Life Edited

Yea, trehugger has reported about it... surely a great source for inspiration! http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/domestic-transformer.php

I agree with you. But this morning I found out that using the metric system ist possible at "sketch up". Unfortunately I am not able to tell you how. I started to work with that program just today.

AutoCad and Rhino supports SketchUp files and allows you to work in metrical system.

We also uploaded some new drawings today, just have a look at them!

Good to have some more information! But it hurts a bid to find out that there are so many differences when you compare the drawings. I estimate that the latest dwg-based drawings are more exactly. What about this funny pipe system. Everywhere there are tubes for water, heating, gas, air. The more I watch the plans the more installation pipes I find. Hope we can ignore them. Can we?

hey baseline, no, unfortunately you cannot ignore them: The vent, waste and domestic hot and cold water risers cannot be relocated. They already offset and replaced the hot and cold risers and that was really a one time deal.

The cast iron radiators can be eliminated if another source of heat is provided.

The heating hot water risers should be able to be offset 6” or so but we feel that the design should not hinge on offsetting these just in case it proves too expensive or difficult.

Under-floor radiant is an option but floor level with the hall needs to be kept in mind. If the finish floor level needs to be raised this needs to be detailed/coordinated with the hall floor height which is about the same level as the apartment’s floor height. Also if radiant floor system requires holes in the joists we will need to review design with a structural engineer as this is an old building and wood joists are often already overstressed in these situations.

@baseline. you can always design around them for instance putting small walls around them turning then into room dividers...

@brain4two...Sketchup files are in Imperial and Metric system at the same time by default. Just change the units from "architectural" to "decimal" in the options menu and you are ready to go!! ( the same if using Revit; but if you are using Autocad, 3D studio, etc, then is more complicated)

that does not work in Sketchup. I tried to change it, but it stays in imperial.

Hey vegter, do you have the german version of Sketchup? Go to: Fenster > Modellinformationen > Einheiten > dort Dezimal einstellen.

Hey Apaezv, it's a beeaaauuutiful area and especially the street is just gorgeous. It's located in Soho, which is a pretty "trendy" area, and it's not far from the lower part of the Broadway which is a bit touristic, but it's still far enough to not have the tourists linger in front of your door. In fact, Sullivan is a pretty calm street, with a couple of vintage boutiques, some restaurants and coffee shops. I'm having coffee there all the time ;) And once Keanu Reeves was walking by. So: young, hip, beautiful people all over the place. Comparable to Prenzlauer Berg, if you're familiar with Berlin. Did that help? I'll try to stop raving now ;)

Ok... now I'm the one who can't stop raving... I want to live there! Really helpful. Thank you very much.

Have a look at Google Street View here

thanks jblevinson

Thanks

Thank you Theographix, very helpful. As to the question on how to open the files: the sketch up file can be opened with Google Sketchup, whereas the DWG files are working with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or Indesign.

theographix, thanks, helpful! any chance you could share the files you made with us and we can post on the site for use by others?

Hey Theographix, maybe you can upload it to dropbox and share it with me? I could post it on our blog then...

I will

Check the blogpost: http://www.jovoto.com/blog/2010/11/inspiration-and-a-little-support-for-lifeedited/ Thanks again, Theographix!

hey thirdbase,

1. sorry for the confusion, it must be 9-12 cubicmeter, there was a 0 too much! I updated the briefing.

2. you can pull up the floorboards if you want - but of course you can't make a floor-through into the downstairs apt ;)

3. You have to include a heating system. Heating is steam heat - in NY, most buildings are, and it's central in the building. It also might be nice to have a way to control it via electronic valves.

Hope this helps.

ok thanx ... i asked myself if its possible to build a floor heating system beneath a mastic asphalt. That would include ca. 5cm new floor assembly. :( but i guess thats not really possible.

thirdbase, that sounds a little expensive... anyway, you can always experiment a little and see what the community's and jury's feedback looks like!

hey schoolaintsobad,

I asked graham what he liked - here you go with his reply: + I prefer modern, timeless design. + Minimal ornament. + Few if any knickknacks or clutter. + I like stuff hidden away. + I'm ok with materials with texture and patina. + Love white walls.

