Archive for March, 2011

Mar
1

Podcast #27 – Passive House

Podcast #27 – Passive House

In this AudioPost we speak with Jay Wiederholt, President of Passive House Alliance Minnesota.  Jay and I met at a lecture discussing the philosophy and implementation of Passive House design.  I was excited to sit down and ask a few general questions explaining Passive House.  Some questions included:

-Summarize ‘What is Passive House?’

-How/where did this idea start?

-Explain a few specifics that are critical to the philosophy.

-What things do people need to be aware of if they are interested in this type of project?

-Is there special training or documentation needed to have an ‘official’ Passive House?

-Always the tough question of costs and paybacks.

-How is this different from LEED?

(sorry for the occasional electronic interference noise!)
Please subscribe to these podcasts also via iTunes. Search for the title ‘Design & Other Fun Stuff’.

For more information see Passive House Institute United States, Passive House Institute, National Advocacy Group and the International Advocacy Group.

Below are some links to other examples that I recently came across. I am sure we will be seeing more and soon.

One of the first –Saskatchewan Conservation House 1977, new in New York and the Delta Tower in Australia

Mar
1

Project Update-Riverview Baptist Church

Project Update-Riverview Baptist Church

This project is moving along!  We are excited with the progress and can see the finish line!  Langer Construction is the General Contractor and doing a great job with not only their work, but accommodating the sweat equity provided by the congregation.  This group of members has dedicated more time and effort in doing actual construction then any I have seen in our past church projects.  Hats off to all of you!

You can get more construction/progress images at the churches blog and please click on the images to enlarge.

Mar
3

Plywood Headboard

As with any project, it is the details that can pull a project together, strengthen the overall concept, and just bring a smile to your face. Below is a video of how we designed an accent wall that became a headboard in a Client’s Master Bedroom. We wanted to add warmth and texture while being economical. We built a test panel for my daughter’s room and then let the pros -in this case Carlsgaard Finish Carpentry -build the final piece. Click on the video and check it out!

Mar
0

Not enough of me!?

Ever wish you had more time or that there were a few more of you? My wife may disagree!
We have been very fortunate here at Michael Huber Architects and have been working hard (and having fun) with our clients. Thus the lack of posts this week -sorry!

This image, ironically, was created when I had some down time a couple of weeks ago. I have seen many examples of these ‘multiplicity’ pictures and thought I would give it a try! Click on the image to enlarge.

Mar
0

Laurel & Hardy Talk Wood

Last week, I was surfing through television channels and landed on an old Laurel & Hardy movie. I have not seen one of these since I was a young lad…which wasn’t that long ago! At the end of the movie, they played a U.S. Forest Service short film featuring Laurel and Hardy as they learn about the importance of wood to their daily lives. How times have changed?

This Laurel and Hardy footage was filmed in November, 1941. Film was released in 1942. Also includes a brief profile of the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. Enjoy!

Mar
2

Project Update: MWMO

Project Update: MWMO

We are just finishing up the Construction Documents for a new 11,000 sf office building for the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization. This facility will be located on the Mississippi river in North Minneapolis. The cool thing is that there will be a bunch of interpretive (educational) features focusing on water that are incorporated into the building and the site.

As the construction moves forward this spring, we will highlight some of those features and interview members of the team. Stay tuned! Click on the images to enlarge.

Mar
0

Podcast #26 – The General Contractor

Podcast #26  – The General Contractor

In this Audiopost, we speak with General Contractor Jay Cates of Cates Fine Homes.  I have worked with Jay on several projects in the Twin City area and thought it would be a great idea to have him discuss the building process.  Some of the topics include:

-What is a General Contractor?
-What steps or questions should people take or ask when looking to hire a Contractor?
-When is the best time to get the contractor involved in a project?
-What are the costs associated with hiring a contractor as well as any other project costs?
-Briefly walk us through a construction project from beginning to end.
-Any differences between new construction and a remodeling?
-What if the Owner wants to complete some of the work themselves?

You can reach Jay with additional questions at
Phone: (651)-439-2844 or Email: jay@catesfinehomes.com

Please subscribe to these podcasts also via iTunes. Search for the title ‘Design & Other Fun Stuff’.

Mar
2

Rethink, Reuse – Furniture

Rethink, Reuse – Furniture

We love taking something that was meant for one purpose and then finding another creative and unique use for that object, material or ‘thing-a-mabobber’.  We try to layer physical transformations with meaning to reinforce the design of the overall project.  One example below is using corks for a bar stool – you might drink wine while sitting on a bar stool…

Discarded Cement Sacks into a chair.

Taking paper mache to a new level.  The sacks are coated in paste and layered over a plastic lawn chair.  Once dry, the ‘Sack Chair’ is slid off the form – ready for the next one.

Finished with that bottle of wine? Save the cork!

1200 corks are placed in mesh to create a stool cushion.  It might take 10 years to for me to make one of these ‘Cork Barstools’.

Don’t know what to do with that old stove? How about turning it into a ‘Stove Lounge Chair’.

Remove a some screws and panels, add a few cushions and you have made a real ‘hot seat’!