House of the Week 155: Balmain House

images (c)Patrick Bingham-Hall

This was a substantial addition and alteration to a single-level timber cottage in inner Sydney, Australia designed by architect Rex Addison. The land fell away to the back and allowed the photographer/client a studio downstairs, a living room addition just above the original floor level of the cottage, and bedrooms in the roofscape with views out to the harbour.

more here

Link kindly sponsored by garage door openers

RIP - Lebbeus Woods

Lebbeus Woods, conceptual architect, artist, theoretician and active blogger, died in New York at the age of 72. A pupil of Eero Saarinen in the 1960s, he is best known for his visionary and dystopian work of imaginary worlds, rendered with cared coloured pencils. His noted works includes the Einstein Memorial and Havana, radically reconstructed. Woods was the recipient of numerous national and international honours and awards, but he will be most regarded as an influence to a generation of architects.

Read his obituary via the Guardian and Popular Science.

New Work: Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

The Four Freedoms Park memorial for Franklin D. Roosevelt was designed by the late Louis Kahn, 38 years after he originally designed it. Located on a triangular protrusion from Roosevelt Island, New York, the memorial is an spiritual space defined by open space, landscape and heavy granite walls.

For more.

blog wunderlust: 29th October 2012

In many ways the problems in architecture are reflections of other things in the capitalist society. It’s becoming increasingly clear that in many ways we are reaching the end of the road, and that the idea of perpetual growth is a suicidal ideology.

Juhani Pallasmaa

image (c) acla:works & melon:design|architecture

Design as Balm for a Community’s Soul | Find a design to allow entry to Fort Augusta | Embracing In-Between Landscapes | Sainsbury Laboratory wins Stirling architecture prize | Famed Architecture Firm's Latest Project: an Educational App for Children | The Urban Planner Reveals All | Zaha and the Neoliberal Avante-Garde | Is there an Ecological Architectural Design Method? | Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park |

last word: Trinidadian practice acla:works who partnered with our friends at the St Lucian practice melon:design|architecture have takes second place in the design of the new parliament building in Grenada. The competition was won by Grenada based practice COCOA.

The International Federation of Landscape Architects Congress 2013

Never has the discipline of landscape architecture been more relevant than in this age of momentous global change, where current approaches to management of our landscape can no longer be sustained.

The International Federation of Landscape Architects is inviting abstract submissions for the 2013 Congress under the themes:

• Contemporary issues around globalisation
• Indigenous wisdom
• Local landscape
• Radical change and resilience
• Rural landscapes
• Urban landscapes

deadline:

abstract submissions: 31^st October 2012
final accepted submissions: 31^st January 2013

For information about submission guidelines and to submit your abstract please visit the Call for Abstracts page on the IFLA 2013 website or email ifla@tcc.co.nz.

Cheap Home Decor Ideas

Is your home in need of an upgrade? On a budget? Don’t worry, here are eights tips on easy fixes that won’t cost a ton of money.

1. Add an accent color to the room. Choose a color that harmonizes or contrasts well with the existing colors of the room. Then, add the color in interesting ways. A candle, curtain ties, throw pillows, new rugs, covered lamp shades, picture frames, book spines and vases are all ways to add highlights to a dull room.
   
2. Add a big, bright new rug or several area rugs. There are many colors and designs, so shop around and find a few that suit the existing décor. Rugs should be anchored with a chair, end table, desk or coffee table so they don’t look like an after-thought. They can define a sitting area or add a focal point. Many rugs have non-skid backing and can be put almost anywhere.
   
3. Put some plants around the house. Plants create a soothing atmosphere by bringing nature close to the living environment. Houses that are surrounded by beautiful gardens may not want more inside, but the décor of stark apartments can be greatly enhanced by plants. Some plants actually scrub the air in the room and remove toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene, which are commonly given off by carpets and furniture glues. Some plants can serve another purpose and be fresh ingredients for cooking. Plants need care; after all they are living creatures, so find out how they should be treated.
   
4. Put a fresh coat of paint on the walls of a room. If that is too much, just paint one wall an accent color. If that is still too much, just paint the door, bookcase and around the windows. Paint can lighten up a room with off-white or neutral colors or brighten it up with vivid colors. Even with the same old furniture, freshly painted walls make the room feel new. Home improvement loans are available for this kind of upgrade.
   
5. Find a way to minimize the objects in a room. Clutter is never attractive unless it is on purpose and well-coordinated. If clutter can be removed by hiding it or putting it in storage and the room reduced to the bare essentials, there is a good chance the room will look new. Storage containers can be creative such as a baskets or bins that are attractive, but the best way it to get the clutter out of sight. Organize shelves and reduce the amount on each shelf and remove any furniture that is rarely used. An uncluttered room is the perfect background for any of the above suggestions.
   
