[...] If you look at cars from around the early 1980s to the early ‘90s, you may notice one pervasively common theme throughout that decade: a front end design incorporating a very clean and logical arrangement of elements.
Cadence is a stunning waterfront home in British Columbia, Canada. It features interconnecting pavilions that create a natural flow through its more than 4,000 square feet of space — no easy feat. Keith Baker Design Inc received numerous awards for this project, including the Canadian National Gold SAM Award for Best Single Detached Home of its size.
The home uses distinctive radius roofing in a design reminiscent of relaxing ocean waves. This is especially prominent on the breezeway that connects the home to its multi-car garage and over of its main entrance on the second floor.
The interior of the home makes the most of Vancouver Island’s serene environment. Large windows provide natural light and ocean views in every room. A sliding glass door off of the dining room opens to a long patio with an outdoor kitchen and boxy concrete fire pit, both perfect for entertaining.
A curved walkway flows naturally from the outdoor patio to a pool on the home’s lower level. Inside, a floating staircase connects the two floors, echoing modern design touches throughout the space. [Photography courtesy of Keith Baker Design]
Oh, hi, I am ready for summer now. What did I miss?
Because the first half of this summer was so busy -- a manuscript due, a redesign set off into the world, a birthday, and a zillion other bits of happy work/life chaos -- I'm in this funny position of looking up for the first time mid-July and realizing that no mysterious person has arrived while I was buried in winter recipe testing and font fine-tunings and filled my freezer with popsicles, put a bowl of heirloom tomatoes on the counter, ready for their caprese closeup [realistically, this doesn't happen even if I had been paying attention, but let me enjoy this rose-colored Pinterest fantasy just the same] and beach? Hadn't seen it since May. I have about seven weeks left to catch up, except I know at least five of those will be buried under recipe testing and book edits, which basically means it's now or never to do all the summer things I haven't yet.
Beach? Check. Swimming? Check. Grilling? Check, check, check. Scheduled 7-hour flight with 4 adults and 5 children to a faraway beach town in the name of vacation? I'm scared but: check! Do everything I can with sweet summer corn while it lasts? Let's get to work!
Located in Japan, this single family home is a study in minimalism. Designed in 2016 by Tukurito Architects, the simple, spartan design allows small details to shine through.
The herringbone pattern on the counter contrasts with the straight wooden floorboards and the simple exposed ribbed beams across the ceiling; all are made from similar materials, which makes the difference in pattern all the more striking. The simple iron and wood open shelving, stonework and bare lighting would be spartan if not for their luxurious detail work.
A window at eye level allows only a glimpse into a private, serene courtyard, offering a sense of privacy. The cascading slope of the roof adds horizontal space to the home and allows rain and snow to gently fall off.
There is a distinct emphasis on natural materials like wood and stone, with a focus on soft, muted palette with grays and powder blues. Each corner of the house is carefully used, with no thoughtless waste of space.
The most noteworthy and whimsical detail is the rock climbing wall leading to a multi-use loft, proving that minimalism can still be both luxurious and playful.
Council Crest Residence is a 6,200 square foot remodel and addition located in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 2003, it was designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and built by Don Tankersley Construction.
This project was a remodel and addition of a 1950’s ranch house. Originally built for inventor Karl Kurz, known for creating projectors and stereoscopic cameras, the home was originally known as “The View-Master House,” in part for the exceptional glass entry and for its notable inventor occupant.
This project is defined as much by what was kept as what was added on; the original glass entry, with its dramatic views of Portland, has been maintained. So has the scale of the home, which fit well into the rhythm of the neighborhood.
Interior ceilings were raised and floor to ceiling windows were added, dramatically expanding the range of light that reached the inner rooms. A master suite, study, and south facing deck were added. The main floor living areas were completely remodeled within the existing footprint. An upper floor was added, maintaining the original profile of the building.
From Mark Forsyth’s The Elements of Eloquence, a reminder of the rules of adjective order that fluent English speakers follow without quite knowing why.
