New Trends in Architectural Design – What Can You Expect from Your New House?

A home can only be as modern as the era it’s built in, and judging by the trends of 2016, this year’s architectural design trends are definitely not something to take lightly. Traditional materials, a new face of modern exterior design and the advanced technology of the smart home are all blending in to create the clear contour of the house of tomorrow – available to you today.

 

Black Facades and Exteriors

 

Black facades have already been big since last year, but 2017 promises to show the full potential of this highly popular trend. Black tones help to highlight the shape and bold appearance of the architectural project, whether it’s a house or an office building. Moreover, black appears cleaner, and gives the building a chance to blend in with its surroundings due to its lesser reflective ability.

 

The Comeback of Traditional Building Materials

 

Timber and compacted earth are just two of the traditional design materials that are making a comeback today. Vancouver, Moscow and New York are just a few of the large cities where architects are leading the way in their attempt to reintegrate these materials and highlight their advantages, while adding the construction technology of today into the mix, to fix the mistakes of the past.

 

The Blur Between Public and Private Spaces

 

2017 is already showing a rapid progression of the blur between public and private spaces. More and more large corporations and smaller businesses are integrating a greater number of public amenities into their architectural projects, and aside from private areas, the buildings of the near future are expected to be far more “user-friendly” than before.

 

Smart Homes – A Thing of the Present

 

Voice-activated assistants, energy-efficient elements in home and architectural design and the growing inter-connectivity of buildings and homes arising from an increased availability of wireless internet connections are just a few of the things that are paving the way to the onset of smart architecture.

 

In this day and age, technology and architecture already go hand in hand to create homes and buildings that are equipped to serve us in ways we never even thought possible just a few years back.

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WI’s Frank Lloyd Wright Trail Guides Travelers to 9 Public & Private Sites

Even among the most casual of architecture buffs, perhaps the most well known of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin projects is Taliesin in Spring Green, followed by Wright’s architecture for SC Johnson in Racine. Now, travelers and Wright enthusiasts can add Wingspread (Racine), Burnham American System Built Homes (Milwaukee) and the First Unitarian Society Meeting House (Madison) to their must-see list as these projects and more are now a part of the newly designated Frank Lloyd Wright Trail in Wisconsin.

Whether you are a residential architect in MN or just an avid architecture fan, this guide could be of interest to you. Frank Lloyd Wright is undoubtedly one of the most commonly known architects, and this guide will take you to some of his most beautiful projects.

Nine buildings across southern Wisconsin—from private houses to public buildings—provide travelers with the opportunity to trace the steps of this world-renowned architect. The trail begins on Interstate 94 at the Illinois state line, continues to Madison and then on to Wright’s home in southwest Wisconsin.

In addition to the Wright buildings listed above, the route also includes Monona terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, the Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center in Spring Green and the AD German Warehouse in Richland Center. According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the trail signage includes large freeway guide signs, route marker signs, and directional and trailblazer signs located in Richland, Sauk, Iowa, Dane, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties.

WI’s Frank Lloyd Wright Trail Guides Travelers to 9 Public & Private Sites

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Amazing Spaces, Places & Escapes: Re-imagining Treehouses

It’s easy to forget how spoiled we are by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, with its 1,200 acres of manicured gardens, woods, and prairies, and 12.5 miles of walkable trails and paths. USA Today gave us all a collective nudge this spring by naming our arb the best botanical garden in the country.
Whether you are coming from areas such as Minneapolis or St.Paul, architects, and architecture admirers alike will enjoy seeing these spectacular tree houses at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

If the prospect of thousands of tulips or the lovely Peony Walk or the Gala Garden Party June 22 doesn’t lure you to Chaska, how about tree houses? The arb’s summer-long exhibit, Amazing Spaces, Places and Escapes: Re-imagining Treehouses, opens May 27. Designed by local artists, architects, builders, and hobbyists, the structures will be installed throughout the Three-Mile Drive.

These 12 flights of fancy won’t be straight up childhood tree houses. Expect whimsy, imaginative interpretations, pieces that are upside down, under the ground, and wildly experiential, says the arb. For example, one is Arthur J.E. Wren, a gigantic birdhouse created by Simon Sutherland that was part of the Art Shanty project. You can see a wood-burning stove where Mr. Wren makes his tea, a thatched ceiling, and his yellow décor. It’s likely to bring a smile—that’s the point of this magical exhibit, running through Oct. 1.

Amazing Spaces, Places & Escapes:Re-imagining Treehouses at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - Midwest Home Magazine
 

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Architecture City Guide: Minneapolis

We all know as Minneapolis architects that this city holds some true gems. If you are ever looking for something to do on the weekend, take a look at these must-see buildings from around the city!

This week our Architecture City Guide is headed to the city stars fall on. With a few notable exceptions, one can hardly be called a starchitect if s/he hasn’t designed something in Minneapolis. Since 2005 the starchitects that have fallen on this “City of Lakes” include Jean Nouvel, Herzog & de Mueron, César Pelli, Michael Graves, Steven Holl, and Frank Gehry. This is a surprising number for a city just north of 380,000 people. Few cities of this size could boast as much. What’s more our list of 12 is far from complete. There are many wonderful historic and contemporary buildings mixed in with the explosion of starchitecture. Please leave comments of buildings one should not miss when visiting Minneapolis.

