Posts
Parish Church
04 February 2010
I always love a good minimalist church... It just seems so appropriate. This Croation parish church by Roman Vukoja & Robert Kriznjak is a fantastic example of minimalist ecclesiastic design. Like all good chapels, light is a dominant factor in the design...
Planter Alternative
02 February 2010
Looking for an alternative to traditional planters? These are designed to minimize wasted water and keep soil from falling out... and their not even surrounded by macrame!
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Holon Design Museum
01 February 2010
The new Holon Design Museum by Ron Arad, opening to the public in March 2010. The corten steel ribbons surrounding the rectangular gallery spaces are as much sculpture as they are skin. Looking to create an icon for the city, while still providing a functioning museum space... Arad looks like he may have succeeded! Only time will tell...
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Via Yatzer
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Where do you store your winter clothes?
27 January 2010
I love love love a great minimal home... But, the key is to have ample storage. After all, you still need to put your winter clothes somewhere..
Smart and Simple
21 January 2010
A friend of mine sent me a link to "The Decade's 14 Biggest Design Moments" by Fast Company.Pretty much all of the designs are great, but the prescription bottles for Target are my favorite. It isn't often that a designer takes a completely mundane product and makes it both more interesting and more useful. If you've ever gotten a prescription from Target, then you know that the bottles are not only easier to use, easier to read, but the colored rings allow each family member to have a specific color, making it easier to identify your medicine in the cabinet. Smart and Simple... how great is that!?
2 Columbus
05 January 2010
Jennifer Post is well known for her all white minimal interiors, but i really like her use of color in this project. The combination of whites and colors manages to make the fiery reds serene.
Would You Learn Here?
18 December 2009
Designed by Gollifer Langston for the Camden school district, these classrooms of the future are both useful and flexible. The classrooms are designed to easily and cheaply "clip on" to existing schools, as well as adapt to changes in use and technology. Although these look great, I'd be interested to hear feedback from teachers and students. My sister-in-law is a teacher who once taught in a pod separate from the main school (although, not as stylish as this), and the aesthetic wasn't the only problem. Being totally separated and isolated from the main school can makes things tough for teachers. Let's face it.. without major strutural changes made to the existing school, these pods are not actually going to clip on, more likely they will be set up adjacent to the school.
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Academy of Fashion
17 December 2009
This Academy of Fashion in Jaipur, was designed by Morphogenesis. Because the project is located in the middle of the desert, the architects created a passive climate controlled environment including a double skin exterior and a surprising interior courtyard and pond. The double skin design is both modern in pattern and traditional in detail... The architects did a great job combining historic technologies with current function and aesthetic.
Shoes
16 December 2009
I love shoes. I mean, really what woman doesn't? And even though these shoes are totally cracked out, and I would never wear them (mostly because I don't wear heels) nor would I be able to afford them - I love these shoes. They look like a studio project and definitely seem like they are designed by an architect. They're probably not so practical for walking down the street, but why does everything have to be practical? Sometimes it is ok to just appreciate the design..
Elephant and Castle
15 December 2009
The art installation by Nissen Adams for the Aldeburgh Music Festival is quite fun. Comprised of 7 installations, such as a house within ruins and a fantasy shopping center, the installation became the backdrop for performances of Hansel and Gretal.
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For the Architect or Designer in your Life
14 December 2009
A few easy gift ideas for the creative person in your life...
Aratoi
05 December 2009
Aratoi is a museum complex designed by Studio Pacifica for the Wairarapa community. The design integrated an existing church into the fold, and used local woods for the rain screen. The simple form is a lovely solution for a complex problem...
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Give Green Reads
02 December 2009
As someone who is very interested in sustainability, green technology, and the like... I generally find if difficult to find good books to read. Usually, the books seem overly simplistic (compost is good!) or overly scientific. Its hard to find a well-written and informative book for general, but well-educated reader. Luckily, I've recently had the opportunity to read two such books!
