Foresight Design Initiative

tonight in chicago:

Nine enterprising interns from Oberlin College and the Institute of Design were recently thrown into the deep end of several sustainability-related projects here in Chicago. Participants in Foresight's Urban Sustainable
Design Studio, they have spent the past four weeks devising insights into some significant sustainability challenges. Did they sink, swim or manage to levitate? You're invited to decide for yourself by attending their final presentations on:

Monday, January 30th
6:00-8:00pm
Jefferson Tap & Grille (325 N. Jefferson)
FREE admission, cash bar/food

Their projects included assignments with the City's Department of Planning and Development, the Museum of Science and Industry, and a local sustainability-minded business, as well as two Foresight initiated exercises. The evening will include concise formal presentations, a chance to meet the interns, and time to mingle with like-minded peers.

i might join their: "believe chicago" and "foresight design" email lists which are described as:

A moderated, central source for information about sustainability-related events, jobs, and issues relevant to the Chicagoland area, including announcements of upcoming Chicago Green Drinks and Smart Business Hour gatherings. Volume is kept to a minimum; most postings are compiled into the weekly e-newsletter.

Foresight Design Email List
Interested in sustainable design in whatever guise? This list includes posts about issues, events, etc. related to this emerging field.

Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World: Books: Robert Neuwirth

In one of my interviews yesterday this book by Robert Neuwirth was mentioned. I definitely need to check it out.

and of course there is always this one: pet architecture already a favorite. but it also came up.

building-of-art

in my inbox today from seattle/chicago public artist (and my former landlord) stuart keeler: The Building of Art. this might be his mfa thesis?


The Building of Art – What does it mean when the artist enters through the backdoor of the institution? A web based Request for Proposals seeking to create a physical and public dialogue with an iconic building, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Columbus Drive Building.- The artist generated RFP seeks to question and define this buildings place in the city of Chicago by questioning the role of the artist as collaborative catalyst to ignite a larger conversation. How does the social construction of an art school define itself as an urban object?

Log on to: www.Building-of-Art.com

As a web based sculptural project, utopian in spirit, The Building of Art seeks to gather work internationally from artists, designers and architects creating a conversation between disciplines. This is a socially based, public art opportunity to conceptually and thematically breathe new life into the existing building through alteration of the facade and public spaces. The renewed building will have a far reaching effect as a positive inspiration for students, faculty & the citizens and visitors of the City of Chicago. The shared language of art and architecture will share an interesting dialogue in the selection of the finalists for the RFP. Finalists proposals will be published in a catalogue, as well as the finalist will be invited to lecture at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago. What can the artist create when the city is the studio?

Art, architecture and design are being utilized to invent and define the district which includes the Columbus Drive Building. The recently unveiled neighbor, Millenium Park, addresses the built world as a theatre with artists, architects and designers at the forefront. The Art Institute of Chicago, has recently announced that Renzo Piano Studio, will complete the district with a new addition of a Contemporary Art wing, this new addition to the AIC building will build a complex visual relationship to the existing School Building. These same professions will revive the existing SAIC Columbus Drive Building as a valuable and contributing member of this district. How do you keep up with the Jones’ when Millenium Park is your neighbor?

A jury consisting of: Tony Jones, President of The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Buster Simpson - Public Artist, Steve Bedanes, Architect – The Jersey Devil, Jeanne Gang, Architect – Studio Gang, Ben Nicholson, Architect & Artist, Stanley Tigerman – Architect, Tigerman – Mc Curry, in addition with two students from The School of The Art Institute will be moderated by Professor Linda Keane, Architect.

The dialogue, charettes and topics, all conceptual forms which catapult from The RFP will support an evolving discussion about the role of the Columbus Drive Building as a civic icon and the artists’ presence and impact in the evolving built world of Chicago. Multi-disciplined entries that include artists as part of the team are desired The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is not the sponsor of this RFP. Stuart Keeler, an artist of public spaces is hosting the competition with consent from SAIC.

oh...

if i weren't doing all that and done with my studio requirements i'd be joining the UW post katrina planning and design studio in jefferson parish. kudos guys!

along those lines some new orleans related opps via a.manda via acsa:

Katrina and New Orleans: One Year Later
Call for Editorials, Opinions and Thought Pieces
MARCH 15, 2006, Deadline The Executive Editor is looking for short (500-2,000 word) essays on Katrina, its aftermath and rebuilding. What have we learned and what are we still learning? What new place-based imaginaries are emerging from the rubble and what interesting alliances are being formed. How have the discourses of "natural" disasters, socio-technical failures, environmental justice, and sustainability been transformed in this "Katrina" landscape? How is culture preserved/transformed by the changes, both temporary and permanent. Accepted essays will be published in the September 2006 issue of JAE.

Send one copy of your essay to Barbara Allen, Executive Editor-JAE, 4200 Wisconsin Av., NW #106-156, Washington , DC 20016 or email ballen@vt.edu. Please note that design work is not accepted for this call.

and:

Rebuilding "The Big Easy" In late November, Architectural Record and McGraw-Hill Construction in partnership with Tulane University School of Architecture announced two international competitions to generate housing proposals for New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina. “Rebuilding ‘The Big Easy’: An International Competition for New Housing in New Orleans” combines a student competition for a New Orleans house prototype and a “High-Density on the High-Ground” competition open to all participants. The goal of the competition is to bring new designs for much-needed housing in New Orleans. The student competition aims for an affordable single-family home prototype on a typical New Orleans lot that can be replicated throughout the city. due march 1. more here

also...

something i'm hoping to get involved in once i get settled in the chi:

Got an an email from Melissa, a former colleage, now Architecture & Construction Program Manager at the Chicago Public Schools who is working with Chicago Architecture Foundation in partnership with the American Architectural Foundation(AAF) which established the Architecture & Design K-12 Education Network in October 2005. The Architecture & Design K-12 Education Network is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of architecture and design education on a national level. The Network further strives to raise youth awareness about the built environment and advance the integration of the design process across the K-12 curriculum.

They are currently planning the launch of several initiatives for 2006 – a new website and series of Network programs and services to be unveiled in the spring and an inaugural National Conference taking place in Chicago in the fall. go to the website, www.architecture.org to sign on with the network.

blog hiatus

this blog is officially on hiatus as i'm:

moving back to chicago next week.
conducting interviews for thesis following three weeks.
giving birth in 8 weeks.

crunch time. will post as i can.

happy new year...