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CARBON PRODUCTIONS
Designers of Space and Sound
Call 260.348.9818
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Posts
If you like pictures of bikes, follow Mission Bicycle. The team posts many of the bikes they build, and document the progress of a new frame they’re inventing.
This one’s for you bike-heads. I spent an hour at Mission Bikes in SF a few years ago gawking and drooling like a slack-jawed hillbilly.
The Johnsons Christmas card is complete. A lot of these photos have been posted before, so feel free to fast forward.
Happy Christmas!
Sometimes Autotune can make a song better. It helps if the vocalist can actually sing. If you like, go get Polica’s debut album on iTunes. Minneapolis music scene is as diverse and amazing right now as ever.
(You can listen first on Spotify like I did. Then go buy the damn thing on iTunes or Amazon)
Video via 89.3 The Current
Video outlining the function of the Dutch bike intersection
Dutch bike lane design. Inherent in this design is purpose, which is “improve safety.” Transportation design in the U.S. does not recognize, “improve” only safety. The system is rigged in favor of productivity. Move cars faster, work work work shop shop shop.
Assuming you have a bike lane to begin with…
Music by me. Video by kinetic sculptor and software programmer Jim Merz http://www.jimmerz.com/Visual_Music.html
Ingvild Østgård - You Will Never Know
This Oslo-based songwriter just sent me her material that consists entirely of live takes. Listen to this song. If you think this sounds like a live take, you’re crazy. The sound, the song, the nuance - this is a perfect little gem. In one take. That is talent, my friends.She writes:I come from a small island in the north of Norway (Stokmarknes), but have lived in Oslo for some years now… Live we are a trio (Lars Even Tørresen, drums) and (Erik Normann, bass…also playing with Moddi..). I like to say that we play maximinimalistic music, small stories, inspired by other bands/artists like Feist and Beach House. I decided to release a live session as my first album because I was tired of the never-ending process: trying to make records, and never being satisfied or having the money. I thought that if we are not good enough live its not good enough.You go, girl! Get the rest of her brilliant live session release from Brilliance Records.
Mmmmm
The world’s first vertical forest is being built in Milan, Italy.
Did you know that Milan is one of the most polluted cities in Italy? Apparently urban sprawl and increased emissions are major causes for slumping air quality in the international fashion capital. So Italian architect Stefano Boeri has formulated an unusual plan to give the city back what it’s lacking: namely, some greenery.
Bosco Verticale is Italian for “Vertical Forest.” The project took inspiration from traditional Italian towers covered in ivy. Boeri has simply multiplied the amount of foliage to a dramatic degree, envisioning residential buildings that resemble tall boxy trees. Each apartment unit has a balcony attached, with a lush garden enveloping the structure. The two towers will provide roots for 900 trees, as well as plenty of shrubbery and other floral vegetation. Their footprint, when flattened, is equal to 10,000 square meters of forest. Bosco Verticale provides a plan to make reforestation possible within the confines of a developed city.
Source: Creator Project
Who’s going to rake the leaves?
Interested in public art? Beautiful landscapes that inspire and amaze. More importantly, do you have an opinion on public art?
I will be part of a panel discussing public art in Fort Wayne on November 28 at Artlink in the Auer Center. Join us after work for a drink, a little food, and a little brain-storming.
Interested in public art? Beautiful landscapes that inspire and amaze. More importantly, do you have an opinion on public art?
I will be part of a panel discussing public art in Fort Wayne on November 28 at Artlink in the Auer Center. Join us after work for a drink, a little food, and a little brain-storming.
At long last the patio I designed for the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory is complete. The patio itself has been done for some time, but furniture was delivered last week. The furniture really brings things together. The color pops nicely against the grey slate pavers. Hope to see lots of folks enjoying their meals here on nice days this fall and next year. As long as your there, might as well visit the Conservatory as well. (Corner of Calhoun and Jefferson)
Hand cut paper by Tomoko Shioyasu(via Immense paper cut tapestries by Tomoko Shioyasu | Colossal)
Yeah, that’s paper!
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Info
- Graduate City Landscape Architect at City of Fort WayneArchitecture & Planning | Fort Wayne, Indiana Area, USExperience
- Jan 2010 - PresentPresident / Contour DesignWorksFull service landscape design and planning firm
www.contourdesignworks.com - Jan 2010 - PresentVice President, Executive Board of Directors / TekVentureTekVenture interconnects Imagination, Technology and Community, by providing the general public, students and educators an informal education about classic and emerging manufacturing and information technologies and those who use them.
