2012 Pritzker Prize: Wang Shu

By David Basulto  

 

© Zhu Chenzhou

Wang Shu, Chinese architect and founder of Amateur Architecture Studio, has been just announced as the recipient of the 2012 Pritzker Prize.
The Pritzker Prize’s purpose is “to honor a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture”.
In my opinion Wang Shu’s architecture presents a contemporary and progressive approach that acknowledges the rich tradition of Chinese architecture. As the future generations of Chinese architects are influenced by his architecture, a generation that will be an active part of China’s growth, he will indirectly improve how millions will live in the next few years.
He calls his office Amateur Architecture Studio, but the work is that of a virtuoso in full command of the instruments of architecture — form, scale, material, space and light - Karen Stein, Pritzker Prize jury.

SIGNATURE TOWER, Icon Baru Indonesia 2020

SIGNATURE TOWER, Icon Baru Indonesia 2020

by Goemilar 

Courtesy : Archdaily

kabArsitektur|com -  Seperti kita ketahui bersama bahwa gedung tertinggi di Indonesia saat ini adalah Wisma 46 dengan ketinggian 262 meter. Gedung ini telah mengalahkan ketinggian Icon Negara Indonesia yang dibangun pada era pemerintahan Presiden Soekarno. Pada Masa Pemerintahannya, Soekarno mendirikan beberapa icon negara sebagai identitas bangsa yang akan mengangkat citra bangsa Indonesia di Mata Internasional. Namun, sayangnya setelah berganti pemerintahan, fokus pembangunan lebih ke arah bisnis. Ini sungguh sangat di sesali.

Beberapa Hari belakangan ini kabar baik hadir di ranah properti Indonesia, yaitu dengan munculnya rencana pengusaha Indonesia, Tomy Winata Cs untuk membangun menara setinggi 638 meter. hampir tiga kali lebih tinggi dari wisma 46 dan lima kali lebih tinggi dari Monas. Menara yang akan di bangun ini memiliki nama Signature Tower. Seperti di lansir Archdaily.com, Bahwa Signature Tower merupakan gedung tertinggi ke-5 di Dunia pada tahun 2020 setelah Seoul Light DMC Tower di Korea dengan tinggi 640 meter.

Reframing the Stats About Architecture

By Jennifer Kennedy

© ArchMen - Fotolia.com

Architecture press is buzzing with recent Bureau of Labor Statistics reports on unemployment and self-employment figures for those in the architecture field. The media have taken this data and made a plentitude of fearful predictions about the dark future of the architecture profession: there are more too many graduates, seemingly few positions, higher educational requirements and less prestige for the profession as a whole. They paint a somewhat dismal picture, both for those entering the field and those in mid-career, who are looking to start a firm.
The BLA Statistics and a recent study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education offer the following as signs of difficulty and doom:

• Licensing requirements (for architects) include not only a professional degree in architecture (4-6 years of schooling), but also at least 3 years of practical work, training, and passing all divisions of the Architect Registration Examination
• Architecture graduates face stiff competition, especially for jobs in the most prestigious firms
• Undergraduate architecture students are facing 13.9 percent unemployment rates
• About 21 percent of architects are self-employed—almost 3 times the proportion for all occupations

While these statistics could take one down a road of despair, there is more to the story. The reality is that the architecture field has naturally changed with a changing world. All professions are undergoing a profound evolution on several fronts: demographic, education and economic. These changes are not all bad, and actually may provide the basis for optimism.

Demographics

“Architecture was historically a gentleman’s profession,” said Michael Porter, AIA during an interview we conducted for Success by Design. He went on to say, “Even as recently as 50 years ago, architects were almost always male, came from wealthy families and pursued the career as a symbol of philanthropy more than for financial gain.”

In recent decades, the bias against women and minorities has lifted, and now many architecture programs have almost equal male to female populations. Social standing is no longer a prerequisite to success in the architecture filed. This is positive development that we ought to embrace. Of course, the numbers of graduates has increased, thus putting pressure on employment prospects, but the fact that the architecture profession has embraced greater diversity should be applauded. If it is difficult to match these greater numbers with existing jobs, what can be done to help them develop careers in adjacent industries? Changes in how students and post-graduates are trained provides the key.

The Tallest 20 in 2020

Entering the Era of the Megatall by CTBUH

By Karissa Rosenfield

 

Tallest Skyline © CTBUH

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat recently published The Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the Era of the Megatall. Within this decade, the World’s first kilometer-tall building will be constructed, along with many other buildings over 600-meters tall. “The term “supertall” (which refers to a building over 300 meters) is thus no longer adequate to describe these buildings: we are entering the era of the “megatall.”
Continue reading for more details on “The Tallest 20 in 2020″.

