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Drew Mandel Design - 83A Marlborough Ave
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Modern Residential Design
Infill house on a 13ft wide plot, becomes feature residence of the street - Drew Mandel has used every inch of this brownfield (ex 1 car garage & garden) site to create his ideal residence. Influences of Frank Lloyd Wright and Rudolph Schindler eminent in the residence's façade lead to elegant use of wood detailing for the interior.

Overview
Drew, an up and coming Canadian architect snapped up an “interesting” plot, that his colleague at MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects, David Miller had on offer. Setting out to create his debut "big time" design, Drew won a number of awards in Toronto and Canada. The house is an impressive example of modern infill, coming in at a modest $182 per ft2.
The Lot
Miller and his architect wife, Amy Falkner, had obtained a minor variance allowing them to build to the very edges of the property line without the usual margin of grass or ground cover. (It's only because the houses on each side are set back from the lot line that there is any space at all between the Mandel-Cooper house and its neighbours.) To support development, the municipality had allowed a substantial increase in the floor space, from 908 to more than 1,280 square feet above ground.
Their relatives labelled the plot a bowling lane, Mandel and his wife like to think of it as a lane each.
Design
Focusing on commercial design at work, Drew’s evening efforts on his own house pulled from his designs of multiplexes, community centres, libraries and banks. The main Achilles heel of the plot, the extended walls down either side of the property, led Drew to (as he sometimes reflects) to overcompensate with house glass panels at either end and a large light well at the centre of the build. I disagree; the house is fantastically bright and airy.

Breaking the house away from other designs out there and I believe linking it to his favoured FLW and Rudolf, is the use of patchwork glass rather than a large expanse of industrial like uniform façade. A cute modernist take on the Juliet balcony protrudes from the master bedroom, breaking the rear wall further and allows great views down to the meticulously landscaped garden, that complements the house so well. Adding to the functionality of the glass façade, a large central panel pivots to allow bigger pieces of furniture to be hoisted in.

Bringing in that industrial design know-how resolved the issue of construction methods too. Such a narrow tall design refused traditional frame design used in residential projects, meaning an industrial to balloon framing technique was adopted. Steel supports for the entire 38-foot length of the walls were put up first, and then the floors were locked in afterwards.
Further industrial features of the house include the two ramps from the entrance of the house to the living room and from the master bedroom to the second bedroom, a comfortable alternative to stairs.
Layout
From the semi-subterranean guest room at the front of the house you head south up the ramp to the living room, then north up five stairs to the dining room-kitchen floor, then south again up the house's only full flight of stairs to the master bedroom and bathroom. Finally, completing the layout you head north, up the second ramp to the second bedroom.
The Result
Drew and Denise have blown their relatives away. Despite the restricting plot they've created a house that through it's high ceilings, skylights and maximum glazing at both ends is a bright, spacious and airy home.

Plans


Architect/Designer: Drew Mandel Design
Client: Denise Cooper & Drew Mandel
Completed: 2007
Structural: Blackwell Engineering Ltd. (David Bowick)
Builder: T. Fijalkowski & Associates
Site Plan Approval: David Miller & Amy Falkner
Lot:13' x 115' or 1560 ft2
Costs: $182 per ft2
Information courtesy of: Drew Mandel Design
heineken the city concept shop by tjep
00/00/0000, 00:00 | designboom weblog, design related news, reviews and previews
dutch designers frank tjepkema, janneke hooymans, tina stieger and leonie janssen were commissioned
by the dutch beer maker heineken to design their first shop. the studio at tjep settled on a theme of pouring,
translating the idea into displays the blend from floor to wall to ceiling, in wave-like forms. a sub-theme for
the retail outlet was coldness. this theme can be spotted in the cool colours and 100% led lighting system.
coldness is also literally seen in the three- story fridge that holds heineken bottles form around the world.
the store is divided into four sections, the aforementioned fridge, a fashion department, a ticket and travel
section and a fully equipped recording studio for young music artists.
http://www.tjep.com





