Mark H. sends a link to a troubling story in the New York Times about the often unconsidered (and terrible) human cost associated with the making of Apple's must-have products, such as iPads, iPhones, etc. Read it here.
Image via the New York Times
Web/Tech
The Approachable Architect Podcast
Karlitos E. sends a link to a podcast he thought PrairieMod readers would enjoy. "The Approachable Architect" with David Doucette is based in Santa Monica, California and has many great podcasts regarding topics such as "green" living, energy efficiency, conservation, etc. Check it out here.
Image via residearchitecture.com
Chandler, Arizona History Goes Digital
The Chandler Museum's extensive collection of photos, writings, and publications dating back to 1912 is being digitized and put up on the web for viewers to enjoy around the world. Read more about it here and check out some the site's Frank Lloyd Wright-related images here.
Image via archive.chandlermuseum.org
And The Design Oscar Goes To....
In other House Industries news, their photolettering.com website was recently nominated for Design Museum London's "Design
of the Year 2012" award (aka "The "Oscars of the design world"). Check out more info about the award and the museum exhibit that features the winners here.
Image via House Industries
Beat The Winter Blues—Go To Modernism Week!
Tired of winter and need to get your Mod on? Then plan on heading to the 7th Annual Palm Springs Modernism Week February 16-2, 2012.
While your there, plan on using our new Palm Springs FanGuide™ Architectural Tour app to help get you around town to see the sites! Details and download here.
Image via modernismweek.com
Apple At The Guggenheim
Speaking of the Guggenheim Museum, Apple sent out invites today that it will hold a media event at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed icon in New York City on Jan. 19, 2012 concerning an "education announcement in the Big Apple." More here.
Image via loopinsight.com
Museum Mail
PrairieMod reader Anne S. sent a wonderful link to Guggenheim Foundation's digitized collection of correspondence about the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum's construction—including several from Wright himself. Follow the link, click on the "Folder List" heading, and have fun exploring!
Image via guggenheim.org
Fallingwater Gets Interactive
Planet Architecture recently released their newest app, this time giving you an interactive exploration of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. Read more about it here and get info to download it here.
Image via planetarchitecture.com
Manning Productions Monkeys Around
Joanne H. sends a link to information about Chicago-based digital creative agency, Manning Productions, and their recent project working with the Lincoln Park Zoo to develop a digital kids' book. The "book" is titled Chimps Should Be Chimps and is intended to help get the word out about Project ChimpCARE, "a non-partisan group committed to improving the well-being of chimpanzees." Find out more here.
Image via chimpsshouldbechimps.com
FanGuide™ Palm Springs Now Available
Just released to the iTunes App Store is our newest FanGuide™ architectural tour guide for the iPhone: Palm Springs!
Enjoy the architectural works of Albert Frey, William Cody, Donald Wexler, John Lautner, Richard Neutra, and many more with 43 stops arranged in 6 tours, hundreds of original photographs, bonus audio & video footage for various stops, interactive maps and much, much more.
Get additional details here and download your copy today to start enjoying and exploring desert Modernism.
Image via apple.com
SAH Archipedia Receives Funding
Pauline Saliga, Executive Director for the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH), sent word that SAH has raised enough matching grant funds to get the full $460,643 that the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded to the organization to develop SAH Archipedia, the online edition of Buildings of the United States. Follow the links to find out more on this exciting virtual project.
Image via SAH
Steve & Frank
In other Jobs-related news: Adam F. sends a link to an article at Design Bureau drawing comparisons between two uniquely American creative geniuses: Steve Jobs and Frank Lloyd Wright. Read it here.
Images via wearedesignbureau.com
Tour The Virtual Taliesin
The Frank Lloyd Wright Newsblog offers a link to Tour de Force 360VR's virtual tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's century-old Taliesin. If you like the digital version, wait until you visit the real thing. Read more here and take the tour here.
Image via taliesinpreservation.org
In Memoriam: Steve Jobs
Computer and Design visionary, Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. His genius lay in the ability to make the technology items we use everyday "Useful and Beautiful." Read more about the man and his legacy here.
Image via dailymail.co.uk
Western Architect Online
Wayne W. sent an interesting set of links to Google books, which now has three of the most significant years of The Western Architect magazine free for download as PDFs. The Western Architect championed the Prairie School for a number of years and in these online issues you will see amazing drawings and photographs of Purcell & Elmslie, Wright, Sullivan, Drummond, Van Bergen, and more! See issues from 1912, 1913 and 1915 by following the links.
