dustineichler’s posterous

While it's been a really nice festival. The name does bother me if it is a play on words, "Sex and the City". Anyways, It's going on all month long. Don't miss your chance to do a city tour or attend a lecture. 

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Architecture is the philosophy and psychology in between our identities and our location. This loosely translated quote is from the newly gifted book I received, called "The Architecture of Happiness" that I'm reading while I'm away from SF. For me it more or less sums up a seldom felt but nonetheless visceral experience architecture can have over you. It's as settling as looking into a Mark Rothko painting as seen on Madmen. I'm pumped for season three by the way.

What I already love about this book however is that it's putting a much needed and necessary vocabulary to an otherwise new field I admittedly still know nothing about. I'm a lot further along than I was 5 months ago however and since then, I've religiously read Architectural Digest and/ or Architectural Review. If it helps or is helping I don't know and doesn't matter. I enjoy the long reads. Nevertheless, like smelling a fine wine or looking at art, I enjoy being able to describe what I smell, see or taste technically. Sadly, it's hardly ever enough for me to enjoy the work while I've always had an interest in learning how everything works. In any case, this book reminds me of something I've encountering lately. While architecture is impactful... both good and bad. Some forums attest to the Architects lament. It's sad and somewhat ironically funny if you can't enjoy what I wholly see or look for everyday as hobby. Point being, you should enjoy the work you create, I'm just not seeing it unless you're widly successful in the field. My guess is, the industry is just very hard. I think however, somethings should be left as hobbies and although my typical progressions generally turns from novice to anything but... I think I realistically if you want to hold onto something, patience is key.

As far as I can tell and as far as I've read thus far, I highly recommend this book if not for the conversation aspect of it.

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photo credit SCB

Unless you live in San Francisco you may not be familiar with One Rincon Hill, otherwise you'd be hard pressed to miss it. It's a lone towering residential skyscraper of a building waiting for the rest of the city to catch up. It's pretty magnificent in that it's design is a departure from traditional city architecture and it's placement depicts a new void in San Francisco's city skyline. The rest of the city will soon need to catch up where this building now stands and the urban skyscrapers of San Francisco financial district are.

The developer responsible for this structure is Urban West Associates, who brought in the architects at Soloman Cordwell Buenz. While I'm appreciative of their contribution to our city scape, I'm somewhat reluctant to applaud their effort only because they're not SF based. Do we not have the skill or resounding architectural talent here to achieve this dream. Can we not re imagine our own city design. I'm learning Chicago is somewhat of a hub in the US for architecture, but made in SF by SF is something I'd like to see albeit somewhat naive.

From SCB's website, a description of their work

One Rincon Hill San Francisco, California

The project consists of two slender residential towers that step up to the crest of Rincon Hill. The taller 55-floor tower marks the intersection of First and Harrison Streets and has the primary entrance for the complex at its base. This tower has a gently curved wall that acknowledges the entrance and makes a gesture toward the city center.

The shorter 46 story tower has a similar curved wall facing the diagonally opposite direction and gestures toward the Bay Bridge and bay. Using balcony locations and varying window patterns, each tower has been visually separated into vertical masses that emphasize their slenderness. The project will contain 709 residential units.

What changes are you seeing in our skyline? I'm still seeing an ample amount of construction going up everyday.

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In the service of others is a compelling way to live your life, engineering alone is not enough for me. While extremely rewarding and beneficial, finding something other than what I make a living at is equally important. Defining what that looks like, I've never been quite sure. All I know is, in combination with my of technical skills I can't help anyone let alone myself if I'm not using what I know vehemently. (I love what I do, engineering is my life)

From an early age, probably influenced by the Church and growing up in a small community I've felt it's my duty as a citizen to volunteer, or find philanthropies to join. Giving back is an important part of appreciating your success and the values my parents instilled in me. I feel very blessed despite how hard reality is hitting home right now. See earlier posts on why this is so.

Every day on the streets of San Francisco I walk past a countless number homeless. It seems like more and more arrive on the streets of this city. In my neighborhood especially, it's hard not to notice. I love it here despite it's problems and I've done a lot of growing up, more so than anything other suburb since coming to California almost 10 years ago now. As a local, I find myself asking ways I can contribute. Rather recently, Architecture has been an important notion of discovery for me. I'm actively noticing what's plainly in front of me everyday and choosing actively to be aware and in someways affect me. It bothers me to no end sometimes when I see zombies on the BART. I want more than anything to be actively apart of this life and not be a reluctant participant.

I've talked briefly with friends about the homeless situation in San Francisco. While the majority believe as I did, it's mainly economical, you may or may not be surprised to know it's conditional behavior that keeps many in the shadows or arches of your buildings. I assumed for a long time, many of these individuals choose this life. It didn't take much to convince me otherwise despite seeing obvious signs of mental anguish. While I can't help or understand everyone. You do what you can where you can.

Combining interests is something I do well. It also saves time ironically enough and I'm all about not wasting a second of it. In the back of mind, where I churn ideas this problem of epidemically solving homelessness is a big one. It's certainly bigger than me, bigger than all of us. I did manage to put a coherent thought and apply terms to what I was thinking architecturally only to find someone is already on the problem.

