Posts filed under 'Architecture'
excerpts and illustration from the article Voyeur’s Delight by Karrie Jacobs in Metropolis Magazine
We have become huge fans of the bold architecture of The Standard hotel in NYC for ushering in a new relationship between public and private (and what a walk in the park can do to lift your spirits). The Standard actually straddles New York’s newest park, the High Line– an adaptive reuse of a dilapidated elevated rail line servicing the Meatpacking District. The “transparency” of the hotel’s glass facade, however, has caused tremendous media controversy and it as been dubbed “exhibitionist-friendly.”
“Historically, luxury living in New York has meant a well-cultivated isolation from the hoi polloi, maintained by doormen, altitude, extra window glazing, and a spot in a quiet, genteel neighborhood. What these buildings suggest is a new urban luxury that embraces the city, its smells, noises, and peculiarities. And that inevitably means, either intentionally or by default, a degree of exhibitionism.
I happen to think a little overexposure is a small price to pay for the panorama the hotel affords. The building’s inherent nakedness is its greatest virtue… a highly transparent building in an urban setting is the architectural equivalent of Facebook, a form of social networking. While some guests are, as the Post insists, behaving badly in public, most are just reveling in the uncanny, Edenic pleasure of being at once immersed in Manhattan and butt naked.”
January 16th, 2010
Those of you who are familiar with the work on the Simpatico Prototype will find this image amusing. We also find it inspirational in both form and function. As told by author Andreas Stravopoulos in Dwell Magazine:
“First came the idea. Then came the late nights of Craigslist searching. And then it happened quickly: a trip to a derelict horse ranch in the Salinas Valley, an exchange of cash in an old barn, and a harrowing towing adventure up Highway 101 netted me my current abode—a 1959 Airstream travel trailer. The Airstream now resides in the garden of a co-op in North Berkeley, a few steps from the Cheeseboard and Chez Panisse.
My obsession with mobility, modularity, and affordability began long before the Airstream and has since extended beyond. As a recently self employed (read: laid off) landscape architect, I have been able to address several of the problems that I see in my field. Namely, the lack of connection between the LAND and the ARCHITECT.”
Click here to read the full article and view the slide show on Dwell.com.
November 3rd, 2009
Simpatico Homes’ partner architect Bob Swatt and Swatt Miers Architects just received the Merit Award for Architecture from the American Institute of Architects. You can read more about the stunning Teahouse structures at the Design Awards website. Be sure to view all the gorgeous photos and read the project description to learn about the inspiration for this one-of-a-kind project.
October 30th, 2009
Check out the nice press we received about the Prototype Home on Jetson Green. Jetson Green is a daily updated magazine that’s obsessed with green building and everything related to it, including sustainable architecture, good design, green prefab, clean technology in the built environment, affordable housing, and eco-friendly development.
June 5th, 2009
What’s that old saying again…? Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t drive Ferraris in reverse? We love the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for all its charm and quotables. But we really loved his friend Carmeron’s house; in particular, the glass pavilion “garage” where one parks the “rolling stock.” As we’ve learned, jacking a car up and running it in reverse won’t turn back the mileage.
For a cool $2.3 million, this 5,600 square foot movie classic (with garage, above) in Highland Park, IL can be yours. Ferrari sold separately.
Check out the video about the Bueller house from The Today Show this morning. Its hard to believe that movie was 1986! Just goes to show you that great architecture and great film never go out of style.
June 5th, 2009
