Archive for 2010

Dec
0

Winter is here…but not everywhere.

Ran across this video and wanted to share it not only for its message of ‘living in the moment’ this holiday season but also to bring a bit of warmth to those of us buried in snow. Let us all take some time to enjoy family and friends and to build new lasting relationships this new year!

Live in the moment. from Kune Hua on Vimeo.

Dec
1

Project Update -Riverview Baptist Church

Project Update -Riverview Baptist Church

We are under construction!

The primary goal of the congregation was to make the facility accessible to all. Other challenges that were brought forward included security issues, interior space and circulation congestion, inadequate bathroom and kitchen facilities, etc.

It was decided to take a step back and create a long-range Vision Plan for the church.  Through discussions, workshops and studies, we were able to resolve these issues and more.

The result and implementation of Phase One includes a 6000 square foot addition that houses administration, meeting rooms, a future kitchen along with an elevator and restrooms.  A curved circulation link at the front helps alleviate internal congestion, expands the Narthex and leads to a new and welcoming entry.

The church has put together a blog highlighting the construction progress.  You can watch it here!

Future phases include interior remodeling and a youth and choir addition.

General Contractor:  Langer Construction

Dec
1

Chimney Fires – My Story

Last year, I had built a fire in our wood burning fireplace -not unusual for a Saturday evening in the winter. It wasn’t a raging or large fire, just a normal one.

My wife went upstairs to get something to drink and yelled down to me that there were sparks falling on our deck. I thought ‘Big deal’, we do have a fire burning after all and a rouge spark falling in the snow didn’t seem unusual. I went upstairs to reassure my wife and my eyes went wide. It was raining sparks past our windows like hundreds of sparklers lit at once.

I ran out on the deck and looked up at the chimney. There must have been a six foot high flame shooting out of the top. And the sound, you cant’ forget that hum of the rushing air and flames. At the same moment, my neighbor was racing up the driveway. They said it had looked like a bomb went off and lit up the whole neighborhood. 911 had already been contacted, including by us, and we were told to get out of the house.


On my way out, I grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the wood fire and sprayed up into the chimney. The fire department came quick, even though that was the longest 10 minutes of my life. They used an infrared or heat detector to assess if there was still fire burning within the chimney or adjacent structure. They also looked down the chimney to visually inspect it.

They said it appeared that the chimney cap had a build-up of creasote and that was what had ignited.

The next day, I spoke with a Chimney Sweep and he said:
1. You should have the chimney swept every 2 years (every year it should be inspected if you have lots of fires).
2. Do NOT burn paper -even to start the fire. He said people often burn gift wrap this time of year and there are even more chemicals within that paper that creates creasote.

A typical chimney cleaning is around $150. Well worth it considering we could have lost our entire house let alone pets or ourselves! Here are a couple of other resources worth a read:

Chimney Fires, Causes and Cures & Facts about Chimney Fires

Oh and, a big thanks to the Hudson Fire Department!

Dec
4

HDR – High Dynamic Range Photography

HDR – High Dynamic Range Photography

Some of you may be familiar with HDR photography. It is basically the layering together of multiple exposures into one image. The overexposed shot picks up the details in the shadows while the underexposed shot eliminates ‘blowouts’ of highlighted areas. This is extremely helpful for us architects, especially in photographing interiors. Our eyes see many more levels of light then a single camera exposure can capture so an HDR image is more visually accurate…if you want it to be.

I was first introduced to HDR Photography by the talented photographer Steve Silverman and I thought I would try it myself!  The test images at the top of the page (I know, not that inspiring of a scene!) are 3 different exposures of the same shot taken at 2 f-stops apart. Most newer DSLR cameras have this as a standard function. I then imported them into Photomatix, one of the more popular HDR programs. Trey Ratcliff, an expert in HDR has a link from his website for a discount plus some great tutorials.  The program has several presets to try and a bunch of sliders to…well, slide.  It is fun and frustrating to play with the settings and it takes a bit of trial and error to get something you like.

This first image is my attempt  to get a somewhat accurate representation of detail in the shadows as well as the highlight areas.  This image is right out of Photomatix.  I would then adjust the color, etc. in Photoshop.

