Styleture

The architectural firm Kieran Timberlake based in Philadelphia was just allowed to release their new design for the new $1 billion dollar US Embassy slated to be built in London to replace the existing embassy in the ritzy Mayfair area of London. The new embassy was designed to use the landscape as a very important security feature. The use of moats, hills and the fact that it will be set back from any roads will allow the new embassy to have an appealing exterior with gardens and fields, which is a departure from the bunker-esque look of the old embassy. Some are criticizing the design because it is far off the beaten path when compared with the location of the main part of London, while others are praising the designs use of low-key, yet highly effective security measures.  What do you think of the new design?

Here are some images of the new design taken from usembassy.org.uk. Click on any image for a larger version:

Old US Embassy in London

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This amazing 4 bedroom, 4,000 square foot house has recently gone on the market and is a beautiful example of the mix of modern architecture in a natural environment. The house was recently built by the architectural firm BUILD llc and is located on Washington state’s beautiful Bainbridge Island.  The home was designed to be both modern and beautiful, but to also cater to an active lifestyle that would include spending time in the beautiful outdoors surrounding the home. The home sits on the edge of Murden Cove, just a 35 minute ferry ride across the water to Seattle.

The home was completed in 2008 and was recently featured in the AIA exhibit “New Edge/New Blood.” The amazing views and beach access stood out to us on this property, coupled with the clean and modern interiors and exteriors. Some sustainable aspects of the home include its rainscreen system (rainscreen siding system composed of Cembonit panels by CBF), the use of natural gravel hardscape, an orchard of low-growing fruit trees and the use of Bamboo vertical grain flooring just to name a few.

To learn more about this home and to find the listing agent, please visit bainbridgeislandmodernhome.com

Images by BUILD llc

Back of Bainbridge Home

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This residential project in Montauk New York was done by the team at Pentagram Architects with the help of Hastings Tile & Bath.  The tile designs are all custom creations by Gio Ponti that are produced by the Italian supplier Ceramica Bardelli, which is distributed exclusively by Hastings Tile & Bath in the United States.

This design is being entered in the Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Competition 2010 by the Architectural Firm, Pentagram Architects. Click on any image for a larger version:

Montauk Project

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The results are in!

We asked our Facebook Fans and our Twitter Followers what famous architect or designer they would want to meet, past or present and here is the list of the architects that we received. It is really impossible to sum up any one of these architects, but we’ve done our best to give readers a brief snapshot of their lives and their work. Feel free to comment below with your choice, or to Tweet us your favorite or respond on Facebook!

Frank Lloyd Wright

1. Frank Lloyd Wright - It is no surprise here that Frank Lloyd Wright was chosen more times than any other designer OR architect. As one of the most famous and glamorous architects in the United States with over 1,000 works and 500 completed works all across the country bringing droves of visitors year after year, Frank Lloyd Wright has left his mark on the country.

While it wasn’t noted by anyone in particular, there is something about Frank’s actual life story that also intrigues people. Frank did live a tumultuous life that was unpredictable as he did what he wanted without a care which you could see in his work and his personal life.

Frank left his wife and six children to take up with a client’s wife, Mamah Cheney, which was a very scandalous relationship for those days. They traveled across Europe before settling down in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Mamah, her two children, and four others were murdered later by Frank’s male servant from Barbados while Frank was working in Chicago.  The killer, Julian Carlton, set fire to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s estate, and attacked the people escaping the fire with an axe. His life was then filled with more marriages & divorces, a wife with a morphine addiction, custody battles and even a long term marriage with his last wife whom he was with until he passed in 1959. Frank led an extremely interesting life, and he never retired, working until he passed at the age of 91.

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This excerpt has been provided by ConstructionManagementDegree.org. Please visit their website to see the rest of the worldwide destinations .

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Top American Travel Spots For Architecture Buffs

You don’t have to leave any of the 50 states to see these architectural wonders.

1. San Francisco : See the Golden Gate bridge, China Town, Fisherman’s Wharf, and more all in one city. This article includes restaurant and hotel reviews, along with San Francisco for kids. There is also information on walking tours and the city in a day. A must see sight for architecture buffs includes The Painted Ladies, an ornately decorated Victorian home.

2. Boston : Although the capital of the United States contains many historical landmarks, this city contains impressive architectural appeal. Buildings from the colonial era still remain, including the Old North Church and Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was born. Other architectural goodies include the John Hancock Tower and Quincy Market. This article from “The Boston Herald” shows how to enjoy the city at half price.

