Susie Vaillancourt

July 16, 2010

Frank Lloyd Wright – Chicago Architect of Excellence

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , — deokeytp @ 5:12 pm


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No other single person transformed twentieth century Chicagoland hospital architecture more than did Frank Lloyd Wright, who was unquestionably the most famous architect in America. Born in Wisconsin, Wright had no formal training in architecture before he came to Chicago in 1887. He obtained employment in the office of architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee as a draftsman, but it was Louis H. Sullivan who mentored him and taught him to view architecture as a creative balance between the function and environment of a structure rather than merely accepting traditional architectural conventions and precedents.

Frank Lloyd Wright opened his own architectural firm in 1893 in the Chicago south suburbs healthcare area of Oak Park. Many of his employees went on to major architectural careers, including Barry Byrne, William Drummond, Marion Mahoney, and Walter Burley Griffin. Wright’s early twentieth century residential plans, which came to be known as the Prairie Style, represented a new approach to architecture which resists categorization. At a time when the typical American home was designed with rectangles upon rectangles, Wright’s homes were human-scaled and flowing reflecting ideal conditions for living rather than rigid boxes within boxes. Prairie style architecture was conceived as modern architecture for a democratic American society. Distinguishing features of the Prairie style include horizontal proportions with flat stucco or brick walls, often outlined by strips of wood in contrasting colors; abstract, geometrically ornamental windows; and gable or hip roofs with widely overhanging eaves.

Because the Prairie style originated in Chicago, there are many examples in the Chicago metropolitan area, particularly in Beverly, Hyde Park, and Rogers Park. Some of Wright’s early Prairie style homes, including the Coonley House in Riverside Illinois and the Robie House, have become major monuments in architectural history. Wright also experimented with innovative affordable housing, such as American System-built Houses and the Waller Apartments. In total, Frank Lloyd Wright designed over three hundred buildings, with over a hundred in the Chicagoland healthcare area alone.

For example, the Charnley House located at 1365 North Astor St. was built in 1891 as a collaboration of two world-renowned architects, Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. This structure, built for Chicago lumber dealer James Charley, exhibits the massive geometry and detailing of Louis Sullivan together with an early hint of Wright’s Prairie style design and planning. It is an urban townhouse which takes maximum advantage of a small city lot. Wright later called it the first modern house and it was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1972. The Roloson Houses at 3213-3219 South Calumet Ave. were built in 1894 and are the only row houses which Wright designed which were actually built. The facades show the steeply-pitched rectangular and triangular bands of windows which characterize English Tudor Revival architectural style.

These row houses were designed by Wright shortly after he left Louis Sullivan’s firm and thus show many Sullivan influences, such as the terra-cotta ornamentation, reminiscent of Louis Sullivan’s style which embellishes the spandrel between the top two floors. They were designated a Chicago landmark in 1979. The Walser House at 42 North Central Ave. was built in 1903, and it represents one of the best of Wright’s experiments with inexpensive residential design. Although located on a narrow city lot, this house possesses all of the characteristics of Wright’s mature Prairie style including horizontal emphasis which results from the deep roof eaves and the bands of windows, straightforward employment of simple materials, and a spacious but functional open interior plan. It was designated a Chicago landmark in 1984.

From its origins in Chicagoland healthcare, Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence and his Prairie style spread to a world-wide architectural movement. Chicagoland hospital is just one of over a hundred buildings in the Chicago area which attest to Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative genius.

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How to Find the Architect Right For You

Filed under: Architec — Tags: — deokeytp @ 3:17 am


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Behind every well-designed building is a talented architect. But building an edifice is a committed and costly project that can cause many frustrations. Many people want to hire an architect to help them design a fabulous structure, but are not sure where to look. This article includes a few suggestions on how to find the right architect for your project.

First of all, before searching for an architect, establish the goals for your building. Everything from size and energy-efficiency to budget needs should be on your list. When talking to potential architects, ensure that they can deliver on as many goals on your list as possible. And make sure that you talk to several potential architects to good understanding of feasibility and price.

Further, when searching for an architect, look at buildings that are similar in purpose to the one that you want to build–whether it be a house, a church, a school building, or another structure. Find one that you admire both stylistically and functionally and then do some research to find out who the designer and architect of the building was. It’s also not a bad idea to find out who the builders were as well, so that you can contact and interview them about their experience with the architect, asking them if he or she was reliable, delivered projects on time, and stayed within budget. If you receive a good report, you can then contact the architect yourself to find more about what his or her rates are.

