Façade Design Inspiration

In general terms, a façade is the skin over something deep which porpoise is to somehow hide what is really kept inside. In architectural terms, however, a façade is the very essence of a building. It probably has the strongest impact at a first sight in the street. Often the façade shows the essence of the general structure and all its shapes. So working with facades is something very special and delicate. The entire look of a house can depend on the perfection and precision of the façade.

The basic inspiration for facades designing in modern architecture comes from a variety of places. There isn’t an established inspiration source from which architects take their ideas. Architects are actually characterized for being able to find inspiration in about anything they see. An architect can be watching a documental on the ancient Rome and at the next day start designing Doric columns all around their houses. This is how most of all architects find their inspiration. Looking at a landscape or a single object somewhere can be enough to plant a seed of inspiration in one of these artists’ mind.

Another architect can approach to the South Ocean Islands to take a rest and come back home full of inspiration to use natural materials.  A trip to Asia, Africa, India or just about any place in the world can get an architect on the mood to design something fresh and something new. So it is clear that an architect’s inspiration when it comes to façade designing comes from anywhere.

However, it is clear that clients have the last word when it comes to design. Even though the architect might feel like designing an Asian-like house, the client might be looking for something different. It is important for architects to be able to adapt to the client’s needs and likes. This way they can find inspiration on what they need to build and not what they want in the moment. There are a lot of common façade designs that can be found almost in any city around the world; bricks. However, it is impressive to see the amount of styles and textures of brick there are in the market. This is probably the reason why people seem to really like it. Bricks are also one of the most inexpensive facades available.

However, there are hundreds of façade styles that can be found in different parts of the world. Some people really like stone, marble and such materials. However, the cost of a construction using them can really increase. This is because not all builders now how to deal with these less-common facades.

The reality is that the whole façade choosing is up to the house’s owner. It is important for those that are building a house to take some time and check all the façade styles there are available. Don’t go for the first brick imitation or anything like that. A house can really change its complete look just by using a different façade. Always take into consideration that some facades are not designed to go through some kinds of weather. If you choose the wrong façade, you might end up having to change it entirely a few years later. This is why it is important to take an architect with you in order to chose well and avoid future problems. An architect will also be able to tell you which façade will be cheaper to install and maintain. Remember that each material has to be washed in different ways and all of them require a different type of care. Some facades are very expensive to maintain, and that’s what keeps people from buying them.

How to Build a Green House

First of all it is very important to be clear about what a green house really is. A green house is a building that manages to use self-generated energy in order to save electrical energy and help the environment. These houses were not very famous ten years ago. However, as the global warming issue has started to get worse, more people are considering building their houses like this in order to not suffer any issues in case something went wrong with power suppliers. These systems also represent substantial money saving in a long term perspective, as there will be no power supplier to pay to. There are some things that have to be taken into consideration if you are willing to make your house able to use a green system. These aspects have to be revised from the very beginning of the construction.

The Building’s Orientation – There is a specific way to place your house in order to take as much energy as possible from heat and the sun. This orientation is exactly within 10 degrees of true south. This will help your panels take as much heat as you might possibly need. Always take special care of trees or other buildings surrounding your house. Remember that these can work as shadow producers and keep you from getting the energy you need.

Window Designs – the “Window Area” is what they call the area in which solar panels will be laced. Some people think that it is better to have very big window areas in order to take more energy from the panels. However, having a larger window area can cause the system to overheat. Then you will be forced to use cooling materials like concrete and so to keep your house from being too hot during the summer.

There is actually a formula that will give you the exact amount of window area that you should install in each room. That is the percentage given bellow, divided into the total floor area (times 100 as it is a percentage).

• If the glass is facing south – 5% to 12% of the total floor area of the house.
• If the glass is facing east – less than 4% of the total floor area.
• If the glass is facing west – less than 2% of the floor area (this will avoid the house to overheat during the summer.)
• -          If the glass is facing north – less than 4% of the floor area.

These are very basic tips that will help you install a very nice green system in your house. About 80% of all the problems people have with these systems are caused by a misunderstanding of the percentages above. This is exactly why it is important to be very careful about them and find the exact amount of window area to place.

This is not something you will have to do by yourself. Remember that there are specialists that can get the idea you want in your roof and make your dream house start working. However, it is also important that you measure your floor area, and make your calculus several times so that you know you are not making any mistakes. This way you will avoid future problems with your solar system.

