BERGISEL SKI JUMP

The new Bergisel Ski Jump near Innsbruck has attracted quite a few nicknames: cobra, high-heeled shoe, smoking pipe, golf club. Teasing aside, the structure by Zaha Hadid is already an important point of reference for the mountain landscape of the Austrian sports venue. Next week, architect and journalist Christian Horn will take us to the slopes.

NEW WAYS TO INTEGRATE PHOTOS AND RENDERINGS

The integration of computer-generated images with real photographs can be an important part of AN architectural design presentation. But fitting a model into a real scene credibly can be difficult because the positions and color of light sources must match. Next week, Jaemin Lee and Ergun Akleman, researchers from Texas A&M University, will explain their user-friendly procedure for collecting real-world illumination data and merging real and computer-modeled images.

AIA ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION IN SAN DIEGO

The American Institute of Architects convened in San Diego, California in early May. Highlights included a keynote addresses by World Trade Center architect Daniel Libeskind, "Not so Big" advocate Sarah Susanka, and Salk Institute neuroscientist Fred H. Gage. The convention also featured a trade show with the latest in building products, including the new elevator from Otis (pictured) that requires no rooftop machine room. Next week we'll cover the convention from the poetic to the practical.