TekVenture serves its mission in experimental facilities where the public may engage tools, media and mentors to make things on the common ground where art and technology meet. - Jun 2009 - PresentExecutive Board of Directors member / ARCHThe Mission of ARCH is to advocate for the protection and preservation of historically and culturally significant assets and historic places in Allen County and northeast Indiana.
- 2007 - PresentGraduate City Landscape Architect / City of Fort Wayne
- 2005 - 2006Landscape Architect / Tushie Montgomery Architects
- 2003 - 2004Landscape Architect / Anderson-Johnson Associates, Inc.
Education-
1999 - 2003Iowa State UniversityBachelor Of Arts in Landscape Architecture
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1984 - 1988Independence High School
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Tweets
- @into_landscape Lets talk. We are considering building a sinuous wall for the summer showcase at the Conservatory.
- Ahh Warner... https://t.co/O2NVJk8w
- @scenario77 Oh man. That looks good!
- I'm at Deli 620 (620 S Calhoun St, Calhoun & Main St, Fort Wayne) http://t.co/1OhZcq0K
- Very nice talking to Amy from @oneluckyguitar and @jasonroemer this morning about a really cool project.Feb 08, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Gettin buff (@ Parkview Family YMCA w/ 3 others) http://t.co/su7j4w7y
- @lecompany Hey that's Mo! I'd help if I had the necessary skills. But I don't.
- Bill and Ashley, sitting in a tree... RT @ajmotia: @b_gardiner What if it's just me? Is that like a date? LULZ
- Inexcusable RT @WakingUpVegan: Why is the The American Heart Association Certifying BBQ Bologna as Heart Healthy? http://t.co/iiA1p67D
- @n_perl_daniels Now he looks like a proper Kentuckian!
- Spent the day car shopping. Subaru Outback wins a well fought battle against VW.
- Nice running in to @DonKincaid at Loving Cafe. Is everybody going plant based?!
- 20% off on Mondays (@ Loving Cafe) http://t.co/sRBYpvR6
- @Enigma2UAll @randalrobbins The series. There's a movie?
- @JennNickell Stephen looks great of course. All that runnin paid off!
- @tonyfrantz You at a party Holmes? I'm seriously in my shed.
- While you guys are watching the #SuperBowl I'm out in the shed drinking rum and watching Trailer Park Boys.
- @JennNickell Why is Mike Doughty from Soul Coughing holding the new guy? http://t.co/P5VRdo06
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Tracks
- 3 tracks (12:54)
- 2 tracks (15:23)
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Videos
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Posts
- Jul 22, 112010 Johnson Christmas E-CardFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 240 ratings
Time: 02:58 More in Entertainment - Aug 26, 10This is a Sketch Up model and animation I created for Phases I and II of the new Boundless Playground planned at Kreager Park in Fort Wayne. Construction will begin this fall. You may notice that the model includes site furnishings, splash pad, restroom building (thanks MKM!), parking, seat walls, shade structures, and trees, but no play equipment. This is because we have not yet picked a play equipment manufacturer. The 3 "pods" you see on the site will be home to 3 separate play structures. I will update the model once we have selected the manufacturer. (The restroom building was designed and modeled by Morrison Kattman Menze Architects http://www.mkmdesign.com/page/mkm/From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 1410 ratings
Time: 02:01 More in Comedy - Aug 09, 10Test videoFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 370 ratings
Time: 00:12 More in Comedy - Aug 12, 10From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 340 ratings
Time: 01:34 More in People & Blogs - Dec 12, 09Bella DivaFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 50 ratings
Time: 00:47 More in People & Blogs - Jan 13, 12Attempting to document the exceptional mtb trails we enjoy here in Fort Wayne. Video by helmet, soundtrack composed and recorded by yours truly. More to come...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 8053 ratings
Time: 03:19 More in Sports - Oct 28, 09From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 220 ratings
Time: 00:37 More in People & Blogs - Dec 05, 09From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 251 ratings
Time: 01:14 More in People & Blogs - May 20, 10Most definitely Bella's favorite present.From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 1290 ratings
Time: 00:18 More in People & Blogs - Jun 01, 09Logan doing a "backward entry" at the City Dive MeetFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 790 ratings
Time: 00:10 More in People & Blogs - Oct 29, 08doin nothingFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 260 ratings
Time: 00:08 More in People & Blogs - Aug 22, 10patience for the butt shot.From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 870 ratings
Time: 00:39 More in People & Blogs - Jun 08, 10I have no idea what she is doing....?From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 590 ratings
Time: 00:32 More in People & Blogs - Jun 25, 10Logan at his first dive meetFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 960 ratings
Time: 00:18 More in People & Blogs - Oct 06, 09on da beach...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 420 ratings