Presiden Dukung UU Arsitek

Hindra Liu | Latief | Selasa, 27 Desember 2011 | 13:08 WIB

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dikatakan mendukung keberadaan Undang-undang Arsitek yang telah masuk dalam Program Legislatif Nasional (Prolegnas) 2012. Menurut Presiden, undang-undang ini turut memihak para arsitektur Indonesia dan juga masyakat.

Kehidupan bangsa ini bukan hanya politik dan dagang, tapi juga estetika dan etika.

-- Heru Lelono

Dukungan tersebut disampaikan Presiden ketika menerima Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia di Kantor Presiden, Jakarta, Selasa (27/12/2011).
"Kehidupan bangsa ini bukan hanya politik dan dagang, tapi juga estetika dan etika," kata Staf Khusus Presiden Bidang Informasi, Heru Lelono, kepada para wartawan, Jakarta, Selasa.
Sementara itu, Ketua IAI 2008-2011 Endy Subijono mengatakan, saat ini arsitek merupakan salah satu profesi yang belum memiliki payung hukum. Endy mengatakan, UU Arsitek menjamin masyarakat memeroleh layanan arsitektur yang profesional. Dengan UU, ada pengaturan yang setara, baik di tingkat regional ASEAN maupun tingkat dunia.
UU Arsitek akan mengatur bagaimana kompetensi, tanggungjawab, kewajiban, dan peran arsitek. Pun, akan diatur honorarium yang pantas, penghargaan, bahkan sanksi bagi seorang arsitek. Dengan kata lain, UU menjamin masyarakat mendapat pelayanan arsitek yang orang yang ahli, katanya.
Endy mengatakan, jika tidak memiliki UU, maka arsitek asing dan biro arsitek asing bisa masuk leluasa, dan memanfaatkan ketiadaan peraturan di Indonesia. Arsitek Indonesia tidak bisa berbuat banyak karena mereka sudah dilindungi UU arsitek negara masing-masing.
Menariknya, draf RUU Arsitek juga mengakui dan mengakomodir keberadaan para arsitek tradisional. Mereka adalah para ahli bangunan yang dikenal luas masyarakat sebagai arsitek tradisional, yang selama ini telah membangun rumah-rumah adat, misalnya rumah panggung di Kalimantan atau rumah adat di Bali, dan lainnya.  

Sumber Berita : www.kompas.com

http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2011/12/27/13085694/Presiden.Dukung.UU.Arsitek 

Note : 

Diluar Dinamika politik tanah air yang terus meningkat,mudah2an para eksekutif (Presiden dan Mentri terkait) beserta juga Legislator dapat memikirkan sedikit tentang kreatifitas dan profesionalitas anak bangsa yang mulai "terjajah" dalam hal kreatifitas serta independensi yang kerap dipandang sebelah mata oleh bangsa sendiri. Pasar Bebas bukan berarti tanpa proteksi,melainkan memayungi  para  penggerak industri kreatif ini dalam perundang-undangan yang memungkinkan insan kreatif dapat berbuat lebih banyak peran serta dalam peningkatan nilai-nilai lokalitas yang berdaya guna tinggi.

UU Arsitek memang tidak bernuansa politik yang bisa dipolitisasi bagi kepentingan golongan tertentu dan tidak populer,tapi UU Arsitek ini memiliki potensi sebagai sebuah sumber daya yang bisa diperbaiki diluar MIGAS serta juga dapat memperkuat jati diri bangsa sebagai bangsa yang kreatif. 

Asia Pacific - Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction

Asia Pacific - Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction

busan opera house by matteo cainer architects

'busan camellian opera house' by matteo cainer architects in busan, south korea
all images courtesy of matteo cainer architects


paris and london-based firm matteo cainer architects has received an honorable mention for a proposal they submitted
to the busan opera house inernational design competition for busan, south korea. located at the north port,
the building is meant to serve as a performing art center with theaters optimized for high class operas,
concerts and other art related activities which would appeal to people of all ages and social backgrounds while
promoting an interaction between music, nature and architecture.



view of structure from nearby body of water  


the form is based on the camellia flower, the official flower of busan. the dense tectonic petals create a visual connection
between the sea and the city. the cantilevering levels give visitors a scenic view of both the waterfront and the city behind.
the building is made of glass, revealing the structural components while modulating the penetrating light.
contrasting the qualities of the transparent material is a variety of vegetation both around the complex as well as inside
the main gallery space both for environmental and humanistic purposes. to integrate the surrounding space,
strategically located large digital screens display current events, but can also be used to project live open air concerts,
turning the side of the building into a theatre.