Thursday, May 31, 2012

order in the garden.

planting a classical garden.  Designers come in all types of packages.  Some are like wild artists who throw their paint on the canvas all at once, thrilled to see what mysteries the universe will unveil.  Others are more restrained.....you may not even know they have an artistic bent lurking under such a reserved exterior.  My husband falls under the latter category.  Just to assure you that every man has the power to get creative - I want to show you what he is doing in our garden.
This 2010 picture is of our driveway along the back side of our home when we moved in.  The rhododendron bushes along the right side of the photo have been replaced in the photo above with trees and round boxwoods.  He has been working on this for about 6 months and it is still a work in progress but you can see already how much cleaner and manicured the side yard is now.  But he is not finished.  This seems to be just the beginning of a new garden designer on the verge of exploding.

 I am not sure but I think if we combined my design sensitivity with his we might end up with this Italian inspired garden shown above.  It feels a little bit like ordered chaos if there was such a thing.  Julien De Cerval spent 30 years developing this one.  The Gardens of Marqueyssac are in France. Check out this webpage for a mini 3d view of the garden... Julien worked like a maniac on this garden...hopefully, ours will continue to grow in beauty too as the years pass by!





Thursday, May 17, 2012

creativity in and out of the box

Caine’s arcade -- an exceptional short film by Nirvan Mullick about a very creative little boy!

made in America


How hard would it be to create an all-american home? I am currently working on a small remodel in Lake Oswego.  The owner is also the builder.  Recently - we have been talking about how to alter the original design for the front cantilevered canopy. He has almost finished the interior work and wants to cut his costs on the entry.   
This sounds so familiar....I am thinking this is how the first settlers did it too...As their own builders, they planned it out, built a bit and then redesigned a bit along the way depending on the local materials available.  Having just finished my teaching session with 11 year olds - history is fresh on my mind. Combine that with our local elections yesterday for Mayor and I am thinking about how to create more American jobs...
Creating an all-American home has never been easy....the list of building supplies is daunting.  You can see just how long the list is below. You have to work pretty hard to find american products.  A builder in Montana, Anders Lewendal (who used to be an economist) did just that.  “Lewendal is hard at work building a home he hopes will be a blueprint for creating jobs in America. Everything from the nails, screws and bolts, to the steel, staples and bathtub is made in the United States.”
Unfortunately, you have to order products that are not local.  Some of the products will cost more, some will cost less, and some will work better.   However Lewendal says that in the end, the total cost of the American made house is only around 1 to 2 percent more than the typical home currently on the market. You can see a video from an interview that ABC news did with Lewendal last November here.


