design research

Foriegn Journals

2007-12-10T00:03:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

Abitare was the first foreign website I visited and I was very impressed. It was well organized and I felt like was packed with design, however, I did not feel like it was overwhelming. It had great products on there, however it was of course hard to understand because it was all in Italian.It definitely shows up American design websites.

Journal Two.

Domus as well was very impressive. Yet another Italian website, greatly designed. It was very interactive and it gave an option to choose English or Italian. I thought this was nice because on Abitare there were so many products I wanted to read about but could not because it was in Italian.

Journal Three.

Azure magazine website was yet again awesome! It must be the Italian designers because I did not view any design websites in America like these. The graphics were inviting and changed to give the website dynamics. The title is bold to let the veiwer know where he/she is at and is very well organized.

Two New Technologies

2007-12-09T23:47:00.000-08:00

Solar Power Energy

Solar energy is energy from the Sun. This energy drives the climate and weather and supports virtually all life on Earth. Heat and light from the sun, along with solar-based resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for over 99.9 percent of the available flow of renewable energy. Solar design can provide practical lighting, comfortable temperatures, and improved air quality by tailoring building orientation, proportion, window placement, and material components to the local climate and environment. As climate varies by region so too will the features of solar-designed buildings. It is being seen and used more and more often in today's designs and architecture.

Reben

Reben is an environmentally remediating paint made from 100 percent natural ingredients. Created as a response to sick-building syndrome and poor indoor-air quality, Reben emits no harmful volatile organic compounds and actually cleans the air. The environmentally friendly coating, which means “alive” in German, is comprised of powdered Japanese washi paper, seaweed glue, scallop-shell powder, titanium dioxide, and natural pigments. Washi naturally controls humidity, absorbing moisture during the summer and releasing it during the winter. Scallop-shell powder prevents mold and bacteria growth, as well as flame-spread. Titanium dioxide acts as a photocatalyst, deodorizing the air and absorbing pollution when the paint surface is illuminated. Despite its completely natural and edible composition, Reben is a durable coating that is preferable to wallpaper. Its textured surface conveys a plasterlike richness, and it is available in a variety of textures, colors, and integrated natural grasses. Reben has no chemical glues or dyes that would negate its positive effects.

Design Website Reviews

2007-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

I reviewed the Architectural Digest website and I was sort of disappointed by it. I felt like the website was overwhelmed with ads. It has great graphics being displayed and the colors are very calming. The tabs organizing it are at the top and very easy to figure out, just the ads overwhelm the right and bottom of the site.

Journal Two.

The Architectural Record website was very disappointing. It was very bland and boring I felt, yet easy to access the tabs at the top. All over the website it is gridded with mini images of different categories and tabs.

Journal Three.

The Architectural Review website is quite different. I didn't feel like it was a real website, more like a random website you would find on Google reviewing the website. It was kind of boring, black background and no graphics. The writing was labeled down the page in different colors.

Journal Four.

The Contract website has a nice organization and color template. It is well designed and easily to find different sections. It has different sites referenced i.e. LEED. It seems to list different "design news" at the bottom as well.

Journal Five.

The Dwell website is very well organized and easy to navigate. It has nice graphics that intrigue the viewer to explore. It is the first thing you notice when you visit the site. The color palette chosen is great and not overwhelming.

Journal Six.

I would have to say the Graphis website has impressed me the most so far on the graphics and interaction of the website. However, once I get passed the intro the text is a bit overwhelming on the left side. It is a bit too big and the font is a bit harsh in that size. Other than that I'd have to say good job!

Journal Seven.

The GreenSource website had a great color palette, all the writing was in green! It seemed very informative with many different new and sustainable options for home and business. Nice interactive graphics that intrigue the viewer to click and read more about the sustainable buildings.

Journal Eight.

The ID website uses a good sense of type which gives a simple feel yet up to date style and organization. However, I feel like it is sort of bare and does not have much to view on the site itself.

Journal Nine.

Interior Design had a great use of graphics. It seemed like the website was full of information and warm colors used to invite the viewer in. The way the website is organized lets the viewer interact and is easily accessible.

Journal Ten.

Interior Sources website had a nice heading but I didn't get a very design website feel to it. I felt like it was a website designed more for a product and with the graphic in the middle I felt like I was on a television studio website. There was a use of graphics and noise yet they need to make sure what kind of image they portray when they use such things.

