Graham Resource Center

05/03/2013

Iceland's Harpa Concert Hall, designed collaboratively by Henning Larsen Architects and Studio Olafur Eliasson, has won the 2013 Mies van der Rohe Award. Eliasson's innovative facade design uses large quasi bricks, a stackable twelve sided module in steel and glass. Eliasson's statement, via Domus, describes how interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to "vitalise the tepidity of a lot of contemporary architecture":

"The award is a welcome occasion for me to advocate a general reconsideration of how architectural projects are conducted. As an artist, I firmly believe that developers and architectural firms need to expand their creative toolbox....I’d like to dedicate the prize to all those architects who dare to share authorship, as Henning Larsen Architects and the client in Iceland did in the case of Harpa. With amazing generosity and confidence, they effectively handed over the responsibility for the building’s outer appearance to me and my studio. Simply stepping down from the throne of convention, Henning Larsen Architects dared to share. This brave decision is itself immensely creative. Architects who do so, do not lose anything; in my view, they become more creative."

You can read the entire statement, and see more about the project on the Domus website:

http://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/2013/05/1/olafur_eliasson_mies_van_der_rohe_statement.html

Upon the announcement of the winner of the 2013 Mies van der Rohe Award — the Harpa Concert Hall — Olafur Eliasson shares his reaction with the readers of Domus.

04/15/2013

Dean Wiel Arets and literary collaborator Robert McCarter take to the airwaves on WBEZ to discuss their new book, 'Autobiographical References,' published by Birkhäuser in 2012.

We live in an extremely exciting and complex world, in which the growth of technology has radically changed how we see ourselves in relation to an emerging global metropolis. It's time, says internationally renowned Dutch architect Wiel Arets, to redefine our map of the world

04/11/2013

'Nowness', IIT College of Architecture's new publication, is now available online as a PDF:http://www.iit.edu/arch/nowness.pdf
It offers a revealing look at our legacy, innovative new curriculum, and future endeavors -- please feel free to comment and share!

Extra special announcement: The Nowness book, an official publication of the Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture, is available for viewing in pdf format! We're pre-releasing it here for our FB followers in anticipation of our upcoming web publication platform launch ... read, like and share!
http://www.iit.edu/arch/nowness.pdf

04/09/2013

The library is pleased to announce the arrival of Phyllis Lambert's new book, 'Building Seagram,' currently on display in one of our windows and permanently shelved in our Mies Collection.

'Building Seagram' charts not only the cultural and architectural history of this iconic, twentieth-century landmark, but also the personal story of the woman whose vision made it happen. The book contains a number of previously unpublished archival materials, and offers a unique perspective on the planning and completion of a project in post-war New York.

Phyllis Lambert, who persuaded her father to make his Seagram Building a paragon of modern architecture, has written a new book, “Building Seagram.”

03/25/2013

Thanks for sharing IIT Program of Landscape Architecture, Chicago: these LED clouds are fantastic.

LED Clouds, Noorderpark, Amsterdam North, The Netherlands - design by Sophie Valla Architects - Light Installations Buildings, LED Clouds Amsterdam North, Noorderpark Light Installations, Building

03/25/2013

03/07/2013

What do you think of the cladding system for Renzo Piano's new Resnick Pavilion at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art?

A/N Blog - Quicks hits and big thoughts from The Architect's Newspaper

02/22/2013

As Chicagoans trudge through the worst of this winter's weather, we present an appreciation for architecture that responds to brutal cold, wind and darkness: "The British Antarctic Survey's new research station at Halley Bay is a portable pod structure that uses scent, colour and curves to take the edge off the world's longest winter."

The British Antarctic Survey's new research station at Halley Bay is a portable pod structure that uses scent, colour and curves to take the edge off the world's longest winter, writes Rowan Moore

02/15/2013

Free access to Material Connexion!

Until the end of February, you can access Material Connexion's over 7,000 advanced, sustainable, and innovative materials for free. Categories include polymers, naturals, metals, glass, ceramics, carbon-based materials, cement-based materials, and processes. Focusing on cutting-edge materials and applications, it includes a collection of Cradle-to-Cradle sustainable materials.

The trial can be accessed with this link (from on campus only): http://librarymaterialconnexion.com/home.aspx

Let us know via FB or in person what you think of this resource.The GRC is your library, and we want to hear whether this database would be useful for your work!

02/14/2013

Is there a publication you'd like to see on our shelves? A change to our space, services, or hours that would support your research? Now is the time to be heard, both at the College and University level.

The Graham Resource Center is participating in a University-wide survey to gather input on your experience with our resources and services. Please take 10 minutes to respond to this survey, so we can further understand your needs. Survey results will equip us to not only meet but exceed your expectations in future. Respondents will have an opportunity to win one of four $25 Amazon gift certificates.

Illinois Institute of Technology’s Paul V. Galvin Library serves all academic programs, including engineering, computer science, business, design, the physical sciences, psychology, and the humanities. The library is a government documents depository and houses the University Archives.

01/28/2013

Renowned post-war architectural photographer, Balthazar Korab, passed away on January 15, 2013 at the age of 86. Korab started his career in the U.S. as a designer for Saarinen & Associates, but quickly became recognized for his photographic skills, becoming the firm’s official photographer. Describing himself as, “an architect with a passion for nature’s lessons and man’s interventions,” Korab had a long and successful career creating some of modern architecture’s most iconic images.

Come see more of Korab's work in the recent publication, “Balthazar Korab: architect of photography” in the GRC today.

Mr. Korab was one of a handful of commercial photographers who introduced postwar architecture to Americans.