The Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount was the first monumental piece of architecture in Islam. It is odd that it was not a mosque or mausoleum but a structure to shelter a rock. It stands at the site of the First Temple built by Solomon and covers a rock which, according to tradition was the [...]
Archive | January, 2013
Snow!
As a city-dwelling dog owner, the use of salt to deice sidewalks upsets me. Mostly because it hurts the paws of my four-legged best friend. But it is also hard on the environment. Salt damages plants (street trees, etc…) and makes its way into our waterways. There was a great deal of concern about the [...]
City of the Future: Brought to you by Glenn Beck
Urban growth boundaries, a lack of private vehicles, prohibition of chain-stores, apprenticeships and job security for all, local food production, wind farms and renewable energy production … all of this can be yours in Glenn Beck’s new planned city: Independence, USA.
Revisit Paris and New York, Courtesy of Airpano from Russia
AirPano Several photography buffs from Moscow started to photograph the famous monuments and cities with a 360 degree panoramic camera mounted on a small radio controlled helicopter like device. These high-resolution films of the cities taken from a height of 50 to 250 meter are amazing to see. Their panoramic views provide a detailed context to these monuments which is hard to get through a [...]
WWMLKJrD?
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so firstly, huzzah! to all of you who are taking this opportunity to participate in a day of service in honor of his legacy. Secondly, today of all days seems to be a good moment to reflect on the racial diversity (or lack there of) in the profession [...]
Friday Blogroll - January 18th 2013
The Friday blogroll wrap-up. A list of websites and blogs I like this week: 1) The Accessible City blog
Louis Kahn to Taj Mahal
Last week I discussed Louis Kahn’s sophisticated manipulation of light in the Kimbell Art Museum in Dallas/Fortworth, Texas. That reminded me of how Mughal architects were conscious of the setting of their buildings and controlled the way the buildings would be viewed. Mughal rulers of India (1526-1857), descendants of Mongol and Turkish nomads grew into great patrons of art and especially architecture. They loved to build [...]
Sorta Secret Subway
Growing up in the vicinity of Washington, DC was much like living in New York, you tend to take certain things for granted: I have still never been to see the White House or the Statue of Liberty. However, my extreme dislike of waiting in line does not mean that I am immune to moments [...]
The Kimbell Art Museum celeberates 40 year anniversary
I was in Dallas over the Christmas vacation and visited Kimbell Art Museum. Louis Khan’s building just celebrated its 40th anniversary and is in the process of constructing an extension designed by Renzo Piano. The new addition is under construction and we would not know how it will measure up to Louis Khan’s master piece. I had been to [...]
The Ethics of Visualization
Columbia University Libraries held this event recently, and while I missed the event, I was really happy they posted the video of it. Planners can often be creators of visualizations, but the ethics of visualizations is something not often discussed formally or academically, so I found this pretty interesting. Chris Alen Sula who presents in [...]