Our choice is the follow up to Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Where An Inconvenient Truth was quite the doomsday presentation, Our Choice presents us with clear options for moving forward. Its not just telling us everything that we've done to screw up the Earth, but its explaining how we can fix what we've done... using both large and small scale solutions. The book is an easy read, while still explaining in detail the science behind the global warming crisis. And unlike An Inconvenient Truth, its got fantastic full color photos and diagrams to help illustrate the text. And personally, I really enjoy the immediacy of the book. Gore tells stories about current events - liking the birthers to climate change deniers - which helps root the book in the now. So, if you or anyone you know is looking for an informative book on climate change, with an upbeat personality... check out 
The Whole Green Catalog is a much more interesting book than the cover would suggest... Really makes that whole, don't judge a book by its cover thing ring true. The book lists 1000 action items that individuals can undertake to improve our quality of life. The book is broken down into simple sections - homebuilding, energy, clothing, furniture, etc. Within each section are various technologies and suggestions pertaining to sustainability and a high quality of life. Products range in scale from solar powered calculators to equal exchange chocolate to geothermal HVAC. The beauty is that each product recommendation comes with a 2-3 paragraph explanation of the technology and image to help you understand. Again, this is a great book for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of green technology without reading through scientific literature. Its an easy and entertaining read... in fact, it was sitting on my coffee table during Thanksgiving dinner and everyone passed the book around and even took time out of watching football to read it! If that sounds good to you... check out
Whole Green Catalog: 1000 Best Things for You and the Earth
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Paintless Coke Cans
29 November 2009
Not only do these paintless coke cans look fantastic, but they could help save the world! OK, so maybe that's exaggerating a little... but only a little. Traditional coke cans have to be painted in the factory and then the paint has to be removed before they can be recycled. This design would eliminate both of those steps. It may not sound like much, but we're talking about 24,773,757,785 cans a year. Yeah... almost 25 Billion.Good design and good for the environment? Sounds good to me.
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Via Gizmodo.
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Peregrine Winery
24 November 2009
When I was in school, 2 of our 5 years were spent focusing on particular materials during our studio work.. one semester masonry, wood, concrete, and steel. This winery by Architecture Workshop looks a lot like the kinds of projects that would come out of the steel semester...
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Home Sweet Home
19 November 2009
Last month, my photographer friend Jennifer Richard came over to shoot our finally finished house! The interior is finally done, which means next summer we can focus on the exterior! Landscape here we come!
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Its pretty hard to photograph our extremely tiny home... as you can see, most of the photos are of our living/kitchen/dining/office open area. To make it even tighter, my office doubles as our guest room, when needed. The last two shots are of our bathroom (enlarged to meet code!) and laundry area (as viewed from our bedroom). The laundry area might not seem that exciting to you, but we've got a washer/dryer, on-demand water heater, and tons of storage crammed into a space that's about 3'x3'. You can also see some of the storage we added to the "master bedroom", with a dropped ceiling above the entry and adjacent shower - providing us with additional storage above.
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I'm so glad to finally be done with the interior so that we can finally enjoy the house. It is almost impossible to remember what it used to look like...
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monoSpace
18 November 2009
I was recently sent this project...
The space was create by Lazor Office, for the home of Mono, a Minneapolis based advertising agency (they always have the best offices). The simple, but repetitive use blue helps to tie the project together...
The pods, which act as an alternative to typical office cubicles are an interesting insertion in the space. They are lovely as objects within the space, but I have to wonder what the employees actually think of them - after all, they still provide the same isolation of cubicles, but none of the benefits (walls, you can actually post things on...).
Still, its a nice looking project...
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Minneapolis really has some great work going on right now...
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I Wish...
05 November 2009
I wish Illinois Tech had a design build program when I was there....
A few of my old professors (and one professor's wife) got together to arrange this design/build project. I think its a great project, a chapel designed in Chicago and built in Germany with the help of local craftsmen.
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The project started when a Reverend approached Ecker Architekten asking for help in designing a chapel, even though he had no land and no money. Ecker thought of working together with a design team from IIT and so this new design/build studio was born.
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The project itself is interesting, because the students designed it to be constructed by people with little construction experience (themselves), utilizing salvaged and donated materials, and advanced technology (all pieces were cut on a CNC machine before being shipped to the site).
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Its a great little chapel... and seems so German to me! I can't imagine coming across this in Seattle...
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Via Daily Tonic
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Minimal Tomb
27 October 2009
I've spent an inordinate amount of time in cemeteries... Growing up in Massachusetts, we'd often make field trips to Boston cemeteries along the freedom trail. What kid doesn't want to see where John Hancock is buried? Then while studying in Chicago, we'd often make field trips to the famous Graceland Cemetery, using the architect designed tombs as sketching assignments. And this isn't even taking into consideration all of the cemeteries my history buff father took me to while checking out battlefields and forts!
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But, I have to say that this is the coolest tomb I have ever seen. The minimal concrete structure was designed by Roland Poppenseiker for photographer F.C. Gundlach. The structure is built of pre-cast concrete panels, with Gundlach's photographs etched into the concrete.
