31.7.08

Glen Small and his 70's era Green Machine...

It may be somewhat tricky to discern, but the Green Machine by architect Glen Small, co-founder of SCI-Arc in Los Angeles, was truly a significant residential concept in its day, even if it was never physically realized. All that existed were the scale models and architectural renderings, as far as I can tell.




The idea was simple and carries weight today as a viable set-up for apartment-like residential dwellings. To me, the best part of his design was that each sleeping unit, essentially made up of Airstream-type trailers, was the only private space provided in the complex. The other spaces constituted public areas put in place to force the inhabitants of the Green Machine to socialize and form a community. There was also mention of communal kitchen spaces as well as areas for entertaining and plain old lounging, the latter of which I think they did quite a bit of in the 70's.


It is a bit sad that this brilliant, ecologically progressive innovation was never actually built, in this time of suburban sprawl. No one could ever dismiss Small for not having enough talent or drive, only for failing to climb in bed with the movers and shakers of the day. In a documentary film, My Father The Genius, produced and directed by his daughter, Lucia Small, he admits that it was never his ambition to kiss *ss in order to get things done. His work was what he put forth and any merit he did garner came from it alone and not his business savvy. Regardless, he deserves respect for his contributions to architectural design under the influence of pure sensuality.

http://www.myfatherthegenius.com/

29.7.08

Play Merrills...

My brothers, younger sister and I all used to play this ancient game, sometimes attributed to the Egyptians, when we were young and bored. It is well-documented that rudimentary gameboards have been found carved into stones dating back to the last ice age.

So, there must be something special about the game itself. It's a deceptively simple game of strategy, easier to learn than chess, and appropriate for almost all age of players. Even as kids, we had a great time competing at Merrills, also known by its English name Nine Men's Morris, even if the lengthy tournaments sometimes ended in tearful dejection (mostly the fault of my poor sportsmanship). Seek out the rules and you'll see how straightforward the game can be.

All it takes is a board and eighteen uniform pieces of two different shades (dark and light colored pebbles work well). Check out the stone below for the layout of the game board. Challenge!





28.7.08

The Visitor...

There's been much commentary in this format about The Visitor and still the majority of folks out there think it must be a film about interplanetary travel and alien landings. Nonetheless, I felt the need to post it here; I loved this movie that much. It's such an important examination of the big, important things in life: family, love, passsion for something outside of work, and a feeling of home and belonging. Read more about it at the link below - this guy out of Providence, Rhode Island, did a great job discussing the work. On a note that may need some research, my mother said the lead in this film, Richard Jenkins, is a long lost cousin. Hmmm....really?

Pegged...

In reading some Michael Pollan, I quickly realized that I could be easily placed into a descriptive category of characters, as we all could if we were to appear in print, engendering a very certain gamut of qualities. The introductory heading I always wished I embodied would have to be the "slim and severe" also known as the "ruggedly handsome and strong" brand of John. However, and this is where Pollan helped me to see myself, I probably tend to somehow fall into line with the gads of the "softer and rounder" types. In a way, this is how I've always been yet my internal dialogue has never seemed to agree with my outward appearance. Now, as the decades multiply by a growing factor, the gap feels to have widened even further from where I saw myself to where I've landed, with a thump.

The landing is not to say that another flight isn't already on a slow taxi though.