LANscapes

While actors the likes of Jamie Foxx and Russel Crowe attempt careers on the microphone, and singers such as 50 cent attempt to make a dollar or "die tryin'" on the big screen, an evolution of "starchitects" have resorted to shift their sights on the built forms of the theatrical arts. A multitude of theatrical performances in New York City this spring - ballet, opera, and theatre - incorporate architectural design in various ways. Thematic or set design, it is perhaps not entirely surprising that this synchronistic phenomenon comes at a time when development continues to wain, employment remains stagnant, and hope for the advancement of investment in the public realm remains cautious. Architecture of Dance, The Glass House, Attila, The Bilbao Effect, and Theatre for One are architectural interventions that provide an exciting new layer within the performance arts, and instigate a new dialogue with their respective audiences. Calatrava's kinetic d...

While technical drawings have existed throughout time, most drafts people have used some combination of table with slanted top and parallel rules. Other tools include the T-square and compass. Archaeological evidence even suggests the architect of the Greek Parthenon went so far as to scratch a technical drawing onto the marble floor to guide his workers. Fast-forward to modern times; the pantograph helped usher in the modern use of mechanical and computer-assisted design (CAD). While some continue to use the drafting table and handheld tools, CAD has infiltrated even the smallest of offices and sole proprietorships to output technical drawings accurately and efficiently. Are we at risk of creating spaces and places that are less “thick” with meaning? Does the potential for a serendipitous culmination of experiences – as those we receive when we travel by foot instead of car, rail instead of air – give way to sterility and precision? A new city, a new office, and a new career wit...