Buildings

2007-12-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

The first underwater restaurant of its kind in the world! It has a contemporary design with a western Asian influenced cuisine. The Ithaa Restaurant sits 15 feet below the Indian Ocean, surrounded by the beautiful coral reef. It is encased in clear acrylic, offering diners 270 degrees of panoramic underwater views. The restaurant is reached by a wooden walkway from the nearby over-water Sunset Grill Restaurant, and seats just 14 people for an exclusive dining experience.

Journal Two.

This gorgeous underwater shot is the Red Sea Star Restaurant. It looks out in to the coral reef in the tropical resort city of Eilat, Israel. The reef-restaurant combination was actually established by the restaurant management. To get the reef started, they built an iron meshwork and translated many species of broken coral colonies to it. What an awesome place to go and have dinner when you just happen to be traveling through Isreal for the week.

Journal Three.

This is the Cathedral of Gaudi. I love how it resembles a sand castle you make at the beach with the wet sand and drizzle it into towers. Unfortunately as Gaudi was designing this he got run over and never was able to finish designing the back.

Journal Four.

On the southern stretch of the Amsterdam orbital motorway is ING House, head office of the ING Bank, built in 2000. The shoe-shaped building was designed by Robert Meyer and Jeroen van Schooten. The extensive use of glass means that everyone working there has an expansive view. Everyone gets a window seat! However, I would think that since there is so many windows that they would have a beautiful scenery to look at.

Journal Five.

This is the Nemo Building located in Amsterdam. It was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, it looks like a big green ship. It was not designed to look like a ship but the mirror image of the tunnel below it. I feel like it is a very interesting design however a very ugly color.

Journal Six.

The Groninger Museum is an extravagant building designed by the Italian architect Alessandro Mendini. The museum is located in the northern city of Groningen on the canal between the train station and the town centre. I love the abstract different shapes that combine together to form this great museum.

Journal Seven.

This is the cathedral church of Saint Peter in Exeter, UK. The Gothic architecture is beautiful! from the twin Norman towers and fan-vaulted roof. The choir stalls are so intricately carved and has the longest Gothic vault in Europe. I would love to walk through and experience it in real life.

Journal Eight.

This is the amazing Milwaukee Art Museum located on lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is a very dynamic piece of art in itself. What a great use of lighting and at night you are able to see the beautiful reflections upon the water. The top gives a bird-like wing feel to it and adds another sense of dimension.

Journal Nine.

This building was designed by MAD architectural design studio in Beijing. This was a competition entry to build a fifty story condominium in Mississauga, Ontario Canada. The construction will begin in 6 months and will be completed by 2010. This is a very unique and interesting design that many will love. The blue lighting adds a very clean and simple look to this dynamic piece.

Journal Ten.

Isn't it amazing how far we have come these days with technological advancements in architectural design. It is so amazing that we can bend metal and contort materials to knot buildings and such. However, I feel like it is very ugly in the spot it was placed. The color contrasts against the gray buildings in the background.

Interior Environments

2007-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Designers

2007-12-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

Buckminster Fuller was an American Inventor, architect, philosopher and poet. He theorized Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science, delineating new global and environmental approaches. He experimented with new materials, anticipated and defended an eco-compatible conception of architecture; invented synergistic geometry; created the geodetic dome, the "Dymaxion Car" and the "Dymaxion House".

from left to right. Fuller with models of geodesic domes; sketch for 4-D towers; Fuller with model for the
Dymaxion House

from left to right: wooden framwork for the Dymaxion Car; Dymaxion Deployment Unit used as emergency accomodation for troops during World War II; Wichita House

from left to right: Autonomous living unit; the US Pavillion at EXPO 67 in Montreal

Journal Two.

The late Aldo Rossi has achieved distinction as a theorist, an author, an artist, a teacher and as a architect, in his native Italy as well as internationally. In Canada, the first Rossi project in the Western Hemisphere was completed in 1987 when the Toronto Lighthouse Theatre was built on the banks of Lake Ontario. At almost the same time period, Rossi's first housing complex was being built on the outskirts of Milan. The Pocono Pines Houses in Pocono, Pennsylvania represent one of his first completed buildings in the United States. In Galveston, Texas,a monumental arch for the city has been completed. In Coral Gables, Florida, the University of Miami has commissioned Rossi to design the new School of Architecture. Five important projects were completed in 1988: the Palazzo Regionale in Perugia (a civic center); a funerary chapel in Giussano built for the Molteni family; a town hall for Borgoricco; the Centro Torri Shopping Center in Parma; and in Turin, Casa Aurora, an office headquarters for GFT, parent company to the designer labels of Valentino, Emanuel Ungaro and Giorgio Armani.He was a very talented architect and is still remembered today.

