LaurEm

volume and surface

2011-10-03T18:37:00.004-04:00

I have returned to academia.

Here is the proof.

pop up chapel

2011-07-26T10:28:00.003-04:00

Next Saturday the lovely folks at Pop Up Chapel are celebrating marriage equality in New York by providing free wedding ceremonies for 24 couples. Architizer held a competition to design the chapel for this event and for once when I said I was going to enter a competition I did it.

You can see the winners here and the runners up here. My entry is below. I'm pretty happy that I was able to put something together in two days so I thought I would share it.

crossings

2010-12-11T10:42:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite design competitions to announce winners recently is the ARC International Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design Competition. My personal favorite finalist is Zwarts & Jansma with OKRA Landscape Architects, IV-infra and Planecologie (above). You can see more images of their proposal on their website. The Zwarts&Jansma proposal creates a continuous landform bridging over the roadway valley. This proposal seems to have the best seamless wildlife landscape.

Lapsang Souchong

2010-12-10T17:05:00.005-05:00

It's like liquid campfire smoke... in a good way.

Lapsang Souchong, unlike most teas, is smoke dried over pine fire giving it a distinctive smokey taste. I just bought this tea for the first time (I learned about it from a tea class at Brooklyn Brainery) and it really is a wonderful tea for the long days/nights of portfolio work I have been doing for upcoming grad school application deadlines. I'm really hoping that I will have long nights of grad school next year where I can also drink lots of tea. The best part about this tea is that since it is highly oxidized and smoked it can be brewed a few times using the same tea and the flavor changes slightly each time.

imonaboat

2010-08-17T21:03:00.000-04:00

up the ante

2010-08-15T20:50:00.003-04:00

tomorrow i try for 4 miles

highlights include:

brooklyn heights promenade

a prison

a few churches

and avoiding this hill

World's Fair : A Few Years Late

2010-08-07T13:55:00.001-04:00

REX/OMA Theater

2010-07-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

made it back from texas.

this is the theater that I posted about awhile ago.

(Virtual) Run Across America

2010-07-29T07:04:00.002-04:00

I'm virtually running across America! (Slowly)

http://exercise.lbl.gov/index.html

This website provides a (somewhat crude) program that will track your running progress along the transcontinental (TransAmerica) trail and also lets you track your progress with teams or partners. The image above is my progress at 16.5 miles from the start.

At this pace it should take me about 4 years to make it across. Maybe I should pick up the speed.

Support Hoops at Superfront!

2010-07-06T19:01:00.001-04:00

The days are counting down and we are still 60% away from our goal!

If we don't reach our goal we don't get any of the funding!

Considering helping us out at the link below:

HooPlay

2010-06-29T00:45:00.002-04:00

This weekend we finished installing our hoops!

Pole Dance

2010-06-29T00:30:00.003-04:00

Last thursday was the preview party for SO-IL's PS1 Pole Dance

See Iwan Baan's amazing photos of the space.

Or see my iphone quality photos of the space...

farmshow

2010-05-02T16:59:00.002-04:00

PS1 Colors

2010-04-18T14:13:00.004-04:00

For a couple of weekends I have been helping install a mock-up for this summer's PS1 installation Pole Dance by SO-IL. It should make for a colorful summer party. See their video below.

SO-IL PS1 Pole Dance from SO-IL on Vimeo.

Kombucha

2010-04-18T14:00:00.005-04:00

Today is my first attempt at making Kombucha.

My roommate says it smells like feet.

Baked

2010-03-08T20:56:00.004-05:00

PB Krispy Bar, the cross-section of deliciousness from Baked on Van Brunt.

