Carleton Design » Comentary

A Warm Hearth

tjc — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:45:49 +0000

Through the ages, dwellings have depended upon fireplaces and stoves for heating and cooking. The custom construction of a functional wood-burning fireplace requires the special skills of an experienced mason. Incorrect dimensions can prevent the fireplace from drawing properly through the chimney. With new prefabricated gas and wood burning fireboxes and metal flues, the construction is much simpler and the location of the fireplace is more flexible. You can install a zero-clearance fireplace almost as easy as a kitchen appliance.

A Warm Hearth

In this Pebble Beach remodel, we replaced the existing fireplaces with updated gas units. In the living room, we used Travertine stone on the front surface of the firebox. We added custom built shelves and cabinets on each side. A few down lights add to the drama. A beautiful fireplace transforms a house into a home.

-TJC

Modern Museum

James Carleton — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:21:27 +0000

If you have ever been to a science museum, you know what to expect: wild animals preserved in threatening poses, strange bugs from across the planet and, if your lucky, some dinosaur bones. Things have changed a bit at the California Academy of Sciences. Last year they completed a major overhaul to their facility in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and transformed it into the greenest museum in the world (LEED Platinum). The usual bugs and bones remain, but the exhibits have been designed to increase visibility and interaction. You can walk through a four-story glass orb that contains the rainforest exhibit, explore the amazing aquarium, stare at the night sky in the planetarium, or watch researchers do their actual work in front of you.

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

My favorite exhibit is the building itself. It is packed with green features but none are obtrusive. The average visitor may not notice the solar array, computer-controlled natural ventilation, or rainwater collection, but they will definitely notice the result: a beautiful, light-filled, comfortable museum which prompts you to spend the day learning. The grandest green feature it its 2.5 acre green roof which looks like a green carpet floating above the whole museum. Architect Renzo Piano sketched it with one undulating line. From the observation deck you can enjoy an impressive view of the native plantings and species that call the roof their home, as well as the rest of the park and city beyond. I wish my office was up there; it is amazing.

-James

More info:
California Academy of Sciences
Inhabitat article about Cal Academy

Graphic Openings

tjc — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:00:33 +0000

Windows are both functional and aesthetic. Windows transmit light, and any cat will demonstrate the warming effect of sun through south-facing glass. We all know how to slide or crank a window open to manually control ventilation. We understand the benefits of replacing older single-pane windows with double-pane units with insulating value. But windows are more than openings in a wall. The shape and placement of windows on a side of a building can be, and should be intentional. If you think of window openings as figures and the side of a building as the background, you can arrange the rectangles into a balanced composition, as you would in a two-dimensional graphic design. The arranging and shaping of windows can be a satisfying exercise in design.

Graphic Windows

In traditional houses, rectangular windows were often evenly spaced on either side of the front door in a formal symmetrical pattern. (For example, the Virginia Governor’s mansion.) In modern homes, the windows can be vertical or horizontal slots pulled down to the floor and up to the ceiling, or around a corner in asymmetrical arrangements. (For example,the 1937 Walter Gropius residence in Lincoln, Massachusetts.)

-TJC

A “Symbol of World Peace”

tjc — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:38:42 +0000

The architect of the World Trade Center, Minoru Yamasaki, described the symbolic importance of the twin towers this way:

“Paramount in importance is the relation of the world trade center to world peace, since the communication and understanding between nations implicit in trade is basic to peace. Man identifies himself with and is as dedicated to world peace as he has been to the great causes in the past. The architectural opportunity exists in this project to make this complex of buildings a symbol of man’s dedication to world peace.”

(This statement and drawings were provided by Peter Winter, whose father was the “Assistant Chief Engineer for Design” for the Port Authority from the planning to completion of construction of the World Trade Center. Renderings by Carlos Diniz, Los Angeles)

World Trade Center rendering

I recommend that you watch “102 Minutes“, a video collection from the events of 9/11. (Viewer discretion is advised).

