A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

Loft Residence in Boston, Massachusetts by Della Valle Bernheimer Commissioned by an artist and her computer scientist husband, Della Valle + Bernheimer Design (d-bd) approached the design of the couple's loft in Boston by separating the spaces according to levels of privacy and function. Though not a new approach, the relatively small area (click here for floor plan) made it difficult for the architects to physically separate the spaces while maintaining an open, loft-like character. So, instead of standard construction and/or orthogonal walls, laser-cut steel walls follow two curving lines that separate the spaces into private/domestic, private/studio and public/studio. The first area contains the master bedroom and bathrooms (upper portion of plan), the second area contains a ceramics studio and meditation space (lowe...

Recycling Plant in Madrid, Spain by Abalos & Herreros, 2000 Situated in the Valdemingómez area of Madrid, Spain, this Recycling Plant for urban waste is part of a larger plan to improve both the social and environmental aspects of the Southeast Region. Designed by Madrid's own Abalos & Herreros , the Plant is only part of a group of projects to create a system for waste treatment and recycling, while also transforming the area to achieve the regional plan's goals. The project unifies the typically separate components - including selection, processing and treatment facilities, offices, workshops and storage space - under a single, sloping, green roof (click here for plan). In the architect's words, the roof echoes "the gravitational character of the process as it does the original hillside upon w...

Morimoto in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Karim Rashid, 2001 Karim Rashid is one of the few architects/designers to achieve celebrity status at a time when everybody tries to become a celebrity, witnessed in the popularity of reality TV and shows like "American Idol". But unlike contemporary Frank Gehry, who is in his seventh decade, Rashid is only 42, practicing in his own office for less than ten years. The former garnered popularity over many years only to see it erupt in his design for the Bilbao Guggenheim, while the latter's embrace of pop culture and digital technology has helped earn him the reputation as "the designer to watch". While the success of reality TV and "American Idol" may point to lowered tastes of the masses, it more importantly is indicative of the public's grasp on the i...