Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

UK-based Carl Turner Architects recently unveiled a novel new home designed to address the issue of flooding and unlock new building space on underused waterways. The firm plans to make the blueprints for Floating House available for free download via the Paperhouses open source architecture project, thus enabling anyone with the means to either construct their own Floating House or hire a professional to build it for them.

In its default configuration, Floating House will rest upon a 20 x 7 m (65 x 22 ft) buoyant concrete hull, and can float atop the water like a non-movable houseboat. In addition, if it is to be located on a flood-plain, the home can also rest atop stilts or on a non-floating flood-resistant thick concrete base.

The design shows the two story home's living quarters contained within a 14 x 5 m (45 x 16 ft) cross-laminated timber frame, with a thick layer of insulation and triple-glazed windows. The interior comprises two bedrooms, a study, a bathroom, living room, and a kitchen. A "crow's nest" observation area is situated on the rooftop/upper deck.

A pair of semi-translucent solar panels measuring a total of 84 sq m (904 sq ft) will be affixed to the exterior of Floating House, and Carl Turner Architects says that these should offer sufficient electricity for the occupants. A rainwater-harvesting tank is situated on the roof too, and would provide a renewable source for most of the home's non-drinkable water requirements, according to the firm.

Floating House is just one of a growing number of designs submitted to the Paperhouses project, which was conceived by architect Joana Pacheco as a means of making top-tier architectural designs available to anyone. The blueprints are not yet available, but the idea is that you find a design on the Paperhouses website that you like, download the plans for free, adapt them if required, and eventually build them with or without professional help.

As of writing, those who register to the Paperhouses site are promised the plans for Floating House once they become available.

Sources: Carl Turner Architects, Paperhouses

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Carl Turner Architects designs open source Floating House

FIGMENT, the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) have announced two winning designs for the 2015 City of Dream Pavilion Competition. Pending approvals and fundraising, both the Billion Oyster Pavilion by New Yorkbased BanG studio and the Organic Growth Pavilion by Madrid- and London-based Izaskun Chinchilla Architects will be assembled on Governors Island and open to the public this summer.

BanG Studios pavilion proposal incorporates the New York Harbor Schools Billion Oyster Project, which focuses on the long-term benefits of growing new oyster beds in the harbor. The pavilions base will be comprised of custom Reef Balls to create an artificial habitat for the oysters, and it will be topped with a woven canopy. After the pavilion is decommissioned at the end of the summer, the will be donated to the school and its materials will be reused on Governors Island.

Billion Oyster Pavilion by BanG Studio, Brooklyn (2014 BanG Studio)

The Organic Growth Pavilion proposal by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects was also inspired by nature and features recycled materials, such as broken umbrellas, old stools, and damaged bicycle wheels. The proposal draws awareness to the large amount of waste in landfills and provides solutions for recycling the pavilion after its use, such as indoor chandeliers and seasonal protection for outdoor spaces.

Organic Growth Pavilion by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects, Madrid/London (2014 Izaskun Chinchilla Architects)

After reviewing more than 100 submissions, the jury selected five finalists who had one month to develop their designs. The three additional finalists were: The Pulp Pavilion by MegaZoo, Tied Together by Hou de Sousa, and Galassia by Michele Zanella.

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BanG Studio and Izaskun Chinchilla Architects Win 2015 City of Dreams Competition

Reston, VA (PRWEB) January 20, 2015

June R. Jewell, CPA and President & Chief Executive Officer of AEC Business Solutions is honored to be participating as a jury member in the 2015 Architecture Business Plan Competition. The Business Plan Competition was developed by Charrette Venture Group to encourage more architects to start their own design firms and to inspire a broader dialog about the role as an entrepreneur in the A&E field.

June has 28 years of experience in helping AEC firms improve business management processes and is a sought after speaker at industry events and conferences. She is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Find the Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to Increase Profits in Architecture, Engineering and Environmental Firms.

In addition to Ms. Jewell the 2015 jury panel will include Rena M. Klein, FAIA and national recognized expert in small firm practice; author Mark R. LePage, AIA and founder and partner at Fivecat Studio Architecture, a leading residential design firm; and Matt Ostanik, AIA and founder of the Architecture Business Plan Competition as well as president of Charrette Venture Group.

Our 2014 business plan competition was a great success, and we are very pleased to continue the competition in 2015. There is tremendous interest in the architecture profession about entrepreneurship, and there is a clear need for more resources to help architects be successful as entrepreneurs, said Matt Ostanik.

The competition is open to registered architects in the United States and/or Canada, who are considering starting a design firm or who have started a new firm within the past ten years. There is no fee to enter and the first prize winner of the competition will receive $10,000. All interested participants should register online by February 3, 2015. A three-page summary of their business plan must be submitted by March 3, 2015. Winners will be announced on May 14, 2015 at a special reception during the American Institute of Architects National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

For detailed rules, the full competition timeline and additional resources on how to write a business plan, please visit the competition website at http://www.architectbusinessplancompetition.com/.

