Archive for June, 2011

Jun
0

Project Update – King Leadership Center

Project Update – King Leadership Center

Several years ago, our office was fortunate enough to lead and create a Visioning Document for the entire 400 acre YMCA Camp St. Croix. This is different from a Master Plan such that it included not only recommendations of materials, forms, etc. but also philosophical goals. One of those goals was to be mindful of our environment and achieve LEED Certification with any new building project. This project will be the first on the campus to ‘go for the gold’!

After many discussions, design studies and cost estimates, we are at the point of moving forward with the construction drawings. The final layout, form, materials, etc. were derived from the desired program, associated budget, its site and adjacencies to other buildings along with guidelines indicated in the Visioning Document.

The next step is to coordinate the details and systems with all of the team members to ensure the building functions and hits our LEED target. Stay tuned for more posts on that process. Click on the images to enlarge.

Architect: Us!, Green Bldg Facilitator: EcoDEEP, Structural Eng: Mattson Macdonald Young, Mech/Elec Eng: Gausman & Moore, Civil Eng: Foth Infrastructure & Environment

Jun
1

What are Architects thinking?

I ran across this video and it reminded me of my days at the good old University of Minnesota. Crazy stuff was imagined, discussed and tried. It is important to maintain some of that creative care-free attitude as we develop our routines. A description of this particular project is below.

HEADSPACE 1 invites architecture students to take ideas from within their heads and place them, literally, on the outside. After three months of sketching with pencils and sculpting in clay, modeling in software and cutting from paper, unfolding and fabricating, more than 300 complex and extravagant structures have been completed. This short documentary invites you to see the makers and their unorthodox art at the end-of-term fashion parade… The HEADSPACE projects reside at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Jun
0

Project Update -Bald Eagle Lake

Project Update -Bald Eagle Lake

We were pretty fortunate to be introduced to our newest Client’s by a contractor we had worked with in the past. Jim and Marilyn are a great and fun couple who are wanting to turn their early 70’s cabin into a full time residence. Jim builds custom bicycles and will also move his creative shop space here as well. (We may need to incorporate some pedals, gears, chains, etc. into the design!)  I gave them a tour of  the Pine Lake Retreat which had similar features they were interested in and luckily for me we were hired!

The upper level of the cabin will be wiped clean and a new open floor plan will be developed making it the primary living area. Several additions will reshape the exterior along with a new bold roof form and a change in siding. I had my camera with to document the existing conditions and decided to film a bit as well. Check out the video below to get a feel of the current cabin then keep checking back and see how this project develops over the next several months!

Architect: michael huber architects         Contractor: Cates Fine Homes

Jun
0

Podcast #29 -Looking for Property

Podcast #29 -Looking for Property


Today we speak with a Real Estate Consultant Kris Jensen about what you need to know in searching for that perfect piece of property to build your new home or cabin. Kris is an Agent with Keller Williams Premier Realty. A few questions discussed include:
-What are the first/main things people need to be aware of when beginning the property search?
-What questions do you ask clients to get a better understanding of their goals?
-How do you present options?
-What information do you gather about a property to make sure it is a good fit/value?
-What typical costs are there associated with purchasing property?

Feel free to contact Kris via email at kjensen@kw.com
or phone 651-491-3030
Web: www.kjensen.com

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

Jun
0

The Chicken Coop -Modern Farming

The Chicken Coop -Modern Farming

Last fall, my wife and I had a discussion about raising a couple of chickens. It might be a fun hobby, provide fresh eggs and help teach our kids about where food comes from -let alone teach responsibility. I happen to be doing a Master Plan for some residential clients and yes, they have 5 chickens. It had to be karma. The local zoning ordanance for our property says we can have one ‘farm’ animal. That means one chicken or one cow! How does a cow equal a chicken? I made the case to the town that one cow should equal TWO chickens. They are in the process of evaluating a change to the zoning ordinance. I was on a roll!

This was going to be fun! Our chickens would have the coolest coop ever. Designs were spinning in my head and I was looking forward to those special bonding moments with my kids as we build this work of art together. My wife’s birthday was coming up and what a perfect gift to give someone you love (and who has everything). My youngest daughter and I made a little cardboard chicken coop complete with a walking chicken that laid gumball eggs. The big day came and we were excited to see my wife’s reaction.

We were shocked to see that our wonderful gift went over like a lead balloon. She didn’t recall our conversation and didn’t share in our excitement about raising chickens! I am still living with the ridicule from my wifes’s friends about my chicken birthday gift. Maybe I was more excited about designing and building a chicken coop then actually raising chickens anyway… It was still a ‘win’ for me -I never did have to get a different gift -maybe I will go golfing later today… Click on the images to enlarge.

Here are some links to what others have done:
Modern Chicken Coop in Seattle
Three Modern Chicken Coops by Studio H
All Cooped Up

Jun
1

DIY Design – Drafting Equipment Holder

DIY Design – Drafting Equipment Holder

Yep, more stuff I built using truss plates, misc. pieces of metal, etc. We interact with everyday, utilitarian objects all the time without taking notice. I love studying these objects and re-imagining them in a creative way…to make them a joy to use and look at. You can customize to make them function the way you want them to -and building them yourself is fun!…at least for me. The group of images below are of a desktop drafting organizer. I use it to hold my pens, pencils, triangles, templates, etc. A painted truss plate and several plastic pipe fittings are attached to a steel plate with bolts. A few ‘stick-on’ rubber feet and it’s ready to go! Click on the images to enlarge.