of what didn't work which at times can be more useful then what does work. Nowadays TOIstudio is just a name to hide behind so that I don't have to brand anything with myself. It is an acute acknowledgement that I work horribly in a vacuum, that I would rather collaborate and have meaningful discussions about making things and how people move about within them, then not. I enjoy being challenged and frustrated, enraged at times, so that I feel the blood in my ears as I work to prove out a vision. It is my way to ride the coattails of very talented people and suck any and all knowledge from them that I can. The very marrow of existence (I haven't seen that movie in a while).

So.

What does the fellowship mean, exactly? That I cannot quite answer. Yet. To me it is a stepping stone, a way to set up a strong foundation to continue research in design without many of the normal constraints. It gives me a voice. It gives me some very appreciated financial backing. It gives me some confidence that what I am doing could be interesting to someone else (which I admit is pretty exhilarating).

For those of you paying attention, way back in 2007 by first attempt at a shop flooded in some freak rainstorm. I was located in Midtown and the space  have a very poorly designed sanitary/storm clean out (eg lacking a closure device or cap) and my space flooded  destroying quite a bit of equipment, belongings and momentum. The idea was to build a shop/gallery space to give architects a creative outlet through more personal art then buildings. That idea still holds somewhat.

Fast forward to 2012 and the nice fellow who was letting me squat in his shop while we put together BookBox decides he has had enough of civilization and moves out West to Montana to teach architecture. To be fair it is beautiful out there and the school appears to have a decent program that he finds happiness at. Apparently. So another shop closes down.

Now the beginnings of 2013 encroach. I am finishing up my first pass at the Architecture Registration Exams and am currently looking at a new space for a shop. Someplace to live, work and create a gallery space in. My big plans have changed little so far, the dreams just seem more, reasonable. CPAC has given me more momentum however, more focus. Maybe a stronger voice. Either way it is humbling and scary. All I can think about is letting down the strangers who had enough interest in my work to tell me to keep going, keep digging and making and testing. And playing.

I'm scared to death of screwing up. Which is fine though, it means I'm on the right track.


Thanks to those that let me hang out with them and their process, frustration and creation.

Thanks to those who put up with me and what I do.

I look forward to making more stuff. Thanks.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

2013 Annual Lenten Leadership Series talks (Jeff Speck as series opener) posted

5th annual Hope for the City discussion/lecture series.


Hope for the City

2013 Annual Lenten Leadership Series

2013 marks Hope for the City’s 5th Anniversary!
Thanks to a special grant from the Goodrich Fund of the Old Stone Church
we are able to present Jeff Speck as our series opener.

All speakers and lunches are by donation.
We appreciate all your support so that we can continue this important annual series. Thank you!

Speaker Schedule

February 20Jeff SpeckDesigner, architect, city planner, former Director of Design, National Council of Arts and author, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time.
  • 11:30am – 1:30pm: Public Forum, including lunch and presentation
  • 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Closed session with city planners, developers, and civic leaders.
February 27Ann Zoller, Executive Director of Land Studios
Gregory Peckham, Managing Director of Land Studios
  • Noon – 1:00pm
March 6Jennifer Coleman
Chairperson of Cleveland Landmarks Commission, architect and creator of CityProwl digital walking tours of Cleveland
  • Noon-1:00pm
March 13No meeting – Mayor’s State of the City address
March 20Anthony Coyne
Attorney, Planner and Chair of the Group Plan Commission
  • Noon-1:00pm