To round out my post about the 'Greenest States' and the 'Greenest Cities' I figured I had to pass along the Sustainable Endowments Institute's report rating College's Sustainability
Only Harvard, Dartmouth, University of Washington, Middlebury, Carleton, and University of Vermont performed well enough in all categories to merit the highest overall grade of “A-,” earning them the distinction of College Sustainability Leaders.
The Juilliard School, Howard University, Regent University, and Samford University yielded overall “F” grades, followed by 21 schools carrying a grade of “D-.”
My school, Kent State, must not have gotten invovled at all. That is a shame since it hosts a College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
236 page 3 meg pdf report for some light reading.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
39 out of 50 really isn't too great...
Recently Forbes magazine released its rankings of America's Greenest Cities. The usual suspects topped the list; Oregon, Washington, Vermont.
In a ranking which was determined by weighting six categories equally (carbon footprint, air quality, water quality, hazardous waste management, policy initiatives and energy consumption) Ohio came in 39th.
39th out of 50.
Below Texas.
I am aghast. I would really love to see not only the culmulative rankings of what areas we did especially poor in but also what data was collected for this study. Not in an attempt to belabor the rankings either, just to see how the local society percieves itself, foibles and accomplishments.
I just found it interesting.
America's Greenest Cities, don't worry, Cleveland isn't on there at all.
In a ranking which was determined by weighting six categories equally (carbon footprint, air quality, water quality, hazardous waste management, policy initiatives and energy consumption) Ohio came in 39th.
39th out of 50.
Below Texas.
I am aghast. I would really love to see not only the culmulative rankings of what areas we did especially poor in but also what data was collected for this study. Not in an attempt to belabor the rankings either, just to see how the local society percieves itself, foibles and accomplishments.
I just found it interesting.
America's Greenest Cities, don't worry, Cleveland isn't on there at all.
Better yourself, better the world, Free Rice
Free Rice
An online vocabulary game whereas for every word participants get correct an approximate 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program. The program automatically adjusts for your skill level whilst keeping track of your score through tracking your 'donation'. Advertisers along the bottom of the screen are the ones who are donating in your name. The adverts run in a rather limited capacity and are not overbearing or even noticeable enough to become annoying. Granted the game is multiple choice and limited as you have to pick the best word to define the word given, meaning that some synonyms are a stretch, but utilizing context clues and lucky guessing it shouldn't prove too difficult. Also, if you get one wrong you are shown the correct answer. At least as far as I have been told. I haven't gotten any wrong yet.
I find the most interesting part of this experiment the idea that that it is improving the English vocabulary for everyone, meaning it could prove to be an effective technique to educate people in new languages. I wonder if there will be non-English versions. I daresay, it could make learning fun and actually more rewarding.
An online vocabulary game whereas for every word participants get correct an approximate 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program. The program automatically adjusts for your skill level whilst keeping track of your score through tracking your 'donation'. Advertisers along the bottom of the screen are the ones who are donating in your name. The adverts run in a rather limited capacity and are not overbearing or even noticeable enough to become annoying. Granted the game is multiple choice and limited as you have to pick the best word to define the word given, meaning that some synonyms are a stretch, but utilizing context clues and lucky guessing it shouldn't prove too difficult. Also, if you get one wrong you are shown the correct answer. At least as far as I have been told. I haven't gotten any wrong yet.
I find the most interesting part of this experiment the idea that that it is improving the English vocabulary for everyone, meaning it could prove to be an effective technique to educate people in new languages. I wonder if there will be non-English versions. I daresay, it could make learning fun and actually more rewarding.
Ameritrust Tower deal goes 'boom(?)', much like its lobby
Even as rumors circulate about the possible sale of the Ameritrust Tower someone is still taking the time to drive about the lobby in a Bobcat. While I must admit that driving a Bobcat about is rather fun, and the prospect of driving one around the lobby of a building that I am supposed to systematically demolish could make me feel rather giddy (if I felt the building deserved it) I should point out that this particular exercise in County mandated destruction derby depresses me.The best part of the above mentioned article is the responses. Oh internet, you so crazy!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture Exhibit
If you happen to be in Washington DC between November 3rd and February 17th you may want to stop in at theNational Building Museum and check out the Marcel Breuer exhibit.
