Blog Archives

Avoid Flush Plume

But by all means go to GreenBuild!  Today Brooke Funkhouser and I completed our second day of GB 2009 in sunny & sustainable Phoenix, Arizona.  We learned about everything from low-energy buildings to waterless urinals that prevent flush plume (if you’re intrigued, look for our video blog about waterless urinals coming soon).

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Tags: Al Gore, ASU, corn-based utensils, flush plume, forest restoration, Greenbuild 2009, LCA, low-energy, Phoenix, recycling, revitalize main street, waste-wood reuse

Get Ready, Greenbuild. We’re Coming with Cameras.

Next week, my coworker – and for a short time, co-blogger – Brooke Funkhouser and I are traveling to Pheonix, AZ to attend Greenbuild 2009 (GB09). Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Thousands of building professionals from all over the world come together at Greenbuild for three days of educational sessions, renowned speakers (this year’s keynote speaker is Al Gore), green building tours, special seminars and networking events.

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Tags: Arizona State University, Boom Goes the Dynamite, Global Institute of Sustainability, Greenbuild 2009, Interiors & Sources Magazine, LEED Silver buildings

Outside the Box (on a ledge, anyway)

When it comes to scouting the best spot to watch this holiday’s fireworks displays, The Ledge at Sears Tower in Chicago takes the cake.  Really, it’s multiple ledges, each a glass box cantilevered about four feet from the face of the tower – on the 103rd floor. According to a story on NPR, The Ledge can support up to 5 tons, but I wouldn’t want to test it.

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You Can’t Fake Wabi-Sabi

Wabi-sabi is my new favorite concept (well, not new, really, more like old – it’s something you intrinsically recognize whether you know what it’s called or not).

Apparently, wabi-sabi is that beautiful imperfect aesthetic born of the natural processes of time & wear, like a weathered barnwood table or the crumbling stone façade of an old building.   Transience, authenticity, asymmetry, asperity, simplicity, modesty, intimacy…  Expert Robyn Griggs explains it well when she describes the wabi-sabi quality as “accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death… It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind.”

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Tags: etsy, mid century modern, re-surface, robyn griggs, Savannah, sit and read furniture, wabi-sabi

Selgas Cano Makes Me Want to Clean My Desk

Oh my dear, I must confess:  I am getting dangerously close to having the messiest workspace in the office.  I think there are still a few front runners for this prestigious honor, but the endless stacks of paper, teetering rolls of drawings, tangled masses of finish samples, infinite heaps of carpet tiles, and the impossibly overloaded recycling bin at my workspace are bringing me close to the glory.

Never fear, there is always someone messier than you.  That’s what I realized when I heard the world’s messiest office cubicle had been discovered in Colorado (but now that I know they’re out there looking for us – eek, I didn’t know they did that – I might have to tidy up a bit lest I be the next office freak show).

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Tags: iwan baan photography, madrid, selgas cano architects, this aint no disco it's where we work, world’s messiest office cubicle

Mid-Century Modern Love

Recently, while stalking an amazing mid-century modern home near my neighborhood (via google maps’ street view, I promise), I came across the blog “Atomic Indy: Mid-Century Modern Indianapolis”.  And here, low & behold, I found the object of my affection: a perfectly organic modern gem, nestled in a wooded lot, hidden among the miles & miles of strip malls and rural fields of suburban sprawl.

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Tags: atomic indy, historic landmarks foundation of Indiana, Indianapolis, MCM, mid century modern, mies, organic modern, Robert Smith

Recycle This

One of my favorite things about working on the KIB headquarters was teaming with local artists to showcase their work throughout the space.  Barbara Zech was instrumental in this effort and, coincidentally, one of her pieces in the space is a favorite of mine.  Mounted above the reception desk, this handcrafted art piece recalls raw, weathered concrete but is made entirely of recycled & salvaged paper.

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Tags: Barbara De Pirro, Barbara Zech, Jamie Pawlus, KIB headquarters, local indianapolis artists, Marcel Duchamp, Museum of Glass, Recycled Art, Sue Webster, Tim Noble

The Outdoor Room

Okay, okay. I promised myself (and others) I wouldn’t write about weddings. But, alas, I have developed an unhealthy preoccupation of late, and that is a promise I cannot keep.

Today’s obsession: the outdoor room. Since our decision to tie the knot & celebrate in a beautiful outdoor setting, I’ve become increasingly fascinated with how others have found ways to create the “outdoor room”. Among the most curious to me is the ballroom-sized frame tent, complete with windows, French doors, portable wood floors, lighting, heating, & ventilation (although I’ve seen beautiful versions of this, one has to wonder, why even bother with an outdoor event?). And one of my favorite interpretations (and most eccentric?) is the guest room tent outfitted with real beds, nightstands, & even bedside lighting! › Continue reading

Tags: choose your own adventure, Christopher Alexander, clear tent, outdoor room, outdoor wedding, pattern language, quality without a name, QWAN, tree house