Kerb 20 Seeking Submissions

Kerb is one of best journals out there for landscape architecture - and you can be part of their next issue around the topic 'speculative narrative'.  Here's the call for submissions:

KERB 20 IS SEEKING SUBMISSIONS OF ESSAYS/PROJECTS/ 
ARTWORKS/ STORIES ETC

Speculative narrative and the potential of imagination are important factors in creative production. It is considered that a multitude of small stories are the “quintessential form of imaginative invention” (source). 

Speculation through narrative offers an apparatus through which we may investigate the concept of ‘reality’. Immersed within our current understandings, speculation is influenced by our contemporary condition. In these fictional dispositions, the variables and constraints of ‘reality’ can be controlled, omitted completely or utilized as key motives for the foundations of new territories.

Speculative Narrative can be an exploration of idealistic scenarios, the fossilization of information, or the creation of fantastical realms.

This allows the model of design to move beyond problem solving, crisis management and project liberation from the constraints of our existence. The augmentation through speculative narrative, enables the reshaping of current processes, understandings and disciplines.

Speculative Narrative makes it possible to redefine ‘present’ and ‘future’. Kerb is an annual cross-disciplinary design publication produced by the RMIT University School of Architecture and Design in Melbourne, Australia.

Kerb is a progressive design journal focused on contemporary landscape architecture issues from an international and national perspective. Submit to:  kerb@ems.rmit.edu.auby 4 May, 2012 and for more information regarding submission requirements please visit our website at www.kerbjournal.com or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kerbjournal

Waterscape Urbanism

I was struck by a recent mis-use of the term landscape urbanism in this article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution on the need for climate change inspired floating homes.  Quoting  Thai landscape architect Danai Thaitakoo on the need for dealing with innundation.

"Climate change will require a radical shift within design practice from the solid-state view of landscape urbanism to the more dynamic, liquid-state view of waterscape urbanism," says Danai, who is involved in several projects based on this principle. "Instead of embodying permanence, solidity and longevity, liquid perception will emphasize change, adaptation."

While amphibious architecture is nothing new, and i agree that it will become more common in the future there are two points.  The first is minor - that of the mis-characterization of landscape urbanism as 'solid-state' and 'embodying permanence, solidity and longevity'.  If there's any flavor of urbanism that emphasizes change and adaptation, it's landscape urbanism - so i think there's a disconnect in that above paragraph.  Just saying.

Second, and more troubling, is the idea that we must react to climate change by building floating structures - rather than address the topic at hand.  It's similar in nature to dealing with semi-urban forest fires by designating fire-safety clearing zones of tinder and brush around houses, rather than looking at not building homes in these areas - or heaven forbid - letting them burn.  Or coming up with vertical farms due to our misguided agricultural subsidies and policies that make it impossible to grow a variety of food on terra firm.   

Its cause.  Not effect.  We spend way too much time on solutions to problems and calling it need-inspired innovation - rather than getting to the real root of the problems themselves.  May not be as press-worthy of sexy, but at least its real.

Guest Post: The Other Plane

The Porter House project by SHoP Architects doesn’t quite sit right with the eye. Greg Pasquarelli, one of the founding principals of the New York firm, gave a great lecture at the University of Washington last year in which he elaborated on the achievement of finding an innovative solution to the challenge of expanding the 1905 6-story condominium building. Rather than competing with the historic architecture, the new addition distinguishes itself with a modern zinc façade.

 

While the strategy seems logical, the image of the building is still daunting for the sole reason of what it visually implies. The new addition, though connected to the existing building below, starts to suggest a different kind of development, a different kind of cityscape where buildings start to layer on top of each other.  The phenomenon of air space and air space rights is not a new concept yet with the increasing density of our urban areas, it has become more relevant than ever. If the elevator was an invention that enabled us to build vertically, then can air space rights start to shift our infrastructure “plane” up as portrayed in the movie The Fifth Element?

The movement has begun. Whether it’s to trek through New York City on The High Line or to connect seven separate Linked Hybrids via skybridges in China, these projects offer a form of route alternate from the ground plane. The visual impact on the city’s skyline is hard to overlook and as a collective, they makes the vision of The Fifth Element city more plausible than ever. More significantly, air space rights provide a different lens in looking at some of the similar (but smaller scale) local projects. One can only start to imagine the unraveling of the vertical plane in Seattle.


Ji Shon is currently pursuing a dual degree in Master of Architecture and Master of Science in Real Estate at the University of Washington while working for the Neighborhood Design Build Studio. Upon graduation, she intends to combine the two fields and pioneer in bringing excellent design and responsible development in urban areas. She could be reached at jshon@uw.edu for questions or comments.