DAY 5 Early Skyscrapers in Chicago, IL. – Burnham and Root Just after college I moved to Chicago, I only lived there for a year, but, I must have spent the majority of that time looking up, entranced by early skyscrapers. Particularly those designed by Daniel Burnham and John Root. . . D.H. Burnham and Co. – Fisher Building – 1896. … Read More
Architecture Week – DAY 4 – Details of Palladio
DAY 4 Details from Andrea Palladio (1508-19 – 1580) . Architecture can be timeless. . . . . previous 3 photos and cover image are from diocrio’s photostream on Flickr. . . . previous 2 photos are from jacqueline poggi’s photostream on Flickr . . . . . . previous 3 photos are from porticodoric’s photostream on Flickr. . . . … Read More
Architecture Week – DAY 3 – Ronchamp
DAY 3 Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp by Le Corbusier, completed 1955 . Honestly, I could look at this building forever. I apologize for every cruel thing I ever said about Corbu. Pardon me while I swoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . previous 12 photos are from Johnny Clark’s photostream on Flickr. … Read More
Architecture Week – DAY 2 – Saynatsalo Town Hall
DAY 2 Saynatsalo Town Hall – Alvar Aalto – 1949-1952 I arrived at Aalto a little late. I always respected him, but it never quite clicked with me. Saynatsalo changed that. Aalto had a way of designing modern buildings with a strong sense of place. Not many modernist can claim that. Saynatsalo seems like it was carved out of the forest … Read More
Architecture Week – DAY 1 – John Hejduk
Yay!! April 10-16 is Architecture week! Granted this is a completely fictious week, invented by trade industry professionals for blatant self-promotion… But, then again, so is this blog, so let’s move on. With that in mind, Coffee with an Architect is planning a week of… Architecture! I know, I don’t usually talk about Architecture. But, this week is Architecture week. … Read More
Stainless Steel Residential Containers
§ 173.309 Stainless Steel Residential Containers. (a) Stainless Steel Residential Containers charged with a limited quantity of compressed occupants to not more than 1660 kPa (241 psig) at 21 °C (70 °F) are excepted from labeling (except when offered for transportation by air) and the specification packaging requirements of this subchapter when shipped under the following conditions. In addition, shipments are not subject … Read More
Travertine Plaza for Chickens
Yeah, Hi… Is Svehn in? He is, can I say who’s calling. Umm, sure, it’s Cameron, from United Chicken Inc. Can I tell him what this is regarding? Well, ok, ummm… You sent me some preliminary drawings and I have a few questions. Ok, please hold… “….Tall and tan and young and lovely, The girl from Ipanema goes walking, And … Read More
Springtime for Modernism
It’s been an exceptionally long winter. Thick ice has formed in layers over the efforts of the modernist, building up over months and months, stalling the progress of the ideals within. Traditionally, the modernist will hibernate during the cold months of an economic recession. They huddle together in a glass house by a frozen river, burning etchings of the classical … Read More
Things you may not have known about French or Swiss Architects
. I’ve been digging through the Architectural vault here at Coffee with an Architect looking for more suprising facts about famous Architects. That’s right, I have a vault here at CwaA. It’s stainless steel and it’s interior is lined with leather made from cows raised specifically for their angst. It’s also cold in there…. But I digress. Actually, isn’t digression a … Read More
An Architect’s Bucket List
. So, before we die, as Architects, we all should: Remove all the pencils, pens, Sharpies, Prisma colors, & markers from the coffee cups around our desk and the top 2 drawers of the desk, and arrange them in order according to hue, and size. Then take a photo of it. Memorize at least one quote from Vitruvius. Take a snapshot of Brian … Read More
Clowns and occupancy loads
There are things that don’t come in handy during intricate Architectural manuevers. Like clowns. They’d be in the way. Plus, they would also increase the occupancy load to 15 “people” per square foot which would mean you’d need two exits out of the bright red Volkswagon bug. Fortunately, there is no such thing as “intricate Architectural manuevers” That’s just a … Read More
The horror…the order
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I found him. Honestly, I didn’t even think I would find him, and I didn’t really care. It was just a job. The company wanted me to bring him in, so I’d go bring him in. Kahn had gone rogue long ago. He was lost somewhere up river doing God knows what. The … Read More