"Where they once documented honest, affordable projects that did not strain to be trendy, they are now profiling unfinished projects (or was that a proposition for a new temporal plywood design) (p96) just so they can stuff crass advertising down peoples throat (back cover and 123), sell branded shoes (see p127), sell not very accessible or ecologically friendly cars (p 27 and they have had H2 ads before)...sadly the list goes on. I wont even touch the out of control and exponentially growing ad section in the back that is busting at the seams."

Link: Archinect Forums
Link: Dwell
Link: Fruit Bowl Manifesto (Dwell)

Recently, Greg completed the plans for his latest project, the Porch House.

"The Porch House leads a double life. During the winter it is a cozy two bedroom cabin. During the summer it is a weekend retreat able to accommodate many friends and guests. The entire ground floor of the cabin is designed as one big screened in porch, with sleeping areas and a summer kitchen which allows you to move your life outside for the summer months, hence the name Porch House. So despite the size of the house, during the summer months the number of people that can be accommodated can be quite large. These summer living spaces are made to drink in the scenery and make life at this retreat as different as possible from your daily life back home. Think of it as a machine for unwinding!"

Architect: Greg La Vardera
Link: Porch House
Related: Deck House (MocoLoco)

Stainless steel inside and out, this refrigerator conforms to the US Department of Energy's stringent standards for residential use - consuming less energy than a 100 watt light bulb. The styling is a wonderfully simple, with fine attention paid to the details: dual compressors, three evaporators, auto-closing hinges, exterior drawers with glazed lids for both crisper and freezer.

Set to debut this fall, we can only imagine the cost of this 'fridge considering that Sub-Zero is the Rolls Royce of refrigeration. But damn if it isn't a beauty.

Link: Sub-Zero PRO 48

"Bryce Parker Company's glass garage doors offer an attractive alternative for Architectural, Residential, & Commercial applications. Our models: BP-350 & BP-450 HD offer a unique aesthetic appeal, maximum light transmission - without letting anyone see inside your garage - and durability. If these characteristics are important to your design, Bryce Parker is your solution!"

Goldsworthy makes site-specific pieces of art using only the materials and tools found on the site where he is working. We were drawn to respect for nature and the sense of place inherent in Goldsworthy's art. Most of his work is created in isolated natural site, but he has also done works in urban environments as well as installation piece such as the current exhibit at the Met in New York. An important aspect of his work is the passage of time and the decay of his art by the forces of nature.

Link: Andy Goldsworthy
Please note that the images across the top of the page are links - slow loading rollovers
Time: Amazon

The GGG House, built in 1999, is an abstracted modern structure inspired by the work of the sculptor Jorge Yazpik. It is also obviously influenced by the great Mexican architect Luis Barragán and recalls shades of Tadao Ando, Louis Kahn, Carlo Scarpa and even Le Corbusier (look for the windows à la Ronchamp). The building and landscape commingle beautifully with broad indoor/outdoor terraces, contained courtyards and planted roof tops.

Link: Alberto Kalach GGG House (many more pics)

Rock on.

Link: TAU Cerámica

We salute Tony Larson from Agents of the Area, who has managed to design some decks within his Girl Skateboards line that will thrash your hearts out. He even managed to throw on some Roadside Architecture, or Venturi's duck, if you may. Design geeks in the black and grey uniforms now can get a skateboard that does not clash!

Link: Agents of the Area

Some more Skate Art: Skate or Die!

The Oculas can be outfitted with a flat-screen monitor, 5.1 surround sound, PC, Playstation, XBox, and much, much more.

Now if only this thing could fly (think Jetsons....)

"Relax inside an Oculas and experience pure luxurious comfort whilst enjoying the intensity of its brilliant sound and cinematic vision.

WORK inside a secure Oculas environment on the fastest pc computer seamlessly installed for enhanced network conferences and all your business needs wherever you are in the world.

REST in the pure luxury of the comfy interior whilst listening to your favourite sound tracks and bathing in waves of rejuvenating light. Heated leather seating that massages your entire back invigorates your body back to life.

PLAY against other competitors inside the sound booming, vibrating experience of your Oculas. You can see, feel and hear the excitement of fully immersed gaming with live racing, flight simulations and the full range of game console variations."

Designer: Lee McCormack
Link: The Oculas

"Roberto Burle Marx is internationally known as one of the most important landscape architects of the 20th century.

"An artist of multiple facets, besides being a landscape designer he was also a remarkable painter, sculptor, singer, and jewelry designer, with a sensibility that is shown throughout his work."

Urban living space in the west is becoming increasingnly crowded; conditions that the Japanese have coped with, and their architects have gained much experience dealing with, for quite some time. Japanese design patterns are bound to be adopted by Western architects and this book makes a point to showcase some of the finest small home design that Japan has to offer.

Release Date: May 2005

Link: Amazon
Author: Azby Brown
Publisher: Kodansha International

"Here are a couple of shots of my new shed. I haven't put the Plexiglas in yet but it will go across the top and down the right side as in the original plan. As you can see I changed the front to a sliding door and put a small door on the left side. I didn't put any interior panelling in (it's just a shed) and by changing the plywood from 3/4 to 5/8 I think it cost me less than $1000 for the whole project. If you take a look at Lowes or Home Depot I'm sure you'll agree you don't get much of a shed for that price."

Have you built or do you know anyone that has also built an MD 100? If so, drop us a line and tell us about it.

Link: ReadyMade
Link: Modular Dwellings

Link: Omvivo Washplanes

I was in Orange County yesterday and I made a point to seek out this famous garden which I have overlooked many times before. I knew that it was hidden away somewhere amongst the office towers and car-oriented avenues, and the discovery of this calm pedestrian space upon exiting a typical parking garage was at once calming and mind-blowing.

So now, at least ten years after I was made aware of this landscape, I have finally been there... and I took lots of pictures for your perusal. This description of the garden is is far more in depth than our synopsis.

Link: Noguchi Museum - California Scenario
Landscape Architect: Kammeyer and Associates
Reference: Isamu Noguchi Stamps (Land+Living)
Reference: The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum (Land+Living)

For this summer house, the architects have conceived a wood structure defined by a continuous, folded plane forming interior and exterior spaces.

Firm: Saunders & Wilhelmsen Architecture

UPDATE: Mr. Saunders and Mr. Wilhelmsen have now moved on to individual practices.
Link: Saunders Architecture
Link: Wilhelmsen Arkitektur

Link: Dedon
Link: Hularo

Living spaces were designed as an open and flow and are transparent to the outside. Taking cues from the colorful Morphosis building, each private interior room was "conceived as a unit of color, lined with resin panels of bright pink, turquoise and yellow orange."

Link: Johnston Marklee & Associates Sale House

Mendes da Rocha has shown a deep understanding of space and scale through the great variety of buildings he has designed, from private residences, housing complexes, a church, museums and sports stadia to urban plans for public space. While few of his buildings were realized outside of Brazil, the lessons to be learned from his work, both as a practicing architect and a teacher, are universal.

This shoe collection is modern because it includes all the technology we now know... but without having to show it - because we don't need to show it!

These shoes are based not on design, not on showing off, not on more and more and more features, but on showing less and less and less. It means more technology, more intelligence, but less styling. This is the secret of the product of tomorrow.

Quick Link: Starck Puma (without sized window)
Designer: Philippe Starck