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HOUSE OF SERT
Spanish architect Josep Lluís Sert (1902-1983) is perhaps best known for his buildings and urban-scale projects. As a member of GATEPAC ("Group of Spanish Architects and Technicians for the Progress of Contemporary Architecture"), he was concerned with the role of architects in city planning. And yet he was also a master of small-scale interior and furniture design. Some of his favorite forms were inspired by vernacular houses. — Editor — Published 2005.1214
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NEW SHAPES FOR WORKSPACE
Flexible and open plans have been standard in corporate offices for several decades. During this time, architects have struggled to design open spaces that still provide private, supportive environments for the workers. — Published 2006.0308
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PIANO TONE
The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia now bears the signatures of two living masters. Richard Meier designed the original in 1983; the expansion by Renzo Piano opened in November, 2005. The new addition reinforces Piano's reputation as a designer of cultural palaces that are distinctive without being ostentatious — and spare without an overly minimalist chill. — Published 2005.1130
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SPEC'ING GREEN
"Architects have the ability to change entire industries with the stroke of a pen. If we specify a material with low carbon dioxide emissions in its fabrication — say, floor tile, carpet, gypsum board — industry will respond. This is the American way. Architects are consumers; they're not always aware of the incredible power they have to change the way products are manufactured."
— Ed Mazria in Metropolis Magazine. — Published 2005.1102
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MEASURING UP WRIGHT
What would you do if you were asked to build a house on a rocky island with only five pencil drawings to go by? This was the challenge given to Thomas Heinz, AIA, a renowned Frank Lloyd Wright scholar. The house he was asked to model and execute was designed by Wright in 1950 but never built. — Published 2005.1026
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SKIDAWAY MODERN
On a marsh off Georgia's Skidaway River, overlooking a grassy estuary, is a remarkable house. The lower level resembles a loft, where light filters through high-ceilinged rooms, and an aluminum-framed storefront makes up most of the back. At night the house glows like a stage within the frame of its cantilevered terraces. — Published 2005.1019
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ROTTERDAM VERANDA
Can a parking garage be sexy? The new Veranda Parking Garage in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with its soft curves and elegant detailing, seems about as sensuous and inviting as a garage can be. Designed by the firm of Architectenbureau Paul de Ruiter b.v., part of the Veranda's allure, like most things sexy, is in what you can't see. In this case, it's the extraordinary story of the building's construction. — Published 2005.1012
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SWISS AWARD TO CANADIAN PROJECTS
On September 30, 2005, the Swiss Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction honored three North American projects in its annual awards program. The Holcim Foundation, in collaboration with five of the world's leading technical universities, promotes sustainable approaches to environmental design. The awards highlight projects that go beyond technical solutions to consider process, human behavior, and visionary city planning. — Published 2005.1012
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WHERE PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Blacksmithing is such a fundamental craft that in French, the familiar proverb, "practice makes perfect," takes the form, "c'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron," or literally in English, "it's by forging that one becomes a blacksmith." — Editor — Published 2005.1005
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ENVIRONMENTAL ELDERCARE
The new Caritas House, an eldercare center in Moenchengladbach-Neuwerk, Germany, combines modern group-living with advanced environmental technology. Not only does the passively conditioned building require very little conventional heating energy, it provides unusually high air quality, which improves the quality of life for its residents. — Published 2005.1005
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