That said, I decided to go with random.

I closed my eyes, tried to navigate the categories and hit Commercial Structures. Actually that’s sort of a lie. Since my eyes were closed I clicked on two ads accidentally before catching a break, and actually snagging a category. I figured you didn’t want to see an ad, so lucky us I got the category.

Then I randomly clicked on a commercial structures and got…

BusinessWeek & Architectural Record 2007 Awards

Not bad. This was a killer post in my opinion. Although not so “classic” since it came from December. Still, take a look at a sample:

The Gardiner Museum in Toronto…

I love the Gardiner Museum. Sleek, clean, and admit it, it looks a little like a neat abstract elephant or some oddball Star Wars character. It looks like it’s taking off at any second – or is that just me?

Visit the original post to see two more lovely winners. Then visit the Business Week post to see all the winners.

[via Business Week]

Post from: Blisstree

Random Classic Offbeat Homes

According to BusinessWeek, “The strategic impact of these designs can be seen in everything from higher ticket sales at the theater to improved employee retention, better brand awareness, and even increased productivity.”

True; how much importance do we place on aesthetics? Quite a bit. People forget, I believe, how much your structure can represent you, whether a home or multi-million $ business, how people see things and the environment surrounding them affects feelings, drive, passion, all sorts of emotions. There were four Award of Excellence winners chosen and six other finalists this year which received a Citation of Excellence.

Here are a few of this year’s winners.

The Gardiner Museum in Toronto:

The Hubbell Lighting Headquarters in Greenville, S.C. — seriously how gorgeous is this structure. It’s completely amazing.

The U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Md.

To see all the lovely winners and to learn the back story about each of them visit Business Week.

Don’t forget to gather points for the December Offbeat Homes Contest.

Post from: Blisstree

BusinessWeek & Architectural Record 2007 Awards

Here’s the deal. I’m moving and a little off centered, tired, and frustrated and I want to look at beautiful things to cheer me up so I’m posting the house. It’s not obscenely offbeat but obsession can be quirky so here goes…

Back in May AIA Wisconsin recognized some architects and their projects. Many won honors but this one house was my absolute favorite. The house has won other awards as well — AIA is just where I noticed it first. The Camouflage House is in Green Lake, Wisconsin (a beautiful area in itself) and I think that the design really honors the area; it doesn’t overpower the land and trees surrounding it.

I LOVE how the colors play off woodland colors.

I need a house with windows and a view like this. Everything about this house is peaceful. The lines, hue, the smoothness, everything. Did I mention I’m obsessed.

Here’s what completely won me over though. Look at this house in the evening.

Ok, you know when you’re on a long road trip and you drive at night to save time. And maybe you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere and then… all of a sudden you catch a glimpse of twinkling lights breaking the night sky. You can see in the windows slightly and the home is so settled and lit from within that you wish you could stop driving and move in.

I hope that’s not just me. And yes, I’ve been on far too many road trips but this is how this house feels when you see it. Like you could stay if you stopped — welcoming but still secluded. I guess I’ve got a thing about how a house looks in the dusk or evening. Johnsen and Schmaling actually pull off this home at night deal quite nicely with another home they designed, the Lake House a home you really should see.

There are numerous other slides of the Camouflage house at the Johnsen Schmaling Architects website. While you’re there I’d absolutely hit the Lake House and maybe the Ferrous House too.

These young (they look young) architects are not just fluff either. There is an article about Johnsen Schmaling Architects at Architecture Information from Architectural Record where you can grab a taste of some of their views on transforming urban design. I can’t wait to see what’s next from these two.

Wow. You know, that was smart. I do feel way more relaxed now that I’ve posted this.

How about you? Would you love to live in a home that looks beautiful at night — does that play into your thinking about structures?

Post from: Blisstree

Current Obsession: The Camouflage House