Rex @ Ted

2010-03-08T19:34:00.003-05:00

A week ago I attended a lecture @ Cooper Union to see Foreign Office Architects (FOA)'s Alejandro Saera-Polo speak about his office's current work. Although I overall tend to like FOA's work (or atleast some ideas behind it) Saera-Polo's lecture focused on what he felt was an architects position in contemporary culture especially focusing on the current economic climate. His lecture, titled "Cheapness", began with evaluation of today's architectural culture in comparison to the architectural culture of the past. The architectural culture of the past being one focused on the equality of various socio-economic boundaries while the architectural culture of today is one that is to be devoid of politics and focused on economics. Summed up, his lecture focused on the envelope of the building and how an architect can use the skin to create an architectural expression rather than trying to solve a social problem through the form of the building. The projects he focused on were mostly commercial programs so perhaps his argument works in just the realm of commercial architecture. Even though I found this stance slightly depressing, I felt that Saera-Polo's project for a Shopping Center in Istanbul, Turkey goes against some of the statements that he made in his lecture. Although the shopping center follows the programmatic requirements needed to make it economically successful, to say that they weren't attempting to redesign the form of a shopping center is deceitful. The topography of the project rises and dips to create a public space within the surrounding shopping landscape that not only allows the necessary storefront condition but also creates a seemingly successful gathering space for the community.

Soon after this lecture I watched Joshua Prince-Ramus's Ted Talk which continues the discussion of the growing importance of economic constraints in architecture. While Saera-Polo's lecture left me feeling disillusioned, Prince-Ramus's lecture was inspiring with the level of ingenuity and consideration that can still be reached within the economic and programmatic constraints of an established building typology.

If You Build It

2009-06-10T20:23:00.006-04:00

A few weekends ago my friends and I found ourselves in/near Boston.

You can find this on Wellesley's Campus.

The Wang Campus Center desgined by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam.

Making More Packing Less

2009-04-03T21:38:00.005-04:00

I'm challenging myself to choose 5 foods that I eat/drink that I can make myself to reduce packaging.

The winners are:

Veggie Burgers
Yogurt
Sprouts
Bread
Hummus

Ever since I found out that NYC doesn't recycle plastic containers, like the ones hummus and sprouts come in, I have felt awful about buying them and throwing these packages away. I think that the yogurt will be the biggest challenge.

rawr

2009-03-16T20:18:00.006-04:00

If you were to donate or "gift" one of these animals as a present which one would you choose?

First I would scratch the crocodile off the list.

He might as well stop trying now because I'm pretty sure he is on the bottom of most peoples' lists.

The camel might want to join the croc on the rejected list.

I'm pretty sure that the photographer was showing bias as well.

I'm choosing the goat... he looks like a jokester.

I think we could have a good time...

Whoever has a birthday next is getting a goat. Well not really... but there is a goat involved.

to the TEA

2009-03-15T17:12:00.003-04:00

After giving up coffee about 6 months ago, I have been drinking a lot of tea. When I was a coffee drinker I felt tea didn't have enough taste to replace my addiction to coffee, but now I find myself really enjoying tea.

Around the same time that I had given up coffee I stopped drinking alcohol (temporarily) and we found ourselves at Sympathy for the Kettle on St Marks place on a Friday night.

This night was one of my favorite Friday nights. I could actually hear the conversation I was having with my friends, I didn't spend much money, and it was very relaxing. Might become a common thing for me.

Travels

2009-03-11T21:40:00.003-04:00

I have a credit card that gives me travel points. Last September I went to Germany...

and drank too much beer at Oktoberfest...

and wandered.

I just reached $100 off of travel again. Now I can't stop thinking about where to go next.

Visit The Expat Architect in Brussels?

Iceland, because JustFoster wants to help save their economy?

Prince Edward Island or Quebec, because it's a recession and I should spend less?

Stay in the US? Maine? So close but I've never been there.

BedTime

2009-03-10T22:01:00.004-04:00

I wouldn't say that these beds were very comfortable...

but they did make for wonderful people watching.

Banana Choconut

2009-03-10T21:40:00.003-04:00

Dessert or Dinner?

Finally made that Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. I choose dessert.

weekend warmer

2009-03-08T21:53:00.007-04:00

What are weekends for if not...

...Night time walk across the Manhattan Bridge

...Biking, Exploring, Walking, Ice Cream

...A First of Birthdays

work is for treats

2009-03-05T22:23:00.004-05:00

Molten Chocolate Cupcake

f I could eat you again, I would.

GARDENS... made by guerrillas?

2009-03-04T19:48:00.006-05:00

If you are going to get in trouble for trespassing it might as well be with a spade in one hand and a sunflower in the other.

