Tuesday, September 28, 2010

iHouse


I'm speechless. Blown away by the clean lines and modest use of space.
I'm stunned by the deliberate order and discipline. None of sculptural blob making shit that's passing for well-considered design decisions.
In my humble opinion.
Looks like around 5ksf.
What? Even the kids have to share a bathroom?
Classic. So well done. More images via Gizmodo.
Thank you thank you thank you BCJ.
In an age of oversize-mcmansioned-mediocre-stuccoed-cobblestone-faux-crap that screams how money so seldom accounts for taste and elegance and quiet simplicity. You guys have taken the better path.
Thank you.
Architectural students take note.
You can actually practice architecture without turning into a "whateverputsmoremoneyinmypocketwhore" :)
There is still hope.
Fuck Peter Keating.
Long live Peter Bohlin.
Update: More info on Steve's casa via MacRumors

Friday, September 24, 2010

Friday Reprieve #24


I love the band Arcade Fire. And whatever you might think about Google, one of the things I like about them is that they are out there 'doing it'.

Enter the music video. Remember when MTV, back in the day, we so incredibly innovative because they put music on a TV? How rogue was that?

Well, now Google and Arcade Fire have gotten together to take it to the next level. Whatever you think of the music, the experience is awesome. From Google's standpoint, it's all about what you can do with their mapping applications and HTML5.

Just enter your home town and sit back.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Ode to Fall

Down but not out in Paris:

A couple of dear friends of mine have taken an opportunity to spend some time abroad this fall. Their trip is mainly rooted in spending some time in Paris, but they are taking some day trips to the rest Europe at large.
As they are both architects (or almost, depending on exam results) they have that 'eye' that architects tend to see the world with. They have also committed to photo documentation of their trip for all of the rest of us who do not have the opportunity to join them.


enjoy.

Monday, September 20, 2010

AU 2010 - Let the games begin!

It's that time of year again.
68 days until Thanksgiving
96 days until Christmas
80 days until St. Nicholas Day (for all you St. Louisians out there with kids)
and
72 days until AU

Registration for AU began last week and some of the classes are already filled to the brim. If you haven't done so already, REGISTER!
All three of us are teaching classes this year:

Phil: Into the Void: The Zen of Creating Complex Sculptural forms with Revit.

James: Advanced Techniques for Curtain Walls, Curtain Panels, and Adaptive Components in Autodesk Revit (offered at 2 times) and
BIM and IPD for Project Leaders

Eddy: Project Managing BIM and Daylighting Analysis with Revit and 3ds Max Design

Beyond just the priceless knowledge you can attain attending classes at AU, the new City Center is complete showcasing design talent by several A-list designers and some unreal living sculptures. Like this one of huge ice 'popsicle' that melt and are re-created.

Also, keep an eye on the blog in the upcoming weeks. We have a bit of an announcement to make for possible fun and festivities during the AU week.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Friday Reprieve #23

Avast ye!
Sunday is National Talk Like a Pirate Day.
While that's not parametric or has anything to do with BIM or Revit, it's an opportunity for all the black-wearing architects out there to don an eye patch and get their pirate on.

Some suggestions for those of you who might be working this weekend. Perhaps instead of your wimpy responses to Revit when it does something you don't want it to do, you could incorporate a bit of the olde pirate slang. Let me give you an example:
Revit for some reason known only to Revit, crashes on you. A typical architect, wearing his / her black ensemble might respond "well, gosh darn it. there goes 4 hours of work. Sorry Revit for whatever I screwed up for you. Let me sip this white wine spritzer while I wait for you to reload my project."
Instead perhaps you can try "Swing a lead, Revit you olde dog! Be doin' that again and I'll drive my blade into ye I will!!" then take a swig of your home brewed rum.

Hey, those are only suggestions.
At the end of the day remember what my studio professor once told me:
"it's not important if your glass is 1/2 empty or 1/2 full, but what is important is that your glass is refillable."

