The Site:
Talkitect.com is an online magazine dedicated to the discussion of contemporary international architecture, art, and design. The site presents articles critiquing new designs and showcasing research on contemporary issues in the design world. The foundation of the site is reviews of architecture that we have personally visited throughout the world. Furthermore, we post slideshows featuring photographs we have taken of particularly noteworthy buildings, cities and landscapes. It is also a repository for interesting videos, links, press releases, announcements and other relevant information we stumble across on our wanderings through the world wide web.
Created in 2008 by designer and writer Lucas Gray, Talkitect.com has rapidly grown into a community of people interested in the built environment. This site keeps us engaged in the dialogue of international design while giving us an outlet to express ideas, review buildings, and do research above and beyond our daily work. The true reward is engaging with you, the readers, and thus we appreciate all of your comments, ideas and suggestions.
The People:
Lucas GrayThroughout his career Lucas Gray has focused on international architecture while living and practicing in various cities around the world. He began by earning a Bachelor of Science (Architecture) degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Lucas then moved to Bangkok, Thailand for a year and then spent two in Shanghai, China where he collaborated on competition entries for Brearely Architects and Urbanists. After his time in Asia, Lucas returned to school, earning a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon, while designing various retail environments as a freelance designer. He then moved to Berlin where he won an architectural design competition for extending and renovating an historic gymnasium. Along with developing the competition project, Lucas collaborated with various firms on the design and renovation of residential properties around Berlin, submitted international competition entries, and curated an art and architecture exhibition. Lucas currently lives in Portland, Oregon where he continues to pursue his passion for design working at Opsis Architecture, and freelance writing for various design magazines and websites.
Kevin Young Kevin is currently living in Eugene, OR, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Oregon - graduating in 2012. His interest focusses on how architecture can connect people to the world - ecologically, socially, and economically - and how positively shaped environments have a direct impact on the way we live. What captivates him most is the interface between ecology and architecture, and how understanding the vast network of ecosystems that we exist in can open up new and progressive ways of designing and thinking about buildings. Kevin has previously worked for the City of Eugene as an Urban Design Intern, assisting in the design and development of a key area of its downtown, as the city aggressively seeks solutions to a more dense and sustainable future.
Beyond his studies, Kevin has always had a deep interest in cooking and nutrition, as well as fitness. He previously worked as a weight lifting instructor and personal trainer, and used to play rugby. Kevin also firmly believes in the philosophy of an active body equates to an active mind. He enjoys playing the piano, listening to jazz music, and watching football and rugby, when he isn’t hard at work in school.
Amanda Ingmire Amanda is currently working towards her Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon in Eugene where her interests focus on environmental, economic and social sustainability, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, humanitarian architecture and rapid urbanization. She is most intrigued by studying how successful cities have grown and developed over time and how we can utilize the existing global building stock and urban infill to foster sustainable solutions that incorporate the increasing population and density in our rapidly growing cities. Her current research projects, in association with multiple University of Oregon professors, include: green walls and green roofs, and the study of successful downtowns in college cities.
Amanda holds a Bachelorʼs of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado, Boulder. During her undergraduate career, Amanda studied abroad in Rome and also spent time in London, Paris and Florence. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, playing softball, participating in design competitions and spending time with her husband.
Theresa MozinskiTheresa is currently living in Minneapolis, MN and is an undergraduate architecture student at the University of Minnesota. She will receive her Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 2012. Besides the technology of building, the dynamic interplay between societal change and the built environment is what intrigues Theresa most about her field. She believes strongly in sustainability as the driving force behind the next generation of design and is particularly interested in pursuing a career in the field of educational architecture. Theresa's favorite built structure is the Sydney Opera House.
In addition to school, Theresa volunteers for the Minneapolis Renewable Energy Society, loves to draw non-architecturally, practices Tae Kwon Do, plays the alto saxophone for the University Ensemble, and continues to make frustrating attempts at running long distances. Theresa was born and raised in Wisconsin, and is still a heartfelt Green Bay Packer fan.
If you are interested in writing for us please email a proposal to talkitect.com@gmail.com
