Architectural Tutorial: Battered Walls

No, this is not the look you get when you take out your frustrations on the walls of your home.  Battered is an architectural term for a wall with a receding slope from the ground upwards, narrowing at the top.  The same term can be used to describe chimneys and columns that have bases wider than the top.  This design term dates all the way back to ancient times, when battered walls were used to deter invaders from breaking down walls.  The receding slope added a level of stability against attacks of weapons like battering rams.  Today, they are used as interesting design elements that give the exterior a little pizzazz.  Plus, you get the added bonus of your home being able withstand battering rams - how cool is that!

 Railside remodel

 Reynard

 Andover

Cathead Bay

Sources:

http://www.angelfire.com/wy/svenskildbiter/madict.html/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/batter

Olympic Size Architecture

The Olympic Games have been a catalyst for some of the most memorable stadium designs in history, full of innovation and visual interest, each one trying to top the last.  The London 2012 Olympic Games begin tomorrow and will kick off with opening ceremonies in the Olympic Stadium that the designers at Populous Architects hope will be a legacy.  Will it have the same impact as some of the other stadiums designed in the past?  Here is a look at some notable Olympic-size architecture of the Games...

London 2012
Planning for the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, London began over a decade ago and is meant to be the centerpiece of the city's third time hosting this event (1904, 1948 & 2012).  The stadium will be able to seat up to 80,000 people throughout the Games and has the revolutionary design to be able to convert to a 60,000 seat sporting arena once the Olympics are done.  The exterior is wrapped in colored canvas banners that create 300 entranceways into the stadium, with the colors acting as navigation tools in addition to contributing to the building's overall aesthetic. This stadium takes the cake for being one of the most expensive buildings in the world, with costs coming in at roughly $753 million.

Image Source: http://www.populouslondon2012.com/

Olympic Stadium | London 2012 from Populous on Vimeo.
Video showing the conceptual design of the stadium - pretty amazing!

Sources: 

http://www.designweek.co.uk/analysis/london-2012-design-icons-the-olympic-stadium/3034972.article

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1266085-olympic-opening-ceremony-2012-fast-facts-about-the-olympic-stadium/page/5

http://www.designweek.co.uk/news/london-2012-olympic-stadium-wrap-unveiled/3034943.article

Beijing 2008
Also known as the Bird's Nest, Beijing's National Stadium was the site of the 2008 summer Olympics.  The design, done by architects Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron led by chief architect Li Xinggang, was inspired by Chinese ceramics.  The nest effect was designed at first to hide steel supports for the retractable roof, which was later removed from the design.  The top is now covered by a semi-transparent air bubble film which is waterproof, but allows for sunshine to penetrate into the stadium.  It covers an area of 99 square miles and can accommodate up to 91,000 people (80,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary seats).

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22240293@N05/4062090839/, used under creative commons

Wayne in front of the "Bird's Nest" during his trip to China in 2008 to design Star Coast Villas
Sources: 
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/national-stadium.htm

Munich 1972
Designed by German architect Günther Behnisch and engineer Frei Otto, the Olympiastadion of Munich, Germany was considered to be revolutionary.  For the first time, canopies of acrylic glass connected by steel cables were used on a large scale, with the shapes meant to imitate the Alps and the transparency meant to represent the new democratic Germany.  The official motto became "The Happy Games."

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Olympiastadion_Muenchen.jpg
Sources: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_(Munich)

Sydney 2000
Stadium Australia, also designed by Populous (London Stadium designers) was the site of the 2000 Summer Olympics and is the largest Olympic venue ever built, holding up to 110,000 spectators at the time of the Games, later reduced to 83,000.  The cost of this venue came in at $690 million.  The building itself was designed to reconfigure from an oval to a rectangular shape in 12 hours, making it the only stadium in the world that can host five professional sporting events - rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules, football and cricket.

