Anne Rippy/Digital Trends

Tulsa, Oklahoma is having a moment, and the world has taken notice. From being honored as home to one of Time Magazines Worlds 100 Greatest Places to the second round of Tulsa Remote opening to new applicants, the city is in the midst of a renaissance. But its the buildings of the past that have architecture lovers most excited. With some of the finest Art Deco designs in the country, a major push to restore long-neglected buildings, and the increased interest and participation of renowned architects, Tulsa is the place to be in 2020.

The last few decades have seen significant changes in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. Tulsa was among the first to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day to recognize the critical role Native American tribes played and continue to play in shaping the city. And for over 20 years, the city has hosted massive celebrations for Juneteenth and Pride Day, embracing the diversity that makes this town unique.

But its the amazing architecture, restoration, and revitalization thats drawing design lovers from around the world to this central U.S. city. Thanks to the oil boom of the 1920s, Tulsa became the wealthiest city in the world. Construction took off as tycoons rushed to leave their mark on the town. While myriad influences from many different styles can be found in buildings around the area, it was Art Deco that architects truly embraced. Today, Tulsa has one of the countrys largest collections of original Art Deco architecture.

So just how many Art Deco buildings are there in Tulsa? The Decopolis Tulsa Art Deco Museum lists 63 total, with another 24 buildings that were demolished over the years. So to say the city abounds with Art Deco is an understatement. Everywhere you look, in every neighborhood, elements of the style can be seen. And we cannot talk about Art Deco in Tulsa without looking at Bruce Goff, one of the most prolific architects of the style.

Perhaps the most recognizable of all the citys Art Deco buildings, Boston Avenue Methodist Church was completed in 1929. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the church is carefully positioned at the end of Boston Avenue, making for a dramatic sight when viewed from the historic downtown business district. The 255-foot central tower is capped by four shards of deco glass, making it a striking focal point of the citys skyline.

For many decades, Bruce Goff alone was credited with the churchs design. But records show that the plan was originally drawn by his mentor and instructor, Adah Robinson. Today, Robinson is credited with coming up with the original sketches that Goff then based the design off of.

Early on, Goff worked closely with Robinson, who began her career as the first art teacher at Tulsa High School. Goff was one of her very first students, and perhaps this was how he became the designer of her own home. Working with Joseph A. Koberling, Jr, Goff designed the home in 1924. At first glance, it may be hard to see the Art Deco elements of the Robinson House, but they are there. Windows are geometric and elongated, there are terrazzo floors throughout, and the home is covered in stucco (a common material for Art Deco homes at that time).

The Tulsa Club Hotel is a prime example of the citys modern revitalization. Built in 1927, the Tulsa Club was an upscale gathering place for the citys elite. Designed by Bruce Goff, the 11-story building spent many years abandoned and neglected. Water damage from a leaky roof and fire hoses (the building experienced four fires in just one year) resulted in ceilings and walls beginning to rot. Luckily one developer saw potential in the building and set to work restoring it. Thanks to Ross Group, Tulsa Club Hotel is now a showcase for historic Art Deco elegance with a fun contemporary twist. Stepping into the lobby feels like a Great Gatsby party could break out at any moment.

After its construction in 1914, Brady Theater was remodeled by Bruce Goff in 1930. Adding plenty of Art Deco details, Goff designed everything from custom acoustical ceiling tiles to gilded air conditioning grilles. The new details effectively turned the simple barn-like convention hall into an elegant and breathtaking theater. It may have received some contemporary updates since then, but that amazing Art Deco ceiling is still there for all to admire.

Among all of Tulsas Art Deco designs, The Philcade Building truly stands out. Built in 1931, it was one of the many new structures lining Boston Avenue as oil tycoons sought to leave their mark on the city. Designed by architect Leon Senter, the Philcade was one of two towers commissioned by Waite Phillips. Located directly across the street from the already built Philtower, the Philcade represented Phillips dominance in the oil industry. Done in the Zigzag Art Deco style, the Philcades seemingly simple exterior belies the lavish interior, including the stunning lobby with an arched, hand-painted ceiling.

Tulsas countless Art Deco buildings arent the citys only architectural style worth admiring. In the downtown area alone, visitors will spot a range of iconic styles from Gothic to Contemporary and everything in between.

Boston Avenue, running through the center of downtown, showcases some of the citys most notable buildings, including the Kennedy Building, the Mid-Continent Tower, and the Philtower Building (connected to the Philcade through an underground tunnel), culminating at the BOK Tower at the top of Boston Avenue. Each building has its own unique look and its own story to tell. For architecture nerds, there are niche tours that have been built around these marvels.

The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, formed in 1995, offers walking tours on the second Saturday of every month. Following a different theme each month, the tours center around everything from the impact of Route 66 on architecture to exploring the citys hidden underground tunnels. Its a unique chance to get an insider look at the architecture and designs that shaped the city for more than a century.