By following these few simple guidelines, you can be more confident in finding the perfect architect to design your building.

Lococo Architects (http://www.donaldlococoarchitects.com/) is a architect. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.

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July 5, 2010

Lutyens Bench – Inspired by Architect Sir Edwin Lutyens

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , — deokeytp @ 8:35 pm


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British Architect Sir Edwin Lutyens is the inspiration for the Lutyens Bench. This Architect was the designer of many fine English country houses as well as much of the architectural design in New Delhi. He also designed the Viceroy’s House, now known as Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate as well as many other monuments in collaboration with Sir Herbert Baker.

The Luytens Bench is very distinctive in its design, and certainly not the normal park type bench. It is constructed completely from teak, is attractive with rounded arms and a cut-out back rest.

The aptness of having the Lutyens Bench in an English country garden setting is compounded by the fact that Sir Edwin Lutyens partnered on many private commissions with renowned horticulturist and garden designer – Gertrude Jekyll. The “Lutyens-Jekyll” garden typically overflows with brick paths, herbaceous plantings, hardy shrubbery, classical stairs and balustrades.

This new and very natural style was very much in contrast to the formal bedding scheme which previous generations propagated. It is this kind of informal setting which makes the Lutyens Bench so perfect to finish it off. Sir Edwin Lutyens is revered for the fact that he was able to adapt traditional architectural styles to imaginatively meet the standards and requirement of his era.

These benches with classic lines come in two sizes, 150cm and 190cm and they are built to last and to live out of doors. They can be left untreated or you can keep them looking in new condition with regular maintenance, they will age very gracefully and last more than a lifetime, even with the tardiest of care.

Find a special place in your garden for your Lutyens Bench, maybe a quite arbour with herbaceous borders where you enjoy sitting quietly and reading or contemplating, you will find it fits in perfectly, almost as though it was meant to be. A bench such as this will last a lifetime and its classic styling never goes out of fashion.

When choosing your Lutyens Bench make sure it has been built with a grade materials and has quality construction, spending just a little extra on your Bench can mean it will last for many years or decades, a worthwhile investment.

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June 28, 2010

Thinking of Adding Space to Your House? Hire an Architect

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , — deokeytp @ 8:26 am


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There are some common misconceptions about architects, perhaps the most typical being that architects are only hired for designing a house from the ground up. Even then, you might be tempted to shy away from using an architect thinking that they’re all of the Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier or Mies van der Rohe ilk (either that or you’re thinking, “Who are these people?”).

Architects, despite their whimsical nature, are very practical and skilled professionals. If you want to make your home bigger by building an addition, adding another floor or expanding the attic, an architect can turn your dream into reality, all the while taking into account the current building’s structure, designing the addition to scale and blending it with the original building.  Steven Lindy of Lindy Consulting Limited says that “all major remodeling projects can benefit from the design help of an architect because with thoughtful evaluation and design, architects can meet and often surpass your expectations.”

But architects won’t just design “another pretty addition,’” there’s substance there too. Lindy says, “it’s the architect‘s job to design the project to satisfy building codes and meet specific structural demands. And striking that balance between aesthetic beauty and structural safety is no easy task.” Another advantage to using an architect is his ability to “troubleshoot” when problems arise during construction. An architect can work with the contractor to rework any structural versus design issues that might arise.

Flexibility in service: Architects can be hired for as little or as much of the project as you need. They can draw up a set of detailed plans from which a contractor can provide a quote and leave it at that, or they can be hired to follow the project right through to completion to make sure plans are being followed accurately.

Architects can deliver “Green Design: Many architects are becoming “LEED” Accredited Professionals (LEED stands for “Leadership in Environment and Energy Design”). This means that their knowledge of green design methods, energy efficiency and more “eco-friendly” materials can deliver you a home that costs less to run, more energy efficient, with better indoor air quality.

Cathy Rust writes a weekly column featuring new products from counter tops to flooring, energy efficiency and green building products and services. See http://blog.homestars.com for more articles.
HomeStars.com is a free website where you can read and write reviews on home improvement companies in your neighbourhood. http://www.homestars.com

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June 24, 2010

The Place of a Home Extension Architect in a Home Extension Project

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , — deokeytp @ 10:53 pm


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If you are considering extending your home soon, then chances are that you will need the services of a home extension architect. The home extension architect is one of the emerging specialists in architecture, alongside the likes of the environmental architect, the residential architect and so on. These are typically professionals with strong backgrounds in general architecture, who then go on to specialize, through further training and extensive project involvement, in the respective areas.

