Thinking by Peter Davidson

Announced yesterday starcitect Frank Gehry will design a performing arts center for the ground zero site in NYC. Not only has the whole WTC project become a battle of developers, architects and public opinion it is now turning into a museum of turn of the century architectural egos writ large.

I have said before that Gehry is stylistically stuck. His clients now chase the success of Bilbao and everything he does has the same flavor.

Sometimes being remarkable can really last. India's number one tourist site, the Taj Mahal, which welcomed 3 million visitors last year is now 350 years old! It took 22,000 workers 23 years to build it.

via Right This Way

Following up on ways nature is informing architecture comes this report about researchers using moded rats to find survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Scientists are fitting rats with electrodes that monitor brain activity "triggers" when the rats detect the scent of humans. The signals are relayed to rescuers by a wireless transmitter attached to the back of the wired up rats. The rescuers will then know where to concentrate their rescue activities.

Sure the animal rights people will get their undies in a bunch but if they were trapped in a colapse they might reevaluate their thinking.

More and more projects that match electronic or biological sensors with animals or insects are being done to enhance and secure the future. Is cool, no?

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Years ago when I first studied the work of Frank Lloyd Wright I was fascinated to learn how he applied the lessons of nature to modern architectural design. One of my favorite examples is his foundation design for the Johnson Wax Research Tower in Racine, Wisconsin.

Innovative for it's time, the building features alternating square floors and round mezzanines cantilevered from a strong central core. The strong central core featuring an elevator and stair tower sits on a "taproot" foundation that is a concept learned from the saguaro cactus. The shaft of the cactus is firmly anchored to the dessert soil by a central taproot that grows straight down. This gives the tall skinny cactus plant a firm footing. Wright realized this was a excellent foundation system for a tall slender structure.

Today, structural engineers and entomologists are studying the amazing termite mounds of Africa for lessons that might translate to more efficient skyscraper construction. Scientists are learning just how incredibly complex these bug built wonders are. Not only are they amazing structurally but the extensive network of ventilation channels that capture winds and provide ventilation inside the structures creating a stable environment for the inhabitants.

Engineers hope to discover lessons that could lead to energy saving passive ventilation systems for tall buildings.

Termites create the mound structures as a habitat for themselves and as an optimized environment for a fungus colony that helps break down the wood fibers the termites then use to build the tower structure.

It seems fitting the every area of human endeavor finds inspiration and solutions by studying the designs of natural systems and structures. There's more help in the natural world than we know about. Seems we should all think twice about destroying natural systems before we fully understand all the have to offer.

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On my labor day weekend trip a friend and I took a one hour flight between major midwest cities. While waiting for our ride I pondered the incredible transportation innovation over the last 100 years that has cut the travel time between these cities to the one hour mark from what must have been days or weeks 100 years ago. From horse drawn wagons to jet aircraft. I also wondered how long traveling between these cities would take 100 years from now. I speculated 10 minutes. My travel companion couldn't imagine that. She failed to see the possibilities in transportation innovation. Maybe it will be an supersonic air taxi or a maglev train. The point is that more likely than not innovation will provide faster travel in the future.

Even elevator technology is climbing to new heights at a faster and faster pace. Witness the high speed observation deck elevators in the new Taipei 101:

The 1667-ft., 101-story building has 67 elevator units, including two that service the 89th-floor observation deck and qualify as the world's fastest. These rocket skyward at a peak speed of 3314 ft. per minute (fpm), more than 800 fpm faster than the previous record holder in Japan's Yokohama Landmark Tower. By comparison, an airline pilot normally maintains a climb, or descent rate, of no more than 1000 fpm.

Technical issues were not the limiting factor. Human factors such as noise and ear problems are the limiting factors:

State-of-the-lifting-art permanent magnet synchronous motors power the tower's system, and are smaller and produce more torque than conventional motors. High-strength steel hoist ropes with solid steel cores were developed to limit stretching and improve wear. Because braking temperatures would melt bronze safety shoes, designers specified ceramic shoes.