The city is also home to a one-of-a-kind Csar Pelli design. The BOK Center shows off Tulsas contemporary side and its love affair with art of all kinds. As a testament to how seriously this city takes its buildings, it rejected Pellis original (and admittedly boring) concept for the flagship arena. It wanted more than a basic rectangular box, so city planners demanded the world-renowned architect go back to the drawing board and come up with a more contemporary design. The result is the smooth, undulating silver swirl building that resembles a tornado when seen from above, a cheeky nod to Oklahomas wild weather.

Architecture not your thing? Dont worry, Tulsa still has you covered. From music to ballet to street art, Tulsa is one seriously creative community. Museums abound, each offering a different tidbit on the areas rich history. While not all of that history is something to be proud of (the Tulsa Race Massacre depicted in the opening scene for HBOs Watchmen really happened), locals dont shy away from any of it. A stop at the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum is a must. It gives the full picture of how far this city has come after the devastating attack on Black Wall Street in 1921. From there, you have a variety of museums to choose from to get your art, history, or music fix.

If you consider food to be art, youre in luck there, too. Incredible restaurants can be found in every corner of Tulsa. In 2018, the city took its food game up a notch with the opening of Mother Road Market. While it is dubbed a food hall, Mother Road Market is more of an experience, getting visitors up close and personal with local chefs, sampling unique cuisine, and socializing with fellow food lovers on the outdoor patio.

Speaking of the Mother Road, a stretch of Route 66 runs right through town, letting you get a healthy dose of nostalgia. From classic diners to the famous Golden Driller statue, you can get your fix of the vintage kitsch the road is known for. Be sure to check out Buck Atoms Cosmic Curios for the true Route 66 experience.

Once youve had your fill of impressive architecture, endless art, delicious food, and a stroll through Gathering Place, be sure to stop at the Center of the Universe before leaving town. Yep, Tulsa has that, too.

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Why Design Lovers Need to Head to Tulsa in 2020 - The Manual

I am an all-time architecture content consumer and nothing fascinates me more than seeing concept homes designed for the future! While we imagine it to be all Jetsons and some Avatar, designer Ivan Venkov has created a concept home that makes me curious is this what homes would look like if Elon Musk was in charge?

Venkov mentions that the original idea was for the modular aspect to only be included in the interior spaces, but the exterior sculptural look could also be shaped differently if desired this means only the interior foundation and platform will remain as is. His aim was to make modular spaces more than just functional, Venkov wanted it to be striking without costing a fortune to execute. The aesthetic is based on pillars of modern, minimal and calming design while still catching your eye. I particularly love the wide glass stairs leading up to the house, it gives such an airy and spacious feeling especially because it is only one floor allowing the trees to tower over you and build the view.

The illustration by Venkov includes stock imagery and his original concept designs for details as well like the Nebula lounger out on the porch and also the automobile parked up in the front. This concept home is a high-end prefabricated unit resting in a forest, but I imagine it can be assembled in other settings as well. I am sure this Tesla-esque abode will be built to be a smart home. Would you move into a home like this in 2040?

Designer: Ivan Venkov

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If Tesla designed houses, this is what they would look like - Yanko Design

Ill be honest, this product is not something you need but it is certainly something you will want. How cool will it be to have an air purifier that also steams irons your shirt for work? That is exactly what this steam and clothes manager does in a nutshell! The design concept for this home accessory aims to solve the issue of using space inefficiently when you have an air purifier and a clothes manager.

This one device serves both functions as we know so all you need to do to switch from air purified to clothing manager is slide up the top. A hanger will emerge and a sliding curtain to allow for effective deodorization when steaming in a closed space. It is relatively smaller when compared to the traditional clothing manager and because of its dual functionality, it becomes a smarter choice especially for the urban homes.

The steam manager has won various awards for its concept already Korea Design Exhibition Award Special Prize (2019), Winner of International Busan Design Award (2019), and was the finalist atD2B Design Fair (2019). Designer Jiheon Song has already patented the concept and we are excited to see it on the market! I, for one, am ready for cleaner air, cleaner clothes and a cleaner decade.

Designer: Jiheon Song

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Get wrinkle-free clothes and a smell-free home with one device! - Yanko Design

It is the kind of house that would kindle hot pangs of desire in even the most imperturbable editor at Dwell magazine: Clean, horizontal lines. Walls made of Betn brut concrete. Floors and ceilings from fine-grain hardwood. There is a pristine island kitchen with an induction cooktop and temperature-controlled wine storage. Plus, near the entrance, a graceful internal courtyard harbors a cluster of bamboo trees illuminated, of course. (Uplighting vegetation is the design tic of the bourgeoisie.)