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at the Flower Market
19 October 2009
Barcelona has a new flower market... and its lovely. Designed by Willy Muller Architects, its a colorful solution for a colorful problem... where to put all those flowers!
Up High
16 October 2009
Nomiya is part temporary art installation, part parasitic architecture, and part experimental restaurant. Perched up high above the Palais de Tokyo, Laurent and Pascal Grasso have designed a truly lovely dining experience. The views alone would make the meal an event to remember, but add in the minimal interiors and the fantastic food... sign me up!
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Dining Chairs
14 October 2009
While there is nothing really wrong with the IKEA dining chairs I've currently got, I'd love to replace them with a lovely set of mid-century chairs. I like more modern chairs, too... but the great thing about mid-century design is that it tends to be more compact, which we really need in our teeny home.
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All chairs via reside
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WoZoCo Inspired?
13 October 2009
Its really impressive how many apartment projects have been influenced by MVRDV's WoZoCo... The Lanserhofwiese Residential Project by Wimmer Zaic Architects is an interesting project, almost looking fake the way its perched atop those spindly legs. Intended as a high density housing solution, providing interest and interaction with its neighbors, it seems somewhat, although not entirely successful. Obviously, the neighbors will be intrigued by the project (and its bright colors!), but the building actually seems somewhat isolated to me. It could be plopped down on any flat lot anywhere in the world... It doesn't seem to me as if its interacting with the neighborhood at all.
What do you all think?
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A Glass Conservatory
09 October 2009
This conservatory by Helen & Hard is a very interesting structure. Built to replace an outbuilding that had previously stood in that location 120 years ago, this glass structure is adjacent to an existing log structure. Colored glass beams support the glass roof above, while hinged stone walls open the view to the park beyond. I think what makes this project really lovely are the surprises... glass unexpectedly being the solid support system, and the movable stone acting as a system of transparency...
Lovely.
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Folds
08 October 2009
Thomas Feichtner has a wide range of work, all with a very similar folded style. There are some really lovely pieces in his collection, but I'd love to see him expand his aesthetic. But, you've got to admit it... he's got a clearly defined style!
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Restrictive?
29 September 2009
According to Design Crave, the architects (Tamizo Architects) for this project in Poland were restricted by local zoning laws that insisted only 3 outdoor materials were to be allowed... The result is lovely, although I only see 2 materials, unless they count glass as one. But, I don't think the rule of 3 is all that prohibitive... any more than that and projects can often appear overly decorated..
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Which One of These Things Just Doesn't Belong Here
23 September 2009
The 2009 Design Futures Council Fellows were just announced:
The DFC Senior Fellows for 2009 are:
• Carrie Byles, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLC
• Carrie Byles, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLC
• Wing T. Chao, Walt Disney Imagineering
• Daniel P. Coffey, Daniel P. Coffey & Associates Ltd.
• Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, United States Air Force
• Michael Graves, Michael Graves & Associates
• Robert C. Grupe, USG Corp.
• Craig W. Hartman, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLC
• Brad Pitt, actor and environmental advocate
• Jane Poynter, Paragon Space Development Corp.
• Renzo Piano, Renzo Piano Building Workshop
• Stephen J. Senkowski, Armstrong World Industries
• Alan Webber, Fast Company
How nice for Brad Pitt that he can buy himself into design leadership positions. I mean, the rest of us who have studied and labored in design, yet don't have millions to show for it can only hope for his architectural success.
{far 4}
20 September 2009
Map Tote Bags
Ceramic tableware made with colored clays, not paint
Glass case/candle holder/centerpiece
All pieces found at far 4, a shop with russian roots, located in Seattle I've just found out about... looks like I'll be making a visit soon!
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Good Intentions
14 September 2009
I've got a lot of strong opinions about LEED, not all positive. But, still if the Obama administration truly intends to upgrade the White House and apply for LEED status, then I'd be all for it... While LEED has its problems, it would be a great symbol for sustainable architecture if the symbol of our democracy was a bit more green. It can only help encourage others to make similar improvements...
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A White Forest In a Grey Field
26 August 2009
“I wanted to make a space with very ambiguous borderlines, which has a fluctuation between local spaces and the overall space, rather than a universal space like that of Mies,”
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Junya Ishigami designed this lovely university studio... the thin columns look like a neverending forest of white trees, especially with the frameless glass perimeter.
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schubLaden Love
11 August 2009
I love these pieces by schubLaden... they are combing two of my favorite things - clean minimal design, and adaptive reuse. schubLaden finds old drawers and puts them together in a way that highlights their individuality.
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Lovely.
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