A secondary aspect to also be careful about is the placing of the common windows in the house. The position of these will affect the amount of air that will get into the house. This can also keep the house from overheating due to the solar panel system. Good ventilation is enough to keep a house fresh even during the summer.

Tips for Becoming an Architect

It is certainly hard to find a job that fits all of our specific needs. This is not truth only in architecture, but in about any other career. Jobs are normally not what we want, or not what we were looking for exactly. There are always factors like payment and working hours that can make a job not totally pleasant. The best way to actually start as an architect is asking around your area’s architect firms. One of them might need a fresh starter.  Always present yourself as a person with fresh ideas and a lot of talent on what you do. Make sure you have some samples of drawings and your design that really reflect your ideas and personality. Make sure you carry a good amount of copies of your resume with you. Remember that those firms that don’t need architects in the moment might need them later. This way your name will become a little more famous in the industry.

Make sure that you get your degree, and your title very nicely ordered. No company is interested in hiring anyone out of the street just because they can make a couple of nice drawings. Any serious firm will want to test you and make sure you fit all their needs as well as their style. It is certainly hard to enter in one big firm as a fresh starter. This is why it is important to look for the best opportunity, but never reject a little firm that opens its doors. The best way to start is from the bottom. So then you will have the chance to know some bigger architects who, after knowing you, can hire you for their projects.

Remember that little firms are normally a lot nicer to work with than huge companies. This is a reality in almost all careers. In big companies, an employee is nothing more than a number that produces some other numbers in the computer. It is hard to break into offices to talk to your boss and get his or her help in something. However, in small companies, you might be one of the 5 or 10 architects working, which gives you a great chance to get along with your superiors. This is why small companies open their doors to fresh starters. They know that architects that have just graduated are totally willing to do their best and make strong efforts. That’s the kind of people that can work in a small company. Older architects might seem to work a little more calmly and not make such a great effort.

Remember that not all architects firms that need workers will make it public, or place an advertising outside that says “Architects needed”. It is your call to stop by and kindly offer your services to the person in charge. Never leave your information or request in the

Landscape Architecture – More Demanded than Ever

People used to see landscape architects as some kind of glorified gardener who was able to transform any piece of land. Landscape architects were only hired when there was some job needed in a garden. Hundreds of companies hired landscape architects to design their exteriors and this way attract more clients. Due to this, not many people was interested in studying to become a landscape architect.

However, today things have changed significantly. Now architects have started to work with green buildings and different methods to be less destructive with the environment when building. Curiously, a landscape architect is exactly what every firm is looking for now days. Most of all green buildings are designed to maximize the utility of wind and sunlight. These too elements are used in different ways to produce energy or replace it. The usage of plants is very important in this task as well, as it keeps the building’s atmosphere totally friendly to nature. One of the best examples of this is the High Line in New York. It is a 1.45 mile long urban park which is elevated about three stories from the ground. It is definitely modern and still has a green, natural touch. Architecture’s tendency is now heading to that concept.

Various states and local governments in the United States have started receiving funds for stimulus projects. These projects are directed objectively to benefit people in a significant way for example, parks, green areas, artistic areas, etc. Many states have declared that they will be needing a substantial amount of landscape architects for these projects. Traditional architects all have a basic knowledge about landscaping. However they are not specialized on it and that brings landscape architects to a field with no competition. People willing to build today are focusing on hiring teams of architects and engineers. Almost no one wants to hire a single engineer to build their structure. Clients now know that the structural design from an engineer would look great being covered by the design from an architect. Of course, the entire project would look a lot better being surrounded by an incredible landscape.

Landscape architects are not only dealing with plants and rocks anymore. Today, cities need landscape architects for several tasks that have nothing to do with gardens. For example, every year more corridors for motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians are built all around the world. Well, landscape architects seem to always have a better perspective of the outside world than any other professional. This gives them the ability to design these corridors and make them look nicer than anyone can imagine. Due to this, people are constantly looking to hire landscape architects. Sadly, there are not many architects that have studied landscaping because before it was not such a good career. However, there is so many job opportunities today that it is easy to see how many architects are actually studying landscaping. It will take some years for us to see that there thousands of more landscaping architects in the world.

