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links for 2008-08-11 [delicious.com]
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :-
More and more I find that simple, clear & intenlligently designed concepts are the most convincing ones in our world of increasingly plurivalent and confusing messages: I'll make it all white!
Timber Framing
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Green Home Building and Sustainable ArchitectureWhen I initially designed www.greenhomebuilding.com I intentionally avoided advocating the use of much wood in building, because of my concern for the health of our forests and their ecosystems, with all of the over-harvesting of timber that has occurred around the globe. There is also the fact that forests help sequester CO2 (a greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere.
This was a difficult choice for me, since my father was a wood worker and I grew up learning many of these skills; I love working with wood and I worked for years as a carpenter. It is certainly one of the most versatile of all building materials, and is a renewable resource, when harvested sensibly.
I have finally come to realize that building with wood (at least partially) can still be a sound ecological choice, which is particularly true in regions where forests have regenerated to the point that they can be harvested sustainably. This means that the trees are carefully monitored to make sure that the health and character of the forest is maintained; only certain trees are culled periodically, leaving the remaining trees to grow and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. It is possible to buy wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), but if this means that you are buying wood shipped great distances, then this becomes a less ecological choice; use local materials!
Furthermore, with timber framing it is possible to use large wooden posts and beams in such a way as to create strong and versatile load-bearing structures, which can then be completed by either in-filling between the wooden structural members, or completely wrapping the timber frame structure with a variety of other materials (as is recommended in colder climates). Since this method of building has been recognized and approved by most code authorities, it is a way of approaching a natural building project that would otherwise be difficult for the authorities to sanction.
So I have now created a page about Timber Framing, greenhomebuilding.com/timber, with lots of media resources and informative links listed. I have also enlisted the gracious assistance of a preeminent timber framing specialist to answer questions from the public about this ancient art.
Will Beemer is a charter member and co-Executive Director of the Timber Framers Guild, and is owner of the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts in Washington, MA. For over 30 years, this school has been offering students a chance to improve their woodworking and timber framing skills. Will helps teach many courses at Heartwood and has been designing and building houses for over 35 years. He was a construction foreman at the Arcosanti project in Arizona, and design instructor at Cornell University. He has organized and taught building workshops around the world, including timber framing courses through the Guild and at Palomar College in San Diego, the North House Folk School and at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus. He has written for Fine Homebuilding, Joiner's Quarterly, and Timber Framing magazines.
You are invited to visit the new page about Timber Framing and to seek guidance about this art from Will Beemer.
This was a difficult choice for me, since my father was a wood worker and I grew up learning many of these skills; I love working with wood and I worked for years as a carpenter. It is certainly one of the most versatile of all building materials, and is a renewable resource, when harvested sensibly.
I have finally come to realize that building with wood (at least partially) can still be a sound ecological choice, which is particularly true in regions where forests have regenerated to the point that they can be harvested sustainably. This means that the trees are carefully monitored to make sure that the health and character of the forest is maintained; only certain trees are culled periodically, leaving the remaining trees to grow and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. It is possible to buy wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), but if this means that you are buying wood shipped great distances, then this becomes a less ecological choice; use local materials!
Furthermore, with timber framing it is possible to use large wooden posts and beams in such a way as to create strong and versatile load-bearing structures, which can then be completed by either in-filling between the wooden structural members, or completely wrapping the timber frame structure with a variety of other materials (as is recommended in colder climates). Since this method of building has been recognized and approved by most code authorities, it is a way of approaching a natural building project that would otherwise be difficult for the authorities to sanction.
So I have now created a page about Timber Framing, greenhomebuilding.com/timber, with lots of media resources and informative links listed. I have also enlisted the gracious assistance of a preeminent timber framing specialist to answer questions from the public about this ancient art.
Will Beemer is a charter member and co-Executive Director of the Timber Framers Guild, and is owner of the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts in Washington, MA. For over 30 years, this school has been offering students a chance to improve their woodworking and timber framing skills. Will helps teach many courses at Heartwood and has been designing and building houses for over 35 years. He was a construction foreman at the Arcosanti project in Arizona, and design instructor at Cornell University. He has organized and taught building workshops around the world, including timber framing courses through the Guild and at Palomar College in San Diego, the North House Folk School and at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus. He has written for Fine Homebuilding, Joiner's Quarterly, and Timber Framing magazines.
You are invited to visit the new page about Timber Framing and to seek guidance about this art from Will Beemer.
Bits 'n' Pieces
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FUTURE HOUSE NOWJust a couple of quick things:
The wonderful blog DO Research has closed shop - it is already missed. The upside is they've bought land and are building a Flatpak. I am wildly jealous!
Read the story behind the sea container Holyoke Cabin on the Hive Modular blog. So cool.
Skinny Japanese Houses on eye candy (via Things Magazine). Only in Japan [sigh].
The amazingly hip Alan Family Happy New House is complete. Check it out in The New York Times. It turned out just like the renderings - very, very cool. It shows you just how much you can do with a remodel.
I just picked up a good book, Small Eco-houses. Loaded with interesting, green, modern homes from all over the world. Two thumbs up!
image credit - Amazon.com listing
The wonderful blog DO Research has closed shop - it is already missed. The upside is they've bought land and are building a Flatpak. I am wildly jealous!
Read the story behind the sea container Holyoke Cabin on the Hive Modular blog. So cool.
Skinny Japanese Houses on eye candy (via Things Magazine). Only in Japan [sigh].
The amazingly hip Alan Family Happy New House is complete. Check it out in The New York Times. It turned out just like the renderings - very, very cool. It shows you just how much you can do with a remodel.
