#visionary architecture

[so-cal-ifornia]

Archigram, an avant-garde British architectural group that specialized in ‘visionary architecture’: utopian, dystopian or fantasy projects that were never meant to be built. Archigram spawned the most influential architectural movement of the 1960s.

[doshmanziari]

Here are two of my most recent drawings. I'm continuing to make highly colorful pieces, but for these I wanted to try working in a relatively monochromatic mode. The first was done using colored pencils and pens, while the other was just one colored pencil. It's been interesting to do these and see the resurgence of some mark-making and the application of negative space I mostly haven't used since doing large-scale landscape drawings in grad school.

[angelnumber27]

heavenly russia by sergei kuznetsov

[moneyisnobject]

Frederik (Frits) de Voogt 

(Haarlem, 21 augustus 1927 – aldaar, 20 december 2023)

The former Feadship director, naval architect and yacht designer had a decades-long career that followed in the footsteps of his father, Henri de Voogt, who died in 1958 and left the studio in the hands of his son.

Mr de Voogt was the grand master of De Voogt Naval Architects for decades. Together with his team, he shaped the dreams of demanding Feadship customers.

The designs were unique and are still the basis of today's Feadship yachts. Even after his retirement, he remained involved and interested in yacht building, always astute and always modest.

Frits de Voogt retired in 1995 and went on to win a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Showboat Design Awards in 2016.

Thank's to You, There are yachts and there are Feadships...

My sincere condolences to family, friends, and colleagues,

Rest in Power !

[uwmspeccoll]

A Staff Pick Decorative Sunday

I recently came across a video a farmer took of one of their pigs gently tearing out a bunch of flowers. The video then cut to the interior of a barn, where the pig lay sleeping in its nest, bunches of dried yellow wild flowers surrounding her. None of the farmers other pigs did this. Human animals are driven to adorn their spaces. But some humans are driven to elevate that endeavor from decoration to high art. 

There are many potential challenges when it comes to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artist-built environments, that is, environments that “involve an individual significantly transforming their surroundings into an exceptional, multifaceted work of art.” For over fifty years, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI has been dedicated to preserving these unique spaces. The ultimate goal is to preserve these works in their original contexts/sites, but issues ranging from changes in property ownership to exposure to the elements sometimes requires alternative preservation strategies.

Sublime Spaces & Visionary Worlds: Built Environments of Vernacular Artists, published in 2007 by the Princeton Architectural Press (New York, New York) with the Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI) seeks to “provide a lasting record of the art these men and women have created and situate the environments within historical and cultural continuums.” The publication was in conjunction with an exhibition presented June 2007-January 2008. Curator Leslie Umberger authored the book, with contributions by Erika Doss, Ruth DeYoung Kohler, Lisa Stone, and Jane Bianco. While viewing images of these spectacular constructed worlds can’t replicate the experience of being immersed within them, this kind of documentation can help carry the spirit of these artists forward in time, even if their work ends up being ephemeral. 

The cover image features The Forevertron, by Dr. Evermore (Tom Every, 1938-2020) located at the Evermore Sculpture Park in North Freedom, Wisconsin. It is the largest scrap metal structure in the world and weighs 300 tons. See image descriptions to learn more about the artworks. 

Find more of our Staff Picks here. 

Find more Decorative Sunday posts here.

-Olivia, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Artur Skizhali-Veys

[mcmansionhell]

we've found it folks: mcmansion heaven

Hello everyone. It is my pleasure to bring you the greatest house I have ever seen. The house of a true visionary. A real ad-hocist. A genuine pioneer of fenestration. This house is in Alabama. It was built in 1980 and costs around $5 million. It is worth every penny. Perhaps more.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Come on, Kate, that's a little kooky, but certainly it's not McMansion Heaven. This is very much a house in the earthly realm. Purgatory. McMansion Purgatory." Well, let me now play Beatrice to your Dante, young Pilgrim. Welcome. Welcome, welcome, welcome.