Later on, he will provide a link to stuff he likes, but for the meantime this is a great start to get an idea of his taste.

As to your 2nd question: Sketches free-hand are a great start, though you should try to work towards more finished drawings afterwards.

Good luck!

good question to get the focus of the room

And here we go again with Graham's answer: + He works a decent workweek from home so: that's probably what he does most in the apartment. + he doesn't have a tv but does watch some stuff online via netflix, itunes, youtube, comedy central etc. + he definitely likes having dinners for a bunch of people (despite not being much of a cook)

Re: your 2nd question - I'd be very curious to see how you'd make this kitchen disappear ;), but it's ok to just hide it.

Looking forward to your submission!

thanks so much for your help on getting this info! my mind is spinning...

(you've never seen a kitchen disappear?!)

I´ve come to this hipotetical distribution (by myself) of time:

The apartment could be...

...79% of the time an apartment for a single man or a couple. 290 days per year. ...11% of the time with guests staying. 40 days per year. 3 days per month. ...7% of the time a place for lounge reunions for friends. 24 per yer. twice a month. .... and 3% of the time a dining place for 12 friends or relatives. 12 days per year or once a month.

Would be nice to have Graham´s feedback on this assumption.

Saludos!!!

Back with Graham's feedback, he's a bit more social than your assumption ;) + 5 days guests + 18 nights for dinners.

OK!!! Thank you.

So...in the end it will be at least 70% of the time a Single guy or a couple apartment and home office. Also I am considering that a Dining night will be a whole day(24hrs), same with the guests and lounge reunions.

Alright!!

Submit some sketches! A floorplan and maybe a 3D interior drawing or two should get your point across just fine. Or maybe you can find someone who knows the software to collaborate with.

Hi Legalcrash, for those who doesn't work with AutoCad, it's easier to learn working with sketchup, in case you choose AutoCad I can give you some help.

hey discginge, there is no exact budget to stick to, but yes, it's meant to be reasonable such that it can be replicable for the "average new yorker". To quote Graham: "We don't want to get too concrete about it. Their time is better spent on ideas than worrying about an exact budget." So just go for it!

Thanks nsonne!

hey squalidsketch, unfortunately the flight is not included. However, New York is always worth a visit - and the flights are usually the cheapest thing of the whole trip ;)

So don't let us hang in there - we're still waiting for family force patrick ;)

hey bcgg23232, the vent, waste and domestic hot and cold water risers cannot be relocated. The cast iron radiators can be eliminated if another source of heat is provided. So - yes, you can move or eliminate the radiators, but the riser pipes that provide the heat into the radiators can't be moved... The apartment needs to have heat, so if it isn't the radiator it should be radiant in-floor heat, electric etc.

nsonne,

I am very curious about those pipes. They inside the apartments; maybe for temperature reasons....is it possible to propuse a new route inside the apartment.

After all when the new plumbing fixtures will be installed.. those pipes and maybe the whole building piping system willhave to be closed....for maybe 24hrs.

So, depending of the local building code and the apartment management regulation, if we are installing new fixtures...we can insall new piping routes.

However...on a second thought. To relocate the Hot and cold water will have a low cost...but any change in the route of the waste water and ventilation pipes will have a very high cost.

So, It doesn´t matter if we get any permit to make any change in teh pipe system...in the end it would be expensive...and not worthy. i´ll change my design to fit the existing pipes inside the apartment.

Ok ;)

And have a look at the outcome of this apparently really inspiring session: http://vimeo.com/17168330

I asked Graham - he doesn't think ada applies in this case.

Not to harp on this but... Ive never known an apartment renovation to not require it. Perhaps a code consultant or expediter should be called in? or you can just hire me as your architect and drop the contest. kidding kidding.

Well, there is no elevator shaft shown neither in the pictures nor the autocad files.

So if the building needs to comply with ADA...to add an elevator will be the first step. However if anyone can design a "ADA ready" apartment will be a good idea. Maybe I will post and ADA version of mine.

In my experience there comes a time when the job of the building/interiors deigner cannot fix all the needs of wheelchairs/strollers/stretchers...we need better "all-terrain" designs for these devices also.

