in remembrance of London - just a glance
When the world ends up with California
Never-ending urban lessons in accompanied with the attractive play of understanding and imagining spaces conducted me to the west of America where is still one of the most developing area in here. The area which is defined by only California state, I believe, is not only a state but an individual country. However the atmosphere of artistic communities and people is not comparable with east coast and specially with New York City. But it is still considerable from other points of view.
Visiting, watching and observing California would be a great chance for every one, specially if he/she is an architect, critic or urbanist.
Urbanist will enjoy watching the urban relation of various segments of this huge machine although some parts of that are wrong and not to be in the proper place.
Architect definitely will enjoy visiting a bunch of architectural masterwork and urbatectist ( which is from Urbatecture)will take a pleasure of relationship between architecture and urbanism specially in south part of LA, Orange County.
It contains the adorable combinations of good and bad, beauty and beast, rich and poor, thoughtful and meaningless subjects, provided and deprived commercial areas which I have never seen. Celebrities on classy streets and just a few steps away poorest people in the world, I believe, are living!
"The shared houses of UCLA's and USC's students next to Beverly Hills!"
It includes the own meaning of diversity!
This year was a busy year for me and now after visiting more than fifteen cities in the US my travel is gradually ending in this huge country but apparently urban lessons and unforgettable urban images never come to an end. Even though I strongly plan to visit one other urban masterpiece; Washington DC in near future which will have further lessons for all of us.
Therefore I decided to review the details of this travel and its lessons more carefully and gently in next steps.
7- Tour de Las Americas! part seven; Boston; Capital of Beauty
About Boston I can just say it’s the perfect sample of beauty with a lots of classy people who behave in a friendly manner with each other.
A plenty of urban events on streets which are known satisfying entertainments by even any difficult people are good combination of summer life of students’ and city’s requirements.
City’s livability degree is a parameter, which is closely related to number and variation of events in a city. About Boston this has been completely well done.
However I assume the level of livability decreases in winter because of the weather condition.
Boston Red Line, which conducts many visitors to memorial sites in city, is extended more than two miles.
Now I easily assume the "Boston's Red Line" is one of its visiting items. The line passes close to many of memorial place like Benjamin Franklin’ grave, USS constitution and a number of museums and other historical places like king’s chapel where are very important in historical battles between British army and American troops.
USS Constitution
Urban Excitement
6- Tour de Las Americas! Sixth part; Capital of New York
Rediscover a hidden beauty; a capital with less than 100,000 people for east coast.
Upstate New York not only contains a series of ski resorts and a bunch of very beautiful cities but also contains the capital of New York; Albany.
Lots of people assume New York city is the capital the state but it’s wrong.
The most populous city of whole area.
Watch the rough areas around and be very careful with the nights events and be sure you are going to see one of them at least.
The opposite side of the New York state capital building you are going to see this unique urban space, which is shaped by this platform. It includes Albany’s Egg like an alien aerospace and a series of 70’s design high-rises. This shapes one of the greatest area urban spaces I have ever seen.
From the other point of view Albany is the city of Platform; Empire State Plaza. The Albany’s Egg, which is one of the tourist’s attractions, located on the most important urban space of city. On the platform which its proportion to the whole city is unbelievable, some people have a daily walk on that and observe a great urban space every day. This complete complex has been built during the Rockefeller years. 
5-Tour de Las Americas! Saratoga Springs
Whatever happens is on the main street of the town.
A city in peace with a kind of very friendly people. Watching a Mandolin Player on one side of the road and hearing laud hard-rock music from a passing car is a great contrast for 300 year old linear shaped town in this country!
All About Urbatecture
Urbatecture.blog.com
I have been developing the subject of Urbatecture as a main part of my research for several years.
It seems is a proper time to drop some lines about the "urbatecture blog" to start.I will certainly put a complete article and important explanation about this word, its usage and the feild, which come out of the related studies.
For some reason, I have been also convinced that some people who have not been introduced over the process of urbatecture should be introduced through this media regardless being agreed or opposed the term. The names what I don’t want to be forgotten by professionals. However, retelling the whole story of born of this field is such a long March and this never-ending attempt towards a new paradigm in architecture and urbanism obviously needs much more time.
New re-definition namely "Urbatecture" is a new more appropriate term to connect two majors; architecture and urbanism, to each other in a chief way. I have established this unique approach over the years that I have been working on different urban and architectural projects and research in Europe and Middle East.Now its a matter of developing of my research at Berlin University of Technology in Germany, where definitely plays a key role to develop the avant-guard theories in urbanism; such as quantum cities and topology in urban development and chaos theory. Working with urbanists and architects in England was another distinctive experience that helped me to have close corporations with professionals in this country. British professionals who are very open-minded people listened to my lectures and talks in various events and closely attend in a number of many of discussions. However some of them cannot understand what I was talking about! (as their own said), many of them are agreed on the subject.
