Der südkoreanische Künstler Do Ho Suh setzt sich in seiner Arbeit immer wieder mit dem prekären Konzept „Zuhause“ auseinander. Eines seiner neuesten Werke – ein wagemutig platziertes himmelblaues Giebelhäuschen – ist bereits die 18. permanente Installation, die von der Stuart Collection der University of California in San Diego in Auftrag gegeben wurde.

Suh, der 1991 aus Seoul in die USA kam, musste sich damals sowohl physisch als auch psychisch an eine völlig neue Umgebung anpassen. Und genau darum geht es auch in seiner Installation „Fallen Star“: um das Gefühl, aus der bequemen und bekannten Umgebung herausgerissen zu werden und sich plötzlich in einer verwirrenden und unbekannten Welt wiederzufinden.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Das Haus, das zur Hälfte in der Luft schwebt, befindet sich auf dem Dach der Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften der University of California, San Diego.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Von Weitem sieht es so aus, als sei es ein Puppenhaus, tatsächlich aber ist es ein sehr solides Gebäude: Es wurde nach den kalifornischen Richtlinien für erdbebensichere Häuser gebaut und hält einer Windgeschwindigkeit von 160 Kilometer pro Stunde stand.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Für den Garten im neuenglischen Stil arbeitete Suh eng mit den Landschaftsarchitekten von Spurlock Poirier zusammen. Hier wachsen Gefleckte Taubnessel, Löwenmäulchen, Frühblühender Thymian und Blauregen, um nur einige zu nennen. „Wie in den meisten privaten Gärten üblich, haben wir außerdem hier und dort auch ein paar Strauchtomaten und Sonnenblumen gepflanzt“, erzählt die Direktorin der Stuart Collection, Mary Beebe.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Aus dem Schornstein steigt den ganzen Tag lang unechter Rauch in Form von Wasserdampf auf. Die Porträtfotos auf dem Kaminsims im Innenraum zeigen Angehörige der Fakultät. Das große Bücherregal und der Tisch sind fest im Boden verankert, während die restlichen bunt zusammengewürfelten Möbelstücke sich gelegentlich in Richtung Eingangstür verabschieden.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Auf diesem Bild erkennt man deutlich die Neigung des Hauses um 10 Grad; der Boden ist zudem auch um 4 Grad seitlich gekippt.

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Wenn man unten am Haus vorbeigeht und hochblickt, möchte man vielleicht doch lieber einen Schritt zulegen, aus Angst, es könne zu Boden stürzen. Aber kein Grund zur Panik: Das Haus ist fest mit dem Gebäude verbunden und wird bestimmt noch viele Generationen von Studenten beeindrucken.

Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

Inzwischen lebt Suh im bunten und multikulturellen London, wo er sich sehr zu Hause fühlt – und mit Frau und Tochter eine weniger spektakuläre Wohnung bewohnt…

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admin

1:45 PM

All architects spent a lot of time in "studio." Just ask them. They'll tell you. Studio was a magical place in architecture school. A place where young architects in training gathered for hours on end to refine their designs. A place where the coffeepot was always on and the ideas flowed like ... coffee. (Sorry, I'm on my third straight day without sleep, and I have a presentation first thing in the morning, so I really don't have time for analogies.)

Studio was hard, and it was designed to be hard. Studio was like boot camp for design. It was the central course in our architecture education, and for most of us, it became a home away from home, mainly because we spent more time in studio than we did at home, so it became more like our home than our actual home. (Again, it's my third day straight without sleep. I'm not interested in run-on sentences right now.)

All our work in studio would culminate in a design review, which we called a "crit." (We were too tired to use the complete word.) On the morning of the crit, we would pin up our drawings, stand in front of them and present the design to our fellow classmates and a selection of bored professors. This was meant to prepare us for the rigors of presenting to clients in the "real world."

Which it totally did, because the real world is hard, and you seldom get enough sleep to properly deal with it. Studio was awesome.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

I think that went well. I'm exhausted.

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admin

12:44 PM

Contrary to popular opinion, preppy style doesn't discriminate. This classic, all-American look is steeped in history and timeless style. Whether you've opted for pastels and paisley or prefer wood paneling and matching mallards, stick to these essentials for a truly preppy home — even if you don't have a membership to the local country club.