Mmmmm....I am curious...ADA does not includes bicycles...am I right?

Guys, don't hold yourself up with that please - as usual, this contest is about ideas and inspiration and not about a already finalized design - if necessary, the winning design will be tweaked so it meets ADA requirements. If you want to follow Yair's suggestion to submit an "ADA ready" version of your design as well, that's great but it is not mandatory to provide that. Thanks!

very cool! my idea r:evolution is all about sliding walls. but thinking how to move large slabs of glass safely and easily is the challenge.

I agree, the spec of the new windows will be very useful. please submit it if possible.

hey guys, we're planning on using bieber windows - they make beautiful wood frame windows, euro style with heavy rugged frames. Have a look here.

Sweet! those look like good double glazed windows!...thanks Nathalie!

hey tomasowa, the abbreviation [wj] means "wall joist". Moreover, above it are tongue + groove boards and below it is gypsum.

thermal mass is a great energy equalizer - enclosing in glass could capture heat or cold as needed - even for exterior walls - any restriction is just silly and counterproductive

Nsonne, What exactly do you mean by air sealed? Coated with a sealant to stop any airflow through holes in the brick? If so, an other option would be to re-point any necessary air leaks.

Ideally, thermal mass should be exposed to direct sun in winter and shaded in summer. This does not appear to be an option here (with the existing brickwork) as the construction drawing provided indicates a timber stud wall on the party wall to the adjacent flat (north of the Sulivan Street windows). Exposing the party wall to the adjacent building (oposite the door as you enter) will act as a heat sink.

This will be advantageous in summer as it will be shaded and could be used to damp the effects of heat sources like electronics. However, it will suck heat in winter. Assuming the room on the other side of it is a heated apartment, this issue is reduced.

Also of information: to achieve a U-Value or 0.1 (I think that is about R60 for the USA) we will need to provide 8 inches (200mm) of expanded foam insulation or about double that in natural fibre insulation. That is the insulation standard generally considered "super insulated" (in the UK at least). Nsonne, is this inline with what Yourself and Graham where thinking?

I disagree. With expanded foam insulation and other fiber based insulation material...there is no exponential or linear improvement in acoustical and /or thermal insulation beyond 4" thickness. That is why there is no insulation deck on the market thicker that 5 1/2" or 6"...... 4" of thermal mass of these materials is more than enough.

You won´t get the double of insulation by increasing from 4" to 8". The increment will be about a 15-20% of the insulation factor and you will have doubled your investment in insulation material....Also the outer face of the insulation won´t be in contact with the enviroment...we have the brick walls for that!!!

In walk in freezers that my company built we use 4" expanded foam with aluminum panels and you cannot get more insulated than that. It is the same for our Canada units and Florida. And we get a pretty good energy performance.

My previous disagreement was with Alex...not with Nsonne.

However....Nsonne, i think we need the insulation in the north sidewall for acoustical insulation...we don´t know how much noise the neighbor will make....or stand from Graham.

Hi Yair,

I agree the improvement in insulation is not linear. The depths I gave may be a little on the conservative side. However, here is an example of 300mm insulation between masonry leafs used on the BedZed sustainable housing development England.

http://www.bioregional.com/files/media/image/Gallery/bedzed_insulationthickness.jpg

Their U-values are around 0.1

The off-the -shelf products are often not more than 4" (100mm) thick, however it is common practice to simply use more than one panel/batt thick when more insulation is needed. In the image of BedZed, two 6" (150mm) as used together.

What did you mean by the insulation not being in contact with the environment?

I guess they are walking in systems similar to Sun Frost units? Are they off-grid units? What U-values do you get?

One option with the north wall might be to put a couple of inches of insulate on it and then use brick slips to give you a little exposed mass that will get direct sunlight. Although limited.

Alex

Alex,

1. What I mean is that the brick wall will be the one in contact with the environment. According to the plans provided we have a brick layer of 8" thick. and then our insulation proposal. Once the brick layer is sealed; we will get an important thermal mass for insulation.

2. No, not quite similar to Sun frost units. More like a typical freezer but used a walk in freezer.

3. U-value ( I suppose is Thermal transmittance) lower than 0.25 (m2 per °C)

regards.

Y.