If the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were to grant an Oscar for architecture as a character in a movie, the Minimalist manse inhabited by the well-to-do Park family in Bong Joon Hos Parasite would certainly be the lead contender. The home, which in the film is designed by a fictional starchitect named Namgoong Hyeonja, hits all the markers for tasteful displays of wealth, from the Minimalist furnishings to the Minimalist soaking tub a desire for less-is-more that applies to everything except scale.

But as design critic Kyle Chayka writes in The Longing for Less: Living With Minimalism, his newly released book about the desire for less, Just because something looks simple does not mean it is; the aesthetics of simplicity cloak artifice, or even unsustainable excess.

In the case of the Park home, the simplicity cloaks a disquieting secret in the basement.

A scene from Bong Joon Hos Parasite showcases the Minimalist home of the well-to-do Park family.

( Neon / CJ Entertainment)

Each of the best-picture nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards employed architecture and urbanism to help tell stories.

Martin Scorsese offered an epic take on a mobsters regret-filled life in The Irishman, a picture redolent of clubby, Old World restaurants. Ford v Ferrari and Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood traveled to the 1960s, a world of Space Age neon, wood-paneled executive suites and ranch-style houses. Noah Baumbachs Marriage Story remained firmly in the present, offering a realistic view of a crumbling relationship set against blandly tasteful middle-class domestic settings and the barren Los Angeles apartment inhabited, at one point, by Adam Drivers character, a setting whose principal design feature is beige wall-to-wall carpet.

The two best-picture films that take place in wartime are among the most intriguing for the ways in which they employ architecture and its absence. So it is little surprise that both also received Oscar nominations for production design.

Taika Waititis Jojo Rabbit, which takes place during World War II, tells the fantastical tale of a German boy and his imaginary friend who happens to be Hitler.

The exteriors (shot in the Czech Republic) evoke a Baroque German city. But the interiors of the home, where much of the action takes place, features Modernist, Art Deco design flourishes and boldly colored wallpapers as if this home were a cocoon against everything happening outside. (A cocoon that happens to be hiding a young Jewish woman.)

Hitler, for the record, hated Modernism.

Quite different in its approach to architecture is Sam Mendes riveting 1917, set on the Western Front during World War I. This war epic shows little in the way of architecture but when it does, it is the stuff of nightmares.

There is the design of the trench, where so much of the film takes place, and where countless lives come to an end in a soup of mud and waste. But the most memorable scene shows George MacKay as Lance Cpl. Schofield running for his life through the bombed-out French village of coust-Saint-Mein at night, flares and bombs illuminating the wreckage of this once picturesque settlement.

It is a hellscape. The end of architecture. Its crumbling ruin seeming to contain only the last vestiges of human life.

George MacKay as Schofield dashes through a destroyed French village at night in 1917.

(Universal Pictures)

Taken collectively, however, the best-picture nominees deploy architecture in ways that tell compelling stories about the ways in which the poor and the wealthy divide.

Greta Gerwings Little Women is about the March sisters wrestling with the life options available to them in Civil War-era Concord, Mass. options that seem to sit on a continuum between getting married and thwarted attempts at a creative life. But the film also tells a story of class and the ways in which women aspire to it.

The home belonging to the kindly and well-to-do Mr. Laurence, a Georgian Revival mansion played by the Nathaniel Thayer Estate in Lancaster, Mass., sits right within view of the March familys more humble abode, a 17th century colonial farmhouse painted a dreary shade of brown. The drafty home of the poor Hummel family down the road highlights the social classes even further. In the Laurence home, the wood trim sparkles; in the March house, the surfaces have a genteel worn-out-ness, with flowered wallpaper that has dulled over time. The Hummels can only dream about wallpaper.

Those details are hardly incidental. The March home is based on author Louisa May Alcotts Massachusetts home, where she wrote the novel upon which the movie is based. Our version of the March house is a bit broken and run-down on the outside, production designer Jess Gonchor told The Times last year, but the interiors have this flow of positive energy and color.

But they are interiors, as the March sisters are keenly aware, that constantly speak to their status.

Saoirse Ronan (clockwise from top left), Laura Dern, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen, at home as the March family in Little Women

(Wilson Webb / Columbia Pictures)

Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, which is also up for an Oscar for production design, likewise offers some interesting juxtapositions of rich and poor.

The camera lovingly dwells on the creature comforts of the Hollywood Hills home that belongs to actor Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, including a full bar and a turquoise swimming pool with L.A. views. Cut to the home of Brad Pitts barely employed stuntman Cliff Booth, a banged-up trailer behind the Van Nuys Drive-In. It is stuffed with decidedly unfancy clutter: the dishes in the sink, the dirty dog bowl in the corner, the television on a teetering TV tray.

We wanted to put Cliff in the realm of a drive-in, production designer Barbara Lin told the Hollywood Reporter of the concept. I love that whole environment for Cliff, putting him in such a different world from the [glamorous one] in which he serves as stuntman.

The disheveled trailer belonging to Cliff Booth (played by Brad Pitt) in Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.

