Tag Archives: architecture

News Items

Battle Hall Conservation Study

 

Sample_Izabella and Sarah
GRA’s Izabella Dennis (left) and Sarah Hunter (right)

The Battle Hall Architecture and Planning Library at the University of Texas at Austin was designed by architect Cass Gilbert in 1911, setting the stylistic tone for future academic architecture and shaping the distinguished Texas university campus. In preparation for a preservation and improvement campaign of the University of Texas’ first architectural masterpiece and its later extension, West Mall Building, a Facilities Condition Report was produced by an outside consultant in 2011 to identify measures to restore the building. Several building elements required further investigation to determine original finishes, best methods for cleaning and treating historic materials, and recommendations for restoration. The UT Office for Campus Planning and Facilities Management provided support and funding for the remaining studies to be carried out through the UT Architectural Conservation Lab under the supervision of Senior Lecturer and Conservation Scientist Frances Gale.

Masonry Testing in the UTSOA Architectural Conservation Lab
Masonry Testing in the UTSOA Architectural Conservation Lab
Marble Cleaning
Marble Cleaning Tests on the Battle Hall Staircase

Graduate Research Assistants Izabella Z. Dennis and Sarah B. Hunter from the UT School of Architecture Historic Preservation program had the opportunity to participate in this materials conservation study. The work included laboratory analysis of finish samples from ornamental metals, exterior wood building components, the interior wood reading room ceiling and interior plaster finishes. Cleaning tests were performed on interior marble, and protective treatments were evaluated for the exterior limestone veneer. The study involved archival research of the original construction documents and subsequent renovations of Battle Hall, on-site condition assessments and sample collection, and both laboratory and on-site testing. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to help restore original finishes to metal, wood and plaster elements of Battle Hall during its proposed renovation.

Finish Sample Statigraphy
Finish Sample Statigraphy

After documenting original finishes, including linseed oil paints and lead pigments, practical recommendations were developed using contemporary materials. This project involved close collaboration with Facilities Services in accessing hard-to-reach building components, conducting interior marble cleaning tests and exploring practical preservation solutions.

library, special collections

New Books at the Architecture and Planning Library: Architecture and Movement

Blundell Jones, Peter and Mark Meagher, ed. Architecture and Movement: The Dynamic Experience of Buildings and Landscapes.  New York: Routledge, 2015.

Too often, the aesthetic is seen as opposed to the useful or purposeful, and yet life is not so easily subdivisible. It is vital to our well-being that we know where we are and where are going, in both an immediate, literal sense and in a long-term, metaphorical sense. How these two are connected, this book will gradually reveal. (pg. 4)

ArchitectureMovement

Peter Blundell Jones and Mark Meagher edit a selection of articles and writings about the experience of moving through and within buildings, cities, and the constructed landscape. The book is divided into four parts: Moving through buildings and landscapes: the designer’s perspective; Movement as experienced by the individual; Movement as social and shared; and The representation of moment.

Some of the articles are excerpts from primary texts like Vitruvius or the Rule of St. Benedict. A translation of Hermann Muthesius’s chapters on approach and circulation from Wie Baue Ich Mein Haus is also included. If you are interested in the complete work or how the reprinted chapters relate to the larger whole, you are in luck. APL has three editions of the Wie Baue Ich Mein Haus in Special Collections.

Muthesius

library, new books

New Books at the Architecture & Planning Library: System Structures, Engineering, and Construction

To paraphrase Larry Speck’s address at the opening of the exhibit “To Know a Building” at the Architecture and Planning Library reading room last week: A great building doesn’t just spring complete from the mind of the architect; it’s creation depends on the collaboration and work of a great team  that includes engineers, construction teams, building managers and clients. Some interesting new books at the Architecture & Planning Library this week focus on this collaborative process of the realization of architectural design.

Architectural System Structures: Integrating design complexity in industrialised construction by Kasper Sánchez Vibaek proposes a system structure in architectural design based on the use of flexible constituent elements (determined by what the current and future building industry is capable of producing) to make decisions about the assemblage of a building.

Collaborations in Architecture and Engineering by Clare Olsen and Sinéad Mac Namara focuses on team-building and problem solving between architects and engineers. The authors, an architect and an engineer with extensive teaching experience, use case studies to discuss architect and engineer collaborations that show how to solve real-world problems and engage creatively with technological challenges.

1 Angel Square by Len Grant documents the construction process of an iconic new building in Manchester, England. The author includes interviews with the project team (clients, architects, engineers, and builders) along side photographs documenting the process from the archeological dig of the site before construction began, to the completed stucture in use.

*Clicking the title of any book in this post will link you directly to the library catalog.

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New Books at the Architecture and Planning Library 9/23/14

We’ve got so many great new books this week, it was hard to choose! Here are three I didn’t want to put down:

The Air From Other Planets: A Brief History of Architecture to Come by Sean Lally is an intriguing discussion of the future of architecture as the design of energy. In the introduction Lally asks “Instead of thinking of architecture as a mass of inert and ossified energy–even stone and steel were not always solid masses–standing as walls in opposition to their surroundings and carving out interior space, why not look to intensify those very energy systems we know are capable of creating microclimates and distinct ecosystems so as to make them architectural materials in themselves?” (p14).  This book is a great read for anybody interested in interactive design.

