Welcome to Zibaldone

Please login to update your blog

If you have suggestions or problems with the website please contact Tam Tran at info@tamthientran.com.

Member Login

Lost your password?
Blog Question 13

The final blog question has arrived.  It’s a big one, so take your time. Ready? Set. go!

How have the past fifteen weeks changed your outlook on architecture?

You know the drill…150 words, image made not taken.

Blog Question 12

This week’s blog question comes from Tom and is as follows:

What works behind the scenes to make a city perform as such?

Your response should be around 150 words and include an image.

Blog Question 11

All buildings have a story to tell.  As we know some of these stories are in the details. Your next blog question asks that you tell the tale of a detail.

Your response should be 150 words and an image, made not taken.

Blog Question 10

Over the past few weeks you have been traveling in and around this placed called Italy.  There are as many Italys as there are Italians. This next week you will spent a bit of time in a place called the Veneto. Your next blog question asks the following:

How is Venice, Venice and not anywhere else?

Please include an image (made, not taken) and a text of roughly 150 words.

Blog Question 09

Over the past few weeks you have been traveling in and around this placed called Italy.  There are as many Italys as there are Italians. This past weekend you spent a bit of time in a place called Siena. Your next blog question asks the following:

How is Siena, Siena and not anywhere else?

Please include an image (made, not taken) and a text of roughly 150 words.

Fun in the sun

in Pienza.

I look up, I look down…

Students climbing the tower after spending some time in the well, in Chiusi.


Blog Question 08

We have been discussing the art of translation. Rome is a city chock-a-block full of architectural examples of translation. Your next blog asks the following:

What makes a good architectural translation?

As ever, your response should be roughly 150 words and include an image. Make an image, don’t simply take an image.

Blog Question 07

For the past few weeks you have been wandering around this city called Rome, a city whose roots go back further than most. As we know from our travels and discussions, historical work is not static but changes over time. At times the interaction is destructive, other times productive, and some times even active.  This weeks blog question asks the following:

How is history made active?

Your response should show an architectural example and a small amount of text, roughly 150 words.

Blog Question 06

Since you have arrived in Rome (and certainly over the next week) you have found yourself looking at a map of Rome.  Indeed, Rome has been mapped, well, since Rome was Rome.  You can think of the now fragmentary Severan Marble Plan of the ancient city, to Alberti’s almost nautical survey, to Nolli’s “accurate” plan, to Lanciani’s layering, even that tourist map that helped you navigate your way from Termini to your new home. Each map represents the same place, but differently. This week’s blog question asks the following:

What does “this” map tell you about the city of Rome?

You are asked to provide a visual excerpt of a map along with a text (roughly 150 words) that answers the question above.