Hoxie Street Update 2 March 31, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Residential Design.Tags: 149 Hoxie
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Hoxie Street Update March 25, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Residential Design.Tags: 149 Hoxie
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It has been a week or two since I last walked around the inside of Lendell’s house, and a lot has changed. It looks like an actual house now! Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia has been doing great work, and it looks like they’re doing subcontractor trim-outs, bringing in furniture, and getting ready to finish up. Everything seems to be working out well. I particularly like the kitchen clerestory window space (above).
Google Flight Sim March 24, 2008
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I am having way too much fun with this. There is actually a hidden flight simulator built into Google Earth, giving you the ability to fly above a reasonably accurate representation of the Earth. If you already have Google Earth, hit Option + 
+ A (Ctrl + Alt + A on Windows) to bring up the flight simulator. You can start from any location that you are currently viewing or from a number of airports. You can also choose your plane, either an F-16 or a more sensible, but still easy-to-crash, SR-22 prop plane. The controls are fairly straightforward but a little tricky to master.
Here I am plummeting towards the Golden Gate Bridge:
This is a pretty fascinating game — simple, sure, but I think the ability to see real-world topography and scenery makes up for that. I’ve managed to waste quite a bit of time flying from place to place, checking out Blacksburg, Biloxi, France, and all the other destinations. Navigating is the tricky part, but if you bring up the sidebar you get an on-screen compass as well as the ability to turn on all the usual Google Earth place names, roads, and so forth. Enjoy!
Rosetti - landscape March 19, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Design/Build, Residential Design.Tags: 145 rosetti
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An update on the landscaping at Patty’s house for Sergio & students and anyone else interested. We roughly distributed several tons of fill dirt and gravel and created a front walk leading up to the concrete stair landing. There is some gravel left for the parking space (to the right, out of the frame) which we will spread out after Mississippi Power digs the trench for the power line.
Structures for Inclusion 8 March 18, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Non-profits.Tags: Design Corps, sfi
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SFI 8: SYSTEMS FOR INCLUSION
April 4-6, 2008 | Cambridge, MA
Design Corps, in association with Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, announces the eighth offering of the annual Structures for Inclusion (SFI) conference series. Entitled “Systems for Inclusion,” SFI8 explores the interface of design and systemic social action: Can design(ers) challenge globally networked systems of exclusivity and inequality? What are the relationships between design and political power, economic and ecological sustainability, justice and community?
Targeted at students and young professionals who want to move beyond a purely aesthetic discussion–who see landscape/architecture and urban planning/design as an integrative and interconnected project–the conference seeks to jumpstart a new conversation about the social dimensions of the natural and built environments. The event will be hosted by the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
“While planning this conference we talked to students nation-wide and there is a re-emerging trend today among students to talk about more than just form,” notes Ashley Heeren, GSD student president and conference co-chair. “Young designers tend to see social responsibility as very important and want new models for design practice that connect activism with quality design.” Since the first SFI was held at Princeton in 2000, SFI conference series have focused on: 1) to showcase community-based design efforts that reach out to and serve a diverse clientele; and 2) to provide information on alternative career paths available to students and young designers. The interdisciplinary group of students from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who collaborated with Design Corps in planning SFI8 changed the name from “Structures” to “Systems for Inclusion” specifically to address how design interrelates to other fields such as public policy, environmental justice and social entrepreneurship. Speakers include designers, politicians, government officials, artists and students who have pioneered innovative methods for social change.
Patty’s Dedication in Pictures March 18, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Design/Build, Residential Design.Tags: 145 rosetti
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I promised pictures, and here they are: The completed stair, in-progress handrail, finished floors and cabinets, and of course the dedication Friday. We — Jason, Brian, Brandon, Richard, Mike, and I, as well as some great volunteers — put in a focused effort to get as much done as possible. With the help of Hands On friends — Emily, Ian, and Brian – we worked Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to disassemble the upper stair, build the lower stair, and begin the railing. Additionally, an energetic group from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro shoveled and raked several tons of fill dirt and gravel in order to roughly lay out some landscaping. And Patty’s friend Mike, a painter, spent the week staining the wood floor and sealing the slate tile, with fantastic results.
The concrete landing and step by Gerry and John from Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, the new stairs and partial railing, and the gravel walkway laid out by the UNCG group:
Many more pictures below the fold…
Della on Elevated Housing March 15, 2008
Posted by Vincent in Architecture, Informational.add a comment
Della, our friend up at the University of Minnesota, has compiled some useful observations on elevated housing as part of her M. Arch thesis.