There are a lot of colleges in the world that offer landscaping careers. For those that want to study it, it is a good idea to try some universities and see each one of their orientations. The average salary of a landscape architect is pretty fair as it goes around $71,000 per year. However, those that work self employed are a lot more successful according to sever studies.

Those that are studying landscape architecture should be excited about their career. It is one of the greatest architecture careers today and it offers a wide gamma of jobs.

The Works of a Responsible Architect

Architects held the key to materialize the thoughts of men in the older days. Take a look at the pyramids of Egypt. The precision required to build something so magnificent was present even in the older days. This might give you an example of what can architects of today materialize for you. Architecture is not just a building to remain forever. It is preservation of the culture and art of a certain era. For example the Taj Mahal connects a person living today to the Mughal Empire.

As far construction of commercial buildings is concerned, the goal of every one is to have the tallest one built. This might not seem to be that much of a challenge but there are many things which an architect needs to look after. For example, the wind factor, strength of the materials used in construction and etc. apart from those, technical errors arise as the construction proceeds. The wind factor is quite dangerous. If the designs are not made properly then the wind would simply blow away the top of the building. You might not know this but winds in high altitudes are blowing at quite some miles per hour. The design of the building should be such that it cuts the air, no matter from which portion does it blow. The materials used in construction, is another problem to be solved by the architects. Using the stronger and long lasting material is not always the best option during construction. For instance, the masonry used for building old buildings would not be suitable. Reason behind this is simple; the weight of the walls would become too great if the building was too high. These are just few of the problems which architects overcome while constructing a building.

Constructing a structure like a bridge is even more complicated. One of the most ingenious designs was to use huge cables to support the weight of the bridge by poles. At first this idea looked as full proof, even the strongest of thunderstorms did not move such a bridge. However, light pouring of rain caused the bridges to become unstable. It was the architects who were called in to inspect the situation. The architects explained that water drops from light pouring do not flow away. They stay on these cables hence unbalancing the deck of the bridge. The answer to this problem was also presented by architects. Spiral linings were added on the cables which caused the water drops to flow down, hence maintaining the balance of the bridge. There are many examples of the simply remarkable contributions of architects to the development of the world.

Architecture is a field which knows no bounds. The market for the requirement of architects would always remain lucrative. Reason behind this is simple; man tends to utilize every single inch of land present. When the area gets congested, then the existing buildings are rebuilt. To have a good looking building, one needs to hire an architect. Thanks to CAD and other programs, architects are also aided, hence making their work easier and much more creative. There are many courses related to CAD, all of them cover a specific portion. Basically CAD is known to produce 3 dimensional images on a 2 dimensional screen. It is not like the movies, but you get to view all the three dimensions, length, width and height of the structure in a screen. This allows easier modification for the architects as well.

Just take a look at the Burj Dubai, Taipei, Freedom Tower, Shanghai world finance center and other buildings. You would get the idea that how sky high has the field of architecture reached.

New trends in architecture

Architecture is on fast track of change in present time due to the great increase in land values.  Demand of style accelerated the change.  Space creation with aesthetic value is going to be limited with the passage of time. Architecture is the most useful form of art. Great changes in the field of architecture revolutionized due to various technological advances. Creativity in architecture is in danger due to commercialism. In past, the purpose of architecture was to create space of comfort, protection and rest. This has now changed due to globalization. Architects are taking designs and visions of past and then recreating these in new from which are more comfortable.

Owing to the fact that people are getting richer due to more income now-a-days, various urban products are booming up in the market. In homes kitchen and bathroom architecture created revolution in the market. Healthy designs provide the occupants with more daylight, making the environment healthier and more comfortable. New architectural trends are focusing on the enhancement of air ventilation. New trends now also focus on the minimum habitat disruption, more efficient use of energy and land, take advantage of native landscaping to ensure a look style, usage of building material which has less impact on environment. Depending upon the demands, indoor pools, fitness areas, garages all are provided in new architectural styles.

Along with buildings and houses, new trends in school architecture have become popular now-a-days. Along with classrooms architects place, other places such as gym, central courtyards, art departments, parking facility below the courtyard creates an open feelings. Use of natural light in effective way is also a good trend in architecture. In new architectural styles, use of glass with appropriate glazes in buildings is also increasing in order to use energy more efficiently. Use of solar energy in buildings will reduce load on other energy sources.

