New Santa Clara Stadium

As a sports fan, nothing is worse than seeing your team reach the championship game and lose. L.A. doesn't have a NFL team, but I am a Carolina Panthers fan (random, I know). And when the Panthers lost to the Patriots it was horrible. Aside the fact that the Patriots are my least favorite team, seeing my team get so close and losing was heartbreaking. It's been a month since the Super Bowl, and as one city continues to brag and celebrate the other still is thinking about would could've happen differently in the game. Yes, it sucks to lose but you 49er fans already have 5 rings, plus you guys have something else to celebrate about: your new football stadium.

In 2014 the San Francisco 49er's will call the New Santa Clara Stadium their home; a much needed upgrade from their current home: Candlestick Park. Candlestick has seen some of the greatest players and games throughout the NFL's rich history, but with Sports Architecture at its peak, the franchise's front office is following the trend of raising and investing money to upgrade their "home." With one of the oldest stadiums in the League and a new era filled of young talent including one of the best coaches in the game, it is fitting that one of the best teams will have one of the best stadiums. It will be hard to leave behind Candlestick, but it is a necessary move. 

Originally shared with the San Francisco Giants, Candlestick had to meet the minimum requirements to be able to host multiple sports. Due to this neither franchises had a home of their own, and this effected the structures maximize potential, including an updated fan experience. Some of you might say "Well, there are plenty of stadiums that host both sports," but I would tell you that there is a difference of hosting multiple sports and actually being a home to 2 leagues. Conflicting interests effect the overall design, whereas if you pick one sport and maximize its potential the rest will take care of itself. For example, Yankee Stadium has hosted a soccer and college football game and there were no major issues. A baseball stadium is the best set-up because it can host a variety of sports, whereas a football stadiums dimensions are fixed and make it impossible to play a baseball game in it. There is more money in baseball stadiums because of its adaptability, but the NFL's success has persuaded teams to separate from shared facilities and build a home of their own. When you combine all 32 teams they total about $35 Billion, with an increase of another $5 Billion in the next 3 years. Sorry baseball, I know you are "America's Past Time" but it is not exciting enough and now football runs this country. It is such a popular and growing sport that there are talks of opening a franchise in Europe and expanding the 32 team field. But for now lets continue to focus on San Francisco.

The Santa Clara Stadium well take on an open and sustainable design. There is that word again: "sustainable," and if your still confused what it means, it essentially can be defined as architecture doing work for you. Details can be solar panels, open floors, big windows etc, which through the architecture, natural elements can be collected and used to minimize energy costs and making it environmentally friendly. One sustainable detail in the new stadium is a 27,000 square foot plant-covered green roof that includes solar panels in which you can visit and hang out with other fans. Large structures will be used for more than one sport, so accessibility is a large issue addressed in the new location. You will be able to utilize public transportation even more for the new stadium, including 7 more exit/entry points for the freeway. Public transportation is very important for a couple reasons. One is limiting car traffic on the highways, and if you live near a large sports structure you understand the frustration that game days create. Safety is another important aspect. By limiting cars on the road you minimize accidents, and sports always includes alcohol so by offering multiple transportation methods you can drastically decrease the amount of drunk drivers on the road. Open floor plans allow for natural light to fill the stadium like the rendering above, and makes foot traffic flow a lot better as well.

As far as layout, what I like about this stadium a lot is how and where they placed the luxury suites. Traditional you have the rim of the lower tier of seats crowned with the expensive luxury suites, but in the rendering above you can see that they have been placed on one side of the stadium. They are stacked on top of each other with the facade cladded  with glass. What this does is bring the upper tiers lower to the field making the views a lot better, and it allowed the architects to make the lower tier bigger. This brings the action closer to the fans compared to the other stadiums across the country.

With exclusive fan clubs, a museum, retail stores and restaurants, the New Santa Clara Stadium is innovative and provides the essentials to fully maximize the fan experience. Bringing the game closer to its fans combined with its original and sustainable design, the 49er's home will definitely be at the top of the list for best home in the NFL; that is until Farmers Field in Los Angeles opens in 2016 (hopefully). Sorry, had to acknowledge the competitive spirit between Northern and Southern California. So for all you 49er fans out there, yes I know losing a Super Bowl hurts, but you would have to admit that a brand new stadium is an awesome consolation prize!