About AEC Business Solutions AEC Business Solutions, LLC is committed to helping AEC firms make more money on projects. It is our mission to work closely with our clients in providing tools, training and assessments that will help them find the lost dollars in their business.

We have developed an innovative solution that will help you transform your organization, and hold your staff accountable to goals and actions, giving you a measurable return on investment. http://www.AECBusiness.com

About Charrette Venture Group The Charrette Venture Group is focused on developing a knowledge base of best practices, innovations and successful tactics, and applying this knowledge to help entrepreneurial architects start and grow their firms. Our ultimate purpose is to support and enable entrepreneurial architects and designers who are changing the world.

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June R. Jewell, CPA Juries the 2015 Architecture Business Plan Competition

Saltville council members gave their blessing Tuesday night to a master plan for the Saltville Playground being developed by QC Landscape Architects of Abingdon.

Nathan Brown, senior landscape architect, described plans for the playground that include an outdoor classroom, educational stations explaining local history and characteristics, an earthen amphitheater and a community garden that can be used as a teaching area. A staircase could be constructed from the parking lot above The Salt Trail that connects to the playground.

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Architects unveil master plan for Saltville Playground

Conshohocken, PA (PRWEB) January 20, 2015

Two career healthcare-focused designers have earned certificates from Villanova University and have built upon the knowledge they have obtained working with healthcare clients for many years.

Shane Williams, AIA, ACHA, a Design Practice Area Leader with Array Architects since 2010, offers his talents blending hospitality elements that enhance the patient experience with operational efficiency. Shane ensures that every projects big idea is translated into the smallest of details.

As a healthcare designer, the Villanova University Lean Six Sigma Healthcare course offers a specific focus of Lean processes and tools that are immediately impactful to our projects and clients, with relevant examples and case studies. What we studied reinforces the importance of efficiency and effectiveness in todays healthcare delivery. The knowledge gained throughout the course is immediately applicable to the challenges that we are working on with our clients and a foundation for continuous improvement, stated Williams.

As Regional Vice President of the Southwest Region since 2010, Marsha Whitt, AAHID, EDAC, NCIDQ, brings a deep understanding of all aspects of project design and delivery, combined with a roll up her sleeves attitude allows her to excel in managing teams through the dynamic process of design and construction. She enjoys working directly with senior hospital staff to ensure their organizations values, business goals, and project expectations are achieved. She also works closely with the construction management team monitoring the projects schedule and budget. Whitt commented that, "During the course, practical examples focused on the increasing throughput - not 'fixing' a problem with new equipment. That type of lean thinking will make an immediate impact on our clients' bottom line, staff satisfaction and patient relations."

The Lean focus of the Array team includes our unique approach to project delivery which moves beyond conventional design services and focuses on sustainable business solutions for todays evolving healthcare environment. We believe healthcare design projects must focus on providing high value solutions that support best practices, foster collaboration, promote outstanding patient experiences and anticipate future flexibility.

About Array Architects: We are a team of architects and designers with unique backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common - we share a strong desire to use our expertise and knowledge to design solutions that will help people in moments that matter most. This focus makes us leaders in our field. Together, we discover optimal solutions with our clients. It is our four decades of specialization that allows for effective communication, collaboration, and precision in the complex, changing world of healthcare.

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Two Array Architects Principals Complete Lean Six Sigma Healthcare Training

Published: Tuesday, 1/20/2015 - Updated: 1 minute ago

BY JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

The metro Toledo retail market saw considerable improvement in the second half of 2014, according to a year-end report by local commercial real estate firm the Reichle Klein Group.

The areas retail space vacancy rate dropped to 12.5 percent at years end from 12.9 percent at midyear 2014, the company said. The average lease rate rose to $7.60 per square foot in the second half from $7.43 at midyear.

The market had 25,293 fewer square feet of unused retail space when the year ended than it did July 1.

Finally, there was 301,260 square feet of new retail space under construction at years end, compared with 217,018 at midyear, Reichle Klein said.

I was kind of surprised how well retail has done the last two or three years, said Harlan Reichle, the companys CEO, said. I would say its clearly the best year that weve had since the crash.

Mr. Reichle said it is too soon to say if the retail market is fully recovered. I dont know if Id go so far as to say its all the way back or back to the levels before the crash. That was a pretty precocious pace we were on prior to 2007. But its the best it has been since the crash.

The report, which was prepared by Mr. Reichle, said the Kroger Co. played a huge role in 2014 in lifting the market by constructing its new Kroger Marketplace store in Holland. The 123,637-square-foot store, which is in the Orchard Center shopping strip, opens Thursday.

Reichle Klein said Kroger also boosted the market byacquiring the former Kmart space in Perrysburg to expand its store there into a marketplace store, and by placing under contract the Sisters of Notre Dame property at Secor Road and Monroe Street where a new Kroger may be built.

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Metro Toledo retail is showing promise

New Delhi, Jan 20:

The supply of retail space in shopping malls last year fell sharply by 79 per cent to about a million sq ft in the seven major cities of the country due to construction delays, property consultant CBRE said today.

The supply of organised retail space stood at 4.7 million sq ft in 2013 in the seven cities Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune.