I found the timing of this show interesting, especially as I received the notice around the same time that I was sent the Plain Dealer article stating that the County Commissioners may not demolish the Tower after all. In what one could call an 'interesting' turn of events, it seems that the County didn't fulfill their due diligence in planning their new administrative complex. Whether the fault could be blamed on poor planning, lack of planning, total absence of foresight or some other descriptive term that basically calls the project incompetent, it is becoming more and more apparent that the premise for the project was severely flawed. The question that remains is how much the taxpayers are going to pay for this mistake. I am guessing the whole thing won't be cheap.
I am sure someone out there is doing some interesting investigative reporting on where the money came from and where the money went. I know I would be interested to see a breakdown.
Hopefully something that fills in the gaps on where the majority of the money went and to whom. I thought this was a fine start.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Squint/Opera Lecture and Video Screening
Squint/Opera
lecture
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
Cartwright Hall Auditorium
video screening
Friday, November 2nd, 2007
CUDC
The Kent State College of Architecture will be utilizing two members of the Squint/Opera production company to teach a 2 week long architecture graduate workshop in filmmaking and production. During their time here the two members will offer a free lecture taking place at Kent State University's Cartwright Hall and a video presentation at the end of the workshop at the CUDC in Cleveland.
You many remember their films from the MOCA Cleveland 'Expanding the Circle' and the 'New Uptown District' shows.
During their workshop with Kent State squint/opera will "guide students through the process of producing short films that reflect their site observations and design concepts for a mixed-use development in University Circle".
Squint/Opera save the date card courtesy of AIA - Clevland
lecture
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
Cartwright Hall Auditorium
video screening
Friday, November 2nd, 2007
CUDC
The Kent State College of Architecture will be utilizing two members of the Squint/Opera production company to teach a 2 week long architecture graduate workshop in filmmaking and production. During their time here the two members will offer a free lecture taking place at Kent State University's Cartwright Hall and a video presentation at the end of the workshop at the CUDC in Cleveland.
You many remember their films from the MOCA Cleveland 'Expanding the Circle' and the 'New Uptown District' shows.
During their workshop with Kent State squint/opera will "guide students through the process of producing short films that reflect their site observations and design concepts for a mixed-use development in University Circle".
Squint/Opera save the date card courtesy of AIA - Clevland
Friday, October 19, 2007
Steel forged in fire - Cleveland Goes Modern; From the Architects Perspective
Last evening at the Beck Center I had the opportunity to watch two Cleveland architecture legends discuss the modern movement as it pertained to Northeast Ohio construction from the 1940's to the present. Peter van Dijk and Richard Fleischman created the panel which had collected quite a crowd of interested Clevelanders waiting to hear about the problems and solutions to having non-typical projects built in the city.
It was an impressive turnout and mostly consisted of a question and answer segment which began with the loaded question offered by van Dijk of 'what is modernism?' which quickly evolved into what happens when the client isn't trained to or unable to recognize visual aesthetics (this was blamed on the typical educational curriculum which is currently light in the arts) to questioning whether it gotten easier or harder to move projects through local design review stages and receiving permits.
In my mind this is where the conversation got rather interesting. Much comment was bandied about regarding architecture and design in this post 9-11 world. Yes, 9-11 was brought up as an actual excuse for the proliferation of 'comfort' architecture, those banal boring structure decorated with false gables, columns and friezes, attempting to look timeless while only succeeding in become garish mockeries. Apparently (and I was not aware of this) everyone in this country (or just Cleveland) feels so unsafe that we are uncomfortable with doing anything out of the ordinary, even with regards to architecture (what at one time was possibly considered an art). Even though the buildings that were showcased in this installation were built 40 to 50 years prior the flagrant excuse that these typologies and structures are so alien and hard to understand as to create an aura of uncomfort stuns me. I suppose I can force myself to understand and find value in that statement though, however I come from the completely opposite perspective when I state that the typical building stock still being recreated (poorly) make me feel even more insecure. They make it difficult to delineate place as they do nothing but add to the background noise of a street, they perpetuate what some may consider a style artificially granted merit due to sheer repetition and in doing so make any attempt to explore other ideas, designs that may very well be better suited to our modern lifestyles, seem strange, unfamiliar and elitist to the denizens who are meant to harbor our neighborhoods from decreasing property values, the design review committees.