I just picked up a good book, Small Eco-houses. Loaded with interesting, green, modern homes from all over the world. Two thumbs up!
image credit - Amazon.com listingMODERN ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN - VANCOUVER
00/00/0000, 00:00 | GAILE GUEVARA
To view the complete inspiration images see slideshow
Architecture & Interiors by: Omar Arbell
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Specialty: residential and commercial renovations to custom furniture and landscapes
Project Highlights: Renovations of Penthouse Suite, Vancouver + Inform Interiors + Salt Tasting Bar
Interior Photography: Michael Boland Photography
Architecture & Interiors by: Omar Arbell
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Specialty: residential and commercial renovations to custom furniture and landscapes
Project Highlights: Renovations of Penthouse Suite, Vancouver + Inform Interiors + Salt Tasting Bar
Interior Photography: Michael Boland Photography
(be sure to check out Micheal Boland's work, he has an amazing portfolio of capturing modern architecture and interiors)
Getting back to blogging, I look back at the past year and am proud of Vancouver for the increase of modern design projects, it's a slow start but great to see that modern aesthetic is starting to be recognized more and more every day. An architect I have long admired is Omar Arbel. After seeing the transformation of a penthouse renovation, the opening of the cool Salt Tasting Bar, the renovation of the new Inform Interiors showroom - I'm speechless. It's inspiring to come across Omar's work being featured in more and more design articles to also experiencing installations of his designs like the Bocci Lights. A beautiful choice of light fixture hung throughout STK in the meatpacking district in New York.
To gain a "behind the scenes" insight into the building of a cool new interior in Vancouver, check out the blog story behind Salt where Sean shares the inspiration of combining the design talent of Omar Arbel with the details of local furniture designers like Brent Comber. Got to love learning more about the design & food lovers joining the blogging community.
Getting back to blogging, I look back at the past year and am proud of Vancouver for the increase of modern design projects, it's a slow start but great to see that modern aesthetic is starting to be recognized more and more every day. An architect I have long admired is Omar Arbel. After seeing the transformation of a penthouse renovation, the opening of the cool Salt Tasting Bar, the renovation of the new Inform Interiors showroom - I'm speechless. It's inspiring to come across Omar's work being featured in more and more design articles to also experiencing installations of his designs like the Bocci Lights. A beautiful choice of light fixture hung throughout STK in the meatpacking district in New York.
To gain a "behind the scenes" insight into the building of a cool new interior in Vancouver, check out the blog story behind Salt where Sean shares the inspiration of combining the design talent of Omar Arbel with the details of local furniture designers like Brent Comber. Got to love learning more about the design & food lovers joining the blogging community.
David Hertz - Studio EA - Floating Residence
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Modern Residential Design
Suspended Tetris - David Hertz has produced a number of fantastic residences and the Floating or Binder Residence in Venice, CA is no exception. It's paired back black minimalist play on volumes and floating separated masses intrigues.
Overview
The project is located on a small, 37 foot wide lot on a pedestrian only street in Venice, CA. Rather than create one solid object, David followed his residential design signature of two, two story units. The upper levels of the units seeming to float above minimal tilt up concrete walls and pillars of the lower levels. The two upper levels being attached by an open-air bridge. The larger of the structures is used as a residence while the other is used as an art studio and guest room over a garage.
The glazed panels, central to the floating effect are also large, sliding doors that conceal themselves so that the ground floor appears to be open to the exterior courtyards, thus blurring the definition of interior and exterior spaces. A large 2-story chimney wall frames the rear of the courtyard while blocking the overlooking 2-story neighbours. The exterior fireplace at the second floor flanks an outdoor sleeping porch and seating area off of the perforated breezeway bridge. Ipe, and black steel are used throughout the house to complement the Syndecrete® prefabricated concrete panels.
Walls on the first floor are intentionally held from touching the ceiling of the second floor to allow for a clear line of site over neighbouring residences and giving the illusion that the second story is floating above the first floor. These clerestory windows also bathe the lower level in light. The mass of the second floor elevations is divided into sections of positive and negative spaces that reinforce the destabilisation of the wall plane. Some of the vertical slices are specific to selective views of nearby palm trees.
A central floating stair divides the spaces and leads to a usable roof deck framed by high solid parapet walls providing privacy and strategically edited views of the distant landscape.
A continuous skylight, that opens to serve as a shaft to facilitate stack effect ventilation, frames the stairs that float from the ceiling of the second story. The exterior walls of the second story are covered in a smooth, steel trowel, integrally pigmented, stucco. These are connected seamlessly to the interior ceiling of the first floor, their continuation internally to form one single mass, further emphasises the weight of the "floating" block above.
Slideshow
Plans
Plasma Plants Will Vaporize Trash While Generating Energy
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Inhabitat
Recently St. Lucie County in Florida announced that it has teamed up with Geoplasma to develop the United States’ first plasma gasification plant. The plant will use super-hot 10,000 degree fahrenheit plasma to effectively vaporize 1,500 tons of trash each day, which in turn spins turbines to generate 60MW of electricity - enough to power 50,000 homes! Cutting down on landfill waste while generating energy is a pretty win-win proposition, and the plant will also be able to melt down inorganic materials to be reused for other applications, such as in roadbed and heavy construction.
Top 10 ish - Modern Residential Design - 1 year old
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Modern Residential DesignAs Modern residential Design celebrates its belated birthday, I thought I bring you couple of Top 5s whilst preparing for the arrival of my second son.
Top 5 Posts on Modern Residential Design
And here's the traffic / commented / linked list of what you guys thought was coolist!
Arthur Casas - House in Iporanga
A true Tropical Jungle residential retreat. Minimalist, contrasting, yet befitting it's location.
Marcio Kogan - Laranjeiras House
My ideal beachside mansion, open plan, indoors and outdoors blurred, simple palette and spashes of colour.
Marcio Kogan - Mirindiba House
Amazing spans that defy gravity, cavity hidden doors, texture, colour and ahhh.
Melling:Morse Architects Ltd - Split Box
Hometown favourites from my university days, Melling:Morse are the masters of timber in New Zealand.
