Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights

I recently came across a lighting festival in Pittsburgh that relates to the lecture given on architectural lighting earlier on in the course. The Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights is a massive lighting event in the United States that illuminates the facades of buildings with a series of lighting installations. Lucette de Rugy is the coordinator of the event, and with the help of numerous international experts the city becomes a shining masterpiece of color and lights.

This festival exposes new and creative ways of lighting spaces, which make you feel and react differently to each building. It allows designers to explore new avenues, and stretch the boundaries of traditional lighting. Spaces become whimsical and emotional with the addition of these installations. Buildings that may previously been past by without being given a second thought, become a focus of the city.

M.H.

http://www.pittsburghcelebrates.org/index.asp

Doors and Windows of the World

If there is one thing I have noticed in my travels, its that all over the world as building styles change so do those of windows and doors.  Notably, the colors of these doors and windows change too.

One of the most memorable occurrences of this is in Greece, where all over, but most notably on the islands, the doors and windows are often open air and colored blue and white.  They have become a symbol of the Greek culture  and add a beautiful elements to the buildings they belong to.  

http://hawketravelsmallpics.blogspot.com/2007/10/greece2.html

Another example is the colored doors of Ireland.  Throughout the small country are regular doors painted very, very irregular colors.  Like the blue and white windows and doors of Greece, they have become a symbol of the country.

http://elleninafrica.com/ireland.html

Green Roofs in Dubai

In the last class of the term, the speaker talked about green roof gardens. I particularly like the idea of a green roof so I decided I would look into this a bit  more. I wanted to know specifically what Dubai had in mind for green roofs.

Not too far into searching for the answer did I find an article on Dubai wanting to turn the entire municipality into a green roof zone.  This project is headed by Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, acting director general of Dubai Municipality and is slated to be formally put into effect by mid-December 2008.

 

There is a three step plan to the process of converting Dubai into a green roof city;  short term 2008; mid-term 2009 – 2012; then the long term which would assumingly last as long as it needs to completely cover Dubai with green roofs.

I think Winnipeg could benefit from a transformation such as this because it would provide extra energy in the summer and extra insulation during the winter with all the layers  that are placed on top of buildings for the plants and trees to grow.

Here is where I got all my information on the Dubai Municipality’s plan to go for green roof tops: http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/dubai-municipality-is-going-for-100-green-roofs/

Here is where I got my picture from: http://www.moderntulsa.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/roundview.jpg

Jeld-Wen Windows

I considered the visit to Jeld-Wen windows a very valuable experience in terms of learning about the hardware that goes into design.  During the presentation I realized that us students probably take for granted the amount of design that goes into what we integrate into our own designs.  The vinyl windows that we were shown displayed a great amount of consideration for the Winnipeg, or prairie in general, climate and it kind of opened my eyes to what goes into this sort of design.  Not only were the vinyl windows interesting, but the signature Jeld-Wen wooden framed windows were beautiful. 

After the presentation we were allowed to walk around the gallery and look at the large variety of doors available from Jeld-Wen.  There were some very interesting designs, my favorite being the large “castle” like doors with the peep door built into with a wrought iron cage around it.  These doors, while being very expensive, were very impressive.  Another interesting design was the fold up doors that had spanned several meters and was able to stretch out and close completely or were able to fold up completely.  There are many ways that a designer could integrate a design like this into a home, and it makes one realize that there are always more than one way to do thing, or more than one type or style of door to use in a home.

This trip was really interesting and, I think, valuable to our design education.

Bangladesh River Erosion

When surfing around the Internet looking at different varieties of river erosion, I happened upon this video on YouTube which depicts people on the shores of Bangladesh who are continually being displaced by the continuing erosion of the river beds.  One man in the clip tells of how he has had to move his home 50 times, and he has not yet reached the age of 50.  The video speaks fairly well itself of the plight of these people due to the erosion.

I suppose I found this clip particularly interesting because a good friend of mine travelled to Bangladesh this past summer to do relief work.  Although poverty in these areas in a continuing struggle, building along riverlines can be avoided, especially in areas such as this where little can be done to reinforce the structure of the river beds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7sS0u4j3MM

River Erosion and Building

In 1998 Winnipeg suffered from a serious flood that left many homes waterlogged and many people from smaller towns in fear that they would lose their homes.  The Red River flood affected areas of Minnesota and North Dakota also, and a number of areas leading up into Winnipeg.  In Winnipeg they were forewarned about the flood and thus had time to prepare for it.  Volunteers were called upon to fill sandbags to line against the river properties to protect them from the water.  I remember this specifically because i recall my mother telling me about my cousin, whose Boy Scout’s group was called in to help. 

A city near a large waterway such as the Red River has to expect that something like this could happen.  There is always the risk for those living along the river that this could affect them and their homes.  So the question is then raised…what is one to do to prevent the erosion of the river in these areas? 

River flooding is a huge issue, but erosion is an equally large issue, and one that is not as easily detected until it’s too late.  Properties built along the river run the risk of the ground they are built on slowly washing away underneath, until that part of the bed breaks off completely. 

So how does a city go about building with this issue?  There is no harm in building along the river if the risk is known, especially since the buildings that go up along the river, if they are in danger, are mostly homes that people circulate out of over the years anyways.  The larger danger would be to build government buildings or apartment buildings along these areas, which are much, much greater in mass and human traffic. 

