Archive for category Architecture
5 Reasons Small Space is IN!
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Interior Design & Renovation on May 17, 2011
You know what they say, “It’s not the size that counts, but what you do with it”.
One of the things I like best about working in Interior Design and Renovation is turning small space into functional AND beautiful space. I don’t think it has to be mutually exclusive. There is nothing more satisfying then finding a way to organize the things we need, and create comfort in a room or a corner that seems challenging for most people to visualize.
Plus, it’s a trend! These day’s in the design world words like “down-size,” right size,” simplify” and “low carbon footprint” are making their way around our stratosphere. From converting walk in closets into home office’s, the 4th small bedroom into a 2nd bath, and creating a more functional kitchen by opening it up into the dining room, or simply building small to begin with…small is in.
Most of us have, and think we need, much more space then we actually use. In our new economy and with the housing meltdown we have been give an invitation (a requirement really) for reinvention in the way we live, and the houses we live in.
Wee House
But, smaller is not just about economics. Smaller homes are also commonly associated with empty-nesters and retirees looking for smaller spaces after the kids have moved out. And with the sheer number of baby boomers moving through our system now, it is no wonder homes are trending smaller.
Some of the advantages to downsizing or right sizing are: Continue reading “5 Reasons Small Space is IN!” »
Earth Building-Nader Khalili (1936-2008)
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Inspiration, Interior Design & Renovation, Sustainability on May 12, 2011
For me, true inspiration comes from nature and from ideas that can transform lives. I came across Cal-Earth, the California institute of earth art and architecture through a face book post and am…inspired.
an earth building as art! via Cal Earth.org
Founded in 1991 by Nader Khalili, world-renowned Iranian-American architect, author, humanitarian, teacher, and innovator, Cal-Earth’s mission is guided by three principles: Continue reading “Earth Building-Nader Khalili (1936-2008)” »
Virgin America Terminal-SFO
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Sustainability on April 26, 2011
The Virgin America Terminal, T2, in San Francisco’s international airport is a great example of thoughtful design that is beautiful in it’s simplicity and sustainability. I had the opportunity to pick up a friend there last week and I am now a BIG fan!
Here are some Very Virgin America Reasons to Love SFO’s Terminal 2 via 7X7 SF .
- Working travelers can log on at lap top work tables, plug-in stations and elevated work counters and enjoy free wireless throughout the terminal.
- There’s a Pinkberry
- It’s the first airport dining program in the country to recruit Slow Food vendors.
- It’s slated to be the first LEED Gold Certified airport terminal in the U.S.
- Similar to Virgin America’s signature cabin music, moodlighting, seating, and design, T2′s “Recompose” zone will create a stress-reducing oasis for travelers post-security
“The new T2 demonstrates that sustainability is achievable on many levels – from reusing construction debris to rethinking water usage to public education,” says San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Renovating SFO’s T2 toward LEED Gold brought all of this together. It is an incredible achievement, and we are proud, once again, to be taking the lead on sustainable innovation.”
Uniquely “Virgin” features in the airline’s T2 space are: Continue reading “Virgin America Terminal-SFO” »
Gaudi is Personal to Me
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Art, Nature on April 19, 2011
Gaudi is personal to me…Growing up in Barcelona from age 7 to almost 10, I was fortunate to see how his work influenced the face of architecture in Barcelona. To this day I distinctly remember walking past these fantastical buildings daily, or visiting these famous landmarks with my family.
That's my mom and two sisters...I'm the oldest one in the back with the blonde bangs
Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), is one of the greatest architectural figures of the late 19th,early 20th Century and particularly so in the history of Spanish, and Catalan, architecture. Seen as the genius of the Modernist movement (Art Nouveau), his work was not only innovative, but also very radical. Continue reading “Gaudi is Personal to Me” »
Japanese Influence is Global-Part 1-Art
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Art on March 28, 2011
Japanese influence is global! As just one small example, you may ask what does Japan have to do with the catacombs in Paris? Well, check this out!
Photograph by Stephen Alvarez, National Geographic
In a sandy chamber, underground in the catacombs of Paris, in a room known as the “beach,” a wave rolls across a wall painted (and repainted) by cataphiles in the style of Japanese printmaker Hokusai.
Katsushika Hokusai was a Internationally renowned Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker from the Edo period. Hokusai is best-known as the author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (c. 1831) which includes his most famous print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. It was this series, specifically The Great Wave print, that secured Hokusai’s fame to this day . To me it is a commemorative to the history of Japan’s resilience in the face of the awesome force of Mother Nature on her shore’s. Continue reading “Japanese Influence is Global-Part 1-Art” »
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