Residential Architect articles from January 2005

Residential Architect archives from January 2005

Design leadership.(ARCHITECTURE DESIGN Outlook)
January 1, 2005... As part of Whirlpool Corporation's commitment to design leadership, we recently challenged 24 industrial designers From Europe to "approach the future" of built-in kitchen design. Our vision is to shape the future of the built-in kitchen by...

The enemy within, part 2: is there really such a difference between designers of house and housing?(from the editor)
January 1, 2005... In our last issue, I wrote about the divide between commercial architects and residential practitioners--about how the former sometimes regard the latter as the lesser professionals. Well, I'm afraid there's also a schism within the residential...

Alien concept.(letters: exercise your right to write.)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... What planet are you living on that lets architects charge almost 14 percent ($60,000)--for a 2,200-square-foot house ("Where's the Architect?" April 2004, page 11)? I must assume it's not this planet. Of course the client went to a design/build...

Charged up.(letters: exercise your right to write.)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I enjoyed the compendium of mail and your own comments on the "Where's the Architect?" feedback ("The Charge Brigade," August 2004, page 13). But isn't this derivative of the old art/business conundrum regarding architectural practice? That...

Is the future now?(home front: news from the leading edge of residential design)
January 1, 2005... Many homes designed for discriminating clients today contain aspects of green building: passive solar orientation, non-toxic materials and finishes, and sustainably harvested woods. But those features are one-off alternatives to conventional...

Home tomes.(home front: news from the leading edge of residential design)
January 1, 2005... accompanying the home building boom is a veritable bonanza of books about houses. The Taunton Press' books are actually written by residential architects, offering their hard-won insights on everything from farmhouses to building on a budget....

Kind of, sort of better.(home front)
January 1, 2005... Residential architects care deeply about the dwellings they design, striving always to make them highly livable, well-crafted, and beautiful at the same time. But making those qualities available to custom clients with tight budgets or applying...

Street talk.
January 1, 2005... We commissioned a recent survey on design in the housing market. Conducted by The Farnsworth Group and sponsored by Andersen Windows, 448 architects, mostly custom, were interviewed. To provide a counterpoint, 150 consumers were also...

On the boards / Sonoma mission.(home front)
January 1, 2005... For years the unwillingness of the production housing industry to consider Modern design has irked Rodney Friedman, EAIA. He founded his San Francisco Bay area firm, Fisher Friedman Associates, in the 1960s, the heyday of popular Modernism. But...

Calendar.(home front)(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... custom home design awards 2005 entry deadline: march 21 binder deadline: april 18 Houses designed for a specific client and site may be submitted by builders, architects, remodelers, designers, ,and other industry professionals. Categories...

Kitchen: plane view.(k+b studio)
January 1, 2005... How do you transform a 5,000-square-foot industrial space into a comfortable residence without losing that sought-after urban loft feel? Winka Dubbledam used tactile surfaces, varied floor textures, and dipped ceilings to create warm public and...

Bath: meditation in blue.(k+b studio)
January 1, 2005... Dubbledam's concept of overlapping zones and spatial connectivity is most apparent in the master bath. "I took everything a bathroom needs and wrapped a low surface around all of those--two sinks, tub, toilet." The Aegean blue topographic form...

Urban acupuncture: a San Diego firm sees new possibilities for healing the housing crisis.(perspective)
January 1, 2005... after decades of absence from the main spheres of architectural discourse, the phenomenon of the metropolis as a site for research and experimentation is beginning to recapture the imagination of architects. This renewed attention our...

Adding value: the case for architects in residential design.(practice)
January 1, 2005... The act of design is an intangible concept that eludes most people. They might know good design when they' see it, when they get something they can lay their hands oil or walk through. But they have a hard time grasping the intellectual work...

The best of both worlds.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... the perfect blend of technology and tradition Most of my clients have two houses in mind when we first discuss a project. They have strong emotional associations with the notion of home, whether it's a fieldstone fireplace, classic...

New visions of home.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... At residential architect, we've been carefully keeping tabs on the new wave of Modern prefab housing. Mindful of the way like-minded movements have sputtered out in the past, we've had our doubts about the power of prefab to fundamentally...

Concrete remix: solid improvements for some old favorites.(doctor spec)
January 1, 2005... long before mid-century Modernists sang the praises of concrete, early pioneers recognized its practicality, strength, and versatility. Few building materials have such a storied past. As far back as 3000 B.C., the Egyptians used gypsum and...

Bowled over.(architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
January 1, 2005... When it comes to toilet bowls, Konyk favors TOTO's Ultimate for its "nice form and great suction." This low-consumption, one-piece unit features a power gravity flushing system and an elongated bowl with a SoftClose seat. A computer-designed 2...

White sheets.(architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
January 1, 2005... Corian acrylic-based solid surface is a durable, maintenance-free product that offers a variety of design possibilities. Konyk likes it for its seamless, smooth matte finish and because it is "the most luxurious plastic you will ever find," he...

Color blocking.(architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
January 1, 2005... One way Konyk adds color to his projects is with light-transmitting Plexiglas panels called LightBlocks. They have "such amazing color effects and truly allow you to put color in the most unusual places," the architect says. Suitable for...

Deco the walls.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
January 1, 2005... House numbers don't come much simpler than these Avalon pieces from Glendale, Calif.-based Atlas Homewares. An updated version of Streamlined Moderne, popular from the 1920s to the '40s, the numbers are 4 1/2 inches long and 3 inches wide. They...

Fresh faucet.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
January 1, 2005... With its F1 line, Bloomingdale, Ill.-based Grohe America boosts faucet design to new heights. The fresh-looking F1 has a cone-shaped base that flows continuously into its spindle-like handles and rounded spout. The faucet also features the...

Penny wise.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
January 1, 2005... The Pacific is an update of the classic freestanding soaking tub. Featuring seamless corners and brass overflow and waste assemblies, the copper unit measures 60 inches long, 26 inches wide, and 33 inches high. Eugene, Ore.-based Oregon Copper...

Sterling achievement.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... The Rockton toilet takes a practical approach to water conservation, offering two flushing options at the touch of a button--either 0.8 gallons or 1.6 gallons. The Dual Force flushing technology eliminates the need for double flushing, says the...

Mood swings.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... The Interaktiv line of plumbing fixtures boasts ceramic valve engineering, solid brass construction, anti-scald temperature control, and Hansgrohe's exclusive Boltic wobble-free handle security at budget prices. The versatile collection...

Ikea idea.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... Ramdala solid birch door and drawer fronts fit any of Ikea's birch or white melamine cabinet frames, making a snappy addition to classic or contemporary kitchens. For a lighter look, mix in the tempered glass panels with sleek stripes. Select...

True believer.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... The Authentic Designs series combines fine detailing and stile-and-rail construction--without breaking the bank. Profiles are designed to match numerous architectural styles, among them Modernist, Arts and Crafts, New European, and Tuscan, and...

Artful trapeze.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... In conjunction with Zephyr, renowned artist and designer Fu-Tung Cheng brings his stylish range hoods to the discerning masses. Trapeze, his latest creation, installs gracefully above an island and spans 48, 54, or 60 inches--making it the...

Block party.(saving graces: good taste meets good sense in these attractively affordable products.)
January 1, 2005... Cinderstone merges the edgy look of split-faced block with the endurance and economy of fiber cement. Available in canyon brown or field gray, the 18-inch-high-by-6-foot-long panels are ship-lapped on all tour sides for a seamless fit....

Southern Pine flooring guide.(architect's showcase)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... All the facts pertaining to proper installation, finishing, and maintenance of a high-quality Southern Pine floor. Booklet explains the intricacies of Southern Pine flooring grades, 3atterns, and how it's manufactured. Instructive illustrations...

Maintenance Free cupolas and louvers.(architect's showcase)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Maintenance-Free, stock & custom cupolas from New Concept Louvers are wrapped with PVC coated aluminum and copper. Made from the same materials as our custom louvers, they never require painting like wood products. They arrive in three easy to...

Home sweet dome: Dymaxion House, designed 1927 r. Buckminster Fuller, Faia.(end quote)
January 1, 2005... Well before inventing his famous geodesic dome, Buckminster Fuller decided the world needed affordable, mass-produced housing. So. with typical disregard tier convention, he designed the Dymaxion House, a circular aluminum structure suspended...