It was also rather interesting to listen to the passion in the room. I have honestly feared that is was missing from our city in some aspects. I suppose the only reason I would be so bold as to state openly so is that even though there is copious amounts of TALK about what is wrong and what can be done to change it, there seems to be very little in means of ACTION.
Ignoring the problem doesn't do anything to solve them, however neither does talk.
There was boldness last night. There was a fire and a thirst that made me feel like I was surrounded by the sort of youth and exuberance that was willing to change the world and take the repercussions for having done so. In my mind it was a damnable shame that this took place in a reputable arts gallery instead of the dark and raw backroom of a bar, where we could have smacked our fists on the rough wooden tables and felt the camaraderie bursting forth, ready to carry us into the streets torches in our hands raised high marching towards the nearest townshack to evoke our own design review fury.
Alas, I romanticize quite a bit. I felt the fury in the air last night, the danger of our precarious current situation that we feel unwilling to fight against yet. There seems to be some difficulty with arguing against the problem, perhaps because it has become so dominant and ingrained it feels too large to overcome for now, it has become the natural way of things.
Until there is enough willing to act, and the opprotunities to do so, we can only hope that exhibits such as Building Goes Modern raise enough community awareness and incite enough curiosity to keep our hearts and minds alive.
As a quite side note, I also picked up the catalogue for the show which I believe you will be able to purchase at the installation for a mere $15.00. It is a wonderful foray into the existence and history of the modern movement around Cleveland. While you are there, try to find Nina Gibans amazing Historical and Cultural Notes for the Cleveland Goes Modern show. It is a wonder primer.
It was an impressive turnout and mostly consisted of a question and answer segment which began with the loaded question offered by van Dijk of 'what is modernism?' which quickly evolved into what happens when the client isn't trained to or unable to recognize visual aesthetics (this was blamed on the typical educational curriculum which is currently light in the arts) to questioning whether it gotten easier or harder to move projects through local design review stages and receiving permits.
In my mind this is where the conversation got rather interesting. Much comment was bandied about regarding architecture and design in this post 9-11 world. Yes, 9-11 was brought up as an actual excuse for the proliferation of 'comfort' architecture, those banal boring structure decorated with false gables, columns and friezes, attempting to look timeless while only succeeding in become garish mockeries. Apparently (and I was not aware of this) everyone in this country (or just Cleveland) feels so unsafe that we are uncomfortable with doing anything out of the ordinary, even with regards to architecture (what at one time was possibly considered an art). Even though the buildings that were showcased in this installation were built 40 to 50 years prior the flagrant excuse that these typologies and structures are so alien and hard to understand as to create an aura of uncomfort stuns me. I suppose I can force myself to understand and find value in that statement though, however I come from the completely opposite perspective when I state that the typical building stock still being recreated (poorly) make me feel even more insecure. They make it difficult to delineate place as they do nothing but add to the background noise of a street, they perpetuate what some may consider a style artificially granted merit due to sheer repetition and in doing so make any attempt to explore other ideas, designs that may very well be better suited to our modern lifestyles, seem strange, unfamiliar and elitist to the denizens who are meant to harbor our neighborhoods from decreasing property values, the design review committees.
It was also rather interesting to listen to the passion in the room. I have honestly feared that is was missing from our city in some aspects. I suppose the only reason I would be so bold as to state openly so is that even though there is copious amounts of TALK about what is wrong and what can be done to change it, there seems to be very little in means of ACTION.
Ignoring the problem doesn't do anything to solve them, however neither does talk.
There was boldness last night. There was a fire and a thirst that made me feel like I was surrounded by the sort of youth and exuberance that was willing to change the world and take the repercussions for having done so. In my mind it was a damnable shame that this took place in a reputable arts gallery instead of the dark and raw backroom of a bar, where we could have smacked our fists on the rough wooden tables and felt the camaraderie bursting forth, ready to carry us into the streets torches in our hands raised high marching towards the nearest townshack to evoke our own design review fury.
