great minds think...

This morning I woke up to a NYTimes architecture alert: A Concrete-and-Glass Town House in Barcelona.  I secretly love when the alerts take me to the Great Homes and Destinations section...it's always something pretty fabulous.

Anyway, I was struck by the glass flooring in this house, which is exactly what I had designed in my studio project, but have recently had to remove due to structural restrictions. This photo makes me want to bring it back and figure out an alternative solution to the fact my building would instantly fail in compression and buckling. this is, if it were even possible to construct. oops.

The architect describes this as an open-air "internal terrace" - which was exactly my motivation for the unique flooring material too.  Bummer. I've got to make it work!! Maybe if I add those cable suspensions, my critics would believe it to be structurally sound? Would be a great rendering!

See more of this "Great Home and Destination" here.  Please note "large wine library" in the kitchen?! nice, nice.

Ok. Blogging during finals week??

bye!! see you on the flip side.

for boston, for boston

YAY BC Hockey! National Champions! Loved watching victory...especially in the company of a trash talking Wisco Alum (sorry Per) matched by Foster's commentary throughout the game...mostly imitating Jerry York's typically polite put-downs. Cripes!!

town & country

Maybe it's because I'm rooted in upstate New York, but I often feel slightly...what's the word...depressed? on the weekends in the city.  Cliche? Yes...but I really miss...what's the word... trees? grass? clean air? open space? This weekend we're heading up to beautiful Vermont to visit our bestest friends Emily and Perry in their gorgeous home in Burlington.  I'm so looking forward to seeing them -- and also feeling the restorative energy of a drive through the countryside and waking up to the babbling brook outside of their guest room (I'm not making this up for literary effect - there REALLY is a babbling brook).

Ryan and I have been dreaming about purchasing a weekend house in upstate New York since the day we moved to New York City.  We had our eye on a stone house with porch built in the 1840s, complete with chicken coup.  On the market for 400+ days, we just found out that it was just sold. Tear! Hope is not lost though - upstate NY is rich with beautiful country homes, waiting for me...someday?!

 Won't be needing this.

Originally settled by Dutch colonists in the 1600's (as was New York City), I love noting the style similarities between these country homes in the Hudson Valley and their homes on the canal in "old world" Amsterdam. Whether we purchase a "fixer-up-er" or (dare I say!) design our own, I most definitely want to keep in the authentic Dutch colonial style.

Amsterdam - photos from our trip in March!

 

orange roof. like.

the "dancing ladies" houses - a structural engineering 911. 

sidenote: i do not recommend googling "dancing ladies + amsterdam."

 shutters - a must.

"New Amsterdam" - National Historic Landmark Dutch Homes in Upstate NY

Lendeert Bronck House in Coxsackie, NY. It does not get any more Dutch than this - in style or name.

please, can i have you?

"our" house looked just like this one. beaut! 

shutters, check.

With the loss of my 1840s farm house complete with chicken coup, I've been forced to find a new property to dream about on NYC weekends.  Minus a serious lack of front lawn and low ceilings (part of it's authenticity, so I suppose I'll let it slide), this one could perhaps be just as good? And, it's also on the National Historic Landmarks list. Please reduce your price and stay on the market until we're ready??