Wang Shu’s guest house that I have been staying at when I go to the Chinese Academy of Arts. I had the pleasure to meet him Hangzhou; my family and I enjoyed his and his family’s incredible hospitality.
modern architect
Honored by Dwell: 100 Houses we Love, 2000-2010
A friend comes to pick up her child from a play-date with our son and she announces excitedly that we are in Dwell. I smile and I say I know! Isn’t it great, we’ve been on Dwell a couple times, which one did you see! And she goes, no, you are in the “100 Houses we Love” Dwell, and you have a big article in it!
So we pick it up. Here’s an excerpt of the editorial:
They only chose TEN full articles, one per year. Thank you Dwell not only for choosing us–what an honor–but also for making us the chosen article for 2008.
One in ten years, ten homes in one hundred. Wow.
And so it is! Now in stands and zinnio, enjoy!
PIlates Studio: Honor Award, the Judges Speak
The American Institute of Austin, Austin chapter is posting some of the award videos they make every year. I’ll post our wins as they become available. This project of ours was the honor award in 2008. Here’s why, according to the judges.
Larkey Shoot – Short
The owner requested that the house have the feel of a “cabin”. A place of solace and repose in the middle of the city.
It also was important to respect the delicate lines and low profile of the existing mid century modern house designed by the late A.D. Stenger, one of Austin’s great modernist architects. From the street, the house looks virtually untouched. It remains a modest presence on the block.
The original house was taken back to the studs, the existing fireplace with its eccentric stone work was saved, and two previous unfortunate, mold infested, additions that made the existing house a black hole were removed.
A master bedroom and bath where added and the interior of the existing house completely remodeled and re-oriented around a long skylight and two interior courtyards. The skylight and courtyards maintain privacy and allow natural light into all parts of the house while providing a connection with the live oaks and changing sky.
Maple, tinted to match the tone of the pine flooring, wraps through out the house becoming cabinets, paneling, and flush doors. Traditional, earthy D’hanis “mocha” brick pavers become the surface in the courtyards.
Update: this project won a citation of Honor at the AIA, Austin 2010 Design Awards.
Cory Ryan’s Pics of Den @ Tour
- Viviane’s pictures in display at the Den and visitors. Photo Cory Ryan
- Hip Attitude on Credenza at Wolfe Den. Photo: Cory Ryan
- She shot several areas you may have not seen because we haven’t posted. The hidden bath. Photo Cory Ryan
- I love this photo: Thanks Cory! You can see the rest of the shoot here. Den’s Brown Bathroom with Men. Photo Cory Ryan
Cool Duplex in Austin, TX…
… or how to get around the McMansion ordinance and its hatred towards much needed duplexes and still have cool design.Notice how the articulation makes the building seem to move and how the shared wall and the front are broken up and shifted to prevent a massive look.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
more about “Cool Duplex in Austin, TX…“, posted with vodpod
We’re in Dwell again!
Sustainable Homes in the USA
We are proud to be in this fine book and I’m particularly happy that my pictures are getting published all over the place. I’m enjoying photography more and more, as I have been mentioning in this blog. I’m preparing an exhibition… I’ll post about it soon.
Anyway, the focus of the book is sustainability. I encourage you to review the Texas Architect article by Richard Wintersole, AIA:
Conserving energy is important to Neal, thus the SIPs serve as a thermal umbrella and air is encouraged to circulate through the building from end to end. The Farleys plan to add a large, low-velocity fan to improve the air circulation. When ambient air breezes through the home, the Farleys and their guests are truly in touch with the natural world.”
or by going to the Dwell article by Sarah Rich
In a climate like this, air-conditioning seems indispensable, but to cool the entire structure artificially would be inefficient and costly. Neal devised a solution by building a 540-square-foot box nested within the superstructure, which contains the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, as the only air-conditioned space in the building. The two-story plywood envelope has sliding walls on all sides that can be closed to keep cool temperatures in or left open to the fluctuations of the natural ventilation throughout the building.”
mj neal architects - blublog 