Superkilen: A Project by Big, Topotek 1, Superflex edited by Barbara Steiner takes the reader through the design and construction of the multi award winning one kilometer long urban space located in an ethnically diverse neighborhood of Denmark. This book includes interviews with architects and residents, plans, maps, drawings, photographs, and an index of objects used in the project. Superkilin is sure expand your perception of the possibilities of public spaces.

Spa-De: Space and Design 19 published by Artpower is a fun source of inspiration for your next design project.  This book covers design projects from Europe, North America, and Australia completed in 2011 and 2012. Projects are presented in three sections: “Lighting Graphics,”  “Elaborately Designed Food Shops,”  and “World Spatial Design.” The beautiful large color photographs, site plans and elevations are described in Japanese and English.  Some of my favorite projects from the book are pictured below.

*Clicking the title of any book in this post will link you directly to the library catalog.

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The beauty of concrete: Le Béton en Représentation

Beauty is probably not the first word that comes to mind when people think of concrete,but one look through photographs in Le Béton en Representation:La Mémoire Photographique de l’Enterprise Hennebique 1890-1930 is enough to make you fall in love with the material. Francoise Hennebique’s “ferro-concrete”, a system of steel reinforced concrete patented in 1892 as Béton Armé, helped popularize the use of concrete in Europe and the near east.  In addition to establishing his own company, Hennebique cannily used a network of agents to license the use of his patented system to firms constructing their own designs with the amazing results that between 1892 and 1902 over 7,000 structures were built using the system Hennebique.

You might think, that is all very interesting, but this book is in French and I can’t read it.  Why would I check this out?  Check it out for the amazing, inspiring photographs! The commercial photographers who documented these buildings may have only been interested in creating realistic images to use in advertising and promotional materials, but these images are so beautiful! Photography captures the prismatic surfaces and stark lines of concrete silos, bunkers, and staircases and transforms bland industrial structures into stunning modernist compositions.  The fine tonal gradations of concrete are captured so exquisitely by the medium of black and white photography, the hard shell metamorphoses into a sensual surface, almost suggestive of human skin.

To be inspired by more images like these , Le Béton en Représentation can be found in the library catalog here.

 

library

Oversized Books are an Overdose of Awesome

This semester, we’ve started directing the spotlight towards some features of the Architecture & Planning Library that we think are awesome, especially our array of journal subscriptions and New Books table. Today, we have another addition to add to our lineup: our oversized books shelf!

Located just to the right of the New Books table and circulation desk, our oversized books shelf is hard to miss, especially if you’re heading into the stacks to find that book on Paul Cret for your research paper. These books are too large to fit snugly in our normal stack arrangements, and often, they are some of the most interesting and comprehensive!

Currently featured on the top shelf for easy reading is The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture. Phaidon is a publishing giant known for creating textbooks that are just as beautiful as they are informative, and this atlas is no exception. Its 834 pages measure out at a whopping 21″ x 17″ and contain over 5,000 stunning color images and architectural drawings of some of the most outstanding work done across the world since 1998. Think of this monolith as hundreds of modern architectural periodicals bound together – without the advertisements and agendas. Works of contemporary giants are featured amongst up-and-coming architects in various countries, and projects range from the smallest of houses to prominent airports, art galleries, and office buildings.

This resource is truly unparalleled by any alternative atlas or journal. I often find myself wandering over to the oversized books shelf just to page through the imagery and drawings as a reminder of why architecture is such an inspiring field to be a part of.

Even better? There’s another oversized book shelf in our Reading Room. Yet another one of our not-so-hidden gems in our library, I hope you find yourself frequenting our oversized books shelves in the future!

Call Number: -F- NA 687 P43 2004

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Journal Feature: Frame

This week’s journal feature highlights Frame, a European bi-monthly design periodical. The most recent September/October 2013 issue offers two-page quick-spreads of noteworthy designs from around the world, ranging from an illuminated night club in Portugal, a historic hotel in Malaysia, and the transformation of a power station to a cultural center in the Netherlands. In addition, Frame’s pages are studded with competitions and installations, often documenting the creative process behind unveiled designs with pictures, sketches, and models.

In the Features section, selected projects of specific architects and design firms are explored in depth, delving into the design process and project goals through interviews with the designers themselves, including two separate teams of brothers located in New York City. A portion of this issue’s Features section is dedicated to design in Brooklyn, showcasing projects that adhere to local roots and pay special attention to where their materials are sourced from. This spread brings forth the reclaim and reuse trend that has taken hold in recent years, and gives spectacular depth into the ethos of designers who value quality in modern craft.