Arkhefield - Balaam House
Flow, privacy, segmentation of rest and action areas, scaled to fit with its neighbours and what links to exterior spaces.
Jonathan Segal - The Prospect
From the Paladin of affordable Modern Residential Design, I love seeing Jonathan mentoring others to create stylish buildings you can actually live in.Top 5 Online Architecture Compatriots
Some of the guys that give me drive & motivation to keep hunting out cool modern design.
Many thanks for the links / diggs / stumbles / emails and support guys!!
Materialicio.us
www.materialicio.us
Contemporist
www.contemporist.com
Plataforma Arquitectura
www.plataformaarquitectura.cl 
Arch Daily
www.archdaily.com
Arkinetia
www.arkinetia.com
Noticias Arquitectura
www.noticiasarquitectura.infoOK, 6, it was hard to make it so short.
Hope you enjoy - new residences coming soon!
Thanks to all my loyal followers too! New content coming soon I promise!
the problem with silos
11/05/2008, 14:08 | Influxinsights"I happen to think anthropology is a brilliant background for looking
at finance, firstly, you're trained to look at how
societies or cultures operate holistically, so you look at how all the
bits move together. And most people in the City don't do that. They are
so specialised, so busy, that they just look at their own little silos.
And one of the reasons we got into the mess we are in is because they
were all so busy looking at their own little bit that they totally
failed to understand how it interacted with the rest of society.
Gillian Tett- Assistant Editor- Financial Times
Posted by Ed Cotton
Gillian Tett- Assistant Editor- Financial Times
Posted by Ed Cotton
Rammed Earth Homes With SIREWALLs from Terra Firma Builders Ltd.
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FUTURE HOUSE NOWI've admired rammed earth homes for a long time, even though they're not really appropriate for the climate I live in. It's just that rammed earth walls are mesmerizing to look at. I get lost staring at the different layers of soil, in varying subtle shades of earth tone, flowing gracefully along along a wall. To my eye, rammed earth walls epitomize the very essence of natural beauty.
I can't think of any rammed earth builder that does it better than Terra Firma Builders Ltd. They have a way of crafting the most gracefully curved walls. Their designs blend with the surrounding landscape. Inside, massive earthen walls and sturdy timbers comfortably intertwine with delicate, artistic finishing. It's a totally unique aesthetic.
Terra Firma's website is fantastic. There's a wealth of images of their work in their portfolio. There's also a great explanation of why rammed earth is an effective, sustainable building solution.
Probably the most interesting thing I found on their site is that they use an unusual insulated rammed earth wall approach called SIREWALL (SIRE = Stabilized Insulated Rammed Earth). SIREWALL was developed by Meyer Krayenhoff, an environmental builder of over thirty years, who also founded Terra Firma. Here's an explanation from the SIREWALL site:
I always thought that would work. We've seen that concept applied to concrete walls, so why not rammed earth too? Actually, reading their FAQ, and noting that they're in Canada and do their building in British Columbia, I've learned that rammed earth can be a solution for climates other than hot, arid deserts, especially with the SIREWALL approach in place.
Note that Terra Firma builds complete homes only on their home turf. But they will build walls elsewhere, and let your builder finish the house. They also train and certify builders in the SIREWALL system, and offer design and consulting services. Wherever you are, whatever type of rammed earth project you might be considering, I think these would be the people to talk to.
I have new hope of living in a rammed earth house yet!
Image credits - Terra Firma site
I can't think of any rammed earth builder that does it better than Terra Firma Builders Ltd. They have a way of crafting the most gracefully curved walls. Their designs blend with the surrounding landscape. Inside, massive earthen walls and sturdy timbers comfortably intertwine with delicate, artistic finishing. It's a totally unique aesthetic.
Terra Firma's website is fantastic. There's a wealth of images of their work in their portfolio. There's also a great explanation of why rammed earth is an effective, sustainable building solution.
Probably the most interesting thing I found on their site is that they use an unusual insulated rammed earth wall approach called SIREWALL (SIRE = Stabilized Insulated Rammed Earth). SIREWALL was developed by Meyer Krayenhoff, an environmental builder of over thirty years, who also founded Terra Firma. Here's an explanation from the SIREWALL site:
Stabilized, Insulated, Rammed Earth (SIRE) walls are made using rebar and insulation enveloped with the mass of 14 – 20 inches of rammed earth. This combination, along with SIREWALL®’s system for quality control and soil blending, builds walls that exceed current standards for energy efficiency and compressive strength. SIREWALL’s customizable forms refined over the last fifteen years by SIREWALL’s expert builders, work seamlessly with unique designs and modern finishes that have timeless appeal.
I always thought that would work. We've seen that concept applied to concrete walls, so why not rammed earth too? Actually, reading their FAQ, and noting that they're in Canada and do their building in British Columbia, I've learned that rammed earth can be a solution for climates other than hot, arid deserts, especially with the SIREWALL approach in place.
Note that Terra Firma builds complete homes only on their home turf. But they will build walls elsewhere, and let your builder finish the house. They also train and certify builders in the SIREWALL system, and offer design and consulting services. Wherever you are, whatever type of rammed earth project you might be considering, I think these would be the people to talk to.
I have new hope of living in a rammed earth house yet!
Image credits - Terra Firma site
Event: CScout at the PSFK Conference Asia
00/00/0000, 00:00 | CScout TrendBlog
It’s confirmed! CScout Japan will be taking part in the PSFK Conference Asia in Singapore on October 10th. We’ll be on a forum on “Asian Youth Trends” moderated by Ian Stewart of MTV along with other Asian trend professionals from around Asia, and trying our best to tie together what is indeed a highly variable geographic and cultural area.
Read an interview with CScout’s Michael Keferl in preparation for the conference: PSFK Conference Asia Speaker Michael Keferl
Also representing the Tokyo beat will be architect Mark Dytham of Klein-Dytham and PechaKucha fame, and Daryl Arnold of Profero.
