David Wurmser was a longtime advocate of war with Iraq in the Bush administration. Eventually, he got what he wanted, and it was a total disaster. Now, Wurmser again has the ear of a president this time, Donald Trump and his sights are set firmly on Iran.

An influential neoconservative in President George W. Bushs White House who became a significant force behind the push for war with Iraq in 2003, Wurmser has recently been serving as an informal adviser to the Trump administration, according to new reporting from Bloomberg News. In that capacity, Wurmser helped make the case for the recent drone strike that assassinated Iranian Gen. Qassim Suleimani.

David Wurmser again has the ear of a president this time, Donald Trump and his sights are set firmly on Iran.

Wurmser wrote several memos to then-national security adviser John Bolton in May and June of 2019. In the documents, according to Bloomberg, Wurmser argued that aggressive action by the U.S. such as the killing of Suleimani would, in Wurmsers words, rattle the delicate internal balance offorces and the control over them upon which the [Iranian] regime depends for stability and survival.

The significance of this is two-fold. First, while it was already clear that the neoconservative movement has powerfully influenced the Trump administration, Wurmsers role on Iran is further evidence of the sway that neoconservatism still holds on the U.S. right despite the catastrophic invasion of Iraq and Trumps disavowal of the war. Second, it demonstrates that neoconservatives such as Wurmser still cherish a peculiar theory about Iranian society.

After Bushs reelection in 2005, the hard-right faction of his administration turned its attention to Iran. These officials had always wanted regime change in the Islamic Republic, but now some of them believed that a full-scale invasion would not be necessary to bring this about. A 2005 article in the New Yorker by Seymour Hersh quoted a government consultant who described the perspective of these officials as being that a bombing campaign against Irans nuclear facilities would spur a revolution led by secular nationalists and reformers. The consultant summarized their view: The minute the aura of invincibility which the mullahs enjoy is shattered, and with it the ability to hoodwink the West, the Iranian regime will collapse.

Wurmsers outlook seems not to have changed one bit. In his memos to Bolton, he wrote that the U.S. will not need boots on the ground because Iranians would both beimpressed andpotentially encouraged by a targeted attack on symbols of repression.

This theory, so popular among neoconservatives, has always been bizarre: Nations generally become more right-wing when under attack. For instance, after the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, Americans did not demand that Bush be impeached and Dennis Kucinich move into the Oval Office.

We should definitely consider the possibility that the neocons dont know what theyre talking about. And yet, here we are, with those self-same neocons again helping shape our foreign policy in delusional and dangerous ways.

The continued self-confidence of neoconservatives like Wurmser is particularly odd given how all their beliefs were proven disastrously wrong in Iraq.

Wurmser holds a Ph.D. in international affairs and worked for the AIPAC-spinoff Washington Institute for Near East Policy in the mid-1990s. In 1996, he was one of the main thinkers behind a policy document titled A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm that was prepared by an Israeli think tank for then-incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government in 1996. The paper called for Israel to engage in preemptive attacks on its perceived foes and a focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq.

In 1999, Wurmser wrote a book titled Tyrannys Ally: Americas Failure to Defeat Saddam Hussein, which was pretty much what it sounds like. Chemical, biological, and even nuclear weapons are the pillars of Saddams regime, Wurmser said, adding that the menace from Saddams Iraq will continue to grow if the U.S. did not remove him from power.

After the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the purported wishes of the neoconservatives collided with reality, and reality won.

After the September 11 attacks, Wurmser was appointed to a two-man intelligence unit by then-Defense Undersecretary Douglas Feith. (Feith is perhaps best known for being referred to as the fucking stupidest guy on the face of the earth by Gen. Tommy Franks, who led the invasion of Iraq.) Among Wurmsers ideas was for the U.S. to respond to Al Qaeda by, as the 9/11 Commission later put it, hitting a non-Al Qaeda target like Iraq.

Wurmser then became a senior adviser to Bolton, who at that point was an undersecretary at the State Department and one of the most vociferous champions of a regime change war with Iraq.

Eventually, Wurmser and company got what they wanted, and the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq in March 2003. At that point, the purported wishes of the neoconservatives collided with reality, and reality won. Hundreds of thousands of people died, the lives of millions have been blighted, and the entire region will be in flames for the indefinite future.

In a 2007 interview, however, Wurmser continued to defend the decision to go to war, though he did question the Bush administrations rhetorical emphasis on democracy in Iraq. Im not a big fan of democracy per se, he said, Im a fan of freedom and one has to remember the difference. Freedom must precede democracy by a long, long time. In the same interview, he stated that if the U.S. failed to trigger a fundamental change in behavior by Irans leaders that America might have to think seriously about going directly into Iran.

In any case, nothing in the past 17 years seems to have made much of an impression on Wurmser; he still maintains a belief in his own skill at precisely calibrated global strategy. Nor has this past calamitous decade and a half prevented him from having the ear of the people who operate Americas killer drones. Notably, the article about Wurmsers current accomplishments, by neoconservative Bloomberg journalist Eli Lake, does not mention any of Wurmsers unfortunate history.

Wurmser did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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David Wurmser, Key Iraq War Architect, Advising Trump on Iran - The Intercept

Zaha Hadid Architects Revealed a Nearly Completed Exhibition and Conference Center, Part of Unicorn Island

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The Start-Up exhibition and conference center, the first building within Chengdu's Unicorn Island project, is nearing completion. Conceived by Zaha Hadid Architects, the 67-hectare mixed-use master plan will generate living and working environments for Chinese and international companies.

