Recently, CH spoke to architect and designer David Adjaye, a rising star whose award-winning firm is working on the National Museum of African American History and Culture for the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. A thoughtful…
Continue Reading…
Interview: after completing Europe’s largest public library in Birmingham, architect Francine Houben of Dutch studio Mecanoo spoke to Dezeen about the role of the library in the digital age and claims libraries are as central to society as cathedrals once were.
“Libraries are the most important public buildings, like cathedrals were many years ago,” she said, explaining how Mecanoo designed the Birmingham building as a “people’s palace”. She added: “We wanted it to be very inviting and welcoming, not just about books. It’s not just for the rich or the intellectuals, it’s for everybody.”
The building comprises a stack of four rectangular volumes that include a sunken amphitheatre, rooftop gardens and a shimmering facade clad with interlocking metal rings. Part of the library extends beneath a public square, while reading rooms branch out from a staggered rotunda.
“I didn’t want to make a brick building, because we needed a lot of light, but I didn’t want to make a glass building either,” said the architect. “It’s so beautiful to sit here because of the reflections and the shadows, and the changing of the weather. It’s different from December to June.”
Houben dismisses the suggestion that digital technologies will see the end of libraries, explaining that the university library completed by the firm in Delft is still the most popular place in the city.
“We were always prepared that there would be less books in the future,” she said. “The research machines will always be here, but to me the space is much more important.”
See more images of the Library of Birmingham, or see all our stories about Mecanoo.
Here’s the full transcript of the interview:
Amy Frearson: Can you describe the composition of the building?
Francine Houben: It’s a big volume, a lot of square metres. So what we did was to make a huge lower ground floor, then made a kind of composition of a square, with Shakespeare at the top of it. Birmingham is a very green city but not in the city centre, there are a lot of grey roofs so we wanted to make sure if we made terraces we wanted to make them very green, like elevated gardens. What is nice for a library is to have a garden to read in. So we made these two to add green space to the city.
AF: How did you develop your concept for the facade?
FH: I didn’t want to make a brick building, because we needed a lot of light, but I didn’t want to make a glass building either. It’s so beautiful to sit here because of the reflections and the shadows, and the changing of the weather. It’s different from December to June. Some people say the smaller circles are from the history of the jewellery quarter, and some think it’s the circles of knowledge. To me the idea is that all people from Birmingham can have this story.
But we actually designed the building from the interior. I’m very much into landscaping and as a landscaping architect you try to create your own world. You try to hide what you don’t want to see. So in the amphitheatre you create your own world, and on the terraces you create your own panorama and you think you’re in the hills. When you enter, you feel enclosed by the building.
AF: Why did you choose to include so many circular motifs and round spaces?
FH: I think that it’s something that happened quite intuitively, as I realised it was very much about rotundas. We started with this sequence of rotundas. What happens if we connect rotundas with escalators through a building as a journey? At the end you would see the sky, the stars. And it would be all connected.
AF: What are your favourite moments in the building?
FH: To sit. I could sit for days in the building. On the mezzanine level there’s a coffee bar, where you can get a coffee and watch people passing by; I could sit there for hours. It’s also nice to be on the escalator and, when there’s beautiful weather, to sit in the garden. It depends on the weather and my mood. I think that’s the fascinating thing in this building, that it has so many points on the journey. There’s many destinations and places where you want to spend time.
AF: You describe the building as a people’s palace. Tell me more about that?
FH: I wanted to make a people’s palace because it’s a public building and I think at this moment libraries are the most important public buildings, like cathedrals were many years ago. We wanted it to be very inviting and welcoming, not just about books. It’s not just for the rich or the intellectuals, it’s for everybody. But of course you have sequence of change in the building, as it’s a combination of a public library and a research library, so it gets a little more serious and academic as you go up.
AF: With the growing integration of of computers and digital technologies in libraries, do you think the library still has an important role in the digital age?
FH: I’ve been part of this discussion for many years. When we did the library of the technical university in Delph some people said “why do you need a library?” But it became the most popular place of the university, of the whole city. It attracted tourists and is always full of people.
AF: And how has that building adapted to digital technologies?
FH: When we first started 15 years ago we had 300 computers. They are not necessary anymore because a lot of people have their own laptops. Maybe now there are about 100 computers there. We were always prepared that there would be less books in the future. This will also happen at Birmingham, but the big difference is this is a public library, not one for a university, and the research library is combined with an archive. So this library will always keep a lot of books.