Journal Three.

Antonio Citterio was born in meda (italy) in 1950. he has a degree in architecture from the polytechnic university in milan, and he opened his studio in 1972. He has collaborated with man italian and foreign firms in the design sector like Ansorg, B&B Italia, Flexform, Flos,Hackmann, Inda, Pozzi e Ginori, Kartell, Arclinea and Vitra. In 1981 he began designing architectural project. From 1987 to 1996 he was associated with Terry Dwan and together they designed many buildings in Europe and Japan. Some of their most important works: the headquarters in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Milan for Esprit, an industrial plant for Vitra in Germany and for Antonio Fusco in Milan. He has won many prizes, among which the compasso d’oro in 1987 and 1995. His products are part of the Moma permanent collection and the centre di pompidouin Paris. He lives and works in Milan.

Journal Three.

David Chipperfield, born in 1953, is an English architect, born in London. He has offices in London, Berlin and Milan, and a representative office in Shanhai. After recieving his diploma from the Architectural Association in London he worked at the practices of Douglas Stephen, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster and in 1984 established his own practice, David Chipperfield Architects. David Chipperfield was awarded the Tessenow Gold Medal. In 2000 he was one of the architects to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale of Architecture. Chipperfield is the architect for the reconstruction of the destroyed Neues Museum in Berlin, due to reopen in 2009.

Journal Four.

Not only did Charles Eames and his wife, Ray, design some of the most important examples of 20th century furnitre, they also applied their talents to children's toys, puzzles, films, exhibitions and such iconic mid-20th century Los Angeles buildings as the Eames House and Entenza House in Pacific Palisades. Below are some examples of some of the works they have designed and are seen in many places still today.

Plywood Chair, 1945-46

La Chaise, 1948

Wire Mesh Chair, 1951-53

Lounge Chair, 1956

Journal Five.

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century. From his early Praire Style homes, to the sculptural curves of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He was a founder of modern architecture in North America. He embraced the use of new technology, materials and engineering to create some of the twentieth century's most influential buildings. During his seventy year career span he designed over one thousand buildings of which over four-hundred were built. Below are some examples of work he has designed all over the world.

Interior, Unity Temple Oak Park, Chicago, Illinois

Frederick C. Robie House Chicago, Illinois

Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Japan

Hollyhock House Hollywood, California

Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum New York City

Interior of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Journal Six.

Antoni Gaudi, 1853-1926, was part of the Art Nouveau movement and was famous for his unique style and highly individualistic designs. Gaudi was an ardent Catholic, to the point that in his later years, he abandoned secular work and devoted his life to Catholicism and his Sagrada Familia. He designed it to have 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus. Soon after, his closest family and friends began to die. His works slowed to a halt, and his attitude changed. On June 7, 1926, Gaudí was run over by a tram.Because of his ragged attire and empty pockets, many cab drivers refused to pick him up for fear that he would be unable to pay the fare. He was eventually taken to a pauper's hospital in Barcelona. Nobody recognized the injured artist until his friends found him the next day. When they tried to move him into a nicer hospital, Gaudí refused, reportedly saying "I belong here among the poor." He died three days later on June 10, 1926, half of Barcelona mourning his death. He was buried in the midst of La Sagrada Familia although Gaudi was constantly changing his mind and recreating his blue prints. The only existing copy of his last recorded blue prints were destroyed by the anarchists in 1938 at the height of Franco's invasion of Barcelona. This has made it very difficult for his workers to complete the cathedral in the same fashion as Gaudí most likely would have wished. It is for this that Gaudí is known to many as "God's Architect". La Sagrada Familia is now being completed but differences between his work and the new additions can be seen.

Episcopal palace of Astorga in Leon

Casa Mila in Barcelona,Spain

Cathedral La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona,Spain

Journal Seven

Friendensreich Hundertwasser's original, shocking artistic vision expressed itself in art, environmentalism, and design of facades, postage stamps, flags, and clothing. The common themes in his work are a rejection of the straight line, bright colors, organic forms, a reconciliation of humans with nature, and a strong individualism. His work is comparable to Antoni Gaudi in his use of tile. He felt that standard architecture could not be called art, and declared that the design of any building should be influenced by the aesthetics of its eventual tenants.

