A bicycle helps us be present
Myron Goldsmith loved his bicycle. He observed it is “a trussed mechanism in a one plane.” He continues:
If we think in terms of performance per pound, a bicycle is an amazing instrument light ones weighing 20# can carry 200#, a 10-1 relationship perhaps only equaled by barges.
We also love our bicycle. Two Loves by Kate Wagner is a helpful start but a bicycle is more than a tool, it’s a practice. Bicycle riding compels you to be present, to be there in the moment. In order to ride you have balance and be aware of your surroundings. While Chicago has many new protected bike paths, you still have to keep your eyes wide open and be hyper aware of your surroundings so you don’t get hit by a car or fall off. And it helps to have a bike as beautiful as the Tokyo Langster whose color scheme is inspired by the Katsura Palace.
Myron Goldsmith’s work Myron Goldsmith Poet of Structure
(The architect Myron Goldsmith rode his bicycle through Germany during his Fulbright and then fell off. He befriended Brigitte Schlaich and we will find and tell that story later.) #lincolnparkchicago #chicagocycling #specialized #specializedchicago #tokyolangster #miessociety #myrongoldsmith #cca #canadiancenterforarchitecture #birgittepeterhans #som #katsuraimperialvilla
Myron Goldsmith loved his bicycle. He observed it is “a trussed mechanism in a one plane.” He continues:
If we think in terms of performance per pound, a bicycle is an amazing instrument light ones weighing 20# can carry 200#, a 10-1 relationship perhaps only equaled by barges.
We also love our bicycle. Two Loves by Kate Wagner is a helpful start but a bicycle is more than a tool, it’s a practice. Bicycle riding compels you to be present, to be there in the moment. In order to ride you have balance and be aware of your surroundings. While Chicago has many new protected bike paths, you still have to keep your eyes wide open and be hyper aware of your surroundings so you don’t get hit by a car or fall off. And it helps to have a bike as beautiful as the Tokyo Langster whose color scheme is inspired by the Katsura Palace.
Myron Goldsmith’s work Myron Goldsmith Poet of Structure
(The architect Myron Goldsmith rode his bicycle through Germany during his Fulbright and then fell off. He befriended Brigitte Schlaich and we will find and tell that story later.) #lincolnparkchicago #chicagocycling #specialized #specializedchicago #tokyolangster #miessociety #myrongoldsmith #cca #canadiancenterforarchitecture #birgittepeterhans #som #katsuraimperialvilla
Paring back to the essential
The architect John Pawson’s latest book is a wonderful discovery and an inspiration. Pawson is a master practitioner of identifying the essential, setting everything else aside and making the essential beautiful. Pawson elevates the everyday to something simple and rich with meaning. Mies van der Rohe pioneered this approach and called it beinahe nichts.
Cooking and and spending time with family are super important to us and its expression in our home is a priority.
What’s essential in your life?
Is there something–an activity or a pursuit–that you want to make a priority in your space?
How do you want to live?
John Pawson’s book Home Farm Cooking
#johnpawson #focus #kitchen #family #phaidon #lincolnparkchicago #winnetka #westtown #hydeparkchicago
The architect John Pawson’s latest book is a wonderful discovery and an inspiration. Pawson is a master practitioner of identifying the essential, setting everything else aside and making the essential beautiful. Pawson elevates the everyday to something simple and rich with meaning. Mies van der Rohe pioneered this approach and called it beinahe nichts.
Cooking and and spending time with family are super important to us and its expression in our home is a priority.
What’s essential in your life?
Is there something–an activity or a pursuit–that you want to make a priority in your space?
How do you want to live?
John Pawson’s book Home Farm Cooking
#johnpawson #focus #kitchen #family #phaidon #lincolnparkchicago #winnetka #westtown #hydeparkchicago
Feedback
I recently redesigned and supervised the construction of the parkway of the Mies van der Rohe high-rise building I call home. I did $20,000 worth of free work from getting the Dept of Forestry to sign off–our very nice, young, green and inexperienced landscape architects said it could not be done–to making sure the drawings were followed and no one got electrocuted. (Story for another time.) Another condo owner approached me, pointed at the new 20 inch tall, black powder coated, one by one inch, stainless steel bar stock fence and five foot wide flame-finish, absolute granite walkways and asked,
"Did you do this?"
"Why, yes." I replied.