3. New York : With museums, bridges, churches, and more, New York is one of the most recognized cities in the world. Building styles include everything from art deco, to the most recent in American architecture. You can also see lesser known synagogues, clubs, theatres, and more. A must visit for any architecture buff or lover of travel.

4. Chicago : Architecture buffs with a special love of skyscrapers will enjoy this city. From the well known Sears Tower to the lesser known 311 South Whacker Drive, a trip to the top of these buildings can show you four states all at once. Famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright has various buildings throughout the city which are open to the public. The local paper also has tips on where to shoot your photos, take a happy hour on the water, and more.

5. Los Angeles : Buildings such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Getty museum are a must visit for architecture buffs. The city also boasts historical Hollywood buildings such as the Roosevelt Hotel and Mann’s Chinese Theater. Other architectural achievements include churches, galleries, neighborhoods, and more.

6. Portland : Lovers of green architecture will enjoy this city. Portland architects design their buildings to blend in with their surroundings, making for a distinctive visit. There are also many municipal fountains worth viewing, along with the Pioneer Courthouse Square and other destinations.

7. Seattle : Come for the Space Needle, stay for the architecture. The Seattle Architecture Foundation takes great pride in showing visitors the artistic side of the city. Various tours include Architecture 101, Art Deco, Gay Pioneer Square, and many more. Don’t forget to have a look at the gigantic glass public library.

8. Philadelphia : Another city with a historic past, Philadelphia has options for architecture buffs who enjoy both past and present works. Famous homes include those of Walt Whitman and Betsy Ross. The local paper has more resources for visiting the city and planning your trip.

9. Las Vegas : Not just a hot spot for parties and gambling, this Nevadan city also has options for the architecturally minded. AskMen.com lists the top five design destination including the Crystals, El Cortez, and Beijing Noodle. The number one spot? The Veer Towers combines unbelievable design to create a work of wonder.

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the Arts and Crafts movement took place as  designers and manual craftsmen were outraged at the designs of the Industrial Revolution. The true craftsmen of this time period saw how the products of the Industrial Revolution were being mass produced by machines and rebelled against this revolution with a movement of their own, hoping that their handcrafted work using simple forms and natural materials would pull through and escape extinction from the power of the Industrial Revolution. The movement also hit on political reform, and was focused on the equality of all the arts, while highlighting the pleasure taken in creating handmade art and works.

The Arts and Crafts Movement began in England, spread to Canada, Australia and America where it was also called “Craftsman”.  The Arts & Crafts movement took hold in America about 1890, but did not really begin to influence architecture until the 20th Century. The movement also influenced domestic design and decorative arts by bringing more natural materials, traditional craftsmanship and economic reform into this style.

During this movement Charles and Henry Greene, began to design houses on the West Coast that combined Arts and Crafts concepts with the simple wooden architecture of Asian countries. In the Midwest Frank Lloyd Wright also adapted his own version of Arts & Crafts which is known as the Prairie Style. And on the East Coast, Gustav Stickley created a new design of furniture which also used the Arts and Crafts movement as its influence.

Many older designs are becoming new again and although the revival of Arts & Crafts is not necessarily new (circa 1980), it is very exciting. We have seen this revival take on very interesting designs as some interior designers, artists and architects are now coupling a more traditional Arts & Crafts style with contemporary elements and designs. The detail, care and joy one takes while building or creating an Arts & Crafts home, design or piece of decor, art or furniture is outstanding, whether it was made in the early 1900’s or 2010. One thing is for sure, designers, artists and architects all love making things, and what better way to do this then to make it by hand?

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”  William Morris

Here are just a few Arts & Crafts examples:

Father Jose Mut's dining room at Mission San Juan Capistrano

Photograph by Robert A. Estremo, copyright 2005.

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Please see below for a list of places you can donate to help in the Haiti Earthquake relief!

Before the 7.0 earthquake hit on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Haiti was as much of a third world country as any place in the world. Even before the hurricanes that hit the small island nation in 2008 the country was extremely impoverished, with massive illiteracy rates, lack of food, clean water, supplies, medical facilities and doctors.

Now that this poor nation has been struck with the worst earthquake in its history, it is up to us to do what we can to provide relief to the survivors in hope that they will not need to live amongst the dead and destruction left by this massive disaster. We must do what we can for this country in hope that the future of this impecunious land will be brighter than the past or the present.

Please see below for a list of places you can donate to help in the Haiti Earthquake relief!

