Category: Architecture

Categories / Architecture, Art and Photography

Richard Rogers limited edition Pompidou Centre prints

Posted on | Leave a comment

Rogers_pompidou

The Design Museum is currently hosting the Richard Rogers + Architects: From The House To The City exhibition, focusing on the work of the architect and his practice. And where there’s an exhibition, there is usually merchandise.

And this one is no exception. You can pick up a poster featuring one of his more contemporary works  or you can pick up one of the limited edition Pompidou Centre prints. The screenprints feature never before seen provisional sketches of the iconic 1970s construction by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano.

The front view (above) is A1-sized and limited to just 50, each numbered and signed by Richard Rogers. A collector’s piece of the future and something of a steal at £95.

Find out more at the Design Museum website

Categories / Architecture, Art and Photography

Gateshead ‘Get Carter’ car park print by Jonathan Wilkinson

Posted on | Leave a comment

Carter_print

Designed by Owen Luder in 1964 and a landmark for the area ever since (not to mention a movie icon after its appearance in the Get Carter movie), the brutalist Gateshead car park is finally coming to the end of its life later this year. So perhaps a good time to pick  up the Get Carter Car Park print.

A litho print sized at 400 x 305mm, it is exclusive to the Baltic Gallery and is the work of artist/designer Jonathan Wilkinson of WeLiveHere – part of a series featuring local landmarks.

Not expensive either – this piece of modern history retails for just £20.

Find out more at the Baltic Gallery website

Categories / Architecture, Travel

Retro Retreat: Samzi UFO Houses in Taiwan

Posted on | Leave a comment

Sanzi

Actually, this isn’t actually a Retro Retreat, more a former retreat – the Samzi UFO Houses in Taiwan.

This amazing space age development was built as a holiday resort in the 1970s, but has since been abandoned for reasons that aren’t clear – possibly financial or a poor climate for vacations.

It seems to be due for demolition in the near future, so a flight to Taiwan to check it out might be too late. But you can check out an amazing Flickr gallery via the link below, showing just about every amazing detail of the development. If only Butlins looked like this…

See all the photos of the Flickr gallery

Via iso50
 

Categories / Architecture, Design and Interiors

Tinsley Cooling Towers plate – Sheffield landmark immortalised in china

Posted on | 1 Comment

Plates

If you’ve ever driven into Sheffield from the M1, you’ll be familiar with the Tinsley Cooling Towers – a piece of industrial landscape that’s become one of the city’s most famous landmarks. For now at least.

You see, the owners want to demolish them, while the good guys (headed up by Go, supported by Channel 4) want to turn it into an open art space. Demolition is certainly looking the most likely option, so to win hearts and minds, Go is opening a shop for Cooling Towers-related merchandise.

Read more

Categories / Architecture, Design and Interiors

Modern Birdhouse – based on the mid-century Case Study House designs

Posted on | Leave a comment

Ralph

If you want to know about the mid-century Case Study Houses in the US, you need to buy Taschen’s book on the subject. And if you want one for your garden, you can now buy a Modern Birdhouse – based on the designs on the Case Study Houses.

The Case Study House program ran between 1945-66, producing 36 prototype homes that could be easily and cheaply constructed.  The program was led by John Entenza and featured some of architecture’s greatest talents, including Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, and Eero Saarinen.

The birdhouses here are based on the work of J.R. Davidson, Richard Neutra, and Ralph Rapson (above), made of SmartWood oiled teak, with floating aluminum roofs and a detachable posts. They are shipped pre-assembled (apart from the post) and sell for $195 (around £100).

Find out more at the Design Public website

Categories / Architecture

Robin Hood Gardens in East London – 70s architectural gem or eyesore?

Posted on | 5 Comments

Robinhood_garden

There’s a debate going on right now about 70s architecture – and Robin Hood Gardens in East London is right in the middle of it.

This slice of Brutalist architecture was built by the Smithsons Partnership between 1969 and 1972, an example of the ‘street in the sky’ concept that was taking hold of our towns and cities during the era and often described as their ‘best building’. It houses 213 flats, all overlooking a large green area of communal land. Architects are demanding it is listed and refurbished to a standard befitting its status – and a decision on this by English Heritage and architecture minister Margaret Hodge will be made in the next week.

Listing is not an option preferred by the local council. It claims upgrading will cost £70,000 per flat, with one eye perhaps on using the land as part of redevelopment of the area. But what do you think? Is it an eyesore? Or does this kind of groundbreaking architecture need to be saved and upgraded? Let us know your thoughts if you have any. Personally I think we should protect these buildings as part of our 20th century heritage.

See Robin Hood Gardens on Flickr