f-stopped http://f-stopped.com/blog San Francisco Bay Area Based Architectural, Urban and Product Photographer. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:55:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Dior http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/23/dior/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/23/dior/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:55:15 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1336 If you’re drawn to over-priced luxury you’ll love the Dior flagship store designed by Pritzker prize winners SANAA. If you’re interested in architecture that delivers a spatial experience in a beautifully designed package, you’ll probably be somewhat disappointed.

As far as beautiful packages go, the building certainly delivers. Unfortunately, a quick wander inside reveals yet another overly exuberant luxury ghetto with a banal layout, and absolutely no relationship to the exterior. The suggestive undulating fabric-like waves on the exterior (which are made of plastic, interestingly enough) are barely perceptible on the inside. Instead, one is surrounded by endless merchandise seeking that high end shopper with way too much money to spare and chihuahuas to bling up.

As a great admirer of SANAA’s amazing work around the world, I was once again reminded how great architecture is a confluence of vision of a talented designer, and all those who are involved with a project’s conception. As pretty and tantalizing as the Dior flagship store is from the outside, not even SANAA’s deft touch and excellent taste could salvage the building from what is frankly an incredibly banal interior. For that reason alone the building flirts with mediocrity. Fortunately I had the good fortune of visiting other SANAA projects during my visit to Japan (more to come later), and my faith in SANAA’s design prowess was quickly restored.

 

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/23/dior/feed/ 0 Encapsulate http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/20/encapsulate/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/20/encapsulate/#comments Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:06:35 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1317 Kisho Kurokawa‘s Capsule Tower, located in the Ginza District in Tokyo defies gravity on many levels. In terms of physical gravity, it’s attached rather precariously to a support core that frankly appears to the untrained eye somewhat under-engineered. Another ode to the building’s persistance is its ability to push back redevelopment efforts in what is prime real estate in the heart of Tokyo. The persistant economic slump has been its unexpected guardian angel, and efforts to demolish or upgrade have been put on the back burner for a number of years now. The Capsule Tower is appropriately located adjacent to an elevated highway for all to see at car speed, and embodies 60′s experimentalism and optimism that has now fallen into decay, and needing a reason to rejuvenate itself.

Kisho Kurokawa, japan, tokyo, ginza, architecture

Kisho Kurokawa, japan, tokyo, ginza, architecture

Kisho Kurokawa, japan, tokyo, ginza, architecture

Kisho Kurokawa, japan, tokyo, ginza, architecture

 

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/20/encapsulate/feed/ 0 Big In Japan http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/15/1162/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/15/1162/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:41:38 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1162 After many years of dreaming to visit Japan I had the good fortune of visiting for the first time this past October. In addition to constantly experimenting with the fine food on offer I took every chance I could get to visit renowned buildings that have been an inspiration over the years. I have many photos to sort through, so please expect many Japan related imagery in the future. First one off the bat is this elegant and stunning example of Kenzo Tange’s design prowess, St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tokyo.

exterior undulating view of cathedral in Tokyo designed by Kenzo Tange

exterior view of cathedral in Tokyo designed by Kenzo Tange

Interior view of cathedral in Tokyo designed by Kenzo Tange

 

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/11/15/1162/feed/ 0 St Ignatius http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/16/st-ignatius/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/16/st-ignatius/#comments Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:15:02 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1149 Bottles of light, craftsmanship and distinctive auxiliary spaces define the mood and feel of a small building in Seattle that is one of Steven Holl‘s seminal projects. Built in 1997, one is struck by how contemporary it still feels – there is a real sense that this retake on a quiet spiritual gathering place will not age badly, or slowly devolve into a reminder of the nervous architectural tics of a bygone era.

As soon as I walked into the principal nave I immediately realized how familiar the interiors felt. The memory of a trip I did many years ago to that other beloved chapel, Ronchamp, by Swiss master Le Corbusier flooded right back in. In both buildings one is struck by what is both a quiet monumentality and the most intimate of spaces, both in scale and in stillness. Great architecture has always been able to deftly navigate seemingly contradictory spatial experiences.

"steven holl" architecture interior "chapel of st ignatius" seattle washington

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/16/st-ignatius/feed/ 1 Seattle http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/09/seattle/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/09/seattle/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:16:50 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1140 It’s been over 5 years since I last went to Seattle – the Seattle Central Library by OMA/Rem Koolhaas continues to feel very contemporary. It was also literally swarming with patrons, and appeared to be a very popular place for the general public to congregate. Truly an icon of a building…

architecture

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2011/01/09/seattle/feed/ 0 Portugal And Back http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/11/05/portugal-and-back/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/11/05/portugal-and-back/#comments Sat, 06 Nov 2010 06:58:45 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1131 I was recently back in Portugal to visit my family, and had the chance to visit some projects that have been on my radar for a while now. The range and diversity of architectural practice coming out of this small country continues to be a valuable resource for me, and seeing these buildings in person for the first time reminded me once again why I love and practice architecture. These are a few gems I saw over the course of a week, which include one that I visited on a side trip to the island of Madeira.

Museum Paula Rego by Eduardo Souto de Moura

Souto De Moura Casa Museum Paula Rego

Casa Das Mudas by Paulo David

Paulo David Casa Das Mudas Madeira

Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum by Aires Mateus

Aires Mateus Farol Lighthouse Museum Santa MArta

Estoril Sol by Gonçalo Byrne

Casino Estoril

Casino Estoril

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/11/05/portugal-and-back/feed/ 0 Parsed http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/07/05/parsed/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/07/05/parsed/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:37:31 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1126 I recently had the good fortune of taking to the skies again with the great company of Aaron and Zack for a 90 minute flight around the San Francisco Bay Area, San Mateo County, Santa Cruz and Monterey. Conditions were a little choppy despite the good weather and clear visibility, and the constant dodging of little aircraft every few minutes reminded me that the airspace around the Bay Area is generally very busy.

Even after living in San Francisco for what is now going onto 6 years, I’m still easily enthralled by the variety of landscapes that surround my adopted city. Seeing it from a zippy single engine plane heightens the awareness even further. Speaking of choppy – do not look through a telephoto lens whilst flying in a bumpy plane if you value keeping your breakfast where it belongs: in your body.

Having said that, I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to get there and gaze at the world below. All photography benefits from seeing things from a different perspective, and this is easily one of the more unique vantage points I have had the pleasure of photographing from.

San Jose salt ponds with a canal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aerial photo of the Sacramento River Delta

Aerial photo of the Richmond Bridge in San Francisco Bay

aerial photo of San Francisco city grid

aerial photo of farmland

aerial photo of the Sacramento River Delta

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/07/05/parsed/feed/ 1 Poise http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/30/poise/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/30/poise/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:11:22 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1115

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/30/poise/feed/ 1 Taking Stock http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/19/taking-stock/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/19/taking-stock/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:03:08 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1111

 

]]> http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/19/taking-stock/feed/ 0 Magic Trick http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/09/magic-trick/ http://f-stopped.com/blog/2010/04/09/magic-trick/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:55:18 +0000 Eddy Joaquim http://f-stopped.com/blog/?p=1107

 

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