via archdaily
Yet another Plat House surfaces - Serenbe, GA
00/00/0000, 00:00 | LamiDesign Modern House Plan Blog
The house has been significantly modified for its site. The window arrangement has been altered and the floor plans also appears to have been changed, with the bay areas joined and some additional space added to the master bedroom.
The clerestory windows have been changed from a uniform window band into smaller windows at private spaces and larger windows at common areas of the house. The views from the living/dining/kitchen area show how nice this has turned out. They have a very cool italian kitchen, and some very nice light fixtures in the room which really looks like it has turned out well. Click through for more photos in a photo browser.
Serenbe
Redbone Construction
Technorati Tags: house plans, modern design, modern house, Plat House
Tokyo Design Week 2008: 100% Design Tokyo - Lighting 2
11/17/2008, 07:40 | MoCo Loco
More lights that brightened 100% Design Tokyo for us were the Boschetto Table Lamp from Di Classe, Wonderful Tonight by Masanori Kadokura and the Liquid Lamp by Kyouei Design. As well, there was cosy lighting from Sungmin Kim, the Bony B by Ryuichi Sato and the nifty Lighting Package by Sdesignunit. The Curved Desk Light by &Design was a sleek design, but the Orchid by Hiroki Takada was a real showstopper.
Wolf Prix to speak about High School #9 [Clipping]
11/03/2008, 16:03 | Land+Living: Modern Lifestyle + DesignMore drawing trials
00/00/0000, 00:00 | LamiDesign Modern House Plan Blog
which is a halftone filter run over a black and white image of the model. More variations below the fold.

maybe sunset yellow?

or working with an image that approximates an old blueprint

Technorati Tags: house plans, Hus1, modern design, modern house
Design Thinking or just Thinking?
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design SojournAt Specialty Garage, Making Hybrids Even Greener [Clipping]
11/04/2008, 16:44 | Land+Living: Modern Lifestyle + DesignAnimation of Slussen by BIG and NOD
00/00/0000, 00:00 | David ReportHere is an animation of the proposal for Slussen in Stockholm by BIG Architects of Copenhagen, Denmark, and NOD Landscape Architects of Stockholm, Sweden. By moving the public program towards the most attractive place, and integrating the heavy traffic under the cover of a public square, it is possible to regain the waterfront, and at the same time connect the city parts around Slussen. The edge towards the water is terraced to provide day light to the public and commercial spaces behind.
See the original post about the Slussen project.
Andra bloggar om: arkitektur, stockholm, slussen, stadsplanering, bjarke ingels
tokyo design week 08: idesign
00/00/0000, 00:00 | designboom weblog, design related news, reviews and previews
'light, light'
image © designboom
japanese company idesign created 'light, light' a table lamp that doesn't need a light bulb.
by using an electro luminescene sheet, produced by elfin as a light source they have created
this new type of lighting. it is also thin, lightweight and generates very little heat.

image © designboom

image © designboom

'light, light' illuminated
more:
http://www.elfin.jp
weekly wrap up
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design*Sponge
it’s been a great week here at d*s and i’m super excited for next week…because it’s the premier of the d*s and new york public library project! so please tune in on monday at 1pm for the launch of the first episode of our series! i’m so pleased with the results and can’t wait to share it all here. i’m filming the second episode on monday and we have a bonafide design celebrity joining us so stick around on monday to find out who that is! until then, here is a roundup of this week’s highlights. have a wonderful weekend! [above is a beautiful paper cut out from heather moore of skinny laminx. click here for more info]
- must read post(s) of the week: ugliest pillow contest- finalists and voting! and alyson fox’s gorgeous wedding
- regional roundups: austin regional roundup part 1, 2, and 3
- new sneak peeks: ruth shively, melissa mcclure’s LA loft, matte stephens’ portland home, dolan geiman’s studio
- new guide: doorstop roundup
- new diy projects: custom house of cards, kate’s ceramic planters, candy control
- new before & afters: andrea’s outdoor seating, barb’s wooden table, whitney’s ottoman, summer’s dresser
- furniture: schindlersalmeron stools
- paper: new morris & essex stationery, linda and harriett calendar
- artwork: john murphy collages, alexander girard prints
- textiles: japanese tea towels, fabric covered boxes
- misc: new coe and waito ceramics, things i’m loving- metallics, modern pet houses, crystal kluge monogram font, new jocelyn warner wallpaper, pattern show at olio united, gorgeous green interiors
- gift guides: we’re launching ours after thanksgiving but better living through design just launched a great gift guide. click here to check it out.
- new d*s guest blog: click here to check out sarah fox’s fantastic guest blog posts (including 4 diy projects!)
- recipes: in the kitchen with ditte isager (fruit meringue cake), sarah fox’s goat cheese pear tarts
introducing a new design: Hus1
00/00/0000, 00:00 | LamiDesign Modern House Plan Blog
The result of my year long study of the Swedish housing industry, and my love of mid-century modernism, the Hus1 puts these influences together with practicality and livability of the many small 50s and 60s homes in my own neighborhood. The basic two bedroom house will start out at modest 1,350 sqft, or the larger 1,750 sqft 3 bedroom plan shown below. Both have the option of an additional 500 sqft master bedroom upstairs which in the larger plan allows the downstairs master to serve as a family room.

