Los Angeles...skyscrapers to compete with Times Square! LA LA LAND destination city!



Tourists and locals alike are quite keen to the fact that if they saunter downtown after hours in Los Angeles, that they'll pretty much encounter a ghost town with little late-night entertainment to offer.

It is not surprising to hear that the hip with-it set interested in partying-hearty often jet to Las Vegas or Manhattan - especially if they're pining for trendy watering holes to hang out in 'til the wee hours of dawn.

But, the developers behind the billion-dollar Wilshire Grand project have their sights on transforming that boring image to ensure LA LA LAND is a destination city in the future.

For example, along the upper floors of the planned 45-story hotel and 65-floor office tower, architects have hatched up a novel idea to etch a myriad of fanciful images of butterflies, waterfalls, and galaxies of stars by embedding thousands of lights in the building's surface.

The lower floors would feature a dazzling array of commercial ads to enliven the normally-dark canyons of the downtown city core.

Think the Chanel building in Tokyo or the Cira Centre in Pennsylvania.

And, in the end scenario, the landowners expect to transform and revitalize the heart of Los Angeles

Korean Air, the main financial backer, has teamed up with a host of - business entities, high-profile glad-handing politicians (and even unions) - to rustle up the clout necessary to green-light the project with officials and city planners in the corridors of power.

Needless to say, a nasty debate has reared its ugly head over the issue.

Critics argue that the proposed plan will radically alter the city's skyline, for starters.

And, because of it, developers may end up butting heads with established factions in Los Angeles who have their own visionary ideas about what kind of evolution should take place in the future.

Opponents prefer the trend away from excessive signage in the cityscape to one that follows a green policy that is environmental-friendly.

One critic has cautioned that the city shouldn't allow light emitting diodes (LEDS) on dozens of stories of any skyscraper until there is a blueprint in place for regulating the technology.

True!

What do you think?

News at 11!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Transformation of downtown Los Angeles

Zaha Hadid...Museum design wins RIBA Stirling architectural prize! Britain's top honors!

 

MAXII

Zaha Hadid - one of my favorite modern-day architects - has just won Britain's prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize.

Ms. Hadid - who was born in Iraq and now based in London (England)  - scooped up the honors for her stunning design for the National Museum of the XXI Century Arts in Rome - affectionately referred to as the MAXII.

The coveted prize also includes a cash award of approximately $31,000.00.

Ms. Hadid is not only known for her design of the Acquatics Center to be showcased in the upcoming Olympics in London in 2012, but also for being the first female architect to nab the Pritzker Architectural Prize which readers may recall I reported on here at the Tattler.

Post: 01/12/08

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/search?q=zaha+hadid

Congrats, Ms. Hadid!

Hadid breathtaking architectural gems!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Las Vegas...Aria Hotel pedestrian problem! Flawed archictectural design...

If you've been a pedestrian on the Vegas strip along the stretch where the ritzy Aria Hotel was erected, then you've probably experienced the same difficulty I have in maneuvering from one watering hole to the next in that upscale part of town.

And, the elderly and handicapped, have been struggling with the problem from day one (no doubt).

For example, when pedestrians stroll along the strip towards Aria and the spanking-new City Center Complex, they suddenly encounter a series of walkways which lead  to stairs - and elevators - and then in on into the glittery showcase.

But, what if tourists are inclined to by-pass the long walk up the hill to Aria -  and sashay on down the street to Luxor, MGM, or Mandalay Bay - instead?

Well, it will be a difficult task to accomplish, since they will have to overcome an exhuatings series of hurdles along the way.

When you reflect on the situation for a second, the sinister becomes obvious.

Rather than put a straight stretch of sidewalk (coupled with a pedestrian walkway at the light) along the front of the Hotel, Architects chose the option aforementioned.

Why?

To lure (trap?) folks into their establishment!

Needless to say, I bypass that side of the street altogether now.

It is smoother sailing and less strenuous (and/or confusing) strolling down the strip on the other side where the flow of traffic flows and remains easy to navigate.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Pritzker Architecture Award...Sanaa Ltd. of Tokyo honored with prize!

The Pritzker Architectural Prize committee has singled out two Japanese architects at Sanaa Ltd. (based in Tokyo)

Kanyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa - a female-male creative team - were honored with the prestigious award which is presented to worthy recipients by the Pritzker family each year for significant contributions to humanity.

Their unique jewel-like structures have enlivened landscapes in major cities around the globe in recent years.

One of their most recognizable stand-out creations is undoubtedly the Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City.

The 7-member panel of Judges hailed a body of work they described as "simultaneously delicate and powerful, precise and fluid, ingenious but not overly or overtly clever".

Buildings that herald a unique mix of transparency of materials and subtle infusion of light have become their signature style.

