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    Porch pirates have become public enemy number one. Stopping them might require more kindness. – NBC News - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Online shopping is one of the great luxuries of our time up there with the invention of the dishwasher and washing machine in terms of saving time and energy in our busy lives. But as a psychotherapist, I realized many years ago that shopping in stores is, for some people, an important antidote to loneliness and isolation. A quick, pleasant conversation with a salesperson or even simply taking in the energy of people in a mall could lift someones spirits and make them feel less alone.

    So what are we doing with those lonely feelings now that were doing so much of our shopping online?

    One of the things were doing, it seems, is bonding over a controversy directly related to all of that online shopping a controversy that is escalating as holiday packages are being delivered to and stolen from in front of our homes. We're getting pissed at so-called porch pirates.

    According to an article in The New York Times, in New York City alone 90,000 packages go missing daily, up 20 percent from four years ago. Many of these deliveries are stolen from front porches and building lobbies, where they are dropped off when no one is home to receive them.

    The conflict, which sometimes involves name calling and heated attacks on personal values, has to do with who is at fault. Some angrily accuse the delivery companies and their employees for failing to properly ensure for the safety of the packages. Others blame the thieves, some of whom follow delivery trucks and take items as soon as they are delivered. Others attack homeowners for their sense of entitlement.

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    You dont leave your car keys in your unlocked car and assume that no one will bother to steal it, do you? said one man I interviewed about this issue.Why should anyone in this day and age believe that they can leave packages unattended outside their homes and not tempt someone else to take them?

    Victims of these thefts can also be attacked for not being empathetic enough to the thieves themselves. Ganave Fairley, a convicted porch thief whose story was told recently in The Atlantic, denies that she stole anything that wasn't freely available, despite being caught numerous times on surveillance and personal cameras, and calls her accusers racist. Some readers responded with vitriol toward the neighbors who put Fairley behind bars, perceiving their efforts to stop her as a failure to empathize with her pain and suffering in other areas of her life. One often repeated comment about Fairley is that she represents how childhood mistreatment leads to an inability to cope with real life."

    These are all age-old arguments about community members' rights to personal security and what drives a minority of people in marginalized communities to engage in antisocial behavior, sometimes stigmatized as criminal acts, but what is new about the arguments is the intensity of the anger and the resentment that seems to be driving them. And that makes me wonder if the very thing that has created the problem the luxury of online shopping itself has somehow contributed to people's fervor.

    Much has been written about the dangers of the internet, and in particular the ways that it can make us feel lonelier and less connected. Humans are social by nature; scientist Mathew Lieberman writes in his book, "Social," that we are wired to connect. Even those of us who identify ourselves as introverts need human contact.

    Shopping, at least after the specialization of labor and particularly after the rise of consumerist capitalism, has historically provided some contact for most of us, which can help with depression, loneliness and even eating disorders. But we dont even have contact with salespeople or brush by other shoppers when we shop online.

    Emma Seppala, a researcher at Stanford University, writes, People low in social connection are more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, antisocial behavior and even suicidal behaviors. Further, according to a classic study published in Science, the absence of social connection can be more damaging to our physical health than smoking, obesity or high blood pressure.

    Some of the response to porch thieves, like in the case of the New York woman who takes in packages for her neighbors, and who receives thanks in cakes and cookies and friendship, is lovely.

    But is it possible that joining others in a community of rage is also a way of counteracting loneliness? It would make sense these days, when weve grown accustomed to openly expressed anger as an acceptable form of communication.

    David Ludden, a psychologist who writes for Psychology Today, says that when used well, social media can actually help us make connections. And connections are forming as people band together on one side or the other of the porch pirate controversy.

    The New York Times article describes the woman who collects delivered packages for all of her neighbors, creating a community in her building. Last year a community in Phoenix organized a similar approach in time for the holidays. Neighborhood watches have sprung up in some areas although as can happen when anger is the unifier, in some cases these watches seem to increase, rather than decrease, the conflict.