If you’re in Singapore, or are able to come, contact us and we’ll meet up.
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!
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."
New Mexico EcoSteel House - ready to move in
00/00/0000, 00:00 | LamiDesign Modern House Plan BlogThis is it! There are only a few items left to complete and correct in the New Mexico EcoSteel House. The owner has their CO and is moving in. They sent along one last round of photos of the empty house taken with a very wide angle fish-eye lens.
More of the photos in a photo browser after the click-through.
So this is it. Perhaps we will see some photos of the place with furniture, but this project is coming to a close. Its been very exciting to see it come together, and the owner has been very generous with their photos. Our thanks to them for sharing their house with us, and you our readers.
More of the photos in a photo browser after the click-through.
So this is it. Perhaps we will see some photos of the place with furniture, but this project is coming to a close. Its been very exciting to see it come together, and the owner has been very generous with their photos. Our thanks to them for sharing their house with us, and you our readers.
Technorati Tags: 3030 House, 6030 House, 6040 House, ecosteel, modern design, modern house, prefab house
MODERN VANCOUVER - part 2 (Life in Gastown)
00/00/0000, 00:00 | GAILE GUEVARA
Photography by Evan Haveman
Interior of one of our favorite fashion designers
I am inspired by Hajnalka's energy, a fashion model now designer sharing her dream of design in this beautiful shop off Abbott Street. "Fashion with soul and clothing that speaks one of a kind" - are my first thoughts walking into Mandula. A beautiful boutique that reminded me of the sophisticated subtly of natural materials layered with unconventional detailing. It is the detailing of these clothes that caught my attention. Love the creative and the beautiful fashionista behind these unique pieces. From designer to clothing and presented in one of my favorite boutiques here in Gastown.
Living in Historic Gastown has been a wonderful experience; it reminds us a bit of living in our favorite city, New York. This community contains a mix of cool boutiques, great restaurants and a collection of creative studios which form some of my favorite sources of inspiration.
I think many have a false perception of Gastown and may consider it a somewhat undesirable less polished neighborhood. The series of articles to follow, I plan to share with you this gem of a community. I live in a work live building called Koret Lofts - open concept suites where the only enclosed rooms are the storage room and the toilet room. A modular white galley kitchen with a glass surround Duravit tub and open shower ... best of all, I feel lucky to have one of few suites with exposed concrete walls. For those who in contrast live in small sub-divided boxes, there is something to be said to live in an open plan ... I am grateful to live in 1,000 sq.ft of open space.
Once again - thank you to all the readers who send me their heart filled emails and to online networks who have asked me to join their team of writers. I plan to start writing again in collaboration with the people who value the sharing of resources and inspire individuals like myself to be an active part of making Vancouver a leader in modern design. Cheers to the days ahead of sharing what we love most - a passion for pushing the boundaries and believing we are an integral part to making a difference.
360 Winnett: Excavation
10/07/2008, 07:21 | MoCo Loco
We decided quite early in the process to excavate under our garage and take advantage of the 200 sqft that would have otherwise sat unused. I don't believe this is particularly common, but it's a relatively inexpensive way to maximize the space on a small lot. Our original intention was to use a product called Insul-Deck to support the garage floor, however we've since had to abandon this approach in favor of a straightforward concrete & rebar structural slab.
Frederico Zanelato - Casa Martins Siquiera
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Modern Residential Design
A True Weekend Retreat - Ferederico Zanelato's own house no doubt paved the way for the design of this marvellous family home near São Paulo. Maximising the slope of the plot, this house spreads living over three levels in three distinct zones.
Overview
The embracing the views of the Serra do Japi was the "be all" and "end all" of this build.
Frederico wanted a house that stimulates discussion, where spaces are integrated and connected to each other, as well as the surrounding plot. Conveniently the plot is well orientated to minimise the suns impact on the residence, and thus the requirements of air conditioning. Frederico's skills at minimising materials and specifying kept this build in economical proportions as well. Total construction cost $510US/m².
Lot
Located in a condominium between Jundiaí and Itupeva, 60km from São Paulo, 1000m², with a mild slope and a fantastic views of the Serra do Japi.
The client
A happy young couple with two children, a child and an adolescent and many friends. They wanted a home for the weekends, a place for unforgettable moments, for parties, to receive guests, relax and create. As an advertising director and businesswoman, respectively, the husband and wife team are usually based in São Paulo, and required a "retreat" from the hustle and bustle.
Following the topography of land and its geographical position, the house was designed in three blocks; intimate, social, and service, linked by an elongated circulation area of three distinct levels.
A single open plan wing for the living room, dining and kitchen is connected by a hallway to the rear block of two levels.
To the left of the hallway: two storeys and 4 bedrooms. To the right: the services/utility area and above, private office.
Access to the home is through a wooded avenue. The façade clearly indicates two blocks separated by a large panel of wood, the main door, which when opened, mimics the tree lined avenue. Up lighting is used to create sensations and justify the texture of materials in the entrance way.
Just inside the entrance are doors leading to two of the four bedrooms and stairs to the second level. Both levels overlooking the central courtyard or "birds square" as the owners refer to it. Wooden shutters afford shade and further privacy to these rooms, breaking the white façade nicely and distinguishing the two areas.
This courtyard receives morning sun and cross ventilation through strategic openings, making it a year round pleasant breakfast spot.
Passing the courtyard on your left as you head away from the entrance, you arrive at the social wing. Pleasantly shaded, overlooking the pool, a leisure area and further behind, views to the Sierra Japi.
Here, kitchen, dining and living room intertwine. It’s position between the "birds square" and the swimming pool area is strategic, for coexistence and as a buffer between the two zones: repose and action. The "birds square" works as a further filter between the social and private wings and creates an open intimate space.