A very livable home, the L shape creates privacy for its rear terrace where family life can flow out from the living areas. Conventional construction makes this house easy to build, and the iconic traditional form won't scare the average home builder.

Look for Design Prints to come available on the site soon. Well, you will hear about it here when it happens! And yes, this is the house for which we have been experimenting with new drawing styles. Not quite sorted out yet, but when its done the new collection will have a distinct graphic look apart from the original collection of designs.
Technorati Tags: house plans, modern design, modern house, Hus1
B_E_E | New Zealand | Branding Cleaning Products [del.icio.us]
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :creative exchange by 5th studio
00/00/0000, 00:00 | designboom weblog, design related news, reviews and previews
creative exchange is a new shared workspace complex designed by 5th studio in cambridge, england.
the project was publicly funded and designed for the areas creative workers and innovators. the building
is designed as a studio not an office, with enough room for 14 different companies. the ground floor is
adaptable, making it suitable for meetings, exhibits and other events. the first and second floors house
the private workspaces. the architects left wide common areas on these floors to encourage cross
pollination. above all this is a working garden to further encourage interaction. the building design was
also designed for optimal sustainability, using exposed concrete for thermal mass, natural ventilation
and cooling systems and large windows for minimal need for artificial lighting.
http://www.5thstudio.co.uk




photography by tim soar
links for 2008-08-29
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :-
Good case on how the idea of a 'Blue Ocean Strategy' can be applied: "The heart of a company’s business model should be game-changing innovation. This is not just the invention of new products and services, but the ability to systematically convert ideas into new offerings that alter the very context of the business."
DMI Remix Conference Ning
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :
Hey, DMI seems to slightly open up towards the social web! Something I’ve tried to convince them on a while ago ;-)
Therefore under the lead of Scott Lerman they’ve set up a Ning where you can socialize and get in touch with other Design Management professionals across the globe that like to hang out at DMI conferences once in a while. Well done, DMI!
So in case you’re planning to attend the annual DMI conference in early October 2008 you should definitively join. Otherwise for lurking and networking join as well at: JoIN the REMIX >>>
Felix Jerusalem's Stroh Haus
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FUTURE HOUSE NOW





Thanks Juzz!
Image credits - Stroh Haus site
Dutch Design Week 2008 Wrap Up
11/19/2008, 09:08 | MoCo Loco
Dutch Design Week is a faint memory by now, but we had some images left to show you. Our thanks go out to Huibert van Muilwijk for his coverage. A few more designs that merit mention are the Bye-Bye Bulb by Studio Mango, Corona by Frans Schrofer and new work from by Krejci. Along with some examples of 3D rendering, there was also some Ikea hacking by Platform 21. There was furniture from Werner Neumann and Onze Studio and the handy Toss game table by Luc van Hoeckel and Teun Fleskens. Bloomming showed their rings, as well as the Clock Delay, so now we must be patient again for time to pass until next year's show.
links for 2008-09-21
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :-
In general I find the conferences organized by Trendbüro Hambug quite corporate and too often the same players (aka speakers) show off. However Tim Leberecht from frog design pointed me to a slideshare summary on the key findings of the German Trend Day 2008 conference. Have a mind on your own and browse the slides:
"In May this year, frog design founder Hartmut Esslinger spoke at the German Trend Day in Hamburg. The Trend Day is an influential annual forum that gathers thought leaders from business, media, and academia to discuss emerging social and cultural trends. This year's theme was "Identity Management," and other speakers besides Hartmut included Richard Florida, Danny Choo, and David Bosshart."
Hookaboo Wall Hanger by Matt Carr
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FreshomeHookaboo is a discreet wall hanger that you can have in the hallway, bathroom, bedroom or anywhere you wish. This wall hanger has 4 pieces of metal hanger that fold up when are not used. Designed by Matt Carr, this wall hook is made from bamboo and is 34 cm wide, 8,5 cm hight and about 2 cm deep. For those of you interested in this product, you can purchase it from Bluebox ( Sweedish shop ).