The need to involve an architect comes as ‘news’ to many people going on such projects. But the truth of the matter is that the home extension – if it is to be properly hacked – may actually call for more skill than what was involved in the first building of the property; hence the need for a specialized architect.

What is worth noting about the involvement of a home-extension architect in the project is that this is not just about the aesthetics of the project, but also about the safety of the extension. Indeed, in many legal jurisdictions, it becomes a mandatory requirement – because there have been cases of what were initially very sound structures ending up being compromised during extensions, so that they become unsafe. And an unsafe structure as we all know, is not only dangerous to the owner, but to the general public as well; for there is no knowing when it could come tumbling, and who it could end up falling on.

So like the architect who is involved in the initial design of the building, the roles of the home extension architect can be seen as two-fold. On the one hand, this is the professional who (perhaps in concert with the structural engineer) will ensure that the structures that make the extension possible are safe – that they won’t come tumbling the very next day. And on the other hand, this is also the professional who will ensure that the structures are aesthetically appealing, for there have also been cases of otherwise beautiful buildings ending up completely messed up during extension, when the extension projects are not properly thought out.

In the face of the unique challenges involved in home-extension projects, it is not unheard of architects who are otherwise very highly experienced in general architecture (in the designing of absolutely new buildings, that is) expressing reservations about going on home extension projects. Their advise to you, when you approach them with such a project will be that you should go to a home extension architect.

An encounter with a home extension architect will usually start with a visit to his or her office, where you get to brief them on what you generally want. The second step would be for them to visit the site, and make a professional assessment of the project. And the third step would be for them to work out the specifics of the project in their studio, with the end result of this step being the drawings they develop and hand to the builders who are to be involved in the actual project. After this, the role of the home extension architect is reduced to a supervisory role – to ensure that the blueprints they developed for the project are followed, so as to come up with both a structurally sound, and aesthetically appealing building.

Saki is a leading Sydney residential architect. He has also been widely involved in home extension projects, so much that his very name has come to be seen as being synonymous with the phrase home extension architect Sydney which he uses as his the tagline for his architecture firm.

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June 21, 2010

The Competitive Advantage of the Architect

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , — deokeytp @ 4:00 am


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When writing about competitive advantage, one immediately thinks about Michael Porter. When extending his field of analysis one could wonder whether some professionals have competitive advantage over others. For example: does an architect have a competitive advantage over a business consultant or an advisor?

The first question is than to ask where both (architect versus business consultant or management advisor) compete? Their domains seem so different at first hand.

Yet a closer look shows that this is not completely true. Both work with organizations, are contracted by a manager who is the sponsor of their project. The architect has an advisory role during the early stage of the project where he is to advise about the solution. In most cases the solution is to build a new office or let’s say: a hospital.

The management advisor is engaged in this process advising the manager on what to do best. He may develop a few scenarios where a new hospital is one of the solutions, but other scenarios may not involve bricks and mortar.

The competitive advantage of the architect resides in:

1. His profession. Architects are professionals that have studied, received a degree and are sealed into their career the same way as lawyers are. This whole trajectory offers business sponsors confidence that when hiring an architect they can trust on the outcome of the process. Obviously there are many examples where buildings are not functional, leak at delivery or other malpractices, but that is universal and not confined to the architectural profession or industry. The title of architect is a protected title only real architects can use.

Business consultants or advisors on the other hand may have an academic background, yet their expertise is less focused and their title is … just what it is.

2. Building and construction.

Buildings and constructions are imaginative. When contracting an architect a business sponsor most often already knows that he wants a new hospital. The only question is how and what exactly. A new building can service innovation easier than a reorganization could, and even when the effects of a new building do last only temporarily the solution to build wins in an emotional decision taking process. It is just what people want. It’s sexy and new (young) is better than old.

3. The language of the architect.

A third competitive advantage of the architect lies in the domain of language. The architect is able like no other (business consultant or advisor) to speak a language that everyone in the company understands. It is a language of future design, but also one of today’s reality, of solutions and style where all stakeholders can have their say. And everybody may have an opinion on.

In both cases (architect versus consultant) the language is about building; building a hospital, team building, building relationships, etc…

Yet. Both business consultants as well as advisors are limited in their language usage. They are too focused on a specific element of the solution (the design of the organization in case of the advisor) or the design of the new business (for the business consultant). Both areas however never really meet.

The architect can build the bridge between the two domains.