Because Haiti is such a poor country the architecture is limited, and in all truth the only architecture that really matters in this country are the homes, schools and hospitals that have been built by aid organizations in order to help the people of Haiti. The two leading organizations that have contributed to the architecture of this country are the World Architecture Community and Architecture for Humanity. Architecture for Humanity is collecting donations for the rebuild of Haiti, but right now water and medical supplies are needed most urgently, so take that into account before you make a donation (e.g. Architecture for Humanity might be a better place to donate to once the relief efforts have been completed).

Other Haiti Earthquake Relief Organizations

• American Red Cross
• American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles
• American Refugee Committee
• The White House, Help for Haiti
• Salvation Army
• Doctors Without Borders
• USAID
• Feed My Starving Children
• UNICEF
• Healing Haiti
• Healing Hands for Haiti
• Partners in Health
• Haiti Outreach

Here are some architectural projects that have been completed or were underway before the quake:

New Haiti School

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Motoko Ishii is an important and influential Architectural Lighting Designer for a number of reasons. She is famous for her lighting design artistry, as well as her accomplishments beyond the scope of her lighting projects. Motoko Ishii was able to break through the male dominated architectural community in Japan, which at the time did not welcome women into the industry. Not only did she break through the mould, but she also became a dominant authority in the architectural lighting design industry.

She went on to create her lighting design firm, Motoko Ishii Lighting Design Inc., which is headquartered in Tokyo. Her firm has received numerous international awards including more than 30 awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). She has also won many domestic prizes such as the Illuminating Engineering Society of Japan for the Diffusion of Lighting project, as well as the Tokyo Metropolitan Prize of Culture from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to name just a few.

Her seamless integration of complex and innovative technology has resulted in a visual aesthetic that was very successful in bringing additional personality and dimensionality to the original structure. She was also one of the first lighting designers to use colored light in outdoor applications. Some of her largest event designs include the Expo of 1985 in Tsukuba Japan, the light-up festival of Yokohama Japan, and Japan Flora 2000. She was also the lighting designer for the Japan cities of Osaka, Hakodate, Himeji and Kurashiki, as well as the gasshō-zukuri village at Shirakawa. Other major projects include the Osaka and Himeji Castles; the Akashi Straits and the Yokohama Bay Bridges; the Heisei Building at the Tokyo National Museum; the Gifu World Fresh Water Aquarium; the station building of Tokyo Station; Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, and Yebisu Garden Place. Visit her site at motoko-ishii.co.jp for more information.

Here are just a few of her lighting designs:

World Freshwater Fish Park

via Motoko-Ishii.co.jp

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Amsterdam has a nice variety of amazing and rare architecture ranging from Gothic, Dutch Renaissance,  Baroque, neo-styles, Art Deco, Amsterdamse School, modern architecture and more. When touring the architecture of Amsterdam there is something for everyone to enjoy! Famous for its canals, Amsterdam’s city center canals provide an excellent view of 17th and 18th century buildings and houses. Each building has its own story, as the Keizersgracht, number 123 is famous for the  ‘House with the Heads’ story where it is said that a maid caught six burglars red-handed and beheaded them with an axe. Building number 546 has one of Amsterdam’s most beautiful clock gables.

The Architecture Centre Amsterdam (ARCAM) works to promote the beautiful architecture in Amsterdam. In 2003, they completed the build of this new location with its fabulous modern style. The design of the ARCAM was done by architect René van Zuuk and the Centre continues to be an excellent source of information about Amsterdam’s vibrant architectural scene.

When you think of Amsterdam, many people think of the city center canals.  In addition to these canals there are also modern canals which provide a stark contrast to the 17th- and 18th-century designs that dominate the old city and the original canals. The 21st century residences Eastern Harbor Islands are man-made peninsulas which show interesting modern buildings in a variety of styles and designs.

Here are a few pictures of notable architectural designs in Amsterdam. Click any image for a larger version:

Amsterdam City Center Canals

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This church, located in Utrecht was used as a showroom for antique furnishings for a number of years after it was used for worship, before it was converted into a residence by Zecc Architects. Zecc has found itself a little niche in complete church renovations, the last being the Church of Living, also in Utrecht and which was nominated for the Dutch Design Award back in 2008. In this newest residential redesign, the architects inserted an entire second level into the church with a modern look. The architects were trying to emphasize the spatial qualities and sight lines of the church with this second floor.

To keep the façade of the church undamaged, Zecc did not add any window frames, but instead used the enormous interior as a way to create external feeling spaces indoors through the use of internal patios that receive sunlight throughout the day.

Front of Church

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