An introduction to the demi monograph ‘Xefirotarch’, just published by HUST Press in Beijing. The book documents the decade-long career of the Los Angeles-based architect (and frequent AA visitor) Hernan Diaz Alonso. The essay connects the surface sensibility of Xefirotarch to the sci-fi and special effects industries that surround the architect in his home town.
Wonder Welcome
AA
5 June, 2009
A 10am welcome in the AA Lecture Hall, at the start of the day-long ‘Wonder Stories’ international symposium at the AA School today, organised by Liam Young (tomorrowsthoughtstoday) and Geoff Managh (bldgblog). A day on the convergence of science fiction, film and architecture. ‘Today, everything is becoming science fiction’–JG Ballard.
—June, 2009
London Aga Khan University
‘Dubai Provocation’ is the working title of my roundtable presentation at the Aga Khan University in June. The talk will ask the question: Why is Dubai the Rorschach Test of contemporary architecture? A place architects can only love or hate–no one is indifferent.
Wolf Prix Students
AA<29 May, 2009
I welcomed Wolf Prix’s Angewandte students from Vienna to the AA this afternoon, and presented 160 years of AA history in 20 minutes. Projects, personalities and conspiracy theories.
—1 May, 2009
ABC, Spain ‘Norman Foster, Q&A’, An interview with Michael Oldous.
A question and answer session with the Michael Oldous of the Instituto Empresa, in Madrid, on the occasion of the Prince of Asturias award given this year to Lord Foster. Prompted to discuss Foster’s contribution beyond the iconic buildings he and his practise have been long identified with, my interest remains in the ways in […]
Collab-/Convers-ation
AA Salon<22 May, 2009
Brett moderates an evening discussion between three creative partnerships, on the topic of collaboration in the arts, part of this season’s AA Salon series.
—May, 2009
ABC, Spain ‘Norman Foster, Q&A’,
An interview with Brett on this year’s award of the Prince of Asturias award to Norman Foster, in Madrid’s ABC newspaper.
—30 March, 2009
‘Knowing Where the Bodies are Buried’Introduction to Denise Scott Brown: Collected Essays, 1962-2009’
An introduction to the new AA Words volume, a first-ever collection of writings by Denise Scott Brown. Denise is a modern master of the essay as a form of architectural culture, debate and discussion. In addition to being the author of some of the most influential architectural publications of the twentieth century, and her being […]
—March, 2009
‘Architecture as Light’
An introduction to Cinematic Architecture, on 15 years of the AA’s Dipl Unit 3.
Editing Supercritical
AA Publications
6 May, 2009
I’m finally getting through the rough transcripts of my conversation with Peter Eisenman and Rem Koolhaas, scheduled to deliver the edit this spring, as ‘Supercritical’, v. 1 of our new AA Words series.