© copyright 2009 Hans Bool

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June 11, 2010

Drafting Tables – For The Architect Or Artist In You

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , — deokeytp @ 10:05 am


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Many people, whether they are architects, artists or simply people who spend a lot of time at their desk have found out that drafting tables will give them exactly what they need when it comes to space and support, and you might turn out to be no different. No matter what use you have for them, drafting tables are coming to be quite popular, and with a little bit of investigation, it is easy to see why. The most basic drafting table involves the use of a large flat surface that you can adjust to any sort of angle or inclination that you prefer, and along with that versatility, you’ll find that there are a great deal of advantages as well.

We all remember those slanted desks that we worked on when we were in school, and how our pencils and supplies would roll off at the least provocation, but remember that there is a reason that slant was there! When you can adjust the slant to your whim, you’ll find that long hours at the desk won’t cramp your posture and make you feel stiff and sore when you get up. When you work at a conventional desk, whether you are drawing or writing, you’ll find that you often feel fairly stiff when you get up. Chances are, if you’ve been working like that for a space of years, you’ll find that it will affect your posture and can even give you back pain over time.

With the use of drafting tables, people are finding that they are able to adjust the desk to fit them, rather than the other way around. The reason that these tables are so desirable for artists and architects is that they are people who spend long hours poring over their designs and their work, and the more ergonomically correct they can be, the better. You’ll find that with just a little bit of work, you can adjust the table to being exactly what you want, and that there are many different angles and degrees of slant to choose from. While some people leave the slant consistent, other people will change it depending on what they are working on.

You’ll also find that these tables will be available in a wide variety of different styles and models; and that if you should so choose you’ll also have your choice of accessories. They are available in glass, wood, steel and laminate, and the working surface will vary greatly in size, with some not terribly larger than a normal desk, and others that will stretch the length of the room. Most will have a ledge to catch rolling pencils and paper, and many will come with a light source that you can attach.

As you can see there are many advantages to having a drafting table in your home. Think about the way that you do your work and make sure that when you do so, you are as comfortable as you can be! Take a look at what a help drafting tables can be to you.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on drafting tables and a guide to drafting tables at http://www.draftingtablesupply.com

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June 10, 2010

Ten Reasons Why You Should Appoint an Architect

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , — deokeytp @ 7:49 am


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1. Aesthetics.

An architect is concerned with aesthetic issues, manipulating proportions, alignments, masses, volumes and materials to create a sensible, pleasing building which can be enjoyed by the occupants as well as the public.

2. Allow for your tastes and requirements.

An architect will try and get into the clients’ psyche to read what they want and with that tailor the design to their unique style and requirements in a sagacious way without trying to impose his or her own taste and preferences.

3. Overall project understanding.

Architects that are involved from the start of the project are in the position to gain a better understanding of your particular requirements and develop unique solutions and propose ways to reduce costs.

4. Cost efficient.

An architect is knowledgeable with good cost efficient products available on the market and knows how to plan within your budget to ensure you get best value for money and good quality fittings.

5. Building codes and laws.

Architects are familiar with local building codes and by laws and your project will comply with all the building regulations and neighborhood building zoning laws. He or she can also help your project through the construction permitting process.

6. Contractor advice.

An architect can recommend contractors who might be well suited for your particular building project. He or she might also be involved in coordinating a team of specialist consultants to ensure the overall well being of the final product.

7. Plan for the future.

An architect can look beyond your immediate requirements to design your home to be able to adapt and extend if necessary to your families’ changing needs.

8. Functionality.

Architects create homes that are pleasing and functional for those who use or live in them. Such a professional tailors a design to take into account particular needs and locations.

9. Environment.

Houses designed by architects will be sensitive to its surrounding environment and will use all natural elements, topography or views to the best use of the site within the specific client requirements.

10. Project management.

Architects can manage your project from site selecting to completions constantly providing you advice or solutions to the choices you as the client face, saving you valuable time and provide you with complete peace of mind.

Written by Jere Botes, architect & founder of http://www.dreamhouses.co.za – a website dedicated to provide home builders, renovators, owners & developers with free professional advice on all aspects of home design, building & diy and http://www.cad-architect.net – a source of over 2000 CAD Symbols, Details, Drawings and lots of other information for Architects & Building designers.

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June 2, 2010

Interviewing A Prospective Architect For Your Project

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , — deokeytp @ 10:07 am


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You’ve decided to build something and now it is time to hire an architect. You know you should interview a number of prospects, but what do you ask them?