(Andrew Cooper / Sony Pictures)

Todd Phillips Joker goes beyond individual environments.

The film opens with Joaquin Phoenix, as Arthur Fleck, applying clown makeup in a gloomy, industrial room as radio news reports talk about Gothams garbage crisis. Shortly thereafter, he is assaulted by a group of teens in an alley. Thus begins a spiral that puts the emotionally unstable Fleck on the path to becoming the Joker. And part of that path is the one of a society afflicted by rampant economic inequity all conveyed by the crumbling prewar apartment building that Fleck inhabits, with its flaking paint and dire hallways.

It is also conveyed by the city itself, a rat-filled, crime-saturated Gotham that evokes the New York City of Bernhard Goetz, the vigilante who shot four African American teens on the New York City subway in 1984. A similar scene occurs in Joker, in which Fleck shoots at a pack of bratty financiers who bully him on the train. (In a case that made national headlines, Goetz was found not guilty on all charges except for carrying an unlicensed weapon.)

The film is every paranoia about the urban rendered on screen: a vision of cities as festering sites of crime and filth, evocative of the Ford to City: Drop Dead New York of the 1970s and the ways Donald Trump talks about Chicago today. All of it is paralleled by the wealthy moguls who seem untouched by the decay.

Flecks sickly mother is hopeful that one of those moguls, Thomas Wayne, whom she once knew, will rescue her and her son from their grinding poverty.

That, however, is not in the cards. As Flecks counselor tells him, after funding is cut for his mental health services, They dont give a ... about people like you, Arthur. And they really dont give a ... about people like me either.

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Joker navigates a trash-covered street evocative of 1970s New York.

(Niko Tavernise / Warner Bros. Pictures)

But it is ultimately Parasite that uses architecture to tackle the topic of inequity in the most direct ways: a tragicomic story about the parallel lives of the wealthy Park family and the poor Kim family that work for them in an array of household jobs jobs acquired through various ingenious scams. But even before the plot has begun to unfurl, the architecture in the film has already articulated the class tension.

The Parks inhabit a state-of-the-art estate. The Kim family lives in a style of semi-basement apartment that is common to Seoul, where the film is set. Known as banjiha in Korean, this style of housing offers little in the way of creature comforts such as daylight. Contrast that to the Parks large picture window, which overlooks a vast, manicured garden.

It is the Kims banjiha that opens the film: with socks drying before a row of four grimy windows. Milk crates stacked high against walls burst with clutter. The wires that provide electricity are visible as they run along ceilings and walls. A tiny bathroom features not a soaking tub, but a toilet set on an elevated platform (presumably a way to flush waste without having to dig any deeper for plumbing).

Park So Dam (left) and Choi Woo Shik in their semi-basement bathroom in Parasite.

( Neon)

In an interview with Indiewire last fall, Lee Ha Jun, who nabbed an Oscar nomination for his production design on the film, described the toilet as a temple of excrement. It is no wonder the Kims will do whatever it takes to worm their way into the Parks sumptuous home. None of it, however, results in what they imagine.

Those pristine magazine homes? It turns out they have plenty of room for skeletons in their capacious, walk-in closets.

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How the Oscars' best-picture nominees used architecture to tell stories of inequity - Los Angeles Times

The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast members are known for flipping tables and major family blow-ups. Aside from their drama, they are one of the flashiest franchises.

With mega-mansions and blinged-out jewelry, viewers wonder how they live such flashy lives when their major stars have had serious financial issues. The season 10 cast are ringing in major cash as far as their salaries on the show, adding to their growing net worth.

For a short time, Giudice was a paid contributor to PEOPLE Magazine where she blogged on the site regarding the show. Her books have become New York Times Best Sellers, which include four cookbooks Skinny Italian, Fabulicious!, Fabulicious Fast & Fit, and Fabulicious!, and On the Grill and several memoirs, Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back at It Again, and Standing Strong. She also had her own jewelry line of costume accessories called TG Fabulicious and a line of dessert wines with Fabellini.

Her net worth was once estimated to be about $11 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Despite the success of her businesses, she and her husband filed for bankruptcy in 2011, claiming to be more than $11 million in debt. Legal documents revealed that she took home large advances and royalties from her books including a $250,000 advance for Skinny Italian and $30,000 in royalties, according to Earn The Necklace. They were found guilty in 2013 of fraud charges after a guilty plea, with them both serving separate jail sentences. With the bankruptcy filing, loss of income from her business and legal fees, her net worth took a hit. Luckily, she has the show. Reality Blurb reported that shes paid $62,000 per episode, putting her salary at a little over $1 million for Season 10.

Gorga has had her own success since joining the show in season 3. In her first season, she released a pop single, On Display, which charted on iTunes. She released her first book in 2013, Love Italian Style: The Secrets of My Hot and Happy Marriage, where she shares her secrets to a lasting and happy relationship. In the book, she gives the four ingredients that she believes contribute to a good relationship respect, honesty, loyalty, and passion mixed with old school values.

