Art + Architecture

The Triad is a very artistic community, Yea?


I think most people would agree - and the fact that our dear triad does not nurture creativity through it's community design nor reflect that side of our personality in the look of our construction is alarming. Alarming in that, we should be able to embrace a more artistic expression in our buildings because we are a community of left brain thinkers.

I believe, strongly, form follows function - so what I mean by "artistic expression" is not that our buildings need to be expensive experiments into technology nor senseless waves of metal. No, I am trying to say, simply, that The Triad's built environment is bland, typical, even predictable.

Here, let me show you...

Not Just A Blog

After the hiatus, thank goodness it hasn't been a whole year (cutting it close though), I am back to advocate here on this blog again. We'll see how it goes this time around- I guess you could say I prefer real life to the online world, and while that is still 100% true, there is a way to leverage this site to work towards the goals I initially set out with. To make this a plausible way to advocate in the Triad.

Unfortunately, I fall into the category of "blogger" with this site. That is ultimately not my goal. The world wide web is being inundated with people chronicling their lives, their kids lives, their love for something, their hate for something, celebrities, politics, etc. My goal here is more humanitarian, the goal is to turn this into an organization that reaches the general public- to educate on design and encourage the change that we need to see in our infrastructure around the Triad. This is the first generation of a model for an organization that, once it has proven it works, can be formed in other cities that are in need of an architecture advocate.

It's a tough challenge and a huge goal- it can only be accomplished with your help. I need you, my dear Triad, to be interested and to take the ideas and challenges presented on this site home with you, to work with you, everywhere you go. I want this to be an invitation to discuss architecture around the Triad and to generate even bigger ideas through to discussions!

Anxious and Excited!

Olympic Precedent

While it's not The Triad, right now Beijing couldn't be more a part of our community if it was our next door neighbor.

As we sit in front of our televisions until 1:30 a.m. coming together as a nation to cheer on one athlete, one team (whether we realize it or not) we're coming together as a world cheering simply for one goal, the opportunity for every country to compete together as if we were brother vs. sister. The architecture for the 2008 Summer Olympics has been designed and built for the purpose of bringing together this family of competitors and their supporters. In The Triad we catch glimpses of the Birds Nest and the Water Cube during the daily broadcast from Beijing and by the end of these two weeks those images will not feel foreign or strange, but will inspire hope and pride.

You may have never realized how effective design really can be in our lives, we should take the inspiration from this and aim to create those same influential buildings in our community.

Overwhelming Weekend

I was out of town and I just got in from NJ/NYC after driving from 1:30-11pm. By myself.

I was surprised by the friendly-ness in Flemington NJ....such a quaint northern town, very historical, and definitely beautiful. They agree that the south is so much friendlier though and I was proud to be driving around with NC tags.


Here's a picture, standing on the roof of a friend's apartment building in NYC (obviously, no?)

We could call it "touring"

or driving around, going for a car ride, Sunday stroll...you pick.

I love jumping in the car to go somewhere (particularly if I get to be in the passenger side seat because THEN I'm not responsible for watching the road! [though I'll probably still tell you how I'd like the car to be driven....call it the woman in me if you want])

ANYWAY- I love it because it means there may be the chance that I see something I've never seen before or at the very least it means I'll be driving past SOME building and THAT building, even if I only drive past one, was probably designed by an architect and I appreciate that. What sparked this post was my recent trip to High Point- I had to map quest some directions from W-S to photograph a few churches in the area, well wouldn't you know I found a rather beautiful established residential neighborhood. Now normally when I talk about driving around its more leisurely than planned, choose to do it however you like but there is always the opportunity to get to know your community and built world better (unless you're the driver in which case I advocate keeping YOUR EYES on the road). Our world isn't just what we see on tv or in books or movies- it's what is around us, what we drive past everyday. We should appreciate the style of architecture, the look of our communities, and the benefit of life here in the south. Be proud in The Triad and the next time you don't know what to do on a Saturday, go for a ride, don't feel the need to leave town to find something, find it here-

PS. It's spring out and The Triad looks BEAUTIFUL in bloom!

Adaptive Use

I was given a flyer for Preserve Historic Forsyth, an organization doing...well...exactly that, preserving the historical landscapes, neighborhoods, and towns of forsyth county. While I will support those working towards a cause and goal they believe to be worthwhile, historical preservation isn't quite my thing. I've been there, done that and I thought "why try to make it LOOK original." I'd rather take a building, with lots of character, history, etc. and make it work in today's time. Restore it for a new use, you don't use that old barn? why not turn it into a spa?! In downtown Winston-Salem The Nissen building is one of the most prominent adaptive reuse projects I can think of and in downtown Greensboro you'll see an awesome example in the high rise.

Aside from my philosophy I still feel the need to give you information to support PHF, since the person who gave me the flyer is the same person who gave me a start in the professional world of architecture.
visit their website www.preservehistoricforsyth.org and see what they're doing-

Thanks for reading-
The Intern

Part One

of getting to know The Triad

Downtown Winston-Salem, see http://www.dwsp.org/

Building Highlight

• Wachovia Center- designed by Architect Cesar Pelli

Design

• The Moravian Arch influence is seen in the dome and entrance and the Moravian Christmas Star is mirrored in the marble mosaics in the lobby.
• The exterior is clad in olympia white granite from a single quarry in Sardinia, Italy.
• It is the only granite domed skyscraper in the world and the building surpassed Winston Tower as the tallest building in Winston-Salem.

History

• Built by Wachovia in 1995 they now only lease space in the building having sold it in 2004 to American Financial Real Estate Trust.

On the DWSP website check out the Places to Go tab, its my personal favorite for getting to know more about the local community-

Enjoy!

The Intern