You should remember that an architect is a highly skilled professional. The architect is not only highly educated and not only is required to pass stiff examinations to be licensed, but also must have artistic and creative skills that can only be honed, but not taught. You can be fairly certain that his or her services are not going to come with a cost that is not a substantial part of the overall building budget. As with any professional, unless price is truly of no concern to you at all, asking about the price of his or her services is going to be a necessary question.

However, price is not, or at least should not be, the place to start. The questions about price and experience are selection questions. They are asked before the architect is “your” architect. The architect selection process is similar to the selection of other types of professionals, but is more akin to the selection of an artistic type professional rather than the selection of a more practical type. In other words, you would select an architect more like you would an interior designer or photographer and not quite the same as you might select a lawyer or financial manager. This means the portfolio is the primary indicator of talent and experience. If you are selecting an architect to design your new church, it is helpful to view the kinds of churches he has built in the past and maybe even his artistic visions of how a church could look.

It is always important to understand this simple rule of the professional. You are going to get what you pay for. If you base your selection process on finding the least expensive architect, you might do well to be prepared to be a little less than satisfied with the results. Obviously, the most experienced and most talented architects will not only have the thicker portfolios but will command the higher price. Your goal should be centered on finding the best that you can afford.

Once you have selected your architect, the questions you will need to ask should begin with ones that establish that he has a complete understanding of your needs and desires. No matter how imaginative a design and regardless of how appealing to the eye it might be, if it does not meet your needs, it is of no value to you at all. This is the major mistake of clients with architects. The finished design must be a meeting of minds. It is a merger of the architect‘s knowledge and creativity and your own practical needs and desires. It is not the place to be overly trusting or to make assumptions. You need to ask questions that satisfy you that the architect is on the same page that you are on when it comes to the desired end result.

Remember that, like many professionals, the architect‘s time is a valuable commodity and one that might end up costing you. This is why your questions should be detailed and probing. This can not be overstressed. Trusting too much is always a mistake when dealing with a professional while at the same time a great deal of rapport is what you are seeking. Like the doctor is entrusted with your body and the lawyer might be entrusted with your very freedom, the architect is entrusted with your vision and dream. If your questions establish that your architect understands your vision and even understands the scope of your dream, you can afford then to have some faith and trust.

Find home architects across the country at FindHomeArchitects.com.

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May 29, 2010

Why Should You Hire an Architect to Design Your Energy Efficient Home?

Filed under: Architec — Tags: , , , , — deokeytp @ 10:07 am


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Architecture affects people every moment of every day. We reside in homes where we sleep, cook, eat and spend time with our families; we typically travel to a building to work or a school to learn. The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards defines the role of an Architect in their Mission Statement as, “…the primary building professional qualified to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public through the enhancement of the quality of the built environment and the richness of space and form”. These buildings, and many others, inhabited during those functions are essential to our lives and our health and Architects are ethically bound to continually better that built environment.

Architecture entails more than just a physical building. It involves:       

· Correctly interpreting the client’s dreams, visions, and objectives     

· Exploring all possibilities     

· Studying and responding to their site and the environment in which the building will become an integral part     

· Delivering a home design that will exceed expectations  

Sustainable architecture or building is only a small part of a greater whole. It has been said many times that “sustainability” is a good short term goal for home design. Sustainability is only equilibrium, a tipping point where we no longer are damaging the planet that we inhabit with the effects of our daily lives – manufacturing, power production, construction, transportation, agriculture and every aspect of our lives that affects our global ecosystem. Author Paul Hawken states, “Today, our continuing progress is restricted not by the number of fishing boats but by the decreasing numbers of fish; not by the power of pumps but by the depletion of aquifers; not by the number of chainsaws but by the disappearance of primary forests.”

Sustainability by definition is actually the point where we cease to harm. Beyond sustainability is where we begin to repair the damage done, which is the ultimate goal. There are many great minds working toward both of these goals with ideas and solutions far greater than most people’s typical reach; however, anything that can be done better and is financial feasible, should be done. Architects enrich the design and the project through integrity, conscientious design, environmental awareness, and the application of skills specific to their trade – keeping the ultimate goals of energy efficiency and sustainability clearly in view.

About the Author: Jeremy Bonin, a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates, is an award-winning green architect and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home. With a special interest in sustainable design and green homes, structural insulated panels (SIPs), as well as timber frame construction, Jeremy incorporates renewable energy practices where possible, including geo-thermal, solar, radiant heat, and energy-efficient foundation systems.

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