Posts Tagged by architecture
California’s Most Famous Haunted House…
| October 25, 2011 | Posted by Lauren Moss under architecture, Guest Bloggers, Places, Seasonal |
It’s almost here… If there’s any holiday that allows one’s creativity to run amok, it’s Halloween- be it costumes, haunted houses or whatever your ‘poison’ of choice may be.
Admittedly, I’m not one to go out of my way to have the daylights scared out of me, but as an architect, I’m intrigued by the lore of haunted houses, and buildings and places considered to have paranormal activity.
It’s curious that many haunted buildings are Victorian, in terms of architectural style. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that many of the well-known haunted houses here and abroad have a history dating back to the 1800′s, and that history usually involves the living memory of an unhappy spirit and a tragic event that led it to seek revenge, atonement or to simply torment inhabitants in an attempt to force them out… All in theory, of course.
This is exactly the case with the Winchester Mystery House- a Queen Anne style home on the National Register of Historic Places and popular Bay area attraction located in San Jose. Owned by Sarah Winchester from 1884 to 1922, this landmark mansion was an enormous building project, consisting of over 160 rooms and constructed at an estimated $5 million- approximately $70 million by today’s standards! Why so costly?
Well, Mrs. Winchester was no typical homeowner- she was an unconventional millionaire who was consumed with what she believed was a curse on her family resulting from her husband’s invention- the Winchester repeating rifle that killed thousands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to legend, Sarah believed ongoing construction was the only means to escape the curse of these spirits that led to the untimely deaths of her daughter and husband. Thus, she had workers on the job 24 hours a day- building staircases leading to nowhere, upper level doors that opened to nothing, hidden rooms, and a labyrinth of stairs and hallways designed to confuse and elude spirits.
From an architectural standpoint, it’s almost incomprehensible that an individual would opt for unceasing construction on a 24-hour basis… which leads to the question: was this exercise in architectural insanity the extravagant hobby of an eccentric millionaire or, in fact, a spiritual mandate?
I visited the Winchester Mystery House ten years ago, and I definitely have my own opinions, but I’ll let you think it over and decide for yourself… (insert spooky music here)
In the meanwhile, have a delightful Halloween!
Design Down Under: The Henry Jones Art Hotel
| November 4, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Moss under architecture, Guest Bloggers |
We’re traveling abroad this month to take a look at architecture from a particularly unique destination… Tasmania, Australia’s only island state, is located at the southernmost tip of the continent and provides a glimpse into how culture, history and ecology can provide a platform for contemporary design, sustainable architecture and innovation.
‘Green’ is an intrinsic part of the social and environmental context, with environmental stewardship as a way of life; almost half of the island is designated as parks and reserves.
The capital city of Hobart is home to the majority of Tasmania’s population and serves as the island’s economic center, with a harbor that continues to function as one of Australia’s deep water ports. The 19th century warehouses along the waterfront remain where they stood hundreds of years ago, carefully preserved and retrofitted as restaurants, art galleries and working studios, and, of course, one of the most unique and architecturally inspiring hotels in Australia.
@morrisnunn.com.au
The Henry Jones Art Hotel celebrates Tasmanian heritage while embodying the ideological concepts of adaptive reuse. The structure originally served the port as a military supply warehouse in the early 1800’s and underwent its first transformation in the 1860’s, when was redeveloped as the headquarters of H. Jones & Co. Jams IXL.
Completed in 2004, the historic site’s current iteration as Australia’s first art hotel pays homage to Tasmania’s rich cultural history, while embracing the state’s thriving, progressive art movement. The jam factory’s original sandstone walls and structural timbers are exposed, and provide a backdrop for bold contemporary art pieces by local artists.
Designed by local architect Robert Morris-Nunn, whose practice is focused on collaboration, ecology, and the social impact of architecture, the Henry Jones Art Hotel has been celebrated by artists, travelers, and historians alike. Partnership with local artists from the onset enabled a meaningful and deliberate integration of art and architecture.
Protecting the existing structure was of key importance, and the adjoining open space has been given a new identity, housing several shops and a restaurant (not to mention the architect’s own office) under a soaring glass enclosure.
Even the machinery used in the jam-making process has been preserved, another reminder of the site’s intriguing history.
The reinvention of this significant historical landmark is a beautiful, innovative, and self-aware implementation of preservation and reuse, true to not only the existing building and structure, but to the richness of culture and heritage.
Doesn’t good design make you happy, too?
Lauren Moss is an Architect and Co-Owner of MYD Studio in Aliso Viejo, CA. Check out her blog and learn more about MYD’s gorgeous and inspiring sustainable projects.
Sustainable By Design: Beyond Buildings
| September 30, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Moss under architecture, Guest Bloggers, Sustainable Living |
The building industry has come a long way in recent years when it comes to addressing energy efficiency and new construction technologies. Considering buildings consume approximately 40% of our energy, it’s definitely an appropriate place to start! Significant progress has been made in terms of making construction and architectural design strategies more effective, less wasteful, and more site-responsive.
However, buildings as individual entities require a broader perspective in terms of how they relate to critical social, cultural, and economic issues in order to enable lasting change. Buildings are an integral part of the urban fabric, and they have the capacity to contribute to socially just, egalitarian and prosperous neighborhoods and cities. Accessible and well-designed public spaces are critical in this effort, and I’d like to focus on a recent development that’s received significant attention lately- High Line in New York, by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
© Iwan Baan
The restoration of the 1.5 mile stretch of abandoned elevated rail, 30 feet above New York’s meatpacking district, was allocated government funding in 2004, in spite of prior opposition advocating the demolition of the dilapidated public space, due to the increase of crime and other unsavory activities over the years.
