Dear Friedrich --

* A good taxonomy makes my brain feel like a closet that's just been cleaned and ordered; it can also enhance my grasp and enjoyment of art. Forager23 has a workable and ingenious taxonomy here of the various kinds of caper films.

* John Massengale gets off a lot of sharp ones in his posting about the architects Andres Duany and Rem Koolhaas, here. Example:

Late Modernism is sometimes analogous to Late Adolescence, which, of course, is the age of some architecture students.

John also runs a long passage of Duany's own prose that shouldn't be missed. Example:

Modernism -- which is a history of failure -- must evolve at a tremendous rate in order to evade the taint -- the stink -- of failed expectations. That was then ... look at this now! It will work this time. Trust us ... Society continues to grant modernist architects one more chance again and again.

* Camera memory cards seem to be handling ever more data with ever more virtuosity. A consequence: digital cameras and digital videocams are beginning to merge. Already, of course, you can make rudimentary videoclips with many digital still cameras. And already a few hybrid still-camera/videocams are available. So far, they're pretty rudimentary too. Moi, I predict that, once it approaches maturity, this product -- whatever it winds up being called -- will become a huge hit. Well, I sure want one, anyway. Here's the latest iteration of the device, which is already accumulating good reviews at Amazon.

* Scientific American reports that scientists using brain-imaging machines have located where in the brain aesthetic experience seems to occur, here.

Best,

Michael

Rem Koolhaas'new Seattle Public Library building is set to open next month.

I find it horrible on the outside; perhaps the interior will redeem it.

The exterior is an odd geometrical concoction that shows little imagination and zero sensitivity to its sourroundings. It is covered with a diamond lattice pattern of steel rails--also unimaginative. Did Rem's cleaning man dust the CAD machine's keyboard and this design pop out?

I don't have a digital camera, but a flattering rendering can be seen at www.spl.org/images/Slideshow/NewCentralSlideshow.asp.

If that doesn't work, simply go to www.spl.org and dig down a couple levels where they mention the new facility.

I liked Koolhaas' book "Delirious New York" when I read it back in 1981. Now I think he was better as an author than as a star architect who can con folks into funding disruptive eyesores such as the new library.

Posted by: Donald Pittenger on April 16, 2004 11:51 PM

Donald -- You write: "Did Rem's cleaning man dust the CAD machine's keyboard and this design pop out?" That's hilarious! Koolhaas is clearly a bright guy (I kinda enjoyed flipping around in "Delirious NY" too) with some flair and brains. Doesn't mean anything about his talents as a designer, though, does it. Did you try the passage of Duany that Massengale included? I thought it was pretty terrific. Talk about showing how to "read" what an architect's up to!

Posted by: Michael Blowhard on April 18, 2004 11:48 PM






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