Architecture is Nice

Unmotivating Words from Studio

| Viciously Sweet

Here is a small collection of some of the hilarious and hurtful things I heard during 5 years of architecture school.

All names have been removed to protect the innocent, and me from lawsuits.

The last one offended photobucket. Well it wasn’t so pleasant being told that either….

♫Lauren

Happy Architecture: John Hancock Tower

| Viciously Sweet

I don’t usually post any of the architectural stuff that I do.  I have no idea why really… Maybe because I feel people are way too stuffy about architecture. Maybe because it’s what I do all day… anyways…

I was torn on this one because it is at both times architecture and a doodle. But I decided to post it because it is my favorite skyscraper. Simple and structurally magnificent I present to you Big John from Chicago:

Seriously they call it "Big John"

Also can anyone tell SOM, that I would like to make big buildings with them? Because its true.

♫Lauren

I saw the Sign

| Viciously Sweet

I thought I would share my favorite sign in the Burbank area:

picture from laist.com

I am such a fan of modern signage and aesthetics, and this was one of the many things I loved about going to school in Burbank. And this sign had all the colors shapes and design to make me goo goo for it. On any especially stressful day, passing this sign can make almost anything better.

Fun Fact: This motel is used a lot as a crime scene on CSI! And it was used as a filming location for Apollo 13.

Across the street from here is a comic book store where you can meet Spongebob, no lie. It’s called the House of Secrets…

They have a lot of art from Ragnar there:

As an epilogue I must show my favorite thing in Burbank…

The fountain at the Valley Pumping Plant:

That fountain is my obsession.

♫Lauren

My Favorite Buildings: Braly/Continental Building

| Viciously Sweet

There is so much respect for skylines and obsession with landmarks that sometimes we forget that some pieces of Architecture are really great… especially in Los Angeles and they don’t have to be designed by Frank Gehry…

I must add the Braly/Continental  Building in Downtown LA as one of my favorite buildings in the Los Angeles Area.

located at 408 S. Spring Street

Designed by John Parkinson who opened a practice in 1894 in Los Angeles.

It is one of the first skyscrapers in this area… created in 1903, it has 13 floors and measures 174 ft.

 It was created right as Los Angeles created a 150 ft maximum height on structures… although the city did not carry through with their stringent Haussman like ideals, and let several skyskrapers be built the 1960s and 1970s.

An interesting fact is that The Braly Building was actually the tallest building in Los Angeles until 1928 when City Hall was completed.

What makes the Braly building a lovely piece of Architecture is how stately it is. It was created in Beax Arts style and is a delicious example of the period it was built in. It is now located in the “Financial District” of Downtown, and is quite a center piece.  It can be seen from a distance and there are lovely views of it from the California Plaza, actually some of the best views of it can be seen from here for free :).

 If you are ever in downtown have a look at it… it’s totally worth it

i can’t believe i wrote about architecture… do i get a prize?

♫lauren

About your rendering

| Viciously Sweet

Eric’s rendering was at first a little scary….. so I took it to the dark side…

Here is my version of Resident Evil…. greetings stranger:

Here is Darth Vader at his day job…. greeting students “Bathrooms are to the left”:

Here is Halo 3…. Level: Chapman, Game: Capture the red light :

And because it’s been like 15 minutes since I’ve mentioned her… Lady Gaga (today’s lady of choice) planning her love games:

enjoy!

♫LAUREN

Jackson Memorial: Off the Wall

| Viciously Sweet

The meaning of life is contained in every single expression of life. It is present in the infinity of forms and phenomena that exist in all of creation.”- Michael Jackson

I find this contest incredibly fascinating.

Designing a Memorial to Michael Jackson, this is sponsored by an architectural website called Archinect.

You can link to the rules here.

I think this should be made news to more than designers because fans could make something awesome too.

remember it has to be cooler than this:

however seeing a 100 foot tall sequined glove may be nice in the Los Angeles skyline.

♫LAUREN