Below is the Official link for the new stadium where you can read more info on the stadium, including where you can start purchasing tickets.

New Santa Clara Stadium

National Signing Day: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

5 years ago today, I sat down with my family and signed a piece of paper that would officially state where I would go to play football. I think I can speak for every high school football player that signs a Letter of Intent that it is one of the happiest days of your life, not just because you are celebrating where you will be going to college, but because it is the end of a stressful and tiring process. I wasn't a highly ranked player coming out of high school. I didn't make it on ESPN's National Top 300 list or California's Top 50 players, but I was decent enough to get a handful of offers. With this in mind, I was ecstatic that signing my letter meant coaches would stop calling, endless amounts of mail would abruptly stop, and I can go back to being a high school kid again. Even as a low profile recruit it got really stressful, so I can imagine the pressure blue chip recruits receive through the process. I had a handful of top recruits on my team, so I was able to get a sense of the madness that was going on. I use the word madness because people forget that we are 17 or 18 years old, and coaches all over the country are praying, kick and screaming for you to choose them as your collegiate destination. It really is a bizarre thing when you boil it down: universities open their wallets to fly their coaches all over the country, put them in nice hotels, and give them a nice rental car to talk to 15-18 year old kids to play at their schools.

To this day I still remember my first interaction with a college coach. It was during my sophomore year, and I was in the weight room with a couple of the guys when a big dude in a red jacket walked out of my coaches office. I didn't know who it was, I assumed a college coach because signing day was around the corner. Moments later my coach said to the coach "there he is," and he called me over. When I approached the gentleman, I noticed the "S" on his jacket, and I realized it was a coach from Stanford University. Now the NCAA has a million recruiting rules, so it was a brief discussion, but he basically said he heard about me and that he came down to learn more about me as a player and a student (yes, Stanford does care about a student athletes grades). It was at this moment where I realized that college football was more than just a dream, it was a realistic possibility. Soon enough I began getting letters from schools all over the country from D-I to D-III schools. Schools such as Washington, Ole Miss and Oregon St. to schools like Montana St., Marist and UC Davis where sending mail every week. Most of it is was wasted mail, but a lot of the time I received hand written notes from different schools. And if you are not familiar with the process, those are the letters you want in the mail. It shows the high interest the school has in you. For me it came down to Columbia University and Nevada. It might seem like a no brainer, but it was a much tougher decision than you think. Columbia being in New York and the education it offered were huge pluses, but at Nevada I could've walked out with my B.A. & M.A. and oh yeah, the starting quarterback at the time was a guy named Colin Kaepernick (You may have heard of him, he played in the Super Bowl this past Sunday)

After visiting both schools I chose Columbia and I don't regret it one bit. Do I wish I could've traveled and played on t.v.? Of course, but the experience at Columbia was a unique and powerful one, and after graduating this past May I knew I made the right decision. But back to the topic of stress and pressure. Over the past couple years recruiting has been crazy in a couple ways. With social media at its all time high, schools have taken note and began using it to recruit players. Head Coaches have their own personal accounts giving them high accessibility to recruits and vice versa. From the outside in, you would think these top players are rockstars such as the Beatles were, but they are just teenage boys. The best way I can describe the recruiting process: Indiana Jones trying to get his treasure. Okay, maybe that was a horrible example but you get my point. Coaches will stop at nothing to impress and shower recruits with non-stop phone calls, texts, letters, emails and visits; of course all of this within the NCAA "rules". But I use the word "rules" with no conviction, because recruiting really has become a black market where schools, coaches and boosters do anything to get the top athlete.

But nothing is official until the first Wednesday of February every year, and until than, coaches are up late and biting their nails hoping their hard work paid off. I am not going to lie, at first it is an awesome feeling that coaches are knocking at your door because of your talent, but it can get overwhelming. Some kids handle it with a respected maturity, and others play along creating a circus. But coaches don't care, if it means they have a chance of landing a Top 150 player. After being wined and dined, being pulled in every direction and listening to every voicemail, players must sit down and make a decision. High profile players make National announcements on ESPN, which is crazy to me that a kid has that much power, others are committed way in advance ending the stress early, and others do it the day of but behind closed doors. And while this is happening coaches are sitting in their offices watching the announcements and praying they get their high prized signed letters in the fax machine. 