Product--Manufacturer/Supplier
State
Windows--Amsco Windows
UT
J bolts/foundation--S.C. Prototypes
MT
J bolts/foundation/stock--Pacific Steel
UT
Gorilla Duct tape--The Gorilla Glue Co
OH
4″ perforated pipe, radon
Northern Pipe Co.
ND
4″ pvc fittings
GPK
ND
pvc glue--Oatey
OH
8d ring shank nails--True Spec
CA
16d sinkers--Griptite
WI
1/2″ foundation nuts--CAT
IL
gun nails--Maze
IL
damp proofing--Mulseal/Tremco
OH
Rebar--Nucor
UT
Concrete--CMI
MT
Concrete Portland--Ash Grove
MT
Concrete aggregate--CMC. Beglade
MT
Concrete sand--CMC. Beglade
MT
Hangers, straps, H clips--Simpson Strong-Tie
CA
TJI’s--I-Level Truss Joist
OR
2×4′s and 2×6′s--RY Lumber
MT
Plywood--Potlatch
ID
2×4′s and 2×6′s--F.H. Stoltze
MT
2×4′s and 2×6′s--Idaho Forest
ID
PL 400 sub floor adhesive--Loctite
CT
MiraTEC fascia--CMI Corp
PA
treated plate--McFarland Cascade
WA
T braces/framing--Appleton Supply
WI
sill seal--Reflectix
IN
powder actuated pins--TW Ramset/Redhead
IL
foam board--Dow
IL
Spray paint--Rustoleum
IL
Spray insulation--JM Corbond
MT, TX
Screws-Por Pac
CO, CT
Wire joint--Thomas & Betts
TN
Spray paint--ACE
IL
paint--Sherwin Williams
OH
Window foam--Touch n Seal
MO
Caulking--White Lightning
OH
Plastic elect. Straps--Handy Straps
WI
meter base--Eaton/Cutler Hammer
PA
electric panel--Eaton/Cutler Hammer
PA
Breakers--Eaton/Cutler Hammer
PA
PVC pipe/fittings--Ridgeline Pipe
OR
2″ Romex connectors--Bridgeport
CT
Boxes--Allied
OH
Wire-service, romex--Southwire
GA
staples--Sturgeon Bay
WI
4/0 SER straps--Sturgeon Bay
WI
Telephone wire--3M
MN
wire connectors/crimp sleeves--Ideal
IL
wire staples--Sturgeon Bay
WI
Furnace disconnect--Eaton/Cutler Hammer
PA
recessed cans--Juno/Schneider Electric
IL
recycled glass--Livingston Landfill
MT
Furnace--Trane
TX
Cooling Coil--Trane
TX
HRV--Trane
TX
Air Cleaner--Trane
TX
Zoning/Thermostats--Trane
TX
Ductwork--Norwesco
WA
Screws--Brynolf Manufacturing
IL
PVC--Cresline-Northwest
WA
Condensate Trap--Airtec
MA
Registers/Grilles--Hart & Cooley
MI
Allthread Rod--Chicago Hardware
IL
Pipe Brackets--C&S Manufacturing
WI
Conensate Pump--Franklin Electric
IN
Unistrut--Cooper B-Line
IL
Flexible Duct--Atco
TX
Duct Sealant--Hardcast
TX
Flex Duct Straps--Source 1
OK
PVC Glue/Primer--Oatey
OH
Thermostat Wire--Honeywell
MS
Exhaust Fans--Broan
WI
Concentric Vent--Source 1
OK
Exhaust Hoods--Broan
WI
Nuts/ Washers--Perine Danforth
WA
Dryer Box--In O Vate Tech
FL
Duct Liner--Johns Manville
CO
Duct Liner Pins--Hardcast
TX
Allthread Anchors--ITW Buildex
IL
Ductstrap--Colombia Man
WA
Manual Dampers--Norwesco
WA
Sill Sealer--Reflectix, Inc.
IN
PVC Primer and Cement--Oatey
OH
PVC Pipe--Cresline-Northwest
WA
Pex Pipe--Viega
KS
Kitchen Sink--Moen
PA
Kitchen Faucet--Moen
NC
Kitchen Basket strainer--Dearborn Brass
TX
Kitchen disposer--In-Sink-Erator
WI
Bathroom Pedestal Lav--Mansfield
OH
Bathroom Lav faucet--Moen
NC
Bathroom Lav sink--Mansfield
IL
Bathroom toilets--Mansfield
IL
Bathroom toilet seats--Kohler
AR
Master Shower--Aquaglass
OR
Master shower valve--Moen
NC
Master shower trim--Moen
NC
Master soaker tub--Aquaglass
OR
Master soaker tub trim--Moen
NC
Master soaker tub valve--Moen
NC
Bathtub waste and overflow--Watco
MO
Full Bath tub/shower--Aquaglass
OR
Full Bath tub/shower trim--Moen
NC
Full Bath tub/shower valve--Moen
NC
Water Heater--Bradford White
PA
Pex Fittings--Zurn
TX
PVC Fittings--Sioux Chief
MO
Hangers/pipe insulators--Sioux Chief
MO
Roof Jack--Oatey
OH
Plumber Putty--Hercules
NJ
Wax rings--Hercules
NJ
Thread Dope--Hercules
NJ
Plumber tape--Smith/Cooper
CA
Black pipe--RJB Wholesale, Inc
WA
Black pipe fittings--Anvil International
NV
Gastite pipe and fittings--Gastite
MA
Soulder Flux--Rectorseal, 
TX
Soulder--Exeon Inc., 
IL
Copper Pipe--Cerro Flow Products Inc.,  
MO
Copper fittings--Elkhart Products Corp., 
IL
Backflow preventor/PRV--Watts, 
ME
Expansion Tank--Amtrol, 
RI
Hose bibs--Woodford, 
CO
Chattahoochee Pencil Company--Atlanta, 
GA

Friday, May 11, 2012

surfer record


unbelievable surfer today... just had to share with you -- check out the video of  Garrett McNamara, a 44 year old surfer from Hawaii riding a record 78 foot wave! Go to 


http://www.vancouversun.com/videos/sports/video.html?embedCode=Y1NzhvNDo4uw0I6ziySnMH4iRA7o7CSO

Thursday, May 10, 2012

architects in schools


Last week I left off describing the class project for my 5th graders Architect’s in Schools program at Faubion Elementary.  The program runs from March through the beginning of May every year.  This is the fourth school that I have taught at over the last six years.  My goal is to try and introduce them to what architecture is all about - no easy task in such a short time.  
I have slowly been molding the curriculum each year to simplify and focus on several aspects of architecture...in particular - residential architecture.  We look at history and culture, structure and technology.  We conclude with a client workshop where each student is assigned their own project for a special client.  To make it more fun - their clients are animals.   Each animal requires different types of shelter to accommodate their typical type of habitat as well as some extraordinary human characteristics each animal possesses.
Each year the students are always surprised at how difficult this is ....how time consuming building is and how much thought is involved in creating something from nothing.   However, they always want more time and are never ready to stop.
Next year I think I may try something different for the final project.  - maybe a chicken coup or a treehouse? What do you think?


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

dog day afternoon





Etching 2011

It feels like a 'dog day afternoon' because all of my blogging plans have gone awry recently and I have become completely sidetracked by other design projects which have eaten up all of my art time.  This dog etching was done by a local elementary student at Forest Park where I taught the Architect’s in Schools program last spring.

This year I am teaching at Faubion Elementary in North Portland.  I am in love with my class of 5th graders.   They are at that magical age where anything is possible.   We are just finishing up some client designs for a personal residence.   These clients are very special though and quite unusual.  They are.......

-- to be continued  in next post....