THINK magazine: issue 13 'Resort'

Towards the tip of the Lofoten islands in North West Norway, on one of the country’s eighteen National Tourist Routes, stands a sculptural steel structure formed thoughtfully by the Oslo based architects Manthey Kula. “The surrounding mountains are quite overwhelming so we wanted to create a space to take a rest from the views” state the architects of the Akkarvik Roadside Restroom. The weather literally overwhelmed the..... Read my full article on Think magazine here

Photograph of Akkarvik Roadside Restroom in Norway by Paul Warchol

COMMUNICATING ARCHITECTURE

With centuries worth of critique and theory stored in anywhere from dusty library vaults to the  hard disk of the latest Ifad, it is a surprise to find a dearth of accessible discourse on the state of architecture today. With the exception of publications such as Architonic and the 'mook-esque' Mark from Frame Magazine, there is little else in the way of discussion and dispersion of knowledge for those not familiar with the field.  Architects can be a right haughty bunch, I remember a university talk from a well-known Spanish studio some years back - the opening gambit of 'Somos arquitectos (pause), pero tambien (pause again) somos humanos' brought about an outbreak of revolutionary standing hand claps from the audience of wannabe star-chitects - strange it was such a revelation to be told they are humans as well as architects. Thank goodness then for engaging studios such as JDS, and BIG, and for the 27. project which interviews studios such as the aforementioned on a quest to de-mystify and jargon break down the story of architecture in Europe today. At last, architecture that talks to non-architects. Watch excerpts via the 27 site or follow on Designboom.

Re-newed Frontier

Bucharest was a fruitful trip in terms of culture intake and productivity earlier this year, the latest and final piece of work as a result of that visit has just been published on Architonic. Read the 'Bucharest: The 2010 Mix' article and my previous contributions for the Zurich based magazine here. As much as the city was an eye opener with an elegant decay of opposing styles - pieces from the imperial past melded with influence from outside and around the neighboring Western and Eastern worlds - creative discourse appeared to be be at a shy and emergent stage. One of the few creatives to actively assist in the article research process was Corvin Cristian, whose interior design for the re-vamped former stock exchange building can be seen in the images above. Bucharest is not a perfect city but, it is an exciting place to visit and energizing to hear from locals with visions for what could be. Staying at a place like the Hotel Rembrandt certainly benefited the experience, as too did my hosts.

images: Advertising agency Headvertising's Bucahrest HQ, interior design by Corvin Cristian

Our Ability to Sustain Sustainability

''To be taught to write or speak – but what is the use of speaking if you have nothing to say? To be taught to think – nay, what is the use of being able to think, if you have nothing to think of? But to be taught to see is to gain word and thought at once, and both are true.'' John Ruskin / Selected Writings (Oxford World's Classics)

An article for Architonic magazine questioning the tangibility of the terminology 'sustainability'; it's common misconception, examples of use and how we could use such terms in an eco-effective and holistic manner. The article, entitled 'Sustaining Sustainability', features references to the excellent Architecture for Humanity group and an introduction to recently developed 'sustainable' programs such as Cradle to Cradle design and Miljøfyrtårn. As discovered through the harsh reality of economic downturn - the Western world has been overproducing and consuming. Many design services are sprouting through the rust of those who have bolted themselves to the sinking ships of dated production mechanisms. But, who is governing these design services? What gives these companies the power to certificate producing designers? These are issues that need to be addressed as design molds into something that can bare more visible relevance to all in society. Read the full article HERE. Godt Nytt År (Happy New Year) as they say here!

'Sustainable Pie' illustration by Alexander Horne, 2009

Design of the Times

I recently had an article about design in Norway published on the popular architecture and design site Architonic. The article, entitled 'Beneath the Surface', was a reactionary piece to the growth in public attention the 100% Norway exhibition had brought 'Norwegian design'. While it is healthy for any burgeoning and young creative scene to receive public attention through press coverage, it is also important to provide critique and comment. This kind of realist guidance and opinion appears to have been missing from the many subsequent articles reporting on 'Norwegian design'. 'Beneath the Surface' does not laud any Norwegian designers, more it asks why something was made and what it means to people, not just designers. The article introduces socially aware design projects such as the 'Blanke Ark' polling box designed by the industrial designers Kadabra and graphics studio Blueroom. It also mentions some of the other exciting projects going on outside of Oslo that do not exist on a reputation of stylizing to sell.

'Ballot Box' design by Kadabra and Blueroom

Put a +47 on it

Earlier this week I arrived in Oslo on a permanent basis. I've spent most of the week wandering through the streets for inspiration and education when not on the serious business of finding work. Its a fairly compact city, taking under an hour to walk from East to West, but with more of a grubby urban cosmopolitan sprawl than any other Norwegian city I have so far seen. For all the grimey and alluring corners of this capital city though, it takes quite a trawl through the streets, patience and a local guide to find out places of interest that are worth checking out. The main hot spots (bars, galleries, cafes) are to be found in the Grünerløkka and Grønland districts in the East. The center on the other hand is a bit of a commercial disaster.

I'm working on an article for Architonic magazine at the moment that discusses the underside of the coverage the 100% Norway exhibition has been receiving in the design press recently. Now I am based in Oslo it has been revealing to see many more projects that have not received as much clamor as those involved in the 100% exhibition, but have more long term aims at their core. One of those projects is not so much a place for high profile product design but, a fringe building (off the beaten track) that houses different studios and one main organization that conducts and consults in projects between art and architecture. 0047, housed in a former dairy factory in Grønland, to me could be anywhere; Barcelona, Sao Palo, Berlin, New York. It is representative of the cross-disciplinary movements seen throughout the world today in arts and science, technology and craft. There are several other such places in Norway, Transplant where i worked and a creative space just outside Ålesund, but i am mostly looking forward to what is happening in this city and forthcoming projects from groups such as 0047 amongst others.

Photo: early 0047 project covered by D2 magazine.