Guerrilla Gardening started in New York in the 1970's at a garden between Bowery and Second Ave on Houston now known as the Liz Christy Community Garden. The idea behind guerrilla gardening is to reclaim neglected land by rejuventating it through gardening.

(photo: www.lizchristygarden.org)

One of my favorite ideas in guerrilla gardening are seed bombs. These allow a quick sneak attack to occur. Sometimes I imagine a similar result when I throw and apple core into neglected landscapes. Apparently these seed bombs often contain seeds as well as fertilizer which I guess I eat away with my apple cores.

Sometimes even gardeners get in trouble...

Gina Badger has some really interesting studies and installations of nature/landscape interventions and exhibitions. (I found this while searching for seed bomb photos)

SNOW PATTERNS

2009-03-02T18:44:00.003-05:00

My office looks onto Trinity Church's cemetery. The grave markers looks like braille from up here, especially when they are surrounded by snow. It's too bad I didn't have a real camera.

PLAYFUL PARIS

2009-03-01T16:24:00.001-05:00

While we are reminiscing...

WARMER WEATHER

2009-02-28T22:03:00.004-05:00

We are so close to warm weather it's hard to avoid reminiscing about last summer.

I (HEART) VEGGIES

2009-02-28T19:25:00.007-05:00

Today, I found the website for cenyc (Council on the Environment of New York City), while trying to find out if the Grand Army Plaza farmers market was still running this time of year.

They have a wonderfully informative website for the eco-concious New York City dweller. It covers topics like Farmers Markets, Green Living, Education, Recycling, etc.

MY favorite part of the site is the list "Chef's Who Buy", a list of restaurants that buy produce from local farmers (during harvest season). It inspired Justin and I to choose one restaurant off the list each month to visit. I think that our first visit is going to be to Rose Water in Park Slope. Since we are not eating out anymore this will provide our once a month restaurant dinner.

I also learned that I am over recycling. I've been recycling anything plastic that is #1 or #2 but apparently NYC only recycles plastic bottles and jugs. Now this gives me a bigger push to make my own things like hummus that come in those little platic containers.

This is starting to make me think about last summer when we snabbed some treats off the Urban Farm at PS1 in Queens.

I picked some cherry tomatoes, but you could pick a Katie or a Justin.

WEEKENDER

2009-02-24T21:53:00.003-05:00

This weekend I spent time doing things that I haven't done in awhile.

Like...

Biking and Spending Time Outside

and Baking a Full Meal from Scratch.

PLUS today I finished a Book! I can't tell you how long it's been since I accomplished that.

Mornings.

2009-02-15T22:24:00.002-05:00

It's amazing how viewing mornings differently changes the whole day. Hitting snooze is like telling yourself you don't want to start the day. Everything starts at that moment.

Bad Habits of Wishing.

2008-11-01T13:34:00.002-04:00

I can't wait for that trip to...

I can't wait until Spring...

I can't wait until Fall...

I can't wait until I graduate...

I can't wait until I move to New York...

I can't wait until I get a new job...

I can't wait until grad school...

I can't wait until I move to Seattle...

I can't wait.

2008-10-18T13:37:00.001-04:00

Scotland

The clouds roll in.

Misty Rain.

Roll out. Sun. Repeat.

CHARLIE

2008-04-24T19:20:00.000-04:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

OW OW OW

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

CHARLIE HORSE

Migraine

2008-04-21T09:14:00.002-04:00

Wanna give up coffee? Get a migraine after sneaking in a cup after you gave it up for awhile.

I swear it will work.

This artist captures what it's like above.

Saying No

2008-04-20T10:35:00.002-04:00

I've always been a person who rejects plastic and paper bags at grocery stores, delis, etc. but I often get stuck with extra items that I know they will throw away if I hand them back (plastic forks, spoons, napkins). I usually bring my lunch to work so this isn't a problem but the past week I have been overwhelmed with various things so my grocery shopping was slipping leading me to buy lunch this past week. So, I started keeping track of the various items that I say no to and the different things that I get stuck with even though I try to reject them.