Image via Google Books
More Info On Life At Taliesin Webinar
We received more info on the upcoming "Life At Taliesin" webinar taking place on August 29, 2011. Download a PDF informational program here:
Download Life at Taliesin aug 16
NOTE: This exciting event will cost $85. Please register here.
Image via Taliesin Preservation, Inc.
Life at Taliesin Webinar
2011 marks the 100th Anniversary of Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's private residence in Spring Green, WI, an 800 acre site with eight major structures designed by Mr. Wright over his design career, each exempling his philosophical ideals of fellowship living and organic design. In honor of this occasion, Taliesin Preservation, Inc. invites you to join the celebration by participating in a special webinar entitled, "LIFE AT TALIESIN" on August 29, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. More info after the jump...
Google Goes Mobile
No, not cell phone type of "mobile" but the Alexander Calder type "mobile". In honor of the artists 113th birthday, the search engine giant has turned their logo into an interactive sculpture homage. Play around with it while it lasts here.
Image via Google
Little LEGO Larkin
If you haven't discovered the joys of LEGO's DesignByMe software, then you don't know what you're missing. This computer program allows you to build an infinite number of LEGO creations on your computer without having to have buckets and buckets of bricks sitting around. Plus, if you like your creation, you can order the pieces to build it in real life. I recently used the program to create a micro Larkin Building. Check out DesignByMe here and get (virtual) building today!
Image via PrairieMod
Usonian PC
Check out this ultra cool customized PC done-up as an homage by Jeffrey Stephenson to Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian architecture. See it here.
Image via slipperyskip.com
YellowBird Live 360°
Nelson B. sent a link to a really interesting new piece of technology called yellowBird Live, which captures full-motion 360° video instead of a still image. Nelson astutely pointed out how amazing it would be to capture some of the Organic Architecture we all love in such a high-tech way. See more here.
Image via yellowBird Live website
Wright's Second Life
There's been much ado in cyber space over the recent closing of the Second Life Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has issued a statement explaining why the closure had to occur. Read the FLWF statement here and catch-up on the back-story here.
Image via www.secondtense.com
Resurrecting The Imperial
The Imperial Hotel in Tokyo was one of Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest masterpieces and was carelessly torn down in 1967, lost to the ages. Thanks to this amazing CGI animation by YouTube user TheHarvardGSD, we can experience a little of the majesty of this lost building. See it here. Thanks to Wright Chat user TnGuy for the link.
Image via YouTube
ASBH In New Jersey
In doing some recent research on Frank Lloyd Wright's American System-built House designs, I learned that the designs were resurrected in the late 1990s for a neighborhood development project in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I decided to do a little more digging and see if I could find out more of this story and if any were built. More after the jump...
iFontMaker
Got an iPad? Want to make your own fonts? Then check out iFontMaker, the first font editor exclusive for iPad. With iPad touch interface, your 100% original hand typeface can be done in 5 minutes. You can email the typography or convert it into a TTF file available in all applications such as Adobe CreativeSuite, Microsoft Office for Mac and Windows, and also in your web site as a web font. More details here. Thanks to PrairieMod reader Adam F. for the link.
Image via iFontMaker website
Virtual Fun With LEGOS
There's a new way to build things with LEGOS: LEGO Digital Designer. You can download this program from the LEGO website and it lets you virtually design and build anything you can dream of out of the popular plastic bricks, right on your PC! When you're done, you can upload it to the web and even have LEGO send you a kit to make your creation in real life.
At left is what I made recently: A "cubed" version of a certain architect (complete with cape, cane and pork pie hat) admiring a mini-model of the Guggenheim Museum. Get more info about LEGO Digital Designer here.
Images copyright PrairieMod
FLW Building Conservancy Needs You!
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is dedicated to the Education, Advocacy and Preservation of Wright’s extant works.
Image via savewright.org
Enriched Tours Are All The Rage
Blair Kamin reports on a new mobile-enriched architecture tour put together by the Chicago-based Society of Architectural Historians. It involves downloading a Microsoft application, finding a sign on a building, scanning a bar codes on that sign with your smart phone and then some info and photos pop-up about the building. Interesting concept, but we're (obviously) still partial to our untethered, more flexible and intensely content laden FanGuide™ Chicago Loop tour.
Image via Cityscapes blog
Guggenheim Archive Online
Looking For The Wright Volunteer
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is dedicated to the Education, Advocacy and Preservation of Wright’s extant works.