Time: 00:26 More in People & Blogs - Nov 20, 07the Beach MonsterFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 240 ratings
Time: 00:17 More in People & Blogs - May 14, 09Memorial Day in the new pool...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 550 ratings
Time: 00:54 More in People & Blogs - Nov 15, 07Memorial Day in the new pool...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 490 ratings
Time: 00:24 More in People & Blogs - Aug 16, 10Skipper's Little BuddyFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 2930 ratings
Time: 00:32 More in People & Blogs - Mar 20, 08with Laura and BellaFrom: tellyouwhatboyViews: 580 ratings
Time: 00:25 More in People & Blogs - Jul 20, 10This is my first foray into independent film-making. It is a 'short' titled "Walking Towards the Light". I would like to thank all my friends and family who worked on this film. It was a long 3 years but with your help my dream is finally a reality. Thanks especially to those of you who lent your financial support - and to all my extras.From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 1960 ratings
Time: 01:01 More in Pets & Animals - Aug 21, 10For some reason Bella refuses to say "one". We try to trick her but it never fails...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 560 ratings
Time: 00:18 More in People & Blogs - May 15, 09Evan Daniels in the house...From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 930 ratings
Time: 00:38 More in People & Blogs - Apr 24, 10Logan and Bella turn it out!From: tellyouwhatboyViews: 1100 ratings
Time: 00:29 More in People & Blogs
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Posts
- Feb 22, 11
I asked local whiz-bang architect and friend Andrew Mitchell that question…”Are Landscape Architects really necessary”. His answer might surprise you.
As a Graduate Architect, a crucial part of my job is analyzing other people’s designs in order to make fun of them1 and feel superior. I know it is a sacrifice that I must make for my profession, but I feel that I am the ideal person for this challenge. As a designer I am fully qualified to be anything and everything to my clients. I can design their facility from A to Z and save them money in the long run. I do not need to hire consultants, I know everything and know what is best for them. The only hiccup to my design dominance is when the client asks questions like, “Why is our warehouse surrounded by boxwoods and turf grass?” Obviously my response is, “We wanted you to feel at home when you are here. That is why we designed your site like your front yard.” Client: “Oh, I see. Shouldn’t we talk to a Landscape Architect?” Design Star: “Is a Landscape Architect necessary?”
Are Landscape Architects necessary? That is a question we face time and time again. In these tough economic times, when projects are managed on a shoestring budget, can we afford to hire another design consultant? Briefly pushing aside all the arguments regarding expertise and who went to school for what, let us examine how our brain processes information.
The human brain can only produce six bits of information simultaneously (+/- 2)2. For our example we will use four. This assumes that, at any given time one can be processing twenty-four different variations of those bits. Now let’s imagine that you are the Project Manager/Designer of a $25 million dollar medical office building. Besides managing the rest of your in-house team, coordinating consultants, adhering to a budget, managing client expectations, you are responsible for producing a functional building that doesn’t leak. I just listed five items and I didn’t even mention integration of the building into its context and development of exterior spaces. Now let’s bring expertise back into the mix.If you are a designer, one could assume that you have a four or five year undergraduate degree that equates to approximately 1,500 hours of research/design time. Couple that with two or more years of internship and possibly a graduate degree and you can add approximately 5,800 hours for a total of 7,300 hours of research/design time before you enter the job market. Unfortunately this experience only serves as the foundation for your career, most companies and clients value “real world” experience. So you work for a firm and in a year you have 2,000 hours of experience, by five you have 10,000. In his book, “Outliers: The Story of Success”, Malcolm Gladwell discusses that 10,000 hours of experience is the key to expertise. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery.3
Woo hoo! I just need to work for five years and I will be a master! Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that easily. Research has also shown that too much exposure too fast has negative consequences as well. In 1995 a study was performed to understand if the volume of clinical experience affected the performance of clinical clerks on surgery exit examinations.4 Students recorded their clinical experiences in a logbook during their surgical clerkship. The influence of clinical experience on examination scores and on correlations between pre-rotation and post-rotation examination performance was examined. The study determined that surgical clerks’ clinical skills were enhanced by an increased volume of some but not all clinical experiences and that feedback does not necessarily enhance performance.