It is rare to find a house that has everything. A house that wills itself into Postmodernism yet remains unable to let go of the kookiest moments of the prior zeitgeist, the Bruce Goffs and Earthships, the commune houses built from car windshields, the seventies moments of psychedelic hippie fracture. It is everything. It has everything. It is theme park, it is High Tech. It is Renaissance (in the San Antonio Riverwalk sense of the word.) It is medieval. It is maybe the greatest pastiche to sucker itself to the side of a mountain, perilously overlooking a large body of water. Look at it. Just look.

The inside is white. This makes it dreamlike, almost benevolent. It is bright because this is McMansion Heaven and Gray is for McMansion Hell. There is an overbearing sheen of 80s optimism. In this house, the credit default swap has not yet been invented, but could be.

It takes a lot for me to drop the cocaine word because I think it's a cheap joke. But there's something about this example that makes it plausible, not in a derogatory way, but in a liberatory one, a sensuous one. Someone created this house to have a particular experience, a particular feeling. It possesses an element of true fantasy, the thematic. Its rooms are not meant to be one cohesive composition, but rather a series of scenes, of vastly different spatial moments, compressed, expanded, bright, close.

And then there's this kitchen for some reason. Or so you think. Everything the interior design tries to hide, namely how unceasingly peculiar the house is, it is not entirely able to because the choices made here remain decadent, indulgent, albeit in a more familiar way.

Rare is it to discover an interior wherein one truly must wear sunglasses. The environment created in service to transparency has to somewhat prevent the elements from penetrating too deep while retaining their desirable qualities. I don't think an architect designed this house. An architect would have had access to specifically engineered products for this purpose. Whoever built this house had certain access to architectural catalogues but not those used in the highest end or most structurally complex projects. The customization here lies in the assemblage of materials and in doing so stretches them to the height of their imaginative capacity. To borrow from Charles Jencks, ad-hoc is a perfect description. It is an architecture of availability and of adventure.

A small interlude. We are outside. There is no rear exterior view of this house because it would be impossible to get one from the scrawny lawn that lies at its depths. This space is intended to serve the same purpose, which is to look upon the house itself as much as gaze from the house to the world beyond.

Living in a city, I often think about exhibitionism. Living in a city is inherently exhibitionist. A house is a permeable visible surface; it is entirely possible that someone will catch a glimpse of me they're not supposed to when I rush to the living room in only a t-shirt to turn out the light before bed. But this is a space that is only exhibitionist in the sense that it is an architecture of exposure, and yet this exposure would not be possible without the protection of the site, of the distance from every other pair of eyes. In this respect, a double freedom is secured. The window intimates the potential of seeing. But no one sees.

At the heart of this house lies a strange mix of concepts. Postmodern classicist columns of the Disney World set. The unpolished edge of the vernacular. There is also an organicist bent to the whole thing, something more Goff than Gaudí, and here we see some of the house's most organic forms, the monolith- or shell-like vanity mixed with the luminous artifice of mirrors and white. A backlit cave, primitive and performative at the same time, which is, in essence, the dialectic of the luxury bathroom.

And yet our McMansion Heaven is still a McMansion. It is still an accumulation of deliberate signifiers of wealth, very much a construction with the secondary purpose of invoking envy, a palatial residence designed without much cohesion. The presence of golf, of wood, of masculine and patriarchal symbolism with an undercurrent of luxury drives that point home. The McMansion can aspire to an art form, but there are still many levels to ascend before one gets to where God's sitting.

If you like this post and want more like it, support McMansion Hell on Patreon for as little as $1/month for access to great bonus content including a discord server, extra posts, and livestreams.

Not into recurring payments? Try the tip jar! Student loans just started back up!

[visiondesignstudio]

Visionary Design in Dehradun: The Signature Style of Architect Ajay Maurya

Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dehradun offers a unique canvas for architecture. Here, where nature paints a masterpiece with every sunrise, the search for the best architect in Dehradun becomes a quest for someone who can seamlessly blend modern vision with timeless beauty. Enter architect Ajay Maurya, a name synonymous with visionary design in the city.

