SMALL AT LARGE

zebras hanging out, ready to blast off away from the tiger with a camouflage coat that looks like grass .
the zebra stripes have proven to drive flies away. the smaller and closer the stripes the more effective. Continue reading →

paris biennale 1984 green machine presentation board

WHAT HAPPENED? A PROJECT THAT WAS UPBEAT IN NATURE, HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND POLITICAL BACKING. WHAT WENT WRONG? THE TIMES CHANGED. THE DAY THAT PROPOSITION 13 PASSED IN CALIFORNIA, A MANDATE THAT THE PUBLIC WANTED TO LOWER TAXES, PAT RUSSEL , THE COUNCILWOMAN WHO BACKED THE PROJECT, WAS SET IN FRONT OF THE GREEN MACHINE MODEL ON TV AND WAS ASKED EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS OF SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY FOR EXPERIMENTS OF THIS NATURE. Continue reading →

1980

the green machine as seen traveling west to the pacific ocean on venice blvd. i raised the ocean a bit to see it, the site is still open, so why not build it. needed more than ever these days.

IT WAS AN UPBEAT TIME FOR ME. I TOOK A TEACHING SABBATICAL FROM SCI-ARC IN THE SPRING OF 1980, AND POURED MY HEART INTO THE PROJECT. AT THE SAME TIME I HAD PURCHASED A NEW STRIPPED GM MOTOR HOME AND PUT MY OFFICE IN IT. THE IDEA WAS TO BE MOBILE. THAT WAS A GREAT IDEAL BUT DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT, BECAUSE I WAS INTO TECHNOLOGY WITH CARPENTERS SKILLS. Continue reading →

the big idea happening at a small scale

AFTER 12 YEARS OF PROMOTING THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE WITHOUT ANY PEOPLE RUNNING DOWN THE ISLE AND THROWING THEMSELVES ON THE STAGE BEGGING TO DEVELOP THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE WITH REAL BUCKS, I DECIDED TO BUILD MY OWN MINIATURE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. THAT I GOT FROM THE SALE OF THE IRVING GILL HORATIO WEST COURT APARTMENTS BY IRVING GILL. I DECIDED TO BUY A TRAILER COURT AND BUILD MY OWN COMPLEX. THE IDEA WAS THAT THE TRAILER COURT WOULD GENERATE SOME MONEY AND WOULD FALL WITHIN THE ZONING I NEEDED TO DO MOVABLE CLOSE PACKING HOUSING. I COULD RENT THE TRAILER PADS AND GENERATE SOME MONEY. Continue reading →

horatio west court apartments, irving gill architect 1919 four detached houses with two apartments over garages

AT THE BEGINNING OF 1973, I REDISCOVERED IRVING GILLS HORATIO WEST COURT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA BUILT IN 1919. AT THE TIME A POTENTIAL BUY. WE HAD STARTED SCI-ARC IN THE FALL OF 1972. I HAD COME OFF A DIVORCE THREE YEARS PRIOR AND WAS LIVING WITH MILICA DEDIJER, ARCHITECT , WHO BECAME MY SECOND WIFE , IN A WALK STREET COURT APARTMENT IN VENICE, WITH RENT INCREASES. I A BIG FAN OF HISTORICAL MODERN ARCHITECTURE HAD READ FIVE CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTS BY ESTHER MC COY, ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS BEING IRVING GILL. I LEADING A LOSING CAMPAIGN TO SAVE A BERNARD MAYBECK PACKARD SHOWROOM IN DOWNTOWN LA IN 1962, MAYBECK ALSO IN ESTHER’S BOOK.
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the biomorphic biosphere poster 1972, with head shot drawn by friend glen vippu, the way i was

IN 1972 I PUT TOGETHER A POSTER 21″ X42″ OF THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE , PUT IT IN A TUBE, AND SENT IT OUT TO ALL THE UNIVERSITIES OF NOTE IN THE USA. I GOT A FEW LECTURES. THE ONE IN QUBEC CITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAVAL, THE STUDENTS HAD TO TOUR ME AROUND. Continue reading →

RICK MATHER, ARCHITECT DIED APRIL 20TH , 2013. THE DEATH THE RESULT OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE 40 YEARS AGO THAT TURNED ACTIVE RECENTLY AND DID HIM IN.

