In honor of D-Day and the many web features dedicated to the event, here are a few links about Paul Virilio's 1975 book Bunker Archaeology: From Tumblr; An excerpt and photographs from the book; A short film inspired by the book; Bunkers and J.G. Ballard
06/05: Eixample
One interesting element of the RCR Library project was its ability to transform the interior courtyard of the block in which it was situated. (images from El Croquis) By bringing the public realm in the interior of the block the project accomplished two things. Firstly it inspired all the residents facing the courtyard to take... Continue Reading →
05/27: Ruins
A few articles this week took note of the struggles to get potential host cities to commit to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The investment in infrastructure and event facilities often fall into disuse and disrepair soon after the games end. I visited Montreal a few years back and enjoyed the site of Buckminster Fuller's... Continue Reading →
05/26: Remembrance and Memorial
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a Federal holiday dedicated to the memory of armed forces who lost their lives while serving the country. The holiday started out as Decoration Day, to celebrate soldiers killed during the Civil War (both Union and Confederate soldiers). Veterans' Day, November 11th, began as Armistice day to... Continue Reading →
05/15: On Stage
My sister Nora celebrates her birthday today and celebrates it with a full day of rehearsals for stage productions in the DC area. She is an actress. She is very good, too. Here is a dramatic performance (improvised) from Tlemcen (northwest Algeria) in 2009 with Ami Tayeb. The amphitheater is part of the Roman ruins there... Continue Reading →
05/06: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory
Two days until final presentations, so another brief post today about The Greater Philadelphia Geohistory Network and their overlays of historic maps of Philadelphia. The interface allows you to browse around a map or satellite view of Philadelphia via Google Maps. Users have the ability to add layers of maps, for instance the 1962 Land... Continue Reading →
04/21: Engine 46
As part of a class on Historic Preservation Economics, I am part of a team looking at the 1894 Engine 46 Firehouse, a steakhouse in its latest life up until 2006 when the proprietor allegedly ran into gambling trouble and forfeited all his assets (most of the restaurant). The Southwark Historical Society has a... Continue Reading →
04/20: Underspecified Systems
What is an underspecified system? Orkan Telhan's class Visual Epistemology takes a look at artwork and installations with very specific properties. These systems must be intentionally incomplete, change over time, have some sort of agency and performace, and respond to some external force or input. I used the Waterfall Swing and Reading chair as examples. The waterfall... Continue Reading →
04/14: Sourcemap and Trash/Track
'Out of sight, out of mind' applies often to most of the goods we buy. Everything I own or use has had a long life before it got to me and will likely have a long and much more sordid life after. As abstract concepts, it is easy to understand that the cell phone in my... Continue Reading →
03/25: Uncle Patrick
My Uncle Patrick Sokas passed away two years ago to the day. His passing was both sudden and unexpected, but from it came one of the most interesting and beautiful acts of tribute and remembrance in the form of Found Patrick. My aunt, Patrick's sister Regina embarked on a journey of collecting my uncle's written work... Continue Reading →
Adam Achrati 