2009 August « my design fix

The Desert House – Marmol Radziner

August 31, 2009 at 11:31 pm | Posted in architecture, houses | 1 Comment
Tags: desert house, modernism, modular, prefab

This post will be the first of many on a particular interest of mine – pre-fabricated and modular houses.

Architects statement:

The Desert House is located on a five-acre site in Desert Hot Springs, California. The house is oriented to best capture views of San Jacinto peak and the surrounding mountains. The house extends through the landscape with additional, covered outdoor living areas, which double the 185 square metre interior spaces. A detached prefab carport allows the owners to leave the car behind as they approach their home.

Designed for principal Leo Marmol and his wife Alisa Becket, the Desert House was completed in 2005 and is the prototype for Marmol Radziner Prefab. The Desert House employs four house modules and six deck modules, a quantity chosen to suit the wide desert landscape. The climate inspired us to create covered outdoor living areas, and we developed sunshade modules to provide solar protection. Sheltered living spaces blend indoors with outdoors, simultaneously extending and connecting the house to the north wing, which holds a guest house and studio space. By forming an “L,” the home also establishes a protected, exterior environment that includes a pool and fire pit.

The Desert House derives 100% of its power from solar panels, while sunshades on the south and west facades minimize the impact of the harsh summer sun. In colder months, concrete floors provide passive solar heat gain, helping us to make the home sustainable. – Marmol Radziner

To visit the Marmol Radziner Prefab website click here.

the fabrication process in the factory

transporting the modules to site

preparing to lift the modules in to place

Images via Crosby Doe Associates website. To view more click here.

MINI-E

August 19, 2009 at 11:21 pm | Posted in cars | Leave a Comment
Tags: electric car, logo, mini, mini-e

I always find it exciting hearing of progress in the electric car market with small steps being made towards eliminating our need for fossil fuels and reducing our carbon footprint. At the same time though, it can be a little disappointing as a lot of the electric/hybrid cars tend to look pretty crap usually with some sort of interpretation of a boxy, futuristic spaceship. Why do they have to try and scream out ‘ECO VEHICLE’ in the design? I just want an electric car that looks cool!

Well MINI have come to the rescue (or at least are on their way) with the public field trial of the Mini E – A 100% electric, zero-emissions MINI. Approximately 500 MINI’s are being trialled across the United States for a 12 month period (beginning last November) to provide the BMW Group with data that will inform their development of future electric cars and electric car infrastructure.

100% charged!

Not only is the car itself cool – the MINI-E’s logo can hold it’s own too. It incorporates both the ‘E’ from MINI-E in the negative space of the logo and a symbol of an electricity socket in the positive space. Smart, clean, and simple.

There are still some considerable hurdles to clear before a car like the MINI-E will be ready for mass production. Issues such as limited driving ranges, battery technology costs, lengthy charging times and the lack of public and private charging infrastructure need to be sorted out before we will see electric cars taking over our roads. I’m hoping it won’t be too much longer though!

For more information visit the MINI-E website here.

Or follow some of the field trial participants at the MINI-E blog here.

Möbius Chair – Frans Schrofer

August 12, 2009 at 11:01 pm | Posted in furniture | 1 Comment
Tags: curved laminated ply, furniture, mobius chair

When I saw this chair I was blown away by how much the designer had pushed the boundaries of laminated ply curving. The chair was named Möbius for its resemblance of a continuous and twisted ribbon of wood.

Designed by Dutch designer Frans Schrofer of Studio Schrofer, the Möbius Chair was conceived for a competition conducted by Fritz Becker, a German manufacturer of formed wood products.

Not only was it a finalist in the competition, the Möbius was also selected to be among 25 other designs to be prototyped and displayed during the Interzum 2009 exhibition.

For more information and photos visit the Contemporist blog here.

Visit the Studio Schrofer website at www.studioschrofer.com

Highgate Hill Residence – Richard Kirk Architect

August 11, 2009 at 12:17 am | Posted in architecture, houses | Leave a Comment
Tags: architecture, australia, houses, timber battens

The Highgate Hill Residence, by Richard Kirk Architects is a beautifully detailed house located in the inner Brisbane suburb of Highgate Hill.

highgate hill residence 11

Screened from the street by fine hardwood timber battens, the living area opens up to built-up platforms of timber decking and lawn, which in turn overlook the lush gully beyond.

‘In response to the dominance of the landscape, the house is entirely clad in timber and uses timber glazed façade systems where each species is selected to age in response to its orientation and weathering.’ – Richard Kirk Architects

highgate hill residence 05

The living and kitchen areas open up completely to the north and east through the use of sliding, stacking hardwood doors.

Spatially, the internal void over the living area plays quite an important role in the house. It creates a vertical connection with the existing trees outside to the north, allows daylight to flood the space from the south and separates the children’s bedrooms from the master bedroom on the upper floor.

‘The stair is an important organizational reference between the levels and is treated as a sculptural element that twists slightly within the void to allow its form to visually link all levels.’ – Richard Kirk Architects

Photos: Patrick Bingham Hall, Scott Burrows

For further reading visit the Richard Kirk Architects website here.

kozyndan

August 3, 2009 at 10:36 pm | Posted in art | 2 Comments
Tags: art, illustration, kozyndan

kozyndan is a Los Angeles-based team of artist/illustrators known for their digitally painted pencil drawings of contemporary urban cityscapes and surreal interior spaces. Comprised of husband and wife Dan and Kozue Kitchens, kozyndan (the joint pseudonym of their first names) creates both fine art and commercial projects, and has been showcased internationally to much critical acclaim.

They recently launched their new website containing art and illustrations that have never appeared on their previous website. There is also a nice blog and other various bits and pieces such as sketchbook drawings and comic strips – a few of which are pretty funny.

Check it out at www.kozyndan.com