    And therein is the rub. A family in Florida who filled a decoy package with dirty diapers came in for a lot of positive feedback, but also some criticism for being unkind even more so when they discovered that the packages they thought had been stolen had actually just been delivered to the wrong address.

    Anger is a powerful connector. In a world where we often tend to feel isolated and lonely, the package pirates have offered us yet one more opportunity to bond sometimes as neighbors who take in packages for one another, and sometimes over our shared outrage. But anger can destroy bonds, in part by damaging not just the other person, but also your own self-esteem.

    In the end, you have a choice about whether youd prefer to connect over anger or over a shared solution. Perhaps when filling boxes with human feces for faceless strangers who may or may not be the faceless strangers who took one of your packages you might consider whether your time and energy would be better spent befriending a retired neighbor who would be happy to answer the door for a UPS delivery person in return for an occasional neighborly visit from you.

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    Porch pirates have become public enemy number one. Stopping them might require more kindness. - NBC News

    Stats on package thefts from porches in Ventura County could surprise you – VC Star - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    With online-ordered holiday gifts being delivered to doorsteps across Ventura County, many local residents are probably worried about porch pirates.

    But potential victims can take heart in this: Statistics show package thefts are down this year from 2018. Some local cities are on track to see only half the cases they saw last year.

    As of a few days ago, the Ventura County Sheriffs Office, which provides police services in unincorporated areas as well as Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Ojai and Fillmore, had received reports of 53 cases so far this yearcompared to 93 last year. according to Sgt. Marta Bugarin.

    Holidays: Ventura County should see wet Christmas as holiday travel soars

    Also seeing a sharp decline was Simi Valley, with 27 cases this yearcompared to 60 in 2018, according to Cmdr. Steve Shorts.

    Ventura had seen 12 cases this yearcompared to 23 in 2018, said Sgt. Edward Caliento.

    Port Hueneme was on track to roughly match last years total, with 59 cases this year compared to 62 in 2018, said Norma Rodarte, senior record technician with the Port Hueneme Police Department.

    Figures werent available for Oxnard, and the Santa Paula Police Department didnt have the exact number of package thefts because the agency doesnt track them separately from other thefts, saidRecords Supervisor Dianna Miller DeRemer.

    Oxnard police arrested a suspected package thief after a neighbor reported suspicious activity on Tuesday.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

    The decline in incidents surprised some local law enforcement officers.

    One of the things we are surprised is that there are not as many package thefts reported in December, Shorts said.

    Officers attributed the decline to better prevention efforts by homeowners.

    Almost universally, they cited increased use of video doorbells that can record the thefts and thus deter porch pirates or help police catch those who go through with the crime.

    Demographics: California's population stalls at 39.9M as more flee state

    Besides getting a video camera, agencies offered this prevention advice:

    Preventing theft of whats on the porch is only part of the holiday battle against thieves; they could still break into your home, especially if youre out of town on a holiday trip.

    The U.S. sees about 1.5 million home burglaries each year, with FBI statistics showing nearly 76,000 occur in Southern Californias Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

    For people who are going out of town for the holidays, the Auto Club of Southern California offered these burglary prevention tips:

    Mo Jazi is a breaking news reporter with The Star. Reach him atmo.najafianJazi@vcstar.comor 805-437-0236.

    Support local journalism: Follow high-profile court cases and track public safety threats so you can protect your family, Get unlimited access to coverage like this with a digital subscription to The Star.

    Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/12/22/amazon-package-theft-ventura-county-california/2687703001/

    Original post:
    Stats on package thefts from porches in Ventura County could surprise you - VC Star

    Three of top 10 metro areas in the country vulnerable to ‘porch piracy’ are in California – Los Angeles Times - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Twas a couple of weeks before Christmas, when the culprit sneaked up to a San Pedro home, snatched a package on the porch and ran off with the goods.

