Small wind

A company named WindTronics has developed a prototype wind turbine, intended for individual homes and commercial buildings. The prototype starts to generate electricity at only two miles an hour, and at a cost of only $4,500 per unit. Read more here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10291704-54.html?tag=mncol;title.

What gives a design soul?

Another glowing review today about Huntington Park, this time from the executive’s perspective. Read it here: http://www.columbusceo.com/article3.html.

A telling quote from the story: “Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown agrees there’s something special about the new home of the Columbus Clippers. ‘It has a soul,’ she says.”

The raves for Huntington Park stand in contrast to reviews of the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field. In particular, this review from Metropolis: http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20090722/play-ball. Here’s an excerpt: “Design, as idea and physical reality, is the locus of this fan-team covenant, and the ballpark the place of its maintenance and dissolution. That became dismayingly clear to New Yorkers this spring, as they watched their local teams, the Yankees and the Mets, open new stadiums. Both buildings ply the kind of nostalgic aesthetics that reinforce fans’ bonds with their chosen team… In each case, the feel-good design is the lipstick on the pig of a massive commercial project, financed in large measure by the public and unabashedly aimed at liberating fans from the contents of their wallets.”

In many ways, it is unfair to compare the projects. Different expectations: minor-league vs. major-league facilities; different clients with different needs. When you’re at the pinnacle with lots of money, it seems to be human nature that people look for ways to take you down a notch or two. And it should be noted that the Metropolis story gives Yankee Stadium and Citi Field some credit for their designs.

But the comparison brings up an interesting question. How does one design give a place soul? How in another instance does it portend to do so yet miss the mark? Any comments?

Auburn Arena on track

Autigers.com, an Auburn University Web site that covers the university’s athletic programs, posted today a glowing progress report, with construction photos, all about the new basketball arena. The project is on schedule and on budget. Get the full story: http://auburn.scout.com/2/878177.html.

How will you be working in the year 2030?

Get ready for the incredible shrinking, mood-altering workplace. As reported by the BBC, new research predicts that by the year 2030, headquarters offices and even individual desks "are likely to disappear." Taking their place? Hot desks, collaboration offices, even "decor that adapts to a worker's mood." The research was sponsored by Johnson Controls, a company that designs car and office interiors. It says that people will spend less time in one office location, instead staying on the move, supported by an integrated set of technologies that allows people to stay constantly connected and up to date. As a result, the number of offices will shrink as will individual space within offices.

Johnson Controls' report is titled "The Smart Workplace." It envisions that by 2030 organizations will "retain core business functions but look and behave like social networks, creating corporate communities." Looks like our office is well ahead of the curve.

Link to the complete report here: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/publish/us/en/products/building_efficiency/gws/gwi/projects_workplace_innovation/futures_workplace_innovation/futures_report.htmll?WT.mc_id=123698.

Some kind of magic

A nice review of Zest appeared in the July 1 Kansas City Star. It included kudos for the design: "The space is angular and airy and feels sort of like it could be someone’s home. It’s a mix of greens and browns and some burnt orange stripes, with an Asian/modern elegant yet comfortable kind of vibe... The firm 360 Architecture designed the space and décor and added some kind of magic that enables the servers and other staff to appear and disappear at will." Read the entire review here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/dining/story/1299326.html

Another rave review for Huntington Park

A story in today's Columbus Dispatch hit a variety of high points about the 360-designed ballpark, including:

• Great place to watch baseball: major-league amenities with minor-league intimacy.


• Great place to hang out with friends: "Here they have (places) where you can just sit and relax and have dinner and just kind of make an evening of it, rather than just watch baseball. It blends everything together well," said one fan. Another said, "You don't mind spending your taxes on this. This is a very relaxing, casual way to do something, and we don't even know the score of the game."


• Great place for families: Lots of activities for the kids.

Read the full story here: http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/07/07/hunt_park_scene.ART_ART_07-07-09_A1_U8ED9PN.html?sid=101.

The Dispatch also provides cool, panoramic views of the ballpark in this link title "An insider's view": http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/multimedia/graphics/2009/huntington.html.

Future of Architecture

Change in our industry is happening more rapidly and dramatically than ever before. Coming out of the recession, how different will things be? (A lot.) What do we need to do to position ourselves for success? (A lot.) Marvin provides context and answers, in a presentation he recently gave with the Kauffman Foundation. Check it out here: O:\Personal\360 Blog\Marvin Presentation. Also in the folder is a study titled "25 Trends Transforming Architecture and Design Practice," conducted by the editors of DesignIntelligence.