JOSHUA TREE 2016
A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR HEALTH AND SURVIVING
AN INSIGHTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL POD INTERVIEW ON MY ARCHITECTURAL CAREER BY ERIK KNUTZEN: A MUST TO HEAR. Root Simple Interview
PARTY HATS
BIRTHDAY HAT FOR ROLO CASTILLO, JOSHUA TREE, THE ULTIMATE PARTY ANIMAL 2016
THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING RECENTLY FOR MYSELF AND WORLD, ONE HAS TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE NEXT PARTY,
THE GREAT EQUALIZER. SOME PEOPLE DEVOTE THEIR LIVES TO HAVING A CONTINUOUS PARTY. AMUSEMENT THE AIM. LAS VEGAS THE MECCA.
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SWISS CHEESE WHAT IF
ECO RESORT NEZUA NICARAGUA 2013
IN 2012 ROGER LEWITES, MY ON AND OFF AGAIN ARCHITECTURAL PARTNER AND FORMER STUDENT AT SCI-ARC IN NICARAGUA CAME TO ME ASKING TO TURN AROUND A SITUATION THAT HAD GONE NOWHERE.
SMALL TOO BIG
DETROIT STADIUM 1969
A LOUD VOICE THUNDERED “SMALL TOO BIG”
I HAVE WAITED FOR THAT TRUTH FROM ABOVE OR BELOW. BUT THE REALITY IS, A DESERT FRIEND, LOUIS KANNENBERG, OFFHANDEDLY SAID “ YOU ARE TOO BIG” .
REPEATEDLY I HAVE PROPOSED TOO BIG. LUCKILY MANY GOT BUILT, BUT Continue reading
CAR ARCHITECTURE
AS I WAS ARRIVING AT THE 99 CENT STORE SATURDAY IN YUCCA VALLEY, THERE WAS A VINTAGE CAR SHOW IN THE PARKING LOT.
I PHOTOGRAPHED CARS THAT WERE IN MY LIFE AND GOT THE IDEA TO TRY AND MAKE SOME SENSE OF HOW CARS RELATE TO MY ARCHITECTURE WORLD. I MAKING A TIME TABLE OF CARS AND SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS WHILE OWNING THE CARS. Continue reading
ZAHA LEGACY
QATAR STADIUM – ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
A HUGE SIGNIFICANT DEATH FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL WORLD,
I AM CRITICIZED AS NOT GIVING PRAISES TO OTHER ARCHITECTS. YES, I AM CHOOSY ABOUT WHO I EMBRACE, AND EVEN THOSE I PRAISE HAVE THEIR FLAWS. Continue reading
LOTUS SPIRITUAL ARENA
GLEN HOWARD SMALL AND CARLOS OVALLE ARCHITECTS 2014
OUT OF THE BLUE IN THE FALL OF 2013 I GET THIS E MAIL FROM MICHELLE LA PENAL – A GRAPHIC DESIGNER IN ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA – REPRESENTING A CASS PHELPS ABOUT DOING A PROJECT FOR THEM IN BIOMORPHIC MODE. SHE LOOKED UP BIOMORPHIC ON THE INTERNET AND I CAME UP. TALK ABOUT A PROJECT FROM HEAVEN. Continue reading
GETTING IT RIGHT
GLEN HOWARD SMALL , ARCHITECT SEAL ROCK RESIDENCE. 2000
ANDY STRICKER, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
GARY STEVENS, CONTRACTOR ERIK DEDIJER SMALL, ASSISTANT
IT ALL STARTED BY DEFAULT AND ENDED WITH DEFAULT. MY SALE OF THIS LOT WAS BLOCKED, SO I HAD NO CHOICE OTHER THAN TO DEVELOP THE LOT MYSELF. THE IDEA WAS TO BUILD A SPEC. HOUSE TO SELL. IT WORKED OUT FOR THE BEST, SINCE I ENDED UP LIVING IN A FANTASTIC HOUSE FOR TEN YEARS. WHAT A THRILL TO EXPERIENCE. THE FIRST HOUSE I EVER LIVED IN THAT WAS MY DESIGN. IT UPLIFTED MY SPIRTS, LIFE WAS GREAT A BLOCK AWAY FROM A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEACH. CHRISTIAN MY 3RD WIFE LOVED THE PLACE AS WELL. SO ALL WAS POSITIVE. IT REAFFIRMED FIRST HAND THAT ARCHITECTURE IS A HUGE POSITIVE FORCE TO ENRICH ONE’S LIFE. Continue reading
MIRAGE OR OASIS?
CONTINUATION OF: SURVIVING IN JOSHUA TREE
I FEEL LIKE A USED CAR SALESMAN PUSHING THE BEST BUY FOR THE BUCK, JOSHUA TREE OASIS WEB.
THIS IS NOT SOME MIRAGE THAT CAN BE SHRUGGED OFF. THIS CAN HAPPEN. CALTRANS, THE ROAD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT FOR CALIFORNIA, CONTROLS WHAT HAPPENS WITH HWY 62 THROUGH JOSHUA TREE. HAVING A HUGE COMPLICATED CHECK OFF LIST FOR ANY PROJECT AFFECTING THE HWY. THIS IS A LONG PROCESS THAT TAKES TIME, BUT A TOP CALTRANS DESIGN PLAYER SAID, HE FELT THE SCHEME WAS GREAT, BUT COULD ONLY HAPPEN BY OUTSIDERS . Continue reading
SURVIVING IN JOSHUA TREE
MAYBE IT IS A BLESSING OR MAYBE IT IS A CURSE, BUT WHERE EVER I GO, I LOOK AT A SPACE OR PLACE WITH THE INTENTION OF REMODELING IT. IN A REDWOOD GROVE I FEEL CONTENTED . THE DESERT IS NOT MY FIRST CHOICE. AS A BOY OF 13 IN 1952 I CAME OUT TO JOSHUA TREE WITH MY FATHER, WHO HAD TB, TO SCOPE OUT A PLACE WHERE HE MIGHT RECOVER. Continue reading