    But a witness quickly caught the thief: an unlikely but rather anxious bushy-tailed squirrel.

    The package was returned to its owner. The incident was caught on a home surveillance camera.

    Not everyone is so lucky, however. As online shopping becomes increasingly popular, so too has porch piracy or the pilfering of delivered packages.

    Typically, according to FedEx, Amazon and other delivery and online companies, such issues are swiftly resolved.

    But sometimes particularly during the holidays, when timing is of the essence porch piracy begets long-term conflict and disappointment.

    Recently, nearly 300 Amazon packages were stolen from a post office in Amador County in Northern California. Indeed, the problem appears to be especially acute in the most populous state in the country.

    Three of the top 10 metro areas in the nation most susceptible to porch piracy are in California, according to a recent report by SafeWise, an independent security system review site. The rating list was compiled by comparing FBI crime data with Google Trends searches for missing and stolen packages.

    The watchdog site examined metro area package-theft rates for the entire year, compared with holiday-specific theft rates.

    The San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area came in first, SafeWise found. Los Angeles and the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto area came in at ninth and 10th places, respectively. In these areas, the rate of theft was determined to be consistent throughout the year.

    Other regions in the top 10 list were Salt Lake City; Portland, Ore.; Baltimore; Seattle-Tacoma; Chicago; Austin, Texas; and Denver.

    Asked if SafeWises findings aligned with their own internal data, the U.S. Postal Service and Amazon did not respond or declined to comment. Jonathan Lyons, a spokesman for FedEx, also declined to provide data about reported package thefts. But he did cite a 2018 Comcast and Wakefield Research Survey, which indicated that 1 in 4 Americans has fallen victim to package theft.

    But he also noted that there are steps our customers can take for added peace of mind.

    FedEx has instituted its own preventive measures, including having items shipped to alternative destinations, such as a relatives home, ones workplace, a FedEx office location or an authorized shipping center, such as Walgreens or Albertsons.

    To ensure that items are not left unattended, customers can also schedule deliveries at a convenient time or require a signature from the recipient. Specific delivery instructions can also be provided to FedEx drivers. Do you like your packages left behind the big planter or tucked behind the grill beside the back door? the company asks.

    Some customers have installed surveillance cameras and video doorbells to keep an eye on their parcels, while a few law enforcement agencies have resorted to elaborate sting operations, using packages with GPS trackers inside, in an effort to reduce the number of thefts.

    In Amador County, where some 300 parcels were stolen from the post office on Dec. 1, local authorities have no surveillance footage or witness information to go on. On the sheriffs Facebook page, victims of the theft are encouraged to share their experience.

    Through a post, Jean Michelle Morgan Ballard indicated that shed lost out on nine packages of gifts for her grandchildren. Likewise, Victoria Cox Noble was waiting on three presents. When Cox Noble reported the loss, she said, Amazon gave her a refund. Still, she will not be able to replace the products, one of which was part of a Black Friday sale, because they are no longer available.

    To date, only a handful of victims have come forward. Plus, Amazon never reached out to us, never gave us any information, Amador County Undersheriff Gary Redman said. As a result, the agency has been unable to determine the level of theft.

    All of the stolen packages were taken from a post office that was closed for the day.

    The delivery person, who was hired through a third-party company, left them at the wrong place, Redman said.

    More here:
    Three of top 10 metro areas in the country vulnerable to 'porch piracy' are in California - Los Angeles Times

    Teen Boy Killed On Front Porch Of Home, 19-Year-Old Man Critically Wounded In Separate Shootings In North Philadelphia – CBS Philly - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    PHILADELPHIA (CBS) Its been a violent start to the holiday week in Philadelphia. A teen boy was gunned down on a front porch of a home and a 19-year-old man was critically wounded in separate shootings in North Philadelphia on Monday.

    (credit: CBS3)

    Police say the 16-year-old boy was shot multiple times and killed while standing on his porch on the 3100 block of North 24th Street, shortly after 1:30 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

    The detectives have not found a weapon.

