ā.Dot, save the date Oct 6

My work will be exhibited at the ā.Dot exhibit.  

Please join me for the opening night reception 

on: Oct 6 Thursday.

venue: Ross Barney Architects. 10W Hubbard St. Chicago IL

time: 5:30pm -9:00pm

ā.Dot exhibition is organized by Chicago Women in Architecture is part of Chicago Artists Month 2011, the sixteenth annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant visual art community presented by the Chicago Department of Tourism and Culture. For more information, visit www.chicagoartistsmonth.org.

Photography, travel & say - one woman's search for all thing architecture across Toronto

At risk of sounding like a Hollywood nirvana, here I am posting about my travel to Toronto.

Toronto a city with vibrant architecture & milieu of cultural diversity brought  me amazement  each day as I explored it.

ROM, Designed by Daniel Libeskind 

AGO, designed by Frank Gehry

Visiting ROM & AGO were the highlights of this travel, but what really stole the show were the breathtaking 360° views of the City from CN Tower. Simply ecstatic.

City view from CN Tower

I found myself gazing, absorbed and lost in it. Each line of vista & the rail network; the different datums that building sits on & waterfronts that makes beautiful public spaces.

And I thought to myself, its as simple and as complex as : putting people, places & things together that... really makes Toronto - "Toronto."

Toronto skyline

©vaishjais

Upon traveling to Texas

This month I travelled to Texas.  Though heat index was a rising terror here, driving on the highways  was "one cool ride"- kind of an experience. Transportation infrastructure of much of the Texan cities is impressive & explicitly well connected.

I was in Dallas & Fort Worth where I visited works of Kahn, Koolhaas, Ando, Foster, Renzo Piano & Philip Johnson.

And sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. So here I am sharing my personal favourite.

Kimbell Art Museum, Louis Kahn, Fort Worth TX

“All material in nature, 

the mountains and the streams and the air and we, 

are made of Light which has been spent, 

and this crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, 

and the shadow belongs to Light." - Louis Kahn

Charlotte Amalie –An Islandish Urbanity, VIRGIN ISLAND

I have new words in my urban dictionary “Islandish Urbanity”. This time my vacation turned out to be quite an outlandish escape to the Virgin Islands while, most of the United States were covered under blizzard. 

Charlotte Amalie- its downtown is much of an urban delight on this beautiful remote island. So I spend a good time exploring this new found islandish urbanity.

The economy of this town and island on the whole thrives on visitors & tourist. Mainly these visitors/ tourist are passengers from cruises. St. Thomas harbor docks about two to three cruise ships daily (each with onboard capacity of 2,300 passengers on an avg.) So, there is an evident attention to detail when it comes to pedestrian character of the street; to create a one of a kind, shopping experience.

Building structures are closely tucked next to each other. I understand this must be a result of resourceful use of land considering that it’s an Island; and, very small one for that matter.

Most of these buildings are old structures that were built in stone and brick brought over from Europe as ballast on the early sailing ships. Originally, these structures were used as warehouses. Later on reclaimed to create a shopping district.

What brings it’s streetscape to life are these light pockets and courtyards.

The old stone walls bathe in this Caribbean sun revealing its textured beauty often accented with occasional wall hung coastal vines. 

The arched doors of the warehouses are painted in the local playful and vibrant colours, adding character to this Islandish Urbanity. 

Lumenhaus + Farnsworth House

Did you missed visiting Lumenhaus last year while, it was on display at the Millennium Park, Chicago. Then, MODERNISM has boxed-in an open plan for you this year.

 Visit Lumenhaus this spring at the Farnsworth House.

Virginia Tech's International Solar Decathlon winner LUMENHAUS will be on display at the Farnsworth House from April 1 till July 31.

Lumenhaus is a prototype house model that optimizes energy conservation through responsive architecture.

