A conversation with Duncan Nicholson

"Prepare your shoes, Not to come back soon, Prepare your heart, Not to stop too soon...
One step inside , doesn't mean you understand"

- lyrics by Notwist

all photography by David John

Certain invitations you should not pass up, like touring the James Turrell skyspace at sunset with Duncan Nicholson, the architect behind this skyspace, as well as the current addition to the Sheats/Goldstein Residence. Duncan Nicholson was the last architect hired by the visionary John Lautner, and has been working on this property with Goldstein since his beginnings at Lautner's firm.

Last year when I visited this home (read more here) for what would have been Lautner's 100th birthday, I wrote, "At times, I felt like I was in an eagle's nest, high among the trees, and the smog of the city below. I dare to dream of the colors of dusk these views would allow." Well, that night, I returned to see...

Shortly after giving us a tour of the Sheats Golstein residence, Duncan led us down the floating concrete steps, gently weaving through the thick forest as the night began to approach. Around the corner, I spotted the first glimpse of the Turrell skyspace, a large concrete box of sorts. A huge thank you to Duncan and Lee Nicholson.

- David John

Maybe we could also have
a slow-art movement,
and take an hour.

- James Turrell

The Roden Crater, Arizona

"I feel my work is made for one being, one individual. You could say that's me, but that's not really true. It's for an idealized viewer. Sometimes I'm kind of cranky coming to see something. I saw the Mona Lisa when it was in L.A., saw it for 13 seconds and had to move on. But, you know, there's this slow-food movement right now. Maybe we could also have a slow-art movement, and take an hour."

"The Alpha Tunnel"

The Roden Crater project is best described as a series of underground chambers and tunnels honeycombing an extinct volcano in a particularly remote part of northern Arizona. This complex system of subterranean rooms and culverts includes a number of precisely oriented skylights, designed to focus on certain celestial events. The "Alpha Tunnel,” the current centerpiece of the project, has been termed "the world’s longest naked-eye telescope.”

taken from here...

image taken from here..., luciano z

"At Roden Crater I was interested in taking the cultural artifice of art out into the natural surround. I did not want the work to be a mark upon nature, but I wanted the work to be enfolded in nature in such a way that light from the sun, moon and stars empowered the spaces ... I wanted an area where you had a sense of standing on the planet. I wanted an area of exposed geology like the Grand Canyon or the Painted Desert, where you could feel geologic time. Then in this stage set of geologic time, I wanted to make spaces that engaged celestial events in light so that the spaces performed a "music of the spheres" in light.

The sequence of spaces, leading up to the final large space at the top of the crater, magnifies events. The work I do intensifies the experience of light by isolating it and occluding light from events not looked at. I have selected different portions of the sky and a limited number of events for each of the spaces. This is a reason for the large number of spaces. "













perhaps we can drive to the roden crater in 2011.

written while listening to "streamside"


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House of Light.

House of Light.
Olson Kundig Architects

I'm hoping to get an invite very soon.....

"As a counterpoint to the solid outdoor structure,
a spine-like band of light runs the length of the home
culminating in a monumental installation by artist James Turrell."

House of Light.
Olson Kundig Architects

Landscape, light and art are elements which contribute to the natural flow of the home’s design. Reflecting an interaction with the natural surrounding, the design becomes part of the landscape facilitating movement inside and out. Already located on the property is a 130-foot long solid-steel sculpture by Richard Serra. As a counterpoint to the solid outdoor structure, a spine-like band of light runs the length of the home culminating in a monumental installation by artist James Turrell. The home is a place to display art and entertain groups of art lovers. Also incorporated into its design are “green” aspects—the roof is planted with buffalo grass and trellises with hanging vines further integrate the home with the lush garden setting.















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