The reconstruction incorporates elements of the site’s history and existing elements, such as the rail tracks and ties, visible in the image below, while utilizing new, sustainable materials to create gathering spaces, seating, and walkways.
The result is a vibrant urban park above New York, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, that has spurred further development in the area due to its success. The project serves as a model for urban redevelopment for a sustainable future on a city-wide scale.
© Iwan Baan
The High Line Park is an inspired example of how thoughtful and well-planned urban renewal can employ adaptive reuse to preserve existing structures, increase property values, enable pedestrian access, and introduce nature in a dense, urban context. The new iteration is a celebrated public space with a new identity and function, that still maintains its historical relevance. What was once a symbol of innovation at its inception, has recaptured that identity once again, thanks to well-planned, sustainable design.
The High Line exemplifies a design solution that is responsive to the dynamic and changing nature of our society’s needs; it embodies the holistic and integrated future of our rebuilt (and reimagined) environment.
Can’t wait to visit!
Living Roof Road Trip…
| July 29, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Moss under architecture, Guest Bloggers, Sustainable Living, travel |
With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a weekend getaway…
A popular road trip for those of us in Orange County is the drive up to Northern California, where beautiful natural landscapes and a dynamic city keep visitors and locals busy both indoors and out during the warmer summer months. And then, of course, there’s the architecture…
A fantastic site to visit while in the Bay Area is the California Academy of Sciences, at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. If you haven’t yet had the chance to visit this extraordinary interactive center, it’s reason enough to plan a trip up north!
In addition to housing the world’s largest digital planetarium, a living rainforest and natural history museum, the design features an extensive, undulating planted roof that takes the concept of ‘green roof’ to another level. The domes formed by this element respond to the natural landscape of the city, establishing a strong visual connection to the larger environmental context (and a great view for the volunteers in the image below).
The sloping topography of the four domes is also a way to help control microclimate, using the means by which air movement interacts with steep site conditions to cool exterior gathering spaces below. It also provides for insulation and minimized runoff, as rainfall is absorbed by the numerous species of California native plants, chosen specifically to attract wildlife and provide habitats for insects, birds, and butterflies.
Additionally, the roof has integrated, automated skylights that respond to changing temperature and humidity levels, providing ventilation and creating an open, comfortable interior space, with natural light illuminating the steel and glass structure and highlighting the central rainforest dome.
Also noteworthy is the great view of the de Young museum across the plaza…
Transparent photovoltaic panels surround the planted roof, enhancing the sense of lightness and transparency distinct to the architectural aesthetic.
For more information on visiting the California Academy of Sciences and for further details on this unique convergence of urban ecology and sustainable architecture, visit www.calacademy.org.
Happy Travels!
Sustainable By Design: Visiting Back Bay
| June 24, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Moss under architecture, Guest Bloggers, Sustainable Living |
Daily headlines and the recent crisis in the Gulf have brought the significance of wetlands to the forefront of the environmental movement. This unprecedented event underscores the urgency of preserving coastal estuaries and intertidal zones where biodiversity thrives and natural systems protect water quality and reduce shoreline erosion.
One of the few remaining such sites in California exists right here in Orange County- the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Nature Preserve encompasses 1,000 acres of protected wildlife habitats, hiking trails, and coastal bluffs. This estuary, where freshwater meets saltwater to create mudflats and salt marshes, provides habitats for hundreds of species of fish, marine and wildlife, including endangered migratory birds.
Since 2000, the Back Bay has also been home to the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, an educational facility designed by local architect Ron Yeo, which hosts learning programs, exhibits, and interactive displays to raise local consciousness of California’s valuable coastal resources.
With a site-responsive form and innovative material palette, this project exemplifies a number of fundamental sustainable principles, starting with its relationship to the context and surrounding landscape. The earth sheltered (partially underground) structure is built into the bluffs at the north edge of the bay, making the 10,000 sq. ft. facility completely hidden from street level. As visitors proceed from the parking area, they experience a progression from the panorama vista of the Back Bay to the more intimate scale of the building.
The concept of earth sheltering serves a number of functional and aesthetic purposes. The constant temperature of the earth’s mass helps to regulate thermal comfort at the interior spaces and reduces energy consumption, while the carefully-designed integration of the structure into the bluff enables it to blend into the environment harmoniously. The roof, planted with native grasses, creates additional usable space above the structure, allowing visitors to view the Upper Newport Bay from a different vantage point.
The structure itself is clearly defined through the strong geometry of a concrete triangular waffle slab ceiling system that extends to the outdoor plaza, creating an intriguing juxtaposition of rational and natural forms. Concrete, the primary construction material utilized for this system, has a high thermal mass, which further increases the effectiveness of this passive, earth sheltered design.
A strong relationship to the exterior is highlighted by the building’s siting and orientation, and the large outdoor plaza transitions from built hardscape to existing landscape through subtle incorporation of natural site features, such as boulders and native plantings. An outdoor amphitheater provides space for lectures and presentations.
The reinforcing steel, or rebar, used in the concrete structure is comprised of 100 % recycled materials, and, like most of the materials used during construction, local sourcing and recycled content were primary considerations. The large exterior pivot doors were fabricated from leftover wood scraps, and concrete aggregate from local creek beds adds texture and depth at both the wall and floor planes.
The Peter and Mary Muth InterpretiveCenter is an inspiring example of how environmentally-sensitive architecture, coupled withcommunity-based education, outreach, and stewardship, can extend far beyond the building, engaging the site, its users, and the greater community.
Upper Newport Bay Preserve is managed by OC Parks, in partnership with Newport Beach Naturalists and Friends. For more resources on education and restoration efforts, as well as visitor information and other links, click here.
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