…adjectives in English absolutely have to be in this order: opinion-size-age-shape-colour-origin-material-purpose Noun. So you can have a lovely little old rectangular green French silver whittling knife. But if you mess with that word order in the slightest you’ll sound like a maniac. It’s an odd thing that every English speaker uses that list, but almost none of us could write it out.
That summer, she had a student who was obsessed
with the order of adjectives. A soldier in the South
Vietnamese army, he had been taken prisoner when
Saigon fell. He wanted to know why the order
could not be altered. The sweltering city streets shook
with rockets and helicopters. The city sweltering
streets.
Did anyone learn this in school? I sure didn’t. How do we all know then? My daughter’s kindergarten teacher had a great phrase she used when things got a bit tricky as her students learned to read: “the English language is a rascal”. (via @MattAndersonBBC)
The mind-staggering RDP House is the result of a collaborative effort between architects Daniel Moreno Flores & Sebastian Calero. Located in Pichincha, Ecuador, the dwelling was constructed using eight shipping containers.
The owner’s passion for old clocks and visible working mechanisms made him envision a house like no other, with exposed raw materials and construction solutions. Shipping containers proved to be the smartest solution to this brief. Moreover, since these objects become waste after their life cycle, using them in construction contributes to the sustainable green movement worldwide. Seven 20 feet containers and one 40 feet container were shipped to the site, described as a a large, green and fairly flat area, disconnected from the city’s mundane noise.
“Containers are imperfect,” the architects said. “They keep all their scars as a legacy to their dent register and history of uses. These objects are conceived as the complementary spaces of the house: storage rooms, bathrooms, closets and kitchen. They are basically used in their natural state.”
To expose the true nature of the materials, all factory paint was removed. Containers are supported on top of a concrete platform, slightly flying towards the exterior, offering a sense of balance and weight control. Metallic beams system cross from container to container and help in the reinforcement of the concrete tiles.
What are your thoughts regarding the overall aesthetics of this shipping container house in Ecuador? [Photography: Lorena Darquea Schettini]
Canada-based Alva Roy Architectscompleted the design of the Garden Void House, a contemporary residence in Toronto. The project occupies a corner lot in a traditional neighborhood, with both the north and west façades enjoying natural daylight throughout the seasons.
When viewed from street level, the main façade draws the eye with its contrast of large and narrow windows. From the inside, people enjoy a contemporary oasis filled with light from the many windows, while maintaining their privacy.
The residence was specially designed to accommodate the needs of a growing family. It is structured on two levels and hosts five bedrooms, an open plan social area, a home office, and an enclosed garage space. With attention to detail, powerful box-like forms, and use of natural materials like stones and wood, Garden Void House is an unexpected building. The project borrows its name from a physical void, which connects the garden, the basement and the second floor. “The Void shares an internal journey through the building,” the architects concluded.
The flexible open-plan living room offers a variety of options for the family to spend time together. Bedroom placement (the children’s bedrooms facing north and parent’s bedroom facing south) meets the clients’ wish to have separate areas for themselves and the children. [Information provided by Alva Roy Architects]
Nova Tayona Architects completed Lockeport Beach House on a site along Nova Scotia’s South Shore that features one kilometer of forested sandbar with tamarack and spruce trees covered in Old Man’s Beard lichen. This worked perfectly with their clients wishes for an eco-friendly beach house tucked back behind the tree line.
As you approach the home, its black-stained white cedar exterior blends with its forested backdrop and focuses all attention on the bright interior, visible through large windows.
The home’s floor-to-ceiling windows work in conjunction with the cantilevered roof overhang and concrete floors to bring in and capture heat from the low winter sun and shade the home from summer rays. The asymmetrical roof is also designed to harvest rainwater, the sole source of potable water in this home.
Inside, the home has simple furnishings with modern, clean lines. Windows in most rooms allow the home to fully take advantage of its idyllic location, where you can look out over the serene forest and hear waves crash on the nearby beach. [Photography by Janet Kimber, information courtesy of Arch Daily]
Constructed by Don Tankersley Construction and designed by Jones Studio, Singing Sands is an Oregon residence located on Cannon Beach. This 2011 house exemplifies working with the environment to create an artistic and comfortable living space.
