Although we operate a shoot-from-the-hip design blog, we actually draw from a great deal of professional literature. By ‘professional’ we’re referring to periodicals comprised of articles written by authors who actually went to school for journalism or English literature. These individuals have a command of language, a thesis of communication, and don’t rely on spell check as the only means of quality control. In a nutshell, they’re just as serious about writing and reporting as we are about design and buildings.
BLOGing
Our new favorite blog is Brute Force Collaborative. It’s smart, it’s thorough and it’s got a great name. From modern architecture tours, to forward thinking construction methods, to über-cool fire stations in Europe, BFC covers some serious ground and is a welcomed addition to the design blogging world.
-thanks to Mike
Recently we came across Modern House Notes, a blog that does a phenomenal job of introducing projects that most of us have never seen before.
-thanks to Gina & Tom
We travel as much as we can here at the BUILDblog. Give us a bit of free time and we’re gonzo. We enjoy doing our homework before a trip, we savor getting into the neighborhoods and local spots of the cities we visit, and we do our best to document it all and post thorough reviews to share. In a nutshell, we’re travel-geeks.
The last couple of years have seen a quantum leap in travel based technology. Key tools have allowed us to travel quicker, cheaper and more intelligently. We’ve realized that these tools are so important to how we explore the world that it’s worth a blog post. Today’s post covers 10 tools that we keep using time and time again. There must be hundreds more out there, and we’re always up for kicking the tires on new tools, so hit that comments button and share your favorite digital tools for the new age of travel.
Last week we played hooky and ran off to southern Florida to re-familiarize ourselves with that glowing yellow orb in the sky. We were curious to experience the growing design culture in Miami and we also checked out the Florida Keys. Since then, we’ve recovered from the copious amounts of rum, we’ve sorted our notes and we’re ready to release the scoop for the design conscious, enjoy.
This time of year we like to escape the gloomy northwest and seek out the yellow rays of southern destinations. This time around we picked Miami for several reasons; the weather, the urban life, the design culture that’s been steadily growing, and Art Deco architecture. For today’s post we’re going to highlight some fantastic examples of Art Deco design and then we’re going to throw a bunch of BUILDblog opinion at it.
As designers of the current time, rooted in modern materials and methods, we were initially skeptical of the Art Deco philosophy. The design moves seemed flamboyant, the elevations overly glamorous. Such lavishness so easily leads to pure decoration and we’re rarely fans of fashion in architecture. However, this was a different place, another culture and the buildings represent a different time. Before making up our minds about Art Deco there was a due diligence required of us. So we photographed these structures in the bright daylight, we shot them in the glowing neon nights, we drank coffee under their sheltering awnings, we dined in their grand restaurants, we drank martinis on their terraces, we thoroughly kicked the tires on Art Deco. Our conclusion? Read more »
What is it about the work of ODOS architects that is so fascinating and attractive? Even after pouring over their website with a discerning eye, we still can’t quite put a thumb on what makes their projects so mesmerizing. It’s hard to comment on the “design” because what makes for such elegance and beauty in the finished work would appear to be the lack of design. Rather, the finished photographs communicate a system of planes divided into simple geometric formulas. The built-form almost seems to relate more closely to mathematics than architecture – and wonderfully so. Using a system of formulas in which the sum of the parts amounts to an architectural solution is thought-provoking and desirable to us.
We’re zooming into 2010 and while the design and construction industry is still taking a beating, we’re keeping busy here at the BUILD world headquarters. We get a lot of questions about how we’re keeping busy and what we’re doing in an economy like this – so we figured we’d put a post together on the top 10 tips for not only staying alive but attempting to flourish in the current economic climate. As per usual, take our list with a grain of salt; this list isn’t right or wrong and it’s certainly not the only way to do it. It’s worked for us for several reasons; we haven’t had to decrease our staff, everybody is getting paid, we feel good about the way we’re spending our time, and we’re still taking on projects of a high quality. So here goes:
It’s a good time to update the blog with a few projects on the front burner here at the BUILD world headquarters. Also keep your eyes peeled for a few publications coming out soon.
With structural engineering in our backgrounds, we’re crazy about bridges here at the BUILDblog. We’re also very lucky to have some incredible bridges right here in the neighborhood. The waterway connecting Lake Washington to the Puget Sound includes 7 bridges (8 if you include the walkway at the locks). For today’s post we’re going to cover the five bridges that are dynamic in nature. What fascinates us most about these operable bridges is that they are designed, both structurally and functionally, in two completely different positions – horizontally and vertically. The engineering has to be worked out in two distinct, and possibly conflicting, scenarios. Architecturally the structures change from a line on the horizon to a vertical mass the size of a small building. Imagine taking any piece of architecture, flipping it ninety degrees and having to reassess it all over again.
WATCHing
If you haven’t yet watched the spectacular short film titled The Third & The Seventh by Alex Roman, then sit your tail down and hit play. This extremely well executed film sheds light on why most of us went into design.
-thanks to Mike & Josiah
What is it about the work of 
