I could use analogies such as ‘Architects are flexible in design, fluid in the process’, ‘Can hold it together when the project is shaken up’, ‘Bounce back from challenges….etc’.  To be honest, I just thought this video was cool and wanted to share it.

We love the ‘rawness’ of concrete. It is fluid yet solid, smooth yet textured, strong yet fragile…I could go on and on. Concrete is a basic building component that has leapt from the foundation and floor slab to other creative and decorative uses. It is inexpensive and readily available.

A newspaper published a weekly article following one of our projects and the number one question from readers related to the staining of concrete. The video below shows how we used Concrete Tile Backer Board (tile underlayment) as a fireplace surround. It gives a unique look to a traditional feature and meets the fire requirements. Take a look and let us know your thoughts. Thanks!

Too much time on my hands you say…? Maybe, but rethinking everyday items and building them myself is my way of relaxing. Truss plates are available at any home improvement center -they are inexpensive, galvanized metal and have a great pattern of predrilled holes. What else could we use these for?… hmm.

When starting my own company, way back when, instead of handing out just a business card, I thought a card holder might make more of an impact and something that would be kept on a desk reminding people to ‘Hire me!’. This evolved into an expanded version to keep organized all of the cards I had received. How about a brochure display? Easy! The point is to have fun and reinvent things to become other things. Everyday utlitarian objects don’t have to come from ‘big box’ stores or be premade. Surround yourself with the uncommon. With a bit of your own creativity you will put a smile on your face! Click on the images to enlarge.

Matt from our office came in to work one day with some ‘liquid gold’ -yes, homemade maple syrup. He graciously agreed to take some ‘flip video’ footage of the process. Matt elaborates below:

Making maple syrup is a very time intensive process that can consume your waking hours for 4 to 6 weeks in early spring. It starts with tapping the trees when the day time temperatures start getting into the 40’s and 50’s, but the night time temps still dip into the 20’s. Maple syrup is produced by taking the sap ,~3% sugar content, and boiling off the water until it reaches 67% sugar content. This roughly equates to 40 gallons of sap required to get 1 gallon of syrup. Last week the sap was flowing fast enough that I had to boil 3 days out of the week to keep my 55 gallon barrel from overflowing. Each boiling takes between 10 and 12 hours and consumes a large amount of wood. However the end product is very much worth the time spent. If you ever want to try it yourself, it does not take a lot of investment to get supplies, but it will require a lot of your time! Check out Backyard Sugarin’ by Rink Mann if you are curious for more how-to information. Oh, and by the way, if anyone has good suggestions on how to clean baked-on maple syrup remains off of stainless steel, I am all ears!

Ever wanted to change the entire character of a room with the snap of your fingers, or better yet, with a remote control? Ran across this video and was mesmerized by the thought and time it must have taken to accomplish. The actual room is completely white. They used two projectors to morph the room into a variety of styles. I wish it was that easy in real life! They did an incredible job working in 3 dimensions with 2 dimensional images. Note the changes at the couch armrest or the coffee table… and how do they get the rug image projected under the table? Pretty cool! You have to check this one out.

Via Mr. Beam

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!

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’!

Many of you, I am sure, are familiar with these note/sketch/catch-all books called “Moleskine“.  They feel like a special indulgence . In fact, it took a while for me to not cringe when I misspelled a word or created a sketch I didn’t like within this beautiful notebook.  I am finally over that and look at my Moleskin as a tool…and as an informal historical document of what is happening in my life.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my iPad but actually, the Moleskin still feels like more of a luxury.

You can get a Moleskine notebook at virtually any bookstore or via the web.  Here is a link to a cool pen holder that works with the Moleskine and a leather cover if you really want to be fancy…or a cover/pen holder in one.

Moleskine from michael huber architects on Vimeo.

Although most of my product research is now found via the internet, there are still a few favorite ‘stand-by’ resources that are kept on compact disc. While shuffling through CD’s the other day, I reminisced on the racks I had built to store them. Similar to the previous DIY Design posts, here is another example of using inexpensive materials and a few basic tools to change a usually utilitarian thing into something fun and unique.

Half of the fun is over-designing (if there is such a thing!) and being playful…to bring a smile to your face.

I realize that compact discs may soon be gone but wouldn’t these make nice iPad or Kindle storage systems? Or maybe drying racks for reusing tiny plastic baggies? 🙂   Click on the pictures to enlarge.

As you can tell from our site, one of my more recent obsessions is Photography.  Not unlike architecture, there is an artistry to doing it well.  You can define an experience, create a mood and evoke thoughtful discussion.  Instead of ‘tweeting’ some images and links for Photography Friday, I thought I would formalize a post and share with you some images taken by Jeff Bucklew.  Jeff is an advanced hobbyist photographer I recently met through the Western Wisconsin Photography Club.  Please click on the audio and then on the images to hear Jeff talk about the photographs.  You can see more of Jeff’s work at this link.

wildlife photography interview