Modern Retreat in Argentina, “Casa BB” by BAK Arquitectos

Posted: April 16, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Awesome, babfari, Design, design all night, DesignAllDayAndNight, diseñar toda la noche, diseño, dulce, el amor, el arquitecto, FC3, grande, Great, impresionante, la arquitectura, Love, Minimal, Minimalism, minimalismo, minimalist, minimalista, Modern, moderno, retiro, retreat, Sweet | 1 Comment »

Casa-BB-BAK-Arquitectos-113

The design of this house is a continuation of a ‘building in the forest’ research done by BAK arquitectos, which started in 2004 with the design of their first house in Mar Azul. The architects examine the possibility of building without losing the environmental quality of the site, proposing alternatives to ensure the survival of natural environments. This involves a Minimal Architecture in terms of not only of form but in materials and particularly minimum site intervention. This is achieved by ‘listening to the forest’ and what the site tries to communicate, along with practicing ‘seeing for the first time’ on behalf of the architects.

The low budget along with the no maintenance requirement set the aesthetic and construction limitations of the project. High compact, waterproof, fair faced concrete provided the necessary insulation and covered the no maintenance factor. The use of glass captures natural light and allows views of the landscape in all directions.

Casa JD has two bedrooms with the flexibility to transform part of the large living/dining space into a third one, a kitchen as well as generous outdoor spaces. The design concept is based on two intersecting prisms situated on a naturally inclined site within the trees, in this way hiding part of its volume. The trees seem to penetrate the house as wood, along with concrete, is a predominant feature of its interior. Wooden steps and a deck lead to the living room. Wooden sliding panels provide a seamless continuation of the exterior and the interior. This level of access is a unique space where different uses are defined by height differences caused by the intersection of prisms and cross sections of concrete walls. Except for the beds, couches and chairs the rest of the equipment of this housing is concrete cast.

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The TEN “Demandments” of Architecture by @WJMArchitect

Posted: January 25, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture | Tags: 10 Commandments, Architect, Architecture, ILMA, just for fun, JustArch, Love, Moses, TGIF, WJM | 3 Comments »

Many architects feel like their devotion to the practice of architecture is like worship of a secular religion.

Here’s a little fun with our secular religion…

The TEN Demandments of Architecture
by William J. Martin, Architect

Thou shalt have no clients before thee…
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 3D cadd images.
Thou shalt not take thy name of thy clients or thy engineers in vain.
Remember thy project deadline day, and keep it holy.
Honor thy computer and thy coffee: that thy days may be long.
Thou shalt not kill thy design critics…
Thou shalt not commit building design insultery.
Thou shalt not steel, unless wood or masonry doesn’t support thy design.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy building inspector official.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s contractors…

These are only the TEN Demandments, maybe you can think of a few more. Leave a comment and let us know !

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Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.

Forget Blueprints, Now You Can Print the Building

Posted: January 23, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture, JustArch | Tags: Architecture, CNN, Design, ILMA, Innovation, Love, News, Repost, Success | Leave a comment »

Architect to build home using 3-D printer

By Doug Gross, CNN

: “Landscape House” will be built from blocks made with a 3-D printer, says its creator, Dutch Architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars.

(CNN) – A Dutch architect is thinking a little bigger about 3-D printing than the tiny-to-midsize trinkets we’ve seen so far.

He wants to print a house. And a pretty offbeat and innovative one at that.

“Landscape House” is the brainchild of architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars. He describes it as ”one surface folded in an endless Mobius band,” or sort of a giant figure 8. According to its creator, walking through its continuous looping design will seamlessly merge indoors and outdoors in an effort to model nature itself.

The house would cost between $5 million and $6 million, according to the BBC, and there’s already been interest expressed by museums, private individuals and others, according to Ruijssenaars. He told the network that someone in Brazil plans to buy one to display native art he’s found in a nearby national park.

All that would be innovative enough on its own. But to take it a step further, the architect plans to build “Landscape House” using the emerging technology of 3-D printing.

The woman who wants to ‘print’ buildings

Commercially available models like the MakerBot aren’t exactly up to the task. This requires a printer of enormous size. And Ruijssenaars found one in the D-Shape.

Described as a “mega-scale free form printer” by its makers, the massive aluminum structure uses sand, which it forms back into a material that’s like marble.

For “Landscape House,” it will be used to print out blocks that are about 20 feet by 30 feet. Those, along with some fiberglass and concrete reinforcements, will be used to create the building.

“3D printing is amazing,” Ruijssenaars told the BBC. “For me as an architect it’s been a nice way to construct this specific design — it has no beginning and no end, and with the 3-D printer we can make it look like that.”