Alas, I romanticize quite a bit. I felt the fury in the air last night, the danger of our precarious current situation that we feel unwilling to fight against yet. There seems to be some difficulty with arguing against the problem, perhaps because it has become so dominant and ingrained it feels too large to overcome for now, it has become the natural way of things.
Until there is enough willing to act, and the opprotunities to do so, we can only hope that exhibits such as Building Goes Modern raise enough community awareness and incite enough curiosity to keep our hearts and minds alive.
As a quite side note, I also picked up the catalogue for the show which I believe you will be able to purchase at the installation for a mere $15.00. It is a wonderful foray into the existence and history of the modern movement around Cleveland. While you are there, try to find Nina Gibans amazing Historical and Cultural Notes for the Cleveland Goes Modern show. It is a wonder primer.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
ecolect
With a plethora of materials touting how 'sustainable' or 'green' they are and claiming how just by spcifying them in your projects you 'could get up to (X) LEED points!' it seems, well, annoying to have to wade through the constant bombardment of salespeak to get to the actual 'meat' of the product. What does it really do?Enter Ecolect, a new online materials database that is hoping "to be the largest, freely accessible sustainable materials library in the world".
What is seeming to set this database apart from others that have been so far created is that users can upload images of their own projects, descriptions and impressions in order to better inform other potential users.
If you happen to live in San Francisco you can even attend the launch party tonight.
Ecolect Launch Party @ Swissnex
Thursday, October 18, 6:00-9:00pm
730 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Cleveland RTA lifts restrictions of bikes on transit
Cleveland RTA, currently ranked APTA's Top Public Transportation Organization (30 million annual riders and up) are increasing their flexibility to offering ease of access to downtown Cleveland via pedestrian scale and public conveyence. Currently announcing that 100% of buses are equipped with bike rackes the Cleveland RTA is lifting the non-rush hour only restrictions for taking a bus on the Rapid System. Here are the new regulations:
On the RTA Rapid Transit
An adult must accompany anyone under the age of 18 with bicycles.
With 100 percent of buses sporting bike racks, RTA officials want to allow more bikes on the Rapid Transit lines. Under new rules, effective October 16, 2007, bikes are permitted on all RTA trains at all hours of operation, based on operator discretion. If the train is already full, or if space at the end of the car is already taken by customers in wheelchairs, cyclists may be asked to wait for the next train. No tandems, recumbents, mopeds or tricycles are permitted.
At the Tower City station, bicycles may enter and leave by taking the elevator between the station level and Prospect Avenue level (3rd floor), using the Prospect Avenue doors to the left and right of the elevator.
Bicycles are prohibited from all other areas of The Avenue at Tower City Center, including stairs, escalators and retail areas.
At Tower City, cyclists can transfer between Blue, Green, Waterfront and Red Line Trains using the fare gates designated for wheelchairs.
At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, bicycles may be locked outside in designated areas. For safety reasons, bicycles are not permitted inside terminal buildings.
Bicycles are not allowed on the escalators at any station. Cyclists must use stairs and elevators only.
No more than two bicycles are permitted per car, with space available on a first come, first-served basis.
Like other passengers, cyclists must yield to wheelchair passengers.
Cyclists must board the train after other passengers, and must stay with their bicycles for the entire ride.
Bikes must not block aisles or doorways on RTA trains, and must be securely held or tied in place.
When on the platform, please keep your bicycle well away from the edge at all times.
Cyclists will obey all posted signs and instructions from all authorized personnel, including RTA Transit Police, Service Quality Management, Rail District operating and supervisory personnel and municipal police.
Bike, Bus & Train.pdf
Links to Cleveland Cycling Clubs via GCRTA website
On the RTA Rapid Transit
An adult must accompany anyone under the age of 18 with bicycles.