The other image is a more surreal or ‘painterly’ look.  Kind of fun!  Please click on the images to make them larger.

Here are some examples of HDR Photography from people who know what they are doing.

Dec
0

Podcast #22 – Lets give this a try!

Podcast #22 – Lets give this a try!

Have to start somewhere!  This is a quick audio post to get my feet wet in the podcast world.  Meaningful, insightful and witty commentary will follow in future episodes as we discuss Design and Architecture… or we will at least be able to enjoy the theme music.  Click on the player below to listen.  Thanks!

Nov
0

DIY Design – Pen Holder

DIY Design – Pen Holder

I love designing things, any ‘things’. Now that we are approaching the Holiday Season, I was reminded of gifts that would find there way to family when I was first starting out in my career. With a tool arsenal comprised of a cordless drill and jig saw, and a wallet filled with, well, not much, homemade gifts became the yearly tradition.

With the ability to drill holes, tighten bolts, do minor metal cutting and push a button on a spray can, visions of knick-knacks danced in my head. Using off-the-shelf items from the local home improvement center, I created a series of pen holders.  Hey, who doesn’t have a pen and need a place to put it?

I didn’t have a specific idea when digging in.  It was more of a ‘what if I do this or that’.  It reminded me of when we used to do ‘rip and tear’ models in architecture school -just let your thoughts become fluid and not get caught up in perfection.  You are looking for the idea, the direction, that leads to a solution.  The process was cathartic and relaxing.  I am a big believer that everyday objects should have beauty and meaning.  Why not?  As you can tell by these examples, it does not take a lot of skill or know-how to come up with something unique and fun.

The gifts were a hit -at least that is what my brother in California told me.  I probably could have bought a descent gift card for the price of shipping a heavy metal object across the country but it’s the thought that counts…right?

Nov
0

Looking for a Job? Set yourself apart.

Like most businesses during this tough economic time, our office gets resumes from recent graduates to those with years of experience. It amazes me that most of them arrive via email in what appears to be a blast to everybody under the sun.

When I graduated college in the late 80’s, it was a similar rough time to find a job. We did things the ‘old fashioned’ way of mailing resumes or actually hand delivering them. I put my line in the water like everyone else. After getting nowhere in my quest for a job, I realized I had to somehow set myself apart –be a shiny lure to at least get a nibble.

I took out my trusty X-Acto knife and went about making a pop-up introduction card. The images on the left are early prototypes I actually found in an old file folder –amazing what you keep! The final design was a bit more detailed with the prospective employer’s name cleverly typed on the building and a figure of me standing in front along with cut and paste text expounding my credentials. Needless to say, it was time consuming to make but it showed creativity and a seriousness that ended up sparking interest.

I made about a dozen of these and was called to 4 interviews. Not too bad! Most of them told me, when I walked in the door, that they weren’t hiring but wanted to meet the person who made such a great card. One of those interviews however happened to pay off. I was hired by RRTL Architects and began a 40 mile one-way commute to my new job! A friend of mine and I talk about those days often saying ‘You did whatever it took.’ So true. I painted toilet rooms, changed light bulbs, ran errands and blueprints that first year and rarely touched pencil to paper but I didn’t care. I knew I was lucky, I was happy and more importantly, I was learning.

That little pop-up card got me in the door and made me stand out compared to all of those others fishing for work. I got some nibbles and then a bite. They saw that I would ‘do whatever it takes’ to be the best light bulb changer, errand runner and eventually an architect. I will be forever grateful. This is a lesson I try to teach my children and that you need to be proactive in everything you want to achieve.

Here is an example of a student being creative trying to find an apartment in New York – Wanted: NYC Studio
If you are more handy then I am with an X-Acto knife, here is another way to set yourself apart with a pop-up business card. Amazing.

Nov
0

First Snow

Heck of a day on Saturday. A wet and heavy snow fell continuously. We had to go to several basketball tournaments and were out and about with a few brave (or foolish) souls. Woke up Sunday morning seeing a clean blanket of white. There is always a feeling of calmness, along with a need for hot chocolate and a roaring fire, after that first snow fall. Instead, I grabbed my camera and assembled this short video. Stay warm!

