Twice a year or so, I receive letters to the editor about handrails. These letters gently or not so gently reproach us for the projects we run without rails where the codebook claims they should be. The pace of those letters just picked up with the publication of our July cover photo of David Salmela. Read more
Architect Gregory Kearley, AIA, of Inscape Studio in Washington, D.C., planned a modern scheme for this Youth Build affordable house in the city's historic Anacostia neighborhood. That is, until he encountered the district's strict review board and reworked the three-bedroom home for a more traditional look. Read more
Applying mass-production methods to architecture, Garrison Architects, in New York City, and fabricator Kullman Industries, of Lebanon, N.J., are collaborating on a line of manufactured residence halls for college and university clients. Read more
Although most of the residences wear neotraditional garb in the New Urbanist town of Stapleton, Colo., the former airport site outside of Denver, two multistory housing projects now in the works have a decidedly contemporary edge. Read more
Completing major structural renovations within the confines of an apartment building and under the watchful eyes of the owners' association multiplied Riley's headaches. The building only allows construction during summer months, and bathroom expansions are forbidden because wet areas must be directly above wet areas. Read more
Ronnette Riley, FAIA, was practicing universal design long before the term was coined, and while she admires the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), she takes issue with some of its content. Read more
Why do I not see more architects involved in the public process? Is it that we do not consider ourselves “political”? How does the act of building not become political? We change cities and manipulate the natural environment. Our work affects the value of property and the daily experience of most people. Read more
Throughout the recent economic downturn, residential construction has been a bright spot, a boom that overshot all predictions. As low interest rates fueled the speculative housing market, condominium projects have dominated the construction scene in thriving metropolitan areas. Read more
Designing affordable housing under normal constraints is tough enough, but Seattle-based Environmental Works Community Design Center deserves special kudos for overcoming the hurdles of Traugott Terrace. Read more
The developer of HomeSafe, a community for battered women and their children, approached Studio E Architects with an interesting challenge. In addition to the usual affordable housing request—good design on a shoestring budget—they also wanted the project to fit into a co-housing format. Read more
When the Seattle office of Pyatok Architects began designing a community of transitional housing for mentally ill residents, it knew it might face a neighborhood outcry against the project. So it pre-empted complaints with a contextually sensitive design. Read more
This low-income housing project was designed in consultation with its potential residents, and the project is that much stronger because of it, says architect Jeff Bone, AIA, principal at Chicago-based Landon Bone Baker Architects. Turns out their needs were not so special after all, but what all of us want in our housing: healthy, bright, and cheerful surroundings. Read more
Portland-based Central City Concern believes housing must provide much more than shelter for low-income individuals undergoing substance abuse rehabilitation. It must help ease them back into society, safely and effectively. Read more
Imagine designing a home for a client who may be deaf, blind, or mobility-impaired—you're not sure which. The residence has to fit into a tiny space, say 250 square feet, and must be easy to duplicate 10, 50, or 100 times over. Read more
Residential architects know only too well the challenges that arise when designing a custom home for a demanding client. Architects who toil in the realm of special-needs multifamily housing, however, face a different set of obstacles and obligations. Read more
Designer Philippe Starck is known for his rather idiosyncratic and radically modern faucets and fixtures. His latest, Axor Starck X collection, for Alpharetta, Ga.–based Hansgrohe is no exception. Read more
Designer Philippe Starck is known for his rather idiosyncratic and radically modern faucets and fixtures. His latest, Axor Starck X collection, for Alpharetta, Ga.–based Hansgrohe is no exception. Read more
Schaefferstown, Pa.–based Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry claims its Practically Basic will help consumers simplify and organize their lives. Read more
Sleek simplicity distinguishes the Linea line of decorative hardware for the bath. Towel bars and rings, toothbrush holders, hooks, shelves, pulls, and soap dishes are available in polished chrome or brushed nickel. Read more
Sleek simplicity distinguishes the Linea line of decorative hardware for the bath. Towel bars and rings, toothbrush holders, hooks, shelves, pulls, and soap dishes are available in polished chrome or brushed nickel. Read more
Sleek simplicity distinguishes the Linea line of decorative hardware for the bath. Towel bars and rings, toothbrush holders, hooks, shelves, pulls, and soap dishes are available in polished chrome or brushed nickel. Read more
Part of the Galileo line, Libra and Cancer Series sconces work as indoor and outdoor illumination. Read more
The new Tube Collection from Turnstyle Designs unites classic solid-brass construction with updated designs and a clean, uniform finish. Read more
Add the aesthetic of wet river rocks or weathered beach pebbles to bathroom counters or balcony floors with Cobblestone Series tiles. Read more
Dedicated to modern lifestyle and design, Land+Living believes the connection people have with the environment in which they live, both indoors and out, is of utmost importance. Read more
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