He says his first “Landscape House” is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

Are you ready to buy yours? Click Here And Click Here

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Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

Grand Central Station Turns 100

Posted: January 19, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture, More FC3, Uncategorized | Tags: 42nd Street, Architecture, GCT, Grand Central Station, Grand Central Terminal, Historic, History, ILMA, Love, New York Times, preservation, THEN and NOW | Leave a comment »

“Any city gets what it admires, will pay for, and, ultimately, deserves. Even when we had Penn Station, we couldn’t afford to keep it clean. We want and deserve tin-can architecture in a tinhorn culture. And we will probably be judged not by the monuments we build but by those we have destroyed.”
- “Farewell to Penn Station,” New York Times editorial, October 30, 1963

Grand Central Terminal (GCT)—colloquially called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a commuter rail terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Built by and named for the New York Central Railroad in the heyday of American long-distance passenger rail travel, it is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms: 44, with 67 tracks along them. They are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. The terminal covers an area of 48 acres.

The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York State, and Fairfieldand New Haven counties in Connecticut. Until 1991 the terminal served Amtrak, which moved to nearby Pennsylvania Station upon completion of the Empire Connection.

Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal” since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Station”, the name of the previous rail station on the same site, and of the U.S. Post Office station next door, which is not part of the terminal. It is also sometimes used to refer to the Grand Central – 42nd Street subway station, which serves the terminal.

According to the travel magazine Travel + Leisure in its October 2011 survey, Grand Central Terminal is “the world’s number six most visited tourist attraction”, bringing in approximately 21,600,000 visitors annually.

“One hundred years ago, on Feb. 2, 1913, the doors to Grand Central Terminal officially opened to the public, after 10 years of construction and at a cost of more than $2 billion in today’s dollars. The terminal was a product of local politics, bold architecture, brutal flexing of corporate muscle and visionary engineering. No other building embodies New York’s ascent as vividly as Grand Central. Here, the tale of its birth, excerpted from “Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America,” by Sam Roberts, the urban affairs correspondent for The New York Times, to be published later this month by Grand Central Publishing.” Click Here to Read: 100 Years of Grandeur: The Birth of Grand Central Terminal by By Sam Roberts.

The following is an excerpt from the following blog: Bird Feed NYC:

Grand Central Station History

1871- The original Grand Central Depot opened.
1898- Grand Central Depot underwent renovations and was renamed “Grand Central Station”. Three stories, a new roof and a new facade were all added.
1902- Only four years later, after a deadly accident, plans began to redesign all the tracks and rebuild a new station.
1903-1913- Construction of the new Grand Central Station. In 1910, the old station itself was demolished and the new station was completed in 1913.
1954- A plan was proposed by William Zeckendorf to demolish and replace Grand Central with an 80-story building. The plan was abondoned.
1962- The Metlife Building, originally called the Pan Am Building, was completed and opened in 1963.
1994-2000- After the MTA signed a long term lease on the building, Grand Central underwent renovations and restorations.
2007- Construction began for the East Side Access project which will connect the LIRR to Grand Central.

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Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

Why Hire An Architect, 10 Things We Do & 5 We Don’t

Posted: January 17, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture, JustArch, Uncategorized | Tags: Architect, Architecture, ILMA, List, Love | 1 Comment »

10 Things We Do:

1. During design: Architects bring client’s ideas to life
2. We are the professionals responsible for safe-guarding the occupants and public on client’s team
3. A good Architect will work with the client to make modifications as the plans develop to meet the client’s program requirements
4. Architects prepare bid drawings, i.e., Keep contractor quotes fair, Work with client to ensure “apples to apples” quotes (pricing based on same scope of work)
5. Architects develop/Enforce contract documents, ensure design intent is met during construction
6. Architects review contractor payment applications
7. Architects notify the client of any issues that may arise in the field
8. During design & construction: Architects coordinate between trades, team leader, keep client up-to-date with latest industry trends
9. During construction: We act on client’s behalf to ensure project is successfully executed
10. Architects add creativity and beauty to your project by using our imagination and education

5 Things Architects Can’t Do:

1. See through walls – Although we keep trying
2. Keep our shoes clean – We spend 20-80% of our time in the field
3. Go to bed early – There are specs to write and shop drawings to review
4. Show up on time – We are fashionable (fashionably late), what else can I say?
5. Get home early – Deadlines, RFIs, and design work to be done

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.

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Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

Balthazar Korab (R.I.P. 1926 – 2013)

Posted: January 16, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture, Photography | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Black & White, Love, modernism, Photo, Photography, RIP | Leave a comment »

Balthazar Korab (born 1926 – died 2013) was a photographer based in Detroit, Michigan specializing in architectural, art and landscape photography. He was born in Budapest, Hungary, and migrated to France after fleeing from Hungary’s communist government in 1949. At the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France, he completed a diploma of architecture in 1954. For a time, he was a journeyman under the direction of leading European architects, including Le Corbusier.

