The Mt. Adams Retaining Wall Is Almost Done–Finally

The article details the exterior designs of the finished homes from 'The Block' competition, focusing on the use of James Hardie's fibre cement cladding products. Each house's design approach and the specific products used are highlighted, along with judges' comments. Tom and Sarah-Jane's House 1, the winners of the Landscape and Facade week, utilized Linea™ Weatherboards to achieve a cottage aesthetic with a soft grey palette against Shale Grey cladding. Axon™ Cladding was incorporated to connect the cottage with a modern pavilion, creating a breezeway also painted in Colorbond Shale Grey. The judges commended the juxtaposition of old and new elements and the harmonious color scheme that extended to the landscaping and fencing. Rachel and Ryan's House 2 featured Linea™ Weatherboards on their cottage and a combination of Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding and Axon™ Cladding for a mixed, striped look on their modern extension. This design incorporated Woodland Grey and Dune colors, which were praised for blending with the natural landscape and stone elements. Ankur and Sharon's House 3, the largest on The Block, featured Linea™ Weatherboards painted in Accent White Wool for the country cottage facade. Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding in Basalt Colorbond was used for the shed, creating a calming and uncluttered look that complemented other corrugated materials. The design's majestic appearance and the contrast between the old timber cottage and the modern cantilevered pavilion were noted. Dylan and Jenny's House 4 showcased a striking exterior using Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding and Axent™ Trim for a Board and Batten aesthetic. The soaring columns against the cladding on the pavilion facade were highlighted, creating a sense of grandeur. The white-on-white scheme at the front of the house was deemed charming, while a darker Hammer Grey was used for the rear extension, giving it a contemporary feel. Their tiny house was also a significant addition. Omar and Oz's House 5 impressed the judges with the seamless transition between the old and new parts of the home. The re-cladded cottage used Linea™ Weatherboards, with a soft grey and white color scheme that paired well with the landscaping. The judges appreciated the contrast between the traditional country-style verandah and the modern extension. Finally, Scotty Cam's cottage, the only original dwelling on the site, was wrapped in Linea™ Weatherboards by James Hardie for both the cottage and its modern extension, ensuring a cohesive look. The garage doors were painted Woodlands grey to offset the white of the original home, resulting in a sensational finish that blended the Australian homestead style with modern elements. #TheBlock #HomeInspiration #ExteriorDesign #FibreCementCladding #JamesHardie #LineaWeatherboards #AxonCladding #HardieFineTextureCladding #Renovation

This article explores the architectural landscape of Alaska, specifically focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities for modern design in this extreme environment. It highlights the home of Valerie Phelps and Peter Burke, designed by Mayer Sattler-Smith, an Anchorage-based design company aiming to modernize Alaskan architecture. Valerie Phelps expresses her long-held desire for a glass house, a vision realized through her current residence, which features 40 feet of floor-to-ceiling windows offering a 270-degree panorama of Cook Inlet, mountains, and the distinctive Alaskan sun. The house's design capitalizes on these views, creating an immersive experience with the surrounding nature. The article delves into the historical context of migration to Alaska, noting that while many imagine pioneers drawn by romanticized vistas, a significant portion arrived seeking economic opportunities, particularly during the 1980s oil boom. This period transformed Anchorage into a bustling hub, which later experienced a downturn, leaving behind a somewhat vacant urban center. Petra Sattler-Smith, co-partner of Mayer Sattler-Smith, views this as an architectural 'blank slate' with immense potential for modern design, emphasizing the lack of pre-existing architectural history in Anchorage since its establishment in 1915. The Phelps/Burke residence, Mayer Sattler-Smith's first residential project, was born from the owners' contrasting desires: Valerie's for a glass house and Peter's for a home constructed from shipping containers. The architects ingeniously combined these concepts by positioning large rectangular 'containers' perpendicularly, carving out south and west-facing walls to maximize sun exposure and panoramic views of Cook Inlet. Despite the relative ease of the design process, construction in Alaska presented significant challenges due to the limited building season, constrained by extreme weather and local priorities like fishing in summer. Completed in September 2004 after two years of construction, the house is situated 750 feet up a steep mountain, offering urban living in a state known for its vast, sparsely populated areas. From the street, the home's plain steel siding and garage facade offer a modest, almost utilitarian appearance, intentionally designed to save the dramatic visual experience for the interior and the rear-facing views. The open windows and lack of curvature evoke a blend of Southern California Case Study Houses and Eastern European communist office blocks, characterized by tightly interlocked right angles. The interior living space, though 480 square feet, feels much larger due to the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor areas, creating an 'infinity pool' effect with barely visible cable rails along the walkway. This design allows for unobstructed views of the sea, sky, and mountains, giving the impression of floating. The kitchen and dining area are strategically placed directly behind the couch, without separations, to ensure these frequently used spaces also benefit from the prime views. The architects also addressed the challenges of Alaskan winters by opening the south end of the house to maximize the limited sunlight during the darkest months, and incorporating double-paned, argon-filled windows and hydronic radiant heating in concrete floors to ensure warmth and comfort. The article concludes by highlighting the architects' vision of creating structures that harmoniously respond to Alaska's incredible natural environment, viewing this as a significant challenge and opportunity for pioneering modern architecture in the region. The Phelps/Burke house exemplifies this approach, blending innovative design with the practicalities of extreme climate living, and showcasing how modern architectural principles can thrive even in the most rugged and remote settings. #AlaskaArchitecture #ModernDesign #GlassHouse #ArchitecturalInnovation #ExtremeEnvironment #MayerSattlerSmith #CookInlet #SustainableDesign #PanoramicViews

Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls have gained significant popularity due to their economic advantages, ease of construction, and the wide array of proprietary systems available. These walls operate as gravity-retaining structures, relying on facing elements, compacted soil, and reinforcement working in conjunction. The reinforced-soil mass, formed by interlayered soil backfill and reinforcement, uses its self-weight to resist lateral pressures from various sources, including earth, surcharges from vehicles and buildings, seismic events, and water. A key benefit of MSE walls is their cost-effectiveness, often reducing expenses by 50 percent or more compared to conventional reinforced-concrete retaining structures, as highlighted by a 2001 USDOT and FHWA publication. Furthermore, their aesthetic appeal and straightforward construction methods, which don't necessitate highly specialized skills or equipment, contribute to their widespread adoption. While granular and free-draining select soil backfill is ideal, projects can utilize less desirable site soils if appropriate design and construction controls are implemented. Despite their advantages, MSE walls are susceptible to failure or performance issues, often stemming from common contributors such as the impact of civil site improvements, inadequate surface and subsurface water management, and poor project communication. Civil site improvements, particularly utility installations, pose significant challenges. Utilities, whether water-bearing (like drainage or pressurized waterlines) or non-water-bearing (like electrical conduits and gas lines), can be installed at various depths and locations relative to the wall, potentially affecting its performance. These installations can interfere with the soil reinforcing, leading to discontinuities. For instance, guardrails, utility manholes, and light poles might penetrate the reinforcing elements, causing damage or necessitating their removal, thereby reducing the wall's resistance to loads or introducing additional stresses. Such interferences are frequently overlooked during the design phase, requiring careful consideration from the MSE wall designer, civil site engineer, and contractor during construction. Water-bearing utilities are particularly problematic. If placed within or directly behind the reinforced fill, they can interrupt reinforcing and are prone to leakage over time. Severe leaks can lead to rapid hydrostatic or seepage pressure buildup behind the wall and erode the soil by transporting fine-grained particles through the mass. The wall designer must account for potential leakage and assess whether designing for water pressures is necessary to prevent structural issues. These considerations emphasize the critical need for comprehensive planning, design coordination, and effective communication among all project stakeholders to mitigate risks and ensure the long-term stability and performance of MSE walls. #BryanPStrohman #CivilEngineering #MechanicallyStabilizedEarthFoundationWalls #ReinforcedSoil #RetainingWall #ScottJDiFiore #WaterManagement

Foster + Partners' 63-story residential skyscraper, 100 East 53rd Street, is nearing completion in Midtown Manhattan, New York. Situated at the intersection of Lexington and 53rd Street, the tower stands in close proximity to two significant 20th-century modernist structures: SOM’s 'Lever House' (1952) and Mies van der Rohe’s 'Seagram Building' (1958). The design of 100 East 53rd Street features a minimalist geometric form, intended to harmonize with its iconic neighbors. The project was developed by art collector and real estate developer Aby Rosen, co-founder of RFR Holding. Foster + Partners served as the architect, with William T. Georgis overseeing a significant portion of the interior design. The building’s lobby and amenity spaces have been completed, and residents have begun occupying the premises. Final touches are currently being applied to other areas, including two new model apartments located on the 36th floor. The lobby, designed by Georgis, incorporates a fluted Calacatta marble wall, a full-height bronze fireplace, and integrated cove lighting. A notable art piece by Rachel Feinstein, titled 'Panorama of New York,' is also featured in the lobby. The building's amenities are comprehensive, including a 60-foot sunlit swimming pool and a wellness center equipped with a pilates/ballet room, a yoga studio, and a sauna. Residents are also provided with access to a dedicated lifestyle manager, global travel arrangements, and personalized shopping services, among other benefits. Foster + Partners emphasized the tower's slender form, which contributes to a narrow floor plate. This design choice maximizes natural light penetration into the interior spaces and offers expansive views of the city from all sides. An innovative glazed skin encases the building, meticulously concealing structural elements beneath integrated shadow boxes. To maintain the facade's smooth aesthetic, opening vents within the glazing are designed to fold discreetly inwards. This approach results in a sheer envelope that presents a striking contrast to the dark bronze of the adjacent Seagram Building. #FosterAndPartners #SkyscraperArchitecture #NewYorkCity #ResidentialTower #LuxuryRealEstate #InteriorDesign #ModernArchitecture #MidtownManhattan