Thanks for your response.

Re 3. Yes, that the ones. U values are W/m²K. In the UK around 0.2 U-value is the required minimum for building insulation.

Exactly! Go ahead, post the first drafts of your idea and benefit from the community's advice to optimize it!

New York City commands the best fresh food from all over the world - they are available within walking distance of most neighborhoods - as are all manner of delis with superb prepared foods of every ethnicity - there is really no need for long term storage - it is one of the great assets of the city - specialty butchers and fishmongers abound as do bakeries and fresh fruits and vegetables - and most deliver.

Looking at the photos posted on flicker (see above), the heating pipes on the street side are in the very corners of the room. The height of the ceilings vs. windows in the SketchUp drawing may be a little off too. I suspect the moral of the story might be in the need to insulate those walls, and thus hide those pipes, wherever they may truly be. Cheers! -joshua ... p.s. Looking at the "just for permits" drawing makes a little envious. That is uber minimal. :) Back to the drawing..um.. window. Take care!

Looking at the diagrams again. I can see that I was confused about just which room the corner photos were taken in. I had them mixed up. In the plan, the space between the radiators on the street side contains a wall, at present.. :) Sorry for any added confusion...

hey vulariter, you're right, the hot water and cold water risers were relocated as the old ones was corroded and leaking. The DWG files reflect the current location. hope this helps? sorry for the confusion..

Hey Siko, of course you're eligible! Go ahead, we look forward to seeing your submission!

left-handed actually! although am quite ambi.

sweet! i was hoping so! this is all importan stuff! :)

You get it.

Thanks

Even with the rerouting of the plumbing? The pipes serve as good constraints in this competition. The more constraints, the more fun it is! :)

Oh yes :-)

Constriants are a good challenge for creativity.

Cool Joshua :-)

Hey, Team...

I just spent some time making an exact model of the most common of American shipping pallets: the Grocery Manufacturers' Association (GMA) 48 x 40 pallet.

SketchUp file:

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=e60ef5f5be5edc6b3042b2c755354639&prevstart=0

render:

http://assets0.jovoto.com/idea_attachments/401314/pallet02_bigger.png

Here are the specs:

http://www.summerfordpallet.com/images/pallet.png

My designs currently use upcycled pallets/skids.

http://www.jovoto.com/contests/life-edited/ideas/9845

It seemed prudent to share with others. Let's make something not yet imaginable out of these things! They are sometimes hard to dismantle, without breaking some slats. Some people have even built houses out of 'em.

http://staticimg.openbuildings.com/building1853/media/media_44333.jpg

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/at-austin/look-shipping-pallet-house-austin-060707

Cheers! -joshua

All,

I'm obsessed with finding uses for these pallets. I'm working on useful ways to easily section them without removing the nails. Check it out! I came up with many more while the video was encoding and such...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwdf7Yo_kNU

Please let me know what you think.

-joshua

Oh.. Be sure to click 720p video for a more enjoyable experience. :)

I took your suggestion, and emailed them. It seems that model exist in other formats. We're discussing format converters.

Thanks for the kind words and awesome ideas! I'll post here, if anything magically shows up in the 3D warehouse. :-)

-joshua

I recommend also www.formfonts.com....it is not free but they have good quality in their models and seamless textures.

Saludos, Y.

EARTHARCHITECT, I agree!!

Fashion, trends and styles come and go very often. Quality stays. And in the green bulding industry...buildings should last; AND if a building should last then it should be worth to keep it and maintain.

Saludos,

Y.

I think that what's said with "will the design look good in 25 years" is in line with the whole idea of the contest - the design itself has to be some kind of sustainable! That is, you shouldn't hunt short-living trends Graham/people would get sick of after one year - just ask yourself if your design is something people would still want to live in 25 years from now - with not more than minor changes. So, YES it is about quality, as well as aesthetics that don't just base on contemporary trends.

Yes!!

And may I add that if something is beautiful (aesthetic) then we will always try to keep it for a long time.

Y.

I would count on few changes to the facade. The lightwell side (west) may have more options. I should think we can have something poke through the wall there (no need for window).

hey alexandersimple, if your 2nd idea is only slightly different, that is bases on the same approach and can be seen as the evolution of your 1st idea, then it's better to submit them as one entry. If you have detailed questions on how to do that just contact me via private message!

