Residence for a Sculptor is presented frontally on a hillside frankly expressing opposition, or additions, with which it was conceived. The number of issues may well be skin and muscle, stage and expectation, exposure and publicity. Certain environment are an extension of the building climate, which in turn, increase the larger pieces of ceramic sculpture.

A soft and smooth facade rises on the slope and reflects the linear displacement of the spaces. Supporting this is a steel structure, exposed in the back up the hill. The dialogue here is between fineness and unrefined, between an outward force and physical effort required to file.

The first impression of the house emphasizes its horizontal organization and suggests the view to the east. It comes from behind on the uphill side is far from the suggested view. Although the expectations promise a horizontal and outward, the first reality is a strong vertical space, introverted, where the sculptor presents his pottery. This space is on one side of a curved wall and twisted steel, 7 feet high, and a curved staircase against the opposite wall. Only after venturing through this space, up the stairs and across a bridge, it reveals itself in the long exterior view of Valle de la Luna. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Lloyd Wright designed in 1934-35 an extraordinary house in Bear Run Nature Reserve, Pennsylvania, to 1298 meters above sea level. Here, the river that runs through the site suddenly drops 30 meters. This house is known as the House in the waterfall, which redefined the relationship between man, architecture and nature.

This house was built as a weekend for Mr. Edgar Kaufmann, his wife and his son, who studied architecture for a short period in school-Wright’s Taliesin home.

The family had owned this place for 15 years, and when Wright was commissioned to design the house, had in mind a house opposite the waterfall, to appreciate it. However, Wright joined the design of the house with its own waterfall, posándola just above it so that became part of the life of the Kaufmann.

More information and images of the House in Falls below.

Wright’s admiration towards Japanese architecture was key to its design inspiration from this house, like most of his works. As in Japanese architecture, Wright wanted to create harmony between man and nature, and integration of the house with the waterfall was successful in that. The house was designed to always feel the force with which the water falls, not visually but through sound, heard throughout the house. Read the rest of this entry »

Construction is almost complete for the Beekman Tower by Frank Gehry in New York. Comprising only 76 floors, this residential tower located between the southern city hall plaza and the Brooklyn Bridge, will offer a public elementary school, luxury apartments, a space for a hospital and one underground parking…

To go back a little in detail, the building’s structure has been made of reinforced concrete and draped a facade of stainless steel on which architect have escaped their imagination. Beekman Tower will be one of the largest buildings in New York and should be inaugurated later this year.

Here are some pictures of the same tower building (76 floors), taken this winter during my trip to New York. Read the rest of this entry »

It was at Villefranche-sur-Mer lies the Chapel of St. Peter Fisherman decorated (inside and outside) by Jean Cocteau. In love with the city and in this dilapidated chapel in the Romanesque style that served as distributed to fishermen in 1957 the artist decided with their agreement, to restore it.

The exterior is in harmony with ocher and white, and inside (currently at the end of restoration) the walls are entirely covered with drawings by Jean Cocteau. Read the rest of this entry »

‘Harrods Buenos Aires’ was the first and only English branch of the store outside their country of origin, opening in 1914. The mall closed in 1998 and the building is closed since then, although it has been open sporadically for some shows … (Wikipedia)

In 1997 London’s Harrods store lost the trial that had begun to prevent its branch in Buenos Aires the marketing of its name ….

With the approved architectural design, and the announcement of the start of the tender, ‘Harrods Buenos Aires’ of nine plants and about 58,000 m2 will reopen its doors in 2013. More than once different groups of investors sought to impose their venture in the strategic location in the block bounded by Cordova, Florida, San Martin and Paraguay. This time it exceeded the two main pitfalls: having municipal permission and get the money for investment, which, according to Rodolfo Miani, BMA study of architect in charge of the work will require more than 40 million dollars… Read the rest of this entry »