Residential Architect articles from June 2003

Residential Architect archives from June 2003

Art or service? Is there such a thing as creative freedom when clients pay the bill?(Editorial)
June 1, 2003... At last month's AIA National Convention in San Diego, I dropped by a seminar for start-up firms. Most audience members were already earning a living as architects, albeit without their names on the office door. The speaker asked people to jot...

Acrimonious acronyms.(Letters: keep those cards, letters, and e-mail coming)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... I would like to respond to Rob Thacker's letter to the editor in the March 2003 edition of residential architect (page 16) regarding the use of initials after one's name. I can answer his query on behalf of the American Institute of...

Loft-lovers'lament.(Letters: keep those cards, letters, and e-mail coming)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... Loved your article ("Where Will the Loft-Lovers Live?" January/February 2003, page 13). As an architectural firm in Manhattan, we have designed many lofts, and--to answer the question posed by your article--we are now designing homes outside...

Eye contact.(Letters: keep those cards, letters, and e-mail coming)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... Your specs issue (April 2003) cover intrigued me. Especially following on the heels of The New York Times article regarding architects and their glasses. But you didn't follow up the cover with a tale about architects' eyeglasses. I was in...

Baths from the past.(Home front: tips and trends from the world of residential design)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Trend watchers say Americans are cocooning and spending more time at home, perhaps because of current events or possibly in silent protest of our high-tech, gizmo-laden lifestyle. People, it seems, are nostalgic for a simpler time--and a...

Selling indulgences.(Home front: tips and trends from the world of residential design)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Although well-heeled clients make up only a small portion of the house-buying public, building product manufacturers still covet their business. In fact, they see limitless potential for growth in this segment, as homeowners seek to personalize...

Low water mark.(Home front: tips and trends from the world of residential design)(New water saving appliances including TOTO's tankless toilet.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... One of the by-products of the housing boom is a draining demand on natural resources--especially water. Some areas already have stringent consumption restrictions in place; others have measures on the table. Fortunately, a new generation of...

Calendar.(Home front: tips and trends from the world of residential design)(Calendar)
June 1, 2003... unbuilt architecture design awards 2003 deadline: july 15 boston society of architects Unbuilt architectural designs of any project type can be submitted by architects, students, or educators anywhere in the world. Award...

Art in the margins: could time in the sidelines put your heart and art back in the game?(practice)
June 1, 2003... as a focused discipline, designing buildings has its virtues. Over the years you perfect the art of sizing up prospective clients, devising schematics quickly, and building a spec library and relationships with contractors. Done well, it's a...

2003 leadership awards.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... We're all about talented residential architects all the time. But each year we step back and ponder the truly exceptional. Who's really worthy of being called a Top Firm in the United States, or a Rising Star? Who can hold her head up high...

Top firm/Steven Ehrlich architects: an urbane los angeles firm strikes the delicate balance between high design and intrinsic livability.(2003 Leadership Awards)
June 1, 2003... the trunk of Steven Ehrlich's Audi TT stores a collection of wood and marble samples, a yoga mat, a bag of watercolor paper and paints, and a pair of sturdy shoes for site visits. More than just the careless clutter of an on-the-go guy, it's a...

Hall of fame / Sarah Susanka: a Minneapolis architect wrote a book about houses--and made every residential architect's job a little easier.(2003 leadership awards)(Biography)
June 1, 2003... a line of acolytes snakes through the room and spills into a corridor of the Minneapolis Design Center. Clutching copies of The Not So Big House to their chests, the fans are waiting to meet its author. Some have brought the boxed set,...

Rising star / Randy Brown architects: the Nebraska native aims to redirect the midwest mainstream.(2003 leadership awards)(Biography)
June 1, 2003... in retrospect, it's not hard to see why architect Randy Brown, AIA, chose a 1970s Montessori school as his first studio-cum-living quarters. The 40-by-40-foot passive-solar structure, with its tall, south-facing windows and concrete floors, was...

Silent spring.(Architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
June 1, 2003... Because the production of vinyl tiles releases dioxins into the atmosphere, Walsh steers clear of them. Instead, she uses ECOsurfaces rubber flooring. Made from a combination of recycled tires and post-industrial colored rubber, this resilient,...

Shingle-minded.(Architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
June 1, 2003... To produce "a modern look" inexpensively, Walsh specs black asphalt roofing shingles as siding. One of her favorites is XT 30, a fiberglass-based three-tab shingle that weighs 235 to 245 pounds per square. The manufacturer says the product is...

Go cart.(Architects' choice: product picks from the pros.)
June 1, 2003... In Walsh's hands, the freestanding Varde kitchen cart metamorphoses into a vanity-topped base sink that offers "a unique solution on a budget," she says. The clear-lacquered solid birch unit features two legs with casters and two legs with...

Rock on.(New material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
June 1, 2003... For clients who prefer a natural-looking deck, StoneDeck offers a new spin on outdoor surfacing. The system consists of stone tiles glued to interlocking, high-tensile-strength composite panels; the framework connects to joists via a fastening...

Cool hob, hot pot.(New material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
June 1, 2003... Induction technology, which uses electromagnetic energy to generate heat, is arguably the safest and most energy-efficient way to cook. But, because of heat-control problems, the method never really sizzled in the United States. Now German...

Dapper copper.(New material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
June 1, 2003... Tired of specing humdrum tile surfaces? Show some mettle with Patine, a line of tarnished, embossed copper tiles from Walker Zanger. Patine is already oxidized, so each handmade tile sports a one-of-a-kind mottled surface. Two layers of...

Royal grip.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Inspired by William Randolph Hearst's Mediterranean-themed estate, the Hearst Castle Collection takes lavish design to the threshold. The robust, ornately engraved bronze or stainless steel door pulls are particularly well-suited for grand...

Peak performance.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Rocky Mountain Hardware's newest collection blends contemporary minimalism and Old World heft. Made of solid, sand-cast bronze, the unadorned escutcheons frame knobs, pulls, or levers. Light, medium, dark, and rust patinas are available. Rocky...

Southern charm.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Forged-brass construction fortifies the understated design of the Savannah series. The lever can be switched out in favor of the company's oval Windham knob. Lifetime-warrantied finishes include antique satin nickel, oil-robbed bronze, and...

High security.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Hardware Technologies' latest brainstorm, HLS9000 multipoint locking hardware, combines the security of several lock points with the longevity of stainless steel. The company can install manual or automatic versions of various locking...

Asian angle.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Valli & Valli presents a bamboo-inspired pull by architect Leon Krier. The endurance-tested handle comes in gold, satin chrome, and a rustic patina that is a first for the company. Valli & Valli, 877.326.2565; www.vallievalli.com. ...

Crafty clutch.(Grab bag: get a handle on recent entries in exterior-door hardware.)
June 1, 2003... Sparely detailed and sturdy, the Mission series of entry door hardware from Southwest Forge includes nine levers and a knob. Various lock types and locations are available; the 12 3/4-by-2 1/2-inch backplate comes in steel, copper, bronze, and...

Bevy of bevels.(off the shelf)
June 1, 2003... Made for both hinged and sliding doors, the Concord exterior door hardware distinguishes itself with beveled edges and long, lean lines. The pieces coordinate with other Baldwin exterior hardware collections for a unified look. Choose from any...

Home, serene home: casa Luis Barragan, Mexico City, 1947 Luis Barragan.(end quote)(Brief Article)(Biography)
June 1, 2003... Luis Barragan believed that a house should serve as a refuge from the outside world, and nowhere is that view expressed more eloquently than in the house he designed for himself in Mexico City. Built in 1947, as Barragan was emerging from his...