a
Building Studio Site Updated - Great Modern/Green Projects
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FUTURE HOUSE NOW



The works cover the full spectrum of residential building, from private homes to vacation cabins to urban infill. All of them have a serious sustainable bent. Click over to the Building Studio site for lots more images and full details on all their projects.
Image credits - Building Studio site
Oil Dependency
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Green Home Building and Sustainable ArchitectureHaving just finished reading “A Declaration of Energy Independence: How Freedom from Foreign Oil Can Improve National Security, Our Economy and the Environment,” by Jay Hakes, my mind is spinning with all of the issues that this brings up. Hakes was the head of the Energy Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy during the
He makes a pretty good case that not only will shaking the
Of course times have changed, and now we are painfully aware of the costs that we face from not having continued to boldly deal with these issues. The true cost and burden of our reliance on oil (not just foreign oil) will be paid by future generations. There is little doubt that the Iraq War is a battle for control of oil resources, for which we are paying dearly in dollars, blood, and tarnished reputation. There is little doubt that global climate change, fanned by our burning of fossil fuels is wreaking havoc with rising sea levels, loss of crops, loss of biodiversity, and increasing severity of storms.
Hakes points out that because of the time lag that often occurs between when tough mitigating measures are adopted and when their effects are noticed, there is frequently little resolve among politicians to act because unpopular measures usually don’t bring votes, especially if voters don’t see positive results.
It has taken a few centuries for us to get into this mess. For over 99% of the time that Homo sapiens has been roaming earth, we have done just fine without burning fossil fuel. Even during the great leap into agriculture from hunting and gathering, we relied solely on our labor, with the help of a few beasts of burden. Then, as ecologist William Catton writes, “Homo sapiens attained a kind of superhumanity by learning to convert the heat energy from fire into mechanical energy by means of various engines.” This discovery has jettisoned humanity into the industrial age, and we have comfortably settled into this new way of life, congratulating ourselves on our modern ways.
Now, with the peaking of fossil fuel supplies and increasing world-wide demand, there is only one direction for the price of oil to go: up. With spiraling prices, all aspects of our economy will be affected. The cost of living in this modern world will continue to increase.
But this simple fact may ultimately be our salvation, because economics will force us to find alternative ways of living, and these will inevitably lead us to cleaner, renewable forms of energy. The inexorable laws of economics will eventually force us to address these thorny issues, even when politicians and an unwilling public dig in their heels to avoid change. It will cost too much to do otherwise!
Of course we can choose to cushion the blow of economic and climatic upheaval by making wise decisions now. We can invest in renewable energy now. We can drive cleaner, more fuel efficient cars now. We can walk. We can grow more of our own food. We can make our homes more energy efficient. We can buy only what we really need. We can do all of these things…and we will be much healthier for it!
desu design
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design*Sponge
in honor of in the kitchen with fridays, i wanted to post this beautiful minimalist tray and bowl ($118-$132) from desu design. i love the way that they’re sculptural and beautifully made, but really let the food (or whatever they’re holding) shine. click here for more info and to shop.
ps: stay tuned for a special friday sneak peek at 12…
Podcast: Social Media in European and US Companies
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :
While I’m at it (see my previous posting on my recent activities) I’d thought you might also be interested in a recent conversation on the use of social media in European and US corporations (MP3 file ~ 48MB) I’ve had with Tom Guarriello from the “True Talk Blog” (iTunes here).
I’m following Tom’s blog for more than a year now and I’m intrigued by the breadth, but at the same time depth of his postings ranging from Politics, Business over Design & Fashion, to Social Media.
However what fascinates me most is his playful yet still professional use of social media like audio and video sharing. accordingly Tom is creating regular video and audio podcasts on various topics on a regular basis.
On Monday this week we’ve been able to realise a long planned podcast on ‘Social Media in European and US Companies’ based on our practical and theoretical expertise. And as hoped and expected it has been fun and inspirational.
As a side effect again I’ve recognised that listening to your own musings after the recording has been done is a ‘Point of Truth (POT) experience. From this particular recording and on a meta level I’ve learned that I can still improve the scope I usually frame my thoughts in. As a non native speaker (& writer) I always want to make sure that my ideas reach the audience in the right (not to say ‘perfect’) way ;-) Unfortunately this sometimes goes to the disadvantage of coming to the point in a concise fashion say ‘delayed’. So some way to go ;-)
Anyway while (for sure ;-) we did not fully answer the question why in particular organisations with strong brands and fashion brands in particular have difficulties to articulate themselves on the web beyond their brand image we’ve identified several strategic areas that are worth digging deeper into.
After all what surprised me indeed has been Tom’s feedback that US companies are far less ahead of using the social web compared to European companies as I’ve imagined. A question that popped up and that attracted my attention as well has been: How much do Social Technologies affect the corporate as well as brand culture once an organisation has ‘dared’ to enter this field of communication? Any insights from you readers are more than welcome!
In any case have fun listening to our conversation and drop me a comment or email on what you’ve thought while listening :-)
in the kitchen with: ditte isager
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design*Sponge
On my recent trip to London for the Design Festival, I did not limit my search for aesthetics to home interiors and accessories. I stopped in a bookstore and checked in on some British cookbooks that are easier to find in the UK than in the US like Tamasin Day-Lewis, Leith’s Cooking School series, and the new Gordon Ramsay Cooking for Friends. Ditte Isager is the photographer who shot Gordon Ramsay’s new book, and I will admit that the photos sold the book. I am so enchanted by Ditte’s work, that I keep the book on my bedside table to look at before going to sleep so I’ll have nice dreams! Ditte’s signature photographic style is unmistakable and totally addictive. Her recipe for a fruit meringue cake looks fancy but is simple to make. Don’t be afraid of meringue! It will be your new friend! Click here for the full recipe or just click “read more” below. -Kristina