With 100 percent of buses sporting bike racks, RTA officials want to allow more bikes on the Rapid Transit lines. Under new rules, effective October 16, 2007, bikes are permitted on all RTA trains at all hours of operation, based on operator discretion. If the train is already full, or if space at the end of the car is already taken by customers in wheelchairs, cyclists may be asked to wait for the next train. No tandems, recumbents, mopeds or tricycles are permitted.
At the Tower City station, bicycles may enter and leave by taking the elevator between the station level and Prospect Avenue level (3rd floor), using the Prospect Avenue doors to the left and right of the elevator.
Bicycles are prohibited from all other areas of The Avenue at Tower City Center, including stairs, escalators and retail areas.
At Tower City, cyclists can transfer between Blue, Green, Waterfront and Red Line Trains using the fare gates designated for wheelchairs.
At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, bicycles may be locked outside in designated areas. For safety reasons, bicycles are not permitted inside terminal buildings.
Bicycles are not allowed on the escalators at any station. Cyclists must use stairs and elevators only.
No more than two bicycles are permitted per car, with space available on a first come, first-served basis.
Like other passengers, cyclists must yield to wheelchair passengers.
Cyclists must board the train after other passengers, and must stay with their bicycles for the entire ride.
Bikes must not block aisles or doorways on RTA trains, and must be securely held or tied in place.
When on the platform, please keep your bicycle well away from the edge at all times.
Cyclists will obey all posted signs and instructions from all authorized personnel, including RTA Transit Police, Service Quality Management, Rail District operating and supervisory personnel and municipal police.
Bike, Bus & Train.pdf
Links to Cleveland Cycling Clubs via GCRTA website
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
When buildings are just buildings
What is the vernacular of Cleveland? What language does our city talk to us in? A while back I mentioned the passing term coined by a friend of the "townshack" for explaining what he felt in Cleveland before going on his merry way; the poorly designed and perhaps poorly crafted backhanded attempt at urban lifestyle living designed by people who apparently abhor it. I took some photos around Cleveland of what was once an anomaly but somehow became the standard but left the camera in my bag, afraid to be taken out for fear that by acknowledging these monstrosities that they would somehow become 'more real'. I have a difficult time explaining why these structures are so very offensive, they fit such a wide and varied criteria for being 'wrong' that it seems rather difficult to narrow down succinctly how so. I suppose the most obvious problem is that even though they were knowingly designed by an architect, they lack all pretense and intent for any recognizable or identifiable expression of architecture. They neither offer explanation or exploration, expression or meaningful characteristics of anything beyond being a simple and cheap decorated box. Even the argument for the artistic merit of simplicity and cleanliness fail at the onslaught of these perpetually false ideologues, these ham-handed attempts to hybridize the suburban with the urban a monument of excess only in terms of tackiness.
It isn't that I favor the argument that all buildings should be gems, not for the 'elitist' reasoning that the building isn't the architecture but that the social implications of the building are. No, I have problems with that argument simply because it would be impossible to enforce and without the regularity of simple buildings, the standardized and institutionalized forms creating the backdrop, then true architectural gems wouldn't mean as much. Besides, glorious works of architecture can be more then shiny baubles and trinkets tossed about to please the public. They could be inspiring lobbies, wonderfully functioning workspaces, simple buildings dabbling in the wonders of materiality and function that lift the spirit and minds of the inhabitants. These attributes are not so easily seen from the street but are no less important.
So then, what is Cleveland's dialect? True there are some gems, those not being actively destroyed, buried within the confines of our boundaries, surrounded by placid neighbors and hidden among the lethargic, but they are few and far between and even more corrosive the new jewels being promised, surmounting the horizon, are under threat of being tarnished by the same forces that created the existing blight upon our city (Third parties in the Triangle project). Is our vernacular that the status quo is only a shield that our true heart lies behind? That Cleveland projects the image of the 'hidden gem' the 'beauty you have to want to see'?
It isn't that I favor the argument that all buildings should be gems, not for the 'elitist' reasoning that the building isn't the architecture but that the social implications of the building are. No, I have problems with that argument simply because it would be impossible to enforce and without the regularity of simple buildings, the standardized and institutionalized forms creating the backdrop, then true architectural gems wouldn't mean as much. Besides, glorious works of architecture can be more then shiny baubles and trinkets tossed about to please the public. They could be inspiring lobbies, wonderfully functioning workspaces, simple buildings dabbling in the wonders of materiality and function that lift the spirit and minds of the inhabitants. These attributes are not so easily seen from the street but are no less important.