Being from Regina, I can’t help but think of Wascana Lake, the manmade lake in the center of the city that provides a backdrop for the Legislative buildings and Memorial Bridge.  Even though the flow of water does not even compare to that of the Red River, It is interesting to see how the buildings are laid out around it.  The legislative buildings are set far back and their gardens extend to the lake.  The homes that do line the bridge on the other side of Memorial Bridge are also set back, a winding park-like path and greenspace encompassing the space between the houses and the creek.  The remaining portion of the water edges are  taken up by Wascana Park, a huge central city park.  This is a good setup for waterfront building, and it is something that Winnipeg could think about for future waterfront development.

Acoustics: Teatro di San Carlo

The Teatro di San Carlo in Naplies Italy is the oldest working opera house in Europe.  It is also a great example for acoustics in architecture, and successfully creating a space that works for live performances.

The theatre is arranged similarly to most other opera houses in Italy.  It is horseshoe shape with six levels of tiered balconies. 

Acoustically this theatre is quite effective.  The theatre is quite well-suited for Opera because of the exceptional clarity of sound that is projected throughout the theatre.  However, for symphonies, this means a separation of sounds and a lack of blending for the audience, making it a far more effective Opera house than a symphony hall.

 

Photos and information from Acoustical Society of America, http://www.acoustics.org/press/135th/maffei.htm

Acoustics in Architecture

The architecture of acoustics can be very important depending on the type of structure being built.  As a dancer who has performed in every type of venue, from parks to gymnasiums, from enourmous theatres to street stages, I can tell you that acoustics are very important if the space is going to function as a space for lectures, performances, or even every day life. 

Office buildings are an example of a place that probably wouldn’t need great acoustics throughout it.  In general, they would want their environment kept quiet and contained to individual offices.  If sound echoed throughout a space such as this, they may not be as effective in the work environment.  If they needed to, certain spaces in the building could be outfitted in ways so as to project sound, such as boardrooms or lecture spaces. 

The same can be said for Universities and schools.  Lecture halls must be designed in such a manner that sound projects from the front of the space all the way to the back wall.  On the other hand, study spaces should be designed in such a way that noise can be contained.  For example, study cubicles and quarantined study spaces.  When someone drops their pencil in a study hall, students don’t want it to echoe throughout the space.

Theatres and performance spaces are structures that are most in need of good acoustics.  The typical large style theature has extremely high ceilings and balconies lining the back and side walls, so that the projected sound extends to all sides. 

These are just some of the many examples of spaces that are in need of specific acoustics.  This goes to show that amongst the countless other factors that must be taken into consideration in the design of a space, acoustics are not to be overlooked.

Kensington Roof Gardens

The Kensington Roof Gardens in London are a visually stunning addition to the city landscape, sitting about 100 ft. above Kensington High Street.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, the gardens are owned by Virgin Megacompany’s founder Richard Branson, and are offered out to exclusive private events for up to 500 guests.  They are also open to the public for tours.  

The Roof Gardens features three themed gardens:  the woodland garden, the spanish garden and the tudor garden.  Each garden has different features and attractions, the woodland holding over 30 different species of trees, the spanish having several fountains and being ideal for receptions of any kind, and the tudor garden housing an ice rink and outdoor dining. 

Ralph Hancock, a landscape architect, laid out the gardens between 1936 and 1938.   It has passed through several hands but was bought by the present owner, Richard Branson. 

These gardens are so beautiful, and not only add a venue for events and receptions, but they offer an escape from the otherwise dreary landscape of London’s grey, although majestic, skyline.  The vegetation is good for the air in the city and also helps with storm water drainage, a significant problem in London, one of the rainiest cities on earth. 

All facts and statistics are from the official website for the Roof Gardens, www.roofgardens.com.

Implementing Roof Gardens

Roof gardens are an interesting way to integrate greenery into settings which are already fairly dense, and in which street level gardens are not an option.  Roof gardens also hold many other benefits, such as increased oxygen and decreased CO2 emissions, increased insulation and a more interesting city scape.  Green roofs are becoming common in newer, energy efficient structures, and there will be a roof garden on the new Manitoba Hydro building that is going up in downtown Winnipeg.  Another winnipeg structure with a rooftop garden is the Mountain Equipment Co-op Building on Portage Avenue. 

One example of an extensive complex of green rooftops is the Roof Gardens in London, owned by Richard Branson of the Virgin Megacompany.  The Roof Gardens are “Sir Richard Branson’s urban oasis in the heart of London. A piece of genuine fantasia with one and a half acres of themed gardens and unparalleled views of London’s spectacular skyline” (Overview, www.roofgardens.com).  They are available to book for events and are also open to the public. 

The lecture provided on the 27th was partially dedicated to roof gardens in Germany, a country which is fast embracing the concept and implementing them a number of their buildings.  They have also created a program that gives people incentives to install green roofs on their properties, one Canada should also consider implementing.

The fact is, our cold climate is no excuse for the lack of green roof  gardens because it can be done.  There are different types of roof gardens, one of which is suited to a colder climate, using plants that are more condusive to the cold weather.   My hope is that in years to come, this environmentally friendly practice which does more than create a visual aesthetic, will be integrated into the Canadian and prairie landscape.