March 14, 2011

Map got your tongue?

by: Jim McPherson

Tweet Prepare yourself for a lot of tan with a bit of green background, courtesy of Google Maps. I am not an employee of Google nor do I play one on TV. I do not own Google stock out-right — dang it! — but I may have a few shares in the bowels of some mutual fund I hold. With that said, I enjoy making Google Maps because I’ve been a fan of maps and flags of countries since childhood. Thank you National Geographic. And it’s true, a picture is worth a thousand words. You’re now reading Blooming Rock, “Your…

March 10, 2011

Interview with Eddie Jones – What Makes Good Architecture and What Young Architects Should Know

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Today I’m posting the final part of my video interview with Eddie Jones. If you missed the first and second part, go back and take a look. In today’s post, Eddie talks about 3 aspects he considers that make good architecture. And lastly, he talks about what every young prospective or already in the field architect should know. Part V: Eddie on what makes good architecture Part VI: Eddie’s advice to up and coming architects

March 09, 2011

Exploring the Public Face of a Residence at the Castaway House

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Last week, when I interviewed architect Marlene Imirzian (I’ll be posting the interview next week), she said that every project has a public aspect to it, even private residences. What she meant was that even houses have a way to address the street, have a front yard that the public can see, and has a front door for the public to knock on. Good architecture addresses the public face of the house with intention. At the Castaway House, we have layers of space that lead from the public to the private. The diagram below, created by Cavin, illustrates what…

March 08, 2011

Interview with Eddie Jones – Why His is the Luckiest Firm in Town and the Drive to Go Beyond the Arizona School

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Today’s post is the second third of my interview with Phoenix architect Eddie Jones. I promised that I would post the entire second half today, but there is too much goodness and I don’t want you to miss out on any of it. So I’ll post the rest of the interview in a special edition of the blog this Thursday. Tomorrow I’ll give you an update on the Castaway House. If you missed the first two parts of this interview, go back and watch here. Below, find out why Eddie says that being named a key figure in the…

March 07, 2011

Interview with Eddie Jones – Influential Architects, Local Context and Sustainability

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Last week I had the honor of interviewing one of my all-time favorite architects in the Valley, one of my heroes, Eddie Jones. Below are video segments of the first half of our interview. I hope you’ll be as inspired and thrilled as I was when you watch. Part I: Architects that have had the most influence on Eddie: Part II: Eddie on how his work responds to the local context and what sustainability means to him: Stay tuned for the second half of my interview with Eddie tomorrow!

March 02, 2011

Retaining the Existing Roof Structure at the Castaway House

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet In this update: I. Claire walks us through the multiple considerations that go into every decision II.The idea of a triple bottom line approach III. An illustration of the stack ventilation concept created by Cavin I. Claire at the Site II. The Triple Bottom Line Approach Claire talked about the multiple benefits of keeping the existing wood roof structure of this 1950s house and actually exposing it as a vaulted ceiling in the remodel. We try to use the triple bottom line to make most of the decisions at Castaway House. In the case of the existing roof…

March 01, 2011

Marking the 1-Year Anniversary of Places, Spaces and Faces Community Dinner

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet I can’t believe it’s been one full year since Places, Spaces and Faces Community Dinner was started! We started off small, but with fantastic participation at a quality venue, setting the standard for future events. Kathleen Bartolomei, one of the original founders, had a brilliant suggestion at the first dinner which has helped sustain the dinners every month since. She installed the tradition of voting for the best cook in the different categories (sweet, savory and later drinks) and the winners would help organize the next dinner. “Built-in sustainability” she called it and boy she was right! As the…

February 28, 2011

Why Downtown Phoenix Needs an All-Ages Music Venue

by: Si Robins

Tweet Today’s post is by writer Si Robins, who I got to know watching the Suns playoffs last year at The Duce. Si is the editor of Downtown Phoenix Journal and a family of green living websites. You can find him riding his bike throughout downtown Phoenix, and drinking too much espresso at local coffee shops. Drop Si a line at si@siwrites.com. When I was in college, Downtown Phoenix meant entertainment: Suns games, First Fridays and live music. Modified Arts was an icon for us under-agers — during that strange and unfortunate three-year window where you’re away from home but…

February 23, 2011

The Importance of Place at the Castaway House

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet In this update: I. Claire talks about the outdoor lifestyle in Phoenix II. The urban context of the Castaway House III. A quick survey on modes of transportation Outdoor Lifestyle: Urban Context: We’re designing for a sustainable lifestyle at Castaway House. A huge part of leading a sustainable lifestyle is where you live. Nowadays, big home builders are building new subdivisions way out in the outer suburbs, but are claiming to be green. Here at Blooming Rock and The Ranch Mine, we believe that location and place are fundamental to sustainability. Those “green” homes way out in the…

February 22, 2011

Don Ryden on Why Phoenix is a City of Optimism

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Today’s post is the second half of my conversation with local historic preservation architect Don Ryden and the author of Midcentury Marvels. If you missed part I, don’t forget to go back and take a look! Blooming Rock: You had mentioned the idea of communal memory at your lecture for the release of Midcentury Marvels at the Phoenix Council Chambers. Can you talk a little bit about this concept? Don Ryden: Communal memory is one of the reasons we deal with historic preservation. In the lecture I said it’s either love, money, or duty (why we preserve historic buildings)….