Exactly because of the valuable feedback - let the other's have a look at your idea before you finalize it, get their opinion, let them help you improve your idea!

ok thank you!

I'm also wondering what plans Graham has for insulating the ceiling. Given a bare floor to ceiling height of 9'2, does he intend to insulate the floor of the apartment above him (put insulation between existing floor joists) or does he wish to run another layer below the existing ceiling? (I'm not speaking about the false ceiling, as I can see it is worthless.)

I would suggest insulating between the existing floor joists, so that any plans for a raised floor can meet code. If 8 feet is the minimum ceiling height (as it should be), then a raised floor of no more than 1 foot 2 inches seems possible (including any flooring or other subflooring).

1'2" is enough to stow away things the thickness of a mattress. :)

Thanks, Joshua

That makes sense. Looking at the photos, hopefully they can match the other windows in being a different color inside than outside (while still being efficient).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamhill/4864427298/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamhill/4863807813/in/photostream/

:-)

six stools in a cube! very useful, thank you. now to make the 3D model of it... :)

I hope Graham wants to have a two/three-in-one unit. In Germany there are microwaves with convection oven and even grill.

hey iLINES, do you know what brand? would it be a Siemens? Bosch? Miele? something else?

thanks in advance

this one can even bake bread ; ) (but unfortunately it doesn't look so good) http://www.worldshop.eu/worldshop/product/wscatalog/1737298/detail.jsf?lang=en&et_cid=5&et_lid=8

I sugest in my project a compact oven with integrated microwave. It's more like a microwave appliance with 10 cooking functions. I think the brand is not so important, although [ I've attached that to my layout ] as long as the quality, function + design(the look) is good. What do you think?

I did some research on that LG solardom too...BUT beware...it is an Energy Sucker...2700w when using the light roasting mode.

I recommend you guys check www.metaefficient.com and search for "efficient kitchen" article...I did and i used their recomendations for some design ideas in my LifeEdited Idea.

Saludos amigos!!

Y.

Cool! But this solutions mostly take as much space or even more than "standard products"

Coool!!!

you rock mama!

Nice.

Yes, I do ;) The submission deadline is January 17th, the rating deadline January 24th!

Nice!!

Hi alexander,

Actually you can get the permit to change the door size and shape...but i should recommend to you to explore the possibility of having a step right after the door.

I saw your idea (A Solution for Everything). I think a little hall/foyer with the building corridor finished floor level and then one or two steps into the new 12" height will be nice. Or maybe a ramp.

Design, explore...Good luck!!

Buen trabajo!!

Yair.

thanks Yair,

i think i'm looking for an answer from Nathalie or Graham on this one, still..

theoretically, it's possible, but it could alter the structural integrity of the building. so i need to know if i can have a design like that. thanks!

OK!! You can send them a direct message and maybe then share their response.

Saludos,

Y.

hey alexandersimple and yair, I checked back with Graham and his answer is as follows: Co-opapproval is required for changes to the corridor. Co-ops typically want to keep a consistent hallway look. However, there is no code reason why we could not do it.

thanks for the thorough response, Nathalie. i appreciate it. :)

Ok! thanks Nathalie!

...also a Co-opapproval is a great way to meet you neighbors!!! (for good and for bad)

Y.

hey barbara82, of course you can submit ideas as a group and we encourage everybody to do so. There are just some things you have to keep in mind as to fair rating and how to state that you work as a group - you'll find the answers here: http://support.jovoto.com/kb/ideas/collaboration

We apologize, we're aware of this issue and working hard to fix that issue. It should not taker longer than a couple of hours though - if it's still encoding after more than 24h please upload it again and remove the encoding one. By the way, PNG is usually working best...

Also...try JPG below 1900x1080 w/72dpi resolution...after all there is no computer screen with bigger resolution than that (and also the webpage and the browser wont let you use the full screen, not that you need it) . Files like these should no t be bigger than 1.5mb.

:-)

Saludos, Y.

brain4two - it worked!! thank you - your name says it all

hey magcc, sorry for that, we did have some problems with the dashboard last week but now it should work again.

