Happy Holidays 2009.

Happy Holidays 2009. See you in 2010!

Another Anarchitecture in the Wall.

anarchitecture-typo by tercerunquinto at shenzhen hong kong biennale 09

I doubt the installation to be an ad for an-architecture.com – but who knows? But I have to admit that neither I have invented "anarchitecture"; it was chosen impulsively years ago at the blogger registration website. (originally, it was first introduced by Lebbeus Woods: Anarchitecture : Architecture Is a Political Act) Honestly, the combination of the words 'anarchic' and architecture' is quite obvious (see carchitecture, starchitecture,..). Anyway, I like the typo-wall and how it has been built: great brickwork! [via designboom, thanks to Sören]

Bailout Architecture.

Hypo Group Alpe Adria Building - designed by Morphosis

Taxpayers fund another bank bailout. Austria nationalizes the troubled financial institution Hypo Alpe Adria. Approximate cost: about 1.5 billion euro.

Why mention this - after a year of financial crisis?

I wonder about all the headquarter buildings which are now (involuntarily) symbols of mismanagement. What happened to all the (built) good intentions?

Like the Hypo Alpe Adria headquarters in Klagenfurt, Austria - built in 2000 by Morphosis. The former "signature-building" got now the symbol of the bank's decline.

(See the "image-film" of the troubled bank: from the movie's text: "Whatever the future has in store, banking still is – and always will be – a people business, where a smile makes all the difference in the world.")

Cartoon of the Hypo bailout (from "Der Standard")

Rotating Kitchen.

Sorry for the lack of posts, lately. Fall / Winter is always busy somehow. In the meantime - a piece of (architectural) destruction. Thanks to the marvelous ”today and tomorrow” blog for the link!

rotating kitchen from Zeger Reyers on Vimeo.