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

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admin

11:43 AM

Architects are not fond of words. We're a visual bunch typically, but occasionally we need to add notes to our images to explain the concepts to others. I think it's safe to say that "noting up" our drawings is the least favorite task of all architects. So, to save time, we use abbreviations. Unfortunately, we've forgotten that no one else understands them. So here's a brief disclosure of what this truncated verbal nonsense means.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Not to scale. Architectural drawings are drawn to scale. This allows the drawings to be accurately measured by the contractors when they use them to construct the project. However, I may not draw everything to scale. Typically, I'll do this for drawings that are intended only for use as reference. Surprisingly, these are the exact drawings used by the contractor for pricing purposes.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Typical. Which I write when I've said the same thing before or when I'm likely to need to say it again, typically.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Unless noted otherwise. I use this when I always want you to do it this way unless I tell you to do it another way at some other point in the set of drawings. I like to keep my options open. I might change my mind.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Equal. OK, sometimes I don't get around to making all the finish and color selections when I'm working on your drawings. Sometimes I just don't have the time, so I do what all self-respecting architects in my position do: I pick something that might work and slap an "or approved equal" disclaimer next to it. It works like a charm. But don't worry. I'll be available to consult with you as you purchase items to be installed — although I usually ask for two weeks to review those selections, even though the subcontractor is already on the jobsite waiting to install them. Next time, to save time, you could just pick the white one.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

On center. This should really apply to everything in my life.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Minimum. I use this abbreviation when I need to note the minimum dimension required, because often it is absolutely critical to maintain a minimum clearance to meet a specific requirement of the building code. For example, a water closet is typically required to be a minimum of 1 foot, 6 inches O.C. from the adjacent wall to meet the requirements of a handicap-accessible fixture. So I'll write "1'-6" MIN." on the plans. Typically the contractor will read that note as 16 inches O.C.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Not in contract. This applies to things that I drew because I needed to show them for the project to make sense. But they are not part of the project. For example, I may need to draw the entire building next door to your project, because you want to know if the neighbors can see into your master bathroom. So I spend three days drawing the neighbor's house and add a note to clarify the reason, so the contractor doesn't get confused and demolish your neighbor's house and rebuild it based on my drawing.

The neighbors were pretty mad when I went over to check their view into your bathroom, by the way. But I'm not charging you for this, because it's "N.I.C." I need to rethink my business model.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Verify in field. Full disclosure: I write this whenever I can't figure out a detail. It's my way of letting the contractor know that I trust him or her. Plus, it's shorter than writing IGUYFIO.*

*I give up; you figure it out.

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admin

10:42 AM

The aptly nicknamed Eyebrow House catches the eye of anyone who walks past it — just as it did with the location scouts for IFC's hit cable series Portlandia. The spaceship-style rear and innovative interior helped to inspire and set the scene for the plight of an alien played by a durian fruit in the episode "Feminist Bookstore's 10th Anniversary."

But before this home was famous, it was just a plain-Jane 1941 faux Cape Cod house. Since it had no major period details to speak of, architect Edgar Papazian treated it as a blank slate for his new family home. Increasing square footage was a must, but he wanted to do it in a practical but unique way, blending old and new elements to create a truly original home that is no doubt appreciated by the current owners as well.

Houzz at a Glance
Designed for: Edgar Papazian, daughter Giovanna and wife Michelle Lenzi
Location: Mount Tabor neighborhood of Southeast Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,300 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

In the episode, an exotic durian fruit comes to life, eventually taking off for its alien planet in this quirky house. It's easy to see where the spaceship feel comes from when you look at the rear of the house. After the episode aired, Papazian learned that the writer had actually changed the sketch when he saw the house, giving it a bigger role.

Curves stand out on the home's formerly boxy shape and continue into the interior. The new curving shapes reflect a more modern sensibility and draw the eye into the home.

The curved addition on the second floor resembles a single raised eyebrow. Originally this upstairs space was a narrow attic-like room. Adding more space upstairs would normally mean using dormers, but Papazian thought it would give the small house a top-heavy look. Instead he used steel galvanized arches, which create more space but still allow for a streamlined exterior. White asphalt roofing reduces solar gain.

