slum rehabilitation scheme
Image by Ben Lepley +_+
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Q, sss-> "Do you know what the deveoper will do there?"
A, b-> "probably a 5-15 story set of concrete communist style public housing buildings. Never mixed use, and socially alienating to those who occupy them, much like the ones built in the 50's and demolished in the 80's all around the us. (from book Maximum City) It is said, that simply the social richness of the 'village or town' life in these slums is so great, that when they put up a housing block, the locals who would live there subsidized, move away and rent them out to other families for a profit. Either way Mumbai really really needs these housing blocks, or something.
It is one of my dreams to design a 'state' affordable housing block that has the social interaction and richness of the slums their are replacing. That said, it has to be more then 'mixed use' but serve all the needs of the community in an organic, flexible way. Its especially interesting to try a building like that here, simply because of the sheer ingenuity and craftiness of these people, you know they are going to f-ck with whatever you build for them.
on a side note; I generally much prefer these public housing schemes, to those in Beijing which sometimes stretch up to 35 stories high, at least these always have wide outdoor passages, and balconies."
Richard Parrillo House on Burling
Image by CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK
Byline: Shia Kapos
Money's no object and dreams are sky-high. Sounds like the Democratic primary, but it's actually a homebuilding project that's taken even longer to wrap up.
"It got away from me, but it's a labor of love for my wife,'' insurance tycoon Richard Parrillo says of his wife, Michaela, who is overseeing the painstaking design and construction of the mammoth home, reportedly costing million, on Burling Street (their property takes up seven city lots).
The lavish French-style mansion will feature an outdoor iron pavilion acquired from an Atlanta estate sale, a chandelier by Argentine ironworker Jose Thenee, a Louis XIII fireplace in the wine-tasting room and a drive court with loose gravel imported from France.
"It's finer gravel and crunches a certain way when you walk on it,'' explains Chicago architectural consultant and interior designer Anthony Michael, who declines to talk prices on such lavish finishing touches.
We were able to figure out that the chandelier alone cost ,000.
Ms. Parrillo, a Francophile, also requested imported French marble for the floors and triple-vaulted ceilings inspired by the stables of Versailles.
"It's rare that you have a client who goes to this level of detail,'' says Mr. Michael, known for his home-design work on TV as well as on high-end Lake Shore Drive condos. He's also redesigning the family's yacht and plane. "It's a lifestyle approach,'' he says.
One important feature in the Lincoln Park home is a lower-level kitchen that seats 500.
Along with entertaining guests, the Parrillos want plenty of room for their five children and eight grandchildren-and one on the way.
Mr. Parrillo, CEO of Miami-based United Automobile Insurance Group Inc., hopes they can move in by December. Acknowledging the project has taken about as long as it took Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel, he says, "It's been four years, but it's like that-it will be worth it.''
Contact: skapos@crain.com
Celebrating Alaska Statehood 50 Years January 3, 1959 - 2009 - A Personal Reflection
Image by Wonderlane
I remember it like it was just a few months ago - I was already 2 years old and my Mom, a second generation Alaskan - Dee Lane, and my Dad, a third generation Alaskan - Chic Lane, took my sister Lisa and I over the few blocks from our house on the corner of 3rd avenue down to the Park Strip to watch the bonfire in celebration of hard won Alaskan statehood.
There was a great huge pile of wood, and the fire was well underway -- men would run up with all kinds of wood, spare or not, and throw it on the fire. And a whole tree was thrown in too! The tree being dry burned really fast with a great sputtering noise mixed with the festive scent of painted wood all together. As I understand now, there were fireworks hidden in the wood pile that went off from time to time. The United States Senate had voted to make Alaska the 49th state on June 30, 1958.
Just as we arrived from the north side a couple of men were dragging a large wooden box, the size of an outhouse or larger and throwing it on the fire, which was growing quite large. People stood around the fire in a huge circle and it was obvious there had been a bit of drinking going on. Part of a fence was thrown in, sometimes a couple of two-by-fours, or a 8 by 10 sheet of plywood, but mostly old sections of some built things.
My father ran up with his camera just as my Mom was buttoning up my sister's jacket, I think he had parked the car, having just gotten off of work as an architect. She wanted to know what had taken so long. She was pregnant with my brother Ward, born in July of 1958, we girls were born only 11 months apart.
The crowd was growing as the evening was coming in, and singing and hollering and whooping and dancing jigs, in groups of people cheering whenever a new item was thrown on the fire. It was pretty wild and I didn't see many children on the park strip.
Notably the people greeted each other by name since they knew one another! There were a lot of people there.