Ok. Next time - still working on the life edited contest :-)) - I'll try to take brain4two's advice as well.

Hi leoando,

In my opinio...That could be a high cost ($) job. Maybe you should use the door position as a challenge.

Y.

i don't think it's feasible to move a door in an apartment setting. i've had experience with "deleting" a door, which is what happens when a person buys two apartments and combines them. deleting was always fine, but shifting a door in a 60+ year old building seems like it would not be allowed.

but of course, that was just... 'IMHO'

I think you can move the door if there is a great reason.

hey leoando, yair and alexandersimple are right, it's rather not possible - it's hard to move a door in an old building, moreover it's going to be expensive and we try to keep the costs reasonable... so please try to avoid moving the door...

Alex,

What is IMHO?

imho = in my humble opinion

OK tks!..lol

Hey bert. Yes, a new Dutch movie. But whats the connection with this contest? :)

It´s totally filmed in a loft.

Hello Aleksa,

Maybe that´s what Graham wants to see..."our version of a jewel box", "plenty of ideas of what could be a jewel box to anyone. Don´t you think? :)

Saludos, Y.

Hey Alex,

We don't know if it helps, but there are some answers about the sink, monitor, etc. in the Mandatory Requirements on lifeedited.treehugger.com/learn.html.

And this is personal, but we love the diversity of interpretations. : )

Cheers,

RS

thanks:) i hope it will help

I meant jewelbox in terms of something small but of high quality. Something well thought out, customized to the person living there, thoughtful. A huge mcmansion may have lots of space but there is often little thought put into the details...it feels like a big, empty symbol. A small, well thought out space with high quality materials, detailing and thoughtful design could feel like a special little jewelbox...hope that helps. gh

Thank you for the response. I just saw some responces on blog about few issues so altogether it helped me to understand it better.

Alex

Wow!...never thought of Mcmansions that way...I always that they were merely a bad design of the abundance concept.

Thanks Graham! :)

Y.

Hello

Thanks for response. Well yes it is sort of like that , but let's say for myself I cant imagine using same water sink for toilet and kitchen but let's asume Graham would like that? We are doing this competition for him not for some hypotetical person.

Yair, agree!

One of the questions, "Will this design get people to consider living in this type of space?" is basically (already) answered on our individual levels.

Competition can be closed. : )

Well, and design is never truly objective ... is it?

RS

Human beings adapt to the spaces they are in, not the other way around - our job is to create the finest space we can in the context given - and likes the mandatory requirements are irrelevant to that - in face anything mandatory stifles deign - for example Graham hates books and clutter and smooth surfaces - yet to design well in small specs books and clutter an hand carved details are essential tools to make small spaces livable - what else do you think of when you say jewel box -

Graham apparently has no children, and he has the wonderful energy of youth to solve all problems by fiat - but when your 5 year old grandchild spends a whole day making you a little doll house out of wood you will proudly display that and love the clutter.

Aleksa,

That is exactly what I mean. In your case there are some ideas from you as a designer that fit with Graham´s need or desires....but I t doesn´t with yours.

Let me share you something, I am moving and i am looking for a place to rent...I was looking for something around the 800sqft...but now after designing in LifeEdited I see 600sqft like a lot of space for me, even with a girlfriend or a roomate!!

Thanks for sharing.

Y.

RenderSupply / Eartharchitect,

You are right about how our work as designers is so complicated (and fun). "Design is (never truly) objective" I like that!

EArch,

I don´t think Graham hates books...maybe he just don´t use them anymore because of ebooks...that happens to me right now but i cannot "get rid off" harware books yet! not that i want to!.

what else do I think of when you say jewel box???mmmm...let me share you this to answer that question. On this year xmas gift exchange I wrap my gift with a cookies used box and a nice wrapping of the office used 11x17" printed project plans. I liked the way I wrapped something valuable (a gift (the jewel)) with something recycled (the wrapping(the jewelbox))

Jewel Box= Something nice/beautiful to keep a surprise/gift. Store value with something valuable.

thanks for making that question.

Y.

This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to see from this contest!!