Inspired by the glass pavilion-style Farnsworth House designed by Bauhaus architect Mies Van Der Rohe, the house features a flowing, open plan that connects occupants to each other within the house and to nature outside. And what better than to experience this modern pavilion on the same grounds where the Farnsworth House sits.

Experience the house, watch the video clip below.

Design is Changing the World

Book Review: THE POWER OF PROBONO 40 stories about Design for the Public Good by Architects and Their Clients

Edited by John Cary and Public Architecture

Book Design by Pentagram

Published by Metropolis Books

 I received a courtesy copy of this book and yes it was a beautiful feeling to see my name in the ‘acknowledgments’ for the book.  What’s more beautiful is to contribute a 1% of your workday to help someone so that you feel good for the other 99% of the time.

Based on this simple concept of contributing just 1% of your service for a good cause, Public Architecture started ‘the1%’ program in 2005. Today it’s even shaped itself into a book.  This book goes a long way with its inspiring and successful stories of people that believe in doing public good. 

 In this world of architecture, we hunt hungry to spot those ‘Oh-so-cool’ moments. And, we sit silent often; ignoring that architecture can also be about bringing change for a good cause.  Design is changing the world.

Here is a book that will inspire you. Read it, read these 40 stories. And then, become a part of one such story.

Make a change, make a difference.

branding THAILAND

It was a vacation in a vacation over my last visit to India, almost unplanned we went to Thailand.

Thaliand is a beautiful, scenic country drenched in culture of immense hospitality and has a hard to miss upon omnipresent gold glow radiating its grandeur and royalty.

Sea shore, Phuket, Thailand. Photo by Vaish Jais

Royal Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. Photo by Vaish Jais

I flew Thai Air. 

Thai. Photo source Interbrand

A perfect example of how to inculcate an essence of a culture and its architecture through brand, Thai Air delivers a customer experience that, further up-plays this thai-ness in a very contemporary way. Interbrand has designed Thai Air into a brand that becomes an ambassador for Thailand.


Excerpts from Interbrand website: 'Design ethic is inspired by "jumpee" symbol, the traditional "wai" greeting of bringing the two palms together and the pitched roof of Thai architecture.' Read more

A Day As A Docent- THE FARNSWORTH HOUSE

People, today I trod from taking my baby steps co-docenting at The Farnsworth House onto becoming an actual Docent. And, I even got my very own Tee in grey with the Farnsworth House sketch on it.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JON MILLER, HEDRICH BLESSING

Over this spring, a good four tours of co-docenting later, I was all by myself; walking the visitors to the house, touring and answering the curious minds.

This beautiful minimalist Miesian wonder attracts visitors from all over the world.

Personally, I find peace here. I feel connected to this place; which is one of the reason I decided to become a docent at The Farnsworth House. And, the other reason, has to be the fact that I am an Architect myself.

Shoe Fetish: melissa + ZAHA HADID

What more could I ask for when it comes to all thing architecture & gratifying my shoe fetish- perhaps a shoe that fits, and is designed by an architect.

And viola... there it was like a wish come true: Limited edition shoes designed by Zaha Hadid for Melissa Shoes on sale at Gilt Groupe, Woah, I had to grab them before somebody else did.

Well designed, ergonomic, smartly asymetrical; they come with pleasantly infused aroma; first of its kind in my collection. I am impressed.

Concept as expressed on Zaha's website:
The design engages with the fluid organic contours of the body. The shoes asymmetric quality conveys an inherent sense of movement to the design, evoking continuous transformation. ... read more

Now I own my very own piece of Zaha

Independence Square, Charlotte, NC.

In Charlotte NC, a while back I happened to wander around the downtown and arrived at this very interesting crossroad - The Independence Square. I must admit I had to look it up to learn its significance.

What fascinated me were these two sculptures, surprisingly abstract & modern, as they remain juxtaposed along sides of four very historic pillared statues with personified tittles as "Transportation", "Future", "Commerce" and "Industry". This contrast is an art delight and architecturally playful.