Metal Shutter Houses

This condo building on Manhattan’s West side is a lovely and modern building that features motorized perforated metal shutters, thus the building can be completely opened or closed. The exterior is shiny, unique, and stunning, but the interior is striking as well. Take a look.

[images via Shigeru Ban Architects]

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Metal Shutter Houses

When you see them you’ll know why.

Erwin Wurm is more Austrian artist than architect but he has incorporated homes into his work. Delightfully insane homes I might add.

First is House Attack. What happened here was pretty cool because Wurm took the fairly dull (although the patterns are nice) MUMOK – Museum of Modern Art and full on attacked it with a house.

via: Metroblogging Vienna

via: anArchitecture

My favorite work though, is when Wurm decides to show what an overweight home that talks looks like…

The lovely; yet Fat House.

You can read more about the Fat House at BALTIC.

But wait; I did mention that the house talks did I not. Inside the Fat House installation was a video screen that showed this…

[Thanks to MoCo Loco; where I first saw the Fat House.]

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Blast from the Past: Erwin Wurm

NO! Not these kind. More like this…

I have no idea what the heck this is. And also, it’s sort of a cheat because it’s not an actual home but look at this:

He’s leaning up against a little house. Weird. If you’re looking for a more swanky offbeat beaver house you might want to try Manhattan’s William Beaver House.

The William Beaver House is not my style at all but I know many like it. Also it was designed by Tsao & McKown; I usually do enjoy their work so it has that going for it.

This next one could be called the fish house…

It’s actually kind of freaking me out. That fish is creepy.

Why can’t all beaver houses be nice and simple like this holiday Beaver Chateau in Latvia?

Ah, my favorite Beaver home.

Still, if they all looked like this I suppose I’d have to change the name of this blog to normal simple homes blog; which to the masses is likely not nearly as exciting as offbeat. Hmmm. I shouldn’t say this but sometimes I do think simple is exciting. There; the offbeat girl’s dark secret. Cheers!

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Beaver Homes

I happen to be a CNET junkie but likely only readers of my office blog know that. Still, if you’ve never been to CNET go visit because they have something for just about everyone. Just wanted to give them some quick props because I heard about this stellar installation from the CNET news blog.

Now, on to the news before any more time goes by.

LivingHomes is a very cool company that builds amazing homes; the structures they design are beautiful and sustainable. I was pretty excited when I first heard about them on Tree Hugger a while back because the homes are so neat to see; prefab, super clean lines, green features, and awesome originality.

CNET reports that right now as we well, type and read WIRED Magazine is promoting the installation of a LivingHomes house in L.A. Now you could jaunt off to L.A. to see the home go up or you could just watch it on your computer! That’s right the building of the home is being broadcast in real time right now.

How cool is that. Starting Wednesday the 5th of September and wrapping up on Friday the 7th (yup folks the house goes up in three days) the 4,200 square foot home will be constructed from 11 modules and you can see it all. I know I’m late. The good news — the whole darn show will be re-shown in time-lapse next week. BUT you can still see some on Friday the 7th and you can even go back to the start and see it from the beginning — I’ve been playing at the site this evening and it is rewindable.

The WIRED LivingHome is designed by Ray Kappe and just to get you thinking here is a photo of the home they’re creating. The home in true WIRED style will be wired to the hilt with gadgets galore I’m guessing while maintaining it’s overall eco-sensibility.

The picture does not do this LivingHome project justice you can visit the LivingHomes homepage to learn more about the availability of their homes, their eco-vision and of course the delicious design ideas or visit the event promo in full swing at WIRED.

It’s not everyday you get to see a home built in three days in live time; I’d hit this chance while it’s available.

Go see the home being built.

[Thanks to the ever clever CNET News for the heads up]

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The WIRED LivingHome Installation

West Coast Green, the largest residential green building conference in America recently released it’s full line-up of presenters and exhibits for this year’s show taking place on September 20-22, 2007. The show, which will be held in San Francisco, has two days worth of educational programs for builders and designers in the industry and then allows homeowners in on the final day (wish I could go).

Sadly, I cannot go and I’m guessing this won’t fit into most of your schedules either. So I’m hoping that up until the show, I can bring some of what will be going on to Offbeat readers.

Starting with the mkLotus; designed by Michelle Kauffmann architect of the Sunset Breezehouse and built by XtremeHomes. The mkLotus is said to “feature the most advanced green technology and sustainable materials available on the market.”

I am not a fan of modular homes and I think this one is stunning. I love the colors and the raise on the roof. According to Kauffman’s site some components of the new very green design include:

• “Green “Living” Roof
• Solar Power: This Home Uses 100% Solar Generated Power
• Rain and Groundwater Catchment System: Collected Water is Used for Irrigation
• Gray Water System: Collected Water from Sinks and Shower is Recirculated to Toilets
• Exterior Siding: Low-maintenance, Long-lasting Integral Color Cement Board by Cembonit and FSC Certified Woood.
• High Performance, Energy Efficient Spray-in Open Cell Foam Insulation
• On-demand Water Heater
• Energy Efficient HVAC System”
  

Included green interior components include:

• Sustainable Layout for Maximum Cross Ventilation and Natural Lighting
• Rapidly Renewable Bamboo Flooring
• No-VOC Paint by Yolo throughout
• LED Lighting throughout
• Interior Sliding Door Panels by 3form: EcoResin comprised of 40% Post-Industrial Reclaimed Material

I don’t love the interior as much as the exterior; but I think I’m basing this on the white couch — obviously you’d bring your own furniture in.
One amazing point about this home is that the “Off Site Modular Technology” resulted in 50-70% less waste than if you build a home traditionally on site. Plus the neighbors don’t get mad with all the noise. (home building is very loud).

