Esquivel's work exhibited
at OSU's Urban Art Space

An installation created by an assistant professor of architecture at Texas A&M is part of an exhibition at Ohio State University exploring innovative design concepts.

"Malbec," a creation by Gabriel Esquivel, is on display in "Works by Neighborhood Design Center: Proposing New Possibilities," an exhibit running through Jan. 8 at OSU's Urban Arts Space.

Working at the College of Architecture's Digital Fabrication Facility, aka the Architecture Ranch, Esquivel created "Malbec" with student help. The digital storefront, he said, was inspired by the idea of rustication — defined as cutting or shaping so as to create a bold textured look.

Esquivel also directed and narrated a video addressing part of the exhibit's scope: new possibilities for analyzing and synthesizing neighborhoods using digital data.

In the video, Esquivel ponders future possibilities for The Short North, a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio rich with art galleries, dining, pubs and specialty shops.

"The Short North has become an emblem of 'cool,' with entertainment and consumption options similar to areas in other American cities like SoHo in New York, Beale Street in Memphis, and Sixth Street in Austin," said Esquivel in the video.

The density of the Short North's various systems, he said, supported by different infrastructures such as electronic-based retail, suggest the area can promote projects that implement different urban design models based on the research of causes and effects of digital transactions on local and global scales.

"Projects," he added, "can also take a holistic approach in future urban design models asserting that change can only succeed through culturally and socially inclusive design strategies."

For photos of "Malbec" and its fabrication, as well as the Short North video, visit Esquivel's blog at http://theoremas-gabe00fab.blogspot.com

- Posted: Dec. 2, 2009 -