Surprisingly, achieving the height and speed required for Taipei 101 was the easy part. The real challenge was the human factor. To hold down noise--for those in the building, as well as in the elevators--the observation-deck shuttles are shaped like twin-nosed bullets, reducing aerodynamic drag, what is known in the trade as windage. They're equipped with sound-isolation shrouds, acoustic tiles and isolated floor platforms. Even the counterweights are aerodynamic.

With a cabin noise level of just 45 dBA, the Taipei 101 elevators are quieter than most automobiles would be at that speed, but as anyone who's flown a few times can tell you, it's the change in altitude that plays havoc with the human ear. The middle ear is a bit like a balloon, and if you can't adjust pressure by yawning or swallowing, the results are unpleasant at the least.

Whether it's high speed vertical or horizontal travel technology is enabling us to move about with greater freedom at lower costs. This is going to change our world in dramatic ways. Globalization and cultural conflicts will either be improved or aggravated by enhanced travel speed and efficiency.

BTW, Gadgetopia saves us the math. It's 37 m.p.h (59 k.p.h) vertically. Now that's a fast elevator.

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The architect E. Fay Jones died last week at age 83. I was deeply saddened by the news and full of memory of my one brief encounter with him.

When I was in architecture school in Indiana in the late 80s E. Fay Jones came to give a lecture. At that time I was in a studio working on a competition to design a new museum for a Viking Ship in Chicago. My design included a series of inverted boat shapes based on the Viking longhouse. The design of these forms featured bent wood ribs. While working one afternoon at my desk there was a stir of commotion in the studio. Suddenly a slight white haired Fay Jones appeared at the side of my desk. Seems my professor was touring him around the school. I was so stunned I could hardly speak to explain and present my work to him. Frank Lloyd Wright's work had inspired me as a child to become an architect. For me E. Fay Jones was as close to Wright himself as I was going to get.

All these years later I don't remember all of what he said to me. I do remember him saying that he had to think long and hard before he curved a piece of wood for one of his designs. He knew it was technically feasible but was it within the nature of the material. That was his primary concern. Overall my memories of him are a humble experienced man who held firmly to his principles. By the way his lecture was fascinating. He showed about 300 slides. I remember how amazing it was to learn how his architecture was informed by the site, the nature of materials and also historic precedent. Some of these beautiful homes in the landscapes of Arkansas were informed by the historic architecture of Europe.

If you are not familiar with the whole of E. Fay Jones' work I strongly encourage you to do a little research and discover the quiet master. He's known for his chapels but look also for his rich residential architecture that clearly stands on the shoulders of the prairie school.

Here is a good place to start with more memories of E. Fay Jones. Here is the Wikipedia entry for him.

Evidently, there is something at Kmart that people want to buy - Real Estate. Kmart has deals to sell 17 stores to Home Depot and as many as 54 stores to Sears. Kmart is getting rid of their poor performers. Will they survive as a leaner operation or have they lost the battle for relevance in the minds of customers?

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Advertising that knows when someone is watching. In fact it knows how many people are watching. It knows how far away you are and if you turn and leave in the middle of the presentation. It's digital street performance. The Human Locater system from Montreal based Freeset Interactive brings great flexibility to the design of interactive advertising. Clever design of the presentation could compare nicely with live street performance. Everything from getting attention to handling resistors who try to pass by ignoring what's going on. Interesting.

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Great fotolog gallery of pics taken by an ironworker who works on the Manhattan Bridge. [via]

Solar Powered Lights in Pavers

From the Website:

Imagine ... A city square by night, the paving is scattered with hundreds or thousands of tiny lights. Each light is set into the paving and sparkles and shimmers. Walking across the square is like walking over a magical glowing sea of sparkly lights. These are Tsola Lights. As well as looking beautiful, they have a huge technological advantage: they are powered only by daylight. During the day they use their internal solar cells to make their own electricity. There are no running costs, they must be the most environmentally friendly lights around.

The Tsola Lights turn themselves on automatically at dusk and run from the electricity they have stored up during the day. At dawn they turn their lights off and start charging up again for the next night.

Installation could not be easier. Because there is no wiring and no dangerous mains voltage, they can be set almost anywhere. Ideal for large outdoor areas like Leisure Parks, or for marking country walks, car parks, steps, drives.

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