GLEN HOWARD SMALL, ARCHITECT 2012
ASSOCIATE DAVID TEACHOUT, ARCHITECT, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
DOWNTOWN TROPISPHERE IS BORN, LET THE HEAVENS CELEBRATE AND THE CRITICS ON HIGH SHOUT ITS PRAISES. SAVING THE CITIES OF THE WORLD AND LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER. SANITY HAS ARRIVED, OH HOW MARVELOUS, HOW CARBON FOOTPRINT PERFECT, HOW USER FRIENDLY, HOW 99% PLUS 1% CORRECT.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW.
TUCKED AWAY IN A GRATIS ROOM IN THE FOREST OF OREGON A STONES THROW AWAY FROM THE PACIFIC WITH PAPER, PENCILS, GLUE GUN, SCISSORS AND LAPTOP COMPUTER THE TROPISPHERE EMERGED FROM THE BRANDED, HAS BEEN, PROFESSOR ARCHITECT GENIUS HURDLE HOPPING SMALL CONNECTED TO THE WORLD WITH smallatlarge.com. SO BE IT ON FEBRUARY 21, 2012. WHERE ARE THE CAMERAS RECORDING AND INTERVIEWS DEMANDED OF THIS EPIC EVENT OF FINISHING THE EVOLO COMPETITION? GRANDSON RAVEN TAKES PHOTO SHOTS AND THE BEAT GOES ON. EVOLO ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIVING ENTRY 0683 TROPISPHERE WITH “GOOD LUCK.”
THE RESULTS FROM EVOLO ANNOUNCED ON MARCH 2 2012 SHOWED ZERO INTEREST IN THE TROPISPHERE, WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE. I DO NOT WANT MY IMAGE OF THE OUTSIDER TO BE DIMINISHED. I HAVE AN ALMOST PERFECT RECORD OF REJECTION TO UPHOLD.
MANY THANKS TO “MAN IN THE MIRROR” FOR MOTIVATING ME TO ENTER THE 2012 EVOLO SKYSCRAPER COMPETITION.
THANKS ALSO TO DAVID TEACHOUT MY GURU ARCHITECT AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, NAVY FIGHTER PILOT, SWEAT LODGE IMPLEMENTER, AND MY PERSONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISOR AND FRIEND FOR 40 YEARS. WE SPENT MANY HOURS DISCUSSING THE OBJECTIVES, OBJECTS, AND FUNCTIONS OF THIS PROJECT.
SURE, I WOULD HAVE LIKED THE ACCLAIM AND MONEY OF WINNING THE EVOLO 2012 SKYSCRAPER COMPETITION, BUT THAT WAS NOT TO BE. MY RECORD OF BEING IGNORED BEING SUSTAINED. FOR AN OUTSIDER IT IS JUST ANOTHER BADGE OF HONOR. YOU BE THE JUDGE. LOOK OVER WHAT EVOLO ACCLAIMED AND GET BACK TO ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
THE CONCEPT BEING TO TAKE EXISTING GENETIC DOWNTOWN AND ENCLOSE IT WITH A TENSILE STRUCTURE 2,000 FEET HIGH WITH A SUN SENSITIVE VENTED TRANSPARENT MEMBRANE TO CREATE A HUGE AIR MASS THAT ALLOWS FOR A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE OF 67-77 F 20-25 C TEMPERATURE NIGHT AND DAY FOR PLANTS AND ANIMALS. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A NATURAL WAY OF THE SUN HEATING THE AIR, AND VENTING AND COOLING USING BUILDING MASS, EARTH TEMPERATURE, BIO MASS, SOLAR ENERGY, HYDRO ENERGY, RECYCLED HEAT ETC. WITH ADDED BENEFITS OF GENERATING WATER, POWER, AND PRODUCING FOOD AND PRODUCTS. A TRILLIUM FOR HUMANS.
WHY A TENT OVER A CITY? MAN IS MEANT TO LIVE IN A ZONE OF 67-77 F 20-25 C RANGE. WE RELY ON THINGS TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THE TROPISPHERE ADDRESSES THIS OBVIOUS FACT. THINK OF THIS GENERIC CITY AS A LARGE PUBLIC THEME TROPICAL SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT THAT YOU DINE AND EAT IN WITH A COMFORTABLE ATMOSPHERE . WHEN YOU LEAVE , YOU EXPERIENCE THE WEATHER AND FOLIAGE OF THE REGION.
