The Designer Notebook is one year old today! Happy Birthday Blog!
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Glass House
My dear friend Arlena has recently visited Philip Johnson's famous Glass House in Connecticut, and sent me these up-close pictures that are just dreamy. In the late 1940s, a group of influential architects educated at Harvard University moved to New Canaan, Connecticut. They chose the location for its proximity to Manhattan and because they were able to buy large, inexpensive plots of land to build on. New Canaan has since become famous for its collection of modern homes and the most recognized is the Glass House built by Philip Johnson. Johnson spent much of his life at the property and called it his “50 year diary”. The title “Glass House” refers not only to the glass home he built there but also to the other structures and sculptures on the 47 acre estate. With his partner David Whitney, Johnson played hosted many artists here, including Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. After his death in 2005, the Glass House was turned over to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and in June of 2007 it was opened to the public.
Visits to the Glass House must be booked well in advance. Although photographs are not allowed on the regular 90 minute tours which are $25/person, they are encouraged on the last tour of the day which is 2 hours and $40/person.
Windex anyone?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Now your house can really glow!
What if we could light our homes with glowing wallpaper rather than having to rely on electric lights? Swedish designer Camilla Diedrich has asked this exact question, and in response, created a stunning line of luminescent wallpaper that is lit by fiber optics. Her Nature Ray Charles Wallpaper features a delicate assortment of floral motifs that shine through in lucid lines, adding a touch of energy-efficient ambiance to any room.
Now that's just CUTE!!
If you’re a fan of modern prefab architecture and you’re raising rugrats, now you can get your little ones on the prefab mod action with the Mini Modern Prefab Playshed. Part Case-Study home, part play-house, the Mini Modern Prefab proves that kid’s design can be fun and sophisticated at the same time. Architect Ryan Grey Smith, known for his adult-sized Modern-Shed is bringing prefab to preschoolers with his Modern Play Shed, a smaller but no-less awesome version of his original design. Better than any treehouse or playhouse we’ve ever seen, it comes fully loaded with a sloped shed roof, dutch doors, 12 windows, and more.
The wall that wasn't!
Frequent passerby in the neighborhood of Santa Margarita, Spain may find themselves a bit lost when they can’t seem to find the white wall they just passed by. Appearing at first as a simple sheet of folded paper, this beautiful white-walled building features a facade of panels that open in brilliant pops of color. Designed by Romera y Ruiz Arquitectos, “Ocho casas inscritas y tres patios” is a sustainably constructed social housing complex with a facade that changes according to the wishes of its inhabitants!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Portfolio
Here is a Randy Franks Studio project that sits in the heart of Santa Barbara. It is located across from the Santa Barbara Mission and rose gardens. This home showcases Randy's strong ability to transform any space into something beautiful and elegant, all while coordinating with the homes architectural personality.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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