AF: What about some of the other technologies that have been introduced to libraries, such as the robotic book retrieval at Snøhetta’s North Carolina State University?
FH: That can always happen, like systems where you find a book on your iPhone. I think the research machines will always be here, you’ll know exactly where to find things, but to me the space is much more important.
AF: So do you think an ability to adapt to change is important to a library building?
FH: Yes. It’s funny because we started construction very quickly, while we were still working on where to put what furniture. But that didn’t matter because the whole building was made so that you can change what goes where. That will also happen in the future.
AF: What else do you think is important for a public library?
FH: One of the things I was very keen on was to make a good floor. It’s an elevated floor but it really feels like a strong floor. With 10,000 people coming through a day it has be robust and practical, but it should not look like an airport or a shopping mall. It’s ceramic, so it’s a little bit like marble, but it beautifully reflects the light coming in. So the floor, the ceilings with the good acoustics, the different kinds of light and the façade, that’s the building, and then the rest is flexible.
I’m very happy with the building and I think that’s what we promised to do, a people’s palace, a place for all, interlocking a vision of the future with a thinking of the future, but connected to the memories of the city.
The post “Libraries are the most important
public buildings” – Francine Houben appeared first on Dezeen.
In 1971, a little question led to a big idea. When Roger Hargreaves’ six-year-old son asked him what a tickle looked like, Hargreaves was inspired to create a yellow Mr. Tickle character with long arms, a…
Continue Reading…
A quality, individually tailored suit is perhaps one of the few things to have escaped the tsunami of online shopping. Although, according to Max Schmidt and Tom Daguanno, the Detroit-based duo behind );…
Continue Reading…
News: the founder of a new magazine celebrating the work of interns in the creative industry has spoken of the dangers of creating a culture on unpaid labour (+ interview + slideshow).
“We would welcome a move away from unpaid positions,” said Alec Dudson, who is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to launch Intern magazine in the UK. “The danger across all industries is that a culture is fostered whereby young talent thinks nothing of unpaid work and puts up with arrangements that are far from beneficial,” says Dudson.
However, Dudson said that unpaid positions can sometimes be beneficial to young people. “Unpaid positions can, in circumstances that satisfy the intern’s needs, be useful experiences for those trying to break into the industry,” he said, responding to D&AD chairman Dick Powell’s recent speech advising graduates to “work for nothing”.
Yesterday Powell clarified his remarks, saying unpaid work is not “acceptable on any level”.
Intern magazine aims to showcase work from talented creatives currently interning in the creative industry, and raise debate on the culture of internships. Manchester-based Dudson told Dezeen: “Our intention is to empower interns through the publication.”
Dudson founded the magazine after a two-month paid internship with Domus in Milan and voluntary work with Boat magazine in London. “I gained a lot from my internships, but I had to sacrifice a lot in order to do them,” he said.
Intern magazine has launched a funding campaign on Kickstarter this month, which runs until Wednesday 7 August 2013. If the fundraising is successful, issue one will go on sale in October 2013. Here’s the campaign video:
Here’s the full interview with Dudson:
Kate Andrews: Why did you decide to start Intern magazine?
Alec Dudson: I set out on my first internship in the magazine industry last March with Domus in Milan. After two months there, moved to London and worked for the remainder of the year with Boat. Realising after what were two wonderful, yet financially tough, experiences that I was no closer to my dream position with a magazine, I started to explore the possibilities of setting up my own. Inspired by my own relatively brief time in the world of internships and the experiences of others I had met, it struck me that the ideal subject for such an endeavour was right before my eyes.
I knew from my time at Boat how slender the opportunities to make a profit off print publications were, so any project I did set out on was going to need to undertaken by me alone, wherever possible. Fortunately, Chris, one of the freelance designers at Boat during my stint there, was just setting up design studio She Was Only with a couple of friends and they were prepared to take on the project’s design and art direction. Without them, I would have struggled to get the idea off the ground.
Kate Andrews: Were your internships with Domus and Boat magazine paid or unpaid?
Alec Dudson: At Domus I was paid €400 a month, which just about covered my rent when I was out there. Boat was not but I approached them and was fully aware of the situation before I started.
Kate Andrews: When does the first issue come out?
Alec Dudson: Our Kickstarter campaign runs until August 7th. Should we successfully raise the £5500 or more, I hope to have issue one on sale in September or October at the latest. While a portion of our content is already down and good to go, my helpless desire for perfection and the difficulties in rounding up final drafts of all the articles will inevitably cause some delays. But I firmly intend for the magazine to be very much worth the wait. Anyone backing us to the tune of £1 or more will be kept in the loop regarding the issue’s progress allowing our backers to come with us on the journey towards our launch.