So then, what is Cleveland's dialect? True there are some gems, those not being actively destroyed, buried within the confines of our boundaries, surrounded by placid neighbors and hidden among the lethargic, but they are few and far between and even more corrosive the new jewels being promised, surmounting the horizon, are under threat of being tarnished by the same forces that created the existing blight upon our city (Third parties in the Triangle project). Is our vernacular that the status quo is only a shield that our true heart lies behind? That Cleveland projects the image of the 'hidden gem' the 'beauty you have to want to see'?
Bioneers Cleveland Conference
Beaming Bioneers Cleveland Conference
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs
Cleveland State University
October 19-21, 2007
Since 1990, the Bioneers Conference in California has gathered biological pioneers who focus on innovative biological and social strategies at the crossroads of ecology and social justice. The 18th annual “headwaters” conference will be held as always in California; Cleveland will join approximately twenty other Beaming Bioneers cities to receive the satellite downlinks of more than a dozen nationally known speakers for three half-days.
Cleveland will join other Great Lakes cities of Detroit and Traverse City to become one of the Great Lakes Bioneers. Cleveland will build on the excitement and energy of the Bioneers conference in California and the other sites to connect the environmental, social justice, health and spiritual networks in Northeast Ohio, communicate about and celebrate the work already taking place, and serve as inspiration and a catalyst for new relationships and collaborations to improve the communities of the region. This local conference will include the beamed national plenaries, local workshops and activities and will build capacity by combining structured networking to a nationally recognized forum for environmental innovation.
Save the Date Flyer.pdf
Some interesting workshops that caught my eye are on Affordable Housing in Cleveland, Connecting the Dots in Our Local Food Community and Philanthropy for Change. There are plenty more to check out, it should be extremely interesting and will also feature tours of Dike 14, local community gardens, etc!
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs
Cleveland State University
October 19-21, 2007
Since 1990, the Bioneers Conference in California has gathered biological pioneers who focus on innovative biological and social strategies at the crossroads of ecology and social justice. The 18th annual “headwaters” conference will be held as always in California; Cleveland will join approximately twenty other Beaming Bioneers cities to receive the satellite downlinks of more than a dozen nationally known speakers for three half-days.
Cleveland will join other Great Lakes cities of Detroit and Traverse City to become one of the Great Lakes Bioneers. Cleveland will build on the excitement and energy of the Bioneers conference in California and the other sites to connect the environmental, social justice, health and spiritual networks in Northeast Ohio, communicate about and celebrate the work already taking place, and serve as inspiration and a catalyst for new relationships and collaborations to improve the communities of the region. This local conference will include the beamed national plenaries, local workshops and activities and will build capacity by combining structured networking to a nationally recognized forum for environmental innovation.
Save the Date Flyer.pdf
Some interesting workshops that caught my eye are on Affordable Housing in Cleveland, Connecting the Dots in Our Local Food Community and Philanthropy for Change. There are plenty more to check out, it should be extremely interesting and will also feature tours of Dike 14, local community gardens, etc!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
E4S Third Tuesday- Biomimicry - Not putting too fine a point on it
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
E4S - Putting Biomimicry to Work in Cleveland
Great Lakes Brewing Company Tasting Room
2701 Carroll Ave. Cleveland
5.30 - 8.30pm
Join E4S and the Cleveland+ Biomimicry Design Collaborative as we increase the awareness of the power of biomimetic design. Regional biomimicry practitioners will share their design case stories. We are inviting the researchers mentioned in Janine Benyus`s presentation in September and hope to have one or two of them share their stories. If you have a story to share please call Stephanie at 216-451-7755.
Presentations will include:
Moen Showerhead Design
Melissa Knothe Tate, PhD Associate Professor CASE Western
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: RSVP for this free event today by filling
out our online form (see registration button above) or call
216-451-7755.
