“Fold, weld, bolt, screw: fuck you, it’s not that hard.”

phillip nobel writes about one of his favorite [and ours as well] nyc architecture firm:

SHoP architects

METROPOLIS magazine holds the link.

SHoP architects is five architects that graduated out of the tumultuous digital transition at columbia's. their first project to get notice was the "dunescape" at moma ps1 in the summer of 2000. built from individual stick frame construction, the a different sectional quality every 4 inches, the sweeping wave-like canopy and sitting platform [with pool!] elevates a practical approach to "blob-itecture":

with the design and build-it excitement aside, Pasquarelli relishes even more in the numbers game that increased visitors and revenue for the museum:

"...6,000 more visitors ...on a $50,000 budget with a $10,000 fee; he estimates that the popular design, with its secret rooms...brought in an additional $500,000 to $1 million for the institution that summer."

wow. these guys clearly know the other side of the profession as well, and are highly involved with the financing portion of some projects. laterin the article, the firm's penchant for development is revealed further detail...

the next project that thrusted SHoP into the limelight was the parasitic looking "porter house". a mixed-use condominium addition to an historic structure located in the meatpacking district of manhattan. the addition's faces are black modular zinc panels assembled in a semi-random pattern with intermittent flourescent tube lighting behind transluscent white panels. each panel was manufactured straight from the architects' drawings, allowing for a quick and easy construction. and as a punchy quip to all contractors, our favorite quote from the article says it all:

"[Gregg] Pasquarelli described the process: “Fold, weld, bolt, screw: fuck you, it’s not that hard.” The contractors reportedly loved it—no measuring, no cutting."

by the way, if you ever find yourself walking through the meatpacking district at 3am, and see this building, there's a tasty trendy [and slightly expensive] slider and shake joint in the retail space below it.

speaking of-hasn't someone written a thesis on the relationship between architecture and good cuisine yet?
special thanks to epicure of epicures for the heads up on the article.