Later I was taught the "Alaska Flag" song in school. The flag was said to have been designed by Bennie Benson, but the truth was his school teacher designed it to help him submit something, and I think she was happy he unexpectedly won the award with her simple design; she didn't complain when her student got credit for her design.
My mom showed me the Anchorage Times newspaper which read "WE'RE IN!" we kept a copy of that paper for more than 20 years. The heat from the bonfire was so hot it burned our faces and kept us warm - finally my sister Lisa began to get too cold so our folks bundled us off to the house our grandparents built on the very corner of downtown Anchorage where the legal buildings are now, near the statue of Captain Cook.
"8 Stars of Gold on a field of Blue..." I had wonderful teachers. I stayed true.
From the time I was a babe in arms we had a visitor by the name of Yule Kilcher. He was a state senator and one of the most fascinating people I have ever known. I asked him once how many languages he spoke and he took a minute to count them all up and said - "if you include the dialects - it's 47." 47!!! Yule helped to write the Alaska State Constitution, and he stood for liberal causes in a conservative way. People now have forgotten that Alaska was once a liberal state, and it was the conservatives who opposed statehood.
The summer I turned 13 years old Yule took me to visit his farm down in Homer, driving like a mad man around each curve of the road which he knew every bit of from memory. Every where we stopped Yule spoke to the people in their native languages - and what a diverse set of people he knew - it was just everyone - speaking in Norwegian, Lap, Danish, Finnish, German, Russian, and French, and everyone was so happy to see him and asked us to stay if only for a bite, or tea, or sometimes a sauna! It was one of my most memorable life experiences as I met people from all over the world visiting Yule at his ranch, and his children and other family members and neighbors. I credit Yule with changing my world view completely.
So this photo was taken of the US Flag and Alaska State flag in front of the top floor fireplace in the Anchorage Pioneer's Home with the Christmas tree, when I was just visiting my mom for Christmas (thank you to the excellent staff there).
Myself if I were to die today I could honestly say that I have lived a completely unique and unusual life due to being raised in Alaska, and knowing the people I have been fortunate to meet like Senator Bob Bartlett, who was greatly responsible for Alaska becoming a state of the United States of America, Karin and Honorable James Fitzgerald (U.S. Senior Judge) and family - Dennis, Denise, Debra, and Kevin, Glo and Victor Fischer and family - Yonnie, the Listons - Bill and Helen, Mike, Mary, Lissa, Gene Guess and family, the O'Malley's, Ernest Gruening (Governor Alaska Territory), and Alaska State senator Yule Kilcher, his children, Wendell Kay - Eddy Kay, Nick Begich and his family, artist and teacher Alex Duff Combs and his family, the Selkreggs, Governor Bill Egan (who remembered everyone's names and family), Jill Smythe, the Arns family, the Rosenthals, the Jensen family, Kathy 'Willow' Graves, and later folks such as the Browns, Judge John and 'Mama' Kay Reese, Nancy Byrd, the Fairbanks crowd; the Drs. Forbes - John Forbes and Rob, Laura Forbes, the Deans - Doug Dean and Steve Dean, Nick Boseck and his family, the Hale family - Ed, Fred, and Billy, Jim Chase and family, Dennis Savage and his family, Dennis Hartley; the teachers at Orah Dee Clark and East High School, Anchorage Community College and UAA, and other notable people with enormous personalities and strong love for their fellow human beings. Really too many to write about here.
Having left Alaska to seek out world culture I became the student of Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche, a senior Tibetan Lama in Seattle, where my Alaskan childhood served me well - as I traveled Thailand, India, Nepal, to study and observe what I believe is the real final frontier, not Alaska as the saying goes, but the innate nature of our own minds.
On January 3, 2009, Alaska will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Alaskan Statehood, and I will be there in spirit remembering a fairly warm day of June 30, 1958 when my mom buttoned me up and said "Look at the bonfire Linda, remember it, because some day when you are much older, you will be able to say, 'I was there for the first bonfire, when Alaska became part of the United States of America.'" I remember her black cat-eye framed eye glasses, and the look of joy, pride, and concern on her face as she told me this with her dark brown hair pulled back under a kerchief, she looked into my eyes so closely. And I remember the bonfire.
Someone told me recently that my life stories are like the movie Zoolander except real, so what's not to enjoy?
What I did not understand at the time was how rare my experience is, and how few people would be alive 50 years later who shared that experience. But I can honestly say, 50 years later, that I have lived fully because of Alaska, and because of the Alaskan community who raised me and infused my life with personality and love.
