Since the 1960s, Portland has been investing in public space as a valuable asset. Lawrence Halprin’s fountain designs are a large part of this success. Here are a few photos of Portland public space designed by this landscape architect.
Monthly Archives: September 2010
Sun Belt Sprawl – NY Times
Christoph Gielen
Today’s NY Times yielded an interesting article about the photographer Christoph Gielen and his aerial photography work. As a designer, it is highly un-surprising that master plans have appealingly unique, fanciful dichotomies from their unidealized realities on the ground. But it is very interesting to see the aerials of prisons, given their general obscurity in American life. I found myself thinking about the people inside these houses, inside these prisons: who are they? why are they there? Sometimes you need a macro viewpoint to consider the most micro.
The full slideshow is available here.
Marfa, TX
While still in Austin, I made the journey to the 2,121 person West Texas town of Marfa. Famous for Donald Judd’s association from the early 70s until his death in 1994, Marfa, Texas has become a mecca for maximalist art lovers across the world. In the last decade several galleries have opened there, with Ballroom Marfa being the most famous. You may have heard about the “Hello Meth Lab in the Sun” exhibit by Jonah Freeman and Justin Low. That was Ballroom Marfa.
The Chinati Foundation is a collection of Donald Judd’s work, as well as the work of many of his close friends includng Dan Flavin, Roni Horn, John Chamberlain, and Carl Andre.