I am keeping a running tab but after one week it has been:

Rejected Packaging: Starting April 14th 2008

JUST SAID NO:

Paper Bag: 8

Plastic Bags: 2

Napkins:2 (bunches)

Plastic Fork:3

Plastic Knife:1

SAID NO BUT TO NO AVAIL:

Paper Bag: 1

Napkins: 3 (bunches)

Plastic Fork: 1

Now, I'm sure the last thing everyone wants is a running tab of this but I think it's a good experiment to visualize just how much packaging everyone who isn't saying no is receiving. I'm sure it adds up very quickly. This isn't even including bags that I would have needed for groceries if I didn't have a cloth bag... perhaps I should estimate those into the mix.

The point being is this... A bag doesn't make carrying everything easier. Sometimes it's just one item and people still bag it. Are we uncomfortable with people knowing exactly what we are carrying? Is it really necessary to get your cup of coffee bagged from the deli under your office? 5 cups of coffee a week x 52 weeks in a year = 260 bags in one year. That's a lot of bags just for the sake of a coffee... (not to mention to cup and lid that hold the brew). It's not just about making steps to reduce, it's about thinking about what you are doing instead of going through the motions that everyone has become accustomed to.

Hide and Seek

2008-03-12T13:28:00.002-04:00

I found myself outside flanked by looming structures chasing the sunlight.

4 blocks away still but I could imagine the warmth that I would absorb into my skin once I reached the light soaked Fulton Street. I could see others being touched by the light ahead of me and imagined how they felt as I remained in the dark shadows.

Nearly a block away the light started to dim.

I missed it.

Frogs and Babies

2008-03-10T22:14:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I discovered that frogs appear to be the chosen baby animal (or amphibian rather) of the year. Congratulations to the little green guy. My sister's baby shower was proof of this amphibians accomplishment to date. Today a lucky baby boy was born and he will have more frog items to wear than he can wrap his little fingers around. Apparently my birth weight is still the triumphant weight of our family (8 lbs 6 oz) He came close weighing in just 2 oz less. Being the youngest of my siblings I wasn't the one who felt they needed to compete for the attention but perhaps today I have to pass on the torch to the first born grandchild. Today I finally received my diploma in the mail and finally had proof of my Magna Cum Laude position and then Luke popped out trumping all my glory. He will probably be flaunting that birth certificate in my face for a long time.

kick it up and reverse it

2007-03-01T01:22:00.000-05:00

What if I got it wrong?
And no poem or song..
Could put right what I got wrong,
Or make you feel I belong
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side
That you don't want me there in your life.

Oooooh, that's right
Let's take a breath, jump over the side
Oooooh, that's right
How can you know it if you don't even try?
Oooooh, that's right

Yesterday

2006-11-26T17:01:00.000-05:00

I became vegan.

I love your depression and I love your double chin

2006-11-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

If I had to define why I decided to go to school for architecture I wouldn't be able to. Why did anyone at the age of 17 or 18 decide what they wanted to spend 4-6 years of their lives concentrating on?

When I was in 7th grade my gifted and talented class had a section devoted to architecture. Why us and not the rest of the school? Why architecture? What were they learning while I learned about flying buttresses? Writing skills obviously.

So, 7th grade and architecture, what do I remember? Maybe that is what made me want to go to school for architecture. I remember flying buttresses and Frank Lloyd Wright. I remember building a really horrible straw tower. I remember that the 8th grader I was dating was a son of an architect. I think I decided in 7th grade that I was going to be an architect but I often told people I was going to be an archeologist.

In highschool I took some joke architecture class where we copied floor plans and made cookie cutter houses out of balsa wood. Once again the teacher only knew of Frank Lloyd Wright and we had to watch a video on him. Amazingly I still wanted to be an architect. I still don't think I knew what exactly an architect was.

So end of highschool I thought architecture was the following:

Flying Buttresses
Frank Lloyd Wright
Drafting
Floorplans
Foam Core Models
Balsa Wood Models
Wall Sections
Footings

Why after a list like that did I was I interested in architecture? Was I drawn to the act of creating something? Why the creation of architecture?

