oneshotexhibition.org blog

In the field of Architecture, there are those who do it for humanity and then there are those who do it for selfish reasons, trying to design their own Fallingwater (Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece in Bear Run, Pennsylvania for the Kaufmann Family).

There is a movie called the Westsider, a short film by filmaker Charles Doran about a young man in his twenties who recently received a masters degree in architecture, works and lives in the westside of the Los Angeles basin. His ambition is to be the next Frank Gehry who he is obsessed with his work. Soon he realized that he would not do any work unless it’s in the westside which he defines the area that is west of the 405 freeway and tells his coworkers.

When he tells employers of the firm about it, he was fire, forcing him to move and live in which the movie describes the “pits of hell”, the San Fernando Valley. It’s funny once you see the trailer.

The thing about Frank Gehry’s work, which is to be admired, is the body of his work doesn’t cover clients who are not wealthy enough to hire him. Back when Frank Gehry gave a lecture to students at UCLA in the late eighties, one the students in the audience ask why he didn’t accept a prospective client who wanted to hire him to his home in Westwood. His answer was that his work would not command those kind of fees.

That was the most disappointing remark by an architect who is well-known and commands attention. It’s such a cop-out when the roles of architects today are misguided. They hold no responsibility in their profession.

Architects from the past, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright (two of the most influential architects in the twentieth century), did work for low to medium income housing (Unite d’Habitation & Usonian houses). They know that social structure was changing with the influx of immigrants and the need for housing. Their awareness was not to ignore the problems that are needed but to embrace it as a challenge.

There should be more designers and architecture who brave the notion of responsibility and care when they take certain jobs, rather than self-promotion.

Song of the Blog: Are You Alright? by Lucinda Williams from the CD West

With the influx of developers and home owners building Macmansions all around the Los Angeles Basin, there is a severe impact on small, quaint neighborhoods that has the neighbors up in arms. The size bulk and scale of the newly developed Macmansions are infringing on neighbors idyllic scenery by overshadowing its neighbors and creating an eyesore for the neighbors to see.

Then there is the environmental impact from these homes. The amount of carbon emissions, wasted space and depletion of our natural resources are significant in terms of building bigger homes and the use of maintaining these homes.

There is a book, Little House in a Small Planet, by Shay Solomen which introduces an alternative way of living and being responsible for your actions and yearnings. She introduces on why we could readjust our standard of living by living small, be sustainable and be simple, to be able to think outside the box.

Song of the Blog: Better than Ever by Kristin Mooney in self-debuted CD

There is a exhibition in the Tate Museum in London about the growing social and climate changes in major cities like Los Angeles which falls in line on what One Shot Exhibition is all about.

Global Cities exhibit looks at the changing faces of ten dynamic international cities: Cairo, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai and Tokyo. Exploring each city through five thematic lenses – speed, size, density, diversity and form – the exhibition draws on data originally assembled for the 10th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2006 Venice Biennale. This unique show presents existing films, videos and photographs by more than 20 artists and architects to offer subjective and intimate interpretations of urban conditions in all ten cities done by some world-renown architects (Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid) and artistes who are addressing with their interpretations on the issue of globalization and the environment.

One of the participants, Los-Angeles base architect/artist Fritz Haeg presents an alternative to the consumption of open space. His attempt to stage a diorama of edible plants, such as herbs and vegetables, to replace existing grassed front lawns which cause carbon emissions from gas mowers and other gas-power machines. He calls it Edible Estates. The work he is doing is a paradigm shift to rethink the western theology of land use in a developed communities; to act responsible on the needs of social and cultural change.

Fritz Haeg, “Edible Estates, edition #2: Lakewood, CA”, 2006.

Sang of the Blog: People in the City by Air from the CD 10,000 Hz Legend

For the people who doesn’t think Architecture can be funny, check out this video.

Song of the Blog: Big Balls by AC/DC from the album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Solar energy and technology has been the public interest for a period of time, able to prevent the use of coal burning fuels for energy that harms the environment and global warming. A lot of homeowners in a more dryer climate of the western region of the United States are more accepting in installing photo voltaics on top of their roofs to compensate the high cost of electric bills.

In today’s news in the New York Times regarding the government and private funding on solar power research is sending a bad message in giving the public more advance resources on producing more energy and the capability of storing it for long periods of time, whether it’s for the homeowner or public utilities to power the region.

The challenge is here to bring forth an accelerating effort to power the estimated population growth for decades to come and to sustain it rather than coming up with problems that is already predicted. The hope is that our government officials will acknowledge it and will take measurable steps to improve research.

The problem is this country is in a deficit from the war in Iraq and there is no end in sight as far as military strategy and collateral damage once the situation in our own country’s security is stabilized. There is more than a 8 trillion deficit
and it keeps going up.

Song of the Blog: Once in a Lifetime by the Talking Heads from the album Remain in Light

When news came about the death of Architect George Yu from a rare case of lung cancer, it was sad to see a young talent with courage to challenge the conventional wisdom in the academic field of Architecture to pursue those endeavors that is not self-serving. A profession who doesn’t create a manifesto for the purpose of oneself identity.

His interest in using digital technology and fabrication as a tool in building architecture rather than technology as part of the design process in becoming architecture.

The question is does digital technology with its advancement can be cost effective in becoming affordable for all? CAD (computer aided design) programs such as Catia, Solidworks, Archicad and Vectorworks can once prove the possibility of using less work but more definitive information into a design.

