January 20th, 2009 § Karynn
A few hours from now, America will swear in its 44th president. Millions will watch him and never know that this day might not have been if instead of taking to the law books, Obama had decided to take drafting classes. A recent tip from Arch Daily, revealed that Obama once wanted to be an architect. You can hear Obama say it himself in this YouTube video:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNOp2VaUoQ4]
Some of you might be wishing that he had taken this path, while others are just as thrilled that he did not. Setting aside the politically motivated opinions, my colleagues and I at 3six0 think that being an architect is one of the best professions out there even if it is not as high-profiled as the presidency (you might remember our post on architects being among America’s happiest workers). Even in these challenging times, we still love our profession and take pride in our contribution to the world.
December 10th, 2008 § Manuel
The sun hangs low in the sky, the brisk breeze stings our cheeks, the lethargy of the ever darker afternoons takes over…we are approaching the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. As somebody who grew up much closer to the equator (where there is much less seasonal variation in the sun’s position in the sky) I love the immense variation of the sun and the shadows it casts: the impossibly long shadows cast by the sun throughout the day.
This morning as I walked into the office the sun cast a shadow of a model (sitting on the window ledge) onto one of our translucent window blinds. This simple projection of a model into a shadow-line drawing was striking in its stark and simple beauty. But what drew me in was also the expression of a time of year, a time of day, a quantity of light, and a quality of light.
As an architect it is always wonderful to discover (and employ) the ever changing palette that nature washes across our buildings and spaces.
November 17th, 2008 § Chris
We stumbled on this little “Vicinato” (neighborhood) A few years ago in the then abandoned cave dwelling area of Matera, Italy. Astonishingly, at one time, in the late nineteenth century this courtyard and its attached dwellings were home to over one hundred inhabitants. The families were large, mothers often having a dozen or more children to counter the odds of childhood death due to disease and malnourishment.
In such dire circumstances we would expect the role of architecture to be useless, peripheral, and unaffordable. Look a little more closely at the photo, especially at the railing/wall between the conjoined stairs which lead up to two dwellings. Right there, whoever built that stair understood something of the critical role architecture plays in giving form (as in order) to society. The builders, acknowledging the importance of social order, especially in such close bound circumstances, made adjustments to the rail separating the two stairs. Instead of the rail staying the same height, it was built so as one climbed the stair the degree of privacy was adjusted. At the courtyard the stairs start their rise from different points, a subtle perhaps accidental degree of separation. As the stairs climb, the rail rises to slowly separate the two families first bodily and finally from view. This small detail speaks volumes about privacy, grace, respect and the rich territory of negotiation between private and public life.
We’ve become accustomed to thinking of architecture as fashion, style, somehow separate from the essential fabric of society. We take the functioning of our social order for granted, because it more or less works. The built environment forms that order no less than our laws, customs and cultural practices, but is too often overlooked, in the dash to build more office parks, highways, malls, and suburbs.
November 10th, 2008 § Karynn
A link from Land+Living led me to this article entitled, “Where Do America’s Happiest People Work?” Architects are fourth on the list with 53.5% reporting at very happy! I can tell you from working here at 3six0 that our architects are definitely part of that percentage, and I feel that it is largely do to the workspace. At 3six0 you will find no windowless, gray cubicles. Every desk has a window and the walls are broken down for an open and collaborative space. Music flows in steady streams through the speakers overhead, and inspiration from past projects is never more than a few feet away with architectural models occupying the shelves and desktops. Got a video or a catchy headline to share? Just speak up and people will rise from their desks to crowd around your monitor. It’s a friendly atmosphere and I enjoy working here.
November 9th, 2008 § Chris
The Westminster Street entry to 3SIX0
The third floor foyer to our studio
models are everywhere
everyone is busy, including Echo who is watching for the mailman
This blog is a new door for us swinging wide open. Let’s see what comes in, and what we’ll be sending out. The photomosaic above is part of a terrific animation Josh Lantzy our summer intern compiled, documenting a walk to our studio at 146 Westminster street in Providence. See below for the full animation:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skEPX0oz5OU&hl=en&fs=1]
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November 7th, 2008 § Eleanor
3six0 + 3D effect
With popcorn and 3D glasses, 3six0 staff went to the IMAX movie: “Grand Canyon Adventure 3D: River at Risk” last night at the Providence IMAX theatre. Narrated by Robert Redford, the movie spoke about the beauty and magnificence of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River.
Some facts from the movie:
Over the course of 8 years, Lake Powell’s water volume has diminished by 50%. With heavy consumption of water usage upstream, the water level has dropped to almost nothing and it is taking a toll on the people who live near the delta.
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November 3rd, 2008 § Karynn
Without trying to pat the firm on the back, I have to commend my fellow coworkers and bosses for taking this dive with me into the blogosphere. It is never easy to take something as unfamiliar and unregulated as blogging into the structure of a business. During the next few weeks, my fellow writers will likely push and prod the blog until they find their own comfort level with the medium. Having just joined this firm a few weeks back with relatively no architecture background, I’ve been drawn into their world – materials, designs, colors, textures – and am beginning to see, what I hope you will come to see, the world as seen by architects.