Mark Magazine #20

A few days ago I received the latest issue of Mark Magazine (nº20, jun-jul). Once again  it´s a white cover issue, featuring this time a house in Argentina by LA-based Johnston & Mark Lee, and the quote “All these French philosophers just send me to sleep” by Yung Ho Chang.

This issue includes a very good set of interviews with Keiichiro Sako and Pezo von Ellrichshausen, but lets start by the begining:

As usual, Mark Magazine starts with Notice Board, a fresh selection of 30 unbuilt projects.  The list includes  the ORDOS 100 Vila by Rocker-Lange Architects, the Yorkshire Diamond by our friends Various Architects,  the Korkeasaari Zoo by Beckmann-N’Thépé,  the Aquatic Complex for the Panamerican Games by Paisajes Emergentes and the Taipei Performing Arts Center by NL Architects, among other projects by Frohlocke, KLNB, Langdon Reis Zahn, 4B, Gullik Gulliksen, NORD, Poly.m.ur, MAPT, Alliance, MAD, MILA, 3Deluxe, Cobe and Sleth, Modernisn, PopularArchitecture, BNB, BO6, Studio 505, Piercy Conner, Q-Lab, Sascha Glasland, Tjeerd J. Haccou, Wiel Arets, Schmidt Hammer, Lassen, Marek Wozniczka, Odile Decq Benoit, Corenette, Amanda Levete and Steven Holl.

On the other side, Cross Section maintains the freshness of this magazine by bringing us a selection of recently completed projects, such as Formosa 1140 by Lorcan O’Herlihy, the Tolou Housing project by URBANUS, Methamorphosis by Ulloa + Ding,  the amazing offices of Selgascano, the Letterbox house by McBride Charles Ryan and the Hockey Arena by Coll-Barreu. Also includes works by Makoto Sei, Watanabe, Elisa Valero Ramos, Cloud 9, UN Studio, Junichi Sampei, Fovea, Alison Brooks, Obra Negra, Bruno Fioretti Marquez and Boogertman & Partners.

This section also includes an article and infographic by Theo Deutinger with skyscrapers on hold around the world, and art/architecture interventions by Cloud 9, Joshua Callaghan and Samaran, Comas & Zamarro.

The selection of works is very good this time, but for me the Viewpoint section is the highlight of this issue. They present architects Keiichiro Sako and Pezo von Ellrichshausen with interviews and selection of recents projects.

I enjoyed reading the story on how Sako (Japan) has managed his practice to grow and establish an office in Beijing for projects in China. As a counterpart, PvE talks how being apart from the architectural mainstream has influenced their work.

Long Section goes in deep with recent projects by KWK Promes, Lacaton & Vassal, October (Tomomasa Ueda), Martine de Maeseneer, Johnston & Mark Lee, Riken Yamamoto, Hiroshi Sambuichi Architects and Metropolis.

It also includes articles on inhabitants of remarkable buildings, current economical crisis and a letter from Valencia (”Valencia is a 21st century media whore”).

The issue is closed with Service Section, including works by Jo Nagasaka, Luyanda Mpahlwa, KHR Architects focusing on building technology aspects, an an interview with Yung Ho Chan.

You can see a preview of the next issue on Mark Magazine’s Facebook page.