This August

Some days I feel like I'm in a new universe, though usually I feel basically the same as I did back in Chicago. I recognize that this summer resembles most of my summers--avoiding the heat, catching up on TV and pop culture, listening to music almost constantly, and wondering if I'm doing enough to further myself in terms of what I face in the fall. It's also very unlike most of my summers.

I felt like I should have made an announcement when August 1st rolled over. This is the first August in 17 years (holy cow) that I have no predetermined place to be at the end of the month. I still have that feeling that the end of summer/start of school is an approaching deadline. I get that little pang of anxiety when I see the back-to-school aisle at the store. Then I remind myself that my deadlines now are my own, and it's got to be my own initiative that gets me there. I recently discovered a new project that is sparking some motivation to tie up my loose ends and begin again.

On that note, here is some architectural inspiration I've come across on the blogosphere (I'm trying to add some professionally-oriented material to my daily reading).

 

The new Aqua tower in Chicago by Studio Gang is being constructed now and planned for a mid-2009 opening. I have this embedded reaction of disappointment when I hear 'condos,' probably because there are so many blah buildings out there. However, I think right now is a cool time in architecture. There are a lot of great buildings going up by talented architects, and this is one of them. The other section of my intermediate studio used the interior layout for a project, and I would have really enjoyed it. 

Sinosteel International Plaza by MAD Architects (via Inhabit)

I dig the way this absolutely rectangular building is wrapped. The facade is made up of varying sizes of hexagonal windows positioned to regulate the building temperature based on climate modeling. I bet the light in and around this building is

 amazing. I consider myself a bit of a modernist so I'm not always crazy about the organic craze (eck'hm, see Zaha below) but I love what architecture is doing with skins.

 According to Inhabitat (again) Zaha Hadid has teamed up with Brazilian design group Melissa to produce eco friendly shoes, which apparently look just like her architecture. I'm kind of repulsed, and strangely kind of smitten. I'll tell ya what: if humankind ever decides to move into space, I'm sure as heck buying these and taking them along.

I like this print by Matt Mills.

I'm just posting this because I've been obsessed with cruising craig's list for furniture. Often while browsing the cheap goods with good intentions I end up searching for those classic modern chairs to start out my collection. Twice I almost purchased Wassily chairs. Oops. I have some xeroxed pages of furniture illustrations I've been planning on enlarging and hanging up for a while. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to embroidering the Barcelona chair on my shirt as planned.

 

Happy August everybody. We don't get to stay kids for long, but the excitement in a fresh box of crayons is forever. I invite you to treat yourself to a new notebook, or glue stick, your fancy. I'll be starting a new sketchbook.