Har!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Friday Reprieve – NFL Edition

This weekend marks the kickoff of the 2010-2011 football season – yes, AMERICAN football! We don’t need no stinkin’ vuvuzelas! To commemorate this glorious time of year, I offer a humorous Team-by-Team NFL preview guide by the one and only…Onion Sports Network.

Click here to read the article

onion-nfl-header

J…E…T…S – JETS! JETS! JETS!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Blue Sky



I took this photo on the last day I worked for Autodesk back in May of 2008. After more than 7 amazing years of playing for the same team, I found myself flying back to Charlotte and quite honestly - more than a bit anxious about what the future would hold. But what suddenly occurred and caused me to snap the above photo (with my jail broken and unlocked, T-Mobile powered iPhone, ahem...) is that above any clouds of uncertainty, there are always clear blue skies of opportunity.

Simply put: the view is always clearer above the clouds.

So it seems fitting that I use this image to announce that I'm moving on from HNTB. It's certainly bittersweet. Yet those that have come to know me best wisely reminded me long ago that I'm too impatient and non-conforming to be a corporate lifer. Thank you. I bow to your Buddha nature. :)

It's been an amazing, learning and deeply satisfying experience. In little more than 2 years a firm wide BIM strategy and team is in place that in my opinion is the most advanced and experienced group I've ever known. Their commitment to Design Build in every way exceeds my expectations of what is possible when a design firm partners with select contractors to build buildings rather than simply create drawings.

Rather than be content to see what the market will decide, HNTB leads the market. Their vision and commitment to creating compelling and new technologies in order to leverage BIM is extraordinary. As a result, what we did in days takes others weeks if not months. And what we did in months I believe will take others years - by which time HNTB will have moved on. The incredible value this brings to a Design Build is light-years ahead of any competition. The leadership is sharply minded and focused. And as far as I could tell only one or two were merely sharply elbowed and dressed. :)

I wish I could tell you what's next but I honestly don't know! I've already had some interesting and unsolicited phone calls. Seems the whisper of the Internet is like the roar of a lion. But I've been fortunate to the point that I don't have to commit to anything for a while. At the same time, I'm incredibly blessed that some pretty interesting people have already offered to fly me somewhere for a few days to compare notes. So that's cool.

What's interesting?

Domesticity. Apple. Strategic, holistic and elegant solutions. Integrating Design (BIM) / Build (Manufacturing) / Management (FM). Connecting dots and being a change agent. Finishing my pilot's license. Completing an addition to the house. Helping author another book or two, including Mastering Revit 2012. The Annapolis boat show. Sailing with the family. Drinks with friends. Autodesk University. Twitter. Blogging.

Could I be interested in a Revit project or two? Possibly. But only if it's extremely interesting (Apple Stores...cough...Revit... cough...Design Build...cough ;). Or along the lines of an unimaginably large, complex, project and more than likely somewhere in Australiasia. And Singapore is always a plus!

So if you know of something really, really interesting - let me know. But only if it's surrounded by sharper minds than elbows. :)

What's next?

Blue sky. Or perhaps it's more of a Blue Ocean ;)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More ‘In the Wild’ pics

It’s about time MARA 2011 showed up down under! Simon David submits a tranquil composition from Sydney…

MARA2011-Sydney

And just to make sure Simon gets his dues, if you flip to the SOM section in the color insert of MARA 2011 and find the hospital project – Simon was the BIM coordinator for that job. He really held that ship together!

We’re really stretching the age demographic of our readers as well! Harlan Brumm from Autodesk uses our book to soothe his new baby girl. Awwww.

MARA2011-Brumm

Be sure to check out Harlan and other Autodesk support staff on their blog, The Revit Clinic.

Keep those pictures coming. We’d love to see the digital versions of MARA 2011 in the wild (Kindle, iBooks, eReader…)

How to buy Mastering Revit Architecture 2011

So, you’d like to get your hands on a copy of our book? Great! Here are a number of ways you can purchase Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011:

Print Editions

Digital Editions are also available for:

A listing of international distributors for Wiley can be found by clicking here.