Gorga took her love of fashion and all things glitz and glamour to another level when she opened her New Jersey boutique, Envy. The business has not been without its ups and downs. Her former business partner sued her and the store closed for a few months before reopening with just Gorga. She was also accused of selling counterfeit Chanel purses and accessories, which caused a backlash in 2017. The store is now doing well.

She and her husband allegedly had issues, including owing their former mortgage company and fans suspected that like her sister-in-law, shed file for bankruptcy. They attempted to sell their Montclair, New Jersey mansion. They now live in a mansion in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Whatever money troubles she may have had have now seemed to be resolved. Shes said to be paid $600,000 per season and is worth an estimated $1.5 million.

Aydin has been on the show since season 9 and has flaunted her wealth. She dons Chanel in almost every episode and has a lavish home to match her flashy fashion choices. Her massive New Jersey mansion is equipped with 18 bathrooms. The home is 12,000 square feet with an 8,000 square feet basement that holds nine bedrooms.

The mother of five relies on her plastic surgeon husband to bring home the bacon while she takes care of their home and family. Their family business is Aydin Plastic Surgery in Paramus, New Jersey. Aydins husband Bill specializes in aesthetic cosmetic surgery of the face and body, including minimally invasive procedures and reconstruction of breast cancer survivors, and traumatic injuries, including hand surgery, according to the offices website. Due to her husbands plastic surgery business, shes worth an estimated $7 million.

Goldschnieder famously revealed on the show that in addition to her previous life as a lawyer, she has family money and declared herself as the richest cast member. Her parents invested their money well and set up a trust fund for her to access when she grew older. When she decided to use withdraw money from the trust, she took a note out of her parents book and invested in real estate. She owns a home in the Hamptons, which she rents out for $50,000 a month. She also has properties in New York and runs a real estate management company.

After retiring from her life as a real estate attorney, she found a new passion as a freelance journalist and newspaper columnist. Her writing credits include Good Housekeeping and Huffington Post along with her own blog, The Mummy Brain. Her accumulated wealth prior to joining the show was an estimated $2 million.

A graduate of New Yorks Fashion Institute of Technology, Josephs used her degree to become a fashion designer and entrepreneur. She worked as a dress designer before starting her own line with the Macbeth Collection lifestyle brand. For almost 20 years, her business boomed. Her net worth was an estimated $50 million before experiencing money trouble in 2019.

She was sued for $200,000 from two former friends who claimed she owed them money from a loan. She also owed backed taxes and then declared bankruptcy within her business when Vineyard Vines sued her for $12 million claiming her company copied their logo design. Page Six also reported that her house was in foreclosure in 2018.

Catania makes roughly $60,000 per episode, with Celebrity Net Worth estimating her to be worth $4 million. While most of her revenue comes from RHONJ, she has used the show to venture into real estate.

Her and her ex-husband, Frank Catania, are in the home flipping businesses. They buy homes, rebuild them and sell them for a higher profit. They also build custom homes, as shown on the current season of the show. Catania also does sponsored social media posts.

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RHONJ: Which Cast Member Has The Highest Net Worth? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Ecology and heritage park plans

A heritage park with archaeological viewing platforms, and interpretation boards, a community hub and an edible corridor are among the plans for a 1,600 home development in Birchington which will go on public display this month.

Ptarmigan Land and Millwood Designer Homes will show masterplan images for the 194 acre site on the south of the village running from Quex up towards Minnis at a consultation event on February 14.

The event, taking place at The Centre in Alpha Road from 1pm to 8pm, precedes an expected submission of an outline planning application to Thanet council this Spring.

The proposal, which could see the village swell from 10,000 residents to almost 15,000, includes developing agricultural fields on the perimeter of Birchington an issue that has caused anger and prompted a petition objecting to the scheme signed by 2858 people.

The petition launched by resident Gary Fowler questions why grade one land is being used when the development could instead incorporate grade 2 and 3 land further west.

Concerns over the increase in population, stretched medical services and the loss of countryside and paths are also raised.

Aims to develop the site are contained in the draft Thanet Local Plan a blueprint for housing, business and infrastructure on the isle up until 2031. A vote aimed at retaining aviation at Manston airport in 2018 resulted in a reallocation of properties, including a further 600 homes for Birchington, making a total of 1,600.

Olly Buck from Ptarmigan Land said the aim is to engage Birchington residents and introduce a scheme that will deliver benefits.

He said: 1,600 houses in a new community is inevitably going to bring substantial change and not everyone is going to be in favour of that. The reason these schemes are being delivered up and down the country is the government drive to increase housing. Our job is to very much engage the community to make sure they are armed with the facts and to set out how it will affect them.

Sometimes the impact that some think will be negative can actually bring a whole range of benefits. This scheme will deliver economic and community benefits. When you do a job right it improves an area rather than having a detrimental impact.