"You think this is Mies?" He asked. His eyes grew wide and he turned red. He began to stutter–I never heard him stutter before.
"This, this, this, this...."
"This is IKEA."
I began to laugh inside. My first thought was to ask him what his unit looked like and inquire if there was there any contraband IKEA furniture in it. I designed my unit and everyone I share it with enjoys how I made a small space feel much larger, function better and fit like a glove.
"Ok"
I responded and I walked away so I could laugh out loud.
We all have emotional connections to places and spaces and I respect them but sometimes it can get a little over the top. I listen, consider it and I may not agree with but I take it all with stride. And sometimes it strikes me in the funny bone.
#lincolnparkchicago #mies #ikea
I recently redesigned and supervised the construction of the parkway of the Mies van der Rohe high-rise building I call home. I did $20,000 worth of free work from getting the Dept of Forestry to sign off–our very nice, young, green and inexperienced landscape architects said it could not be done–to making sure the drawings were followed and no one got electrocuted. (Story for another time.) Another condo owner approached me, pointed at the new 20 inch tall, black powder coated, one by one inch, stainless steel bar stock fence and five foot wide flame-finish, absolute granite walkways and asked,
"Did you do this?"
"Why, yes." I replied.
"You think this is Mies?" He asked. His eyes grew wide and he turned red. He began to stutter–I never heard him stutter before.
"This, this, this, this...."
"This is IKEA."
I began to laugh inside. My first thought was to ask him what his unit looked like and inquire if there was there any contraband IKEA furniture in it. I designed my unit and everyone I share it with enjoys how I made a small space feel much larger, function better and fit like a glove.
"Ok"
I responded and I walked away so I could laugh out loud.
We all have emotional connections to places and spaces and I respect them but sometimes it can get a little over the top. I listen, consider it and I may not agree with but I take it all with stride. And sometimes it strikes me in the funny bone.
#lincolnparkchicago #mies #ikea
Talk with Grant Ulrich of Chicago Dept of Buildings
We are hosting a talk with Grant Ulrich from the Chicago Department of Buildings. He is the attorney who helps interpret and improve our building code and further our understanding of it. Does anyone have any questions they would like me to ask? Please sign up #AIAChicago
https://aiachicago.org/aia-events/in-conversation-with-grant-ullrich-insights-from-the-city-of-chicagos-department-of-buildings-2/ ,
#lincolnparkchicago #chicago #ChicagoDOB
We are hosting a talk with Grant Ulrich from the Chicago Department of Buildings. He is the attorney who helps interpret and improve our building code and further our understanding of it. Does anyone have any questions they would like me to ask? Please sign up #AIAChicago
https://aiachicago.org/aia-events/in-conversation-with-grant-ullrich-insights-from-the-city-of-chicagos-department-of-buildings-2/ ,
#lincolnparkchicago #chicago #ChicagoDOB
Alignment
This is a word that means more than what meets the eye. It’s when your skills and expertise meet the opportunity to create something special and spectacular. There’s a depth and well of knowledge that gets brought to any design problem or permit issue that looks effortless or obvious after the fact but was only easy because of our 20 years of experience.
Here in the example the 2” tile above and to the left rests on pedestals outside and the 3/4” interior tile on the bottom right seated on a mud bed.
But what does it really accomplish?
It makes a small space look and feel larger and more spacious.
Alignment is never a given. It should never be assumed but opely discussed and spelled out by both parties. What’s professional to us exhibits the excellence illustrated here and that’s how we roll.
Concrete Collaborative
#lincolnparkchicago #mies #california #space #modernism #concrete_collaborative
This is a word that means more than what meets the eye. It’s when your skills and expertise meet the opportunity to create something special and spectacular. There’s a depth and well of knowledge that gets brought to any design problem or permit issue that looks effortless or obvious after the fact but was only easy because of our 20 years of experience.
Here in the example the 2” tile above and to the left rests on pedestals outside and the 3/4” interior tile on the bottom right seated on a mud bed.
But what does it really accomplish?
It makes a small space look and feel larger and more spacious.
Alignment is never a given. It should never be assumed but opely discussed and spelled out by both parties. What’s professional to us exhibits the excellence illustrated here and that’s how we roll.
Concrete Collaborative
#lincolnparkchicago #mies #california #space #modernism #concrete_collaborative