My Architect

I don’t know why I haven’t blogged about this film until now. I think I’ve had the intention of blogging it about 5 different times, but never have. I’ve been telling people to go watch this movie since the first time I watched it about two years ago with my dad. It’s an amazing film by the son of famous architect Louis I. Kahn, Nathanial Kahn. It’s a documentary about the son’s path to discover his father through visiting his architecture, but you really couldn’t write a story more compelling if you tried. It’s a beautiful film, so please go rent it, or download it, or whatever you have to do. The story is beyond compelling, and the cinematography and the way he captures the architecture will take your breath away, and might even bring a little tear to your eye. Learn more about the film here, and more about Louis Kahn right here.

Stephen Holl

In my opinion, Stephen Holl is one of the most prolific contemporary architects around. The way in which he uses and plays with light is truly captivating and the organic nature of his designs get me every time. Some of you Seattleites might be familiar with his work without even knowing it, as he is the architect behind the Chapel of St. Ignatius on the campus of Seattle University.

If you haven’t experienced this building, take a field trip stat. Go tomorrow. Go tomorrow morning and go again at night. The way he uses light in that space will take your breath away. And the fact that there isn’t a 90 degree angle in the whole place is pretty captivating too. Anyways, this guy is dope and the addition he designed to the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, MO is no exception. The new five building addition- known as the Bloch Building- opened yesterday to the public and is absolutely beautiful.

Holl’s larger architectural concepts of integrating natural landscapes with his structures, as well as emphasizing and accentuating natural light and reflections of water seemed to all come together perfectly with the Bloch building. I think it’s pretty interesting the way his five buildings- which he refers to as lenses- are juxtaposed with a classic temple-style building donning huge ionic columns which is very representative of an old and often sterile way of experiencing “art”. While Holl’s buildings seem to represent a new way to experience art- through the marriage and integration of art on the outside (the architecture) and the art that lies within. Truly breathtaking, and I hope to visit someday. Find out more info on the Bloch building here or here.

The Glass House

For those of you who are interested, or for those who might be in the Connecticut area sometime in the next year, Philip Johnson’s famous Glass House– inspired by a Mies Van de Rohe design– is now open to the public for the first time in 50+ years. The 47-acre site features buildings from every decade of Johnson’s life and surveys architecture, art and landscape design from the second-half of the twentieth century. The re-opening of the site hopes to serve as a catalyst for the preservation of modern architecture as well as a canvas for cultivating new ideas honoring the spirit of Philip Johnson and David Whitney. It’s really worth checking out, even if tickets are sold out until 2008. To get more info, purchase tickets or set up patron tours visit www.philipjohnsonglasshouse.org or call 203.966.8167.

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CONTACT! Loved this show, and now I love it even more! Check out this fantastic clip! Thanks to A Daily Dose of Architecture… golden.