Housing Complex "In the Meadows", Bad Soden, Taunus

Motorway Restauran, Bad Fischau

Living Beneath the Rain Tower, Plochingen

Integrative School, Heddernheim

Rogner-Bad Blumau, Hotel and Spa

Journal Eight.

In 1959 when Isaiah Zagar was 19 years old he was introduced to the folk art environment of Clarence Schmidt, My Mirrored Hope, Woodstock, NY USA. Soon after in 1960 there was a groundbreaking exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, NY USA. Because that exhibition included assemblages of artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Curt Schwitters, Antonio Gaudi along side of untrained brickaleurs Clarence Schmit, Simon Rodia and Joseph Ferdinand Cheval that gave Isaiah as a trained artist the rationale to include their concepts as manifestations of fine art. At a crucial time in my life it allowed me to begin what could be called a life's work making the city of Philadelphia PA USA into a labyrinthine mosaic museum that incorporates all his varied knowledge and skills.

West wall top of Waters Memorial Community Center

Carlos Carpets Facade

Detailed view

Journal Nine.

Foster was born in England and naturally gifted in architecture, particularly in the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier. He left school at age 16 to work in the Manchester City Treasurer's office before joining the Royal Air Force. After discharged, Foster attended the University of Manchester's School of Architecture. Later he won the Henry Fellowship to the Yale School of Architecture, where he met his former business partner Richard Rogers and earned his Master's. He traveled for about a year in America then returned to the UK where he set up an architectural practice as Team 4 with Rogers and their wives Wendy Cheesman and Sue Rogers. They soon earned a reputation for high-tech industrial design.

The Hearst Tower in New York City

The Expo MRT Station, part of the Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore

30 St Mary Axe a.k.a. "The Gherkin" in London

Journal Ten.

Le Corbusier was a Swiss-born architect and writer, who is famous for his contributions to what now is called Modern Architecture. He was a pioneer in theoretical studies of modern design and was dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. His career spanned five decades, with buildings constructed throughout central Europe, India, Russia, and one structure each in North and South America. He was also an urban planner, painter, sculptor, writer, and modern furniture designer.

Chapel in Ronchamp, France

Key French Building in Paris

Products/Artifacts

2007-12-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

Once again I was in the Abitare January 2006 magazine and I came across an awesome chair. Check it out! It does not let me send a direct link of the chair, however if you go to the website and go to products at the top, mambo, then go to the side bar and click on mambo, maxi mambo you will be able to see it. The chair reminded me of a lifesaver shape inflatable chair. It was an inner tube shape/feel and at the top center it indented in so you could sit. However, it did not seem very comfortable to me. It looked like you would fit very awkwardly into it. The paragraph included read as: "Low chair with blow moulded acrylic seat available in Transparent, Red and Blue colours. Available version with recyclable PE base or steel base in chromed or Aluminum powder coated finishing". Overall I would put this chair in an area or room for looks, not comfort.

Journal Two.

This ad shows a couple cooking dinner in the kitchen and the wife is pulling out a drawer full of refrigerated fruit. The product they are trying to sell is refrigerated drawers which I think is a pretty good and convenient idea. It is all sectioned off at different adjustable sizes to be able to fit different food, bottles, etc. It is located right next to the sink which ables easy access while cooking and preparing the food. The brand name of the refrigerated drawers is Ariston.

Journal Three.

As I was looking at the REX site the main picture was this refrigerator with a movable flat screen television in the center. I saw this and thought to myself, "Honestly, why? Who would seriously need this?". After the initial factor of how stupid it was and unnecessary I figured it is pretty cool how design has moved along today. Well, even back in 2006, when the magazine was published. The design of the refrigerator well functioning to the user, the freezer is on the left door, refrigerator on the right. Below the television is the water purifier. So if you need a television in your refrigerator, I recommend a REX.

Journal Four.

I saw this chair/couch in the Abitare magazine online and I think it is awesome! I am the type of person that would definitely choose comfort over clean modern furniture and this chair I think gives an appeal of comfort with a more modern look to it. The color, material, and shape appear modern verse soft colors, shapes, and fabric. I feel like if i sit in it it would definitely fit to my shape. I could see myself sitting on it playing video games, however, this shape would require it to be in the middle of a room more than likely so realistically I see it in some sort of waiting area/lobby.

Journal Five.