Computer aided designs drafts in the form of CAD or CADD are used now a days. This new technology is very helpful to create three dimensional designs.  With the new softwares the world of architecture has completely changed compared to the past. HSB turning Torso, Weismen Art Museum, Shanghai world financial centre, Transamerica Pyramid, Valencia opera house, Torre Marenostrum and many more are examples of modern architecture

Now a day, many clients and builders are focusing on the maximum utilization of natural resources due to increase in energy costs. The main objectives of new trends are how to effectively use solar energy in modern houses and buildings and the aesthetic beauty. Real essence of architecture is not only designing a building but it should include its surrounding environment. Architecture has a power to change the lifestyle of people. Huge massive structures with aesthetic sense have impacts on individual’s life.

Today green living and green for future generations are popular terms. Green designs started from 1920s by an architect named Rudolf Schindler. Regional climate and environmental sensitivity are the key objectives of this new trend. Schindler’s designs were based on elements like concrete and wood. Fluidity of outer environment in to interior of building was the main target of this trend. Many modern architects are using this trend. Currently green architecture is a new revolution which is focusing on utilization of space, site, and energy more efficiently. Reduction of wastes and protection of environment are new visions. Protection of occupants’ health is the main focus of new designs. Due to the trend of green architecture, there is now reduced use of chemicals which have adverse effects on human health, minimizing environmental hazards. Also waste materials are less toxic to the environment. Architecture is such type of art that is changing with the passage of time.

Egyptian Architecture

With the Great Pyramids as the highlight of the show to offer, Egypt has boasted immensely rich architecture since the time of immemorial. Amongst the oldest civilizations of the world along with the Mayan and Indus valley civilizations, the most recognizable sight of Egypt has been its architecture, namely its Pyramids and the Sphinx.  Such is the respect for the ancient Egyptian architecture that it has found place in the Seven Wonders of the World. Even greater fact of its love in the hearts of people is that it features in the seven wonders of the ancient world as well as the current Seven Wonders of the World. The Great Pyramids are the only surviving wonder from the ancient wonders.

The basic element of Egyptian architecture has always been sun baked mud bricks and blocks, with a compression machine used to compress and squeeze out air as well as moisture, then leaving the blocks to be baked by solar heat. This was not only a very cost effective technique but also a highly durable one, as the pyramids bear witness; standing tall even after thousands of years as the burial places of the pharaohs. The third most important aspect of this type of architecture is the eco-friendliness that not only encouraged construction and urbanization but did not adversely affect the bio diversity of the environment.

The Pyramids of Egypt are situated in the Giza plateau, the reason why they are also referred to as the Pyramids of Giza; located on the outskirts of Cairo.  They are dated back to around 2500 BC with the oldest and tallest Pyramid known as the Pyramid of Khufu.

Amongst other architectural marvels of Egypt are the Karnak and the Luxor temples. Karnak is situated on the banks of river Nile, 1.5 miles north of Luxor. It has a unique history as it was constructed over the tenure of 30 different pharaohs while the construction kicked off in 16^thcentury BC. Karnak is renowned for its huge walls and gigantic pillars, a marvelous achievement even considering the time taken to build it with respect to the era of development. The Karnak has multiple small Sphinx and Dog head shaped statues in the complex as a sign of respect to the ancient Egyptian god Horus.

The Luxor temple is a monumental ancient Egyptian structure located near the east bank of river Nile by the city of Luxor (formerly known as Thebes).  The construction of this Egyptian marvel began in 14 BC and carried on for well over hundred years with major contributions from Ramasses II. This was the sight where the Obelisk (a tall tower with triangular pointed head at top) made its appearance for the fist time. Obelisks are popular till this date and can be found near Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The Luxor temple had twin obelisks but one of them was moved to Paris in 1835 and can be found in Place de la Concorde.

A common misconception amongst most people is that the Egyptian architecture stayed uniform throughout the history, but this is not true. It can significantly be divided into two eras, the first of the old kingdom and the second of the new kingdom. During the architectural era of the old kingdom, the tombs and mausoleums used to be constructed with flat ceilings but in the new kingdom era, the architectural shift was significant. Instead of flat and simple mud baked buildings the use of stone was increased and different geometrical designs were implemented which helped shape the face of the ancient Egypt as a cultural heritage for all architects.