Slog - Comments on The Greatness of Mexican Modernism http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism The house is a perfect thought. The vegetation, however, is ugly. In fact the house is at war with the sun-thriving plants that surround it and hunger to undo this most human of doings: the box, the beams, the lines and lights. The house is Guadalajara, Mexico and was designed by bgp arquitectura, a firm founded by Bernardo Gomez-Pimienta and based in Mexico City.... Copyright 2008 Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:28:51 -0800 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:27:33 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by elswinger I'd like to see the inside of the house.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736643 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736643 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:35:00 -0800 Comment by gfish And that thought is: "I sure hate natural light!"

]]> gfish http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736682 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736682 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:52:56 -0800 Comment by Sean This house is at war with everything - the plants, the landscape, the sunlight, the neighbors, and the inhabitants.

It may be a perfect thought, but it's a terrible house.

]]> Sean http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736693 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736693 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:05:51 -0800 Comment by elswinger That's why I want to see the inside of the house. From the outside this seems like some place one might incarcerate Magneto.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736704 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736704 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:16:32 -0800 Comment by MvB Do you ever get the feeling Charles's favorite toy as a child was a shoebox?

]]> MvB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736724 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736724 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:33:02 -0800 Comment by Dougsf I like the design - the wood/concrete is a nice balance. It probably looks funny, however, becuase I'm almost possitive that's a computer rendering... which means we're contemplating the beauty of something that doesn't exist in any tangible form, and that's a whole 'nuther Charles kinda post.

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736749 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736749 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:02:59 -0800 Comment by K GIYF.

http://www.bgp.com.mx/

Architecture -> Projects -> Type -> Housing -> GDL1

Dunno how one can make the "I hate natural light" statement about a house that has this much glass.

I

]]> K http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736756 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736756 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:12:23 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave why is it you can always tell a charles post without reading the name?

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736763 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736763 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:16:51 -0800 Comment by frederick r @5:

I believe you're wrong. Charles' favorite toy as a child was existentialism.

]]> frederick r http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736771 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736771 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:22:09 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave existentialism inside a shoebox

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736777 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736777 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:25:41 -0800 Comment by MvB #s 9 & 10: Thanks for making me snort with laughter. Well played!

]]> MvB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736793 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736793 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:42:11 -0800 Comment by Jim Demetre Those plantings look very recent and I suspect that they will soon obscure the lower half of the structure. Is this the right thing? The environment looks rather arid and these plants will require a considerable amount of vegetation to flourish. They are even trying to maintain a manicured green lawn. As someone who has no doubt read Mike Davis's "Ecology of Fear," I think Charles knows where this could lead.

]]> Jim Demetre http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736863 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736863 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:50:41 -0800 Comment by landscape architect I'm a landscape architect who used to work on high-end modernist houses in LA -- the plantings here are paltry, but it could be worse. The house is stunning and the plantings in the planter boxes/retaining walls are really effective. The vines on the fence are probably bougainvillea, a tenacious native, drought-tolerant vine in Mexico (and great in So. Cal). The main problem is, of course, the lawn. You can probably blame that on the client who doesn't want a garden or who likes the status symbol of a lush lawn, though modern architects have been known to demand even planes of "green" as platforms for their sculptural gems.

#6 -- this is definitely not a rendering -- who would put staked trees in a rendering?

]]> landscape architect http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736902 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736902 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:10:07 -0800 Comment by David Sucher It's comical that anyone would make a judgment about that structure based on a tiny screen image.

]]> David Sucher http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736923 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736923 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:21:26 -0800 Comment by Dougsf #13: Staked trees, ha ha ha... I stand corrected, but that .jpg sure looked like a rendering to me, and I'm CAD certified (hardly a boast, meh).

Here's a link to a better pic, w/interiors (keep scrolling down):
http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2007/04/18/casa-gdl1-bgp-arquitectura/

I think the side shown in Charles' pic is easily its most interesting - I really like how it's done. The rest of the structure we've seen elsewhere, like blowing up in the first 3 minutes of ever other Miami Vice episode.

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736943 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736943 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:37:25 -0800 Comment by Jim Demetre Making judgments about tiny photographs of structures found surfing the web? It's called Stranger architecture criticism.

About the Bougainvillea, the last think this house needs is a wall of florescent pink flowers. If it were a crumbling old adobe or one of Robert Irwin's rebar planters at the Getty, that would be fine, but here it would be a criminal offense.

]]> Jim Demetre http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736963 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c736963 Architecture Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:50:46 -0800 Comment by Boomer in NYC And a pink flamingo. Just one though, 'cause you don't want your frontage to look tacky.

]]> Boomer in NYC http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737329 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737329 Architecture Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:19:43 -0800 Comment by Bison Typical Charles post:

"I really have no idea what I am talking about. Discuss."

]]> Bison http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737348 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737348 Architecture Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:08:56 -0800 Comment by Mrs. Z. Is this in Seattle? Does this pertain to the arts scene in Seattle at all? No? Then who gives a shit? Maybe I'm mistaken in thinking the Stranger is a local publication and there is plenty to discuss about local arts and artists.

]]> Mrs. Z. http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737541 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c737541 Architecture Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:52:23 -0800 Comment by Bill MSN I NIIPET
MSN

]]> Bill http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c741221 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c741221 Architecture Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:53:41 -0800 Comment by Coco Chanel Merhaba!
Check this out!
,

]]> Coco Chanel http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745475 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745475 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:57:39 -0800 Comment by Coco Chanel Merhaba!
Check this out!
,

]]> Coco Chanel http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745476 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745476 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:57:51 -0800 Comment by Coco Chanel Merhaba!
Check this out!
,

]]> Coco Chanel http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745478 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745478 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:58:16 -0800 Comment by Anastasia_yx
And some more..
*

]]> Anastasia_yx http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745479 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745479 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:58:24 -0800 Comment by Anastasia_yx
And some more..
*

]]> Anastasia_yx http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745481 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745481 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:58:57 -0800 Comment by Nick_ud
At last...
*

]]> Nick_ud http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745486 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745486 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:01:24 -0800 Comment by Gordon_ii
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]]> Gordon_ii http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745496 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c745496 Architecture Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:02:22 -0800 Comment by Edward_mo Marhaba!
Check this out!
,

]]> Edward_mo http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c747047 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c747047 Architecture Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:27:02 -0800 Comment by Edward_mo Marhaba!
Check this out!
,

]]> Edward_mo http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c747050 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/the_greatness_of_mexican_modernism#c747050 Architecture Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:27:33 -0800