I found this chair designed by Patrick Jouin in the Abitare website as well. I chose it because I like the concept of the clear chair even though personally it does not look one bit comfortable or appealing to me to sit in. I could see these being placed with a thick chunky black plastic table or some kind of plastic, bold colored table. Unfortunately I don't read Italian, otherwise I could have read to see if it was indeed glass or some sort of plastic. It also gives an ice sculpture appearance to it. I also want to know if it is glass, then how safe is it? Is is fairly easy to chip? What is the maximum weight it can handle?

Journal Six.

I was on the ID magazine website and I found the Nobody Chair. Boris Berlin and Poul Christiansen were asked by a Swedish prison to design a chair that was light, comfortable, stackable, noise-less, cavity-free, and unable to be used as a weapon. These chairs were made with PET felt which is a material made from recycled plastic bottles. This chair is 100 recyclable, washable, and indoor/outdoor friendly. Though it may not be the most appealing to the eye, it is a very eco-friendly chair.

Journal Seven.

I was looking at an ad for FLOR modular carpet. Apparently you can lay down area rug in under an hour, or a warm, friendly wall-to-wall in an afternoon. It is designed as a do-it-yourself product that I think works very well. People are all about trying to design things themselves and do-it-yourself projects around the home. Especially if you are a single woman this is an awesome Saturday afternoon project to give a fresh, clean look to any room in your home.

Journal Eight.

I was on the the Tisettanta website looking at the night storage units and I found this cylindrical night stand. I liked it because it was very clean and simple yet the front slides out for storage and you would never know that it has a storage space inside because it is so subtle and does not distract away from the clean form. It is a very modern piece that is functional as well.

Journal Nine.

I love the shape of this product. It is very unique and you do not see it very often, and the print chosen is very beautiful and bold, like the shape of the product. It is a piece designed by Jane Churchill which designs fabrics and wallpapers. It is featured in the LivingEtc October issue magazine.

Journal Ten.

This product is a sofa with shelving wrapped around it. It is a very functional piece that anyone in need of storage can have and benefit from in their home. It is designed in a very neutral color that reinforces its clean simple lines of shelving and thsi way whatever youo decide to put in the shelves does not clash with the overall piece. It is designed by Antonio Citterio for Flexform and is featured in the LivingEtc October issue magazine.

Graphic/Media Design

2007-12-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Journal One.

As I was looking through the magazine Abitare January 2006, I came across an ad for REX Electrolux. It was all in a different language so unfortunately I could not read it and I went to the website it gave me and it was in a different language as well. So from observing the add though I think it was very well designed. Especially if I, the viewer, cannot read the print that it is in, and still understand the idea that they are trying to get across. It is a two page spread and the center is the dishwasher they are trying to advertise. They have an entire drum set fit inside the dishwasher. I am assuming the idea they are trying to make is that it is very spacious and large to fit a large amount of dishes in. The whole ad is a muted silver/gray tone and the drum set is in a vibrant red, orange, and yellow. They obviously chose this color scheme to emphasize and focus the eye on the main point of the ad. I think they did a very good job designing this ad, even though it is in a completely different language.

Journal Two.

I was looking at an ad for Ariston and it showed a couple preparing dinner in the kitchen. It was advertising refrigerated drawers. I commented on this product already in the product/artifacts because I liked the idea, however, as an ad I feel like it could have been utilized better. It is a two page layout and on the right side there is the couple, the picture goes over onto the left page a little bit and then the page is divided into two sections. The top section is a picture of the two refrigerated drawers and then on the bottom is writing and two more tinier pictures of the drawers. I feel like they could have emphasized the organization of the drawers and the adjustable/removable organizers in the drawers. Once again this ad was in a different language, I'm thinking Italian, so I give them props that they made the article understandable to foreigner's however I still think the layout could have been utilized better.

Journal Three.

This ad, for Sub-Zero, is advertising a wine storage cooler. It is a one page spread and is completely white except the picture that takes up about 60 percent of the page. The main focus is the wine cooler and there is a quote above the picture stating, "Wine Storage Sub-Zero. The wine can tell the difference", and I thought that was a cute, cheesy, slogan for the product. It makes sense and is straight forward. I think they did a good job of getting right to the point of what they were trying to advertise.

Journal Four.