It seems that BIM (Building Information Modeling) has a growing interest for Architects, Engineers and Contractors in making life easier and to look for any foreseeable discrepancies in the design. The jury is still out on its efficiency once the lisp of operation is effective.

Hope it isn’t a waste of time. Time is money and money makes the insane world go round.

Song of the Blog: Satellite Anthem Icarus by the Boards of Canada in the CD The Campfire Headphase

I had an opportunity to visit a friend in Palmdale where there is a quite a shift in demographics and a mass development of residential communities and commercial squares.

A majority a families wanted to own a home but couldn’t afford of owning in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles decided to move to the desert in order to own a home but have to commute to LA for work. Where temperatures get to triple digits and some of the homes have green lawns which they water it a couple times a day.

Palmdale Civic Center is interesting because the center reminds you of a small town square with local shops around the center with green lawns, Gazebo, fountain and a fire station across the street. The architecture is predominately Spanish Mediterranean w/terra-cotta tiles and stucco walls that are more traditional than the bastardized version of it all around the Mojave Desert. You will mistaken as a piece of Americana in the desert while it is totally detach from major malls and large developed communities.

E. Palmdale Blvd heading west
fountain at Palmdale Civic Center

Government Buildings surrounding the Center
The Civic Center lies along the railroad tracks where the Metrolink route and Sierra Highway run parallel to each other and nearby is the Palmdale Station, about less than a mile from the Civic Center, evident of urban sprawl with no end in sight.

Song of the Blog: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight by the Postal Service from the CD Give Up.

Smeared black ink… your palms are sweaty
And i’m barely listening to last demands
I’m staring at the asphalt wondering what’s buried underneath where i am

I’ll wear my badge… a vinyl sticker with bigh block letters adherent to my chest
That tells your new friends i am a visitory here…
I am not permanent
And the only thing keeping me dry is where i am

You seem so out of context in this gaudy apartment complex
A stranger with yor door key explaining that i am just visiting
And i am finally seeing why i was the one worth leaving

D.C. sleeps alone tonight

You seem so so out of context in this gaudy apartment complex
A stranger with your door key explaining that i am just visiting
And i am finally seing why i was the one worth leaving
The district sleeps alone tonight after the bars turn out their lights
And send the autos swerving into the loneliest evening
And i am finally seeing why i was the one worth leaving

Modern architecture and design was being the crux of affordability, modesty and efficiency during the mid-twentieth century. It was the antithesis of the decorative and ornate that catered to the elite.

John Entenza, the founder of Art and Architecture Magazine, became the advocate of Modern architecture and design, and recruited talented designers like Charles and Ray Eames, Craig Ellwood, Raphael Sorriano and Pierre Koenig to create the Case Study House Program.

Today, Architects and designers are capitalizing on the public’s fascination for modern design. A lifestyle they what to live. Companies like Design Within Reach to Marmol Radziner Prefab are examples in bringing it to the fold.

The problem is the considerable high cost of these products. Buying these products can be daunting.

Prefabricated and modern style homes were initially to focus affordable housing for people who couldn’t afford to build a more traditional design (Spanish colonial to Mediterranean). With it’s clean lines and a open floor plan, modern design became a political and social statement towards society’s ills.

But today’s price for a 1360 sq. ft. 2 bedroom, 1 bath w/ a 270 sq. ft. outdoor deck is $365,100. This doesn’t include the purchase of land, school & state tax fees, delivery cost, permit fees, setting utilities cost (gas,water, electricity (if no solar energy)) and grading cost if the site is not flat. This would cost the owner over half a million dollars, depending on the location and government agencies. And let’s not forget the modern furniture to match the house.

The cost for a Eames Ottoman Lounge Chair is approximately $3500.00 which includes delivery.

It seems there is a disparity on what can be attainable and affordable in housing market who want to own . A lack of consideration and understanding of today’s notable designers and architects in regards of creating housing, designing furniture and miscellaneous products for the medial and low income patrons is creating quite a stir from the old guard who champion for all.

There is even an architect who is marketing housing for the homeless by charging $30 for a cardboard unit so the person could sleep in it.

Like Gordon Gekko says in Wall Street, “Greed is Good”.

Song of the Blog: Ashtray Heart by Captain Beefheart on the album Doc at the Radar Station.

The great thing about Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) music is his uncompromising approach to his art which is sic to the bone.

It has been more than ten years Los Angeles does not have a professional team in the NFL. There hasn’t been any progress by either the NFL governing body or elected leaders who are interested in building a NFL sports franchise in a city that is number two in sports marketing.

The NFL and the owners feel it could do without a team in Los Angeles, and find there is no need to spend time and energy in bringing Los angles to the NFL. There has been attempts to come up with various proposals at various sites but none seem to stick to the ground.

You might say some residents don’t care or they are too busy with themselves to pay attention that might be consider minuscule. There are some who already have a team they call their own like the San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, etc. But all in all, having a NFL team in LA is pretty much dead.

There has been some word that a new professional football league is being propose which will bring a team into certain cities that doesn’t have a NFL team. Mark Cuban is said to be a interested in being one of the team owners. Lets hope it will turn out.

The reason of bringing this up is that communities like Los Angeles need to identity itself as a whole. To have a sense of pride for all Angelenos. One of those things is having a professional team in their community, such as the LA Kings & Lakers. People from all ages, sizes and backgrounds will have a commonality in which we could relate and discuss without ESPN trying entertain us with rumors and innuendos.

The only professional football team we have in this town is the USC Trojans (sorry UCLA).

Song of the Blog: Walkie Talkie by DJ Shadow in the CD album The Private Press