Tel Aviv - Holiday

Digital image

Bombed out Houses of London. (WorldWar II)

Mrs. Schames, 1967

Synagogue Council of America records 1935-1974

Contains the constitution, by-laws, correspondence, papers, and minutes of the Synagogue Council of America (1935-1958), an incomplete set of the minutes of the Plenum, (1949-1965), the minutes of the Executive Committee (1946-1969), Officers' (Summit) Meetings (1955-1967) and the minutes and reports of the Budget Committee (1946-1966), financial reports and statements for 1942-1965 and fundraising activities (1958-1968).

The Edge of Danger: artificial lighting and the dialectics of domestic occupation in Philip Johnson's Glass and Guest Houses

In the first half of the twentieth century the dematerializing of boundaries between enclosure and exposure problematized traditional acts of “occupation” and understandings of the domestic environment. As a space of escalating technological control, the modern domestic interior offered new potential to re-define the meaning and means of habitation. This shift is clearly expressed in the transformation of electric lighting technology and applications for the modern interior in the mid-twentieth century. Addressing these issues, this paper examines the critical role of electric lighting in regulating and framing both the public and private occupation of Philip Johnson’s New Canaan estate. Exploring the dialectically paired transparent Glass House and opaque Guest House (both 1949), this study illustrates how Johnson employed artificial light to control the visual environment of the estate as well as to aestheticize the performance of domestic space. Looking closely at the use of artificial light to create emotive effects as well as to intensify the experience of occupation, this revisiting of the iconic Glass House and lesser-known Guest House provides a more complex understanding of Johnson’s work and the means with which he inhabited his own architecture. Calling attention to the importance of Johnson serving as both architect and client, and his particular interest in exploring the new potential of architectural lighting in this period, this paper investigates Johnson’s use of electric light to support architectural narratives, maintain visual order and control, and to suit the nuanced desires of domestic occupation.

Tsunami wave loading on coastal houses: A model approach

The Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004 killed over 220 000 people and devastated coastal structures, including many thousands of traditional brick-built homes. This paper presents the results of model tests that compare the impact of a tsunami wave on a typical coastal house with that on a new tsunami resistant design developed in the USA and now built in Sri Lanka Digital images recorded during the test reveal how the tsunami wave passed through the new house design without damaging it but severely damaged the typical coastal house. Pressure sensor results also provided further insight into tsunami wave loading, indicating that the established Japanese method significantly underestimates maximum impact load.