The unique Hobbit House we profiled yesterday actually won two awards, one for the best small project and the other for the innovative 'butterfly window' specially designed for the home. The window was based on Tolkien's sketches and writings. It was built out of solid mahogany with custom-designed forged iron hardware. The center hinged sashes are designed to resemble butterfly wings. The American Institute of Architects praised the window with "elegant design with extraordinary detailing" when they presented the award to Archer & Buchanan.
When it comes to The Lord of the Rings, some people are fanatical. And so it was with this fan who commissioned a hobbit home. The 6oo-square-foot home features a round Spanish cedar door with hand-forged single pivot hinge, handmade clay roof tiles, custom 'butterfly window', Douglas Fir timber framing, custom-designed antique light fixtures and a range of fanciful interior details. The home will serve for display and to house the owner's extensive Tolkien collection. It's easy to see why this unique home recently won an award from the American Institute of Architects for a small project.
Don't think there are good building materials being sent to landfills? Check out this house in Texas where 85 percent of the material used was reclaimed from the dump. In this video, the Texas County Reporter interviews Dan Phillips, who is spearheading an initiative to build affordable housing. Phillips uses mostly recycled materials, hires unskilled labor and keeps the projects small. So far he's helped eight families build and purchase a home.
Hard to believe the house in this photo was once a horse stable. Archer & Buchanan Architecture recently won an award for the conversion of this 1898 William L. Price designed stable into a 4-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath private residence in Wayne, Pa. The Heritage Commission of Delaware County praised the "wonderful detail and craftsmanship...(in) maintaining the integrity of the historic structure" when they presented the award on May 6th. I've got to agree with them.
There are homeowners who make a sustainable home by putting in energy-efficient light bulbs and there are those who take it to the next level. DivineCaroline.com has a list of 10 innovative homes that are pushing the boundaries of sustainable construction and living. Some of the homes look quite conventional while others look like they belong on the Moon. My favorite is the home pictured here; the walls are constructed of misprinted rice bags filled with natural material and the outside layer is made of papercrete, recycled paper mixed with cement. Use of these recycled materials reduces the use of wood, concrete and steel. These homeowners want to live off the grid entirely; they grow their own food in a greenhouse and the heating system is solar powered. Read more about this home and others in the Divine Caroline article.
It might be described as Indiana Jones meets architecture design. Through a program called Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design, college students are immersed in locations around the world, absorb the local culture and aesthetic, then build a small structure to add to the beauty of the area. The course, taught by Travis Price, has proven extraordinarily popular; 135 students applied for 9 slots last semester. No doubt the class serves to expand students' minds and encourage creativity—just check out the house floating in the Amazon river in the photo. It has a photovoltaic system and a sub-aqua septic system? Not quite your average Colonial. The Architectural Record has a great two-page writeup on the program, and you can check out the Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design web site for more information.
WebUrbanist, a site of "urban design, culture, travel, architecture and alternative art," posts some interesting lists of what it calls "7 wonders." Discover "7 Engineering Wonders of the Modern World" and "7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union." Because I'm fascinated with abandoned buildings, I loved the recent piece called "7 More Abandoned Wonders of the World: Amazing American Abandonments". Check out these impressive buildings chock full of history.