    I was making an order when I heard the shots. There were eight of them. I heard four and then it was like a 30-second delay and then I heard another four, said Giles Jones, of Peralta Hector Grocery.

    When I came out I heard yelling and my brothers shot, my brothers shot. And then he said, someone call 911 and I dialed 911 for him, Jones said.

    Neighbors say theyre tired of having to bury children who were gunned down.

    Stop thinking to kill somebody is the answer, that it makes you a big man or it makes you the big guy in the neighborhood. No, it doesnt make you any of those things. Youve taken another life, youve taken another black life. You are contributing to the decline of our communities and our families, neighbor Charlotte Murray said.

    In a separate shooting some 15 minutes later, a 19-year-old man was critically wounded after he was shot in the arm on the 2100 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. He was transported to Temple University Hospital.

    No arrests have been made in either shooting.

    To date, at least 113 kids have been shot this year in Philadelphia.

    CBS3s Kimberly Davis contributed to this report.

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    Teen Boy Killed On Front Porch Of Home, 19-Year-Old Man Critically Wounded In Separate Shootings In North Philadelphia - CBS Philly

    Four-Legged Porch Pirates on the prowl – KGUN - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    TUCSON, Ariz. In a world where we've got to stress about people stealing our delivered packages, we now have something new to worry about.

    However, it may not be there intention.

    In Oklahoma, a family's doorbell camera captured a "Pooch Pirate" in the act as it snagged one of their packages. Apparently, the Christmas gift traveled all the way from California, and a large, white dog decided to take the gift home perhaps back to his own family.

    Take a look at the video...

    Max, the large, white dog, has since been put in timeout and the neighbors offered to pay for the package.

    Over in San Pedro, California, a ambitious squirrel was able to steal a package from a resident's porch.

    The video footage shows the squirrel creep up on a number of packages on the doorstep, and select one and drag it off-camera.

    Then, when it's not your packages being stolen it's your beloved Christmas decorations you've got to worry about.

    With a "bah humbug" and a few stamps of a hoof, the decorations were destroyed outside a home in Georgia.

    In conclusion, these kind of instances have been happening for years. Now we've got fancy cameras to document it.

    Read the rest here:
    Four-Legged Porch Pirates on the prowl - KGUN

    Package Theft Bill Being Reworked as Porch Pirates Become More Brazen – NBC Bay Area - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Thieves who steal packages from peoples porches or mailboxes are a constant holiday problem, but this year was supposed to be different.

    A bill was introduced earlier this year to raise package theft to a higher level of crime, even a felony.

    The bill, AB 1210, was designed to deal out harsher punishments and act as a stronger deterrent toward so-called porch pirates. But the legislation was blocked.

    Police agencies and victims say thieves are becoming more brazen than ever.

    In the case of Alison Casanova of San Jose, the thief waited until the mail delivery man left then sauntered up to the porch, covering his face from the camera.

    "And he knew he was doing it, and he knew he was being filmed," Casanova said. "So that tells me he was casing the house, too, because how would you know I had a camera right there."

    But now, even thieves who are caught face a punishment equal to only a citation. South Bay Assemblyman Evan Low introduced a bill, co-authored by Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, in February to raise the crime to the level of breaking and entering and as high as a felony.

    The bill was blocked and is being reworked after other lawmakers said a suspects prior criminal record and the value of the stolen merchandise need to be considered.

    Low, Rosen and police officers were disappointed the proposed new law wouldn't be ready for this holiday season.

    Last week, Milpitas police used a decoy package and caught an alleged thief within minutes.

    "Any bill that helps our efforts to fight crime is great, but we still have a job to do regardless of what the laws are and what the bills are," said John Torres, spokesman for the Milpitas Police Department.

    Casanova added: "It would be nice if we could have something change sooner rather than later because it sounds like it's getting worse."

    Lows office said the reworked bill should be ready for consideration by mid-January.

