Also the Tcshumi books - Event City series and Architecture and Disjunction
The other two Mitchell digital-nerd-urbanism books are good
Peter Rowe’s Civic Realism might be useful

Now, i would agree that what we are seeing in vogue right now is dying, and the current recession will help quicken that death. But I would argue that this is not through a lack of relevancy, but rather the limited opportunities for built work will allow more academic studies and an attempt to “purify” the architectural discourse.

Capital “M” modern, as defined by the show curated by Philip Johnson, is definitely all of those things. The other, more general term, is in no way any of those things: it is multifaceted, alive in the works of the organicists and the data minders amongst others, it is inclusive of all work that is non-classical in nature, and it has played a huge role in the public sub conscious semiotic discourse (power is no longer held in stone buildings but smooth glass towers).

its about this discussion of situated technologies and architecture, something that might work in that sense, picture this… glass domes of self tinting glass (at a touch of a button) within a public space,

this is very much akin an actors/artist studio, each dome equipped with all the AV systems, internet connectivity, or whatever technologies or necessities required for functionality or creative use as an “individual or private” space,

for a variety of uses, may it be for private gatherings, practising gigs, private study, alone time, corporate meetings, whatever…

yet at the same time, its use is not limited or dictated by “private” as at a touch of a button, the dome is transparent, the AV is pointing outwards, meaning, all the necessary technologies for public broadcasting also becomes available for the user, it now becomes a public platform, may it be used for a concert, oration, public gathering… etc.

food for thought

justa few quick comments here, things that came quickly off my mind, perhaps the whole discussion here has to do with the traditional concept of integrating functionality into a common space (with respects to architecture and site planning of course), which of course is analogous to how common technologies are creating new and practical ways its is used, i.e. mobile phone, pdas, emails, internet, 3G, HSPDA, etc. coming together into one “product” which expands the way a consumer uses this new “functionality”, either in as a public or private tool.

Perhaps the challenge in architecture or layout design/planning, is how to create a space that can allow occupants/consumers to create new uses for the building/sites, which can be both public and private space. Hmmm… in this sense I would suggest perhaps a modular element into a design, or an overarching design that integrates both public and private space.