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In line with Chinas evolving economy and continuous growth towards internet and technology-based organizations, the project creates a unicorn island or a hub for the development of start-ups. Located in the Tianfu New Area, south of Chengdu, an ecologically sustainable civic, business and residential center for Chinas technology and research sectors, Unicorn Island will be home for 70,000 researchers, office staff, residents and visitors. In fact, the project has been designed to enhance the wellbeing of its community; [] influenced by principles within the regions historical natural engineering projects.

On another hand, following the environmental principles of Dujiangyans historic irrigation system and Tianfu New Areas ongoing work to re-establish its natural wetlands, the master plans guidelines define particular concepts that improve the efficiency of the structures and the wellbeing of its inhabitants. Actually, Unicorn Islands parkland design incorporates green civic spaces, water conservation, and enhanced connectivity to create its living and working environments.

With a radial master plan, the design, conceived within a walkable and bikeable distance, allows instant access to the entire space. The central plaza and metro station are surrounded by integrated clusters of buildings, with heights and compositions that vary according to functions, program, etc. In fact,throughorganic growth, the structures will create a diverse community. Natural water management systems and innovations in urban farming technologies will be also incorporated in Unicorn Island.

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Zaha Hadid Architects Revealed a Nearly Completed Exhibition and Conference Center, Part of Unicorn Island - ArchDaily

When India and Pakistan split into two countries in 1947, the need to house roughly half a million displaced persons in both countries intensified. With communal violence at its peak and refugees with nowhere to go, the Indian government, under then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, decided to build homes for the displaced in the form of low-cost structures that would provide basic shelter for the desperate refugees.

The government turned to Otto Knigsberger, a German architect of Jewish heritage, to run the project. He had been working in India since 1939, having fled his native country following the rise of the Third Reich. After immigrating to Bangalore in India, Knigsberger became the chief architect and town planner for the princely state of Mysore.Nine years later, the Berliner was director of housing for Indias Ministry of Health, tasked with the resettlement of vast numbers of refugees displaced by Partition.

Mansoor Ali, a Bangalore-based architect who runs Bengaluru by Foot, historic walking tours of the city, explains: He went to Egypt first, but he didnt get much work there, so he came to India [and] World War II broke out. Knigsberger was hired by the maharaja and supervised the construction of 27 buildings in Bangalore, says Ali.Working in India in the 1940s, and later in other developing countries, made Knigsberger acutely aware of the futility of applying traditional thinking in the face of rapid urban growth.

After the Partition of India and Pakistan, there were at least 50,000 refugees in India who needed immediate housing. Tapped as the director of housing shortly after India gained independence in August 1947, Knigsberger began setting up a pilot project called Hindustan Housing Factory in Delhi. His idea was to use prefabricated housing, which could be produced faster in response to demand, as a solution to the refugee crisis in the country.

Knigsberger established his reputation as an expert in the concept of action planning a departure from city plans reliant on static surveys of existing conditions. The longer I did planning work in India, he wrote to a colleague in 1951, the firmer became my conviction that master plans and reports are not enough. It is necessary to create a live organization which constantly deals with planning problems and keeps the basic conception of the plan alive. He used this dynamic approach to design low-cost housing for Indian workers families, the Silver Jubilee Institute, the Bangalore city bus terminal and municipal swimming pool, the Krishna Rao Pavilion and the buildings for both the aerospace engineering department and the metallurgy department at the Indian Institute of Science. In addition, he was instrumental in planning for the towns of Jamshedpur, Gandhidham and Bhubaneswar.

His influence as a pioneering architect also stems from his insistence on the impact of climate on buildings and planning. In her book Otto Knigsberger: Architecture and Urban Visions in India, Rachel Lee quotes from a letter he wrote to his mother from a hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in April 1939: I have a large room, from the ceiling of which hangs a large fan with four 70 cm long blades. The rooms are very high to allow the hot air to rise. The fan then pumps the hot air back down onto the unlucky resident below. This sounds very impractical, which it is, but without a fan, it would be absolutely impossible to sleep in this humid heat. Lee says that by continuing to ruminate on these ideas, the architect developed his more enlightened approach to buildings in the southwestern city of Mysore.

In designing homes for the displaced refugees, explains Ali, Knigsberger took the bold, untested step of using aerated-concrete wall panels material that was effective at regulating temperatures and could be sourced locally. Because of his emphasis on innovation and affordability, he became something of the go-to architect for other similarly challenging climates. He was hired, Lee writes, to work in the colonies, the tropics, the Third World and the developing world. Eventually, he was named director of the department of development and tropical studies at the Architectural Association in London, professor of development planning at University College London and senior adviser to the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations and the World Bank.

The production of Knigsbergers housing project for refugees came to an end in December 1950. Houses were falling apart, causing a scandal, and he was fired as the director of housing the following spring. He returned to Europe, an exile again.

As an early proponent of sustainable, climate-appropriate and energy-efficient design, in Lees words, Knigsberger was ahead of his time. When the exiled architect died in London in 1999 at the age of 90, his legacy consisted of a fleet of buildings, a commitment to improving the lives of the poor and his Manual of Tropical Housing and Building Design, which remains a standard text translated into multiple languages for generations of architects to follow.