About Ditte: Ditte Isager was born and raised in Copenhagen. She was educated at Danish technical school of photography and Schiller studio and is now living in NYC. Specialized in interiors, travel, and food, her clients include Gourmet, Traveler, Domino, Martha Stewart, Gordon Ramsey, Fritz Hansen, to name a few.
Fruit Meringue Cake
Meringues
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
½ cup sugar
For topping:
whip cream
fruit or berries, whatever you feel like
1. Whip the egg whites, vinegar and sugar for around 5 min to it is thick and shiny.
2. Put a little bit of flour on baking paper and make a circle around 20 cm in diameter with the whipped egg whites.
3. Bake it at 305 degrees (F) for around an hour to it is crisp, turn off the oven and leave the meringues there until it is cold.
4. Whip the cream, you can add some berries to the cream too, and decorate the cake with whipped cream and berries
Why Ditte chose this recipe: This is my favorite cake soooooo easy and so delicious! I always make it for birthdays, dessert when friends come over for dinner ………any occasion.
Images are 4×5 polaroids taken with a Linhoff camera.
links for 2008-08-10 [delicious.com]
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :-
Well, we all need to tweak our presentations from time to time, right? ;-) Anyway even though most hints are not rocket science at all it's good to have them written down in order to be remembered; take me at my word!
MODERN VANCOUVER - part 2 (Life in Gastown)
00/00/0000, 00:00 | GAILE GUEVARA


MODERN HOMES - MAJORCA + SINGAPORE + LONDON
00/00/0000, 00:00 | GAILE GUEVARA
Images provided by SHOOTFACTORY
View the complete inspiration library of images as a slideshow
Thanks to amazing blogs out there like one of my new favorites by Justin Anthony of materialicious he shares with readers his amazing sources on residential architecture, design, craftsmanship, materials and products. An excellent resource. Featured on one of his articles is an amazing company SHOOTFACTORY based out of the UK. "shootfactory is a full-service location agency, representing UK and international properties, studios and venues for TV, film, photo shoots, product launches and events. With over ten years’ international experience in our respective arenas of photography, styling, location management and production, we are committed to providing our location owners and clients with the best service, advice and support." Shootfactory is great option for clients to consider to turn their vacation properties into a source of income while not in use.
Here are a few examples of the many amazing interiors Shootfactory features. My top cities for modern inspiration MALORCA + SINGAPORE + LONDON.
MAJORCA - "Modern lifestyle studio in SE Mallorca (Majorca). Superb daylight. Open plan. Internal and external studio spaces. Props and lighting."






