I love it. If you are going, you’ll get to see this home in person. West Coast Green, Extreme Green Homes, and Sunset Magazine are going to construct one of these high-performance green homes in front of City Hall and the Bill Graham Civic Center where West Coast Green is held.

Additionally, if you’re going, take a camera and send me some shots. Or maybe we should just organize a road trip. I’ll rent a pop-up and a truck and pick you all up along the way. But you’d have to live somewhere between Washington and California. Let’s see I think that leaves what, Oregon. Go Pacific NW!; sorry East Coasties.

For more information and extra photos of this beautiful home visit Michelle Kauffmann designs.

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West Coast Green: The mkLotus

Thanks to FAT, a hip architectural practice you can share even your most unsharable moments with your partner, kids, maybe even some friends…

Yikes! From the FAT site:

“This installation, commissioned by the British Council for its Hometime Exhibition in China, uses customized standard bathroom products to create a bathroom retreat for an imagined celebrity couple.”

Although I certainly woulden’t install one of these beauties in my own bath; even in a different color, FAT is the coolest site I’ve seen in a while.

Check out FAT’s rendition of the typical artist retreat.

Details from FAT:

“Wrapping around the frame like a winter coat, a soft, quilted sleeve insulates and waterproofs the unit. Like clothing, the pattern and tailoring of the sleeve characterises each unit. Interior tailoring includes pocket-shelves – panels which books/objects can be stored. The construction of the fabric skin and the frame is intended to be ‘loose’, accentuating the feeling of the unit as shelter.”

Gives new meaning to the word “housecoat” eh.

Seriously though, FAT has cool architecture, neat designs, and even create one of a kind art. And their site says they’re hiring, (if you want to move to London). This FAT won’t deplete your workout routine — I promise. So go check them out.

[pictures via FAT]

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Not Enough Alone Time?

[photo via Apollo Arch & Assoc]

So how small? Would a lotlot that measures 344 square feet be large enough for you and your parents? It was for a woman in Tokyo. In fact she hired an architect, Satoshi Kurosaki, who seems to be recieving a lot of business from young adults opting to live on postage stamp sized lots in order to be centrally located. That home, 3 stories tall, cost $170,000. Let’s say with a total of 1,032 square feet, that would be $165 per square feet.

Not Bad!

Locally, California, the smallest I could think of, 100 square feet by Tumbleweed Tiny Homes. It just so happens they featured Tumbleweed and Modern Cabanna in a must see local TV news bit.

[via Business Week]
[via ABC KGO]

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How Small Can You Go?

[picture from 340 On The Park website, designed by SCB]

Chicago is quickly becoming the benchmark for eco-multi-family living. Jetson Green has learned that the USGBC has moved it’s Greenbuild 2007 conference from LA to Chicago. It is because of projects like 340 On The Park that has brought Chicago recognition. When you look at the above rendering you can’t help but be amazed by it’s style.

It’s facade is deceiving, it looks like a smaller building with a larger one hiding behind it. The building also appears to have a waist, the horizontal gap between the glass curtain wall, which I believe is an amenities floor. It may even be the “Winter Garden”. The intro to the 340 On The Park’s website will give you the a sense, visually, of what you get. I believe the cost is reasonable, $413/s.f. or $618,000 for a two-bedroom with 1,650 s.f., compared to New York where the same (or smaller) could go for $1,000/s.f..

This building was designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz based in Chicago, Ill..

Another building caught my eye, Epic, in New York. It seems unusual to the people at Curbed and to me that this building would be a rental property.

This building isn’t as sexy as 340. It is however a classy high-rise box. The glass curtain wall exterior is sliced by a double Stucco “Fin”. The “Fin” calls out the obvious symmetry of the buildings footprint. This is more obvious in plan view of each floor. The website is comprehensive, you can select a floor, then a unit, and then you’ll see the view from that unit.

The beauty and high rise style is not the only unusual features for this rental property. It is the Epic’s Green credentials: On track for LEED Silver certification, over 20% recycled materials used in construction, over 20% of building materials were locally manufactured, over 50% of the wood used in the building was sustainably harvested, over 80% of construction and demolition waste was recycled, rooftop gardens, storm water reclamation system, EnergyStar appliances, energy-efficient lighting, floor-to-ceiling Low-E windows.

Why do I keep saying this is unusual for a rental property? Everything that makes this building “Green” costs more. Property owners usually can not justify the expense for offering these features. So it is usually reserved for Condo’s where the developer can charge for the extra expense. All of this may be unique to me but it’s not to The Durst Organization and Sidney Fetner Associates. This building was designed by SLCE Architects.

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Height Envy: Living

Adam intended for the posting to have been a gag, but within a week, he’d received over 30 responses from interested renters, vacationers and even some prospective buyers. He was asking $150 for the rental. No mention of whether that was per week or month.

Article at wnbc.com is here.

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Gotham Treehouse For Rent

Then someone was able to secure a 40-year lease for the space. That tenant hired the local Castanes Architects firm and they proceeded to turn the place into a very cool and funky apartment.

If you head on over to Seattle Unusual Homes here, you’ll find a few more photos of the space. Definitely one of a kind. I love the windows and I bet the views are awesome.

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Living in a Pyramid in Seattle