Ptarmigan and Millwood say the planned link road extending from Minnis Road and the A28 will alleviate traffic congestion in the village and improve air quality in the main square and that 26 HA of open space more than double to 12 HA requirement will include the heritage park and archaeological finds, all age leisure facilities such as a skate park, community orchards, growing areas and coastal trails.

Mr Buck said: There will be a Quex to coast heritage walk which will be a fantastic resource with wayfinding interpretation boards and various things along the route to celebrate the heritage of the area. It is quite exciting.

He also outlined plans for the edible corridor in the Minnis Road area with growing points, bee friendly planting and rewilding, adding: Agricultural land in intensively farmed so although we are taking away a landscape we are putting elements in that will reconnect nature and wildlife even in an urban area.

A two-form entry primary school, 70 bed retirement home and financial contributions towards expanding facilities at Birchington Medical Centre are included in the scheme.

A community hub including flexible office space, three acre sports field and leisure space also feature.

Jeremy Handel, from Ptarmigan, said: The key things are healthy living and healthy lifestyles. There are 19 different play areas, six equipped, for all age groups. The skate park will be designed into the landscape with areas suitable for small children and older kids.

Homes will be a mix from one bed to five bed with 30% earmarked as affordable, including shared ownership/help to buy scheme properties and social rented homes.

The proposal has a 10-15 year phased build out with the aim of starting construction in early 2022 and first occupations at the end of that year.

Boards showing the new designs will be on display at the consultation event.

The volume of housing planned for the village and the agricultural land location lay at the heart of opposition to the scheme.

According to Thanets draft local plan a total of 17140 new houses are allocated for the isle from 2011-2031.

But resident and campaigner for Birchington action group against TDC Local Plan Craig Solly says the development numbers are a nonsense.

He said: The housing need is wrong; Thanet will not build in total 17140 houses in the 12 years left in the local plan. The plan in the last 5 years will build over 1300 houses a year. This has not happened in the data I have found since 1980.

If the housing numbers were sensible we wouldnt have this level set out for Birchington and Westgate.

He added Losing the UKs finest farmland to housing is not the way to deliver housing in the future, especially when there is passion to protect the environment and global climate. It is a sad reflection of these times to destroy the arable soils that have provided food for generations. Thanet and the UK has brownfield land which the focus of house building should prioritise, especially when national policy states it to do so.

District and parish councillor for Birchington, Phil Fellows, says farmland should not be used when there are other available sites.

He said: Ive always been against any development on Grade I agricultural farmland. There are enough empty properties and brownfield sites in Thanet; the last resort should be building on farmland.

The developers have seen this land has been put into the local plan and these developers are just here to make as much profit as possible. We shouldnt be fooled that they have our interests at heart. Weve got a medical centre at breaking point, one primary school and a secondary school that are oversubscribed.

If they were to build a new medical centre, secondary school and primary school first it would be easier to swallow. It has to be infrastructure first otherwise our residents already here will suffer.

Find the petition here

Find information boards from the Ptarmigan/Millwood consultation last October here

Related

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Consultation event to include masterplan images for 1600 home Birchington development - The Isle of Thanet News

Some of Southern Californias most iconic buildings stand as silent monuments to a little-publicized pioneer.

Paul Revere Williams, the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects, not only designed homes for Hollywood legends from the 1930s through the 1960s but also fashioned the futuristic-looking Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport, the Angelus Funeral Home in South Los Angeles and a portion of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The subject of three books by his granddaughter, Karen Hudson, Williams life and legacy are now the focus of an hourlong documentary with a Thursday premiere on PBS SoCal (KOCE-TV), and will show again Friday at 2 a.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. Following the California debut, it will air on nearly 200 PBS stations across the country and be available to stream at PBSSoCal.org/hollywoodsarchitect.

In addition to giving Williams his close-up, filmmakers hope that Hollywoods Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story will spark discussion of broader concerns.

Kathy McCampbell Vance, left, and Royal Kennedy Rodgers are co-directors and co-producers of Hollywoods Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story.

(Judy Licht Photography)

We want to do more than just a biopic, said Royal Kennedy Rodgers, co-director and co-producer of the film, more than eight years in the making. We talk about two of the biggest issues of today. One, the lack of diversity in the field of architecture, and also preservation is a big angle, because much of his work has been lost. There is a new focus in the African American community on preserving African American historic sites.

Born in 1894 and orphaned at age 4, Williams overcame numerous obstacles to join a profession that remains largely white.

As a child, Williams described bumping into a blank wall of discouragement, according to the film, narrated by actor Courtney B. Vance.

That included a teacher who very clearly told him, You cannot be an architect, Hudson recounted in the film. Your people will not be able to afford you and white people will not hire you. Be a doctor or a lawyer, because your people always need those.

Architect Paul Revere Williams in 1970.