The outdoor rooms, or BBQ area, is located in the largest free area of the plot. It too is open to those views that inspired the choice of the land: the Serra do Japi.
Half way to the second level bedrooms, the circulation area opens to a roof deck over the living area. Used as a mini-golf course, the deck is also the only access to the owners workshop and hidden office, which is above the service wing.
The choice of materials was defined according to the function of each area obeying the basic rules of environmental comfort and wishes of this family.
The Result
A house zoned into three distinct areas, each buffered from the other by the outdoors that allows for private retreat or very social entertaining.
Plans
Architect: Frederico Zanelato
Co-authors: Marcelo Miua and Fernanda Kano
Student: Regina Sesoko
Structures: Vagner Garcia de Oliveira
Photos: Bebete Viégas
Completed: 2007
Costs: $510 US/m²
Information courtesy of: Frederico Zanelato
down by kehinde wiley
00/00/0000, 00:00 | designboom weblog, design related news, reviews and previews
sleep, 2008 (source imagery: jean-bernard restout)
down by kehinde wiley
deitch projects, new yorknovember 1 - december 20, 2008
down is an exhibit of new paintings by kehinde wiley which opened earlier this month at new yorks
deith projects. a wide selection of wileys large-scale works will be on show including four new works
each referencing images of fallen warriors, saints, and classical mythology. using source imagery
from classical paintings, wiley contemporizes them with elements of other painting styles including
graffiti. wiley also examines the notion of the master painter, while also casting young black males
in the role of the subject.
http://www.deitch.com
http://www.kehindewiley.com
all photography by max yawney
morpheus, 2008 (source imagery: jean-antoine houdon)
christian martyr tarcisius, 2008 (source imagery: auguste falguiere)
the virgin martyr st. cecilia, 2008(source imagery: stefano maderno)
femme piquee par un serpent, 2008 (source imagery: auguste clesinger)
lamentation over the dead christ, 2008 (source imagery: mantegna)
a dead soldier, 2008 (source imagery: velasquez)
down by kehinde wiley, installation view at deitch projects
Hong Kong Design Centre Workshops [del.icio.us]
00/00/0000, 00:00 | :: Vol. 2: the design management weblog | by ralf beuker :Some links to workshops and seminars the Hong Kong Design Centre will be offering in London in June; just in case you're around the corner.
London Design Festival: Piet Hein Eek
10/05/2008, 23:25 | MoCo Loco
The London Design Festival saw the launch of the first Rabih Hage/Piet Hein Eek pop-up store in a space large enough to highlight a wide variety of Eek's work. The temporary shop will be open through October 31 and features Eek's new 99% cabinets, storage that makes use of 99.13% of a whole steel sheet (the waste is a result of the holes for the fasteners). There was a nice selection of signature Waste Scrapwood pieces, all a glorious, yet soothing, patchwork of colours. The Plywood Chandelier and Plissélamp were good examples of Piet Hein Eek lighting, and the ceramics range caught the sun on the tables. The Crisis Cushion Sofa beckoned softly from a corner, and the Plywood dining set showed up well in the space.
Interesting Homes Around the Blogs Yesterday
00/00/0000, 00:00 | FUTURE HOUSE NOWSeveral of my favorite blogs posted interesting homes yesterday.
On the ever-cool BLDGBLOG Geoff Manaugh points out the compact Single Hauz from front architects. They remind him of the billboards outside his LA home. You can put them practically anywhere, even in the middle of a lake, which is what Manaugh says he'd go for. Personally, I've always wanted to live in a meadow.
Jetson Green brings us a sleek Cape Cod beach house by Independence Energy Homes. At 7,000 square feet it's probably not quite in my price range. I also usually frown on very large homes, but this one uses geothermal heating and photovoltaics to meet all its energy needs. It also has an air exchange system and low or no VOC materials for good indoor air quality, a permeable driveway, water conserving fixtures, and is built from "rapidly renewable materials." Very nice. Still, give me a 2,000 square foot, $200,000 home with all these features. Now that would be an accomplishment.
Finally, on the LamiDesign blog, Greg La Vardera shows off a final pic of the completed Vermont Plat House. You can follow the entire process of building this house, from start to finish, on Greg's blog. I think it turned out really well.
Image credits - architects sites
On the ever-cool BLDGBLOG Geoff Manaugh points out the compact Single Hauz from front architects. They remind him of the billboards outside his LA home. You can put them practically anywhere, even in the middle of a lake, which is what Manaugh says he'd go for. Personally, I've always wanted to live in a meadow.
Jetson Green brings us a sleek Cape Cod beach house by Independence Energy Homes. At 7,000 square feet it's probably not quite in my price range. I also usually frown on very large homes, but this one uses geothermal heating and photovoltaics to meet all its energy needs. It also has an air exchange system and low or no VOC materials for good indoor air quality, a permeable driveway, water conserving fixtures, and is built from "rapidly renewable materials." Very nice. Still, give me a 2,000 square foot, $200,000 home with all these features. Now that would be an accomplishment.
Finally, on the LamiDesign blog, Greg La Vardera shows off a final pic of the completed Vermont Plat House. You can follow the entire process of building this house, from start to finish, on Greg's blog. I think it turned out really well.
Image credits - architects sites
These Designers Have a Hard Time!
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design SojournIt is interesting how these two different products are packaged in such similar form factors. The only differentiating factor seems to be the graphics. Right?
Some things to think about…
1) Why does the package on the left cost $80 and the one on the right $12?
2) Why do we implicitly know that the [...]
This Week At Art MoCo
10/03/2008, 06:36 | MoCo Loco
Miguel Ornia-Blanco's paintings of London are surprisingly colourful. We expect a gritty urban grey, but he gives us aquas and mauves.
Ornia-Blanco goes by the name of Migy for his cheery illustration work, such as the Bus Number 253 to Hackney.
