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After a brief weather delay in Orange County (which roughly translates to there being a cloud in the otherwise endlessly blue sky), we squared off against the newly opened John Wayne Airport Terminal C.

As the existing terminals, designed by Gensler in 1990’s, were exceeding capacity, the firm was again commissioned to create an addition in keeping with the original. Six new commercial passenger gates, security screening checkpoints, three baggage carousels and two commuter passenger hold rooms were incorporated into the project. While keeping outward appearances consistent, David Loyola, Design Director at Gensler’s Newport Beach office, introduced new, more efficient lighting systems, daylight-filled connector links and a cleaner color palette, serving to contrast against  the new airport concessions.

In their December 2011 issue, San Francisco Magazine ran a ten page profile on the work of our client Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects. The article included images of the much awarded Gallery House, honighaus, 100foot House and Sonoma Skyspace projects.

While shooting a series of developments in Dongguan City, I kept seeing this poster for VW Golf’s. When the opportunity arose I couldn’t help but offer some practical advice to the wayward photographer in the jacket. Seems he couldn’t focus accurately with the sunglasses on.

At least he looked cool.

I was explaining the annoying stereotyping of the photographer to my amused Chinese hosts, hoping that they wouldn’t expect to see me the next day in a cream sports jacket.

“And what car do you drive Mr Giff”, they inquired.

“Erm…..,” I mumbled, …… a Golf.

Despite my general distrust of advance meteorological knowledge, the forecast low cloud for Shanghai was indeed coming true. Still, it made for some impressive views from the hotel room while waiting for more favorable conditions. Here, the Jin Mao Building and Shanghai World Financial Center dance majestically in and out of the passing clouds.

Thirty minutes by fast train south-east of Beijing is the rapidly expanding city of Tianjin. The tallest building in that city, for the moment at least, is the recently opened Jinta Tower, designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Arriving into the city, the tower looms over the lower scale buildings along the river front.

Also known as The Tianjin World Financial Center, the 75 story tower  is situated in the heart of the city’s historic district.

Clad in a pleated glass exterior wall that recalls the structure and lightness of Chinese paper arts, the tower’s uniquely folded surface catches light and maximizes views for occupants. Given that Tianjin is a center for the production of sheet steel materials, the structure of this super-tall building was based on the use of steel plates. The core was designed as a steel-plated wall system, the columns were designed with steel plate “sections,” and the floor framing was designed with steel beam sections.

The structure is the tallest steel plated shear wall building in the world.

It’s just a construction mark, right?

At this year’s American Photographic Artists awards, I was pleased to have been presented with both First and Second prizes in the Architecture category. The winning image was part of our documentation of the University of Minnesota Science Teaching and Student Services building.

The newly opened Terminal B and Concourse at Sacramento International Airport was known as The Big Build, mostly due to the billion dollar price tag. Over the past four years, it has been the single biggest construction project in California. Designed by Fentress Architects in association with Corgan Associates, the new terminal dramatically improves the entire airport experience for travelers

A 56 foot long polygonal rabbit by artist Lawrence Argent leaps through the void towards a giant suitcase on the baggage level below. Though I must admit to conjuring up thoughts of Monty Python and the Holy Grail’s “death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth…” every time we walked by.

Light entering the terminal through the south facade screens casts an ever-moving variety of shadows throughout the day

Located on the south-western edge of the University of California San Diego campus, the Keeling Apartments are the newest addition to the Revelle College Student Housing. Named after Charles David Keeling, a scientist famous for recording the progressive buildup of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere, a precursor to the notion of Global Warming, the apartments were designed by Philadelphia architectural firm Kieren Timberlake and are in line for a Platinum LEED rating.

The sun shades, created from a recycled material protect the west and south facades from the Californian sun but keep open the amazing views out along the nearby Pacific Coast.

Walking around the apartment buildings, there are obvious references to the existing material palette used throughout the campus since the 1960’s. In particular, as we were framing up views at Keeling, one couldn’t help but recall the exquisite, poured-in-place concrete of Louis Khan’s nearby Salk Institute, beautifully photographed by Ezra Stoller in 1977.

In Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles, Steinberg Architect’s Golden West College Learning Resource Center has opened. The light filled interior houses several classrooms, staff offices, a resource library and extensive tutorial facilities.