World Trade Center rendering

-TJC

Center of the Home

tjc — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:56:22 +0000

“No matter where I serve my guests, they seem to like my kitchen best.” This embroidered observation was framed and hung on a wall in our house. In contemporary homes, the modern kitchen is often the center of family activities and entertaining. TJC placed this kitchen literally at the center of the floor plan of a new home on 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. The kitchen counter and cabinets back up to one wall (the stairwell to a mezzanine) and opens up on the other three sides to adjacent rooms under a high sloped ceiling. Standing at the counter, you can look left, past a breakfast nook into the courtyard; or you can look across the living room to the ocean through a curved wall of windows. In this floor plan, the guests will always be near the attractions of the kitchen.

-TJC

Kitchen Island - Pebble Beach Residence

Outdoor Living

tjc — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:09:18 +0000

Outdoor Living

Outdoor patios are a unique feature in the benign California climate. Even with our cool summer evenings on the Central Coast, a patio can be used all year long. A patio becomes a functional and pleasant expansion of living space. A patio can:

provide pleasant views into side and back yards;
reclaim a portion of your front yard behind a low wall;
enlarge your kitchen with outdoor appliances;
expand living space for entertaining family and friends.

When we added to our own home, the skilled workers from Chapin Construction installed interlocking pavers. On one side, a low curved wall separates the patio from the rest of the backyard landscaping. A curb on the other side defines the planters. By adding a wood table with chairs and a sun umbrella on our patio, and we have immeasurably increased the enjoyment of our home.

-TJC

Creative Fuel

James Carleton — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:18:10 +0000

My favorite aspect of architecture, and design in general, is creativity. A new emphasis on green design and high tech materials has spawned a slew of inspiring ideas. I have collected some examples that range from weird to genius, but all are creative.

-James Carleton

Mapping Modernism

tjc — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:04:31 +0000

Tanimura & Antle Library, CSUMB

A free map of local modern architecture has been published by the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIAMB). More than fifty commercial and residential designs (since 1947) have been photographed and mapped. If you like to gawk at modern buildings, this is the directory for you. Some of the entries are well known, like the original Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula designed by Edward Durell Stone (1967), but other buildings, such as private homes, are cited which I had not seen before. Some buildings made the list because they were designed by a famous architect, such as the La Mirada addition to the Monterey Museum of Art (1994) by Charles Moore, who is one of my favorite architects. Many other notable structures have been designed by local firms. Several brand new buildings are included, such as the impressive Tanimura & Antle Library on the CSUMB campus.

The publication was put together by a dedicated group of volunteers from AIA Monterey Bay with a grant from the state chapter. The guide is conveniently grouped into communities so that you can take several short excursions. It even branches into Santa Cruz and the Salinas Valley. So start planning your tours for the summer. To get a free copy of the large folding map, call AIAMB at 831-372-6527, or email: aiamb@sbcglobal.net.

-TJC

History Often Repeats

tjc — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:34:20 +0000

The headline “Looking for Answers to Fuel Problem” could have been in this morning’s newspaper. But the date on this article is actually 1979. That long haired fellow on the right is me, explaining how a solar room heater works. Those were energizing times when gas lines were long but entrepreneurial spirits were high. I was fabricating prototypes of passive solar panels, designing fliers, and setting up displays at local energy fairs. If sales had matched my expectations, I may not have returned to my architectural trade.

When I toured the booths at the Green Expo in Monterey last year, the enthusiasm of the young entrepreneurs reminded me of earlier times. I have to admire their zeal. Opportunities for small and creative entrepreneurs need to be encouraged.

A local program that offers promise is “Step Up 2 Green” which encourages homeowners to go green by taking small steps. They have published a one-page guideline listing ways to “save money by reducing the use of energy and water, and ending up with a healthier indoor environment.” Go to their website at stepup2green.org.

-TJC

Poles with a story

tjc — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:00:57 +0000

Story Poles

No doubt, you have noticed orange plastic netting strung between poles while driving through the countryside. These “story poles” or “ridge poles” depict the actual size and location of proposed buildings. The brightly colored netting simulates the shape of the roof. These full-scale mock-ups are required in Monterey County and several local cities for new construction or additions. They give the neighbors and the planning officials an opportunity to visit the site to verify that the proposed design meets zoning regulations.

The photograph above shows the poles and netting recently erected to match our drawings for a new custom home, designed to meet all regulations. The homeowners will enjoy an unusual view toward Monterey Bay overlooking the Elkhorn Slough. The poles and netting can be erected by the owner, contractor, or a specialist like Steve Babcock (831-657-9831).

-TJC