House numbers: Atlas; front door handle: George Ranalli, Lock-It

Steelmaster galvanized arches make up the curved shape and the interior finish of the upstairs bedrooms. Usually these arches help make Quonset huts.

Carpet: Shirt Stripe Button Down and French Cuff, Flor; coffee table: Alexander Girard, Knoll

The steel arches bring the spaceship feel inside, too. It feels fitting that the floating, glowing alien durian would call this place home.

To insulate the arched roof, Papazian came up with a system with purlins bolted on top of the arches. Sheathing and roofing attached to the purlins, and soy-based foam insulation, fill the cavity between the roofing and the galvanized arches.

The new addition also made room for Papazian's daughter's bedroom. While the arched upstairs allowed for added square footage without expanding the home's footprint, it also meant that the rest of the 70-year-old house needed a complete structural renovation. Most of the home was reframed and updated to carry the new weight upstairs and suit local seismic codes.

Curved forms carry into the bathroom; note the slope of the ceiling, the penny tile, the oval bathtub and the round bathroom fans.

Bathroom tile: Ann Sacks Savoy penny tile; toilets: Toto dual-flush; wall sink: Villeroy & Boch, Oblic; hydronic towel warmers: Runtal, Fain

The curves continue down the stairs and around the main bookcase — which Portlandia fans might remember the durian using to contact its home planet.

During filming, Papazian got to walk through the house to see how they'd set it up. "It was quite bizarre," he says. "Books arranged by color, strange devices and knickknacks decorating the shelves. ... It's very odd seeing your house represented to you on a screen that you watch all other kinds of shows."

Papazian moved the kitchen from the front to the back of the house, creating a continuous living and dining space with a clear view of the backyard. The kitchen was designed as the center of the home, since that's where the family spent most of their time while they were living there. "To me, with the cultural emphasis on food these days, the kitchen is actually the living room of our times," he says.

Refrigerator: LG; cabinetry: Ankrum Nexus, Ikea; hood: Franke, Tube; stove: Franke

Papazian spent about $15,000 on the new kitchen. Cabinetry, countertops and shelving from Ikea helped cut down on cost. The butcher block counters flow visually with the fir tongue and groove siding on the rear deck outside. Windows behind the Ikea cabinets turn them into glowing boxes on sunny days — the Portlandia durian also used this area to call its home planet.

Two Ikea base cabinets topped with Ikea butcher block make up the large island. Papazian had the curved edges added to echo the shapes of the nearby central bookcase, drawer pulls and rounded range hood.

The dining room, attached to the kitchen, shares the same clear view of the expansive, private backyard, with cedar and fir trees. Originally, two bedrooms sat at the back of the house, but their tiny windows didn't take advantage of the lush view.

Dining chairs: vintage Series 7, Arne Jacobsen

The living room is still preserved in its original form at the front of the house. A new fireplace and rounded mantel jut gently out into the simple room. The original refinished and stained oak floors now have radiant heat, supported by a natural gas–fired tankless water heater.

Sofa: Natuzzi

The home's joists — mixed with new ones — and the exterior walls are some of the only remaining original features. Everything's been strengthened to suit local code. This steel column, one of several throughout the house, helps bear the load of the new upstairs addition.

Bird feeder: Egg, J. Schatz

Despite the new renovations, this house still honors its roots. Many of the houses in this part of Southeast Portland were built by the same developer, who consistently used painted cedar siding. And when Papazian had to tear out the original siding, he replaced it with cedar Tyvek siding.

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admin

9:41 PM

Still love the decorating looks that have filled trendy rooms in the past couple of years? Give them one more spin with a basket of themes so popular, they have been (over)done in just about every interior home application. Hey, even if you grew tired of that faux vintage periodic table months ago, that doesn't mean it won't look good in your kid's Easter basket. You might stay up until 3 a.m. taping off just the right lines for that faux bois design, but decorating is worth it, right?

Take a look at some decor-turned-Easter-eggs — from the still adorable to the you-must-be-cracked.

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

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admin

8:40 PM

Design projects can be challenging. And often the hardest part to overcome is the simple act of starting. So, I've developed these simple tips to help you break out of the cycle of procrastination and really start digging in.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

I should probably work on this some more. Tomorrow.

Editor's note: It took Jody six weeks to finish this post.

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admin

7:39 PM