26 Mar 2010
I already wrote a post on why modern style residential projects cost more to build (here) but I thought it would be nice to look at one of my firm’s projects to see if the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Take a look at these photos and look for the little details.(…)
25 Mar 2010
I like tell clients that everyone needs to have skin in the game, that both architect and client are accountable to one another and while we both have something to gain, we both also have something to lose. I received some questions about hourly fees that I didn’t address the first time around so let’s revisit hourly fees –
24 Mar 2010
I have been struggling with the popularity of a post I wrote listing reasons “not” to be an architect. I am also learning that the effort I put into my writing is out of balance with the rest of my life so, if you are thinking about starting your own blog of original content, be warned(…)
23 Mar 2010
The Saint Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Churchtransformed a generic shop building into a place of worship and fellowship. The existing structure was oriented in opposition to the Eastern axis that typically prevails in an Orthodox Church, so a narrow addition was placed on the western side, allowing the narthex to be folded, ending at the base of the tower. The skylight tower pours red light down into the transition between the narthex and the sanctuary, giving a moment of pause before entering to worship. A narrow cross is suspended on the western side of the tower, back-lit by the morning sun to become a beacon for arriving parishioners. Once inside the sanctuary, a transom that spans the entire width of the space faces east and bathes the space in soft morning light during Sunday morning services. The exterior skin is a box rib metal panel, common in local industrial buildings, while the interior finishes are kept simple, though handled carefully. Portions of the existing building are still exposed, reminding visitors of the history of the site and the transformation the church has undergone. (descriptive text taken from the website of Marlon Blackwell Architect)
22 Mar 2010
I have been struggling lately with a post I wrote some time ago about the top ten reasons to not be an architect and the top ten reasons to be an architect. When I wrote these, it was a response to another blog I saw where the author was really down on the profession of architecture and(…)
19 Mar 2010
I asked Marlon how the neighbors responded to the house and he told me that they have an open door policy and I am pretty sure all his neighbors have been through to take a look. The house is the same scale as the other houses in the nieghborhood and the wood rainscreen that clads the house goes a long way to soften any perceive harshness of the forms.
18 Mar 2010
In one of my conversations with Marlon Blackwell, I asked him how his work was received in this community; Did they care that he has an international reputation, won loads of design awards, and was the current Head of Architecture at the University of Arkansas? That this seems like an outwardly traditional community, not demonstrative, and that there are very few things that seem to intentionally draw attention to themselves.
17 Mar 2010
This 4,000 square foot office building is tucked back in an office park and is demonstratively unique compared to the other buildings in the development (most of which look more like tract housing than office buildings). The front facade of the building does not face the street but that is far from the the only thing that makes this building different than most commercial buildings. The front entry way is easy to find but not so easy to see – Marlon calls this a “slipped entry”. At the knuckle where the masonry base rotates off from the metal clad two-story, the fissure that is created is where
16 Mar 2010
I got up early this morning so that I could get things going only t o see that it was gray and gloomy outside – bummer. Trying to practice with my new camera and overcast isn’t going to give me very many options (at least not at my skill level). The haze burned off around(…)
15 Mar 2010
Surprise! – I wasn’t planning on being in Arkansas but here I am. I have some unexpected business to take care of but luckily for me, I have a sister who lives in Fayetteville I so I get to spend time with her and her family (4 kids!). My business will only tie me up for the(…)
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