Image via savewright.org
Guggenheim Online Time Line
Frank Lloyd Wright's triumphant final masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum, took 16 years to come to life. In honor of the building's 50th anniversary, an online time line has been put together documenting the stages of its design and construction. Explore it here.
Image via guggenheim.org
Amazing Virtual Architecture
Karlitos E. also sent a link to the work of Alex Roman's unbelievably realistic architectural computer generated animations. The computer animation of Louis I. Kahn’s Exeter Library is especially amazing. See them here. All are in HD, so go full screen.
Image copyright Alex Roman
Florida Southern College Digital Archive
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Florida Southern College recently made their photo archive available to view online. Read about it here and explore the digital library here.
Image via FSC
Wright's Second Life
The virtual group populating Second Life with the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright have announced their cooperation with the real-world Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to become the official licensees of such virtual Wright-related representations. Read more about it here.
Image via Virtual World News
Apple's Mystery Machine
Apple Anticipation
The rumors are circulating that Apple will finally announce news of the "Apple Tablet" at a big January 26, 2010 news event. The cutting-edge Tablet has never been acknowledged as a possible product from Apple, but it has been gossiped about on the internet for a long time. Read more here.
Image via PC World
Jens Jensen's Drawings Archive
Even though much of the country is gripped in the cold and snow of winter, you can start dreaming of the flowers to plant in your yard next spring. Want some Prairie School inspiration? Then check out the University of Michigan Bentley Library's online collection of Landscape Architect Jens Jenson's drawings. Jensen created landscape designs for many Prairie School masterpieces, including a preliminary one for George W. Maher's Farson House in Oak Park, IL (AKA "Pleasant Home"). Browse the images for inspiration here.
Image via The University of Michigan Bentley Library
Get Your Sullivan Fix
Here's another chance to not to get any work done this morning. Check out the digital archive of Louis H. Sullivan Architectural Ornaments from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville collection. See it here.
Image via Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Prepare To Get No Work Done Today...
We just got very exciting news from the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust Research Center! Thanks to a grant and a year worth of work, many of the historic images in their extensive collection have now been put into a search-able online database. Check it out here.
Image copyright The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust
Merry Bird
Looking for a high-tech holiday gift? This ornament by Michael Cornelisson may not be what you would automatically consider, but it is produced using state-of-the-art 3D printing techniques. Read more about it here.
Image copyright Michael Cornelisson
Dow's Power House
The blog, Jetson Green, recently posted on Dow Chemical's new "solar shingle", which could be a low-cost way for consumers to capture and utilize alternative energy. Read about it here.
Image via Jetson Green
Making A Greener Apple
Apple is doing their best to make-up for a less than admirable record of "Thinking Different" when it comes to sustainability. It seems like they are trying to turn over a new leaf with this new "Apple and the Environment" commitment. Now if they can get past the need to obsolete their products every six months...Read more here.
Image copyright Apple
Bike Your Drive
Fellow cyclists—or those interested in jumping on a bike for fun, your commute, or daily exercise—should definitely take a look at REI’s new app “Bike Your Drive.” Read more after the jump...
The Mannahatta Project
The September 2009 issue of National Geographic Magazine has a really interesting article about a project undertaken by the Wildlife Conservation Society to envision what the island of Manhattan looked like in 1609 when Henry Hudson first visited (in honer of the 400th anniversary.) Through extensive research and computer generated graphics, they now have a pretty complete idea (and look) of what a pre-NYC island looked like.
On a whim, I checked out what the site of the Guggenheim Museum was in 1609: apparently trees and a Native American trail existed there long before the famous spiral. Explore and learn more here.
Image via the Mannahatta Project websiteVirtual Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright buildings are making a splash on the virtual world of Second Life. Check out this recent Examiner.com article about the digital building architecture museum here.
Image via Examiner.com
The Rise Of The Machines
This is really bizarre: Treehugger.com reports on the development of machines that act like carnivorous plants to power themselves. Clocks that eat flies, mechanical coffee tables that digest mice...it's only a matter of time before the cyborgs take over. Read about it here.
Image via Treehugger/New Scientist
3-D Dana House
Check out this super sweet 3-D computer generated model of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dana House in Springfield, IL. The good news is you can go see the real thing again! Watch the YouTube video here.
Image copyright YouTube user muaddib54
What Do Wright and Twitter Have in Common?
When it comes to principles like open plans and the adoption of new technology, apparently a lot--at least according to socialmediatoday.com. Follow the link to read more about it (and then share the article on Facebook or Tweet it to your friends...)
Image copyright Flickr user mach3 via socialmediatoday.com
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