Design and Architecture
Grand Visions, Rare Earths and Design's Fictions
High Line designers Diller Scofidio + Renfro have unveiled their "veiled" new Broad Museum for Grand Avenue. But can architecture alone fix what ails Grand Avenue? Find out from architect Elizabeth Diller, critic Sam Lubell and Councilwoman Jan Perry. Plus, science researcher Richard Seymour on the dirty story of rare earths, hidden behind our clean technologies and glistening gadgets. And Art Center's Tim Durfee on the show that explores how fantasy feeds real world design.
By Frances Anderton • • 28m ListenHigh Line designers Diller Scofidio + Renfro have unveiled their "veiled" new Broad Museum for Grand Avenue. But can architecture alone fix what ails Grand Avenue? Find out from architect Elizabeth Diller, critic Sam Lubell, Councilwoman Jan Perry and others. Plus, behind our clean technologies and glistening gadgets, there is a dirty story -- of rare earths. Find out what they are and why they matter, from materials science researcher Richard Seymour. And Art Center's Tim Durfee talks about a show that will explore how fantasy feeds real world design.
In this episode
3 storiesBroad's Grand Plans
A few weeks back, Eli Broad unveiled the design for his new contemporary art museum , to be built on Grand Avenue opposite MOCA and next door to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The design, by admired Manhattan architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro , looks like a piece of sculpture in itself and makes a dramatic feature out of its concrete "skin."
Read the story17 minWhat Makes Rare Earths Rare?
You may not know what lanthanum, Neodymium or Samarium is, but you probably wouldn't be able to read this on your computer without them. These names are better known as "rare earths," a group of minerals found in our gadgets.
Read the story7 minMaking Up Design
An upcoming show at Art Center’s South Campus called Made Up: Design's Fictions will feature designers who "forecast, hypothesize, muse, skylark, role-play, put-on-airs, freak-out or otherwise fake-it" to produce work that elicits a response or brings about change in the real world.
Read the story5 min