Design Research: ten buildings

Delter Shelter

I find this dwelling titled Delter Shelter, by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen architects, very interesting in the fact that the siding of the building can be convertible. A person can rotate a large wheel from the interior and side the paneling to open or close it. One of my favorite aspects of the dwelling is the cantilevered balconies that protrude out from the sides of the house. I find the height to be very interesting because it looks to be in proportion to the surrounding trees. I also like how the top two stories make a perfect square and the vertical panels divide the square in half.
Source: www.oskaarchitects.com

Glassy House

I really like this house by COAST architects because of the mixture of glass and wood exterior detail. The private areas of the house have wood panel exterior work while the rooms such as the kitchen, dining room, living room, and garage have glass exterior walls. I appreciate the equilibrium between the two different materials. I think that the white walls in the rooms with glass walls works very well because at night the light reflects off the walls and creates a glowing effect when looking from the outside. My favorite angle of the house is in the second picture, which is taken from th backside of the dwelling. We are able to see the basement type level that houses the kitchen and living room. When looking at the front of the building we the viewers only think that the house only has two levels which would appear to be a small house.
Source: www.wallpaper.com

The Grassy House I personally am not fond of this house because of the exterior appearance. When flipping through design magazines we only see very creative designs of houses that are only made up of glass windows. We never see just normal houses in these magazines. I do have to admit that the glass walls are very interesting and that if they were truly functional then I might have the desire to incorporate this design more. This type of house can only be found somewhere in a paradise type setting where no one can be found in the immediate surroundings. Like the house in the image it is set up in the mountains with nothing surrounding it. This might be nice for the rich and famous but not for the average person who lives in a populated neighborhood or a suburb. My main question is "How can someone really live in this house?" I imagine this house being for a couple without children. The main reason that I do not like this house is the grass on the roof. I think this looks tacky. The only aspect that could be interesting would be that from a plane or in an areal shot you would not even see the house because of the grass.
Source: www.dwell.com


The Beach HouseThis house/studio designed by Carol A. Wilson first caught my attention because I thought that the building was set back in the woods somewhere in the mountains. After reading I found out that this house/studio is located at a beach but hidden the trees. I was first attracted to the wooden tree trunks that run horizontally across the entire building itself. My eye was then attracted to column type object that is supporting the building. The reason that I like these too aspects is because I am from the mountains and am able to appreciate the planning of the grade of land and the natural beauty that can be incorporated into the design. I can picture this building in some other mountain setting instead of on the coast.
Source: www.dwell.com

Condos in L.A.

I do not find this building by Pugh + Scarpa to be appealing. I can understand the original intentions to create a modern and contemporary look. To me though I do not think that it fits in this environment and the surroundings. The harsh angles seem to be out of place. Maybe if they were situated in a different way then they might work better. The only aspect that I like about the condo complex is the platform bridges that connect the two buildings.
This is shown in the second image.
Source: www.dwell.com

Walt Disney Concert Hall
I love the abstract appearance that this building takes on. I think that Frank Gehry did a great job with the design of the building. I can’t begin to imagine how much money it cost to build and construct this building due to all the abnormal shapes and all of the curving lines. The application of the exterior material is beautifully placed and designed. I find the color choice of silver to be aesthetically pleasing to my eye and surely to others. I am fascinated by the design that I would love to spend time in the building trying to figure out the construction techniques and how the building was put together.
Source: wikipedia.org

The New MuseumI find this building to have a very interesting look. It almost seems out of place because it is located in New York with buildings that look rundown and of dull colors. I appreciate the building being white because it adds interest and appeal. It would definitely catch ones eye. The different layers or stories seem to balance themselves due to the different placements and positions. I love how the sun shines on one side of the building creating several different variations of white. This building would definitely catch my attention and make me want to go in and see the inside. Source: designcrack.com


The Crayola House
This house has a reputation of being the Crayola house or the Lego house. This house first catches ones eye by the bright colors that are used as accents on the exterior. Then one might notice the symmetry of the house. This house is completely symmetrical and helps to create a center of attention. I find the symmetry to be quite interesting but not something that would prefer any of my designs to look like. Typically I prefer for things to be symmetrical but not anywhere as symmetrical as this house. I think that the actual design of the house is quite beautiful but the color choices are a downfall for the overall look. Instead of using all of the colors I think the designers could have focused on a few main colors even if they were bright.
Source: www.architecturaldigest.com

Mount Hotham House
This house is beautifully designed because of the connection that it makes to nature. The main aspect that makes this connection is the window because they are large and have no interruptions between you and the outdoors. The designer stated that his design is opposite of a typical Frank Lloyd Wright design. I particularly like the inside of the house better than the outside. I think this is because the overall design of the house wants you to stand inside and look out but feel that there is no separation in between.
Source: Wallpaper: International Design Interiors Lifestyle, www.wallpaper.com

Falling Water: Frank Lloyd Wright
I know that everyone has heard of Frank Lloyd Wright but I have a love for his designs. My favorite work by him was the design of Falling Water. I find the cantilevers to be incredibly designed and well thought out. The fact that this house was designed to be located on top of a creek is quite amazing. I love the feature of the house, which allows one to walk down a flight of stairs to the creek. This house also seems to fit right in with the surroundings. I love the contrast of the vertical sections and the horizontal cantilevers especially with the use of the different materials.
Source: www.wright-house.com