So, what is all this trying to tell me?
We know that the brain has limited ability to process a multitude of functions at one time. Expertise is directly correlated to the number of hours spent practicing in a given field, but the hours spent are wasted on a sprint towards the finish and more suited for a marathon of learning. Despite the plethora of design talent I may have, if I spread myself out too thin, I only hurt the project more than help it. So, when a Client asks, “Is a Landscape Architect necessary? Can we afford to hire one?” My response will be, “Can we afford not to?”
1Disclaimer: Stereotyping of everyone reading this article is about to occur. Although many of us want to be open-minded…sometimes it is physically impossible to be truly objective. Therefore, do not take what you are about to read as a presumption that you or the author is a narrow-minded individual, but as a optimistic proposal that you embrace a process that strives to see the big picture…Thank you
2As presented by Scott Livingston in his presentation “Awareness: What is Emotional Intelligence and What Does it Mean for Leaders.”
3Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown & Company, 2008
4Chåtenay M, Maguire T, Skakun E, Chang G, Cook D, Warnock GL. Does volume of clinical experience affect performance of clinical clerks on surgery exit examinations? Am J Surg. 1996 Oct;172(4):366-72. PubMed PMID: 8873532
Andrew Mitchell is a Graduate Architect in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (When he is not offending Landscape Architects) He spends his time enhancing community either through his firm, Morrison Kattman Menze, Inc. or his think tank, AB417. For Andy social advancement requires responsible and productive communities that address the needs and issues of an array of different, yet interconnected, individuals and groups. His aim is to cause a closer, more comprehensive examination of the costs and benefits of issues facing both individuals and communities today in order to make positive and productive changes.
- Feb 19, 11
Here at Contour DesignWorks, we are fortunate to be working on a couple of good projects that are keeping us busy. LA and Architecture firms across the country are not so lucky. I recall from my time working with a Minneapolis architecture firm how the focus in the office shifted from working on project design to working on submissions for competitions when the project well ran dry. This was a great way to avoid having to lay off team members while keeping folks busy and actively engaged in creative direction. It is great feeling to win a design competition, but the benefits go beyond warm fuzzies. The good competitions typically force the entrants to stretch their ideas of what landscape architecture should mean and are a refreshing opportunity for growth. Win or lose, built or not, the end result is an interesting, fantastic addition to the portfolio of landscape architecture.
My favorite competitions are those where the administrator understands the inter-twined and symbiotic relationship between landscape architecture, sociology, planning, architecture, music, and art in all its varied forms and challenges the entrant to consider this as part of the solution to the stated question/goal. We will be keeping our eyes out for interesting competitions to enter and share throughout the year.
While not exactly a competition, a call for submissions was recently announced by Kerb 19,
“…an annual cross-disciplinary design publication produced by the RMIT University School of Architecture and Design. Kerb is a progressive design journal focused on contemporary landscape architecture issues from an international and national perspective.
The journal is unique in being compiled and edited each year by a group of interested students, from a range of articles invited from its global audience, and as a critique of current student work…”
This years theme is ‘Paradigms of Nature. Post Natural Futures.’ and the challenge is to consider how technology will continue to develop as part of our natural systems and how we make the most of this symbiosis.
The final product is a journal, an artistic exhibition of sorts where the investigations are displayed and shared.
See the Kerb 19 website for complete submission information and check out their blog for inspiration.
- Jan 08, 10
Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created this curious work of public art in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Made by arranging the ubiquitous Brazilian flip-flop over an inflated rubber form, it does what my favorite public art does, it surprises and delights.
From Hofman’s bio – “The work of Hofman is known for integrating, intriguing
and interactive installations into public space.
Obviously he changes with great joy between performative
(public) art and the domain of the sculpture (only
to mention a few of his used media) and has a strong
wish to amaze and making life a little much more fun.”Definitely check out Hofman’s website to learn more and to see more of his work.
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Photos
