ornette coleman

1950's - 1960's influential jazz saxophone musician famous for harmolodic jazz "free jazz." Originating from Ft. Worth, TX - Ornette started playing at a young age. Texas was not the place for jazz so he travelled to LA. He started his quartet and began his career exploring 'free jazz.' The man is a beast and has garnered awards and some incredible recognition. He currently resides in NYC.

This weekend while Tyler was in town and we were sharing music, architecture websites etc. he directed me to Aaron Boucher's (TTU buddy) current work which is the Ornette Coleman website - here. So while we were attending the Austin Record Convention today, I came across an Ornette Coleman LP, This is Our Music. I'm about to drop it on the turntable and check it out...

on the back of the LP:

"...the most important part of our music is the improvisation which is done as spontaneously as possible, with each man contributing his musical expression to create the form."

-Ornette Coleman : This is Our Music, The Ornette Coleman Quartet released on Atlantic.

HULU

FYI: there is another cool website for viewing: HULU & hulu blog. Check it out. Try Secrets of the Parthenon: Nova

Bejamin Zander on music and passion

Shining eyes. This clip is one of the most positive clips on TED that I've come across - his enthusiasm and passion for music reminds me of Dr. Jones' passion for architecture. The fact that they are British and look similar, gaunt, older gentlemen, with poofy white hair is amusing. This is awesome!

Voltaic Solar Bags and Solar Chargers

When i saw this i instantly thought about the ideas of the Espacio Transiente. This is basically a backpack that has solar panels on the back. I will let it introduce itself.

"The Voltaic Converter is our most versatile solar charger. It is a small light weight day bag with a compartment for a water bladder, so it is ideal for biking and hiking.
Multiple attachment mechanisms mean it can work as a pannier on a bicycle, a tank bag on a motorcycle, a saddle pack, or a day bag attached to a lager rucksack."

I think this is a great idea that one could incorporate into a mobile way of generating free electricity. With enough of these in a small array you could easily power a laptop, television, stove or heater.

You solve so many problems with the ability to have unlimited electricity whenever you need it. I think even weaving the voltaic into the fabric would be a huge convenience.

voltaic systems

On another note, if you had these on a space suit could you some how stay in space forever?

hybrid__THERMAL SHIRT

[all of the following images represent the mannequin that I am working with. from L to R, the images are orthographic views: back, right side, front]

I have been using matrices and grids to organize the complex system of layers against: apparel, architecture, user, and orthographic. There is a strong logic of organization running through the process and presentation.

_chronophotographic images of dressing in a thermal shirt. [red : right :: white : left]

_critique of the standard fashion mannequin profile.

_the static proportions of the body determine the proportions of the sweater when worn on the body.

_the mobile proportions generated in the chronophotographic process determine the proportions and shape of the hammock.

_a crystalline geometry generates axes for reflection and construction. the heptagon corresponds to 'natural' points of the body: head, hand, waist, foot, foot, waist, hand.

hotel des arts

San Francisco has lots of options for hotels...but check this one out Hotel Des Arts Pretty cool idea - take an old hotel - fix up a couple of things - get a ton of bad ass alternative artists, graphic artists, graffiti artists (shepard fairy, buff monster, apex, sam flores just to name a few) - have them do your paint job - buy some 'ikeaesque' furntiture and call it a hotel - even serve breakfast. sounds good enough/affordable to grab a stay when we head to SF end of this month for the 2009 aia convention...

Shepard Fairy

Jeremy Fish

Buff Monster

Apex

Hybrid Apparel

As the semester draws to a near, I am planning on finishing my thesis and getting out of the academic realm for a while. For a last hoorah, I have chosen the most abstract vector across my interests: SPATIAL CLOTHING. During the past three months, ground rules were laid out and logical decisions were made as to which areas of apparel and architecture would be hybridized.

Transient dwellers are an increasing demographic. The global environment and changing economic conditions begin to outline a style of living that requires concern for space, functionality, mobility and efficiency. Designs addressing transient dwellings/dwellers are too often focused on the homeless or impoverished living in the residual spaces of cities. 

Since transience requires efficiency of space and mobility, I propose that a functional hybrid between apparel and architecture will look to raise issues experienced by this growing population. The explicit product of the thesis will be to design and fabricate a suite of garments and accessories that serve to clothe – house – protect – identify the transient population and the needs of such a lifestyle.

Since an urban context contains other programs for washing, exercising, eating, and social interactions architecture does not require a fully inclusive living space. The architecture will programmatically parallel the requirements of a bedroom space. 

So long story short, I have been working through a series of full scale prototypes of a sweater<>hammock transformative garment. The piece serves as the bed of a transient dweller. I was proposing a more complete line of clothing with each garment performing a vital clothing and architectural role of these users, however that aspiration has quickly been narrowed.

Buff Monster

Buff Monster

With a bright pink mohawk and a focused work ethic, Buff Monster has been responsible for some of the sickest graffiti projects in the Hollywood area. He hung up his wheat paste brush a while ago though, and has been using his talents to produce composite paintings on wood accompanied by some slick vinyl toys. His primary influences include ice cream, porn, heavy metal and pink, which are highlighted through his meticulous and detailed style. Much of his work looks to be computer generated due to the finesse of fine lines and repeated patterns. Though some of the work may be printed and pasted up, his work is still dedicated to an analog transition.

Dated a porn girl?! What was that like? Ever get jealous or anything?

The first time I got her in bed she said, "I can't have sex with you." And I said, "what?" she replied, "yeah, I don't have sex with civilians. I get tested all the time but you don't." Well, obviously we still did it. Anyway, at first it was totally awesome, and then much like my entire experience with the porn world, it went down hill pretty fast. I have a ton of crazy stories from those 3 months, but trust me, the fantasy is so much better than the reality. So now, I stick to strippers. more

steppenwolf

why not just live and enjoy life?

I read Steppenwolf the summer after I departed from dear old Lubbock. It came to me randomly, I think my mom or sister found it at a garage sale and it some how wound up in my hands. I had read Hesse's Siddhartha in high school and then again during a philosophy class at Texas Tech. While Siddartha was relatively an easy-to-get-into novel, with a straightforward plot, Steppenwolf proved more elusive and delved into a darker chasm of humanity which was difficult to immerse myself. The novel weaves at least 4 themes of humanity, tied together in one character, and themes directly paralleled my existence implicitly. Hesse builds the character in way that characterizes my relationship and parallels architecture and the fascination of one's passion and opposed lack of luster and zeal for that very passion. The grand analogy that Hesse presents at the end of the book is closely tangent to Vonnegut's summation in Cat's Cradle. READ BOTH


Herman Hesse Steppenwolf Siddartha Cat's Cradle