At first when I saw this ad for FLOR modular carpet tile I didn't think it made sense. But now looking back at it I think its pretty cool. The main focus is this large stack of boxes, one open with a see through lid that leads into the living room. The area that is inside of the box has carpet in the home, and outside of the box there is wooden floor. The only text on the picture is inside the box and it reads "Half-day dream". After reading the caption below the picture explaining how you can lay the tiles down in less than a day and have your whole living room carpeted it all made sense. I thought it was a clever way to play with the use of images and focal points to lead the eye in to the carpeted area. The carpet color chosen is red and all other colors on in the ad are dark and muted so the color subliminally focus's your eye on the red carpet.

Journal Five.

This ad is for Thomasville furniture collections. It is a full picture ad, but the one page layout is split in half. One half was the back of a woman with a white and gold pinstriped tank top. The other half is a bed with the same colored stripe bedspread as the womans shirt, however the stripes are bigger. The slogan says "So you." above the bed and I think it does not give a good idea across. I once again had to think about it a lot before understanding it. In the middle of describing it up above I then realized what it means. I feel like they got the message they were trying to get across about how the beds are fit for you, however, I feel like it is a pretty corny way of doing it.

Journal Six.

This is a two page layout spread for 100 reasons to crack a smile. It is mainly a large navy rectangle with white print. The reasons are laid out like some sort of game. there are different groupings in rectangles different sizes, outlined in solid rectangles, dotted rectangles, and arrows. They variated the different fonts by using different type, bold, and all caps. I think they did a good job making it different and used the opportunity to change it up instead of just generically listing in columns the 100 reasons to crack a smile. This ad was in the Design Your Life Blueprint magazine summer 2006.

Journal Seven

This is a two page spread for Martha Stewart everyday in K-Mart. It is advertising all the new Martha Stewart bedding and bath items. The layout is a bed level view of a bedroom. They have caption bubbles to the different products quoting different comments like "A woven floral coverlet will really lend some romance to my room." Very cheesy I'd have to say, but it does get the point across.

Journal Eight.

This as well is a two page spread. It is for Armstrong genuine hardwood floors. Almost the whole spread is a hardwood floor and then three clip art images. It is a turkey on a tray+banana peel= pizza box, then underneath it says "Tested to withstand the unexpected". This ad unfortunately does not convey a clear message.

Journal Nine.

This was a one page layout for Olay regenerist micro-sculpting cream. The ad is in all deep red colors and black with white writing. The jar of cream is enlarged in the center of the page with white lighting underneath to emphasize the jar. I think it does a great job advertising the product and even though I do not need this product i feel like it would work and make me feel refreshed.

Journal Ten.

This ad was a one page layout as well and it was an advertisement for a design company called Tisettant a. It is very simple and clean, the room they have designed is the main focal point of the ad. The space is very well designed, the colors repeated throughout the ad and the clean lines repeated throughout the design. The design is very unique and intrigue's the viewer to pursue the company.

Sustainable Design

2007-12-01T13:15:00.001-08:00

Journal One.

I first had no idea what sustainable design was so I googled it and I went to Wikipedia to see what they had to say.

Sustainable design is the art of designing physical objects and the built environment to comply with the principles of economic,social, and ecological sustainability. It ranges from the microcosm of designing small objects for everyday use, through to the macrocosm of designing buildings, cities, and the earth's physical surface. It is a growing trend within the fields of architecture, landscape architecture,engineering,graphic design, industrial design, interior design, and fashion design.

The essential aim of sustainable design is to produce places, products and services in a way that reduces use of non-renewable resources , minimizes environmental impact, and relates people with the natural environment. Sustainable design is often viewed as a necessary tool for achieving sustainablitly. It is related to the more heavy-industry-focused fields of industrial ecology and green chemistry, sharing tools such as life cycle assessment and life cycle energy assessment to judge the environmental impact or "greenness" of various design choices.

Sustainable design is a reaction to the global "environmental crisis", i.e., rapid growth of economic activity and human population, depletion of natural resources, damage to ecosystems and loss of biodiversity.Proponents of sustainable design believe that the crisis is in large part caused by conventional design and industrial practices, which disregard the risks and environmental impacts associated with goods and services. Green design is considered a means of reducing or eliminating these impacts while maintaining quality of life by using careful assessment and clever design to substitute less harmful products and processes for conventional ones.

The motivation for sustainable design was articulated famously in E. F. Schumacher's 1973 book Small is Beautiful. Finally, green design is not the attachment or supplement of architectural design, but an integrated design process within architectural design.

Journal Two.

So the next website, sustainable design, I visited was actually a business to help people build and design their house sustainable. This is their mission statement. Basically they want to help people make their houses more environmentally friendly by using solar energy for most of the electricity in the homes. They also take the landscape and natural resources into consideration as they design and build homes.