People, places and projects are the keys to Martin Adolfsson's photography. We are stuck on his places.
Paul Zografakis creates collage and murals out of found objects.
Sam Messenger's careful freehand drawings seem mechanical in nature.
More at Art MoCo.
The Enertia House
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Green Home Building and Sustainable ArchitectureI recently got a query from one of the editors of Mother Earth News regarding a news story she had read in the New York Times. The writer, David Pogue, had been a judge in a contest sponsored by by the History Channel and the National Inventors Hall of Fame titled "Modern Marvels/Invent Now." A $25,000 prize was awarded to one amoung 25,000 contestants, and the winner was the Enertia House, which was invented by engineer and former log-home architect, Michael Sykes.
The Mother Earth News editor said that these homes had been featured in their magazine before. They essentially provide two wooden shells for the home, one inside the other. She said that there was no mention in the article about the cost per square foot. She was wondering what I thought about the concept from the standpoint of sustainable architecture.
Here is my response:
Double envelope house designs have been around for several decades and they definitely offer some benefits, as well as raise some questions. Any house that takes advantage of the geothermal properties of the ground will be doing its inhabitants and the earth a good turn. This can take the form of earth-sheltering in general, or some clever system of circulating air like the Enertia concept; coupled with sensible passive solar design, it is possible to approach a "zero energy" home.
Clark Snell of www.thinkgreenbuilding.com wrote, "I spent five minutes looking over the web site, so these comments are only based at looking at marketing materials, i.e. they may be inaccurate. Ditto what has been said so far. A couple more “red flags:”
That's a pricey list of not includeds and notice they say nothing here and I saw nothing in my quick scan of the site about some really big and typical costs like excavation and foundations, below grade walls, or basement floor. They say this is a structural package but they don't mention all the things that are going to be extra that most people would expect in a house - plumbing, wiring, fixtures (electrical and plumbing), stove, etc. and especially that the solar PV and thermal water heating systems are not part of the package. It would be nice if they said right up front and clearly what they do and don't sell. And they should make it very clear that all the prices include only the factory labor, not the cost of actually assembling and finishing these structures.
But the biggest issue I have is that these are essentially double wall structures using an enormous amount of thick, milled lumber, which appears to use many times more wood than goes into a stick frame house. It would be interesting to see if they use more wood than a comparable log home. They'll likely be more energy efficient than a log home, but they'll use as much or more wood. Which raises all sorts of issues about the sustainability of this venture - beyond just the trees cut down - much bigger transportation, milling, probably kiln drying impacts as well. The concept is fine and likely works reasonably well in most climates. I'd need to see much more actual performance data and of course real cost data to be able to make any kind of realistic judgment of the viability of this concept as anything more than a niche market system. But between the costs which are going to be very high and the amount of materials going into one of these, calling it sustainable seems like a real stretch."
And finally, Jeff Judkoff of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, wrote: "The concept of "Double Envelope" homes has been around since at least the 1970's. A number of them were built in the late 70's early 80's. Some variations of the concept were published in the Solar Home Book, by Bruce Anderson and Michael Riordan in 1976, Cheshire Books. Other publications in that time frame also showed the concept. The only truly new concept here is the notion that the resins in the wood behave as phase change storage materials. I have no idea if that is true, but I doubt it because the most common phase change is from a solid to a liquid, in which case the resins in their liquid phase would leak out creating a mess. That's not to rule out the possibility that some tree resins could go from a solid to semi-solid phase, or that they are encapsulated in the wood, I just don't know if they can, and would only be able to determine it through controlled scientific testing in a calorimetry chamber. Phase change storage can really be a big boost to the performance of many flavors of passively heated and cooled homes.
There are many ways to acheive highly efficient homes that more or less "heat and cool" themselves. Different approaches have different costs and will work better in some climates than in others. In Colorado, my lab, NREL, worked with Habitat for Humanity to create a net energy producing home. We used super insulation, passive solar tempering, ventilation heat recovery, engineered shading, solar hot water with a backup instantaneous water heater, compact flourescent lighting, and PV. We also have more than a years worth of detailed data to prove the performance of the home (it really was a net energy producer for the last year).
I saw no data to indicate how well the Enertia home actually performed from an energy perspective. Cost, energy performance, and comfort are the key criteria by which to evaluate such homes, and data is always better than arm waving, or catchy theories. Nothing beats the scientific method for objectively determining the value of an idea."
The Mother Earth News editor said that these homes had been featured in their magazine before. They essentially provide two wooden shells for the home, one inside the other. She said that there was no mention in the article about the cost per square foot. She was wondering what I thought about the concept from the standpoint of sustainable architecture.
Here is my response:
Double envelope house designs have been around for several decades and they definitely offer some benefits, as well as raise some questions. Any house that takes advantage of the geothermal properties of the ground will be doing its inhabitants and the earth a good turn. This can take the form of earth-sheltering in general, or some clever system of circulating air like the Enertia concept; coupled with sensible passive solar design, it is possible to approach a "zero energy" home.
The concerns about their system that I have are: The use of wood as the primary building material is not generally sustainable in this day of lost forests. With the double envelope design, you are practically building two houses to end up with one. Relying on wood as a thermal mass material compromises the potential thermal performance because wood does not serve this function nearly as well as traditional masonry thermal mass materials. So, I guess what I am saying is that a more sustainable and less costly design can be accomplished in more traditional ways.
Clark Snell of www.thinkgreenbuilding.com wrote, "I spent five minutes looking over the web site, so these comments are only based at looking at marketing materials, i.e. they may be inaccurate. Ditto what has been said so far. A couple more “red flags:”
- Solid wood envelope. They seem to be using the old “mass enhanced R-value” argument for why solid wood walls perform well thermally. I think it’s well established that this is true only in very specific climatic situations. Touting solid southern yellow pine walls in comparison to solid white pine walls is like saying a Chevy Suburban gets better gas mileage than a Hummer…that’s not really a useful statistic.