In 1955, Korab arrived in the United States, and Eero Saarinen employed him to photograph the architectural design process. The architectural community in Detroit has embraced Korab’s career, and many firms have retained him to document their building and private home projects. In 1956 he was awarded fourth place in the international design competition for the Sydney Opera House. In 1994, American President Bill Clinton presented a portfolio of Balthazar Korab’s photography to Árpád Göncz, the president of Hungary.

Korab died on January 15, 2013 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife Monica and two children, Christian and Alexandra.

All images from “Balthazar Korab: Architect of Photography” by John Comazzi; Princeton Architectural Press

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@FC3ARCHITECTURE – Under Construction (Wyckoff, NJ)

Posted: January 3, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: My Firm | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Design, family room, FC3, Home, Love, New Jersey, NJ, Residential, work shop | 1 Comment »

Our Latest Addition Under Construction – Family Room and Workshop

More before and after photos to follow….

Photo credits: General Contractor, JTS SERVICES LLC

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I Love My Architect – Facebook

[Updated] @FC3ARCHITECTURE – On the Boards (East Orange, NJ)

Posted: January 3, 2013 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: My Firm | Tags: 3d, Architect, Design, FC3, fc3architecture, ILMA, improvements, Love, Model, My Firm, New Jersey, NJ, On The Boards, Retail, revit | Leave a comment »

We are currently working on the design of new front facade and vanilla box spaces for 4 new retail tenants.

From Quick Sketch to 3-D Model Using Revit:

Latest 3-D Rendering – March 10, 2013

Latest 3-D Rendering – January 25th

Initial 3-D Rendering – January 18th

1302 - Retail Facade - Frank Sketch 2013-01-03_Final

Initial Sketch (on trace paper) – January 11th

Existing Photograph

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Frank Cunha III
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10 Things You May Hear Architects Say by @FrankCunhaIII

Posted: December 29, 2012 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Architecture, JustArch, More FC3 | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Design, FC3, ILMA, Love | 6 Comments »

Show me your “Parti” diagram ~ referring to the overall concept of the project

Turn it upside down (or sideways) ~ referring to the chip board study model

Use a door for scale ~ if no scale is provided on existing drawings you can use the front door (roughly 36″ typically)

Can I borrow your roll of trace? ~ transparent paper (onion skin) used to overlay sketches during the design process (Yes, some of us still draw by hand)

Looks great…. Hardline it! ~ converting a sketch concept into finished draft form

What’s it made of? ~ flushing out interior and exterior materials during design is crucial

Sorry I’m going to be late for dinner I have a deadline tonight! ~ this happens once in a while #wink

I need to mark that up ~ taking an existing sketch and adding ones review comments and or adjusting the design drawing

Redlines ~ the marks made by the reviewer when he is “marking up” the drawings

Does it meet code? ~ before the project gets too far along it’s important that it is reviewed for compliance with the latest codes to ensure life safety for the occupants

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.

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Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.

15 Memorable Christmas Quotes

Posted: December 24, 2012 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Isms | Tags: Christmas, FC3, Film, Funny, Holiday, humor, just for fun, Love, Movie, Quote, quotes | Leave a comment »

A Charlie Brown Christmas

[Charlie Brown and Linus return with the puny little tree]
Violet: Boy, are you stupid, Charlie Brown.
Patty: What kind of a tree is that?
Lucy Van Pelt: You were supposed to get a *good* tree. Can’t you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?
Violet: I told you he’d goof it up. He isn’t the kind you can depend on to do anything right.
Patty: You’re hopeless, Charlie Brown.
Frieda: Completely hopeless
Charlie Brown: [upset] Rats!
Lucy Van Pelt: You’ve been dumb before, Charlie Brown, but this time, you really did it.
[pause; then everyone bursts out laughing]
Lucy Van Pelt: [laughing] What a tree!

A Christmas Story

Mother: All right. Now, are you ready to tell me where you heard that word?
Ralphie as Adult: [narrating] Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master. But, I chickened out and said the first name that came to mind.
Ralphie: Schwartz!

Christmas Vacation

Clark: Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I’d like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where’s the Tylenol?

Die Hard

John McClane: You throw quite a party. I didn’t realize they celebrated Christmas in Japan.
Joseph Takagi: Hey, we’re flexible. Pearl Harbor didn’t work out so we got you with tape decks.

Home Alone

Gangster Johnny (TV): Hey! I tell you what I’m gonna give you, Snakes. I’m gonna give you to the count of 10 to get your ugly, yellow, no-good keister off my property before I pump your guts full of lead! One, two, ten! [machine gun fire] Keep the change, you filthy animal!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Narrator: He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. Maybe Christmas, he thought… doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps… means a little bit more!

