Bye

Paul L. Newman
January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008

Libraries – awe?

Trinity College, Dublin. Photo by Candida Höfer, Libraries

Supposed to be working on some research for libraries and came across a photobook on library porn. Seems like Candida captured a kind of unexplained awe or je ne sais quois found in most great libraries where books are glorified and knowledge is sacred. It is almost as if we are forced to ignore its questions of impracticability and instead revere this space as a temple for nostalgia and symbolism. Do we continue to build libraries like that? Well, really we can’t, because it would then just be kitsch and cosmetic, and conjure up a false sense of historical importance.  So, what’s next ?

Amsterdam Cheese

One of the delights of a quick layover in Amsterdam. On the way back from Hashim’s Istanbul trip in Oct 07, we scrambled out of Schiphol for 5 hours to do some obligatory architectural touring ( and additional 2 hours for security checks, bum patting, and crotch grabbing – it’s the Malaysian passport you see….). Nothing will complete a Dutch trip if you don’t taste some Gouda.

la Villette, the board game

L-R: Benny, Me, Ina, Kent

Final project for K. Michael Hay’s “The Architectural Imaginary: Experimental Architecture of the 1970s” in spring 2008. Last to get frustrated and rip hair in derangement wins.

Funky Window Lentil

Non-architects could be pretty interesting designers too. From a hilltop shack full of local stone shards, the constructor must’ve mortared them together and introduced the lentils out of a sense of obligation or an a posteriori knowledge of a typical window. Or maybe this dude has been flipping way too many books on Zumthor:

Phelps-Cavic Finish

Can’t get enough of this photo finish from the past BJ Olympics, thanks to OMEGA’s timing system.
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