EXISTING CITIES ARE HERE TO STAY. THE TROPISPHERE IS A GENETIC REALISTIC BUILDABLE HERE AND NOW SOLUTION THAT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED. SOCIETY IS RELUCTANT TO CHANGE, BUT THE IDEA IS TOO CORRECT TO BE IGNORED.WHAT MAKES THIS POWERFUL AND TO BE RECKONED WITH , IT IS EFFICIENT, AFFORDABLE, DOABLE AND SUSTAINABLE. BUCKMINISTER FULLER IN 1960 WITH DOME OVER MANHATTAN WAS ONTO IT THEN, AND THE EDEN PROJECT IS DOING IT NOW WITH THE LARGEST GREENHOUSE EVER BUILT.
I HAVE EVOLVED TO THIS SOLUTION FROM THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE, DETROIT STADIUM, MANAGUA GREEN CANOPY, AND JUNGLE THEATER. THIS IS A DESIGN IN PROGRESS, THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS NEED INPUT, BUT THAT IS A MATTER OF PUTTING THE RIGHT CONSULTING EXPERTS’ HEADS TOGETHER LIKE I DID ON THE GREEN MACHINE WITH A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS GRANT AND A FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT. I DID GET THE BLESSINGS OF AN ASTRO PHYSICIST THAT I SPENT TIME WITH EXAMINING THE PROJECT’S MODEL AND DRAWINGS. IT WAS A DOABLE AIR MASS IN HIS EYES WITH THE RIGHT SENSORING DEVICES AND INPUTS TO ACTIVATE THE PROPER AIR FLOW AND TEMPERATURE. THE HUGE SIZE OF THE AIR MASS MAKING IT EFFICIENT TO RETAIN THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE.
IF ONE CAN GET PAST THE ISSUE OF COVERING DOWNTOWN WITH A SUN FRIENDLY MEMBRANE WITH A YES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXLORE THE TROPISPHERE. IF NOT THEN THE DISCUSSION STOPS WITH MINDS FROZEN TO A POINT OF VIEW. I LIKE TO WEAR SHORTS AND 1 BILLION PLUS PEOPLE DO AS WELL.
WHY? THE PREMISE IS THAT MAN AS AN ANIMAL WITHOUT CLOTHING WE CAN LIVE IN 67-77F 20-25 C , SUMMERTIME LESS THE HEAT AND MOSQUITOS. PEOPLE THAT DO LIVE IN THIS TEMPERATE ZONE ARE AT PEACE WITH MOTHER NATURE. ARE THEY BETTER HUMANS? I DOUBT IT. BUT THEY DO NOT SHOVEL SNOW, FEAR WALKING ON ICY PAVEMENT, STAY HOME IN AN AIR CONDITIONED HOUSE TO PREVENT THE BLISTERING HEAT. MAKE DECISION NOT TO PLAY ON GRASSY FIELDS, BECAUSE THEY ARE FROZEN AND MUDDY NOR TAKE A WALK FOR FEAR OF THE WIND AND RAIN. DO NOT RELY ON ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS FOR HEATING AND COOLING. DO NOT BASE THEIR WORK, SCHOOLING AND TRAVEL SCHEDULES ON THE WEATHER.
HAVING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN A CONCENTRATED SPOT IS DAMAGING TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE MENTAL STATE OF HUMANS . THAT IS AN ESTABLISHED FACT. CRIMES INCREASE IN STIFLING HEAT. SUICIDES INCREASE IN COLD CLIMATES. PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ON SUNNY TEMPERATE DAYS. HUMANS RECOVER FASTER WITH VIEWS OF PLANTS AND NATURE. THE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO DATE, DEAL WITH THE EXISTING CITIES WITH BANDAID CURES. THE TROPISPHERE CURES THE EXISTING SYSTEM WITH AN EGALITARIAN POSITIVE UPGRADE.
HOW DOES ALL THIS RELATE TO MONEY, THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE WORLD. THE SAVING OF SNOW REMOVAL ALONE WILL PAY FOR THE STRUCTURE (A BUCKMINSTER FULLER QUOTE WITH HIS MANHATTAN DOME). BESIDES THE PHYSICAL SAVINGS OF MATERIALS, MACHINES,AND MANPOWER TO DEAL WITH THE WEATHER. THERE IS THE SAVED PEOPLE’S PRODUCTION TIME , FROM GOING TO THE BABY SITTER IN THE SNOW TO NO SHUTDOWNS DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS OF SCHOOLS AND CORPORATIONS. MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS AND DEATHS RELATED TO WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ELIMINATED CREATING MONETARY BENEFITS.