- Energy without oil. The presentation intimates that this is a completely passive design. For example, no heating system is mentioned. That simply isn’t credible for most climates using the technology they are describing.
- Passive means local. You simply can’t create a design that relies heavily on passive techniques and generalize it across climates. In my area where we have high humidity, I’d wonder about this convective loop through the attic and basement, for example.
I could go on. I’m a passive design freak, so I’m all for the basic concepts they are dealing with. However, I don’t see anything really new here, but see marketing claims touting what they are doing as a major breakthrough and “the answer”. That always makes me nervous."
David Eisenberg, of www.dcat.net wrote, "After a skimming around their website, I see that they sell kits and their base prices don't include a lot of things - some of which are enumerated:
"Enertia Homes are sold as pre-cut, numbered kits varying in size from 1000-6000 square feet. The kit is a structural package that includes the timbers for the four exterior walls and the two interior walls (Energy WallsTM) which form the envelope, as well as the flashings, gasket, spline and fasteners to put the structure together. Also included are the beams for the upstairs floor system and the rafters for the roof structure. Doors, windows, flooring, and foam SIP roof panels are priced separately as per your blueprint and climate."
That's a pricey list of not includeds and notice they say nothing here and I saw nothing in my quick scan of the site about some really big and typical costs like excavation and foundations, below grade walls, or basement floor. They say this is a structural package but they don't mention all the things that are going to be extra that most people would expect in a house - plumbing, wiring, fixtures (electrical and plumbing), stove, etc. and especially that the solar PV and thermal water heating systems are not part of the package. It would be nice if they said right up front and clearly what they do and don't sell. And they should make it very clear that all the prices include only the factory labor, not the cost of actually assembling and finishing these structures.
But the biggest issue I have is that these are essentially double wall structures using an enormous amount of thick, milled lumber, which appears to use many times more wood than goes into a stick frame house. It would be interesting to see if they use more wood than a comparable log home. They'll likely be more energy efficient than a log home, but they'll use as much or more wood. Which raises all sorts of issues about the sustainability of this venture - beyond just the trees cut down - much bigger transportation, milling, probably kiln drying impacts as well. The concept is fine and likely works reasonably well in most climates. I'd need to see much more actual performance data and of course real cost data to be able to make any kind of realistic judgment of the viability of this concept as anything more than a niche market system. But between the costs which are going to be very high and the amount of materials going into one of these, calling it sustainable seems like a real stretch."
And finally, Jeff Judkoff of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, wrote: "The concept of "Double Envelope" homes has been around since at least the 1970's. A number of them were built in the late 70's early 80's. Some variations of the concept were published in the Solar Home Book, by Bruce Anderson and Michael Riordan in 1976, Cheshire Books. Other publications in that time frame also showed the concept. The only truly new concept here is the notion that the resins in the wood behave as phase change storage materials. I have no idea if that is true, but I doubt it because the most common phase change is from a solid to a liquid, in which case the resins in their liquid phase would leak out creating a mess. That's not to rule out the possibility that some tree resins could go from a solid to semi-solid phase, or that they are encapsulated in the wood, I just don't know if they can, and would only be able to determine it through controlled scientific testing in a calorimetry chamber. Phase change storage can really be a big boost to the performance of many flavors of passively heated and cooled homes.
There are many ways to acheive highly efficient homes that more or less "heat and cool" themselves. Different approaches have different costs and will work better in some climates than in others. In Colorado, my lab, NREL, worked with Habitat for Humanity to create a net energy producing home. We used super insulation, passive solar tempering, ventilation heat recovery, engineered shading, solar hot water with a backup instantaneous water heater, compact flourescent lighting, and PV. We also have more than a years worth of detailed data to prove the performance of the home (it really was a net energy producer for the last year).
I saw no data to indicate how well the Enertia home actually performed from an energy perspective. Cost, energy performance, and comfort are the key criteria by which to evaluate such homes, and data is always better than arm waving, or catchy theories. Nothing beats the scientific method for objectively determining the value of an idea."
Sketching is Offically Back, Finally
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Design SojournI have always been saying here on Design Sojourn that sketching is an important design and communication skill to have, I would say even more than any CAD skill of sorts. Importantly, in the last few years, I’ve seen more and more design companies make it a prerequisite in their new hires to have [...]
3030 House - construction begins
00/00/0000, 00:00 | LamiDesign Modern House Plan BlogConstruction has begun on the new EcoSteel 3030 House model in Maryland. We have recieved the first progress photos back from the Owner, and we have them online to share with you. But first its time to share a little bit more information about the house.
As we described it before, the 3030 House sits on a 30ft x 30ft plus porch footprint, just under 2000 sqft, 3 bedrooms, and a nice open plan living space. It includes a generous kitchen work space and upstairs a large master bathroom, and in the case of this first one a full basement as well. It will fit on narrow in-fill lots or in new compact communities, but its size also makes it a good candidate for a weekend home as well.
The foundation is already in and steel will being rising this week. Lets look at the plans, beneath the fold.
On the ground floor you enter very near to grade level. Here you have a short stair up to the ground floor, and the stair to the basement. To the side is a coat closet and a powder room. Up the short run of steps you land in the middle of the ground floor. To one side is the kitchen island, and the workspace which continues around the corner. To the other side is the dining area. The living room sits towards the front of the house. The open plan allows you to alter the proportion, or location of these rooms. For instance the dining area can be moved closer to the kitchen island and a second seating group added to the living area. If it was me, I'd get a Wilkhahn Confair table and move the dining area on a daily basis! A sheltered terrace is beyond with doors from both the dining side and the kitchen side. In the Maryland house since grade is sloping away this will have a set of steps to grade.
