I am working on a new facility for the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (see MWMO Project Update posts). While attending some meetings at their current office space, I saw the instructions and ‘fixins’ for Alice’s Wonder Spray – an environmentally safe cleaning spray you can make yourself inexpensively. I mixed up a batch and brought it home. It is amazing. I don’t worry about toxic or abrasive chemicals with this and it cleans! It even took some stains off my exterior siding without dulling the finish. Unfortunately, I don’t know Alice’s story but print out the label below, stick on a spray bottle and mix some up in her honor!

Here is one of those small, simple and economical DIY projects that never got built. The idea was to have a ‘convertible’ building that could be locked up when gone but opened to allow for views/breezes when visiting. Steel tubes slide through u-bolts to lock the doors but then can be used to create an awning when opened. Screened panels fold down to protect you from those pesky mosquitos and ‘bunk shelves’ also fold down from the walls that can comfortably sleep four.

This would then be turned into a storage shed when the main cabin was built. In this case, the client built the cabin we designed first…!

Yes, I could have gone to Bed, Bath and Beyond and purchased a slide-out tie rack that would fit into my closet system…but that would be boring! Instead, I thought about what I needed in a tie rack. A space for a dozen ties, maybe hold a belt or two, and someplace to keep my tie tacks so they wouldn’t get lost would do the trick. There was a small unused portion of wall just inside the closet -perfect for a wall-mounted something or other. The result is shown below. Using readily available aluminum angles, brass and steel rods, of course my favorite -truss plates, a bit of paint and then some small bolts pulled it all together. I smile every time I use it. Click on the images below to enlarge.

Two things I love (besides architecture) is photography and music. This video created by Lv Sisi is titled ‘Digital Analogue’ and uses only sounds recorded from a collection of antique cameras and uses 6,000 individual photographs. This stop-motion video is pretty cool!

We love this! Makes total sense. What could shelter you while you wait for a bus…? How about a bus! Rather then taking retired buses to the junk yard, Artist Christopher Fennell created this fun and functional sculpture in Athens, Georgia. Creative, unique and another example of being sustainable by thinking outside the box.

See more of Christopher’s work here including this ‘Canoe Wave’. Awesome!

This fun video emphasizes that although we all are not sitting next to you in a mall, there are many of us who applaud those who make the effort to recycle. It does not take much to effect us all -directly and indirectly. Cheers!

Our annual Fourth of July tradition led us to my parents place in beautiful Walker, Minnesota.  I instantly relax seeing the clear lake water, hearing the sound of the Loons and visiting the shops and events of  that quintessential small town.  All walks of life gather here.  Whether ‘a local’ or ‘a metro’, everyone is a citizen of Walker.  Besides the usual parade, fireworks, shopping…and garage sale signs stuck out everywhere, this Fourth of July, the town dedicated the ‘Circle of Time’.  The community had gathered together and commissioned 6 bronze sculptures dedicated to the history of the town.  They recognized that we all are quick to demolish the old in favor of the new.

With a backdrop of the County Museum, liquor store and Dairy Queen, Mayor Johnson stated that we need to ‘Look to the future while preserving the past’ and more sculptures will be added to the group as time marches on. A few more words by Reverend Olson and sculptor Joel Randell led to the unveiling -with the Foundation Chorale singing Battle Hymn of the Republic.  It doesn’t get much better then this!

The statues included: Early Man, Prehistoric Tribes, The Fur-Trader, The Lumberman, The Fisherman and The Family.  I told you, we ARE part of this community!

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.

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

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.

Using the idea of storage solutions in boats, a small space has all the comforts of home…in 258 square feet! This is a perfect example of how proper planning and creativity can solve challenging problems in a beautiful way. This ‘Action Apartment’ puts the ‘fun’ in functional. As Architects, we strive to bring all of these aspects into our Client’s projects. Enjoy!

Here is the link to the original post.

As you have read in previous posts, I love to see how simple items are creatively reinvisioned. Furniture is often the choice of these ‘redos’.  I was scouring the web searching for valuable content to add to our weblog this past weekend.  I couldn’t find anything so I thought I would post these!  (Kidding)  It is always fun looking at what others are coming up with!
Click on images to enlarge.

I love this coffee table that ‘morphes’ into a chair. The clean lines and pop of color makes this a winner…depending on how much stuff you have to move off of the table! Link to original post.

This ‘trampoline chair’ looks like fun.  Would you want to sit and read a book in it…I don’t think so.  Maybe this is great for those fidgety kids. Link to original post.

Um…  I don’t know what to think about this one.  I applaud its simplicity but find it hard to believe it would be comfortable…let alone hard to find!  Link to original post.