MIT's Building 20: a Masterpiece of Utility
Creating high density of not only people, but ideas and energy = serendipity and aliveness. Lewis Mumford writes that the primary purpose of the city is “to permit—indeed, to encourage—the greatest possible number of meetings, encounters, challenges, between varied persons and groups, providing as it were a stage upon which the drama of social life... See more
Building 20 in MIT, was ugly, and disorderly but its residents loved it. a building with a special spirit, a spirit that inspires creativity and the development of ideas
Tim Harford • Just a moment...
Are Disused Offices the New Third Spaces?
London still has around 9% of unoccupied office space post-pandemic, an increase from the pre-pandemic rate of around 4%. With hybrid and remote models now a piece of furniture in modern work, the idea of what an office can practically be used for is up for grabs.
At the weekend, my friends at Baile ljó (a
... See moreThe building was praised for throwing people at random. Because people were getting lost all the time and wandering into places they did not want to go. the building was a low rise and sprawling, which meant that conversations in corridors where a genuine conversation could develop rather than the eternal home of the glib, the elevator. More... See more
Tim Harford • Just a moment...
Here's why MIT Building 20 could be considered an example of "Nakatomi Space" in real life:●Unconventional Design: Building 20 was a hastily constructed "temporary" structure during World War II, leading to a flexible and adaptable layout that differed from the more rigid designs of traditional academic buildings.1 ●Repurposing and Modification:... See more