As a side note, I hope that the difference between biomimicry which can best be described as mimicking natural methods of manufacture, imitating mechanisms found in nature and studying the organizational principles from social behaviour of organisms and biomorphism which uses natural shapes for aesthetic purposes only is eventually made clear. If only so that the term biomimicry does not get hijacked as thoroughly as other idealized terminology such as 'new urbanism', 'green (anything)', 'loft', etc. Homogenizing all ideas under non-specific terminology does nothing to advance research, study or development of a particular topic, it actually destroys the intent of specifying a specific ideal. It also makes the speaker appear rather ignorant so for everyone's sake, call things what they actually are.
E4S - Putting Biomimicry to Work in Cleveland
Great Lakes Brewing Company Tasting Room
2701 Carroll Ave. Cleveland
5.30 - 8.30pm
Join E4S and the Cleveland+ Biomimicry Design Collaborative as we increase the awareness of the power of biomimetic design. Regional biomimicry practitioners will share their design case stories. We are inviting the researchers mentioned in Janine Benyus`s presentation in September and hope to have one or two of them share their stories. If you have a story to share please call Stephanie at 216-451-7755.
Presentations will include:
Moen Showerhead Design
Melissa Knothe Tate, PhD Associate Professor CASE Western
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: RSVP for this free event today by filling
out our online form (see registration button above) or call
216-451-7755.
As a side note, I hope that the difference between biomimicry which can best be described as mimicking natural methods of manufacture, imitating mechanisms found in nature and studying the organizational principles from social behaviour of organisms and biomorphism which uses natural shapes for aesthetic purposes only is eventually made clear. If only so that the term biomimicry does not get hijacked as thoroughly as other idealized terminology such as 'new urbanism', 'green (anything)', 'loft', etc. Homogenizing all ideas under non-specific terminology does nothing to advance research, study or development of a particular topic, it actually destroys the intent of specifying a specific ideal. It also makes the speaker appear rather ignorant so for everyone's sake, call things what they actually are.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Building Modern from the Architect's Standpoint
Building Modern from the Architect's Standpoint
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
Cleveland Artist's Foundation
The second 'Third Thursday' lecture in the Cleveland Goes Modern, Design for the Home series which presents the idea of attempting to build modern structures in Cleveland from the architect's point of view. What happens when a design review committee lacking vision or builder's unwilling to try 'new' construction methods hamper the fulfillment of your vision (I guess you end up with typical Cleveland vernacular)? Peter Van Dyke and Richard Fleischman will do their best to answer this question. Special guest Don Hisaka.
A must see for anyone wanting to attempt to construct anything outside of Cleveland's Townshack comfort zone. After last month's spirited discussion on the history of modern residential design in America (which I didn't summarize here because there was no way to do it proper credit) I can only surmise that this week's forum will be, well, amazing.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
Cleveland Artist's Foundation
The second 'Third Thursday' lecture in the Cleveland Goes Modern, Design for the Home series which presents the idea of attempting to build modern structures in Cleveland from the architect's point of view. What happens when a design review committee lacking vision or builder's unwilling to try 'new' construction methods hamper the fulfillment of your vision (I guess you end up with typical Cleveland vernacular)? Peter Van Dyke and Richard Fleischman will do their best to answer this question. Special guest Don Hisaka.
A must see for anyone wanting to attempt to construct anything outside of Cleveland's Townshack comfort zone. After last month's spirited discussion on the history of modern residential design in America (which I didn't summarize here because there was no way to do it proper credit) I can only surmise that this week's forum will be, well, amazing.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Collinwood Forum - Artists Residence and Studio guide
Saturday, October 20th, 2007Arts Collinwood Artist Housing Symposium
Arts Collinwood, in conjuction with the neighborhood development corporation have created a free housing symposium for artsy folk that will discuss the benefits of live/work, purchasing and renovating a home and opprotunities and locations to do such.
Collinwood seems to be bustling lately with activity. There have been some new businesses opening and an active move on the community to come together and create the sort of neighborhood that would be the envy of Cleveland.
Also that Saturday is a closing reception at the Arts Collinwood Gallery and the a show opening at the TRUE Art Gallery.
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