Kate Andrews: What will be in the first issue?
Alec Dudson: The first issue will feature a selection of work by interns from around the world alongside a balanced debate that also see contributions from those established in the creative industries.
Kate Andrews: What are your thoughts about internships, particularly unpaid internships, in the creative industries?
Alec Dudson: I don’t necessarily feel that the creative industries are any better or worse than other industries with regard to how they treat and value unpaid and junior talent, but I do feel that they make a fascinating case study.
The danger across all industries is that a culture is fostered whereby young talent thinks nothing of working unpaid and puts up with arrangements that are far from beneficial. I personally feel I gained a lot from my internships but I had to sacrifice a lot in order to work them, still I am luckier than most as I was in a position where I could make the situation work. A great deal of people simply can’t afford to work for free and by creating situations where only those who can afford are granted access to the industries, you engender a scenario where the pool of talent being picked from is already very selective. Surely this is a morally perplexing scenario for the creative industries as creativity isn’t something only people of a certain social class have or can articulate?
Kate Andrews: What advice would you give to graduates hoping to enter the creative industries?
Alec Dudson: My advice to new talent would be to have the confidence to value yourself and your time. If you end up working unpaid for a studio or company whose work you adore, yet you aren’t given the sort of hands on experience that you desire, or aren’t made to feel an important part of the team, don’t be afraid to walk away. Doing so in a civil manner won’t stop you being able to list them on your CV and get a reference.
The best internships out there are those where trust is placed in the intern and they are allowed a degree of creative freedom and involvement in the day-to-day. It might not seem like it, but there are some great places out there that provide these sort of experiences, they pay as well. Confidence in your ability and the confidence to communicate that ability are key in breaking into the creative industries.
Kate Andrews: Do you think unpaid work is okay or not?
Alec Dudson: I think there remain situations where it can be beneficial. I certainly wouldn’t have had the confidence or the know-how to approach [this project] if it had not been from my time with Boat magazine. Ideally, of course, all positions would be paid. But I think if those contemplating internships have a better idea of what to expect and what isn’t acceptable when it comes to free work, then a lot of the exploitative unpaid positions can be eradicated.
Kate Andrews: Are internships a good thing?
Alec Dudson: Again, in their purest form, absolutely. A good internship is one where the transaction – in a non-monetary sense – is enriching for both parties. By treating interns as a valuable resource and a part of the team, employers can get far more than an eager worker in return. From the intern’s perspective, someone who values their contribution and trusts them, offering guidance where needed can be of great value going forward. Of course these experiences are always subjective but there are too many instances where the arrangement offers little for the intern that little or no monetary compensation can justify.
Kate Andrews: Will Intern magazine be taking on interns? Will they be paid?
Alec Dudson: We won’t be taking on interns. We will be sourcing contributions from interns and unpaid workers in the creative industries and paying them for their contribution. The reality is that this won’t be a full professional rate, but as a new publication and one with a model for steady sustainable growth, we will pay as much as we can. It is the hope that as the magazine grows, sooner rather than later, those payments will reflect a professional rate.
Kate Andrews: What stance will the magazine take on unpaid internships?
Alec Dudson: Our position can’t be overly vitriolic as it would undermine our ability to host a debate of any worth. However, it is clear enough from our stance on paying our contributors that we would welcome a move away from unpaid positions. Internships can be a positive thing to do. We will feature stories from those who we believe provide excellent internships but will not waste our time bad-mouthing those who don’t. A key means of enriching the intern experience for all concerned is providing the tools – in terms of advice and tales of others’ experience – that enable those applying for internships to be more discerning and that is one of the magazine’s main intentions.
Kate Andrews: What are your thoughts on Sou Fujimoto’s comments about unpaid architecture internships in Japan?
Alec Dudson: The RIBA’s stance [in calling for people to report unpaid internships in the UK] is an important attempt to clean house of the UK architecture industry. The debate may not have much footing in Japan at the moment but it will be interesting to see if that remains the case going forward. If the interns are highly involved in model building and, with that, real projects, then I imagine it can be a really great experience for them, particularly with a firm with huge international status.
Where it gets morally perplexing is that realistically, few can afford to work for three to six months unpaid for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. If this is during studies or with a scholarship in place then I imagine it is easier but it is those who have the talent yet are financially restricted from getting that experience that we should be worrying about and that the debate needs driving forward for.