Nov
0

Working with an Architect Series – Part 1

Working with an Architect Series – Part 1

Why hire an Architect? I could list all kinds of facts such as:

  • To become an Architect it takes 6 plus years of College, 3 plus years of Internship,  must complete a 7 part Registration Exam (typically 35% pass rate),  are required to have Annual Continuing Education focusing on Health, Safety & Welfare, Code/Zoning expertise, etc.
  • We are trained in understanding Integrated Systems, Scale, Color, Proportion, Materials and Constructability

Or appeal to the financial benefits:

  • Quality design can increase staff productivity, minimize utility usage and strengthen a corporate identity. On the residential side, a home’s value can increase by up to 50% -all things equal to a typical spec-built house.   When selling, Realtors will market as ‘Architect Designed Home’ -knowing that implies something special
  • Architects know the efficiencies in selections of materials, structural and mechanical systems, electrical equipment/fixtures
  • We understand and can help streamline City/state requirement/processes

But I won’t discuss these and other facts…anymore…at least for now.

Every building project is a major and nerve racking commitment.  Not unlike other professionals such as an accountant who helps you manage your money or a doctor that aids in your wellbeing, an Architect assists you in making appropriate and advantageous decisions related to your construction project.  The physiological impact of the built environment in which we live and work helps to define our productivity let alone our happiness.  The simple choice of a paint color, materials, window size/placement, flow in and around the space will effect how you feel and function.

Our real ability lies in helping to interpret your goals and dreams into a project that exceeds your original vision. We understand site, planning, and construction issues.  We know the latest materials and finishes. We are artists and sculptors, puzzle and problem solvers.  We are mindful of the impact that design decisions can have on the project’s function, it’s environment and your pocketbook. Our value goes beyond drawing ‘pretty sketches’.   We will be your advocate and maximize your resources to far exceed what would have been done without teaming with an Architect.

Oct
4

Wood Ceiling Installation

When you build any home, there are always those projects you hope to get to ‘when the dust settles’. Well, it took 7 years for it to settle in our family room. This is quick video I put together of a wood ceiling treatment used to hide some of the open structural trusses. I didn’t mind leaving it unfinished but I am only one-fourth of the voices in our home.

Oct
4

Take Advantage

Take Advantage

I just came back from a fun (and foggy) trip to San Francisco.  It happened to be a weekend that local artists open their studio space to the public.  The old warehouse area along the Bay is home to many talented painters, sculptors –artists working in glass, metal and every other media you can imagine.  The goal of SF Open Studios is twofold:

1.  To allow local emerging and established artists the opportunity to open their studio doors and show their artwork in a democratic forum.

2. To provide the art-loving public with the opportunity to enjoy art at its origin and to start a dialogue with artists that may lead to the start of an art collection.

Lowertown in St. Paul has an ‘Art Crawl’ every year that is like the San Francisco event.  I would encourage everyone to check in their own community for similar opportunities.  The energy and inventiveness is exciting.  You sense the passion and commitment which is infectious.

One of the artists we met in SF Open Studios was Maria Burtis.  She is a painter working in acrylic and mixed media.  Not only was her work fabulous, she is also from Minnesota-our neck of the woods. We had a nice conversation and was intrigued with her workflow.  Each day, she starts out with doing a quick 5×7 painting to get her juices flowing.  Sometimes it relates to working out details for a major piece or to experiment, but often it is just for fun.  She then posts these on her blog and calls them ‘Dailies’.  She was up to 1863 last I checked.  Amazing.

It got me thinking.  Besides coffee, what do I do –or should I do to get my creative juices flowing everyday?  A quick sketch or jog around the block?  We all have the ability to be inspired but it usually is by happenstance.  Tomorrow, I will begin the day by pondering what gets my creativity moving…after my cup of coffee.

Sep
4

Hello World

Hello World

We live in an amazing time.  The world is getting smaller and like most of you, I marvel at the interconnectedness available at my fingertips.  Several years ago, I began a project with a wonderful family.  The design of their home and the process was revealed weekly by a metro newspaper and an associated blog.  Though now complete and in bits and pieces floating around the web, that blog still generates emails to our office from around the world.

We love the potential of those interactions…sharing and learning together.  Thus our humble attempt to make that possible with this weblog.