Sustainable Design Group: Mission
The mission of Sustainable Design Group is to build homes and communities that are in complete harmony with man, nature and the spirit of the place. We call them Earth Homes (tm). In addition, Sustainable Design Group works to facilitate global sustainable development and energy independence through the design, development and deployment of sustainable communities and technologies.

Harmony With Man
The home not only provides shelter from the elements but it must also give you the feeling of comfort, security and balance. That comfortable feeling comes from careful design and sensitivity to proportion, materials, texture, light and color. The use of natural materials and good ventilation assures the healthiest quality indoor environment. State of the art heating and cooling systems and energy efficient construction provides uncompromising comfort and energy efficiency. Earth Homes feel like home.

Harmony With Nature
“The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth” - Chief Seattle

We believe that it is our responsibility to respect nature and do nothing to consciously harm our environment. Earth Homes and Communities are built with a deep respect for and in complete harmony with nature and the environment. Earth Homes and communities reflect this in every detail. Earth Homes work in harmony with the forces of nature. The sun is an integral part of the home design, heating the home naturally in the winter, shaded in the summer to keep the home cool and providing daylight year around. We use solar energy to generate much of the electricity for the home and to heat water where applicable. The natural flow of water is taken into consideration to keep the foundation and site dry and to prevent excessive runoff to nearby streams. The air flow around the building is carefully considered to avoid cold air in winter and to channel cool breezes in summer. We use natural local materials were ever possible. The wood used in Earth Homes is certified to have come from sustainable managed forests. We maximize energy and water efficiency to minimize pollution and depletion of our resources. Our communities are laid out in harmony with the natural energy flows of the landscape and oriented to the winter sun. Only native species of plants are used in the landscaping and roads and site work are designed to minimize run off to the streams. While most developments have a negative impact on the local environment and contribute to global warming due to excessive energy consumption, Earth Homes and Communities strive to improve the local environment and build on the natural beauty of the place.

Harmony With Spirit Of The Place
Every place has its own unique beauty that comes from its history, its people and the natural beauty of the landscape. At Sustainable Design Group we are committed to being a positive influence on the people and natural beauty of the place while respecting the region’s culture and history.

Journal Three.

The Sustainable Design Resource Guide is the next website I visited.Their goal is to find the most suitable materials and available products that help sustain the earth and human health. Until now, it has been difficult to find sources for suitable materials and products from local or regional sources. Through the leadership of two local organizations, a multi-disciplinary group of building professionals created this Sustainable Design Resource Guide. The Denver Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment and the Colorado Chapter of Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility have worked together to provide a convenient resource and to fill a need not covered by other guides.

What they had to say about concrete:

-Consider using concrete as the finished surface, by specially forming, coloring, or etching the face. This allows concrete to be used efficiently as both a structural and architectural element.

-On exterior applications concrete can be used to reduce the heat island effect (caused by dark heat absorbing materials such as asphalt) and is less costly to illuminate1 due to its reflective nature.

-Consider using stay-in-place insulated concrete forms (ICF’s) in foundation walls. ICF’s can also be used for walls above grade. Use of these forms can reduce the amount of concrete needed and provides insulation value as well.

Woods and Plastics...

Both wood and plastics are building materials commonly used because of their versatility, durability, availability, and cost. In the past, these materials have been used with little thought to their origin or the impact of their use on the environment. Concern over preserving our natural resources is influencing our selection of wood products. The new wood and plastic products being developed augment the selection process, but careful consideration must be given to their content.Use engineered lumber and laminated wood products.

-Use salvaged lumber.

-Specify composite lumber and/or finger-jointed lumber.

-Specify formaldehyde-free wood products; or specify exterior-grade products for finish carpentry with all surfaces sealed.

-Specify products made from recycled paper or wood fiber in place of lumber.

-Specify wood materials that originate from sustainably-managed sources.

-Specify recycled plastic products.

-Specify that lumber waste on the job site be recycled.

Electrical...

-Incorporate daylighting and energy-efficient lighting systems to improve visual quality, productivity, cooling load, and energy costs.

-Specify premium efficiency motors and variable speed drives with induction-duty rated motors.

Journal Four.

Going green around the house. Steps to help be green!

-First and foremost, when in doubt, try not to throw it out. Don’t buy things only to throw them out later. Our land fills are full enough. Buy quality items that will be long-lasting. Green furnishings are furnishings that last a long time.

