Carleton Design » Technology

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

Our Process: 3D Modeling

tjc — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:47:20 +0000

Plasticville

Scaled models are captivating. As a young boy, I spent many hours playing with my Lionel train and O-scaled town. (I started urban planning at an early age.) I still have the collection of Plasticville miniatures to include a church, school, post office, dime store, theater, market, diner, gas station, house, water tower and train platform. Later in college, I learned how make paper models quickly to visualize design concepts in design studios.

3D Computer Model

Today, we choose to design most projects using computer models. Our new drafting software automatically creates a 3-D model as we draw a floor plan. We have found that models encourage our clients to get involved in the design process because they can more easily see and react to the ideas that we are proposing. Our computer programs allow us to drop a proposed building into an urban neighborhood or onto a rural site to see it in a realistic context. On proposed commercial projects, we have explored ideas for exterior facades. On residential projects, we have tested kitchen and bathroom layouts. As we are able to manipulate exterior shapes and interior details in a model, the experience becomes more satisfying and the results are more impressive.

-TJC

My Summer Vacation

tjc — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:18:41 +0000

Dymaxion House

Do you remember returning to school in the fall and being asked by your teacher to write an essay on “What I did on my summer vacation?” You should not be surprised that I spent some of my vacation time looking at buildings. While attending a family reunion in Michigan, we visited the famous Henry Ford Museum. To my delight, they had assembled a round aluminum house designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. This unique design was Bucky’s attempt to provide mass-produced, affordable housing after World War II. The structure is suspended from a central mast without a perimeter foundation, “like an umbrella” our guide explained, while pointing to a rotating vent on the roof that supplied fresh air. Another curiosity is the one-piece molded bathroom, “similar to what might have been used on a Navy ship at that time.” The museum literature explains that in 1946, disagreements between Fuller and his associates led to the collapse of the company after just two prototypes were built. This exhibit is the only surviving example of the “Dymaxion House, a dwelling machine.”
-TJC

More information:

Henry Ford Muesum Dymaxion Exhibit Website
Wikipedia article: Dymaxion House
You Tube Video: Dymaxion House

Collecting the Internet

James Carleton — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:05:47 +0000

The internet is full of interesting information and RSS will deliver it to your desktop. RSS (Real Simple Syndication) is a method for subscribing to websites that deliver continually updated information, such as this blog from Thomas J. Carleton Architecture. News sites, magazines and blogs are typical uses for RSS.

Sites that are RSS compatible display a link to their RSS feed with this icon:

Many software programs for email and internet browsing can also manage you RSS feeds and present the content for your perusal. I like to use Google Reader, which I can access my feeds from any computer as well as from my iphone.

Subscribing to a site is easy, maybe too easy since I’ve got 74 subscriptions and read only a few of them. I enjoy getting the latest product design trends from Core77, keeping up with the obsessed greenies at Inhabitat, and get clever tech tricks from Lifehacker. Only the internet could teach you how to make guitar picks from credit cards (Instructables), maintain a minimalist home (Dwell Mag), and see your friend’s latest baby candids (Flickr) in five minutes or less.

-James Carleton

Running on Revit

James Carleton — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:45:34 +0000

Utilizing our new software tool, AutoDesk Revit Architecture, we have created preliminary design concepts for remodeling the Amtrak Station in Salinas to add Greyhound Bus service. Using blueprints from 1941 and measurements taken from the existing structures, we created a virtual model of the historic train station and then outlined potential designs for the new occupant. Much of the original building will be restored and reused to create this inter-modal station. We are learning to utilize this new software to create both traditional 2D plans as well as dynamic 3D models with ease. Its features allow easy changes to the model that automatically synchronize to all applicable 2D drawing sheets such as floor plans, elevations, and details. Eventually our design process should benefit greatly from the time saved in modifying each sheet individually.

For more information on this project contact Alan Stumpf, Director of Salinas Redevelopment Agency at 831-758-7387.

Exciting Technology Upgrade

James Carleton — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:45:44 +0000

TJCAIA is transitioning to the next level of architectural computer drafting. For more than ten years our firm has been using the the industry standard AutoCAD software to develop our architectural drawings. This method has served us well and has become an integral part of our process. Recently a new type of drafting program has been developed. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a unique type of software that enables the user to model a building and all its parts in a realistic manner. Not only is it exciting to work in a visually realistic method, its also faster to create and edit ideas in the model due to the information contained in it. The parts of a building can form relationships so that one affects the other, such as a door that moves with a wall, or a roof that automatically reshapes itself when the pitch is edited.

This year we have started the transition to BIM software from the makers of AutoCAD known as Revit Architecture. We have undertaken the challenging task of learning how to work in a whole new way and are currently utilizing it on a pilot project. We are excited to see how this new method of drafting can increase our efficiency and precision as well as better express our creative visions. BIM – It’s the wave of the future.