(Los Angeles Times)

Williams gained his architects license in 1921 and got his big break a year later when he was tapped to design homes in the new community of Flintridge, in the San Gabriel Valley. During a career that spanned five decades, Williams designed more than 3,000 buildings across the globe.

His list of celebrity clients included Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. As a gift for actor and philanthropist Danny Thomas, a friend of his, he designed the original star-shaped St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis.

Yet during much of his career, Williams was blocked by racist laws and customs from living in many of the neighborhoods that contained his homes. And to forestall conflict with white clients, who might balk at sitting next to him, Williams learned how to sketch his designs upside down a skill that became his trademark.

The Paul Williams story is really one of inspiration and motivation and dedication, said Kathy McCampbell Vance, co-director and co-producer (no relation to Courtney Vance).

The Robert Norman Williams Residence in Ontario is among the modernist-style homes designed by architect Paul R. Williams.

(Cameron Carothers)

This man was facing incredible odds from his birth to the time he died, she said. Yet he rose to a level of elegance and eloquence that few people who have been given a silver spoon rise to. He had to have true grit in order to survive and navigate this world.

Williams died in 1980 at age 85. Since the 1990s, interest in his accomplishments has been slowly growing.

At its 2017 convention, the American Institute of Architects gave a posthumous Gold Medal, its highest honor, to Williams, the first African American architect to win the award.

Between 1993 and 2012, Hudson published three books on her groundbreaking grandfather: Paul R. Williams, Architect: A Legacy of Style (Rizzoli, 1993), Paul R. Williams, Classic Hollywood Style (Rizzoli, 2012) and The Will and the Way (Rizzoli, 1994), a biography for grade-schoolers.

Kennedy Rodgers, a former PBS producer and correspondent, became interested in Williams story after hosting a book party for Hudson. She brought in McCampbell Vance and the two approached PBS.

This Spanish Colonial-style house was designed in 1928 by architect-to-the-stars Paul R. Williams, whose work spanned a wide range of styles.

(Lacey Wood)

Paul Williams designed in so many different styles that I dont think he was appreciated for being a great architect, because he didnt have quote unquote, a particular style, observed Michelle Merker, program development manager with KOCE-TV. He really built whatever the client wanted, and thats what made him so unique.

Hudson and Kennedy Rodgers hope the documentary will introduce Williams to a new audience.

While coffee-table books are significant records of an individuals work, they are not always available to everyday people, Hudson told The Times. Any vehicle that brings his life and legacy alive through visual means, like a documentary, simply enhances the journey.

In 2015, more than 90 years after Williams became the AIAs first African American member, a study by the organization showed its black membership still was less than 2%.

Weve experienced architecture mostly [from] the perspectives of white males, said Michael Ford, a designer with international architectural firm SmithGroup, whos helping create a hip-hop museum in the Bronx. We can see in the body of work of Paul Williams that there are other great design minds.

Ford said he hopes Williams story, and others that will surface, become reference points that move things forward on a quest to diversify the profession.

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This architect of classic Hollywood gets his own star turn - Los Angeles Times

situated in the traditional village of oia, and boasting a prominent position on santorinis caldera, kapsimalis architects has realized saint hotel. known for its rugged landscape that was shaped by an ancient volcano, the islands cave suites have become a popular haven for tourists. this recent project saw the reconstruction of existing buildings on the cliffside to create an idyllic hotel complex in keeping with classic cycladic architecture.

all images giorgos sfakianakis

the existing caves on the site had previously been used as storage areas, barns and cellars. there was also an old cubist residence in the north-east corner of the plot. given the ruined condition of the buildings, kapsimalis architects worked to restore and redesign the structures. the new hotel program comprises a small reception, sixteen suites, a restaurant, a common pool area and a spa/gym. built over six levels, the finished complex boasts unobstructed views, providing guests with the ultimate santoriniexperience.

the entrance to saint hotel is located on the upper level of the complex and can be reached on foot via the main pedestrian street in oia. on this level the outdoor lounge area can also be found. an external staircase cuts through the middle of the scheme and provides a central circulation route. this path connects the various private suites before arriving at the lowest level, which contains the restaurant and the infinity pool area, as well as the spa reception, a small gym, massage rooms, hammam, sauna booths, w/c, storage areas and a private relaxation space on the cliff edge.

when approaching the project kapsimalis architects sought to create a contemporary architecture that makes reference to the cubist morphology of the previous residence, while also remaining sensitive to the caldera landscape. the restored caves therefore retain important aspects of traditional cycladic buildings, such as the use of white and a human scale. the new intervention does, however, rotate the openings to better frame the panorama.

when viewed from above, one can appreciate how the new hotel complex folds into the terrain. the completed suites gently fit into the environment and the existing contours of the site.

inside, the interior follows the same minimal approach. white has been applied to every surface, with only the subtlest touches of gold and green added. the resulting spaces bring a focus to the blue sea outside and the curved ceilings of the rooms. overall, the design by kapsimalis architects is a contemporary take on cycladic architecture that offers an idyllic place to enjoy the beautifully scenic greek island.

project info:

project name: saint hotel

location: oia, santorini, greece

architecture & interior design: kapsimalis architects (2015-2019)

photography: giorgos sfakianakis

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readershere.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom

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kapsimalis architects builds idyllic 'saint hotel' into the caves of santorini - Designboom

Employees are encouraged to take a breather at the expanded, Santa Monica headquarters for meditation company Headspace, which was designed by American firm Montalba Architects.

