Residential Architect articles from November 2005

Residential Architect archives from November 2005

Turnkey entry door: a beautiful entry door system should be a priority--it affects the aesthetics of a home inside and out, as well as a homeowner's comfort and security. That's why architects seeking a well-crafted, attractive entry system turn to Pella--the entry door rated #1 by homeowners *.
November 1, 2005... OPENING UP NEW POSSIBILITIES. Pella has been a premier manufacturer of windows and doors since 1925. Its entry door systems are built with the same quality craftsmanship, beautiful detailing and innovative performance features its other...

Sustainability revives interest in trash compaction.(Outlook: ARCHITECTURE * DESIGN)
November 1, 2005... Back in 1969, Whirlpool Corporation was the first manufacturer to introduce a residential trash compactor, the first new-to-market kitchen appliance in 30 years. In fact, the trash compactor became the best-selling home appliance of that year....

In plain sight: do visionaries see the future or just perceive the present more clearly?(from the editor)
November 1, 2005... The trouble with being a visionary is sometimes you have to wait 30 years for the rest of the world to catch up to you. That's the case with Sim Van der Ryn, this year's Hall of Fame Leadership Award winner. He's experiencing a resurgence of...

The producers.(letters: exercise your right to write.)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I've worked with several architects during my 20 years being a builder. It sounds like a cliche, but I've found that the "cost" of their services is relative. Owners seldom comprehend the value associated with architects or designers and often...

Aqua moderne.(home front: news from the leading edge of residential design)
November 1, 2005... Ponder this: You're at work, juggling the obligations of your thriving practice, and then you hear the chirp, squawk of the fax machine. Once you recover from your surprise that anyone still faxes anything, you take a look. It's an invitation...

Solar flair.(home front: news from the leading edge of residential design)
November 1, 2005... It's easy enough to slap solar panels onto a roof, but integrating them into a graceful residential design is a tougher assignment. Such was the challenge for 18 university teams competing in the second biennial Solar Decathlon, held recently...

Calendar.(home front)(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... 2006 residential architect design awards: call for entries entry deadline: december 9 binder deadline: january 5 Our annual design awards program honors outstanding architecture in 15 categories, including custom, renovation,...

Kitchen: body and soul.(k + b studio)
November 1, 2005... Minneapolis architect Rosemary McMonigal has experience designing for people with special needs. An emphasis on healthy living is, after all, one of the tenets of her firm, McMonigal Architects. But the variety of concerns Minneapolis residents...

Bath: hidden help.(k + b studio)
November 1, 2005... The sink in the Gasterlands' half bath, located on the first floor, a good example of the design touches McMonigal used throughout the house. It's a standard Kohler sink, fitted into the apron of the laminated countertop. "When you think...

Native to place: local and international initiatives demonstrate how sustainable design can forge stronger communities.(perspective)
November 1, 2005... We live in disconnected times. We occupy space but know little about it. Instead of joining communities or neighborhoods, we buy houses and make real estate investments. Sustainable design offers us the chance to rekindle these lost...

After hours: for employees and their employers, moonlighting has its merits and its perils.(practice)
November 1, 2005... An intern who is halfway through the licensing exams, Dan Nicely, Fargo, N.D., is experienced in the dark side of architecture. He graduated in 1998 and soon found his way to an architecture firm that does primarily retail work. But with a...

2005 leadership awards.
November 1, 2005... It's late fall and there's a perceptible change in the air. A quick frisson marks the transition from the warm, languid flatness of late summer to the sharp chill of autumn. Something about this shift makes us feel more alert; attention must be...

Hall of Fame: Sim Van der Ryn: for Sim Van der Ryn, our environment is more than a charity case--it's the best design collaborator there is.(2005 leadership awards)
November 1, 2005... Decades after the first Earth Day thrust the environment into our nation's collective consciousness, the green building movement has just begun to gel. Although sustainable design is still a hard sell--and represents just a sliver of the...

Top firm: Frank Harmon architect: from site, client, and experience, Frank Harmon spins a highly specific, easy-living modernism.(2005 leadership awards)
November 1, 2005... Frank Harmon has won his fair share of accolades for design over the years. But no occasion evoked such a pointed reaction to his work as the judging of the entries for AIA North Carolina in 1999, when Harmon swept the competition by winning...

Rising star: David Hacin, AIA: in one of the nation's oldest cities, modernist David Hacin makes himself at home.(2005 leadership awards)
November 1, 2005... David Hacin, AIA, knows everyone. The 44 year-old architect can't wall through Boston's South End, where he lives and works, without a stream of greetings from shopkeepers, neighbors, and fellow dog owners. Even in the city's other...

Look what's talking: who'll have the last say in home-management systems?(digital home)
November 1, 2005... Last century, X10 was synonymous with affordable home control. This century's de facto control standard for the mainstream market has yet to be crowned, but various home control platforms are vying for bragging rights. Some use power lines,...

Outgoing lam.(semple brown design)
November 1, 2005... Laminates are cool again--well, some of them are. Davis likes Abet Laminati's yellow number, which he speced for this kitchen. "With its ribbed texture and extroverted personality, it's the perfect material to bring life to otherwise ordinary...

Top drop.(semple brown design)
November 1, 2005... When it comes to lighting, Davis is high on the Drop pendant fixture from Anta (shown here in a Semple Brown project); it's one of his all-time favorites. "It's such a cool design and is about as stripped down as you can find without just...

Metal medley.(semple brown design)
November 1, 2005... Metal is among Davis's preferred cladding materials because "it's durable, long-lasting, maintenance-free, fire-resistant, and good-looking," he says. No wonder he decked out this entire house in various iterations of Metecno-Morin's metal...

Inside the box.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
November 1, 2005... As the appetite for contemporary design continues to grow, manufacturers are feeding the demand with sleek new products. Lakeville, Minn.-based Heat & Glo continues the trend with the launch of its Modern Collection--a line of freestanding and...

Ebb and flow.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
November 1, 2005... The Ebb console with resin countertop from City of Industry, Calif.-based Neo-Metro offers yet another dash of color to the bath. Made from 16-gauge stainless steel, the console comes in two sizes--a 36-inch-wide style or a 55-inch version with...

Hidden assets.(new material: piping-hot products for your next project.)
November 1, 2005... Vela is the latest contribution from Snaidero, one of Italy's leading purveyors of contemporary kitchens. The manufacturer, whose U.S. headquarters is in Los Angeles, says the line incorporates glass doors with aluminum frames, wall units with...

Energy stars: bright spots in the consortium for energy efficiency's annual "lighting for tomorrow" competition.(off the shelf)
November 1, 2005... mirror, mirror Sleek lighted mirrors from Good Earth Lighting can be plugged in for a quick fix or permanently wired into bathroom, dressing room, or bedroom walls. Energy Star-compliant fluorescent bulbs edge the mirrors' slim profiles,...

Electrical & lighting.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... When you describe the light in a room--bright and cheery, for example, or soft and romantic--you describe the room's mood. That's why it's so important to devote an adequate amount of time to choosing the right lighting products and planning...

Raised floor systems.(architect's showcase)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Discover the advantages of a raised floor foundation system. Architects can use this comprehensive 48-page guide during the planning and building phases. Fully illustrated with construction details, plus facts about moisture control, soils and...

Finlandia Saunas.(architect's showcase)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Finlandia Saunas are a cut above the rest with highest quality materials and old country craftsmanship. In fact, we still use 1"x4" wall and ceiling boards, while our competitors use only 1/2"x4". That's why more architects and builders come...

Maintenance Free cupolas and louvers.(architect's showcase)(Advertisement)
November 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...

Inner vision: kew house, Melbourne, Australia, 1996-97 Sean Godsell Architects.(end quote)
November 1, 2005... Australian architect Sean Godsell had brave clients indeed for this oxidized-steel-screened house: himself and his family. His design eliminates hallways and fully enclosed rooms in favor of an open, Asian-influenced floor plan. A lengthwise...