Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Margarido House


sallyTV visits the Margarido House from sally kuchar on Vimeo.

This house in the Oakland hills is slated to be the first LEED-H Platinum and GreenPoint rated home in the country.
It was completed this Spring.

Enjoy it here.

Modern Design meets Outdoor Grilling...




Meet The Fuego. Winner of the 2007 ISDA Gold IDEA catergory


Designed by former head of industrial design at Apple, Robert Brunner, the Fuego 01 and 02 are the pinnacle of modern design.


With a sleek stainless steel design, it comes in two models (the modular unit coming soon), both have many features and optional add-ons.


If you are wondering where the cooking hood is, don't worry, its retractable and tucks away behind the cooktop.


Heres a word from their website:


"An outdoor kitchen island. A campfire for modernists. A social magnet with a great sense of style. Attaching a label to Fuego is trickier than throwing a salmon – wild, rubbed with herbs and spices – on an open flame. Yes, Fuego is a grill. But it’s a grill without equal. Vibrantly designed with enough technological innovations to satisfy the most left-brained among us, Fuego is what happens when a designer plays with fire."


Cost: $1600-$3000 (varies)


Features:
Gas or infrared fuel option
Fully retractable weather lid
Slate and teak countertops with hidden storage
Modular Accessory System
Cast iron, enamel coated grill grates
Manual Controls
Sliding drawer for propane tank
Built in residue trays
Battery Ignition
Built in wheels for easy mobility

Burner Options
Stainless Steel gas burner 18,500 btu/hr.
Infrared burner 18,500 btu/hr.
Natural Gas Conversion Kit available








Monday, November 3, 2008

Architect vs. Design/Build

I stumbled across another blog this morning and found this quote:

"Whenever you see the word “Client” in something to do with building, you know there just has to be an architect involved because no one else in the building game ever refers to anyone as “clients.” It is such a strange word, isn’t it? In a shop you are a customer, on a train you are a passenger, in a hospital you are a patient, in a class you are a student, in the economy at large you’d be a consumer. But client? The only people who have clients are lawyers, architects and prostitutes, all of whom have to live with the reputation that they are simply out to screw you. Only the prostitute is honest about it.”

Being a "Designer" and a contractor (not an Architect) I found this quote amusing and somewhat offensive. We usually refer to our patrons as "Clients" because it offers them a sense of dignity and respect. The connotation of "customer" or referring to someone as a project number is somewhat degrading and takes away from the personal relationship we try to create with each client. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has dealt with an Architect, or been screwed by one. :)