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Meet the Nazi Refugee Architect Who Pioneered Efficient Homes - OZY

This exhibition of works by architects and artists installed at Rudolph Schindler's house in West Hollywood, California takes the fraught relationship between the architect and his wife as its theme.

The Soft Schindler exhibit features works by 14 architecture studios and artists that intend to add softness to or contrast with the house, which the celebrated modernist architect completed in 1922.

The showcase was curated by architecture critic Mimi Zeiger, who intends the project to explore the outdated idea of binary concepts.

"Soft Schindler participants, through their respective practices and presented works, show the incompleteness of binary ideas in architecture, sculpture, and design," said a project description.

"Femininity versus masculinity, inside versus outside, heavy versus light, rational versus emotional framing such notions as outmoded."

Zeiger came up with the idea after learning about the relationship between Schindler and his wife Pauline, who lived together in the house.

The Austrian-born American architect had designed the property in West Hollywood as a home and office for two couples, with a shared kitchen. When tensions rose between Pauline and Rudolph, they chose to live in the separate wings.

Pauline started to decorate her side, painting the walls pink and adding a 1970s-style shag rug, much to Schindler's frustration, according to Zeiger.

"To RM Schindler, Pauline's intolerable act violated a sanctum of modernism and his desire for honest expression of natural materials," the project description continued. "But the exhibition aims to highlight that the home 'has never been a binary'."

Pauline Schindler's alterations were not preserved when the house was restored to Rudolph's specifications, something that the exhibition highlights.

"Archival photographs suggest material legacies in dialogue with Schindler's rigorous geometries: tablecloths, pillows, curtains, flower pots ephemeral elements that like the pink paint were not preserved when the residence was restored in the 1990s in approximation of the original intentions of the architect," the team explained.

To showcase this, the exhibit presents work by 14 international artists and designers.

These include locally based Tanya Aguiniga, Laurel Consuelo Broughton, Sonja Gerdes, Bettina Hubby, Alice Lang and Design, Bitches, as well as Leong Leong, Jorge Otero-Pailos and Bryony Roberts from New York.

Medellin's Agenda Agencia de Arquitectura, Santiago's Pedro Ignacio Alonso and Hugo Palmarola, and Barcelona's Anna Puigjaner are also among the exhibitors.

Zeiger chose the existing work of some of the artists and architects that responded to the theme of contrast.

"Alice Lang, whose ceramics use this kind of molten glaze on a series of male torso, really changes your understanding of what the body is, and surfaces," she said.

Also includedis the humorous work of artist Bettina Hubby: "I've seen some of the work that she's done with pillows," Zeiger added. "I was interested in what happens if we insert these kinds of projects in the house."

Other works on show were designed for the exhibit to respond to the house itself.

Design, Bitches, for example, has installed a series of plexiglass panels with bold text onto expanses of glazing in the property.

They have phrases such as "Don't" and "I will", which reference the letters exchanged between Rudolph and Pauline during their period of separation.

The Kitchenless collages by Anna Puigjaner meanwhile form a continuation of the Spanish architecture's work into kitchen-less cities.

Her research aims to promote the creation of communal cooking space in cities as opposed to private ones in homes a particularly relevant notion in the design of The Schindler House, which has a shared kitchen.

"For her, this is a really a political move based on her ongoing research about collective kitchens becoming a way for people to come together to reverberate the kind of domestic duties of the kitchen," said Zeiger. "Puigjaner really touches on a projection into the future."

"When we look at it in the context of The Schindler House which had a shared kitchen, as the one point that connects the two sides that is an early start about appropriating the kitchen for different uses and new ways of using the space," she continued.

Born in 1877, Schindler first started his career in Vienna, Austria, before moving to the US to work with 20th-century architect Frank Lloyd Wright, completing projects like Hollyhock House.

The Schindler House was originally designed to host the Schindlers and Clyde and Marian Chace, and is often referred to as The Schindler Chase.

Pauline left the property in 1927 and returned to live in the second apartment in the 1930s until her death in 1977.

In the interim, it was used by a number of different occupants including Schindler's lifelong friend and architect Richard Neutra and art dealer and collector Galka Schey.

Today, the property is open to the publicand managed by the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.

Soft Schindler is on show until 16 February 2020.

Photography is by Taiyo Watanabe.

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Soft Schindler installation of works by architects and artists contrasts modernist The Schindler House - Dezeen

Greek studio Kapsimalis Architects has turned a cluster of former homes, barns and cellars on the island of Santorini into ahotel with rooms in caves.

Located among a strip of buildings that form the edge of the village of Odi, the Saint Hotel steps down on a cliff by the sea.

Each level has unobstructed views out to the island's volcanic bay, with rooms dug into the steep hillside.

Sixteen rooms open onto private terraces with pools and loungers, separated by bright white walls.

The rooms, along with pools, a restaurant, spa and gym, are all connected via central a concrete stairway that winds its way through site.

Six of these hotel rooms occupy original and restored structures, while the remaining spaces have all been newly designed.

As the buildings occupy a significant portion of the village's urban fabric, Kapsimalis Architects wanted to make the project sympathetic to the area's traditional streets and architectural forms, but used new materials.

"The techniques used are synthetic, in terms of the integration of the new hotel complex in the old urban fabric and the volcanic landscape," founder Alexandros Kapsimalis told Dezeen.

"This included the building's structures, the geometric shapes, the human scale, the selection of materials, textures, colour and the contemporary hotel functionality."