Ajay Maurya isn't just an architect; he's a storyteller. He weaves narratives into the very foundation of his projects, drawing inspiration from Uttarakhand's rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes. Each creation becomes a testament to his belief that the best architect in Dehradun understands the soul of the city and its people.

A Signature Style Rooted in Harmony

What truly sets Ajay Maurya apart is his signature style – a harmonious fusion of tradition and modernity. Imagine a contemporary living space where sunlight streams through windows adorned with intricate jaali work. Or picture a mountain retreat that utilizes locally sourced materials, whispering tales of the region's craftsmanship. This is the magic of Ajay Maurya's design philosophy.

Beyond Aesthetics: Functionality with Flair

While aesthetics are a cornerstone of Ajay Maurya's work, functionality reigns supreme. He understands that a home, an office, or any space he designs, needs to not just look stunning but also serve its purpose flawlessly. This meticulous attention to detail, where every element seamlessly integrates with the next, is a hallmark of the best architect in Dehradun.

A Legacy of Inspired Spaces

From palatial residences to cozy cafes, Ajay Maurya's portfolio boasts a diverse range of projects, each one a testament to his versatility. But the true measure of his success lies not just in the structures themselves, but in the way they transform lives. His spaces inspire, they comfort, and they tell stories – a quality that undeniably positions him as one of the best architects in Dehradun.

Working with a Visionary

If you're looking to build your dream home in Dehradun, a space that reflects your personality and celebrates the city's unique charm, then look no further than Ajay Maurya.  With his visionary approach and unwavering commitment to excellence, he's sure to translate your vision into a reality that exceeds expectations.

So, when you embark on your architectural journey in Dehradun, remember the name Ajay Maurya.  He's not just an architect; he's a collaborator, a storyteller, and a visionary who can turn your dream space into a reality that resonates with the soul of Dehradun.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - There are some deaths that are extremely difficult to accept. Geoffrey was such a huge light! To state that he shall be missed is an absurd understatement.

[welshlesbian]

Omg my old high school is number 2 on the efstyn list of 'most troubled schools'. New building, same bullshit I guess

[igate777]

(via RECASTING THE VISIONARY SPIRIT AND MANDATE OF OUR PRESENCE ON EARTH. LOOKING AHEAD OF 2024. PT 7.)

[archivist-dragonfly]

Book 237

Visionary Drawings of Architecture and Planning: 20th Century through the 1960s

George R. Collins

The MIT Press 1979

This thin square paperback from MIT is a fascinating examination of architectural and urban planning drawings that might be considered visionary or utopian. Featuring work from some of the giants in the field—Wright, Fuller, Gropius, Isozaki, Kahn, Le Corbusier, van der Rohe, Neutra, and many others—it is almost like a glimpse into an alternate 20th century.

[angelnumber27]

The Jewel in the Center of the Universe

Erial Ali

[michaelgarfield]

Dreaming up #solarpunk #utopia #visions at the intersection of @arcosanti_arizona & @biosphere2 with the help of #Midjourney! For years, @futurefossilspodcast has explored the #legacy of these #futuristic #architectural wonders, their social experiments, their impact on #sciencefiction, and the curious failure of mainstream society to learn from or implement their daring #biomimicry and #visionary #design. But my friends and I still bear the torch of their messages, debate their challenging heritages, stand in #awe and respect of the hardships of their creators and the stories they told through their amazing #buildings. It's been a delight to explore their possible offspring with #AIArtwork... If you want to learn more, check out #FutureFossils episodes 94, 95, 96, 98, and 146, and visit Bandcamp for my live concert album from @convergencefestival 2018...plenty more where that came from! And more #midjourneyart coming soon...HMU on Patreon for access to my entire #dreamstream and exclusive new #digitalart and stay tuned for some epic new #surrealistart #conceptart #psychedelicart prints! (at Santa Fe, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgXyKx5PBB6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[djzentao]

Camden Qilin by andy council https://flic.kr/p/S6ARgm