"The search for a multidisciplinary cure" chosen name for this research shows the dominating holistic approach to the subject. For the last 30 years this is the first organized attempt to reconnect these two majors through a scientific theory versus separating process. The used theory to re-define the relation between architecture and urbanism establishes a distinctive method which is practical and theoretical.
In line with my research this weblog is the first advanced media will be spesified to spread out the idea of Urbatecture day-to-day in a distinctive method. Any reports, Images, texts, articles and comments will be updated on this blog.
Gaining admittance to the exclusive access part of theory would be an easy matter; just contact me and send your name, the term of usage and your purpose.
"New York City" Urban lessons
When I was on Ferry and took a tour around Manhattan area captured the pictures below which means to us many things; Diversity, Contrast, Attractiveness, Identity and such and such, either negative or positive words.
But let us leave them all for a moment. From other points of view it can be counted as a proper urban lesson for many cities as far as using the method for preserving Traditional urban icons for such huge urban area like New York Metropolitan.
Sometimes city councils should pay for something but definitely worth it.
4. Tour de las Americas! Part four; Welcome to New York City
It's surprising to me that lots of British architects and urbanists are not tempted to visit this city.
Amazing city, unique area and never ending lessons for all experts, critics and professionals.
Don't sleep. Keep your eyes on everything, stay on the city streets untill next morning and take pictures as much as you can! It is not just a city, it’s a world. Welcome to New York City!
I would say, just don't miss it. However I will definitely miss it!
3. Tour de las Americas! Virginia Tech.
A few days after the Virginia Tech Tragedy! Let's have one minute silence for the Victims
www.thinkingarchitecture.net
After a huge delay, our website has been launched!
Finally after a hot debate, the interface of our group's website was approved last month and the context of website was accepted by everyone in the committee. The first stage of website namely ThinkingArchitecture.net is lunching to spread out different ideas related to Architecture/Planning and Urban Desing which will be a new experience.
I, on behalf of "thinking architecture", do invite you to read our articles and essays and then please send us what you think about whatever you read.Which part of website do you like and what don't? and why?
Please feel free and send us your innovative concepts, ideas, articles and proposals.
Keep fingers crossed and many thank you again for your support and help!
2- Tour de Las Americas!
Chicago Bean!
Sometimes It is very difficult to realize what is true and what is not? Isn't it?
1-Tour de America!
Chicago Attitude
This is one of the most attractive urban spaces in the world; CHICAGO.
What we are trying to discover the city through is the first step of procedure of perception of this huge city. The city which needs more than a life to just see the buildings accurately!
What we are trying to discover the city through is the first step of procedure of perception of this huge city. The city which needs more than a life to just see the buildings accurately!
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Design Oriented and Money Maker Architectural Practices
Architectural practices often survive with common ways to handle the projects and costs, to deal with local authorities, to give acceptable services to their public or private clients as well as their staffs.
In era of “Globalisation” it is difficult to say “Architectural practices must be concerned about design”. In the area some of practices are trying to get ISO 9000 and something like that.
A number of practices are just building to have rising income to grow, targeting to absorb more clients than the other practices who would even be simple developers. However many of them are still struggling to remain in market with providing real architectural works instead of buildings.
But the remained questions are what the mission of architectural practices is, whether they should survive however and what an real architectural work in this new globalising world.
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PRP, Pracitce of the Year 2007 in the UK
I am very delighted to announce that at Building Awards ceremony on Monday April the 18th, PRP won Architectural Practice of the Year 2007 in the UK.The other shortlisted practices were:• Avanti Architects• John McAslan & Partners• Levitt Bernstein• PCKO Architects• Scott Brownrigg
PRP Architects, which I have been working for as a designer, is one of the leading practice in terms of green residential in the UK. The Practice has had a great effect on the Urban Regeneration term in this country. The issue of sustainability is one of the most significant parts of residential projects in the country, thanks to practices' like PRP efforts. In line with this type of activities PRP's book namely "Place & Home: the search for better housing" has been published last month.
Now the book is available for £35.70 on Amazon. For more information see the link: http://www.amazon.com/Place-Home-Search-Housing-Architects/dp/1904772668
Manchester Congestion Charge
New wave of Manchester city centre development since 1996, has had a great effect on central zone of the city. Moreover the effecitveness of the new role of Manchester in North-West which has been defining and redefining is undeniable. The procedure has chenged the city function and face overall the region namly the Greater Manchester.
Manchester Congestion Charge is the second shocking urban news about the city since January. Although in line with the sustainability policy in the country, some of experts and people believe this will certainly be the ideal solution for Manchester city centre increasing traffic. It seems these people and Lord Mayor are thinking that the plan can contribute to provide a greener city through the encouraging the people to use the public transportation. Meanwhile Manchester can benefit from this opportunity to improve the public transportation system efficiency.
Now the remained question is whether the congestion charge can affect decentralization process of the city.
Rochdale, Stockport and Trafford councils with almost same reasoning don't agree with this plan.
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