virginia museum of fine arts, usa

READING THE OBITUARIES, THE SAME THEME WAS EXPRESSED: GOOD TASTE AND EXCELLENT USE OF LIGHT AND SPACE. A SOFT SPOKEN ARTICULATE CULTURED AMERICAN ARCHITECT LIVING IN LONDON. HE HAD A WAY OF COMBINING THE OLD WITH THE NEW IN A SENSITIVE LIGHT HANDED WAY. Continue reading →

INTERIOR OF FLYING HOUSE LOOKING AT INFINITY AND A NEIGHBORS HAPPENING IN THEIR FLYING HOUSE. 1976

THE HOUSE IS THOUGHT OF AS A PERSONAL KINGDOM. THIS IS WHERE ANYBODY WITH THE LEAST BIT OF MONEY FANCIES THEMSELVES ARCHITECTS. IT VARIES WHO CONTROLS, THE MAN OR THE WOMAN. THE MAN HAVING THE SAY ON COST, PRACTICAL BUILDING WAYS, MAINTENANCE ETC. THE WOMAN MAKING THE AESTHETIC CHOICES AND INTO DETAILS IN THE KITCHEN, BATHROOMS AND MASTER BEDROOM. I WAS IN DANGEROUS TERRITORY WITH A TOTALLY REVOLUTIONARY HOUSE. IN FACT I DO NOT THINK ANYBODY HAS EVER HAD A SERIOUS DISCUSSION WITH ME CONCERNING THE FLYING HOUSE, OTHER THAN CHRISTIAN MY WIFE WANTING TO LIVE IN ONE. CLAIMING HER FAVORITE OF MY DESIGNS. ALVIN BOYARSKY WANTING ME TO BUILD ONE, AND JOHN JOHANSEN AND ROY MASON USING IT AS A FAVORITE IMAGE. IT IS SO REMOVED FROM MOST PEOPLES REFERENCE OF A HOUSE. Continue reading →

THERE WAS A 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DINNER AT SCI-ARC RECENTLY. RAY AND SHELLY KAPPE CONTACTING ME IN NICARAGUA WITH AN INVITATION TO SIT AT THE FOUNDERS TABLE. NO MINOR GIFT AT $1000 A SEAT. ALL THE MONEY GOING TO STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS. MY FIRST REACTION WAS IMPOSSIBLE, BECAUSE OF THE MEAGER FUNDS I HAVE TO SURVIVE. BUT ON SECOND THOUGHT, I CONTEMPLATED, MAYBE MY EX-STUDENTS AT SCI-ARC MIGHT CHIP IN TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. TO MY SURPRISE AFTER SENDING OUT ABOUT 20 E MAILS, THE STUDENTS CAME THROUGH BIG TIME, AND FUNDED BY TRIP. SO I FLEW IN FOR A WEEK TO EXPERIENCE THE GALA EVENT.

THE SCI-ARC 40TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY WAS HELD AT THE SAME TIME OF THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS REVIEW. THERE WAS A PRICY DINNER, AND THEN AT 9PM AN OPEN ALUMNI EVENT FOR $40 A HEAD TO INTERACT.

THE PARKING LOT HAD A NEW SET OF CONTRAPTIONS TO GET ATTENTION. ALL ADVENTURESOME BUT LACKING IN, LESS IS MORE AND REFINED FORM. FREI OTTO WOULD FAINT FROM THE PREPOSTEROUS STRUCTURAL OVERKILL AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.

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TO SELL THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE REQUIRED PERFECTING MY LIMITED DRAWING SKILLS. I THOUGH THAT WHEN INTELLIGENTLY PRESENTED WITH FUNCTIONS AND WOW VISUALS, THE BB WOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED. TALK ABOUT NAIVE, BUT IF I HAD NOT BEEN, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE. THANK THE STARS I WAS INNOCENT. IT HELPS IN A TOUGH WORLD OF REALITY, WHEN PRESENTING IDEALISM.

A CROSS SECTION – ELEVATION OF THE BB 1972 THE MATURE STRUCTURE STRUCTURE REACHING 5,000 FT. T0 8000 FT. CREATING A VARIETY OF CLIMATES FROM TROPICAL AT THE BASE AND ALPINE AT THE TOP. SWIMMING TO SKING, MANGOES TO PINE NUTS. Continue reading →