Takepart, is a nonprofit for social change. I love what I'm seeing and will probably try to connect the dots, bridging a gap between wherever they're at and San Francisco. Why? Because of EDAR. This stands for Everyone Deserves a Roof; it's short simple and concise. It descriptively details a problem with what I believe to be a basic human right. Everyone deserves a roof over their head. It may not mean much to you, but means a world of comfort... even if a little bit to others.

EDAR was a prize winning architectural selection. So too was another by a 12 year old. His design seen here.

Take a look at this video below. It's pretty cool. From a architectural point of view, it's functional but looks costly. Donations run high even for a wheel selection which baffles me. I'd imagine anyone who be remiss to use these, but there is no one solution to a dynamic problem. Nevertheless, it's an idea I want to build on and either 1. bring EDAR or the like to SF or try to building my own tapping the Architectural subculture here where I've already see an awesome amount of creativity.

Europe is pervasive with bicycles, why can't we be innovative with this?

I know I'm not the first to have thought of this idea, I'm just choosing to be an active part in this continuum of service or life there of.


EDAR Homeless Shelter from takepart on Vimeo.

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There's an alley in SF few know. I'm not sure if it's by design, but in this space lies a neat little coffee brewing company called Bluebottle. Their in lies a small kiosk where the lucky few pilgrimage too. While the coffee is excellent, the presentation is equally a cause of it's success. At least, this is what I believe. While I can't speak for the elements by design, nor techinical structure yet; Bluebottle is Architecturally what I'd call sound or ...as whole, aesthetically beautiful.

My impression is this. It's as subtle and unassuming as are the finer details. The elements used harmonize with the environment very nicely, dismissing any notion of building age or other nonunifying critique. It's very symmetric, simple by design and the empty alley space is as much apart of the structure and environment as the Kiosk itself. In short, it's inviting and effective in a utilitarian sense. Interestingly enough, I surmise that even if a queue didn't start and end in front of Bluebottle... you'd just dwell there. In their words, they've achieved something that "endures aesthetically" and reflects the 'nature of their environment'.

Well, here's a photo from today and the architectural firm Sagan Piechota, whose behind this facade is located next door. I've put in an email, let's see if they have time to talk about what they're doing or want to chat with me about Bluebottle specifically. When I peaked in, I noticed small models of other work decorating the front. Was very cool, although I have two points I'd like to finish up with. The first being, the Architecture industry as a whole doesn't get the web. What I've seen thus far doesn't translate well at all. Second, the little models I see decorating the office; I wonder why instead of building them, they don't 3D print instead. They use CAD and by design this is what 3D printing was designed for.

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Life is full of incongruities and makes the mundane tolerable. Identifiably, I'm somewhat of a maven* so it's ironic I hadn't realized my namesake means something to architecture and my discovery really needn't travel very far. Thus the irony. My shared last name Eichler and specifically the work of Joseph Eichler had a compelling effect on the California landscape. Although working mainly as a developer, his houses iconify California modernism, but what I realize now; his work might've auspiciously been my catalyst of discovery in this new field. I definitely see an intrinsic value in learning, but sometimes I don't understand the forces of influence and wonder if maybe I did miss my calling in architecture. I say that jokeningly, but fair enough you never know. Regardless Joseph Eichler was a 'sales-man' (at the very least) not in the traditional sense, but selling 'word-of-mouth' the epidemic style, notion and name of 'California Modern'. I see this everyday as it's emblematic of this area and has prevaded my subconscious. So classic yet so short sighted of me that I didn't realize this before.

My name is synonymous with Architecture, therefore I'm awesome! ...Not quiet, definitely not true, but ironic maybe. Funny definitely.


* Tipping Point reference

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I imagine there's a specific language and culture to Architecture, I just haven't found it yet. When and where do San Francisco architects hangout is a mystery. Maybe they don't last as long as the buildings structures they create, but I know now there is very little if any information on the architecture scene here. Maybe that'll change (?).

Here's some print-reference material I found:

The Architectural Review
A+u
Detail
DOMUS
JA
Mark
Metropolis
PRAXIS
Next American City
The Plan
The Architect's Journal

Where else should I be looking, being, going,?

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My days are wasted when I've ended it having not learned something new. It brothers me incessantly and borders on extreme agitation. I'm not sure if it's my lack of education or my drive that pushes me towards self studies weather it's career related, skill or other. It's hard to put a finger on it when I'm so all over the place. In my most earnest efforts I try to focus on one thing, but left to my own devices I'm bound to thrash. I've found placing limitations on ability, goals or desire is a great vehicle to channel my efforts... my pursuits.

My latest passion or hobby is architecture. Passions for me are what make life worth living, aside from family. My passions help define me as a person and maybe separate me from the crowd. Why architecture? I'm not quite sure, I know it's seldom appreciated but as I've grown my design sensibility I'm also all the wiser noticing how it affects me in the grand scheme of things. I love the way some spaces make you feel, it changes you sometimes if you care to notice. So i'm not really sure who or where this will lead, but 3 years from today, 1 city (San Francisco) and several thousand buildings is enough to hold my attention. While most buildings are sky high, I'll start at the bottom and ask some basic fundamental questions.

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