The original shape of the cave spaces has been retained, along with distinctive white colour of the buildings.

New angled walls follow the natural contours of the Saint Hotel site, focusing views towards the sea.

Connecting directly to the village via the reception, the degrees of privacy for guests are subtly mediated by the angled walls.

Alleyway-like spaces add privacy and connect the terraces and bedrooms.

"Due to the fact that the borders between the hotel space and the old urban fabric are not so definite, the interaction of the hotel guests, the village visitors and residents is certain," said Kapsimalis.

"[However], the design and the function of the hotel can offer privacy to its guests, in case calm and isolation are needed."

The interiors of Saint Hotel's room match the all-white exteriors, with the smooth walls of the caves finished in white plaster for rooms decorated with austere and minimal fittings.

Pieces of amorphous furniture inhabit the spaces, such as seating pods with hinged lids and circular sunshades that can be angled and rotated.

Kapsimalis Architects, founded by Alexandros Kapsimalis and Marianna Kapsimali, has previously completed many projects which respond to and renovate existing structures on the island of Santorini.

Working again with the cellars and caves featured in many traditional homes on the island, the practice transformed two vaulted structures into a holiday home arranged around external yards.

Photography is by Giorgos Sfakianakis.

Project credits:

Architecture: Kapsimalis ArchitectsInterior design: Kapsimalis ArchitectsStyling: Ioli Tripodaki

Originally posted here:
Hotel on the Santorini coast has rooms in white-painted caves - Dezeen

Family-friendly lodges provide an ideal venue for your personal blend of active pursuits and relaxation. Here are five places youll want to visit time and again:

The Lodge at Chaa Creek, near San Ignacio, Belize

Tucked within a 365-acre private rainforest paradise in the picturesque foothills of the Maya Mountains, Chaa Creek provides the ideal home base for your familys exploration of the Cayo District, a region where cave tubing, archeological sites, horseback riding and zip lining will lure you from the comfort of your palm-thatched cottage or tree-top suite. While at the riverside eco-lodge, dont miss early morning bird-watching tours, the hill-top spa, the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm and the medicine trail where youll learn about native plants that provide globally significant remedies. Stay in tree-top villas, cottages or glamping-style camp casitas.

Contact: ChaaCreek.com

Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Ore.

Located in Oregons Mount Hood National Forest, sitting high on the shoulder of the iconic peak at 6,000 feet, this magnificent lodge was built at the height of the Great Depression by unemployed craftspeople hired by the Federal Works Progress Administration. Completed in 1937, the lodge has long served as the centerpiece of a mountain playground. The land and historic lodge are still owned by the U.S. Forest Service, but the National Historic Landmark lodge has been family-operated since 1955. Families return year after year to ski, hike, dine, mountain bike, learn about the local flora and fauna and to simply enjoy the high-altitude natural beauty.

Contact: TimberlineLodge.com

Sundance Mountain Resort, Sundance, Utah

Youll find it difficult to emerge from the cozy lodge warmed by a roaring fire or your cabin crafted from indigenous materials. But when you do, choose from cross-country and snowshoe trails that run deep into the woods or sunlit downhill runs on the slopes of Mount Timpanagos. Founded by filmmaker and conservationist Robert Redford, the resort offers family-friendly pottery, beading and printmaking classes in the Art Shack, winter fly-fishing and dining menus with an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Contact: SundanceResort.com

Grand View Lodge, Brainerd, Minn.

Visit this historic lodge on Gull Lake for a family-centric getaway. Expanding over 750 acres, the kids will burn off energy cross-country skiing, playing hockey, skating, tubing or swimming in the indoor pool. Go for sleigh rides, relax in the hot tub and play games in your garden cottage, cabin or lodge rooms. A four-season vacation destination, the lodge is a popular summer spot for lake activities, golf and hiking.

Contact: GrandViewLodge.com

Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park, Montana

There are few places on the planet as stunning as Glacier National Park. And one could argue that the historic Many Glacier Hotel is the ideal venue from which to appreciate the vast and astonishing landscape. Located on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake with jagged peaks as backdrop, the iconic hotel was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1914 to lure tourists to the Wild West. Today, visitors from around the world find their way to this northwestern corner of Montana, eager to see the disappearing glaciers, hike aside azure-colored lakes and to catch a glimpse of resident wildlife.

This secluded, five-story hotel offers a window into the past with old-world style guest rooms and a Swiss Alpine theme. While dedicated to honoring its historic roots, the 214-room gem has undergone a multimillion dollar renovation that included remodeling rooms, updating furniture and lighting and restoring the dining room to historic standards.

Red Bus tours, boat cruises, horseback rides and evening ranger programs are offered in an unparalleled lakeside setting. Book well in advance.

Contact: VisitMontana.com, GlacierNationalParkLodges.com

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Family travel five: Lodges that blend activity, relaxation - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Cameran Eubankshas beautiful skin, with the fresh-faced selfies to prove it: Just check out her au naturel glow in the photoshe posted in December 2019 with herSouthern CharmbestieChelsea Messiner.Cameran has shouted out her skincare secrets before like the "magic" serums and "freaking amazing" moisturizer she swears by. But now, the Charleston mom is trying out something a little different:a non-invasive skin treatment.

