Skip to content

Category: Uncategorized

Es para mi un placer ser parte de este programa de maestria en SciArc dirigido por mi amigo y colega Peter Zellner. Si les interesa la maestria por favor de comunicarse con Peter o con un servidor.

http://www.sciarc.edu/portal/programs/graduate/scifi/index.html

SCIFI PROGRAM — 1 YEAR (3 TERM)
Southern California Institute for Future Initiatives

1 year (3 Term) Program

Post-professional degree program leading to a Master of Design Research in City Design, Planning and Policy, open to students with a professional degree in Architecture or a Bachelor degree or equivalent in any field. This program requires attendance for the Fall, Spring and Summer terms.

Applications for admission to the 2009–2010 class are due on or before March 4, 2009. See Eligibility and Applications below.

Peter Zellner, Program Coordinator
David Bergman, Program Coordinator

Program Description
Led by Peter Zellner and David Bergman, SCIFI is focused on promoting innovation within design, policy, and planning responses to the economic, social and environmental futures of global cities and regions. SCIFI is dedicated to supporting investigations into the impacts of urban and planning policy, transnational financial markets, real estate speculation, and socio-economic globalization on the evolution of local urban fabrics.
SCIFI provides an integrated curricular focus on urban scale issues. It is positioned as a local, national and international center for the discussion of urban futures, contingent and variable planning strategies and the development of new tools for urban research and design. Combining intensive research into the near term future of cities with the use of new open source design tools, SCIFI aims to invent new ways of modeling and testing variable urban design scenarios.

Program Sequence
Working over three sequenced terms, SCIFI students develop solution-seeking urban research and urban design grounded in the study of the history of the city, urban and regional development methods, city planning and city management tools. Students integrate skills from across SCI-Arc’s programs including design technologies, cultural studies and hard technology applications. The SCIFI program is calibrated to incrementally build research skills, urban design expertise and unique strategic thinking about cities and urban regions. By working from the unique, local and particular to the large, global and generic, SCIFI students gain expertise in the subject of city making through a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of the City’s history and design at all scales. This careful sequencing of context and city-scaled based teaching and intensive workshop based learning is intended inculcate an increasing control over the subject of city formation paralleled by a growing mastery of new urban research methodologies and urban design tools.
SCIFI culminates in the production of thesis design or research projects in the final semester of the SCIFI program. Working individually with SCIFI’s core and visiting Faculty SCIFI students generate deliverables, both individually and as part of a group, that form the basis of a dissertation quality research portfolio. It is envisioned that students will be able to apply these experiences as part of an ongoing dialogue with the city formation process.

SCIFI Core and Visiting Faculty

David Bergman
SCIFI Coordinator
Principal, Economics Research Associates

Wes Jones
Principal, Jones, Partners: Architecture

Eric Kahn
Principal, COA (Central Office of Architecture)

Jeffrey Kipnis
SCI-Arc Visiting Faculty
Professor, Ohio State University

Stephanie Smith
Founder, Ecoshack

Andrew Zago
Principal, Zago Architecture

Peter Zellner
SCIFI Coordinator
Principal, ZELLNERPLUS Design Planning Research

SCIFI Initiatives
SCIFI promotes and extends its academic mission nationally and internationally via its Journal, Public Forums and Global Network. These aligned activities allow SCIFI to widely broadcast its mission as well as to gain feedback for its efforts.

SCIFI Journal
SCIFI cultivates audiences for its research findings within both academic and professional communities by publishing a semi annual journal. The SCIFI Journal invites professional and academic contributions from individuals from the fields of architecture, urban design, planning, real estate development and city management. The SCIFI Journal also provides a record of the SCIFI Public Forums as well as the SCIFI studios‘ academic research and achievements.

SCIFI Public Forums
Each semester the SCIFI program sponsors a public forum in order to generate debate and dialogue around the future of cities and urban regions. SCIFI’s Public Forums provide a means for increasing community interest in the outcomes of the Program’s inquiries into the nature of cities and urban development.

SCIFI Global Network
The SCIFI Network is a global peer-based academic research council dedicated to supporting SCIFI’s academic mission. SCIFI Network members are selected from a field of distinguished practitioners, civic leaders and academics who are exceptionally involved with contemporary urban design issues. The SCIFI Network promotes innovative teaching and content delivery. SCIFI Network members interact with the SCIFI studio via remote web-based conferencing tools thereby providing students with access to a variety individuals not immediately based in the Los Angeles region.

SCIFI Global Network Members 2009-2010

Amale Andraos & Dan Wood
Founders and Principals, Work Architecture Company, New York
Adjunct Faculty, Princeton University School of Architecture

Jose Castillo
Principal of Arquitectura 911sc, Mexico City
Faculty, Universidad Iberoamericana
Facukty, School of Design of the University of Pennsylvania

Odile Decq
D.P.L.G. and D.E.S.S.-Urbanist
Founder and Principal, ODBC, Paris
Director, Ecole Special d’Architecture, Paris

Carol Coletta
President and CEO, CEOs for Cities
Host, Smart City Radio

Joshua Decter
Director, Public Art Studies Program, USC Roski School of Fine Arts

Joseph Grima
Director, Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York

Mark Hinshaw
FAIA FAICP
Principal and Director of Urban Design LMN Architects, Seattle

Jeffrey Johnson
Principal of SLAB Architecture PLLC, New York
Director, China Lab, GSAPP Columbia University

Sam Lubell
Editor, The Architect’s Newspaper – California Edition, Los Angeles

Kieran Long
Editor, The Architect’s Journal, London

Carey Lyon
Founding Director, Lyons, Melbourne
Adjunct Professor, Architecture and Design, RMIT
Past National President of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects

Neville Mars
Architect and Chairman of the Dynamic City Foundation, Beijing

Thom Mayne
Founder and Principal, Morphosis, Los Angeles and New York

Markus Miessen
Principal, Studio Miessen, nOffice, Berlin
Director, Architectural Association Winter School Middle East

Rene Peralta
Architect and Founder, Generica, Tijuana
Associate Professor, Woodbury University School of Architecture, San Diego

Wolf Prix
Founder and Principal, Coop Himmelblau, Los Angeles and Vienna

Chris Reed
Principal Stoss Landscape Urbanism, Boston
Design Critic in Landscape Architecture
Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Ilka Ruby
Architect and Editor, Co-Founder Textbild and Ruby Press, Berlin

Andreas Ruby
Architectural Critic and Theorist, Co-Founder Textbild and Ruby Press, Berlin

Lars-Henrik Stahl
Professor, Department of Architecture and Built Environment
Lund University, Sweden
Visiting Professor, University of Hertfordshire, Great Britain

Chris Stutz
Director, SPACE SYNTAX, London, Great Britain

Roemer van Toorn
Head Projective Theory Berlage Institute, Rotterdam
Faculty, Delft School of Design (DSD)
TU Delft School of Architecture, Holland

Alex Wall
Architect and Chair of Urban Design and Planning
University of Karlsruhe, Germany
Member, Urban Matters Netz

Eligibility and Applications
SCIFI is open to applicants with a professional degree in Architecture or a Bachelor degree or equivalent in any field. SCIFI welcomes interdisciplinary applicants from fields such as architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, real estate and geography.

Applications for admission to the 2009–2010 class are due on or before March 4, 2009.
For information on applying to this program, please contact SCI-Arc’s admissions office

En Tijuana se planean las cosas “en corto”.

I think we’re safer in hoping for progress on the basis of those human instincts (search for justice) than on the basis of the institutions of centralized power, which, I belive, will amost inevitably act in the interest of their most powerful components.

N. Chomsky



Es fascinante que no podamos aprender de los sucesos históricos de nuestra ciudad. El Rió Tijuana se impone de nuevo y arrasa con los sueños guajiros de la administración Panista. No les duro más de 5 horas su magna obra de canchas deportivas en el canal de la Zona Rió.

En 1915 se inauguro el hipódromo de Tijuana a un costado del Rio Tijuana, obra financiada por “comerciantes” Californianos. Después de 14 días que se efectuara la primer carrera la naturaleza hizo de las suyas, al gran hipódromo se lo llevo la corriente del rió. Tercos los inversionistas lo volvieron a construir y en Febrero de 1927 el Rió Tijuana volvió hacer lo que le corresponde naturalmente – desahogarse en el pacifico con todo e Hipódromo. Si seguimos revisando la historia nos damos cuenta que la batalla la hemos perdida varias veces. Cuatro décadas después, el intento de controlar una ves por todas el único rió de la ciudad por medio de la canalización de concreto fracaso – lo único que se logro fue; trasportar los desechos y aguas negras con mas rapidez hacia el estuario, y la creación del espacio recreativo para el deporte del foco.

Pero no quiero ser de todo pesimista, el proyecto de Ramos tiene buenas intenciones, pero esta muy mal estudiado y ejecutado. La idea de volver a hacer del rió un espacio central de la ciudad, después de nuestra negación y destrucción, es de gran valor para la vida urbana de Tijuana. El problema esta en que la propuesta es “en corto” y mono-funcional. Me refiero que para poder convivir con el Rió Tijuana tenemos que re-imaginarlo como parte de un sistema mas amplio (ecológico, recreativo, imagen, urbano) inventar una nueva experiencia del mismo con la ciudad – tema que nunca en la historia de esta ciudad se ha imaginado. La estrategia de hacer un canal de concreto ya no funciona, sabemos que otras ciudades están rompiendo los concretos y remplazándolos con flora que ayude a eliminar (de forma natural) los residuos contaminantes. Los ejemplos varían pero hay gran cantidad de estrategias similares, por ejemplo – LA River, un caso muy similar al de Tijuana o la recuperación del canal Cheonggyecheon en Corea del Sur, entre otros proyectos en Europa y México. (ver imagenes) En Agosto de este ano subí a este blog unas imágenes de un proyecto realizado en el canal de la Zona Rio por estudiantes de la Universidad de Washington. Ese proyecto lo dirigí junto con el Dr. John Hoal y fue un esfuerzo de 8 semanas. El proyecto intenta ver los retos que existen en hacer del rió un espacio multi-funcional. Primero se diseño como un espacio relacionado con un nuevo ecosistema del rió, después se analizaron las formas de “tejer” la estructuras urbanas que el proyecto del Rió en los 70’s negó conectar (centro, libertad y zonas norte y sur del canal). Por falta de tiempo se hizo un esquema muy general de lo que se pudiese lograr integrando los diferentes sistemas. En esta propuesta el rió se convierte en una espacio de integración urbana a diferentes escalas.

LA River

Cheonggyecheon en Corea del Sur

Estrategia para la recuperación del Rio Tijuana – Arq. Alberto Kalach, DF



Proyecto de los alumnos de Washington University – Zona Rió, Tijuana – Julio 2008 – Mto. Rene Peralta y Dr. John Hoal



No hagas cosas malas que parezcan buenas.

It is only to clear that we are living under a regime of a dictatorshiop of class…

M.Foucault



En ese mismo proyecto se diseño una estructura que ligara los espacio urbanos de las zonas sur y norte del canal (plaza rió y palacio de gob).

Hace unos días se comento que el gober nos regalo un proyecto – el Zócalo de Tijuana. De nuevo una estructura,- mono funcional- que intentar mimetizar las plazas coloniales del sur del país. Si Tijuana se hubiese pensando como ciudad colonial el Ing Orozco, creador del primer plano de la ciudad (1887) hubiera reconfigurado su plano Modernista, ala Chicago, en una traza antigua y obsoleta. Orozco intento imaginarse una ciudad progresista y moderna. Me extraña que el comité que organizo el proyecto del Zocalo (todos Tijuanenses) no haya puesto a concurso o por lo menos a discusión la relevancia de ese tipo de obra. EL futuro de Tijuana no se debe de construir a escondidas o por grupos que fingen como actores de poder. Donde quedo la democracia? Que lastima que el esquema del zócalo colonial y sus estructuras de poder regresen al siglo 21.

En estos tiempos de inseguridad nos corresponde a todos ser parte del cambio que queremos, TODOS tenemos derecho a la ciudad. El geógrafo David Harvey, alega que la sociedad tiene el derecho a moldear y cambiar la ciudad de acuerdo a sus deseos y dejar de simplemente vivir dentro una urbe ya configurada y moldeada por la institución, o grupos de poder, incluyendo el secuestro de la ciudad por la violencia organizada. El derecho a la ciudad va mas allá del simple derecho al acceso de la misma.

Y asi queren hacer una ciudad en el Valle de las Palmas…



And you think you can do better!!!!

Hace una semanas fui a dar una platica al Centro de Estudios Latino Americanos en Harvard University. A unos pasos de donde esta el Centro se encuentra una de las joyas arquitectónicas del siglo 20; El Carpenter Center de Le Corbusier. El unico edificio diseñado y construido por Corb en Estados Unidos. Cuando estuve visitando el edificio no encontre palabras para describir la experiencia de pasar por el puente/pasillo que lo atraviesa. Enjoy!


City after the Economy

foto Peter Zellner

Regresando de Harvard (pronto subo unas buenas fotos del carpenter center) estare en SCIARC EL 15, ver abajo.

SCIFI at SCI-Arc // Fall Symposium 2008: The City after the Economy

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. The symposium will also be broadcast live at www.sciarc.edu/live. Please join us!

What is the status of urban growth and redevelopment in light of the current economy? What effects will the re-regulation of financial markets have on real estate, development, planning, urban culture and architecture?

Organized by SCIFI at SCI-Arc, the City after the Economy symposium will explore the urban consequences of the downturn as well as emerging urban design opportunities in light of the current fiscal slowdown.

A key ambition of this symposium will be to broaden the discussion of urban development from a singular conversation around of issues of capital and its movements to embrace the economics of cultural production, architecture, ecology and urbanism.

Presentations
The Credit Crisis and the City
David Bergman
Principal, ERA + SCIFI Coordinator

49 Cities
Amale Andraos and Dan Wood (via Remote Presentation)
Founders and Principals, Work Architecture Company, New York
Adjunct Faculty, Princeton School of Architecture

Mimetic Acts of Urbanism
Rene Peralta
Architect and Founder, Generica, Tijuana + Associate Professor, Woodbury University School of Architecture, San Diego

Respondants
Joshua Decter
Director, Public Art Studies Program, USC Roski School of Fine Arts

Eric Owen Moss
Director, SCI-Arc + Principal, Eric Owen Moss Architects

Stephanie Smith
Founder, Ecoshack

Moderator
Peter Zellner
SCIFI Coordinator + Principal, ZELLNERPLUS

Y la crisis apa?

El cinismo de la arquitectura contemporanea.

foto: NY Times

Un excelente comentario sobre el pabellon de chanel de la senora zaha en NY del critico de arquitectura para el NY TIMES Nicolai Ouroussoff.

“It’s not just that New York and much of the rest of the world are preoccupied by economic turmoil, although the timing could hardly be worse. It’s that the pavilion sets out to drape an aura of refinement over a cynical marketing gimmick. Surveying its self-important exhibits, you can’t help but hope that the era of exploiting the so-called intersection of architecture, art and fashion is finally over.”

click here

Rapping in my space

algunas fotos de la pieza que diseñe para el museo del niño en san diego

Photo Credit: The New Children’s Museum

Woodbury Fall 2008 Lecture Series

Aqui esta el poster y la lista de conferencistas para el ciclo de conferencias de Woodbury en San Diego. Este año me toco organizar el evento e invitar a los participantes. El poster fue diseñado por Carson Park Design de SF y la imagen es de mi amigo y ex compañero de escuela Erik Niemann. Ahi los esperamos.

Preparen sus propuestas


NEW “Call for submissions” for up coming issue of MONU #10 with the topic Holy Urbanism”.

MONU – magazine on urbanism is a unique bi-annual international forum for artists, writers and designers that are working on topics of urban culture, development and politics. Each issue collects essays, projects and photographs from contributors from all over the world to a given topic. Thus MONU examines topics that are important to the future of our cities and urban regions from a variety of perspectives.

We invite uncompromising texts, untamed speculations, refined analysis, bold photography, and heroic projects on the topic “Holy Urbanism” for our next issue of MONU. Contributions or questions should be sent to [email protected] by the end of November 2008. MONU #10 will be published in the winter 2009.

Preparen sus propuestas


NEW “Call for submissions” for up coming issue of MONU #10 with the topic Holy Urbanism”.

MONU – magazine on urbanism is a unique bi-annual international forum for artists, writers and designers that are working on topics of urban culture, development and politics. Each issue collects essays, projects and photographs from contributors from all over the world to a given topic. Thus MONU examines topics that are important to the future of our cities and urban regions from a variety of perspectives.

We invite uncompromising texts, untamed speculations, refined analysis, bold photography, and heroic projects on the topic “Holy Urbanism” for our next issue of MONU. Contributions or questions should be sent to [email protected] by the end of November 2008. MONU #10 will be published in the winter 2009.