Image Source: http://www.australiantraveller.com/experiences/091-relive-sydney-s-olympic-history
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadium_Australia
http://www.anzstadium.com.au/AboutUs/History.aspx 

Berlin 1936
The Olympiastadion in Berlin was built on the site where the Deutsches Stadion once stood, the venue intended to host the 1916 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War I.  In 1931, the Olympic Committee selected Berlin as the location for the 1936 Summer Games, but when the Nazi regime came to power in 1933, they decided to use the Olympic Games for propaganda.  Hitler ordered the construction of a new sports complex to host the events and titled the Olympiastadion complex Reichssportfeld.  It was designed by Werner March, son of the architect of the original Deutsches Stadion, with modifications made by Albert Speer, Hitler's head architect.  The lower half of the structure is buried 12 meters underground and had a capacity of nearly 110,000, including a special stand for Hitler and his associates.  It was one of the few buildings that survived World War II nearly untouched, only damaged by machine gun shots.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-R82532,_Berlin,_Olympia-Stadion_(Luftaufnahme).jpg
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_(Berlin)

Blue Magazine: Travel & Adventure issue

Touring islands in the straights, fishing the flats, diving shipwrecks and our tropical lakestyle cottage, Silver Coast, make this Travel & Adventure issue of Michigan Blue Magazine an exciting must read for the summer.  Check it out!

Domenico

This stunning Infiniti Custom Homes residence, designed by Visbeen Architects, melds old and new with ease. Terra cotta rooftops and stone archways shade a spacious veranda, hinting at the flavors of Tuscany. This is no simple stone cottage, however. Extreme attention to detail has produced an old world design with state-of-the-art functionality.

The main floor of the home fans out from key gathering spaces – the living and dining rooms. The attached kitchen accommodates both chef and guests alike. Adjacent sitting areas are found both inside and on an outdoor covered patio.

The upper level features a master wing, complete with dual walk-in closets, master bath, and living space. There are three additional bedrooms on this floor. The lower level offers even more living space. Hearth and card table add character to the family room, along with a bar and kitchenette. A guest room and shared bath complete this family villa.

Built by Infiniti Custom Homes
Architecture & Interior Architecture by Visbeen Architects

Under Stair Storage Ideas

Empty Space under the stairs is often overlooked residents. In fact, the minimal size of the space under the stairs can be utilized. With a sharp look at each corner of your home, the space under the stairs can be handled so as not to waste space.

Under Stair Storage Ideas images
remodeling interior design


Space under the stairs can be transformed into anything. Shoe storage area, one of them. Alternatively, child toy warehouse. Or, it can also be used for bookcase. Perhaps you are interested to close the panel, then hang the TV over there. If so, make sure the panel is designed to be opened and on the inside there is a shelf or drawer.

Under Stair Storage Ideas images


Around the room under the stairs need special attention and consideration to the area to be utilized to serve as a room. Initial obstacles encountered certain problems that limited area. However, it can be overcome by your creativity in design it so that it has a useful function.

"Now the stairwell has been used for aesthetic as well,"

Under Stair Storage Ideas images


There are a variety of household materials that exist in the home, such as a ladder of wooden material, steel, or concrete. Household materials will not effect the type of room.

Under Stair Storage Ideas images


Any room can be utilized under the stairs of concrete or even wood. Do not worry because the structure of the foundation in the construction of purpose built with a sturdy ladder and not easily broken down.

Under Stair Storage Ideas for small living room


"The important thing is that the function of the basement is not used to what area the size and availability,"

Staircase Drawers



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Warren

If you missed touring this award-winning design in person during the Spring Parade of Homes, do not fret.  Your pictorial tour is here!

Building a new home in an old neighborhood can present many challenges for an architect.  The Warren's design is a beautiful example of an exterior which blends with the surrounding structures, while the floor plan takes advantage of the available space.

A traditional façade, combining brick, shakes and wood trim enables the design to fit well in any early 20th century borough.  Copper accents and antique-inspired lanterns solidify the home's vintage appeal.

Despite the exterior throwback, the interior of the home offers the latest in amenities and layout.  Spacious dining, kitchen and hearth areas open to a comfortable back patio on the main level, while the upstairs offers a luxurious master suite and three guest bedrooms.

For more photos of this design, please visit the gallery of our website - www.visbeen.biz > gallery > residential projects > american neighborhood > warren.

Builder: Insignia Homes
Architecture & Interior Architecture Design: Visbeen Architects
Interior Designer: Francesca Owings
Kitchen Design: Todd Wiley / TruKitchens
Landscaping: Rooks Landscaping