JasonStein's Blog

NY times looks at Hans Zwimpfer Housing Stack

JasonStein — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:47:52 GMT

The NY Times reports on Hans Zwimpfer solution to suburban sprawl. His Idea takes L shapes living blocks and stacks them while keeping the ideals of a single home intact; space, privacy, a yard.

Breaking down the design, pre-fab sets of dwelling spaces that can be stacked like a tetris puzzle, creating a unique block of living units. Hans states that this model allows for "the comforts of suburban living, with the convenience and ecological benefits of urban density."

So one is left to ask, how is this different from living in an cement walled apartment building or condo? Hans states that the outside walls of the block are load bearing allowing the resident to change the interior to fit their needs. Some of the fundamental reasons why people by single family homes are still left un-addressed. The land is still communal land, privacy issues are not solved as you still share parking and land, and I would only think you can build up or to the side, but if someone live above or below, I'm sure it isn't as easy if you were living on your own land.

What is even more interesting is Hans has patent the idea. I must be missing something here. I do not see a difference between this and any other stacked block construction. Well we all know all you have to do is change one thing and the patent is hard to enforce, especially in architecture where architects are learning and improving each other designs.

Read the NY times Article

Flower Tower by Edouard Francois

JasonStein — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:09:00 GMT

A friend and I were talking about the latest marketing campaign from Microsoft which is to defend against the I'm a Mac, I'm a PC adds that Apple Computer Company do so well.

In the new adverts, people joyfully state they are a PC. Usually after exclaiming some fact of what they do in life. (see the video here)

About 15 seconds into the commercial we see architect Edouard Francois where he states "I'm a PC and I design Green Buildings" with his Flower Tower behind him.

Now to be truly honest, I did not know of Edouard or his work until I started searching for that building in the ad. A few minutes with Google and I found this nice video explaining the building.

http://www.pavillon-arsenal.com/en/videosenligne/collection-2-5.php

Overall the concept intrigues me. I ask the community here to share you favorite green wall buildings. Share your favorites in the comments.

Inspiration:

http://www.buildinggreentv.com/keywords/green-wall

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/shigeru_ban_bui_1.php

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/11-buildings-wrapped-in-green-walls.php

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/01/15/vertical-gardens-by-patrick-blanc/

More building information can be found here: http://dev.pavillon-arsenal.com/anim/index_fr.php?id=378

Rotating Buildings

JasonStein — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:33:00 GMT

When I was a young child growing up in Rochester, NY, the city skyline had an unusual building to it. The First Federal Plaza Building on main street looked like your normal glass skinned box of a skyscraper until you noticed the top. With a child's imagination, the top of the building seemed to of had a flying saucer land atop it.

So with great curiosity I always stared at the top of this building, wondering why it was designed as it was. Well the history of the building was the top section contained a restaurant that slowly rotated so dinners would be able to get views of the entire city sky line. That restaurant closed in the mid 80's so I never had the chance to experience the rotating restaurant for myself.

So when the plans for the Dubai Rotating Tower made news months back I read all I can trying to imagine what it would be like to live or use a space where the view constantly changes. Would I have control of the rotation is I occupied the space, our would I be constantly raising and lowering window blinds to combat the rotation of the structure and the movement of the sun. I already get a bad glare on my TV in my stationary house, so I can imagine in a rotating room, the glare would constantly be changing.

I tend to think like this and therefor, if I had the money to lease a space in the Dubai Rotating Tower, I think I would pass. Eventually the rotating novelty would wear off and I would want my space, to remain stationary, Once I picked out the perfect view and solved the glare issues with my TV of course.

Here are some other rotating structures.

test of video

JasonStein — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:14:00 GMT

Planning a bike route with Google Maps from jason Stein on Vimeo.

Welcome

JasonStein — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:54:00 GMT

Welcome to Bentley's Community site and my blog space.

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