Kate Andrews: What about Dick Powell’s recent speech that advised people to “work for nothing” to break into the industry?
Alec Dudson: Unpaid positions can, in circumstances that satisfy the intern’s needs, be useful experiences for those trying to break into the industry and I think that is what he is suggesting. But it is a bit disappointing that a prominent figure associated with a foundation like D&AD is encouraging graduates to specifically seek out unpaid work.
The post Young people “can’t afford to work
for free” says Intern magazine founder appeared first on Dezeen.
by Madison Kahn Last November, all that Tennessee-native Jacob Henley had was a tank of gas, some reclaimed wood and a big idea: to mentor inner-city Nashville youth by teaching them how to build one-of-a-kind skateboards. Now, six months later, recordOutboundLink(this,…
Continue Reading…
4N is a French watch brand that creates timepieces, which are resolutely masculine and unapologetically cutting-edge. While they have an exclusive Limited Edition timepiece (last one of 16) up on TouchOf Modern, for a members-only price, we got the chance of catching up with designer François Quentin for a quick round of questions.
YD – What According To You is the authentic definition of Haute Horlogerie. Can you name a FEW timepieces as example?
FQ – Difficult question! I could use the definition of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie who says in his manifesto:
“The’ Fine Watchmaking’ denomination embraces a centuries-old, living history, a rich and Specific Culture, professional ethic, the enduring expertise of the craftsman, and a burning passion.
In a word, Fine Watchmaking is a cultivation of knowledge and know-how. While Fine Watchmaking is heir to a long tradition, it nonetheless firmly looks to the future. Its values are research, innovation, development and training new generations.”
I would add to this definition, a point that seems to be missed: artistic dimension. Haute Horlogerie, beyond the simple functional dimension, addresses sense emotions and the intellect, and like art is pure gratuity and infinite freedom.
YD – What are your favorite complications in a watch?
FQ – The alarm, even if it is not very complicated in fact.
YD – What is the MOST difficult complications in a watch?
FQ – One that does not exist – I myself have worked for three years to work out my complication, and two more years to develop with Renaud & Papi.
YD – If You Were to invent a new complication or innovative aspects to a watch, What Will that be?
FQ – 24h digital display with a very large display.
YD – For Those Who do not know you … you are ……
FQ – Eclectic, curious, crazy of noir novels, mechanical, art, extreme sports, cooking, watches, science, and human relationships ….
YD – In the upcoming years, how do you see design language and technology changing the way we wear time?
FQ – I look forward to the Mac iwatch …
YD – Tell us a secret That no one knows yet … maybe a hidden passion?
FQ – I wish to be a doctor.
YD – What watch are you wearing Currently?
FQ – mine, and Suunto for scuba diving
YD – What is your favorite watch brand?
FQ – Ressence for beautiful contemporary pieces and especially for its great founder Benoit Mintiens the greatest watchmaker in Belgium. (well, on the other hand it is the only ….)
The 4N-MVT01/D01 Model is the last one of 16 ever created, sold exclusively on TouchOfModern. Be the final person in the world to ever own one. The MSRP is $235,000 but mention they have a special members-only pricing.
It’s embodied in a mouvement of manufacture, defined by a mechanical complication with manual assembly and a 12-hour digital display. It is based on an intelligent configuration of intermittent rotating discs. Three subgroups of discs, , kept in cage structures, light up to reveal the time according to a jumping display as the minutes pass (4 discs for the hour, 5 for the minutes, and 1 for the ten minutes). The device uses a system of jump by constant force guaranteeing a minimum expenditure of energy whatever the degree of movement.
Available At: TouchOfModern
–
Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE – We are more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(In Talks With François Quentin – Designer Of The 4N Watch was originally posted on Yanko Design)
Related posts:
     |
by Carol Huston “Photography is an experiment, but it’s the results that count.” Art rhetoric is no stranger to Stephen Iles, who divides his time between London and Manchester. A music promoter during Manchester’s media-crazed years, Iles (who studied fine art at the…
Continue Reading…
We first met Stefano Terzuolo after the opening of Milan’s GUM Salon three years ago. Since then, GUM has become a point of reference for hairstyling throughout all of…
Continue Reading…
by Emily Millett Inside the stark walls of Penindaplinena Gallery in Cyprus, beautiful people flit from one exhibit to another, while outside on the damp pavement, others balance cigarettes and glasses of wine. Standing confidently between…
Continue Reading…
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