We came from all over the country, and I couldn't have picked a better group of guys  to play with. Class of 2012.

If you are not familiar with the recruiting process such as the big announcements on National T.V. and the coaches reactions, check out the videos below! These are from a year and a couple years ago, but the links below are from todays signing day!

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8920409/robert-nkemdiche-commits-mississippi-rebels-national-signing-day

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8923213/florida-gators-address-needs-nation-no-2-recruiting-class

A $1 Billion Real-ity

We all can agree that buying your own island is secures your status as successful and wealthy. The likes of Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Sir Richard Branson and David Copperfield are a few individuals who have spent their millions on private vacation spots all over the world. So what status do you reach when you have enough money to build a man-made island with the world's first soccer stadium that opens up to the sea, vacation villas, an amusement park and 5-star hotel?? Very successful and very wealthy?? Regardless of the official status name, the Executive Officials for the Real Madrid Football Club have cut a $1 Billion check to make the image above a "Real-ity" in January of 2015. No, it is not an individual putting up the $1 Billion for the "island," but to me a Billion is a Billion. The fact that an organization has that much money to invest in such a large project exemplifies the direction in which urban planning is headed. There are not a lot of scholars who have really explored the notion of sports architecture revolutionizing how cities are planned, but from the essays and books I have read, they all point in the same direction. Sport has become a phenomenon that has always been a big part of human civilization, and year after year it seems as though it is growing at a faster rate. Teams are spending absurd amounts of money on players, new structures, signing record-breaking T.V. deals and sports apparel manufactures are increasing their gross income. 

With sports having such a huge impact economically, high end retail stores, bars and restaurants are spending a lot to ensure they are located at every major stadium across the country and world. For these non-sport businesses it really has become shooting fish in a barrel. There will always be big spenders at sports venues, so even though it might be absurd to the average person that some of these restaurants charge $40+ a plate, there will always be individuals who want to certify their status (and boost their self-esteem) by eating at those restaurants. Sports really have become a way we measure someones status/ importance, and I am talking about the spectators, not the players. I always catch myself saying that people who sit court side or in the box important/powerful, know somebody or a groupie. I never catch myself saying "He/she is probably somebody who has been saving for months to buy those tickets." It is not to say that is not true, but with those type of tickets the safe assumption is because they have the money to spend without hurting their wallets. How many times do you catch people posting up pictures on social media sights showing off how great their seats are and the luxuries that come with it? I do a lot, even if they are bad seats but at an unforgettable game, they are getting posted up because in today's society it acts as a measurement stick on how well you are doing in life. But like I said, the spectrum goes in both directions. For me, most of the photos are from people who I know for fact didn't buy those tickets but act as if they did to boost their egos! The concept of being a "fan" diminishes more and more every year, and it is a shame because maybe that person who has been saving money for months to get court side seats is the biggest fan of all time, and for once he/she was able to treat themselves for the first time ever. I may sound like a hypocrite because I did the same thing she I went to go see Chelsea play in Yankee stadium, but for me it was more about the moment than the glory. They are my favorite soccer team, and living in the U.S., I am not sure if I will ever see my club, who is based out of London, ever again.

As far as the Real Madrid Resort, it is astonishing that this is the next step in advertisement for a franchise. Officials at the football club explain that the purpose behind this expansion is exposure and being more accessible to their fans. Located in the UAE, it is right in the center of Europe, Asia and most of Africa for its huge fan base. They claim that most people in the 3 continents are no more than 4 hours away from the resort to come see their team play, which is more convenient than flying from Japan or China to Madrid. But like I have preached in previous Sport Architecture posts before, the playing surface doesn't come alone. There are stores, restaurants, hotels, bars etc that come with the playing arena. The fact is that games are a celebration, and history shows that spectacles such as in Antiquity were celebrated by the whole city. Unfortunately, the stadium cannot hold the whole population, so with today's  technology we are given the opportunity to watch the event on a tv in restaurants, bars and hotels with other fans who weren't able to buy a ticket to watch it live.