The home is anchored around a small courtyard. The home encircles this private space with a sweeping, wave-like roof that mimics the crest and fall of ocean waves, creating an intimate half-oculus shape.
Of course, no beach front property would be complete without a view of the sun setting over the Pacific. The floor to ceiling windows grant a transparency and openness to the first floor. A honey colored interior, according to the designers, deliberately mimics the warmth of an old seaside village, allowing views of the ocean with protection within a familiar space.
Floor to ceiling windows that crescendo into a peaked gable add drama and height, but a tall cedar privacy fence creates boundaries around the private courtyard, landscaped with native plants and vegetation.
PAD Studio’sForest Lodge is a contemporary mobile home that looks nothing like you would expect. The architect described it as having a “feeling of solidity, serenity, and permanence” in The Architects’ Journal, which are not words commonly associated with spaces that conform to the 1968 Caravan Act.
Large windows and a glazed wall along part of the western face of the home break up its unstained chestnut paneling and make the home feel connected to the beautiful environment of its site. The large glass panels provide natural light and draw attention to picturesque views. Muted colors and clean lines used inside add to this emphasis placed on the outside world.
In addition to its contemporary appearance, the home adheres to modern ideas about sustainable living. The house is constructed to PassivHaus standards and is at level four in the Code for Sustainable Homes. Its design includes solar panels to ensure use of renewable energy and a rainwater filtration system. [Photography by Nigel Rigden, information courtesy of PAD Studio and The Architects’ Journal]
Modern design trends generally point to all white as the kitchen color palette of choice. But what about on the opposite end of the spectrum? Top interior designers are beginning to make black as common in our home as it is in our wardrobes.
The result? Spaces that feel simple and intentional, and a splendidly spooky.
Here are 31 black kitchen ideas that make us think the dark side isn’t so bad:
This stunning black and white kitchen is practically split in half: the floors and lower cabinets black, white above. The result is a sleek, bright space.
Black decor and industrial design are two things generally cautioned to use in small doses. However, this refurbished loft shows that rules are meant to be broken.
This minimalist space makes a statement with black cabinetry, sure, but it’s these views that steal the show and give the room a reason to stay simple.
What do you do with tin ceilings like this? You embrace industrial-ness and go all black. What makes this dark space work is the several natural light sources.
What’s not to love in this classy kitchen? A sparkling backsplash, black wood flooring, and horizontal grain cabinetry set this modern kitchen apart from the rest.
Beautiful light grain wood draws the eye in this large and bright kitchen, while contemporary black cabinetry and accents keep the space looking crisp.
This modern kitchen looks more like it belongs in a swanky bar than a family home, but who could complain? The gold bars are a smart and stylish update on trendy open shelves.
We’ve seen both black and white subway tile, so why not a combination of both? Horizontal stripes draw the eye across, and just like an unfortunate striped shirt, make the wall appear wider.
That’s right. This space once used for reading is now home to a sleek kitchen for entertaining. A nod to the library (and practicality) lives on through the gold ladder.
When patterns and textures like this are in play, best to keep the color scheme neutral. Black provides a perfect backdrop to this sunning wood and tile work.
Designed by Metropole Architects, the philosophy driving this house design is to create a lasting impression of movement. Located off of Dolphin Coast, South Africa, the architects carefully integrated the surrounding environment when crafting their design.
The “Wingspread” style of architecture takes advantage of the panoramic views of the beach and open sea. It portrays both sturdiness and dynamic energy. A wide, open floor plan gives sweeping views of the coast in almost every room, while accordion windows are easily removed, creating a seamless visual transition.
The landscaping is indigenous dune vegetation. A projected cantilevered top story, supported by a concrete column, offers a cutaway view of the ocean. like the angled off shutter concrete wall synthesizes with the more traditional architectural styles.