6. Put some art on the wall. It doesn’t have to be expensive art; it just needs to be attractive. One wall can be chosen to exhibit a selection of paintings or photographs of different sizes arranged in a unique presentation. Any collections or heirlooms that can be displayed on a wall can also make an interesting and attractive focal point for the room’s décor. There’s no rule for what should be displayed, but it should be displayed in a harmonious arrangement.
   
7. Change the lighting. If the room is lit by a central bulb, it will greatly enhance the ambience by adding table lamps. Lights can add warmth to a bare room and highlight certain areas such as a comfortable chair or an arrangement of chairs for intimate chats. Depending on what is outside the windows, it may be a good idea to get rid of curtains altogether and let in the natural light. There are inexpensive blinds that are attractive and modern that will give privacy and still allow more natural light.
   
8. Make a small room bigger with an eye-catching wall mirror. The bigger the better as long as it has an attractive frame and an appropriate wall. Wall mirrors come in all sizes and have frames of wood, metal or leather and are also frame-less. Several mirrors of various sizes and shapes well arranged on a wall will add interest, light and may be easier to find than good art.

Authors Bio:

Brent Wayne is a 22 years old housing and finance writer. He mostly spends his time writing blog posts and editorials for Mortgageloan.com. Do send him a nudge over at brentzie@gmail.com if you'd like to say hello.

The solar chimney house

Director Paul Taylor interviews architect John Bulcock about a solar chimney house in Kuala Lumpur.

Age Gain Now Empathy System

MIT's aging suit, the Age Gain Now Empathy System or AGNES, helps architects to understand the needs of elderly.

On the Boards: Leblon Offices

Courtesy Richard Meier & Partners

A high-end, 10-story building located in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro designed by Architects Richard Meier & Parnters. The façades feature minimal white aluminum and glass heightening a sense of openness taking advantage of the beach front lot.

New Work: Wold Performing Arts Centre

images (c)Robert Benson Photography

The 750-seat 26,500 ft² Wold Performing Arts Centre in Boca Raton, Florida was designed by Newman Architects. The dramatic form of the exterior is made of tilt-up concrete panels, cast and erected on site and interspersed with large glazed openings. The interior of the auditorium is a versatile and intimate space for an array of occasions, and is accessed by a grand two-story lobby from a curved entry canopy.

blog wunderlust: 22nd October 2012

The only way to make truly sustainable architectures is to connect our buildings to nature - not insulate them from it!

Rachel Armstrong

Is This A Joke? ARB Asks BD To Stop Calling Piano And Libeskind ‘Architects’ | The Glass and a Usonian inspired House | Why does Paris look like Paris and New York like New York? | New construction system saves “50 centimetres per floor” | Duchamp-inspired Gue(ho)st Houst in France | Colourized photos of 1931 Moscow | 6 Playful Works of Architecture Inspired by Toys We Love

last word: Latin American Architecture – Six Picks

72 Hour Urban Action

On July 2012, Stuttgart was taken over by 120 creative people, working in 10 international teams. With only three days and nights to design and build interventions in public space, teams stormed sites along the Wagenhallen area and Nordbahnhof street in the centre of the city, where the much debated redevelopment plan of Stuttgart 21 has its most immediate and significant effect.

72 Hour Urban Action | Episode 2 | Stuttgart 2012 from 72 Hour Urban Action on Vimeo.

9 Chains

9 Chains (Buckminster Fuller in Philadelphia) is a film with live music directed and composed by Gene Coleman with cinematography and editing by Nick Lerman.

House of the Week 154: Lucerne

photos (c) Emily Andrews & Ernie Shackles

The Lucerne residence designed by Daniel Marshall Architects is located in Auckland, New Zealand and affords attractive views to inner Waitamata harbour and the Orakei Basin. The geometric design of the house carefully blends a limited palette of materials to create a modern yet subtle home. Via

Affordable Housing Architectural Design Challenge

The National Housing Trust is hosting a competition to conceptualize an affordable home not exceeding J$ 3.2 million. Guidelines for the entries state that they must be;

• aesthetically pleasing
• cost efficient
• structurally sound
• innovative
• expandable
• multi-functional in the use of space
• energy efficient

Participation is encouraged, but not restricted to, those within the built environment such as - architecture students and graduates, designers, contractors, architects and engineers. Overseas entries are required to partner with Jamaican nationals for submissions.

Entries regarding the competition can be sent to: housingexpo2013@nht.gov.jm

Deadline for registration: 26th October 2012
Entry & Submission: 10th December 2012

blog wunderlust: 15th October 2012

Good architecture is like a piece of beautifully composed music crystallized in space that elevates our spirits beyond the limitation of time.