With the stadium only holding 10,000 people, 75,000 less seats than their home stadium in Madrid, restaurants, bars and other public viewing places will be vital in keeping everybody happy at the resort during a game. Franchises have really taken full responsibility in the urban development for their cities, bad and good. When Dodger Stadium was being built in LA, there was a huge controversy and protest against the plans because it would remove thousands of people from their homes. For years it created a huge rift in supporting the team, and even today some people still hold grudges against the organization. For Real, they won't deal with such an issue since they are building a man-made island that doesn't involve removing a large amount of people. Compared to other sport architecture projects, this is definitely a very extreme example, but projects such as the $1.2 Billion Cowboy Stadium already exist, so it is evident owners and executives are willing to spend top dollar to increase their fan base, and ultimately certify their status in Sports history. Money talks, and when owners spend a ridiculous amount of money to upgrade their facilities it shows the commitment they have to their team, and appreciation for their fans. And as the years go by, the collegiate level is experiencing the same status effect to win over high school recruits. Even high school programs are raising money to build up to date locker rooms and weight rooms. And if you think this effect hasn't hit the high school circuit fully, than you haven't heard about the $59.6 million stadium at Allen High School in Texas. Sports Architecture is well and alive, and every year it continues to produce bigger, better and more expensive projects.

Check out the video below showing the state of the art facilities and amusement park the Island will feature!!

If you guys are still in shock about the high school stadium in Texas, click the link below to read the article.

$59.6 million HS Stadium

Freehand Profit

I know what you are wondering, and YES, that gas mask is made from a pair of J's. I am pretty sure you are asking yourself who in their damn mind would rip up a pair of Jordan's, and the answer is simple: someone who doesn't give a damn. And I say this with the utter most respect and praise for Gary Lockwood, because for him, it is about a vision and exploring unchartered water, even if it comes at a cost of ripping apart expensive shoes. My friend Neyson and I, whom was featured on "Can't Knock the Hustle," were collaborating on one of his hat projects when he introduced me to Gary Lockwood, or  Freehand Profit which he is popularly known as in the street art scene. I love coming across new art that just blows your mind away, and when Neyson showed me the gas mask above I went straight to my computer and researched this dudes story and art. After going over his blog and work, right away I knew I had to reach out to him because his work screams "Can I Live?" I wanted to feature him to present another example of what happens when your work ethic matches your passion, and for Freehand Profit it was expressed through his love of shoes and masks. Born in the Midwest and raised in the D.C./Northern Virginia area, Gary pursued his studies in art, and when he recieved his Bachelor's in Fine Arts he made his way to the City of Angels.

On May 17th, 2010 Gary began a journey that would eventually catapult him to where he is today. Inspired by Noah Scalin's Skull-A-Day series, Gary decided to start a MASK365 Campaign which involved designing and assembling a different gas mask every day for a year straight. A lofty and ambitious project, Gary pushed through and began testing materials and concepts, and 365 gas masks later he completed his campaign and officially the World took notice of the talent Gary brought to the table. On Facebook you can see the various concepts he came up with, using old materials like used ladies bags and animal masks, which is one of my favorite series done by Lockwood, and above you can see one of the samples from the series. They are a lot simpler than the shoes, but you can appreciate the experimentation he does working with different items and materials. Artists go through a rugged process trying to find themselves and molding their art work into what they want. Practice makes perfect, and with a year straight of practicing using the unique mold of a gas mask, Gary's artistic ability took off. You can visit his MASK365 Facebook page to see some of his incredible work he did for his project. Check it out!!

http://www.facebook.com/MASK365

The masks below are some of the famous "sneaker gas masks" he is known for. As you can see Gary does not discriminate, he doesn't just use Jordan's but all kinds of kicks.

Can't thank Gary enough for doing this interview for "Can I Live?" As the first official artist feature on my blog, I hope this is the first of many. Always inspiring to come across new kinds of art, but for me I love seeing the journey the artist has traveled to get to where they are. For me that is the most important part; the experimentation, struggle, inspiration, drive and passion is what makes creating something worth it at the end of the day. Check out the dope interview I did with Gary"Freehand Profit" Lockwood below!!