"Did something new I've read a lot about @spaazure today. (They are the only Biologique Recherche spa in SC)," Cameran wrote on Instagram Stories yesterday, January 15, along with photos from the treatment room. "This is the remodeling face machine that uses micro current to tighten and tone your face. You can add this service to your facial."

According to Spa Azure's website, the $235 Remodeling treatment uses electric currents to improve muscle memory of the facial muscles and revitalize the epidermis and Cam said she saw immediate results.

"I gotta say. My face seems LIFTED. Look how this eyebrow is lifted," she wrote, drawing in an arrow to show off the differencebeforeandafter the treatment.

Impressive! No wonder she said that she "will be adding this to [her]facials from now on."

Meanwhile, she's advocating forat-home use of Biologique Recherche's holy grail product, Lotion P50. "If you buy one thing, buy this. Cult following and some call it the single best skincare product in the world."

Cam isn't the onlySouthern Charm-er who swears by P50 and facials atSpa Azure:Naomie Olindosays her trips there leave her"feeling and looking likea new human every time."

Bravos Style & Living is your window to the fabulous lifestyles of Bravolebrities. Be the first to know about all the best fashion and beauty looks, the breathtaking homes Bravo stars live in, everything theyre eating and drinking, and so much more. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and get exclusive extras.

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Cameran Eubanks Tried a Face Tightening Treatment: This Eyebrow Is Lifted! - Bravo

Houzz Inc., the platform for home remodeling and design, recently released the Q1 2020 Houzz Renovation Barometer, which tracks residential renovation market expectations, project backlogs and recent activity among businesses in the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector in the U.S. The Barometer points to strong expectations for home renovation market activity in the first quarter of the year.

Small businesses in the construction sector and architectural and design sector are heading into 2020 on a positive note, with expectations in line with last year and project backlogs already a few days longer than three months ago, said Nino Sitchinava, Houzz principal economist. Given the significant delays in 2019 due to weather, among other factors, businesses are optimistic about projects spilling over into the first half of 2020. Economic and political uncertainty, high product and material costs, and shortages of skilled labor continue to be the top cited concerns for 2020.

Construction Sector

Architectural and Design Services Sector

The Houzz Renovation Barometer is based on a quarterly online survey sent to a national panel of businesses with an online profile on Houzz. The Barometer keeps a pulse on home renovation market conditions via three distinct indices that track expected, current, and recent business activity in two related industry sectors, the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector.

The Expected Business Activity Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report whether they expect the number of project inquiries and new committed projects to increase, decrease or stay unchanged in the upcoming quarter relative to the prior quarter. Scores for each component are then computed as a seasonally adjusted diffusion indices on a scale of 0 to 100, with index values over 50 indicating that a greater proportion of firms reported quarter-over-quarter increases than those reporting decreases.

The Recent Business Activity Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report whether they observed the actual number of project inquiries and new committed projects increasing, decreasing or staying unchanged in the most recent quarter relative to the prior quarter. Scores for each component are then computed as a seasonally adjusted diffusion indices similar to the Expected Business Activity Indicator. Recent Business Activity Indicator scores can be compared to the Expected Business Activity Indicator scores for any given quarter to see whether actual activity met, exceeded, or fell short of expectations.

Finally, the Backlog Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report wait times in weeks before a company can start work on a new midsize project. Scores are computed as average wait times without a seasonal adjustment.

All three indices are computed individually for two subsectors in the construction sector (build only remodelers and design and build remodelers) and for two subsectors in the architectural and design services sector (architects and interior designers), as well as for nine regions that follow U.S. Census Bureau Divisions. The aggregated national indices are computed using industry subsector weights and regional weights derived from the 2016 U.S. Census County Business Patterns survey. Detailed methodology and underlying quarterly indices for the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector, and other information on market conditions can be found on houzz.com/research.

The Q1 2020 Barometer was fielded December 29th, 2019 through January 10th, 2020 and garnered responses from nearly 1,500 small businesses on Houzz. n=1,484.

The Q2 2020 Houzz Renovation Barometer release date is April 9, 2020.

Furniture Industry News and in depth magazine articles for the furniture retail, furniture manufacturers, and furniture distributors. Read other articles by Nic Ledoux

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2020 Kicks Off with Confidence in Q1 Home Renovation Market, Houzz Barometer Finds - Furniture World Magazine

Whether you want to vacation with three or four generations of your family, take care of your elderly parents or nurture a relationship among members of your extended family, you may want to consider having a home designed specifically for multiple generations to live together.

One of the essential elements to a successful melding of generations in one home, ironically, is creating space for everyone to be occasionally apart.

For Diane and Roger Feeley, retired grandparents, this meant hiring Michael Winn, founder of Winn Design + Build in Falls Church, Virginia, to design a separate house connected to their daughter and son-in-laws home outside Washington, D.C. The motivation for the couple, both in their mid-60s, is to live close to their two grandsons, who are 2 and 4.

I didnt know any of my grandparents and I wanted my grandchildren to have the experience that I didnt have, she said.

More: The Best Smart Home Tech from CES 2020

Like many families, the Feeleys prize togetherness with their grandchildren but also appreciate their privacy. Their three-level house includes a porch that overlooks the swimming pool, a loft level home office and a 1,300-square-foot woodworking shop in the basement for Mr. Feeley.

I watch the boys during the week, but most evenings and weekends we hardly see each other, Mrs. Feeley said.

The Feeleys living situation is not so unique. Approximately 20% of Americans live in a household with three or more generations, according to the Pew Research Center.