Up the stairs we come to a large landing. On this landing level is a small laundry area and the shared bathroom for bedrooms 2 & 3, At the top of the stairs there is a linen closet between the two bedrooms, and a wide set of doors to the master bedroom. The master has a walk-in closet and a large bathroom with shower and tub. Doors lead out to a balcony that extends the width of the house. Here is a section view where you can see the relationship of these landing levels.
The compact cubic proportion of the house is efficient with materials, and the floor plan is also efficient with space. The open plan makes it flexible, and gives the impression of being larger than its 1800 sqft would suggest. Into that space we have 3 bedrooms - enough for a family, but not too much to bite off for a first home. See the construction progress in the photo browser below. It starts with the demolition of the existing run-down house and shows excavation, and concrete work for the foundations and basement walls.
As we described it before, the 3030 House sits on a 30ft x 30ft plus porch footprint, just under 2000 sqft, 3 bedrooms, and a nice open plan living space. It includes a generous kitchen work space and upstairs a large master bathroom, and in the case of this first one a full basement as well. It will fit on narrow in-fill lots or in new compact communities, but its size also makes it a good candidate for a weekend home as well.
The foundation is already in and steel will being rising this week. Lets look at the plans, beneath the fold.
On the ground floor you enter very near to grade level. Here you have a short stair up to the ground floor, and the stair to the basement. To the side is a coat closet and a powder room. Up the short run of steps you land in the middle of the ground floor. To one side is the kitchen island, and the workspace which continues around the corner. To the other side is the dining area. The living room sits towards the front of the house. The open plan allows you to alter the proportion, or location of these rooms. For instance the dining area can be moved closer to the kitchen island and a second seating group added to the living area. If it was me, I'd get a Wilkhahn Confair table and move the dining area on a daily basis! A sheltered terrace is beyond with doors from both the dining side and the kitchen side. In the Maryland house since grade is sloping away this will have a set of steps to grade.
Up the stairs we come to a large landing. On this landing level is a small laundry area and the shared bathroom for bedrooms 2 & 3, At the top of the stairs there is a linen closet between the two bedrooms, and a wide set of doors to the master bedroom. The master has a walk-in closet and a large bathroom with shower and tub. Doors lead out to a balcony that extends the width of the house. Here is a section view where you can see the relationship of these landing levels.
The compact cubic proportion of the house is efficient with materials, and the floor plan is also efficient with space. The open plan makes it flexible, and gives the impression of being larger than its 1800 sqft would suggest. Into that space we have 3 bedrooms - enough for a family, but not too much to bite off for a first home. See the construction progress in the photo browser below. It starts with the demolition of the existing run-down house and shows excavation, and concrete work for the foundations and basement walls.
Technorati Tags: 6030 House, 6040 House, ecosteel, modern design, modern house, prefab house, 3030 House
the university of exeter forum project by wilkinson eyre architects
00/00/0000, 00:00 | designboom weblog, design related news, reviews and previews
the university of exeter has selected wilkinson eyre architects to build their forum project. the new building
will be the centrepiece of the schools streatham campus. the studios proposal works with the sites
natural features of their hilly campus by creating a green corridor connecting the interior to the exterior.
the structures main feature is an undulating gridshell roof, which covers the new students spaces and
orthogonal buildings. wilkinson eyre architects director, stafford critchlow said, our proposals seek to
create a new arrival point for the university. the sequence of spaces relate closely to the campus
landscape, establishing a new architectural language which is less about placing objects within this
landscape and more about an organic response to it. design work will begin immediately, with completion
anticipated by 2012.
http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com
London Design Festival: New Designers Selection
10/07/2008, 12:54 | MoCo Loco
The New Designers SELECTION was an exhibition of work by 50 young designers who were selected from the New Designers event in July. Held at the Village Underground in Shoreditch, this show featured a variety of furniture, jewellery, accessories and lighting. There were colourful (and cheeky) ceramics from Michelle Wood, a salute to the monarchy by Faye Power, and intricate work from Rebecca Smye-Rumsby. Elena Fleury-Rojo's glass pieces were a combination of frost and shine, and Rachel Postlethwaite's layered cubbies provided unusual modular shelving options. More after the jump, along with work from Lizzie Thomas, Katie Merrick and Mira Horn.
MODERN HOMES - THE RANCHER
00/00/0000, 00:00 | GAILE GUEVARA
When I first saw this image, a few descriptive words that came to mind sophisticated, timeless, calm, subtle, simple, modern, minimal ... This home showcased on Molteni & Co reminds me of why I love architectural interiors. It is the detailing of such architectural interiors as this one that makes me love the beautiful subtelty of what we do as a profession. For the sophisticated eye to appreciate a floating floor plate, flush drywall ceiling and floor details, recessed drapery tracks, frameless full height glazing, corner glass butt joints ... all breath taking. If anyone knows who the architect is of this amazing home or the stylist who has reflected an interior that speaks a carefully selected refinement of finishes. Some of my favorite designers work with this amazing company, to name a few of my favorites: the glove chair & clip bed by Patricia Urquiola, the 505 system by Lca Meda, the Less table by Jean Nouvel. A must see showroom in Vancouver is Italinteriors where Molteni & Co, meets Unifor, Dada Kitchens, Citterio, and Cassina.
(For those with a furniture & dsign fetish - FYI - during my last visit to NYC, I was excited to hear that Molteni & Co. will be opening up a flagship store in Manhattan.) - love this company!
Green Home 101: Talking Trash
00/00/0000, 00:00 | Inhabitat
Considering the fact that the average person produces 4.5 pounds of waste per day according to the EPA, we would be remiss not to address the question of household waste in our exploration of what it takes to make a green home. Thanks to more widespread public and private recycling programs and increased consumer awareness, Americans are definitely learning to tighten their ‘waste-line,’ but we still produce a phenomenal amount of garbage on a daily basis. Before we can talk about reducing, re-using and re-cycling, Green Home 101 needs to talk trash.