Freehand Profit Interview

Below are the links to Gary's Social Media accounts such as his blog, twitter and Instagram. I wish this blog post can talk about all the work he has done and been up to, but I would literately need months to do that. So, go on his website where you can check out the latest work by Freehand Profit, any events he will be at and other cool interviews he has done such as checking out the second part of his interview with SNTV. (Part I is below). Make sure to follow all his accounts and support his creative work. Also, check out his clothing line and make sure to get a copy of his book he just released late last year!

The Hip Hop Nerd by Freehand Profit
Twitter
Instagram

2012: The Year in Numbers

I was on ESPN.com the other day, and every year they highlight the year in sports with numbers. Basically, they list a bunch of significant numbers and explain why they chose each number. For example, they listed the decimal difference that separated Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant for the Scoring title in the NBA. I really enjoy reading the list and remembering what happened throughout the year. That being said, I decided to do one for my myself that includes highlights of my blog, my personal life and a couple of World events that happen over the year that I found relevant to me.

6

Ok, it isn't exactly 6 months ago (10 days left), but "Can I Live?" came to life July 10th, 2012. It has been an awesome experience thus far, and the best is yet to come. Truly thankful for everyone who has clicked on my blog. Even if it was just one time I appreciate the support and love. It definitely made the second half of 2012 for me a lot more fun and exciting. For me, "Can I Live?" is a mindset I truly believe everyone should have. From Wall Street to a kiosk in the mall, every level demands some sort of hustle to perform and excel. For me it is to encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and go after what you want in life. At times you just have to swallow your pride and do what is necessary to achieve what you want. Forget what the critics think, just stay the course and be honest with yourself. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent- A Bronx Tale

17

It was one of the greatest, if not the greatest experience I have had so far in my life. On May 17th I walked off Columbia University's campus with a college degree! It really feels as though my time in NYC was light years ago, but I still remember every second of it. I played football, joined a frat, saw and did a lot, but most importantly I met some incredible people. Truly blessed and thankful for having the opportunity to accomplish my biggest goal yet, and everyday I am reminded and humbled when friends and family say they are proud for what I have done. And just like this blog, I am excited about what the New Year has in store for me. Still surreal to me that I can say "I am an Ivy League graduate" and that I lived in the Big Apple.

1

 I know I am going to get a lot of hate for this, but I don't care. The King Lebron James finally won his first NBA Title, including the Regular and Finals MVP trophy and a Gold Medal at the Olympics. Aside from LBJ being my favorite player and happy he finally won a championship, this entry has a personal story behind it. Last year on Christmas day, me and my friend Andy made a bet with an NBA jersey at stake. After a few drinks and in the middle of a heated game of jenga, I was confident The King would finally win it this past year. Bet: If the Heat win it all I get any jersey I want. If they lost at any point in the playoffs I would have to buy Andy a jersey. Statistically it was a stupid bet. The odds were not in my favor, but I was confident (or maybe it was the vodka speaking) that I would win the bet, and as you know he did! Thanks Andy!

23

It was the year of MJ for me. Can't believe I am 23, I feel old! Happy I was able to share it with my family and friends back in LA this year. Also, in May, actually 3 days before I graduated my parents celebrated their 23rd Wedding Anniversary. Congrats Mom and Dad! Love you guys a lot and thank you for everything!

10

On August 27th I released the first installment of my Arch+Details series focusing on staircases. Since that day I have done blog features on windows, doors, sustainability, Tadao Ando, furniture, flooring, swimming pools, landscape and ceilings. I started the series because there is no website that categorizes specific aspects of architecture, so I decided to start a series where I focused on these basic, but important aspects. I mean, you can go on google and search images for each part, but I wanted to give an analysis for each installment. The staircase installment is the most successful blog entry with over a 1000 views, and overall the series has been a great hit. Stay tune for next installment coming soon.

8

I was fortunate to have the chance to visit the beautiful island of Puerto Rico for Spring Break. For 8 days I experienced P.R. the way most tourists can't. My friend Caro invited me and her boyfriend to stay with her and her family for the week. It was awesome. We went on a catamaran for a day that included unlimited drinks, food and snorkeling in the clearest water I have ever seen. I personally believe traveling with someone that is from that country is the best way, because you get to see parts of the country most people don't, because you can't find them in a tourist guide. I saw live bomba, son and flamenco performances, ate amazing food and of course, got dark as hell under the sun. Thank you Caro, can't wait to go back soon!