More: Future Returns: There Are Reasons for Optimismand Cautionin 2020

Embracing Multiple Generations Takes Architectural Creativity

Just as each family is different, so are their design preferences.

When we meet with buyers, they often fall in love with the site and tell us how many bedrooms they need, but we dig deeper to get to know them and understand their family dynamics, said Ricardo Santa Cruz, chief business development officer for Mandarina, a resort with private residences north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. For example, for a family with college students who want to bring their friends to visit, we can design the house so that the entertainment space is far from the grandparents and parents suites. But families with young children often want the kids rooms close to their parents but farther from the grandparents.

One buyer built an eight-bedroom house with first-floor bedrooms for grandparents and two swimming pools an infinity-edge pool for adults and a waist-deep pool for the children that was placed at the back of the house, Mr. Santa Cruz said.

More: High-Tech Gadgets to Help You Stay Warm This Winter

Some families want to entertain with everyone cooking and talking in the open kitchen, but others prefer a more closed-off kitchen for staff to cook while the family and friends gather in another space, he said.

Other residences at Mandarina, where homes are marketed to international buyers, prices range from US$4.95 million to US$10 million, have been designed with a separate bungalow for grandparents or a suite with an elevator for accessibility.

In every case, we build outdoor space around the house and work around the trees and topography of the land, Mr. Santa Cruz said. We create small destination points with private terraces facing the ocean, the jungle or the trees where people can walk a short distance from the house to escape into their own nook.

Sometimes, a multigenerational home is designed for caretaking rather than relaxation. In the Chicago area, Fred Wilson, a founding partner with Morgante-Wilson Architects in Evanston, Illinois, designed a US$1.5 million renovation on a home that had been in one family for generations.

We created a suite for the owners mother on the first floor that includes a big open bedroom and living area with French doors to a private terrace, Mr. Wilson said. She can walk down the hall to be with the rest of the family in the kitchen and family room whenever she wants.

Meanwhile, several multigenerational homes have been built on Crane Island, a custom home community adjacent to Amelia Island in Florida. One recently retired couple built a US$1.5 million property to accommodate three children and their partners as well as extended visits from the wifes parents from Poland, said John Hillman, vice president of sales and marketing at Crane Island.

More: The Year Ahead in Luxury Real Estate

That house includes double-front porches and a screened porch in the back so theres plenty of space to be outside in separate areas if they want privacy, he said.

The family also built an apartment with a separate staircase above the garage with a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom so that the visiting parents have complete privacy when they want it, he said.

Another property on Crane Island, a US$3 million custom home, includes a garage apartment connected by an air-conditioned breezeway to the main house designed for the owners father, who is in his 90s. A third multigenerational property on the island has two wings to the house with a common entrance, so that the daughter and her family are on one side of the house and her father lives on the opposite side, Mr. Hillman said.

More: Cutting-Edge Amenities That Will Define 2020

As for the Feeleys, they planned to build a separate house on their daughters property but were prevented by zoning issues, Mr. Winn said.

The breezeway that connects the houses was built so they could be considered attached, but its practical, too, so the families can go back and forth under protection in inclement weather, Mr. Winn said. Otherwise, its a completely autonomous structure with almost 1,000 square feet on the main level that includes their living and dining area, kitchen, laundry, bedroom and bathroom.

Designing for the Future

While most families who build or remodel a home to accommodate multiple generations plan to live in it for many years, that doesnt mean many homeowners want visible aging-in-place features. Adding a first-floor bedroom and reducing the need to climb stairs are among the many elements that can make it easier for elderly people to stay in their home rather than move to senior housing.

More: Hidden Tech That Will Add a Futuristic Feel to Your Home

Its important to design spaces, especially the bathroom, that avoid that nursing home look, even if you need to include a bathtub with a door and a no-threshold shower, Mr. Wilson said.

The Feeleys home has aging-in-place features such as lever door handles, wide doorways, a front-loading washer-and-dryer and a walk-in shower with slip-resistant flooring and a seat, Mr. Winn said.

We designed the space around a spiral staircase to the upper and lower levels so an elevator can easily be added in the future if they want one, Mr. Winn said. A basic residential elevator costs about US$35,000 to install if the space is already configured for one, he said.

Since the Feeleys daughters home is an 1860s farmhouse, Mr. Winn was careful to design the new home to complement the historic home and to work as a pool house or future guest house if the family ever sells the property.

If you design a multigenerational house appropriately and not as if its an afterthought, the additional space is an asset for resale value, Mr. Wilson said. The space can be repurposed for guests, for an au pair, for an office or just another hangout space in your home.

More: The Wonderfuland Sometimes WeirdTech of 2019

Legal, Financial and Psychological Preparation

Every adult member of the multigenerational household should be part of deep discussions well before an architect is hired, Mr. Winn said, to clarify who will finance and own the property and who will make the design decisions. The Feeleys spent about US$600,000 to US$700,000 to build their house on their daughters land.

We had numerous conversations with our attorney and financial planner about how to address every financial and legal issue with building on our daughters property, Mr. Feeley said. The gift tax would have been crazy if we gave them the money to build the house. Instead, were the mortgage holders and our daughter and son-in-law have an interest-free loan with us that we forgive each year since theyre going to inherit our money one day anyway. We also have paperwork in place thats essentially an escape clause that dials down any potential apprehension about the future.

