Dinner with the Doctor -R. Neutra:

Last night VMZINC had the distinct pleasure of hosting a small dinner for Dr. Raymond Neutra (son of the other R. Neutra), and his lovely wife, at 18 Seaboard in Raleigh, NC. 

The meal was the preemptive warm-up for Dr. Neutra’s speaking gig later on in the evening -an event put on by Triangle Modernist Houses.  (www.trianglemodernhouses.com)  It was also the celebration of Dr. & Mrs. Neutra’s wedding anniversary, which they were gracious enough to share with their dinner guests.  (Congratulations!)

Both Dr. Neutra, and Dion Neutra, AIA (Dr. Neutra’s brother) are intimately involved with their father’s legacy.  The Neutra VDL Studio and Residences maintains a fantastic site for a part of said legacy at:  http://www.neutra-vdl.org/site/appeal-01.asp?1052012155626  Another incredible site for all things Richard (and Dion) Neutra can be found here: http://www.neutra.org/ 

The dinner guests included Marvin Malecha, FAIA -Dean of the College of Design at NCSU and former president of the AIA, (Pictured to the left of Raymond Neutra in the above photo), Dean Malecha’s spouse, local architects, landscape architects and fans of Richard Neutra and architecture in general.  We came to meet the man and hear him speak.  We wound up listening to a lively conversation at times, and feeling like we were in on a sublime secret at other times.  The setting lent itself to both, and was very intimate.   

This intimate setting allowed us to listen clearly as Dr. Neutra recounted his experiences with his father, and, moreover, with his father’s work.  At one point in the conversation, Dr. Neutra’s humble and gentle spirit came to light as he recalled individuals telling him how his father’s work had impacted them in a positive way.  It was obvious at that moment that we were not only listening to someone who had received a love for the built environment, but someone who had also received an obvious care for his fellow mankind.  The impact was understated and like most understated moments carried much more weight than the shouted or overtly celebrated.  This moment alone was worth the price of admission and defined the link that we often miss between great architecture and daily life.  It also defined the good doctor. 

We are looking forward to meeting Dr. Neutra’s brother, Dion, in November -hopefully, like last night, it will be over dinner.  -VM

Source: www.zincsense.com

repost from www.zincsense.com

Happy Big 125 to the Origianl Crow -We celebrate the birth of a legend tonight: Le Corbusier.  Born this day, 125 years ago.  He is as influential and relevant today as he ever was.  Happy Posthumous Birthday to Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (better known as Le Corbusier or The Crow).

Source: www.zincsense.com

repost from www.zincsense.com

zinc rising: the new aia nc center for architecture is out of… zinc rising: the new aia nc center for architecture is out of the ground in raleigh, nc. the result of an architectural competition, the project was designed (and won) by local architect frank harmon. more information on the project can be found on frank harmon’s website at: http://www.frankharmon.com/current/3/ . the roof and part of the wall will be finished in a dynamic red zinc

This early Childhood center is located in France. The Architect firm, “Artefact” has chosen a VM ZINC flatlock seam panel to clad the walls.

When leading architects KSS were tasked with finding a custom shading solution for North West Kent College’s Gravesend Campus, they looked no further than Levolux. 

Atelier a Torcé, Normandie, France was designed by Batir France. The Illumesh transforms the facade of a manufacturing facility along a busy highway in the culturally rich region in the French countryside into an ever-changing display of light and color. During daylight hours the stainless steel facade shimmers and at night glows with the reflected light of its embedded and weather proof LEDs, never interrupting the view from within the offices behind.

Trumpf is a big machine manufacturer in the South of Germany. While the main building is clad in zinc the cafeteria is clad in NBK Terracotta using special glazed tiles. The architect is Barkow Leibinger architects.

The new Dexeus University Institute emerged with the goal of becoming Barcelona’s top hospital thanks to its highly qualified professionals and a fresh new approach to architecture. Ramon Sanabria, a creator and architect who has extensive experience working with public buildings, says the challenge was to ‘address the obvious needs of any hospital facility while also focusing on the needs of users.’ The idea was to humanize the spaces, take advantage of natural light, and create serene environments which, rather than frightening patients, would make them feel calm and secure. This was one of the reasons Sanabria was drawn to the Tulip model, developed by the team at the Figueras Design Centre. The chair offers generous dimensions, in terms of both the width of the backrest and depth, ensuring that users feel comfortable and at ease. The model’s lines are designed to be smooth and warm.

A four Bedroom private house designed as a contemporary interpretation of a traditional storey and a half farm house. The angular tower along the front and the winter garden in the back are clad in VM Zinc standing seam panels as a contrast to the existing farm house. Designed collaboratively by Sara Connolly Architect and Frank Pastor of Hamilton Young Architects.

Here are some more before and after projects done by Clipso. This is a great material to use in renovations and existing buildings to spice up the space and maybe even bring some art into the space.