30

It seems like years ago, but the World gathered in London to celebrate the 30th Summer Olympic Games. I love sports, especially big world events because it really shows the power of sports. Even though some countries can't get along politically it is always good to put differences aside and applaud the athletic ability from different walks of life. Like many people, Usain Bolt defending his gold medal was one of my favorite highlights of the Summer Games. Being half Mexican, I was proud seeing the Mexico's men's soccer team take Gold, and also watching Lebron James and the men's basketball team redeeming themselves and taking Gold too. Architecturally, I love seeing the iconic stadiums and venues these events traditionally bring to the world stage. My aspiration is to be part of a team that designs one of the main stadiums at the Olympics or World Cup.

2

In November America elected Barack Obama as our President for a 2nd time. It was a much closer victory than in 2008, exemplifying the giant riff this country suffers politically. There was a lot protest against Obama being re-lected, but I am glad it has calmed down. I personally think America got it right, and all we can do is work harder than before to turn this country around.

5

As I really began to go in depth what "Can I Live?" meant for me, I recognized that other young and creative people had their own movement that also embodied mine: The perserveance of following your passion, even if it's going against the grain and neglecting everything society tells us is the "right" way to live. This road at times feels empty and lonely, and many people get discouraged and decide to abandon what they really want to pursue. To encourage people who struggle with staying the course, I wanted to acknowledge those who have pushing their own movement so the road won't seem too lonely. Just as the title of my blog, I found inspiration from another Jay-Z song, "Can't Knock the Hustle." This is by far my favorite series on my blog because I enjoy exploring and reaching out to other individuals that grab my attention, due to their mindset, handwork and the creativity they bring to the table. I call these individuals soldiers of my movement, and each of the 5 embody "Can I Live?" while pushing their own. Issa Mase, Neyson Cruz, Anna Canfield, Denise Hernandez and Tanya Rojas are on the path of greatness, and I am happy they allowed me to share their journey. "Can't Knock the Hustle" is the most successful series and I can't wait to introduce the next soldier.

7163

When I first started my blog I had no idea it would get so much attention, and I only expected a few people to really follow and view it. Well, I was completely wrong, and in the past 6 months, my blog has been viewed 7163 up to today. The overwhelming attention has inspired to come up with bigger and better things for my fans, and I am excited to release the secret projects I have in the works!

217

The number of new friends I gained this year on Facebook lol. I know it is a random fact, but I  always find it amusing to see the Year in Review from my Facebook every year. 

11

Aside from football, my favorite sport to watch is soccer, but not American soccer. I respect that it is getting better, but it still far from being what the rest of the world has to offer. My favorite club team is Chelsea FC from England, and every year the ultimate prize is the Champions League trophy. Like a few big clubs in Europe, Chelsea has no problem spending money on big players, and what comes with that is disappointment when we lose because we spend a lot a lot of money on them. But this year was different, and Chelsea went on one of the greatest runs in soccer history coming back from the dead throughout the tournament to win it all. It was obvious it was written in the stars when we overcame a large aggregate difference between Napoli, defeated super club in Barcelona with 10 men and when Bayern Munich missed a couple of penalty kicks to set up Didier Drogba to bring the title home. Number 11 for Chelsea stepped up to the ball, took a second and blasted the ball into the net giving my club their first Champions title in history. On a side note, during their miraculous run, I won a Kettle One bottle from my best friend because we knocked out his team, Barceona. Thanks Sergio for the bottle!

                                                            

Metabolism in New York?

One of the biggest differences between Los Angeles and New York is the direction in which people build. In New York you go North and South and in LA you go East and West. I am not saying one is better than the other, I am just stating the obvious. And when you think about it, the direction in which architects design reflects how we interpret when someone claims they are from that city. For example, when someone says they are from NY we automatically assume Manhattan because that is all that is shown on tv; towering skyscrapers that also go well underground. If you claim you are from the City of Angels people begin to ask "which part?", because most people not from the area believe LA is all of Southern California with arial views of the beach, Hollywood sign and Staples Center. Like I said, I am not saying one is better the other. Both have produced beautiful cityscapes, attract million of visitors every year and offer a fusion of cultures, which includes architectural styles, but there is one style that never was really established; a style that grows in all directions.