It is a synthesis of multiple design styles, including a combination of Tropical Modern architecture with outstanding Futurist features. The interior displays a more mid-century modern style, while still complementing the outer design. The result is a bold, dramatic fusion that is anything but reserved.
The form of the coastline around Durdle Door is controlled by its geology--both by the contrasting hardnesses of the rocks, and by the local patterns of faults and folds.The arch has formed on a concordant coastline where bands of rock run parallel to the shoreline. The rock strata are almost vertical, and the bands of rock are quite narrow. Originally a band of resistant Portland limestone ran along the shore, the same band that appears one mile along the coast forming the narrow entrance to Lulworth Cove. Behind this is a 120-metre (390 ft) band of weaker, easily eroded rocks, and behind this is a stronger and much thicker band of chalk, which forms the Purbeck Hills. These steeply dipping rocks are part of the geological structure known as the Lulworth crumple, itself part of a broader monocline (a kinked type of geological fold) produced by the building of the Alps during the mid-Cenozoic.
Nikon D800E, Samyang 14mm F2.8 IF ED MC Aspherical.
Photo Settings: 14mm, f/9, 1/200 second, ISO 125.
Mac users: download Macdrops the official InterfaceLIFT app for Mac OS X.
A German maker of 3D virtual reality software is accusing the US Navy of engaging in wanton piracy, and we're not talking about piracy on the high seas. This is about digital piracy of software, according to a federal lawsuit brought by Bitmanagement Software. The company is seeking copyright infringement damages of more than $596 million (€543 million) from the Navy for allegedly stealing more than 558,000 copies of its BS Contact Geo software.
The amount of damages, if the Navy loses, could go up substantially. Bitmanagement also noted that, in addition to licensing fees, it is seeking pre- and post-judgement interest, punitive damages, legal costs, attorney fees, and statutory damages that could amount to $150,000 per infringement.
According to the lawsuit (PDF) filed in the US Court of Federal Claims:
It has been a full two-and-a-half years now since we first saw the game-playing TASBot (short for tool-assisted speedrun robot) take full control of a Super Mario World cartridge. In that time, you would think we would have gotten tired of seeing the machine mangleclassic games using nothing but data sent through the controller ports on actual gaming hardware.
TASBot's newest bit of game-breaking magic relies on the vagaries of the NES' DPCM (differential pulse code modulation) sound channel. This one-bit data stream was used to play extremely basic audio samples in select games, including Super Mario Bros. 3.
It's not quite an exact launch date, but Microsoft has announced that both Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 will launch at its Ignite conference (the successor to TechEd) this fall. Ignite runs from September 26 to 30 and is being held in Atlanta, Georgia.
Microsoft has also described how Windows Server 2016 will be serviced going forward. Full installations of the operating system—including the GUI and shell—will continue to be serviced on the "5+5" model that Microsoft has used for previous operating systems. That's five years of mainstream support, during which both bug fixes and feature improvements are made, and then five years of extended support, during which only security bugs will be fixed. The slimmed down Server Core installation will also be given this 5+5 servicing.
The new Nano Server option, however, will be handled in a different way. Nano Server installations will be updated more or less in tandem with the Windows 10 Current Branch for Business (CBB) release. CBB trails the main consumer branch by about six months, giving new features a bit of time to receive some real-world testing before being distributed to more conservative organizations. CBB is expected to be updated two to three times a year, and this will apply to Nano Server deployments of Windows Server 2016 just as it does to CBB deployments of Windows 10.
[...] If you look at cars from around the early 1980s to the early ‘90s, you may notice one pervasively common theme throughout that decade: a front end design incorporating a very clean and logical arrangement of elements.
Beach? Check. Swimming? Check. Grilling? Check, check, check. Scheduled 7-hour flight with 4 adults and 5 children to a faraway beach town in the name of vacation? I'm scared but: check! Do everything I can with sweet summer corn while it lasts? Let's get to work!
![[After setting your car on fire] Listen, your car's temperature has changed before.](http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/earth_temperature_timeline.png "[After setting your car on fire] Listen, your car's temperature has changed before.")
