This question was posed in an earlier Design Appreciation lecture and for weeks, I have been struggling to find the answer myself. At first, I was telling myself a design was only good if it had a pleasing appearance and function. It was not until recently in one of the last lectures that I came to understand that a good design can be something that can continuously be maintained throughout time and possibly even gets better WITH time. A great example of this type of design is Landscape Architecture. While the layout can change appearance and continue to flourish, the original intent is never disturbed and also has a positive impact on the environment.

Earlier this semester, there was a time when many projects were to be made without the use of glue or any other adhesives to hold our designs together.

Personally, I struggled greatly with this challenge and I wish I had stumbled across this video sooner. The concept is very simple and could lead to some very new and different ideas of how to use the structure (In fact, if you click through the website, the company goes on to explain many uses for their product!). Please check it out and don’t hesitate to try making a model for yourself!

About a week ago, I volunteered at WinterFest (a craft fair) in Floyd, Virginia. Stationed in the children’s room for roughly 4 hours, I assisted many kids in making Christmas cards, paper cup bells, and paper ornaments. Although volunteering in a craft room was not new to me, I did have the opportunity to use some of the skills learned in studio this past semester.

For example, a young girl needed help folding some paper and I was able to teach her a few tricks I would have only known by taking this course. As the afternoon passed, I was able to help multiple children in a similar way. It was very rewarding to know the things I was helping them with would eventually be a skill some of them would further develop in their own lifetimes.

Although I did not get to see the craft fair part of WinterFest, the town was beautiful and the people there were very kind to the group of volunteers I was with. Given the chance, I would certainly volunteer here again and strongly recommend volunteering to anyone who has not!

With a growing population of people who enjoy camping, it is no surprise that the camper industry is constantly manufacturing new models. Whether it holds a family of 5 or a single person, campers have become a new “home-away-from-home”.

One of the most recent and modern campers is the Bufalino Camper.

Designed for one, the Bufalino takes camping to a whole new level. Equipped with a cooking area, storage, a bed, this fuel efficient source of transportation is very popular with those who prefer to have the comforts of a functioning home on the go on a much smaller scale.

While the design is very practical and certainly ideal for one person, I do not fully believe this is the “way of the future” with campers. Most people go camping in larger groups and therefore need a larger form of transportation. However, I do believe it is possible to build a larger, more fuel efficient camper that could accommodate multiple people and be just as modern looking as the Bufalino.

While fumbling through the internet, I came across a very interesting company called “PLACE Houses” (click here). This company creates prefabricated homes that can be built anywhere on the spot within a considerably shorter time frame than a true home. Available in many different sizes and styles, PLACE Houses have the potential to appeal to just about anyone looking to move or build a home of their own.

PLACE Houses are not currently available anywhere just yet, but the company says they hope to be soon!

I think this is a very unique way to view architecture. While I am not always for prefabricated homes, the style of PLACE Houses is both modern and unique.

November is over. Overnight the whole world has shifted gears, preparing for what is perhaps one of the most cheery holidays of the year. Pretty soon the Christmas lights will be everywhere. For weeks, the world will glow with gratitude and giving. Red and Green will become acceptable colors to wear together again until New Years without anyone looking at you and feeling nostalgic for the holidays.

This set of complimentary colors tends to only be present around this time of year. Why?

There is a whole history behind Christmastime colors and many stories as well. For example, one source says we use those colors because a family decorated a tree with apples and paper roses early one in history. Another source explains that we use Red and Green due to religious events, “paradise plays”, and early advertising. (For more, click here.)

Regardless of how the iconic Christmas colors came to be, Red and Green play an important role in not only the winter season, but our studio studies as well.

Earlier in the month of November, we did a color study on complimentary colors and I chose Red and Green. While the project was interesting and certainly taught me more about complimentary colors, I couldn’t help but think of the Christmas season!

With winter weather (hopefully!) just around the corner, it made me wonder more about homes and heat…especially for homes in the colder areas of the world. I began wondering more and more about the igloo and how a structure usually made from snow and ice could actually retain heat. The architecture of an igloo, while it looks simple enough in pictures, actually follows a few laws of physics with its dome shaped roof. The weight of the dome, or roof, is offset by the walls of the igloo towards the ground foundation. Before the building of an igloo can begin, ice and snow must be found, cut, gathered, and carved to the right shape. When the igloo has been constructed and is ready for a person to live in, it may take some time before the living area heats up because the igloo relies on body heat to warm the area. “…even when the temperature outside is -50 degrees F (-46 degrees C), temperatures inside the igloo can go up to 60 degrees F …” (http://www.didyouwonder.com/how-does-an-igloo-stay-warm-inside/).

There are many industries in the North that run “Igloo Hotels” and “Igloo Getaways”. These igloos tend to be more eloquently designed and fancier than the traditional igloo. (Check it out here.)

While it would not be my first choice to visit (much less LIVE) in an igloo, the design traits they exemplify with their simple look and complex “behind the scenes” process is one we all can appreciate this cold winter season.