Happy 50 Years to Alaska, to Alaskans every where, to Americans, and to the World in which we live together - congratulations! To my relatives who are now raising the 6th generation of our family in Alaska - congratulations on the twins!
Respect goes out to my elders - my great-grandfather who resurveyed the Alaska-Canadian Border based out of Eagle in 1896, my great-grandfather Isaac Newton Lane - Cherokee from Mexico who was a Pony Express Rider and Alaskan, my grandmother raised in Ketchikan, my grandfather Billy Murry - a tailor, he owned the New Method Cleaners and the Murmac Bar in Anchorage, my grandmother Marion Murry - played organ during the silent movie era, to my parents Roland and Darlene (architect and planner), thank you to everyone who made Alaska more than just a beautiful place, but an amazing event.
Here's the lyrics to the Alaska State Flag Song:
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue,
Alaska's flag, may it mean to you,
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes and the flowers nearby,
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams,
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear," the "Dipper,"
and shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
O'er land and sea a beacon bright,
Alaska's flag to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.
CHEERS TO YOU! GREAT LOVE -- GREAT PEACE! Do Seek The Treasure!!!
For a historical outline see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Statehood_Act
Another Mochi Dream
Image by Wootang01
With my friend Paul, I spend five days in Osaka, Japan. The trip provided much refreshment, and excitement, not to mention many challenges. It was my first visit to the country, and, I feel, it certainly won't be my last, as there are still many places left to see, and so many new things to learn.
We had several destinations highlighted on our itinerary, the foremost of which was Universal Studios. We spend an entire day there, going on rides and more often than not, queuing for them. The excruciating wait times were worth it, however, for such exhilarating fun, especially on the Hollywood Roller Coaster, my personal favorite. The next morning we followed up that successful endeavor with a trip to the Himeji Castle, a place which came highly recommended by my colleague, whose succinct description of the heritage site was, "awesome." Indeed, as a history buff, I enjoyed walking the storied grounds and climbing through the maze-like interior of the keep which was designed not so much to comfortably house the royal family as to confound the invading enemy. The castle is a must-visit. Other attractions of note include the Osaka Aquarium, and the Tennoji Zoo; both teemed with animals of every shape and size. We also at length ventured into several shopping districts inside of which were myriad stores, selling all sorts of fashion and gadgetry, countless restaurants and several gambling parlors - the Japanese, it seems, love their slot machines as much as the Hong Kong Chinese love their horse racing. Lest I forget, we frequented several video arcades to play the latest and greatest games; Paul played well, while I more often than not got 0wn3d. There is a lot to do in Japan.
Japanese culture, of which I've heard so much, really is distinct and separate from other Asian cultures. Their patterns of action and their peculiar artifacts certainly aren't the same as those which feature prominently in Hong Kong. For one thing, the MTR culture was more civilized and less stressful: people queued up for trains and let passengers alight first before permitting themselves to board; cellphones never rang and cabin cars were as quiet as bedrooms at midnight; and to imagine all of these people enforce their norms without public service announcements, without any coddling, conspicuous signs - that's amazing. What proved difficult was trying to find a garbage can. It was easier to find a vending machine, from which one could purchase a variety of drinks or cigarettes, than a bin in which to dispose of these delectable, perishable goods.
As for the general citizenry, they were most accommodating and hospitable, with several individuals going out of their way to help Paul and I find our way around the dense sprawl of the city. Language wasn't a concern despite our limited Japanese; amazingly enough, our comfort was their concern! I won't forget their selfless service, as one day, I hope, I'll be able to return the favor. That the girls were quite attractive and that I demonstrated a propensity to ask attractive girls for directions go without saying; however, I understand now that their sexiness and sophistication stem not from comely faces but coherent attire. Rather than adorn themselves like a typical Mong Kok girl in a ridiculous neon rainbow palette, with jeans or unseemly spandex underneath dresses, skirts or other tops better left to stand alone, Japanese girls opt for more somber, sensible colors - black and cream-colored - and what's more, they aren't afraid to whip out the tasteful pantyhose or to show some skin, even. We had plenty of time to ogle the ladies, and to their credit, freezing temperatures weren't enough to dissuade many of them from forsaking, icing their shorts, as we saw countless pairs being worn on the street. That's what I call fashion professionalism!
Overall, Japan is a marvelous little land full of the eccentric, as well as the endearing. It was a fascinating place to explore, and I'm thankful that it was done in the company of my friend , with whom candor was not at a premium. We both learned a lot and look forward to the next trip!
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