#lecture 24

[ha213-section2-blog]

Response to Techno Utopia at Michigan

Zane, really great post. I liked how you brought the university into what we have been discussing these past few lectures. I found it very interesting, but are there other buildings like it on campus? How did you discover this? I think that the idea of techno utopia at our university is cool, but at the same time having it is a bit worrisome because the connotation of Utopia. There is no way that this building could achieve any sense of utopia especially on a college campus. But regardless, very interesting post and a great find. I'd be interested to see if there are other buildings like that on campus. 

[ha213-section3-blog]

The video we watched on Pruitt-Igoe really suck with me. Pruitt-Igoe used for mass housing sheltered many lower class people providing a nice home for them when they could not afford one for themselves. In the video we hear from the people who used to live there (African-American mainly) and the stories of how happy they were living in Pruitt-Igoe. The next minute we see that this is a place many people feared and avoided. It made me wonder how can a place that did so much good for people go so wrong? And why was it so unkept? This also made me think if other mass housing complexes created such a problem.

[ha213-section4-blog]

Old/New Synthesis: An Ideal Place to Live

These Corten Apartments designed by 3ndy Studio would be an ideal place I'd like to live. I am drawn to the elegant symbiosis of new and old. The site preserves the historical elements of Vigonovo, while simultaneously employing sleek, contemporary elements that provide flowing and communal spaces unifying the apartment complex and its inhabitants. 

The arches hark back to ancient Roman architecture, while the unexpected angles and clear cut lines speak to some of the more modern and innovative architecture of notable designers like Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames, Frank Gehry, or Rem Koolhaas. 

[ha213-section2-blog]

Techno Utopia

One thing that I felt was really interesting about the techno utopian and postmodernism section was in the reading about Japanese metabolism movement. The Marine City that was proposed was really neat, with how it was able to be above the water and once it became inhabitable, it could be sunk on the ocean ridge and turned into a reef underwater.

[ha213-section2-blog]

~Techno Utopia at Michigan~ I believe many buildings at the University of Michigan fulfill the idea of Techno Utopia. One example I see everyday is the Bob & Betty Beyster Building on North Campus (interior seen in the picture). It features almost all glass with metal supports and also displays some of the Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN). To me, this building is very clean cut, sharp appearance, and the interior is practically transparent. To me, this use of glass and metal and the interior workings of the building being in the open is exactly what Techno Utopia is, and I would expect nothing less at our technologically advanced University.

[ha213-section4-blog]

I was very intrigued by the concept of the "spacial city" from our assigned readings. The sketch above was done by the author himself, Yona Friedman, of what a typical spatial city would look like. He believed that buildings should move away from being rigid and heavy, and towards being flexible, lightweight, and temporary. This city would look like a merger between countryside and city and could best be described as "mobile architecture." Incorporating more three dimensional space than any other urban/futuristic plan, The Spacial city would efficiently allocate the land available, creating an atmosphere of functionalism.  

[ha213-section3-blog]

The United Nation Headquarters would be considered an example of techno utopian architecture. The structure is made out of monolithic glass to give off the effect of transparency. Other modern materials include white marble, checkered terrazzo, brushed stainless steel, Naugahyde, and Formica. Many aspects to this building such as the newer monolithic glass curtain wall is made for various advances in technology (for the building) as well as gearing towards a futuristic way of building. 

Source: http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/7488

[ha213-section4-blog]

While looking at an architecture blog one day, I came across a proposal for a new type of city. Stemmed out of a desire for an environmental yet technological paradise, Japanese designers came up with a plan based on lily pads. Highly futuristic, and not very realistic, it is nevertheless thought out in detail, down to its placement far from the effects of typhoons. The city itself is 700-1000m from sea level where temperatures are warm all year round, and can hold around 30,000 residents. Below the city is a plant factory. Townhouses on the waterside account for another 10,000 people. Each unit is 1km wide, for walkability. When one unit is full, another can be attached. Trees and greenery are everywhere, and lots of environmentally friendly technology is used. It seems to be a combination of a garden city and a techno-utopia. The plans remind me of the Japanese Metabolists' Marine City in their use of the ocean and their ability to adapt to future changes, but these plans are much more environmentally concerned. It's a good idea, but although everything is explained in a very detailed way, the technology is definitely years ahead of us. It would be an interesting idea for the future though.

The full plans can be seen here: http://www.shimz.co.jp/english/theme/dream/greenfloat.html