that ghost time of year again

the deadline to submit applications for brian mackay-lyon's annual GHOST LAB design/build session near halifax, nova scotia will be february 28th, 2009.

GHOST 11 will take place over 2 weeks during june 13th through june 27th, 2009, and rumor is it will be called "boathouse". here are some photos of GHOST 10: "1000 foot house", built last summer:



the structures acted as viewing platforms, looking over the ghost village and the atlantic ocean.

each was built with selective contruction methods to illustrate the unique relationships between the individual places of the structures, the earth beneath, and the horizon beyond.

varying degrees of enclosure, openness and transparency reveal the meaningful nuances inherent in the site.

and for visual effect at dusk, it must have that warm canadian glow...

shobac cottages and studio in this month's issue of arch record.

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new kitchen

pecha kucha night Denver: Volume IV

In my inbox:

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surrender to the landscape

[all photos by stuart isset for the nyt]

the NYT has an article about a 10-year project to build a house in the high deserts of idaho, which attempts to not only fit in with the landscape, but at some times to disappear.  mostly constructed of a modest material of concrete block, the house provides durable shelter in one of the most extreme climates. at the same time, large expanses of glass dissolve these massive walls and making the inhabitant just as much a part of the landscape as the surrounding vegetation.

the house is a great example of how a typical building material can be elevated from its common stereotypes to a precise and artful expression of craft.  the architect, tom kundig [of olson kundig sundberg allen] compares the house to a "tootsie roll pop" -- hard on the outside and soft on the inside" by utilizing recycled douglas fir wall and floor finishes gathered by the client herself.  other accentuations of exposed steel beams and wood joists give an added perception of depth in contrast to the more austere exterior.

more images in the slideshow.  

even more images at oska website.

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