Frame also showcases pioneers of eclectic design in their Portrait section, or those that don’t fit easily into one broad category of creative ingenuity. Paying tribute to the London-based designer Faye Toogood, the inspiration behind the “Get Raw” cover of this issue, Frame explores the diverse skill set and dynamic design ideas behind those who practice in a cross-discpline environment. Once again, through interviews, stunning photography, and vital artist quotes, Frame offers invaluable insight into the minds of those who have made design their livelihood.

The Reports section offers the same depth and insight as the designer interviews, but with product manufacturers and craftsmen that are so key to the realization of designs. Cotton, handcrafted wood, acoustic panelling, and more are brought to focus, their innovative design applications exposed. For designers, keeping up to speed with the most cutting-edge products available is essential, and Frame offers a behind-the-scenes insight into what drives the creativity of those in the manufacturing realm.

The 224-page issue of Frame is full of captivating curiosities and a wealth of design inspiration. Each page is inviting and educational; even the advertisements take you on a miniature design journey that often left me subconsciously envisioning the perfect space for a product to shine. Frame‘s unusual depth into the diverse world of design practitioners, transcending the realms of interior design and architecture into industrial design and installation art, is showcase of the beauty behind myriad creative individuals working towards a common goal: great design.

The September/October issue of Frame, along with four more of the most recent bi-monthly issues, are available for use in our Reading Room. There’s a good chance you might find me sitting at a nearby table, still flipping through each page… if that’s the case, just ask me to share – I promise I will!

Call Number: NK 1700 F73 no. 94

For more of everything Frame, keep up with them on Facebook or Twitter.

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Journal Feature: AMC Le moniteur architecture

In honor of the upcoming 101 Years of Interior Design Celebration in late October, our journal feature this week showcases some of 2013’s best interior projects. AMC Le moniteur architecture is a French language periodical that the Architecture & Planning Library receives monthly, and the delivery of their special annual publication came at an apt time!

If you’re not versed in French, no worries – AMC is full of large-scale drawings and beautiful photographs, which is universal for any language. This special issue features office, tourism, retail, and restaurant projects with innovative and striking interiors. My first thought while flipping through the pages: if I had consistently looked through journals during my studios as an undergraduate, my designs would have been so much more influenced by modern worldly trends! It’s hard to not feel inspired by each and every project.

Our Reading Room’s east wall is lined with periodicals from across the globe focusing on interior design, architecture, planning, sustainable design, historic preservation, construction technology, and beyond. We encourage you to flip through one (or two… or twelve) to get an in-depth look at what’s happening in the design world today!

If you’re interested in more great interior design periodicals, we also highly recommend Project Russia, a journal from Russia (no kidding). This month’s issue revolves around the possibility that design may be entering another age of exciting change. The articles are in English, too!

AMC Le moniter architecture Call Number: NA 1048.6A673
Project Russia Call Number: NA 1188 P764

special collections

Treasures from the Weinreb Architectural Collection

In 1968, a proxy working on behalf of the University of Texas Libraries walked into book dealer Ben Weinreb’s London shop and purchased his entire stock. There was no catalog and many copies existed in duplicate or bulk. In 1970, a visitor to the university noted that these materials were still in boxes, but eventually over 50,000 books, journals, drawings and papers were assumed into the architectural book collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center where many volumes remain available to scholars and independent researchers.

In the late 1980s, HRC, University of Texas Libraries and Architecture and Planning Library staff began discussing the possible transfer of Weinreb duplicates from the HRC to the Architecture and Planning Library’s special collections. This would lead to the infusion of over 5,900 of what Weinreb felt “were ordinary working books of value for the information they contained rather than their antiquity, rarity, or fine printing into the Architecture and Planning Library’s collection, increasing holdings by 15%.

Unusual among the architect and educator libraries stored in the Architecture and Planning Library special collections, the Weinreb Architectural Collection expresses no discrete professional or academic vision. Rather, Weinreb, who has been described as an “incorrigible buyer of bulk,” was an accidental architectural enthusiast whose “restless ambition to fortify [himself] with [a warehouse] full of stock” eventuated the assembly of both rare and ubiquitous volumes on architecture in English, Dutch, French, German and Italian. These materials address a range of topics including hospital and asylum architecture, the history of interior design, ornament, plumbing, metalwork and design theory. In addition, several monographs for great residential palaces complement other such folios held in special collections.

Stay tuned for more from the Weinreb Architectural Collection!

 

 

special collections

Konstruktions-Arbeiten des Kunst-und Bauschlossers

Metzger, Max Josef. Konstruktions-Arbeiten des Kunst-und Bauschlossers. Düsseldorf: F. Wolfrum 190-.

Collection: Weinreb Architectural Collection

Konstruktions-Arbeiten des Kunst-und Bauschlossers is a portfolio documenting original designs for iron staircases, gazebos, pavilions, bridges, windows, porticos and more. The portfolio’s 100 plates provide detailed plans for these elements, including scaled renderings and exact weight calculations to assure design integrity after construction. The graphic assembly of each plate ensures maximum legibility while presenting plans and sections as not simply part of the design process, but, rather, as discrete works of art.

Library of Congress call number: NA 3450 M434