It’s a Wonderful Life

George Bailey: Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me [begins crying] show me the way… show me the way.

Miracle on 34th Street

Susan: I believe… I believe… It’s silly, but I believe.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Gonzo: Hello! Welcome to the Muppet Christmas Carol! I am here to tell the story.
Rizzo the Rat: And I am here for the food.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington: Forgive me, Mr. Claus. I’m afraid I’ve made a terrible mess of your holiday.
Santa: Bumpy *sleigh*-ride… Jack. Next time you get the urge to take over someone else’s holiday, I’d listen to *her*.
[points to Sally]
Santa: She’s the only one who makes any sense around this insane asylum!
[walks away, muttering]
Santa: Skeletons, boogie men…
Jack Skellington: I hope there’s still time.
Santa: To fix Christmas? Of course there is! I’m Santa Claus!
[flies out chimney]

The Polar Express

The Conductor: Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.

Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

Hermey: Hey, what do you say we both be independent together, huh?
Rudolph: You wouldn’t mind my – red nose?
Hermey: Not if you don’t mind me being a dentist.
Rudolph: [shaking hands with Hermey] It’s a deal.

Santa Clause

Bernard the Elf: The Santa Clause: In putting on this suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to any previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus, in perpetuity until such time that the wearer becomes unable to do so, by either accident or design.
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Scrooge

Jacob Marley: I wear the chain I forged in life! I made it link by link and yard by yard! I gartered it on of my own free will and by my own free will, I wore it! …. It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men! If it goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death! It is doomed to wander through the world! Oh, woe is me! And witness what it cannot share but MIGHT HAVE SHARED on Earth and turned to happiness!

The Star Wars Holiday Special

George Lucas: The special from 1978 really didn’t have much to do with us, you know. I can’t remember what network it was on, but it was a thing that they did. We kind of let them do it. It was done by… I can’t even remember who the group was, but they were variety TV guys. We let them use the characters and stuff and that probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but you learn from those experiences.

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.

If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!

Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.

Myths about weight loss: Health and fitness tips from an Architect

Posted: December 23, 2012 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Isms | Tags: 2013, Family, Fitness, Fun, Love, Motivation, Weight Loss, Work Out | 9 Comments »

I recently lost 40 lbs and went from a size 38 pants to 32. I want to share some of my tips with my readers to help them get health and fit for 2013.

Beat the stereo-types and myths about weight loss and fitness.

Paying for it

Don’t believe the hype you hear!
It feels good to flex your “wallet” muscles but don’t waist your money on expensive gadgets
Buying magic pills, machines and equipment doesn’t mean it will help you lose weight
Your body is your best weapon
Don’t believe in Magic; Make it a lifestyle change

Lose weight fast

Don’t believe the hype you hear!
It takes time to lose weight – don’t rush it
Don’t go crazy
It’s OK to cheat (once in a while)
Don’t be ashamed to use Weightwatchers or other similar programs to help you track calories – Check out the Livestrong app
Don’t drink your calories – Drink water with lemon juice
Don’t believe in Magic; Make it a lifestyle change

Gain muscle fast

Don’t believe the hype you hear!
It takes time to gain muscle – don’t rush it
Don’t go crazy just “lifting weights” – try to mix it up with cardio
It’s OK to miss a work out (once in a while)
Be creative: play sports with friends or your kids, try different workouts outside the gym (hiking, beach volleyball, etc.)
Build lean muscle mass – It’s easier to maintain than bulk and clothes fit better
Don’t believe in Magic; Make it a lifestyle change

Abs in 5 minutes

Don’t believe the hype you hear!
You cannot target weight loss in your mid-section or anywhere else
Hit the treadmill; By doing cardio you burn fat, eventually you will hit all your problem areas over time.
Try this Nike Plus app to help you track your jogs/runs
Don’t believe in Magic; Make it a lifestyle change

You Can’t Do It

Don’t believe it!
You can do it.
Don’t worry about anyone else.
Don’t compete with others or try to look like anyone else.
You can become the perfect you.
Create reachable goals and be happy with the body that you have
Be healthy, fit, and happy with a realistic lifestyle (not a quick fad diet or workout plan); You only live once so make it the best you can.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, but don’t be a slacker either

Have a happy and healthy new year everyone!

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.

If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!

Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook

FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.

Getting Ready For Christmas

Posted: December 2, 2012 | Author: fc3arch | Filed under: Isms, Uncategorized | Tags: Christmas, Family, FC3, Holiday, Holidays, Joy, Love | 1 Comment »

The children are getting anxious for St. Nicholas to visit them. The countdown has begun…. The tree has been trimmed, the decorations carefully placed. All we can do now is wait for the date. Here are some photos of Frankie’s football fun around the tree: