JULY 13TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
[St. Coletta School in Washington DC by Michael Graves, 2006]
Let’s be perfectly clear, we hate post-modernism architecture. The architectural style, based on the nostalgia of architectures past, tries too hard to be something that it’s not. It’s a clumsy amalgamation of disparate architectural elements; a Beaux-Arts frieze here and a Greek Corinthian column there; maybe round it all off with a Romanesque tower and throw in few craftsman style knee braces for good measure… oh and it’s got to have air conditioning and mirrored plate glass windows. It’s pretend architecture and it’s terrifying to most of us architects. Back in grad-school the entire post-modernism movement was summed up in 5 words “buildings with funny little tops”. Post modernism taught society that it’s okay to take a few peel-n-stick doric columns and slap them onto the front of your house. Post modernism could be the worst thing that ever happened to architecture.
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JUNE 9TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Wrapping up the Cardboard Fort series, we present part 3, which delves further into the basic DNA of our design influences. Give most kids an appliance box and a roll of duck-tape and you’ll see creative genius unfold before your eyes. Join us as we provide a critical analysis of some (mostly) admirable cardboard forts.
[Photo by Stronger than Dirt]
17. The design pays homage to the clean, linear work of Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. This institutional project, apparently a school, upholds a high degree of design integrity with its symmetrical façade; it also preserves the natural look of the materials used in the construction. Grade: B+
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MAY 31ST, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Lately we’ve been covering some of our early design influences as architects and builders. Today’s post tackles part 2 of the Cardboard Fort Architecture theme and as we’ve been finding, even the most mundane of forts has deep architectural roots. Join us as we investigate the overlooked realm of cardboard fort design.
[Photo by Deen Taylor]
09. While the overall composition lacks design vision, proper credit should be given to the project’s roof mounted wind turbines. Unfortunately the structure raises important concerns regarding the structural integrity of the frame and the weatherproofing of the skin. Grade: C
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MAY 26TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
No doubt, the term “Green” can represent sustainable practices in the design and construction industry but the word has been abused and exploited to such an extent that, without an explanation and data, without looking at the whole picture, the term doesn’t really mean much. We’ve been designing and building houses for over 15 years in the northwest and when we hear the term “Green” without any supplementary information, we have no idea what it actually means. Ask 10 architects and builders for the definition of “Green design” and you’ll most likely get 10 different and vague answers.
We’ve all heard the stories…
–the 15,000 square foot house built with “green construction practices”. When a house of this size is occupied by a family of four (or sometimes less) there’s nothing green or sustainable about it.
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MAY 20TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Before we were designing buildings and houses and remodels, before we went to architecture school, engineering school and the school of hard knocks, we were busy cutting our teeth on the basic building blocks of the design world. Along with couch cushion architecture, it was cardboard fort architecture that helped us figure out the ABCs of design and construction. Cardboard fort architecture remains an underdog of the design world and its high-time we gave kudos to the fundamental DNA that helped us get where we are today. We’ve rounded up a (mostly) admirable collection of projects, taken from a randomly conducted search on the internet. Join us as we take a critical analysis of the architecture, methods and design philosophies of discarded appliance box re-appropriation.
[Photo by Betzi]
01. Drawing influence from the European walled city, this open air community offers private shelter “pods” within the hardscape. We like that the courtyard anticipates the need for leisure by including seating and a storage container for sports equipment. Grade: B
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APRIL 23RD, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Part two of Couch Cushion Architecture expands on the known collection of significant couch cushion projects in the western hemisphere and continues the discourse. As with part 1 of the study, the basic DNA of design logic can be observed in these works. At the root of any great designer lies a strong connection to the fundamentals of couch cushion design and construction.
A simple geometry and clear orthogonal moves allow this project to be a three-dimensional extension of Mondrian’s thesis. We admire the subdued palette of materials and ambitious structural cantilever. The nebulous entry, however, confuses the approach and subtracts from the compositional success. Grade: C+
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APRIL 21ST, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Before we were influenced by Mies van der Rohe or Frank Lloyd Wright, before we had seen the visual delights of Ronchamp, Pompidou Center and the Bauhaus school in Weimar, we were driven by a greater force of design inspiration. More primal and immediate than any of the previously mentioned examples, it was couch cushion architecture that established the basic building blocks of our design logic. Unrepresented and ignored for too long in the architectural industry, today’s post pays respect to the wonders of couch cushion architecture. We’ve rounded up a (mostly) admirable collection of projects, taken from a randomly conducted search on the internet. Join us as we take a critical analysis of the architecture, methods and design philosophies of living room furniture re-appropriation.
[Copyright Jennifer Larson]
A clear derivative of the Miesian box, this handsome project is “informalized” with the use of colorful, freeform roof panels. Taking further direction from the Archigram movement, the project explores architecture as body wrap and propels couch cushion architecture to new and exciting territory. Grade: A
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FEBRUARY 5TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
As much as we admire digital technology and as often as we employ it here at the BUILD world headquarters, there will never be a replacement for sketching. Knowing how to sketch as an architect or designer is a timeless prerequisite. We don’t care what amazing new software is on your laptop, we don’t care if you just downloaded the sketchpad app for the iPhone. While important, that stuff will continue to change. And at the risk of sounding like luddites, sketching will always be sketching. If you can’t sketch out a quick-n-dirty concept on a napkin, your role as an architect will be very limited.
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FEBRUARY 1ST, 2010
By BUILD LLC
It was a frequently used phrase by one of our professors back in school. What he meant by it was this; as architects and designers we’ll always be liable for everything except aesthetics. City planners will evaluate a project’s zoning and height restrictions. Building officials will scrutinize the structural and life-safety design. Inspectors will analyze the electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. Health inspectors will scour over the food service requirements. From the sidewalk curb down to the energy efficiency of each and every window, there are codes to meet and agencies to satisfy. As a professional, you can be held liable for a daunting number of issues. How the building looks, however, is not one of them.
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JANUARY 25TH, 2010
By BUILD LLC
Years ago we worked on a house in a neighborhood full of homes designed in multiple styles; there were craftsman homes, Tudors, Victorians, Cape Cods, colonials, Queen Anne homes, the list goes on. Each of these is a respectable style in its own geographical origin, its own time and in its own method of construction. But here’s the deal-breaker, all of the homes in this neighborhood were built in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Not a single one of them was authentic.
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