New supply addition for the entire year remained sluggish, with just about a million square feet of organised shopping space across Bangalore and Chennai becoming operational, CBRE South Asia CMD Anshuman Magazine said.

A significant number of prominent retail projects were not completed till 2015 as projected earlier, mainly due to construction delays, he added.

CBRE noted that a number of shopping centres in Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore and other prominent cities were expected to be completed by 2014-end but they were delayed further.

A slowdown in the real estate sector has affected the cash-flow of developers, leading to huge delays in completion of housing and commercial projects.

According to CBRE, prominent global as well as domestic players such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers, Krispy Kreme, Naturals Ice cream, and Fab India expanded their presence across Indias leading cities.

Global retailers Burger King and Fat Burger made inroads into the country as well, with stores in Delhi. Sri Lankas premier spa lifestyle brand, Spa Ceylon, also made its India debut with a first outlet in Mumbai, the report said.

Luxury jewellery brand Bvlgari re-entered India with a store at DLF Emporio, Delhi.

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Shopping malls supply in 2014 dips 79% on construction delays

As part of Apples expansion in China, the company pulled the wraps off its West Lake retail store in Hangzhou Tuesday. Its one of five stores Apple plans to open in the country before Chinese New Year, Apple's retail chief, Angela Ahrendts, told Cnet.

Prior to the unveiling, the West Lake store was shrouded with white barriers bearing a red Apple logo and a Chinese poem painted by calligrapher Wang Dongling. But before the barriers were removed, Apple posted a video on its website to commemorate Wangs calligraphy.

The two-story retail space resembles the tech giant's new flagship store being built in San Franciscos Union Square, designed by architecture firm Foster + Partners. The firm is also responsible for the design of Apples spaceship Campus two, currently under construction in Cupertino, California.

Over the next two years, the company plans to grow its retail presence in China from 15 stores to 40, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in October.

The first of the five stores opened earlier this month in Zhengzhou. Though the wraps have been removed from its West Lake store in Hangzhou, its not open just yet. Apple plans to officially open the retail space this Saturday, Jan. 24, at 9 a.m. local time.

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Apple Inc. Just Pulled The Wraps Off Its Second Retail Store In China In Hangzhou

Published: Monday, January 19, 2015 at 12:01 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 12:06 a.m.

Hopper's sister, Vera Freeze, contacted Doors2Change, a local group with the purpose of improving homes in Eloise.

A representative then contacted Hopper and said his home would be one of their first projects. They said it would make major repairs, which Hopper, who had no insurance on the house, couldn't afford.

Today, however, the house on Third Street still isn't inhabitable. Hopper and his former wife, Lavonia Martin, with whom he has been living since the fire, are angry, and say they feel as though they have been passed over by the group they thought could help them.

"They told me to 'just hang in there,' " Hopper said. "They weren't returning calls. My ex-wife tried to call them, then my daughter did, and then my granddaughter called, and there was no response."

Since the fire, the house has fallen victim to thieves and vandals who broke in and "messed with" the house, Martin said.

Martin lamented the state of the house, saying she was "scared to walk inside."

"The more it sits there, the worse it's going to get," she said.

When Hopper and his family initially approached the charity for help, Doors2Change didn't yet have the grant funds that would allow it to fix houses since it was a new program at the time, founder Jane Waters-Thomas said.

"The cost of fixing the electrical equipment alone was greater than what we had to spend," Waters-Thomas said.

Read more here:
Doors2Change Clearing Roadblocks: Veteran Waits Years For Home Repairs

Hosting occasional overnight guests is a fact of life for many, but not so many of us have the square footage to spare for a guest room that rarely gets used. Make your guest room work just as hard for you as it does for your guests by combining it with another space. Even if you need to use every inch of your home for your own living space, a guest room may still be in the cards. From combination home officeguest rooms to living rooms that do a disappearing act, these ideas are here to help.

Overnight guests coming? How to be a great host

Design idea: Murphy bed in the home office.

Why: A Murphy bed neatly folds away when not in use, providing room to use a desk and store home office necessities. When guests arrive, just tuck in your desk chair and pull down the bed.

Extras: Seek out a Murphy bed with built-in storage or a fold-down desk on the other side.

Browse guest bedroom photos to get ideas for your space

Planning tips: You will need about 6 or 7 feet of space, including the cabinet where the bed is stored and the space for the length of the bed when extended. If you have a longer wall but not as much floor space, you can choose a Murphy bed that extends horizontally from the wall instead of vertically.

In addition, plan to have room for a guest to walk around the bed if one side is not accessible because of space constraints, thats OK, but at least one side and the foot of the bed should be easily reachable.

Cost: From $1,000 (for a no-frills twin-size Murphy bed) to $3,000 plus installation for a ready-made unit. For a custom or semicustom Murphy bed, plan to spend $5,000 and up.

Alternate idea: Incorporate a Murphy bed into a home library, complete with library ladder for accessing high shelves. To get the most out of the space, have a drop-down desk or book stand installed on the other side of the bed.

Continued here:
How To Turn Almost Any Space Into A Guest Room