The article details the complex process of transforming a closed-concept living space into an open-concept design by replacing a load-bearing wall with a support beam. This renovation project, undertaken at a specific job site, presented significant challenges due to the load-bearing wall functioning as a central conduit for almost all services supplying the second floor, including three main ventilation ducts, a three-inch ABS plumbing stack from the second-floor bathroom, approximately seven electrical circuits, a telephone line, central vacuum PVC, and structural support studs for the second-floor joists. The initial phase of the project involved the meticulous re-routing of every service that ran through the load-bearing wall. This extensive re-routing necessitated the construction of a bulkhead in the ceiling, a build-out along the back wall, and a slight build-up on the main floor. The bulkhead was designed to conceal the re-routed ceiling services, while the wall build-out accommodated the ducting and plumbing stack, and the floor build-up facilitated the return of ducts and the stack to their original tie-in points. A key design element incorporated to integrate these structural modifications seamlessly was a peninsula island in the new kitchen layout. The island was strategically positioned to hide the floor build-up beneath its cupboards and the bulkhead above, which was sized to match the island's footprint and serve as an aesthetic feature for decorative lighting. The custom-designed cupboards further accommodated the necessary structural anomalies, ensuring that the final appearance gave the impression of a deliberate design choice rather than a functional necessity for service concealment. Before the new support beam could be installed, temporary walls were constructed on either side of the existing load-bearing wall to provide crucial support to the second-floor joists. Once temporary support was established, the studs of the original wall were carefully removed, one by one, while navigating the still-active services. Following the removal of the old framing, two-by-six boards, grouped in sets of three, were affixed to the adjacent walls at each end of the wall location. These boards, cut slightly shorter than the ceiling height to allow for the beam, served as the primary support for the new laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beam. Three 11 and 7/8-inch by 1 and 3/4-inch thick LVL sections were then individually positioned atop these support studs, requiring precision and a small sledgehammer to ensure a tight fit. With the new tripled LVL beam securely in place, the temporary support walls were removed, marking the physical commencement of the open-concept transformation. The subsequent stages involved the finalization of service re-routing. Electrical circuits were sorted, repurposed, and redirected. The ABS plumbing stack's repositioning was carefully planned to ensure optimal flow, incorporating a 45-degree angle below countertop height to guide it to the floor build-up. The cupboards were specifically designed with a shallow depth to conceal the ABS behind the peninsula island's decorative backing. The three ventilation ducts were formally rerouted, running horizontally along the underside of the ceiling joists, vertically down the back wall, and then along the floor below the build-up before being reconnected. The central vacuum system and telephone landline were abandoned at the homeowner's request. The bulkhead was then framed to align with the peninsula island's footprint and a height of approximately 10 inches, corresponding to the new beam's reveal height after ceiling strapping and drywall installation, and was subsequently drywalled in preparation for finishing. The project's successful completion resulted in a dramatically transformed main floor, achieving a truly open feel that delighted the homeowners, despite the intricate challenges encountered during the renovation. #homeRenovation #openConcept #loadBearingWall #structuralBeam #serviceRerouting #homeDesign #interiorDesign #constructionChallenges #residentialRenovation

This article details the multi-month basement renovation project undertaken by the author, a builder and contractor, during his 'off' hours. The project aimed to transform an unfinished basement into a functional living space, encompassing a full recreation room, a three-piece bathroom with a walk-in shower, a laundry room, a separate pantry with an adjacent storage closet, and a quarantined utility room. The author adopted a practical approach by tackling common tasks across all rooms simultaneously, such as electrical work, plumbing, and drywall installation, to optimize efficiency. This method, while effective, demanded significant time and effort, often extending into evenings and weekends. A central focus of the renovation, and the final component to be completed, was the upgrade of the stairwell connecting the main floor to the basement. The original stairs, built in 1984, were simple, unpainted timber with a decorative stringer on one side and the other embedded in drywall, creating a mismatched appearance. To resolve this, the author decided to create a faux-decorative stringer for the wall side, designed to mirror the existing open-side stringer. This involved precise measurements and cuts to a 14-foot 2x8 board, marking and stenciling the run and rise angles, and then cutting out the stair profile using a circular saw and jigsaw. After preparing the board, it was positioned and fastened to the wall with construction screws. All screw holes and gaps were filled with wood putty, and once dry, the entire staircase was sanded. A base coat of 1-2-3 primer was applied, followed by two coats of "oak-coloured" floor paint. An upper stair nosing matching the red oak hardwood on the main floor was then installed, and the wooden ledge along the wall was also painted. Red-oak trim was added to the tops of both decorative stringers, and custom-ripped red-oak casings were fitted around the basement door jamb. White baseboards were installed along the basement floors, complementing a white basement placed atop the painted wooden ledge. The final touch involved adding decorative carpet stair treads, similar to those on the home's second-floor staircase. These treads were secured to each stair with double-sided tape, officially marking the completion of the stairwell and, subsequently, the entire basement renovation. The author reflects on his tendency for multi-tasking and over-commitment, acknowledging that while these traits have been common throughout his career as a musician and builder, he has come to appreciate the importance of downtime for physical and mental well-being. The completion of the basement signifies an end to constant work, allowing for the enjoyment of the newly renovated spaces during weekends. #HomeRenovation #BasementRemodel #StairwayUpgrade #DIYProject #HomeImprovement #RenovationTips #InteriorDesign #Construction #HomeDesign