College has led me to a constant cycle of questioning and answering. I have been overwhelmed the last 4 years of my life. These semester has been the hardest yet with the most demanding classes and the past two days I haven't done anything. This is the most important time of the semester for me to be producing SOMETHING and so far I have eaten, watched a movie, and drank a mocha.

Have I figured out why I want to be an architect yet?

I know it's not because of Frank Lloyd Wright and Flying Buttresses.

2006-10-24T23:41:00.000-04:00

Someone I know is obsessed with google. In fact he will be alerted of this update because of his love of google(reader).

I love him anyway.

Only crazies post pictures where it is evident in their eyes (and fake smile) that they really ARE crazy.

Plan

2006-09-07T09:02:00.000-04:00

This semester I am going to scare myself.
I am never going to feel comfortable with my work.
I probably won't ever really feel like I have it under control.

will or want?

2006-05-08T19:57:00.000-04:00

Is this what I want?

I don't know... but I might as well try and find out.

In the next 3 months I need to find myself again.

2006-03-02T23:58:00.000-05:00

beCOMING more of mySELF and not what was WANTed of me

Gray

2006-01-29T16:00:00.000-05:00

It's such a gray day.
Looks gray.
Feels gray.
It's gray.

Red Light Green Light

2006-01-13T18:03:00.000-05:00

When I am scared I must act.
There is a reason fear is present...
I could either gain or lose.
What I gain is worth it,
If I lose, at least there was that chance.

I could have gained.

Enemy

2006-01-10T19:49:00.000-05:00

I hold myself back.
I hold back.
I hold.
I.
I will.
I will myself.
I will myself back.

...change your view.

L Word

2006-01-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

Love all or else it is impossible to love at all.
Love myself to let myself be loved.
But most importantly love myself.

Pause

2006-01-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

When I was younger I thought that males could pause time.
I imagined them taking advantage of females and we didn't even know.
I was pretty young, so I don't imagine is was sexually taking advantage, but I have a feeling that it might have been. I know I imagined that they could see us showering.
Nothing that I can remember happened to me to make me think this...

2005-11-18T13:18:00.000-05:00

Isn't everyone bipolar? If the left and right brain are so different, it seems that everyone would have the tendency to be bipolar. I feel like both my left and right brain are so strong that often I can't decide which reaction to use. If I see something I can logically understand what is happening, but at the same time my emotions are so strong that they conflict with that logic. These two conflicting chunks of matter tend to lead me towards inaction because I just can't choose which one to go with.

Child's Mind

2005-11-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

After speaking of the mind as a controversial subject it reminded me of the first time I learned about the term controversial. I was amazed by the term because it was the first time that I understood that there were topics where the two sides would probably never agree. I don't remember how old I was, but that lesson was the first. After learning the term I used it often because it seemed to hold so much strength in it's meaning.

Focal Point

2005-11-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

(to self)
Focus...
on what actually matters.
Focus...
on who actually matters.
Don't lose what you know, Don't lose what you want.
Don't lose your focus...
You know what is important so let it be.

Machine

2005-11-17T21:11:00.000-05:00

It is often said that the brain is a powerful machine. Looking into the reflection of the train car full of people I remembered that line. That image I see on the glass... the glass itself, all could really be just things my brain is creating. Everything I experience once again is my projection of the world. TV screens with disasters far away, once again could all be a figment of this "machinery." The image of the man sitting across from me, the stench of the rails, the hardness of the seat underneath me, the pain in my heart... all controlled by the machine riding around in my skull. Truth or not, it can never be proved because there will always be a response to support the other side. Purely controversial they say. No side will ever win. Well tell me this, if my brain could create all of this, all of what I know, why would it create pain? Would it be for entertainment? For variety? I can't choose a side even for myself; it's even controversial in my brain. The controversy of the controversy in my subject (which happens to be controversial).

Specifics

2005-11-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

There are...
certain people I can relate to better.
certain things that make me alive.
certain feelings I keep inside.

If I am not honest with how I feel I will start to lose the ability to know myself. Being open creates acceptance within myself.