    Go here to read the rest:
    Package Theft Bill Being Reworked as Porch Pirates Become More Brazen - NBC Bay Area

    Architect Elizabeth Roberts Builds the Rooms Powerful Women Want and Need Mieke Ten Have 12.25.2019 – Cultured Magazine - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Its a studio environment where we all bring something to our projects, and thats for the better, Elizabeth Roberts tells me over the phone. Personalities are really important and all my strong, creative clients dont just have a point of view; they are down to earth, problemsolving people. Roberts, whose tenor is equal parts modest and warm nwhen she speaks about her eponymous architecture firm, belies the impact she has had on contemporary living ideals. Indeed, the Brooklyn based architect has been behind countless respectful transformations of outdated and run-down early New York brownstones, which she spins into bright aeries that boast both beautifully preserved crown mouldings from yesteryear as well as Instagramworthy modern kitchens.

    Robertss devotees include a cadre of prominent female powerhouses in creative industries such as Rachel Comey, Athena Calderone and Ulla Johnson, whose home spaces have been widely covered by the likes of Architectural Digest and are sure to be aspirational lifestyle fodder for years to come. While each of these residences feel distinctive to their inhabitants, there is a tie that binds. Robertss skill is in navigating and mediating juxtaposition to elegant and fresh effect, leaving the homes she touches both contemporary and historically soulful.

    Her education and experience reflect the duality she is recognized for; after earning her first architecture degree from UC Berkeleys School of Architecture, where she learned modernist start from scratch principles, the Marin County native went on to Columbia, receiving her second degree in historical preservation. Adaptive reuse was an important ideait made all sorts of sense to me at a young age: using existing buildings and finding a way not to tear them down. Roberts found beauty in the historical and industrial. I love the elements we dont often create anymore as architectsheavy timber, true brick walls and creating features out of historic details. But she is quick to point out that she is no anachronist. We build to the timesI love contrast: the glossy new with the old.

    Roberts had formative periods interning and working for famed California modernist William Turnbull, preservationist Alice Carey and the award-winning firm Beyer Blinder Belle. In 2003, after being offered a partnership at a firm in San Francisco, she decided instead to strike out on her own, turning her West Village apartment bedroom into an office. I managed to afford it by splitting my bedroom diagonally in half with a blackout curtain, she recalls. Roberts initially took on mostly residential projects, including a number of Brooklyn townhouses, presaging the boom that was about to occur in the residential market. For many years I intentionally didnt do commercial. I realized the pressure and the values were not in line with what I wanted to spend my time and energy on; I wanted to work with families to create lifetime houses, she says.

    As artful residential renovations started to become her calling card, addressing the interiors was a logical next step. Theres no reason that when we are building a building we should stop at the walls. Why not talk about color on the walls, and the furniture? she asks. Im really interested in blurring those lines. Roberts now has six full-time interior designers on her team. She has also returned to taking on select commercial projects, starting with Rachel Comeys flagship store in 2014. It was such a personal expression of hers. That exploration for a beautiful, concise and lasting backdrop for her creations was a great re-entry into commercial [work] for me, says Roberts, who most recently designed the NoMad restaurant Il Fiorista, for which she tapped artist Leanne Shapton to create bold, watercolor-like murals.

    Her firm is now working on several ground-up projects and, as ever, Roberts is keen on finding the tension that will keep it interesting. Its easy with old buildings. New construction is more complicated. But its a blast finding contrast in the landscape, how it sits in nature, and bringing organic forms into a clean box, she says. Her cach among influential women hasnt waned, either. A roster of current clients includes chef Melia Marden, Atlantic Records executive Julie Greenwald, supermodel Daria Werbowy, jewelry designer Mary MacGill and former HBO president Sue Naegle.

    Asked about her sustained influences, Roberts offers a paean to her chosen city. I dont know if I would have found a place as an architect if I hadnt been so inspired by New York and its history. I love the grit, the grime and the glorious architecture, she says. And things evolve [here]. One thing about New York City is that nothingor very littleis too precious to change.

