toyo ito annouced as the pritzker laureate for 2013

white u

akano-ku, tokyo, 1976

tower of winds 

kanagawa, japan, 1986

dome in odate 

odate-shi, akita, japan, 1997

sendai mediatheque

 sendai-shi, miyagi, japan, 2000

serpentine gallery pavillion 

london, u.k., 2002

grin grin central park

 island city, fukuoka, japan, 2005

tama art university library 

tokyo, japan, 2007

za-koenji public theatre

 suginami-ku, tokyo, japan, 2008

white o 

marbella, chile, 2009

taiwan solar powered stadium 

kaoshiung, taiwan, 2009

toyo ito museum of architecture

imabari-shi, ehime, japan, 2011

the taichung metropolitan opera house, 2005, 

taichung, taiwan (2005-currently under construction)

toyo ito photographed by yoshiaki tsutsui

toyo ito has been announced as the pritzker laureate for 2013. he is the 37th recipient of the prize & the 6th japanese to win.

in response to this award, ito humbly expressed that, with each project, he only becomes more "painfully aware of [his] inadequacy, and it turns into energy to challenge the next project." for that reason, "i will never fix my architectural style and never be satisfied with my works."

mudgee tower - permanent camping

mudgee tower - permanent camping by casey brown architecture. mudgee nsw.

looks like paradise.  

located on a remote pristine mountain on a sheep station in central western NSW, this structure was the realization of a dream for the client. situated at the edge of a ridge surrounded by large granite boulders & ancient dead trees, the tower has panoramic views for hundreds of miles to the horizon.

conceived as a retreat for one or two people, the building is a 3X3m 2-storey copper clad shelter. the sides open up on the ground level to provide wide verandahs to the north, east & western elevations. to the south is a water tank & the winches that operate the moveable verandah roofs.  when not in use, the roofs close down to completely enclose the timber & glass interior protecting it from the elements - especially brush fires.

inside the structure is crafted from recycled ironbark. there is a sleeping loft & small kitchen with a rais wood fired slow combustion stove.

water is collected on the roof & a separate WC, also in copper clad hardwood, is located a short walk to the west. the structure is heavily insulated from both the cold winds & searing daytime temperatures with multi-layered walls that are ventilated at the top & bottom to allow free air movement.

due to the isolated nature of the building site it was prefabricated by the builder jeffery broadfield in sydney & transported to the site.

r.i.p. - gae aulenti

the main hall of the musée d’orsay, which was converted from a train station

sgarsul rocking chair 1962

tour table

amused futuristic design, la ruspa

olivetti showroom, new york, fifth avenue, 1954

gae aulenti with pipistrello table lamp, 1966

world renowned italian architect gae aulenti has died at her home in milan at the age of 84. aulenti was one of the few italian women to rise to prominence in architecture & design in the postwar years. she transformed the parisian beaux arts gare d'orsay railway station (a landmark originally designed by victor laloux) into the musee d'orsay in the 1980s & refurbished the contemporary art gallery at the pompidou centre in paris. she has designed villas for the rich, showrooms for fiat, olivetti shops & showrooms, pens & watches for louis vuitton & furniture that includes a coffee table on wheels that is in the collection of the museum of modern art in new york.  she was named chevalier of the légion d'honneur by the french government for her work.

holy family shrine

holy family shrine by BCDM architects. gretna, nebraska.

after you left, they took it apart

all photographs by chris mottalini.

in 2007, chris mottalini photographed three homes by the late modernist architect paul rudolph (1918-1997), just prior to their demolitions. the resulting images capture a state of modernist architecture few people have witnessed, revealing the grace of these homes as they stood in defiance of severe neglect & 'progress'. mottalini's photographs are the final portraits of these destroyed homes.

the picker art gallery at colgate university in hamilton, new york is hosting 2 concurrent exhibitions:
an architect's vision: paul rudolph & after you left, they took it apart, photographs by chris mottalini. both open on august 30 & run through october 7, 2011

the pioneer

the pioneer by form & forest architects.
this prefab flat-pack cabin is a 1,740 sq. foot, two level sustainable prefab cabin with 2 bedrooms, 2 lofts & 2 patios. it has 180 degree floor to ceiling glass to maximize the view & natural lighting. the slanted roof was designed as an ideal space for the use of a solar array. an insulated concrete form (icf) foundation is used providing minimal heat loss & the septic is processed through a peat moss system. all the components are packed flat, along with siding, doors, windows & roofing materials.....i want one now!!!