Mind Workings

2005-10-08T08:43:00.000-04:00

I woke up early this morning to do studio work before I had to be in the printroom. I haven't done any... same as last night. The thing is that I can't get it out of my mind, I am constantly thinking about what I want to do with my design. I can't get it out of my mind but I never draw it or make it something concrete.

2005-10-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

This is where I want to be right now:

Judgement

2005-10-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

Currently I judge others. I know I shouldn't, but I do. Sometimes I catch myself thinking something and right away I will repeat in my head not to judge them (over and over and over) to try and push those judgments out of my head, but at that point it is to late. I have already gotten to that point of making a judgment. To really lose judgment, I can't even be aware that I have lost it because once the act is conscious it is like I have thought about passing judgment. It seems like a tangled mess. I can't force myself to look at the world without judging it, just like I can't force myself to stop judging me. Where do I start? I know it is something I want to accomplish. I can tell myself not to judge others or myself but that's not where the action should be... It is somewhere else. Obviously it is in the acceptance phase, excepting others and myself as they (or I) are/am. Total acceptance of oneself seems to be very rare, in fact I don't know if I have ever actually come across it. Acceptance phase here I come.

Tree Hugger

2005-09-21T18:29:00.000-04:00

I care about certain things. A lot of the things that I care about others do not so I don't push them. When I believe in something enough that it becomes an essential part of who I am I feel if it is something that they reject it is a rejection towards me. If I care about something enough and it is a part of me, then I should care for it as much as I would myself. The problem is that I am not caring towards it or me enough. Nurture one and the other will grow along with it. I believe in supporting a sustainable world, but I am not engaging myself in it to the point where failure or rejection can hurt me too much. Lose the fear and the idea that there even could be rejection and all the things holding me back with what I believe disappear. I should not be ashamed, the idea of being ashamed is ridiculous. If every project I do has to throw my beliefs in my peers faces it will. They can call me a hippie or a tree-hugger more than they already do... I do not feel that I have to prove them wrong, I feel that I have to make an impression in their minds. I am not here to prove anyone right or wrong, I just want to learn more about what I am passionate about. If my passion in 2005 comes back into someone's mind in 2020 because the time has pushed these beliefs more mainstream, I just hope they join me.

I am not sure if I ever hugged a tree, but would it be silly if I did?

This isn't a memory

2005-09-21T06:31:00.000-04:00

I often wonder what is wrong with me, why can't I remember things? I was thinking about what the patterns are in what I remember and what I don't. The biggest chunk of things that I don't remember are actually the things that I say. It was just racing through my mind a minute ago, I was questioning why this could be. How can the things that I am saying be lost from me? IM THE ONE SAYING THEM! The answer hit me so fast that I had to come and record my thoughts right away. I am not listening to the things I am saying just as if someone was telling me something that I didn't care about. How can I expect people to care about what I am saying if I don't care enough to remember it myself! The more I respect what I am saying, the more I will remember it. Is it that I actually don't care what I am saying or is it because I actually don't care to listen to myself? The first would mean that I am wasting my words. If I don't care about my thoughts and feelings then why express them? Am I just speaking to hear myself speak? The second, not caring to listen is more about laziness. It is easier for even my own words to just come out and not register within me that they have actually been said. I think my problem is the second of the two. I do care about what I am saying, and I know that I don't just talk to hear myself talk. I am being lazy with treating myself with the respect that I would expect from others. It frustrates me when I repeat myself over and over again and I know it frustrates other people even more. I am so visually observative but I slack off in communication. It's funny, because when I think of lack of observation I think of my mom and how she would tend to slack off visually observing most of what was around her as well as with listening. I know how frustrating this was when I was younger and I am doing the same thing. I cannot let this keep going, I cannot be lazy with communicating with myself and the people around me because it is the essential interaction between two people... if this communication is lost where does that leave me as a person? I want to enrich my relationships by being able to communicate and I want to enrich myself by listening to my words and conversations.

Discovery

2005-09-19T22:42:00.000-04:00

To understand and appreciate myself I have to be honest with myself and with others.

I don't tell other people how I really feel even when I know that letting them know will strengthen the relationship that we have. I am usually scared. I don't want to feel like that anymore and I am not going to let myself feel like that anymore.