Wednesday October 28th 2009, 4:10 pm
Filed under: Random
I am thankful that I live in an area where there are definite seasons and I enjoy them all. I associate each one with different sights, sounds and smells and definitely tastes (as I sit here sipping my hot apple cider). Last Saturday my husband and I drove out into the country and went on a long autumn walk. I was so excited about it that I got up early, for a Saturday, and put on my festive burnt orange down vest, packed up the dog and was ready to go. The morning light was amazing as it came streaming down through the trees and the colors of the leaves falling on the path as we walked were beautiful, like they were laying down a colorful carpeted path.
Aside from the landscape turning brilliant reds, oranges and yellows, a large part about the change into fall is the difference in the light. The days grow shorter, the nights longer and the mornings darker. Even a bright sunny day has a subtle difference from that of summer or spring. To some people it can feel depressing, this lack of light and onset of various hues of gray, gray and more gray but there’s something personal about it that I love. To me it’s cozy and it’s in this time that I feel more inclined to read, write and even just sit and think. I also enjoy waking in the darkness. I feel like in the early morning it’s just me and my thoughts…me and the city…me and the world. Everything takes on an intimate beauty with the city lights glowing and the sun just over the horizon. The moment is mine.
Over on Portlandize, I saw that I wasn’t the only one enjoying this change in light and finding beauty in the morning darkness. He even shot a video of his bike ride along the Portland waterfront on his way to work one morning. The videos on Portlandize are always great and this one fit right into my very autumny zen mood. Check it out.
The people of Osaka, Japan apparently prefer a bit of green space over watching a live game of baseball. Due to poor ticket sales, the stadium that once inhabitated Osaka proved unprofitable and in 2003 shut it’s doors forever. The image above shows the interesting, organic mix of shopping center, office complex, park and garden spaces that became the next generation of the baseball stadium after being converted into what they now call Namba Parks. The design is by Jon Jerde of Jerde Partnership Architects.
According to the designer, “Given the location [near the railway station], owner Nankai Electric Railway asked Jerde to create a gateway that would redefine Osaka’s identity. So Jerde conceived Namba Parks as a large park, a natural intervention in Osaka’s dense and harsh urban condition. Alongside a 30-story tower, the project features a lifestyle commercial center crowned with a rooftop park that crosses multiple blocks while gradually ascending eight levels.”
“In addition to providing a highly visible green component in a city where nature is sparse, the sloping park connects to the street, welcoming passers-by to enjoy its groves of trees, clusters of rocks, cliffs, lawn, streams, waterfalls, ponds and outdoor terraces. Beneath the park, a canyon carves an experiential path through specialty retail, entertainment and dining venues. Namba Parks creates a new natural experience for Osaka that celebrates the interaction of people, culture and recreation.”
I thought this picture of the Namba Parks entry was pretty amusing. The fact that they require dogs to go in carry bags just gives you an idea of the average size of a typical Japanese dog.
Tuesday October 27th 2009, 9:54 pm
Filed under: Designers
The legendary landscape architect Lawrence Halprin died on Sunday, October 25th at the age of 93. He left behind amazing spaces that will live on. OregonLive wrote about Halprin’s life and the impact his design work had on Portland’s urban landscape. More about Halprin’s life and some of his fabulous sketches can be found on the website of the Portland-based Halprin Landscape Conservancy with videos of interviews with the designer to be posted in the near future.
Below is a short video from OregonLive…
Update: A new post about Keller Fountain as well as more Lawrence Halprin links.