The agreement spells out what will happen if the Feeleys or their daughter want to move and sell.

More: For Luxury Home Buyers, Guest Suites Hit a Sweet Spot

My biggest recommendation is to do a trial run before you move in together, Mrs. Feeley said. We visited a few times for four-to-six weeks to see if we were going to get on each others nerves.

In addition, the Feeleys and their daughter planned upfront how they would split costs such as property taxes and utility bills, which Mrs. Feeley said is important for family harmony.

Designing From the Ground Up

Creating a comprehensive checklist of why youre buying or remodeling a home and including a list of all the habits and ways each family member will use the space makes it easier for an architect to develop a design that meets your priorities, said Mr. Santa Cruz. A custom architect should be willing to come up with creative solutions for your property that works now and in the future.

Youre only as happy as the least happy member of your family when youre living or vacationing together, said Mr. Santa Cruz. You want to design the home so that every generations needs are met. You want the kids to be able to play even while grandpa is taking a nap and mom is working.

More: A Smart Home Guide to Self-Care

Visit link:
The Luxury Way to Live with Multiple Generations - Mansion Global

Welcome to the weekend, Michigan!

Each week our Michigans Best team (thats us, Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez) come up with a list of great things to do for our Michigans Best Weekend Show, and share them with you here.

You can view our show by going to Facebook.com/MLiveMIBest.

This weeks show is brought to you by the Grand Rapids Remodeling & New Homes Show, happening Jan. 17-19 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. You can find more information on this event below, as well as at buildremodelgr.com.

Here are the events that we covered on this weeks show, plus a few Michigans Best picks that weve been craving lately.

Have an event that we missed? Feel free to add it to the comments.

You can always email us your events, or your suggestions for Michigan's Best.

gonzo@mlive.com

asherma2@mlive.com

We hope you make it a Michigan's Best weekend!

Michigans Best Weekend Show - Jan. 16-19, 2020

Grand Rapids Remodeling & New Homes Show

Jan. 17-19, DeVos Place

This annual event features 200 local exhibitors, including kitchen design seminars by Sarah Reep, as wel as hands-on training at the DIY Homeowner Series. Hours are:

Fri, Jan 17: 12pm-9pm

Sat, Jan 18: 10am-9pm

Sun, Jan 19: 11am-5pm

Tickets: Single-Day Tickets: Adult $10 Online / $12 At the Door | Child (6-14) $4 | 5 & Under Free; Multi-Day Tickets:Adult $18 Online Only (Good for any 2 or all 3 days). Tickets available online now or at the DeVos Place Box Office during all hours of the show. More details at buildremodelgr.com.

Mackinaw City Winter Festival

Jan. 18-19

Downtown Mackinaw City

https://www.facebook.com/events/499593787348028/

Its a big weekend in Mackinaw City! Festivities begin with a DJ & Dancing at the Dixie Saloon at 10 p.m. Friday. Then on Saturday:

Winterfest Ice Fishing Tournament: (Weather permitting) From 8am until 2pm at the Carp Lake Marina, only seven miles from downtown Mackinaw City. Anglers can preregister at Carp Lake General Store, Clydes Bar or Paradise Lake Marina. All entry fees include a chance ticket valued at $5. The three categories to be judged are: Heaviest Pike, Heaviest Walleye and Heaviest Pan Fish with cash prizes for each category. Anglers may also preregister from 3-6pm on Friday in the headquarters located at Paradise Lake Marina. Registration on the day of the tournament is from 6:30-8am at the headquarters.

Chili Cook Off Competition: Begins at Mama Mias Pizzeria located at 231 East Central Avenue from 11am until 1pm. Come early to taste and vote for your favorite recipe.

Mackinaw Pepsi International Outhouse Races: Begins at at 2pm at the Sheplers Lot located on Huron Ave and Central Ave. This novelty event starts with the parade of outhouses which proves to be creative, colorful and entertaining a must see! The races are open to Adult & Junior Teams. The Outhouse must be 4x4x6 on skis. Must have a 5-person team {1-must ride & 4-push or pull}. The Outhouse must have a Toilet Seat and have Material to Wipe with. Entry must have a Name. CASH PRIZES: 1st Place: $500 | 2nd Place: $300 | 3rd Place: $200 | Best in Show: $100. Entrants under 18 must have a parents signature and ALL teams and participants must sign a waiver. http://www.mackinawouthouserace.com.

Other events include: Poker Walk from 10:15am to 1:15pm at B.C. Pizza; Sleigh/Wagon Rides from 11:30am until 2pm sponsored by Marshalls Fudge & Mackinaw Clothing Store.

For lodging reservations visit MackinawCity.com/stay/.

Pronto Pup Winter Weekend

Pronto Pup in Grand Haven has announced the dates for this years Winter Weekend - the only time during the off-season when its famed corn dogs are for sale. The food stand will be open on January 17, 18, and 19, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Owners Carl and Nancy Nelson run the 63-square-foot stand off Snug Harbor throughout the summer months, and customers sometimes line up down the block to buy their Pronto Pups - a Koegel hot dog, dipped in batter and fried, and served on a stick with ketchup or mustard.

Carls father, Charles Chuck Nelson, opened the stand in 1947.