The office is located in the Bergamot Station Arts Center, a former trolley stop and industrial campus that has been converted into galleries, design studios and offices.

Headspace which was founded in 2010 in London and offers various meditation services, including a popular app has been based at the Santa Monica complex since 2016.

Due to its rapid growth, the company needed more space. It turned to Montalba Architects, which is also located in Bergamot Station, to renovate and expand its headquarters. The overall aim was to create an environment that aligned with the company's mission to "improve the health and happiness of the world".

"It was important that the office's design reflect the company's values of mindfulness, innovation and dedicated purpose," the team said in a description.

The project entailed extending the company's office into an adjacent, two-storey building and creating an outdoor courtyard. The full project totalled 22,000 square feet (2,044 square metres).

The team also upgraded structural components and building systems, such as electrical, plumbing and drainage.

To give the building a clean look, walls, ceilings and other surfaces were painted white. Concrete floors were paired with white oak finishes and contemporary decor, including whimsical spinning chairs from Herman Miller. Rubber and felt were used in select areas, such as pinup spaces, for acoustical purposes.

On the ground floor, the team placed a variety of workspaces, several conference rooms and a spacious kitchen. The upper level houses an executive suite, additional meeting rooms and an outdoor terrace.

The office is configured in a way that allows employees to work and socialise as a group, or to have moments of solitude.

"To honour the core values of the company, we created small spaces where employees could find a moment of personal solace that wouldn't deter from the surrounding communal environment," said firm principal David Montalba.

"Freestanding meditation pods and quiet meditation areas are available throughout the space to allow employees additional moments of solitude whenever necessary."

One of the key features in the office is a wide stairway that provides access to the second floor while also serving as a seating area. A large screen rolls down in the front of the stairs, allowing for presentations.

A glass, bi-fold garage door separates the stairs from the courtyard, where employees can take in sunlight and fresh air. The outdoor space also helps brighten up interior rooms.

"The open-air enclosure filters light and greenery into previously dark, isolated spaces and offers a necessary moment of reprieve within the buzzing office environment," the team said.

Started in 2004, Montalba Architects is based in Santa Monica and has a satellite office in Lausanne, Switzerland. Other projects by the studio include an Equinox gym in Vancouver that features earthy materials paired with concrete, and the conversion of a trailer into a mobile dental clinic.

Photography is by Kevin Scott.

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Montalba Architects incorporates meditation areas into Headspace office - Dezeen

Seattle-based firm LMN Architects has just completed its renovation and expansionof the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) in Volunteer Park, which will reopen to the public on February 8.

A major element of the two-year, $56-million project was the renovation of the original museum, a palatial Art Deco building designed by Bebb and Gould in 1933. The buildings ornate walls, floors, and ceiling elements were renovated to meet code requirements, and the climate control and seismic systems were also updated. Overhead lightboxes that emulate natural daylighting were embedded into the ceilings of the main gallery spaces. The museums central component, the Fuller Garden Court, has been renovated to its original condition to connect to a new lobby space.

Aerial view of the Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. (Tim Griffith)

The buildings program spaces have been vertically connected by a glassy new lobby that provides unobstructed views of the surrounding park. A new, 2,648-square-foot gallery has been attached to the northeast facade of the original building on the opposite side of the main visitor entrance, adding significantly more space for its permanent collection and special exhibitions. The addition contrasts the original buildings opulent aesthetic with continuous floor-to-ceiling windows for maximum daylight exposure. To work on a historic building like this is a real privilege and honor, said Sam Miller, partner-in-charge at LMN Architects. Working with SAAM was a great fit, because our focus is also about creating great social experiences and connecting to community. We hope the addition adds significance to the original historic building, and we are very excited for everyone to visit the museum and experience the renovation and addition for themselves.

The museums architectural upgrade gave rise to an opportunity for its curators to reimagine the organization of its vast collection of Asian artifacts. The newly renovated and expanded Asian Art Museum breaks boundaries to offer a thematic, rather than geographic or chronological, exploration of art from the worlds largest continent, the museum announcedon its website. This method of curation will take place across both the original and recently-added gallery spaces.

A free weekend-long community celebration will take place on February 8 to inaugurate the reopening of the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

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LMN Architects reveals newly renovated Seattle Asian Art Museum - The Architect's Newspaper