THE TROPISPHERE BESIDES A SOLAR MEMBRANE ROOF, DEALS WITH, MOVEMENT SYSTEMS, PEDESTRIAN SYSTEMS, VEGETATION SYSTEMS, WASTE SYSTEMS, WATER SYSTEMS , POWER SYSTEMS AND MENTAL STATE OF MIND. A SUMMATION OF MY DESIGN CONCERNS FOR THE PRESENT.
TO BE CONTINUED WITH FUTURE TROPISPHERE BLOGS
BOARD 1 - COLUMNS - REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BOARD 2 - COLUMN PLAN - COLUMN TOP - CONCEPT PROGRESSION
RIGHT 1/2 BOARD 1: COLUMN LOOKING SKYWARD TOP - REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ISOLATED DOWNTOWNS, OPEN SPACES MIDDLE 16' UP PEDESTRIAN STREET, 16' BELOW EXPRESSWAY, LIGHT RAIL ABOVE, SUBWAY BELOW - BOTTOM: FOUNDATION CELLS ACCOMMODATE DUCTS, PARKING ETC.
LEFT 1/2 BOARD 1: WATERFALL - SUB-GRADE WATER TANKS - PARK ON GRADE AND OVER STREETS - COLUMNS - URBAN FARM. ALL BUILDINGS OLD AND NEW COVERED WITH LANDSCAPE
RIGHT 1/2 BOARD 2: COLUMN, SOLAR RECEPTOR - CONCENTRATING SOLAR MIRRORS ON SKIN - SOLAR CELLS ON MEMBRANE - SKY BRIDGES WITH WIND GENERATORS BELOW - CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
LEFT 1/2 BOARD 2: PLAN OF COLUMN WITH ELEVATOR AND BRIDGE CONNECTING TO HIGH RISE WITH WATER CASCADING DOWN TO STREET POOL - RAISED PEDESTRIAN WALK
READERS,
THE DOWNTOWN TROPISPHERE HAS BEEN UP FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH NO COMMENTS. BAFFLES ME. THIS IS A GAME CHANGER.
MAYBE IT IS TOO REAL? IT CAN BE DONE NOW. ALL SORTS OF THINGS WOULD CHANGE. NO LONGER KEEPING THE WEATHER OUT. MORE ABOUT MINOR RAIN. THE HOMELESS COULD LIVE IN MINOR TENTS AND SURVIVE.
I FEEL LIKE A COMPOSER OF A SYMPHONY FIRST NIGHT. THE AUDIENCE IS SILENT. NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY. NOTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
EVERYTHING CAN BE IMPROVED AND SHOULD, BUT THE BIG IDEA IS IN PLACE. THEY CAN NOT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME.
GLEN
Glen, the drawings don’t do justice to the vision.
Too crowded, too light, too sketchy.
This is dramatic stuff, powerful in concept, revolutionary in form. The competition presentation requirements crushes together this illustration that is part architectural prototype, part eco-solution, part ideology.
Visually the parts are too superimposed, the ideas jumbled, the effect lost. This is not the kind of ‘paper architecture’ that is a quick glance and then tossed away, like a crumbled page of notes. These thoughts dont deserve the waste basket.
I propose that you work on this more. on your terms, beyond the limitations of the given competition format.
eric chavkin
ERIK,
THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS. I WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER WHERE HAVE ALL THE CRITICS GONE?
THE DRAWINGS WERE DONE ON PURPOSE THIS WAY. SOME ARCHITECTS IN PRIVATE HAVE RAVED ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE AND OTHERS LIKE YOURSELF LIKE CRISP COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGES.
I DID PACK A LOT OF STUFF IN ON THE BOARDS. SOME OF IT THAT IS NOT READABLE ,BECAUSE IT IS SO SMALL. THE NEXT BLOG I WILL ZOOM IN AND EXPAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING.
I TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS A LOT OF ISSUES, THAT I REALIZE THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMUNITY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT. LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVOLVING TO DIFFERENT GAME CHANGER STATE.
THE ERA OF SKETCHING IS LOSING GROUND WITH SOME PEOPLE, BUT IS OF INTEREST AND RESPECTED BY OTHERS. A LOST ART OF SORTS. THE OVERLAPPING AND MAKING THE BOARDS READ AS A COLLAGE OF IDEAS WAS THE INTENT. NOW IF THAT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND SO BE IT.
YOUR POINT OF ONE THING NOT POPPING OUT AT YOU IS CORRECT. MY THINKING BEING A TON OF THINGS TO CONVEY WITHOUT JUST ONE IDEA TAKING OVER. THAT IS WHY I FIND THE WINNERS SO LIMITED IN SCOPE AND INSIGNIFICANT. JUST ONE LINERS.
