Thought Provoking Architecutre-themed Presentations on TED

<p>[TED[/url</a>] (Technology, Entertainment, Design) has a number of thought provoking - and just flat out cool - presentations from a number of architects. Highly recommended for future architects in training:</p>

<p>[ul]
[li][url=<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/54]Cameron”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/54]Cameron</a> Sinclair on open-source architecture](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/tags/id/28]TED[/url”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/tags/id/28)[/li][li][Joshua</a> Prince-Ramus on Seattle’s library](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/49]Joshua”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/49)[/li][li][James</a> Howard Kunstler dissects suburbia](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/121]James”>James Howard Kunstler: The ghastly tragedy of the suburbs | TED Talk)[/li][li][Moshe</a> Safdie on building uniqueness](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/219]Moshe”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/219)[/li][li][Norman</a> Foster’s green agenda](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/174]Norman”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/174)[/li][li][Ron</a> Eglash on African fractals](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/198]Ron”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/198)[/li][li][Thom</a> Mayne on architecture as connection](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/31]Thom”>Thom Mayne: How architecture can connect us | TED Talk)[/li][li][William</a> McDonough on cradle to cradle design](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/104]William”>William McDonough: Cradle to cradle design | TED Talk)[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>StitchInTime,</p>

<p>Thanks for posting the links. They are extremely helpful to me. Let me try and explain.</p>

<p>I’ve often had conversations with my soon to be architecture major son (his choice, not mine, but I am completely supportive and encouraging) these last few months where I find myself trying to explain to him that there has to be more to architecture than what the general public (and myself) sees. With no background in architecture I admit that I had no clue as to what that “more” is, but life experiences tells me it’s there, and I just want to somehow communicate to him that there has to be “other roads”, some “as of yet untrod” paths beyond the ‘traditional architecture’ of his newly chosen field that he should be on the lookout for. Believe me when I say I find nothing at all wrong with a traditional architecture career, and will be pleased and proud if that is where he goes. However, can call me a parent who wants his child to live up to his potential, as I see so much in him, and his often unusual way of looking at things, and problem solving ability. And then, there in your links are stunning examples of what I felt had to be out there. Perhaps he already knows of these people and what they have done. (With him being 17 and me over 50, I have no clue what is actually in that head, ah the joys of parenthood, lol). If so, I’m sure to get a lecture after passing them on to him. But if they are new to him, I hope he sees my point. To me it was so neat to see traces of my son in Sinclair, Prince-Ramus and even Kunstler. </p>

<p>Good post, thank-you.</p>

<p>Joshua Prince-Ramus is my idol. To be honest with you guys, JPR stunned me with his clear, understandable, jargon-free presentation last year when I first saw the video. What astonished me more was that he swept the whole NY office of OMA and became a professor at Yale School of Architecture. There aren’t that many young architects out there like him, even at Harvard or Yale. I just couldn’t believe that he was a philosophy major before heading to Harvard GSD. Quite an amazing journey!</p>

<p>It’s a shame that TED conference tickets are way too rare to come across.<br>
<a href=“http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2008/01/ted_pass_going_for_big_bucks_o.html[/url]”>http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2008/01/ted_pass_going_for_big_bucks_o.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[ul][li][Greg</a> Lynn on calculus in architecture](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/greg_lynn_on_organic_design.html]Greg”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/greg_lynn_on_organic_design.html)[/li][li][Liz</a> Diller plays with architecture](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/liz_diller_plays_with_architecture.html]Liz”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/liz_diller_plays_with_architecture.html)[/li][li][Reed</a> Kroloff on modern and romantic architecture](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/reed_kroloff_on_modern_and_romantic_architecture.html]Reed”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/reed_kroloff_on_modern_and_romantic_architecture.html)[/li][li][Frank</a> Gehry as a young rebel](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/frank_gehry_as_a_young_rebel.html]Frank”>http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/frank_gehry_as_a_young_rebel.html)[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Wow. That Joshua Prince-Ramus presentation is amazing. How inspiring! Now I really hope I get into MArch at Yale!! (crossing fingers)</p>

<p>[Charlie</a> Rose](<a href=“http://www.charlierose.com/topic/art_design]Charlie”>http://www.charlierose.com/topic/art_design) has some very good interviews as well including:
[ul][li][A</a> conversation with architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable](<a href=“http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10192]A”>http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10192)[/li][li][A</a> conversation with Architects Liz Diller, Ricardo Scofidio, and Charles Renfro](<a href=“http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10185]A”>http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10185)[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Nice short video addressing the question [What</a> is Architecture?](<a href=“http://vimeo.com/3248803]What”>Architecture on Vimeo)</p>

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<p>Very neat presentation design, but the definition was not exactly correct. And the presenter had a stuttering problem.</p>

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<p>Yeah, the presentation was alright but the buildings he presented were ugly as ****. A chair? Seriously?</p>

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No offense, but it sounds like you’re just full of it. Wait til he becomes a starchitect if ever - THEN you can confirm that he’s something special.</p>

<p>Update: Talk about thinking out-of-the-box with architecture. This presentation will blow you away (pun intended): </p>

<p>[Magnus</a> Larsson: Turning dunes into architecture](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/magnus_larsson_turning_dunes_into_architecture.html]Magnus”>http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/magnus_larsson_turning_dunes_into_architecture.html)</p>

<p>Update: A nice profile of [Robert</a> A.M. Stern](<a href=“http://www.pbs.org/programs/architect-robert-am-stern/]Robert”>http://www.pbs.org/programs/architect-robert-am-stern/) on PBS. It’s great that this is avaialble for viewing online:</p>

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