The Pritzker jury of architects, academics, writers and designers praised Sejima and Nishizawa for designing structures that blend into their surroundings to provide unassuming backdrops for the activities occurring in their midst.

"We want to make architecture that people like to use," said Sejima, who compared the pair's structures with public plazas where visitors can roam freely in groups or find comfortable spots to spend time on their own.

"The jury somehow appreciated our way of making architecture."

Among the projects mentioned by the Pritzker jury was  the translucent sheathed Christian Dior Building in Tokyo's upscale Omotesando shopping district and the see-through Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion in Ohio.

The Toldeo Museum is comprised of curved glass walls embedded in grooved footings in the floor and ceiling that blur the inner and outer sanctums of the interior and garden-like setting out-of-doors.

The honor includes a $100,000 grant.

http://www.thetattler.biz

San Francisco...quaint Victorian houses on Castro! Design flourishes exquisite...

The othe morning at the crack of dawn, I was traipsing down Castro just above the well-travelled strip, when I spied a beautiful row of quaint Victorian houses tarted up to the hilt!

Fortunately, I was packing my HD Video camera, so I whipped it out and captured some footage of these exquisite architectural beauties that are a stand-out amid an otherwise drab and colorless part of Castro Street.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8RhWUHrWMU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4THv8OG33Uw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVGZ1M1yXlw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g1VSFq6too

http://www.julianayrs.com

Las Vegas...City Center architectural images dazzle on video! Inspiration for a series of paintings...

I'm zipping off to Vegas for some sin and sun - not necessarily in that order - though!

Actually, I just pine for a respite from it all for a few days by the pool.

Once I get settled in, I'll take a trek up to the spanking new City Center - highlighted by Frank Gehry designs - which has transformed the desert oasis strip into an glittering aesthetic beauty.

The knock-out showcase-cum-upscale-mall is brimming full of swank restaurants, trendy boutiques, and tony Hotels.

At the crack of dawn one morning a few weeks ago, when the constuction teams were painstakingly adding finishing touches to the futuristic-looking CityCenter to meet the grand opening deadline, I captured a handful of the scintillating images on celluoid with my HD camera.

Click on the links below to check out my favorite architectural renderings.

Landscape No. 1

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

Landscape No. 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeE1E4495tQ

Landscape No. 44 (Lemon Wedge & Palm Tree)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qf88LQbsvA&feature=player_embedded

Landscape No. 89

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

Landscape No 41 (Merging Reliefs in Desert Terrain)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TS17WdHc7g

Landscape No. 16 (Marbled squares against Sky Blue)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYgeWLe0m2o

Landscape No. 9 (Slash Dash Vegas & Skyline Terrain)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cs5FgRHhAU

Landscape 84 (Clashing Images Merge)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cXcHx-1A4E

Landscape No. 88 (Sea Green, Ultramine & Slate Grey)

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

If Santa surprises me with a new paint set and a host of canvases, those VID images may just be the inspiration I need to roust me from a painting dry spell, and get my artistic a** in gear!

Who knows, I may just start pursuing my first love (painting) with great fervor again.

http://www.julianayrs.com/

Zaha Hadid...visionary architect leads the way!

In my youth, I spent idle hours endlessly sketching images of futuristic buildings, and toyed with the idea of becoming an architect one day.

For various reasons, that childhood fantasy did not pan out. However, I have continued to follow the visionaries in the field, who have continued to shape a world filled with exciting possibilities.

For a while, Frank Gehry was tops in my books.

In the early stages of his career, Gehry created a handful of unique homes for celebrity clients which tended to be junky - and at times - over-designed.

In contrast, his designs on a grand scale were "clean" and innovative, and put him on the fast track to becoming one of leading architects in the world.

In recent days, Zaha Hadid has captured my imagination.

The Iraq-born Brit (who heads up a firm that employs about 170 people) is currently designing a Museum in Rome, an Opera House in China, and another skyscraper in Dubai.

Her remarkable offerings are influenced by modern movements in Art such as cubism, futurism, and constructivism.

At times, the buildings appear to jut out, reminding one of a three-dimensional work of art. Other structures are much more organic in nature and appear to be molded into the terrain. At times, the buildings give the impression that they are breathing, moving, and in transition.

Her most well-known assignment to date has been the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati Ohio; a landmark commission, because it was the first American Museum to be designed by a woman.

In 2004, she was also the first of the female gender to also win a Pritzker Architectural Prize.

Exhibitions - like those at the Design Museum in London - have showcased a body of work which includes - painting, sketches, models, furniture, and decorative objects. In the process, the shows have introduced her to an adoring public, fascinated by her bold, unique, innovative designs.

Clearly, there is no looking back for this remarkable woman!