My wife and I were contemplating relocating, and discussing career changes. I have been a production manager in the printing industry for 20 years, and my wife has been an accountant. As our discussions progressed, my wife tells me that before she got her degree, she had studied to be an architect, and maybe she would like to go back to school to get her degree in Architecture.
Being the supportive husband, I decided that I would go online and see if I could find some books on architecture that were available to download. If she was serious about going back to school, I thought it would be in her best interest to find out what direction the industry is going.
I came across this guy, Bjarke Ingels, who is only 41, and apparently, is having some major impact in the world of architecture. He is from Copenhagen Denmark, where is firm BIG has a headquarters building. He also has a a full staff in New York City. He designs high rise building, apartment rentals in New York, as well as, a new headquarters for Google and a football stadium for the Washington Redskins. One of his mot recognizable designs is in Midtown Manhattan at 625 West 57th Street, called Via 57 West. It is a pyramid shaped luxury residential complex for which he has won several awards. So, I thought this would be a good example of modern architecture for my wife to get to know.
Mr Ingels has published at least 3 books since 2009. “Yes, is More” published in 2009 is a little more my speed. It was designed in comic book fashion about the evolution of architecture. In 2015, he published 2 books, “Social Infrastructure: New York” and “Hot to Cold: an odyssey of architectural adaptation”. Christian K. Narkiewicz-Laine authored a 145 page book titled “ Bjarke Ingels Architecture” which was published in 2012. There is even a new documentary series on Netflix called “Abstract: The Art of Design” that will feature Mr. Ingles.
I can’t say for sure if these books will help her decide if she wants to pursue a degree in architecture, but it’s interesting to see how one guy with a dream can change the face of an industry.
