Gift Ideas #2 - Those who appreciate architecture, or love the city!

This gift idea post isn't really geared only towards architects or photographers. This is for the person in your life who loves the city, who perhaps is an architect, or maybe is just into cool accent pillows.

Click on the photo to see all the pillow sets they offer.

Or, click here to see their blog with photos of cool buildings they enjoy.

Photoshoot for Hoehne Clark Fine Furniture & Design

Back again dear readers! Over a month ago I did a photoshoot for Hoehne Clark Fine Furniture & Design. The house needed no staging at all for these photos, it was fantastic! It was absolutely beautiful, and the pieces Hoehne Clark did were gorgeous. 

Click on any of the photos to check out more work on their facebook page!

Gift Ideas #3 - Aspiring Architect Edition

Is there a little one in your life who wants to grow up to be an architect? Don't get them Lincoln Logs or Architect Barbie. Be the cool aunt/uncle/dad/relative/friend and get something more inspiring!

If the youngster is a girl, check out this book.

And if you're trying to shop local, check out your nearest independent book store. I don't buy a lot of children's books, so I'm not sure if this would have to be ordered. Maybe call first before you go out and battle holiday traffic. :)

Does your aspiring architect like Legos? (Who wouldn't!) I'm sure you have seen these awesome famous landmark/building Legos.

Kits available include Big Ben, the White House, Fallingwater and more!

If your young architect wants more creative freedom, then maybe this is a better idea.

This looks pretty darn cool if I do say so myself. I used to use dominoes  to do something like this when I was younger. I'm a bit jealous. The link for this seems to be a cheaper price than I've seen.

Any more ideas please post in the comments! As always, click on the image to see more about the item at their websites.

Life of an Architect.

A friend introduced me to this website the other day. It's an interesting blog for those wondering what being an architect is really like, those that can relate or sympathize. I've only managed to watch a minute or two of How I Met Your Mother, and from the little I saw, I know the one character does not correctly portray someone who works at an architectural firm. Or perhaps he was off that day and that's how he had so much free time.... ;)

I particularly enjoyed "What's an architects day like". Read. Enjoy!


http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/

I think I could work from home....

...if I had a space like this.


I mean really... how could you not get a lot of work done if you were separated from your house, but on your own property, let alone you worked in a very cool little building that used to be a shed?

Then again, maybe I wouldn't get much work done because I'd have an amazing view like that little designer's studio does. 

While you're checking out more photos of the shed/office conversion, check out more work by Hinterland Design. 

Recycled Spaces... from trains

After looking through these articles, I really want to find an old train and convert it into a sweet little house. I mean, how cool is this? 

That photo is actually a bed and breakfast (still cool), but me and my love for recycled spaces would move in there in a heartbeat.

This is another awesome place I'd live. It's in Portland and I'm having a hard time finding more information on it., although I do know it's for sale!

Check out this article to see more homes made out of not only trains, but buses and even a garbage truck.
http://www.oddee.com/item_98338.aspx

Dwell's Free Online Mag.

I subscribe to Dwell magazine. I'm really picky about my architectural magazines, and Dwell seems to be one of my favorites. I got an email from them the other day about their free online magazine, or digital issue I guess it's officially called, Indoor Outdoor Living. It's a bit like an ad from Western Windows, but interesting nonetheless.

It is completely dedicated to homes without boundaries from the outside. Or, outside spaces not stopped by walls and windows. It depends on the space and the room. I love it love it love it.

Give it a look see and see what you think.

Winos are us.

 I came across a flooring company called Fontenay that recycles used wine barrels into beautiful and unique flooring. I'm not sure which I like best, the wine stained floor, the printed barrel floor, or the flooring made with the part of the barrel marked up by the metal rings.

As always, click on the image to go to their website.

Ugly buildings

I'm all about recycling buildings, or working with what you have. It pains me to see buildings torn down for no real reason.

Some buildings however, are such an eye sore that you can't help but gawk or turn your head.

California Home & Design compiled their list of 25 Buildings to Demolish Right Now. Check them out, and add any buildings you think are missing.

I have to agree with a few on the list... Grave's Portland Building, Gehry's EPM Museum which looks like a mechanical heart gone wrong, and the Oakely Headquarters is seriously laughable.

Futuristic houses... abandoned

Poking around the internet I found a blog written about some flickr photos from Taiwan. Apparently these houses/apartments were to be some sort of resort, but it doesn't seem like that lasted very long, or if it even officially opened. The aerial view from Google Maps is quite amusing.

The flickr photos don't seem as edited as they are on the blog.. but you should still click both links and check them out...

From the blog...

From the flickr page...

Recycled Spaces

Dwell has an interesting article about an American couple converting a 17th century warehouse in Amsterdam into a living space. I absolutely LOVE recycled spaces and dream of my own challenge one day.

I do not, however, like the painted brick. I really, really, really do not like painted brick. I realize it brings in more light, but I rather have the natural look than an artificial, oddly textured wall. Painted brick is right on up there with aluminum siding. Why hide your walls?

In any case, click on the photo to view more photos!

Claustrophobia

Great photos taken of Kowloon Walled City before it was demolished.

"The area was made up of 300 interconnected high-rise buildings, built without the contributions of a single architect and ungoverned by Hong Kong's health and safety regulations"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139914/A-rare-insight-Kowloon-Walled-City.html#ixzz1uEP2eMAz

To see more photos from Greg Girard, click here.

Converted Houses

I LOVE LOVE LOVE houses that were once used for other purposes...old factory, church, warehouse...you name it.

A house that used to be a lighthouse is something I haven't seen much of...


The one above kind of scares the crap out of me though. I rather live in a lighthouse that is, well, on land. With a drive way instead of an ocean.



That's better.




Oh wait. Better till high tide!

Or, you could just stay in one overnight. Also fun.

Julius Shulman

I just finished watching a documentary on the greatest architectural photographer to date. Julius Shulman's photos filled every architecture text book we had in college, although at the time I did not know who the photographer was, nor did I realize it was mostly the same photographer.

He was an amazing man, and the documentary is something all architects and architectural photographers should watch. A friend of mine who is an artist actually brought it to my attention, and even he enjoyed the film.

This is one of the many famous photos taken by Shulman.

Barbie vs Legos

It was brought to my attention that Mattel now makes Architect Barbie.



It's kind of cool - she comes with blue prints, a little model of a house, and a hard hat.

I don't think it's going to make your daughter want to grow up to be an architect. That's what Legos are for. :)



Although Legos have gotten much cooler since I was a kid.

Photography

I've always been interested in Photography. Most people are, as it is a common interest - especially with the prices of point-and-shoot digital cameras going down. I can't help but be one of those die hard stick-in-the-muds and say that I like film better. The film vs. digital war is as common as Coke vs. Pepsi or PCs vs. Macs. There is no one right answer or opinion, but everyone will still argue their points.


Back to photography... So after Architecture school I decided that I wanted to spend more money on schooling and learn photography. There are fields of photography that I could never get into, and am amazed at those photographers who venture into wedding photography, portrait photography and sports photography. Kudos to all of you in that field who love it! My course had us touch upon all aspects and fields of photography, and I just could not grasp those three. That is one thing people don't realize, that just because you are a photographer doesn't mean you excel in every field. Every time someone asks me about portraits and weddings, I send them off to friends of mine who specialize in those fields.


I drove my cousin mad while visiting her in Austria, making her wait while I took just "one more quick photo" of something interesting. You don't have to go outside of the country to get great photos, but I can't help but feel that photos of something a little out of the ordinary, or a little different from what you're used to, are the ones that catch your eye.