GLEN
Glen,
The visualization I critique is not about preference. I am not a fan of computer generated realism. I find these renderings too synthetic and not at all analytic.
Yours is not a snapshot vision for the instant WOW! effect on an audience. . I see this project as more along the lines of an argument, a step by step storyboard that explains the architecture fully. Intent doesn’t make it right. I think TROISPHERE needs more drawing.
I was looking at Archigram this morning. The renderings seduce. The Detroit renderings also seduce. Maybe a combo of collage, watercolor, and linework.
I already have some images in my imagination, other pov’s; Overview of the city flybys; photomontages of city streets, more interiors . The new ideas are infinite
Dont settle for your ‘first draft’. I know the next version will present itself clearly and dramatically. Think of Biosphere and its incarnations.
eric
ERIC,
YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT SEDUCTION. IT IS NECESSARY, BUT THE IDEA IS THE IMPORTANT THING, AND I DO NOT HEAR ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THE DETROIT STADIUM EITHER
YES, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST DRAFT. AND I WILL PURSUE THE DRAWINGS FURTHER. PROBABLY ONE IMAGE AT A TIME.
WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME, EXCEPT FOR DAVID TEACHOUT NOBODY EVER WANTED TO DISCUSS THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS ECT. THEY JUST LOOKED AT THE DRAWINGS AND SAID WOW. NOW THAT IS SHALLOW.
IT ALL FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY VISIONARY, WHEN IT IS REALITY HERE AND NOW. I GET VERY UPSET ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO TAKE THE POWERFUL PEOPLE THAT COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND LITERALLY FORCE THEM TO DO THE DOWNTOWN TROPISPHERE EXPERIMENT.
WATCH OU,T THE CHINESE WILL DISCOVER THE DESIGN AND TAKE THE CHANCE. BUT TO DATE THEY HAVE NOT COME KNOCKING.
GLEN
Just having a hard time writing. I had written a long
piece on your troposphere but it got ‘lost’,, shit.
But to summarize though…I saw the trend from biosphere
to jungle theater to tropisphere placing more
emphasis on environment and eco-structure than the inevitable social
structuring ,,,and that I am now pondering is this better or
worse or just different? I like the radical aspects
of the biosphere and the vision.
second, is this just a gigantic bio/HVAC systemIn your scenario the
city doesn’t change, all the environmental negatives are still there. I would like to explore the possible effects of the existing envirnoment to the your tropisphere. What about a module(s) that clean toxins and pollutants -and as
you say , can also generate oxygen
third, the scale doesnt have to be mega-structural,as
I see this, there are varying scales and environs.
Best suited for cold, cooler environs. Antarctica?
Canada?, Siberia? I like the image of a town covered,
or a main street tented, as an experiemt if
the economics work.
eric chavkin
ERIC,
THE DOWNTOWN TROPISPHERE IS NOT A SOCIAL CHANGE. IT IS TAKING THE EXISTING AND COVERING IT AND SOUPING UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND AND MAKING THE DOWNTOWN ALL SUSTAINABLE GREEN .
I ASK YOU WHAT EFFECT WOULD THIS HAVE ON CITIES ABOVE THE 40TH LATITUDE IF IMPLEMENTED? WOULD THE PEOPLE BE HAPPIER? WOULD THE BUM BE ABLE TO SLEEP ANYWHERE? WOULD THERE BE A HUGE SAVING ECONOMICALLY? WOULD THE AIR BE CLEANER? YES TO ALL AND A LOT MORE POSITIVE THINGS.
THE SCALE IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS OF DOWNTOWNS OF OUR CITIES IS WHAT THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES. SUBURBIA IS ONLY ADDRESSED BY MAKING DOWNTOWN A FANTASTIC PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY , THUS THAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO ABANDON SUBURBIA ,BECAUSE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF LIVING IN A DOWNTOWN TROPISPHERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE UNDER A TEN FOOT SNOW DRIFT WHEN YOU COULD BE IN THE TROPICS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SWEATING FROM SWELTERING HEAT WHEN YOU COULD BE COOL AND COMFORTABLE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN A GREEN GARDEN YEAR AROUND?
GLEN
The TED prize for 2012 was awarded to the concept of “City 2.0” – I’m not sure there’s much content here, but it seems to be a similar intent: http://thecity2.org
TIM,
THANKS FOR THE TED PRIZE THING. IT TALKS A LOT, WITHOUT ANY SOLUTIONS. THE TROPISPHERE IS A PHYSICAL SOLUTION BASE. I COULD USE A TED PRIZE TO ASSIST EXPOSURE OF SOLUTIONS.
GLEN