Spicy Saturday at the Downtown Market

January 18, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market

9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Guests can experience blazin bites and strong sips during the fourth annual Spicy Saturday event throughout the Market Hall. This one-day-only event features hot items and other sizzling specials from various Market vendors and restaurants. Additionally, the second annual So Cluckin Hot spicy wing challenge takes place at noon on Spicy Saturday, hosted by Juju Bird. Participants will have 10 minutes to eat 12 of Juju Birds famous So Cluckin Hot wings. The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Juju Bird, a $50 gift card to the Downtown Market and $100 cash. All participants receive a $10 Juju Bird gift card.

So Cluckin Hot wing eating challenge - noon

http://downtownmarketgr.com/classes-events/spicy-saturday-2

Spicy Saturday specials include:

Tip Up Town

January 16,17,18,19 and January 24-25

1625 W Houghton Lake Dr

Houghton Lake, Michigan 48629

989-366-5644

Its the 70th anniversary for Tip Up Town, and the theme is Groovy 70s. The festival is held at the southern DNR boat launch, off of M-55 near the Pines theater and Pineview Golf Course. Free parking is available at the High School and library with free shuttle service to and from Tip Up Town.

This is the largest ice fishing festival in north central Michigan, and runs the last two weekends in January.

Activities include:

Tip Up Queen is crowned at noon on Saturday, a 5k run on Saturday, Grand Parade at 10, and fireworks at dusk.

Indian River Winterfest

Friday January 17 and Saturday January 18

Throughout downtown Indian River

This family friendly festival take place in beautiful Indian River. There are events throughout the weekend, including a cornhole tournament, live music, poker run, ice fishing tournament, and much more.

Head to Cooperation Park for family activities on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., including build your own cardboard sleds (with cardboard provided), ice skating and cross country skiing. Free cookies and cocoa!

Cornhole is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Live music from Mike Ridley both nights, and a very rare Jelly Roll Blues Band sighting on Friday at 8 p.m.

Look up Indian River Winterfest 2020 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/441772370110478/?event_time_id=441772373443811

Johns Michigans Best Pick

This is the Tortellini Alfredo pizza at Tiffany Foods and Spirits in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Tiffany's was a finalist in the search for Michigan's Best Pizza in 2013.Jeff Schrier

Tiffany's Food and Spirits

656 S. Main, Frankenmuth

989-652-6881

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m daily (bar open until midnight)

Facebook

On our search for Michigans Best Pizza in 2013, Tiffanys was known for maybe the most unique pizza -- the signature PastaPitza. The pizza is topped with homemade pasta on a thin homemade crust and sauce and topped with cheeses before its baked into a rich, filling dish. You can get 8 different pastas from Chicken Marsala to Seafood Alfredo. The menu also includes traditional and Sicilian pizzas, as well as sandwiches, burgers, great appetizer (try the escargot) and homemade pasta dishes, of course. Built in the 1900s, youll love the old house feel of the restaurant and the large display of Tiffany Lamps.

Photos: Our MLive visit in 2013

23 great pizza places not to miss (2013)

Amys Michigans Best Pick

Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez of MLive search for Michigan's Best Bloody Mary. Here they visit the Hunt Club in Jackson (April 17, 2016).John Gonzalez

The Hunt Club, Jackson

1514 Daniel Road, Jackson

http://thehuntclubmichiganjh.com/

One of our top picks from one of our first searches together, The Hunt Club in Jackson has not only a top notch bloody mary, but also just great drinks altogether. The search for Michigans Best Bloody Mary was an epic adventure that took us across the state, as we traveled more than 1,500 miles and visited 47 places. We tried spicy ones, beefy ones, ones that were slightly sweet, and some that were very savory. We had a few that burned our tongues with lovely heat and some that werent hot at all. Several were loaded with full meals balanced on the top, and some came with a simple pickle and olive. The most amazing thing? Not one of them tasted the same. One of our top ten picks was The Hunt Club.

The Bloody Mary Breakdown: The Bacon Bloody Mary starts with a vegetable juice base, enhanced with fresh citrus and spices. Ugly Dog bacon infused vodka is used.

Garnish: Housemade beer-candied bacon, blue cheese-stuffed olive, regular olives, pickle, celery, lime wedge

Why try it: They spent a lot of time creating this drink, working on a sweet vs. salty vs. spicy balance. This is very refreshing, with lots of citrus flavor. The bacon vodka gives the drink depth without being overly bacony. Bright, twangy, light, this drink is all-around delicious. And that candied bacon is incredible.

When The Hunt Club switched to using the Ugly Dog bacon vodka, they saw their Bloody Mary sales quadruple. They have something for everyone, with a full restaurant, several bars, banquet rooms for rent and a game room.

LOOKING AHEAD

Amy Sherman of MLive interviews Angielena Muellenberg, co-owner of Snowbelt Brewery in Gaylord, Michigan. This was part of Michigan's Best Day in Gaylord.John Gonzalez

We are celebrating another Michigans Best Day! Amy and Gonzo just finished filming another best day video, this time in Gaylord. The video will debut at Snowbelt Brewing Co. in Gaylord at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21. The brewery is located at 132 W Main St, Gaylord, MI 49735.

We appreciate you following our Michigans Best adventures.

Follow Michigans Best on social media:

@mlivemibest on Twitter

@mlivemibest on Instagram

Also, be sure to follow our MI Best Facebook Page, which you can check out here.

Join in by using the hashtags #mibest and #ItriedMiBest

In addition:

Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.

More:
Michigans Best Weekend Show - Things to Do, Jan. 16-19, 2020 - mlive.com