When I took Modern Japanese Architecture at Columbia I learned about metabolism. It was a style that originated in Japan by a small group of architects and the purpose was to serve the organic growth of large metropolitan areas. I understand that its aesthetic can be hard on the eyes, but with so many people concentrated in one area I would think there would be a couple existing examples in the States. Conceptually, I personally think it would help many large cities across the world provide housing for their rich and their poor, but the biggest concern is the execution of constructing these structures. The concept is easy: build a structural frame where you can easily insert and take out pod like pieces into the frame. The structure itself can also expand which essentially makes the cliche "the sky is limit" very true because there never really is an end to this style. The difficulty of such a style is connecting water and power sources, access points such as staircases and elevators etc. 

The renderings above are a proposed project by IAMZ Studio for a residential tower in Manhattan. If you never seen an example of metabolism I can see how it can be a radical form of architecture. The "Chlorophyll Tower" above consists of pods attached to a supporting frame. It is unaware what specific technology would be used, but the design will absorb CO2 and light and convert it into energy and make the building self-sufficient. The structure will also include public spaces such as restaurants and retail stores. There isn't much press about the project with only renderings and a few plans and elevations available, but it is enough to wonder why something like this is not in the NY skyline. Is it too radical for the U.S.? Is it merely just a fantasy rather than a reality? The last major metabolism project was in the 70's which reflects how hard or how disliked this style is, but for me we will never know until we try. Designers are way too creative to erect a completely flawed building, and as different as it looks, it is pretty cool. I would love to live in something like this, and it would address 2 major issues: pollution and overpopulation. Both of these issues are not at a high danger level, but they can be if new ideas and concepts are not generated to address them. Maybe and hopefully this can come to life, and LA will than soon enough construct its own.

Below are images of completed projects including Kiro Kurokawa's "Nakagin Capsule Tower", Shizuoka Press and Broadcasting Center and Marine City (which was never built).

Maybe I am bias because I like the architecture that comes out of Japan, but I believe metabolism is something that should be rejuvunetaed and taking seriously again. I can definitely see this style utilized in cities hosting large sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics. Think about it, hosting cities become overpopulated with passionate fans, with a lot of them struggling trying to find a place to stay. Metabolism will allow the construction of super structures that can be decreased after the event to prevent cities from being unable to keep them fully occupied and essentially costing the city millions of dollars. Also, if there is a technology available that converts CO2 and light into enough energy to not just make the building functional, but also help eliminate danger toxins from our atmosphere, than why not? 

What do you think? Will this tower come to life? and if it does, will other cities follow NY and begin erecting metabolic structures?

Arch+Details: Sustainability

The concept of Global Warming in recent years has instilled a lot of fear into scientists and the general public. Every year there seems to be more evidence that our planet is warmer then usual having a huge impact on weather patterns, and ecosystems across the world. Despite the troublesome evidence, humans can pride themselves on the ability to adapt to certain situations to continue our existence. One of the biggest aspects of our life that has been effected is architecture. You don't have to study architecture or be in architecture circles to know the word "sustainable" comes up in conversation a lot. When I got to Columbia it seemed as though the word was being used in every other sentence, and as I went through my 4 years I began to understand why. Maybe I am exaggerating that Global Warming has directly had an impact on architects, but I definitely believe it is not a coincidence "sustainability" has increased over the years with more and more evidence being published. For the sake of this blog post I am going to claim that I am not exaggerating, and that projects below supports my theory. A week ago I wrote about the fascinating National Stadium in Taiwan, and if you are not familiar with it, uses over 8,000 panels for its exterior skin on the roof. Projects like these are signs that architects are making a conscious decision in the materials they use. By creating structures of this nature, it reflects the adaptation humans are executing by living in self-sufficient homes and creating massive structures that use natural elements to its benefit. Sustainable architecture is definitely at its peak with awesome designs. Large windows, open floor plans and a strong sense of exterior and interior play are a few examples of what this type of architecture offers. Check out the cool projects I have found over the past couple weeks and jot down any similarities you see from photo to photo. Sustainable architecture is well and alive, literally! Enjoy!