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    Architect Elizabeth Roberts Builds the Rooms Powerful Women Want and Need Mieke Ten Have 12.25.2019 - Cultured Magazine

    Architects’ Sam Carter: "You Have To Look At The Youth And Be Hopeful For The Future" – Kerrang! - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    If anyone can offer us some motivational words of wisdom in a year that has pretty much gone to shit, its Architects frontman SamCarter.

    From his admirable campaigning ahead of the UKs general election in December, to his powerful, political lyrical statements throughout the Brighton metallers discography, the vocalist is constantly standing up for whats right and hes got plenty to say in the way of hope going into2020.

    It really can feel like that when were smashed with how shit things are from every angle, every day, but I think you have to look at the youth and be hopeful for the future, Sam tells Kerrang! in the latest issue of the magazine. I look at [teenage climate change activist] Greta Thunberg, who is so great and has done so much. Shes inspired so many people to stand up and make a change in their lives. I see so many brands and companies now moving more towards an ethical direction. And, okay, you can easily be cynical about that and assume that is just their way of trying to make money, but you have to take the small victories where they are and try to build on them. There has been a definite shift in attitudes, so we have to run with that to achieve even more and to keep trying to be better people, generally.

    Read this next: 10 artists helping to save the planet through environmental activism

    Away from these world issues, 2019 has actually been a pretty special one for Sam and Architects and the biggest lesson that hes learned this year is that dreams can cometrue.

    I always wanted to record at Abbey Road, and we did that this year [for a Spotify session], he smiles. I cant explain how much that meant to me so many of my favourite records were made there. But then also I think this year has really reminded me that its important to help other people whenever you can. The past couple of years have been really hard, with everything this band has been through, and when youre kind of broken like that, you dont want to put yourself out there so much anymore. But this year has really reminded me how important doing thatis.

    Sams full interview is available to read in the new issue of Kerrang!, which you can get anywhere in the world through Kerrang.Newsstand.co.uk. Or, if you live in the UK, you can grab it now from all goodnewsagents.

    Link:
    Architects' Sam Carter: "You Have To Look At The Youth And Be Hopeful For The Future" - Kerrang!

    Steven Chilton Architects completes "bamboo forest" theatre in Wuxi – Dezeen - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    The Wuxi Taihu Show Theatre, which is wrapped in a steel structure designed to look like a bamboo forest, has opened in China.

    The theatre in Wuxi,a city near Shanghai in eastern China, was designed by Steven Chilton Architectsas the permanent home for a watershow designed by Belgian theatre director Franco Dragone.

    The round theatre takes its appearance directly from the nearby Sea of Bamboo Park the largest bamboo forest in China, where West-Line Studio created a bamboo-clad gateway earlier this year.

    "If you grow up in the region the Sea of Bamboo Park will be a familiar back drop to family days out and school trips and is a favoured spot for romantics," said Steven Chilton, principal of London-based Steven Chilton Architects.

    "I became aware of it years before as the location of the famous tree-top fight scene from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and was struck then by the incredible spatial qualities of the bamboo forest," he told Dezeen.

    The building contains a 2,000-seat theatre at its centre, wrapped in a painted masonry and full-height glazing wall.

    Surrounding this core is ascreen of angled steel columns that are arranged to visually break up the mass of the theatre.

    "The budget allowed us to have 365 columns to play with whilst our goal was to visually break up the view of the inner drum of the theatre building as frequently as possible," said Chilton.

    "I've always admired the work of Andy Goldsworthy and sought to emulate his approach of combining multiple self-similar objects in a manner that results in unexpected visual richness," he continued.

    "We looked at a number of techniques to maximise the visual 'interference' of the columns from multiple points of view around the building and settled on an approach that combined the coding of an emergent multi-agent system and good old fashioned manual manipulation."

    The columns support a canopy of gold anodised aluminium louvres, which were designed to represent the canopy in a bamboo forest.These louvres of the canopy and the columns provide shade for the building to help cool it.

    "The perimeter canopy and columns provide an abundance of shade all year round over the facade, substantially lowering the load on the heating and ventilation systems over the life of the building," explained Chilton.

    The theatre forms part of a new cultural development in Wuxi, and has been designed to be its centrepiece.

    "I wouldn't say the building was designed to be iconic, but the client was keen for the building to embody a visual narrative that would be familiar to people from the region and accessible for visitors," he said.

    "The visual distinction of the theatre will hopefully create an identity that contributes to the developer's goal of creating a destination that celebrates regional culture whilst avoiding the pastiche approach employed by others."

    Steven Chilton establishedSteven Chilton Architects in 2015 after leaving architecture studio Stufish. The studio is currently designing a domed theatre in Guangzhouthat will resemble a puzzle ball.

    Photography is by Kris Provoost.

    Project credits:

    Architect: Steven Chilton ArchitectsClient: Sunac GroupArchitecture and design management: Sunac GroupConcept engineer: Buro Happold EngineeringTheatre consultant: Auerbach Pollock FriedlanderShow design: DragoneLDI: Tongji Architectural Design

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    Steven Chilton Architects completes "bamboo forest" theatre in Wuxi - Dezeen

    bates masi + architects breaks apart and elevates house in the US to embrace flooding – Designboom - December 25, 2019 by Mr HomeBuilder

    overlooking a coastal pond and the ocean beyond in the long island village of sagaponack, new york, the kihthan residence by bates masi + architects is designed to celebrate the periodically rising water levels of the area. instead of hiding the flood damage prevention measures, the design takes advantage of them and embraces the duality of the wetland landscape by elevating and breaking apart the houses different volumes in order to let flood waters flow around and between them. glass-enclosed bridges connect the different volumes and allow residents to appreciate the dramatic spaces between them, whether flooded in wet periods, or interconnected by flows of native plantings in the typical drier periods.all images courtesy of bates masi + architects

    bates masi + architects has elevated and broken apart the house, pool, decks, and sanitary field to let water flow freely, thereby reducing the potentially damaging hydrodynamic pressure of coastal flooding. comprising a series of vertical volumes from which to observe the surrounding landscape, the residence remains perched safely above, while glass-enclosed bridges that connect the different spaces offer views of the dramatic spaces between them. the orientation of each volume is influenced by the desire for ocean views or sights of the rural landscape and responds to the program housed within.

    programmatically, pulling apart the spaces allowed for maximum privacy as four guest bedrooms are separated from the living areas and master suite, explain the architects. communal spaces have flexibility to flow to the outdoors and extend onto elevated decks by means of full height sliding glass doors.

    the residence is wrapped in board and batten wood siding, which is reminiscent of nearby vernacular structures, while its two-layer composition allows for selective control over its opacity. at grade level the boards are omitted and the battens form an open screen to let floodwater flow through it per fema regulations, while, above, overlapping boards and battens are opaque to mask neighboring houses from view. at the roof line, the battens are omitted to let light filter between the boards.

    the exterior language translates to the design of the interior spaces as well, where the horizontal datum lines are visually transcribed onto the interior walls by means of material transitions for interior finishes and wall claddings. wood clad walls at the first level transition into wainscoting and light painted walls at the upper floors. this visual link expresses the seamless connection between interior and exterior as one travels throughout the house.

    project:

    name: kihthan

    architect: bates masi + architects

    lot size: 0.92 acres

    building size: 5,000 sq. ft.

    location: sagaponack, NY, US

    contractor: k. romeo inc.

    interior designer: select furniture from wyeth

    sofia lekka angelopoulou I designboom

    dec 20, 2019

    See original here:
    bates masi + architects breaks apart and elevates house in the US to embrace flooding - Designboom

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