• Guthrie Theater / Jean Nouvel
• Walker Art Center / Herzog & de Meuron
• Central Hennepin County Library/ Pellie Clarke Pelli
• IDS Tower / Philip Johnson & John Burgee
• Rarig Center for the Performing Arts / Ralph Rapson
• Children’s Theatre Company / Michael Graves & Associates
• Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. / Yamasaki & Associates
• Mill City Museum / Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle
• University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital / Tsoi/Kobus and Associates with Hammel, Green & Abrahamason
• KNOCK Inc. / Julie Snow Architects
• College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, UMINN / Steven Holl Architects
• Christ Church Lutheran / Eliel Saarinen
• Architecture City Guide: Minneapolis | ArchDaily

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Sales + Events: 5/8-5/14

The week's best home and garden events in the Twin Cities, including Mother's Day picks:

Keeping up with the sales and events around my architecture firm in Minnesota is important to me. As spring approaches, it is fun to see what resources are available to homeowners in the area. I hope everyone enjoys their Mother's Day weekend!

Bachman's Spring Outdoor Sun Container Workshop: Dress up your outdoor patio or deck with tips from this workshop led by a Bachman's design expert. Ticket includes all materials ($50 for one container, $100 for two). Tuesday, May 9 from 6-8 p.m. @ Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-861-7600; register at bachmans.com

Wild Birds Flying Exhibition & Pop-up: Minneapolis photographer Paul Nelson is known for his distinctive birds-in-flight photographs. Recently, he has partnered with his wife, Stacy Fortier, to expand the images into distinctive textile designs for throw pillows, scarves, and cards. The Wild Birds Flying collection will pop up as part of a retrospective exhibition of Nelson’s fine art prints, also for sale, hosted by Isles Studio. Thursday, May 11 from 5-8 p.m. @ Isles Studio, 1311 W. 25th St., Minneapolis, 612-999-4680, islesstudio.com

The Wedge Annual Plant Sale: Kick off springtime and prep your garden at the Wedge's Annual Plant Sale. It returns with a greenhouse filled with spring offerings from local growers, plus organic potting soil and beds. Mother's Day features live music, special offers, and refreshments. May 12-June 11; Mondays-Thursdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays-Sundays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. @ 2105 Lyndale Ave. S., south parking lot, Minneapolis. 612-871-3993, wedge.coop

Sales + Events: 5/8-5/14 - Midwest Home Magazine

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3 Easy Ways to Change Your Decor for Spring

We all have a natural tendency to want to revitalize our spaces as the weather gets warmer. Sunny spring days give us the boost of energy it takes to re-organize and re-imagine the spaces we live in every day. Here are a few tips for moving from winter cozy to spring fresh.

As the weather gets nicer, our motivation to redecorate increases. The spring creates a wonderful energy, and we want our homes to represent that same feeling. My goal as an architect serving the St.Paul area is to design a space that compliments the personality of my clients, so when it is time for them to decorate, everything flows well throughout the house.

Warmer weather begs for hints of summer. Punch up the grays and jewel tones that we’re drawn to in the winter months with bright and pastel colors. Some of my favorite summer brights pair well with navy as a nice, semi-neutral base – think lighter blues or bright lime greens. Experiment with blush tones in a neutral room to keep things light.

Some of the fabrics we love in the colder months tend to feel heavy and drab now. Lighten things up by moving away from velvet, satin and brocade and replace them with linens and cottons. Read more here.

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Architectural Elements that Add Value to Your Home

Owning a home is one of your biggest investments. In order for it to pay dividends when you retire or move due to a job transfer, you need to keep everything up to date. This includes things like the plumbing, air conditioning, furnace, roof and windows. In addition to these traditional home repairs, improving the existing floor plan, adding upgrades and unique amenities can increase the value significantly and make your house stand out to buyers.

Whether you are moving on to bigger and better things, or simply wanting to improve your property, there are some design and architectural elements you can add to your home to increase the overall value. There are many residential architects in Minneapolis who understand this and want to help you add value and charm to your home. Below are some options for what you can do.

An open floor plan: Many older homes have closed off rooms that allow no connection to family and friends that are in another room. By knocking down a wall you create a beautiful open space where people can gather together and converse from the living room to the kitchen. Knocking down a wall also makes the home appear larger than it actually is, another plus when you decide to sell. The cost of removing a wall is not expensive and the benefits it brings with an increased resale value is well worth the investment.

Kitchen remodel: The kitchen is still the main room that interests potential buyers. They want space, plenty of cabinets, a pantry and yes, energy-efficient stainless steel appliances. Dressing up the walls with a neutral backsplash with also add value. You don't have to go all out and get expensive tile floors. Many young buyers still prefer hardwood floors over most anything.

Read more here.

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