Archive for the ‘Apple’ tag

Graphisoft BIMx for iPad/iPhone

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Graphisoft’s BIMx for iPad and iPhone – interaction with your project’s BIM model on an Apple mobile device of your choosing. Not exactly a new concept – Autodesk has had AutoCAD WS out for some time now – but I’ve recently become more interested in how team coordination is handled from a technological standpoint. Eliminating the need to find a computer or print something in order to react to what might be a straightforward question/comment seems incredibly useful to me. While BIMx as shown in the videos seems more like a way to get a 3d walk-through of a project, I imagine it can also function similarly in some ways to AutoCAD WS – which shares actual CAD files and allows for viewing & (very) simple editing.

Unfortunately, none of this is ever going to free us from being tethered to a desk & computer screen most of the time – drafting is drafting. It’ll be interesting to see how these new technologies are integrated into the construction industry, and whether they develop into something more impactful.

.:via Graphisoft->

Posted: September 11th, 2011
at 5:50pm by orangemenace

Tagged with , , , , ,


Categories: architecture,tech,videos

Comments: No comments


Apple’s New Home

For starters, if you haven’t checked out the video of Steve Jobs presenting this proposal to the Cupertino City Council, I highly recommend it. Skip around a bit, it’s not all great stuff – but Jobs’ interaction with the board itself is pretty hilarious. I would love to one day be able to go before a city/town/whatever to get a project approved and simply say “we should be able to build this because we pay a butt-load of taxes and can easily move somewhere else”. Very ninja-like.

I’m going to go ahead and assume (a mistake, I know) at this point that most of you have already seen at least some of these renderings of Foster+Partner’s proposal for the new Apple campus in Cupertino. The ‘official’ news that this was a Foster+Partners project is recent, but it seemed as if everyone was guessing at it from the renderings alone (which are quite beautiful). From there we come to the real question, which is seemingly making it’s way through the web (at least in the comments and op-eds): is it any good?

I’m coming out in favor of it – for now. Sure, it’s huge. Yes, it looks like someone knocked over Jobs’ Stargate. No, it’s not my favorite project in the world. But the images are fairly compelling, suggesting a newly created, almost pastoral, landscape with a sleek, high-tech building within. While the building itself is pretty enormous, especially when considered in plan, the four storey height lends it more human scale. Plus, I’m interested to see if the circumference of the building is tight enough to actually create views like the ones shown in the renderings – which suggest that the building will feel as if it recedes away around itself (does that make sense?). Basically it seems to me that if it doesn’t feel too broad from the approach, and is detailed in a way we know Foster+Partners is capable of, then it should look pretty dope.

On to the criticisms!

I’ve been amused by some of the flack the building is getting. Our lack of knowledge of the interiors has been pointed out by some – leading at least one critic to assume it will simply contain cubicles and typical work-spaces, leaving any innovation for the fancy glass exterior. I obviously have no idea – but I’ll say again, it’s Foster+Partners. Benefit of the doubt, the work spaces probably won’t suck.

Confusion over the circular plan has also been raised as an issue, as has the idea of walking forever in such a long  (circumference) building. Just looking at the plan show’s that the building is broken-up internally into eight distinct areas and a cafe (more like a cafeteria or food hall, by the size of it). These individual areas are marked by cores, which appear to house the vertical circulation, bathrooms, etc – basically like any office building. The idea that in California you’ll walk inside around the circle simply seems idiotic – plus, it doesn’t look to be what’s drawn. I may be completely off base, but the drawings suggest that you’d descend out into the central courtyard and make your way to another part of the building by crossing the outdoor space, rather than walk around inside – which actually seems simpler to navigate than a large office park (the typical option in a place like Cupertino). Walk outside, look around briefly for the entrance you’re searching for (you’d be able to see them all from the exit you just used), and walk through a park to you 2PM meeting.

Another issue that has been raised is that the project isn’t ‘urban’ enough – that is doesn’t address it’s context. To which I say, it’s in Cupertino. From the look of it the HP campus is scaled and spaced appropriately for the surrounding context and is mostly asphalt and spread-out buildings – hard to say this proposal couldn’t be an improvement. This project would be awful on the East Coast, don’t get it twisted – but this is how the West was laid out. Plus, look at the numbers Jobs’ gives out at the City Council meeting: +20% building area with -30% building footprint (so the density there isn’t great to begin with), +350% landscape (underground and structured parking, no streets), +60% in the number of trees – all while increasing the number of employees. Sure, it’s really suburban – but so is Cupertino, and a ton of the West Coast. I realize that the suburban quality being the norm is the exact cause for the criticism, but I’m not sure I believe there’s much Apple could do about that other than move someplace else. They’re not going to turn Cupertino into San Fran with their new campus.

All of that praise / justification / defense aside, it does have a slightly creepy “we’re all watching each other” vibe – and if Steve builds a little tower in the middle we should all start to worry. The enclosed nature of the project is so inward-looking that you can imagine these Apple employees never speak to anyone outside the company. I’m hoping that the areas outside the circle itself are actually open to the public – which is ridiculous, I know, but it would be providing Cupertino with what looks like a great park – and provide the public with a certain amount of a view into Apple (not going to happen, I’m sure).

Like I opened with – it could be a flop. But for now I’m going to sit back and trust that one of my favorite architecture firms and my favorite tech company (also the most profitable tech company) know what they’re doing. I don’t need to hate in order to manufacture hits for AMNP. Plus, when the wormhole is established and they start sending people through this thing to explore the galaxy I want to have been on Apple’s side. Steve, you can feel free to send me a free Macbook Air or Ipad 2 for this great write-up in the meantime.

Posted: August 16th, 2011
at 2:16pm by AMNP

Tagged with , , ,


Categories: architecture,eye candy,office,starchitects,design

Comments: 1 comment