-Make choices that keep your air clean. Try to stay away from materials that produce poor indoor air quality. Avoid oil-based paints, and anything with vinyl — flooring, window coverings, fabric coating. They off-gas. Stick with paints with low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) Large, national suppliers such as Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore are now offering quality paints that are easy to find

-Keep your forests growing. If wood is a component, try to find products that are made from sustainable woods and forests. Try reclaimed wood flooring or wood that comes from a supplier that can verify that original trees are from sustainable forests.

-When in doubt, go natural. Natural products in the same category are often safer bets than their synthetic counterparts. Wool or sisal flooring, for example, can be a greener choice than nylon carpet. Buyer beware though: the word “natural” can be just “green-washing,” or a misleading marketing tactic to make you think the product is green. You see, there is no one regulating what “natural” or “green” means. So while you might think your beautiful handknotted carpet it green because it’s made with wool, it may be washed with harsh chemicals, like acid or chlorine bleach.

-Ask and you shall receive. The more we ask for recycled and sustainable products, the more the market will respond. Recycled glass tile for your kitchen or bath is beautiful, very stylish and many manufacturers make it with different finishes and colors. More good news, it’s been aroud for a while so it’s reliable and the price point similar to the non-recycled kind

Journal Five.

Sustainable Design Program

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

Sustainable design principles include the ability to:

optimize site potential;
minimize non-renewable energy consumption;
use environmentally preferable products;
protect and conserve water;
enhance indoor environmental quality; and
optimize operational and maintenance practices.

Utilizing a sustainable design philosophy encourages decisions at each phase of the design process that will reduce negative impacts on the environment and the health of the occupants, without compromising the bottom line. It is an integrated, holistic approach that encourages compromise and tradeoffs. Such an integrated approach positively impacts all phases of a building's life-cycle, including design, construction, operation and decommissioning.

GSA and Sustainable Design

GSA is committed to incorporating principles of sustainable design and energy efficiency into all of its building projects. The result is an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility. It is GSA's intent that sustainable design will be integrated as seamlessly as possible into the existing design and construction process.

GSA and LEED

As a means of evaluating and measuring our green building achievements, all GSA new construction projects and substantial renovations must be certified through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. Projects are encouraged to exceed basic LEED® green building certification and achieve the LEED® Silver level. LEED® consists of a set of prerequisites and credits with specific requirements for obtaining points in order to become a certified green building.

Journal Six.

The GreeNOLA plan calls for six houses and two multifamily units which employ energy-efficient appliances, solar power and recycled building materials, in addition to providing social services such as child care and a community garden. This proposal is designed to cut pollution and decrease operating energy use by 50 percent to 60 percent compared with traditional homes.

Journal Seven.

Tthe ‘sunbird’ features:

•	Climatically appropriate passive design
•	Extensive use of sustainable harvested timbers from the Atherton Tablelands
•	Selection of other materials on the basis of low embodied energy
•	Solar energy installation generating approximately 100% of power needs
•	Solar hot water unit
•	On-site collection and storage of 70% of domestic water needs
•	Appliances and technologies to reduce water and power use
•	A composting toilet to reduce wastewater and nutrient outputs.

Journal Eight.

Key elements of sustainable design include energy-efficient mechanical systems that improve indoor air quality and control air temperature. So-called "green" builders use locally produced products, or materials that emit little, if any, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) or polyvinyl chloride (PVCs), which are a widely-used plastic often contained in construction materials. Operable windows provide fresh air, as do indoor plants. The goal is to construct and maintain an energy-efficient building, reduce the environmental footprint as much as possible and provide EnCana employees a comfortable working environment.

Journal Nine.

Because of the requirement to clearly express the functions of the building, active zones were placed around the outside of the building which used a predominately glass façade complimented by aluminium and recycled timbers.The building was constructed around a main north-south and east-west axis. To bring light and ventilation into the centre of the building, part of the east-west axis became a courtyard, bringing light and ventilation into the tutorial, case study and education rooms which surround the building.

Journal Ten.

Sustainable Design in Architecture is illustrated here by the Phare Tower scheduled to be completed near Paris, France in 2012. The 300-meter, 68-story office tower includes sustainable design features such as a double skin to maximize energy efficiency, a clear glazed facade to increase exposure to natural daylight, and a generator wind farm. Montana State University architecture graduate Patrick Dunn-Baker was on the Morphosis firm competition team whose design won the contract.