Archive for September, 2009

Rethinking architecture

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

As a non-architect, the architecture of Donald Judd is as amazing as his grasp of the craft:

  • Architecture is fairly rare.
  • All structures are art, though engineered forms are more general and less particular than the forms of the best art.
  • Much of engineering is better architecture than most architecture.
  • “Real architecture” is the few good buildings that are more specific than engineering projects.
  • “Real architecture” is, therefore, the plain beauty of well-made things
We need to start rethinking the place of more than just trained architects in the beauty of well-made things.

The new

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

When is the new if,
yes is the new no,
small is the new big,
slow is the new fast,
who is the new how.

Invite art into the spaces of your life

Monday, September 28th, 2009

If you have space you’re not using in your basement, garage, barn, or business, think about inviting a local emerging artist or art student to use the space.

Radical investment metrics

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

We need to turn philanthropic and funding and public investment metrics on their head. We need to start measuring success on how well these institutions map a community’s assets and how well they engage and combine these assets in new ways.

Reluctant introverts

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

I meet so many people these days who are reluctant introverts, people who want to connect with others in ways that may be beyond their comfort/habit zones. First step: ask for anything - directions, advice, ideas, help. Ask when you’re standing in lines, traveling with people, accept any excuse. Many people love the flattery of their opinion or help.

Funny Fins & other Oddities

Friday, September 25th, 2009

I was told recently that the Finish people are a dour, serious people, with of course positive deviants like my buddy Jim Kulma who has one of the more exquisite and never tiresome folk humor of anyone outside Finland. Expect that as we achieve more global connectivity, humor will spread far and wide, visiting unlikely regions because it’s soul-nourishing, at least.

Netplaying

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Yes, networks are the new hierarchies when it comes to asset sharing and collaboration, and we need to go beyond networking to netplaying. This is where we have far more fun and take a far more experimental view toward connecting.

Scale as constraint/asset

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

If we’re going to entertain the possibility of walking neighborhoods, we’re going to either have to bring people living closer to shopping and services, or the other way around. We should consider more multi-use buildings in multiple locations, what you still find in many neighborhoods in Japan where scale is actually an asset in the design of communities rather than a constraint.

From a walkability perspective, large scale becomes ironically more of the constraint.

Class/room champions

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Why can’t every classroom and every class have a community-based mentor and champion who comes in occasionally to connect everything to current trends and issues in local and non-local contexts. They can be people from business, religious, entertainment, media, arts, agriculture…

Rhisomic services

Monday, September 21st, 2009

It’s a good idea to have a regular day where homeless and resource constrained people in the community have access to personal services like hair, attire, jobs, and health services. And it’s a great idea to ask them to, on that day, also give their time to people in the community who can use any help they can give.