Tao Ho

City of Phoenix: Save the David and Gladys Wright House | All that is built squirms. This is the fundamental reality that applies to buildings | Favela Cloud. New spatial and social possibilities in Rio de Janeiro | 14 Facts You Didn’t Know About Le Corbusier | 13 Works of Japan’s Anime Architecture | One Shed Fits All | Dignifying Design | Architecture for Humanity Uses Design, Construction to Facilitate Community Growth Globally | The best James Bond locations |

last word: I Love Architecture

Lo Curro House

Lo Curro House by S3 Schimdt Architects

People in Glass Houses : Trailer

People in Glass Houses: The Legacy of Joseph Eichler is a documentary produced by Monique Lombardelli featuring the iconic sleek low-slung homes developed by Joseph Eichler in Northern California in 1956 to 1964

On the Boards: Lyric Theatre Belfast

In an attempt to present something differently, these are the pre-construction and presentation images of the now complete Lyric Theatre in Belfast designed by O’Donnell & Tuomey Architects. The building is being is being shortlisted for the 2012 Sterling Prize (you can vote here).

blog wunderlust: 8th October 2012

I hardly dared, in view of your serious employments, to publish my writings and long considered ideas on architecture, for fear of subjecting myself to your displeasure.

Vitruvius Pollio (translated from Latin)

Caribbean School of Architecture by architect Lascelles Dixon

photo (c) architechnophilia

Civic Waterfronts | Sitcom Architects | [video game] prison architect | More Than Machines For Writing | Artist Chris Burden's Quasi-Legal Skyscraper Rises Again | Ai Weiwei’s company faces shutdown | Design Explained in Pie Charts | UK government bans curved school buildings | 10 things you dont get taught in Architecture School and radical pedagogies in architectural education | Modernism in architecture: No exit? | Fewer housing opportunities for the world’s poor


last word: World Habitat Day 2012 - Changing Cities, Building Opportunities

The blog wunderlust is a weekly round up summarizing the architectural highlights, news and web links, that don't otherwise fit the format of this blog. If you have any to share feel free to drop me an email

Dutch Profiles: H+N+S

Dutch Profiles interviews H+N+S Landscape Architects featuring the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, a nature area spanning 55 square kilometres as well as proposals for New Orleans.

TED talks ::: Julian Treasure

Why architects need to use their ears. Because of poor acoustics, students in classrooms miss 50 percent of what their teachers say and patients in hospitals have trouble sleeping because they continually feel stressed. Julian Treasure sounds a call to action for designers to pay attention to the "invisible architecture" of sound.

FCAA 2012 Biennale and Congress Design Competition

The Winners of the FCAA 2012 Biennale and Congress Design Competition, are as follows:

Small Buildings under 10,000 ft² – built
Edwin Quiles-Rodriguez (Puerto Rico) – “Haiti School” – winner
Studio Blue Architects Inc (Barbados) - Special Mentor

Small Buildings under 10,000 ft² – unbuilt
Alain Nicholas (Guadeloupe)- Administrative Tribunal of Fort-de-France – winner

Large Buildings over 10,000 ft² – built
Segundo Cardona (Puerto Rico) - New Library addition to existing supreme court – winner

Large buildings over 10,000 ft² – unbuilt
Pascal Berthelot BMCDM (Guadeloupe) - Memory of Trafficking and Slavery – winner

Urban Design – built
Zoohaus – Mae Durant Vidal (Dominican Republic) – IntelligenciaColectiva – winner

Restoration and contemporary additions to historic buildings
Marc Jalet and Emile Romney (Guadeloupe) – Communauté des Communes de Marie-Galante – winner

Students projects
Reva Watson (Jamaica) - Barbados Naval and Maritime Museum – winner
Ricardo Newallo-Christain (Jamaica) – Barbados Naval and Maritime Museum - Special Mention

House of the Week 101: Wood Box House

© Sjahrial Iqbal/ Griya Asri

The 334 m² Wood Box house Designed by Indra Tata Adilaras is located on a narrow lot in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The home is composed of two concrete volumes that create a double-height transparent box that provides both a rich family space inside, as well an open-air tropical verandah. Large glazed fenestration open to raised gardens and a koi pond giving the living areas a feeling of being slightly underground.

blog wunderlust: 1st October 2012

The position of the artist is humble. He is essentially a channel.

Piet Mondrian

Future looks precarious for young architects or will it? | Energy Management Apps that You Can Afford | RIBA Future Trends Survey Results for August 2012 | Enzo Enea's Tree Museum | LEGO architecture: Villa Savoye | Creative, Handsome and Funny Guys Are Architects | Rare + Fibrous | 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe: And the winner is ... | rare architectural drawings by Frank Furness | Happy World Architecture Day! |

last word: Haiti´s first Ministry of Housing