"I was looking for something around the 800sqft...but now after designing in LifeEdited I see 600sqft like a lot of space for me, even with a girlfriend or a roomate!!" -Yair

I am absolutely doing this to try to get people to think about living smaller.

I don't hate books. I really like them. But I think we need a fraction of them. And that ebooks can be very convenient and lower footprint if done right. I would love to see books get a lot of use though...one that sits on your shelves for decades and is never opened is a lot different from one in the library.

HaHa!!! :-)

And I used to think this way:

"Less=Less ; More=More ; Less is good; More could be good" ...now...i understand more about Less=More.

Again...Gracias Graham!

Y.

love the approach.

i am definitely into fewer and better. everything that can nest should.

i do like an office area versus the couch.

:)

i got rid of 80% of my books (not easy) and am a big kindle user. saves a ton of space, gives you instant gratification and allows you to bring your library with you when you go walkabout.

belated merry christmas to you, too!

...sorry i forgot this one:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20311038_20687687,00.html

aaaaand this one:

http://www.compact-concepts.com/englisch/index.html

probably not. and best to focus energy elsewhere. thx gh

Good feedback here. No stone left unturned at this point. Its too bad that even Graham has realized that to 'compete' one needs to create renderings, and that the best ideas can be swept away by a flood of eyecandy.

In my humble opinion:

It is shame that great ideas are not translated into a reality....and come on!!...a photorealistic render is the best-and-most-economic way to get close to a reality.

Sketchup is free and a good renderer is not really expensive....if this not an option...than some great painting skills are also great!!!

Lets bring great ideas into an eyecandy image also!!

Y.

... I agree on boath opinions. The solution might be to take some time for voting and thinking about the fundamental ...

> Lifeable > Viable > Beautiful > Sustainable

... regards

The problem with the photorealistic rendering is that often it distorts reality, and does not reflect how a space is truly occupied or experienced, so it never really gives you a sense of what a space is. See the entry by UrbanLABB and my comment for an example of an impossible space - a concept that renders well but could never be experienced in such a meaningful manner. Space is experienced with far more than the eyes.

Cushicle,

Yes, i see what you mean. Well, in my opinion you have to keep it honest. and the best wat to keep it honest in architecture is that you really have to propuose ideas worth of becoming real. Sometimes we as designer have amazing ideas that we created with our hand on paper or ina a computer...and we feel insipired to keep them even if they are not possible.

A succesful designer should be the one that foucus in the aspects that make things great when they become real (and also these are the things that helped to become more than a concept) and not the "look' it has in early concepts.

I'm totally with you both.

Y.

I think insulation is not a big deal...If you are going to insulate...then substract 4" on each side of the interior dimensions...and that´s it.

You won´t get a better insulation (maybe only acoustical) beyond that thickness (4").

Y.

one layer of 2x4's plus drywall = 4". a good safe number

Ok guys, here we go with the ultimate answer to that question:

The front and back walls, that is to say the walls in contact with the outdoors, should be insulated. But the distinction here is between 'insulation' and 'superinsulation'.

if there is too much insulation applied to the inside of an existing brick wall, the wall gets cold enough that it encounters moisture problems. the wall naturally picks up some water from rain, and it may also pick up some condensation from moisture in the indoor air, despite good efforts to keep that air away from the wall. because the wall is cold, the condensation potential is higher. and because the wall is colder, it also takes longer to dry. too much water in the wall can lead to freeze/thaw cycles, which turn the wall into dirt.

according to the best research we have to date, 4" of dense packed cellulose is OK for masonry walls in new york city. so we insulate, and because the apartment has very little exterior wall, this is enough to give excellent performance.

and yes, all four walls should be air sealed.

Only 5 days left to enter and modify your submissions! Good luck for the final spurt!

i completely agree. i've found myself thinking about 'what would the community like' vs 'what would Graham like'.

it would be great to get diverse jury feedback. :) this is a great point.

agreed! will be really hard. fyi, we are pushing jury to comment more. and i'm sure there will be a bunch of comments later during the judging period.

@cassar: i think that the old model of one contest winner is over nowadays. I think that the chances to leverage one participant entry other than winning something in this contest are available as never before in time.

For instance: I will be interested in hiring you if you entry in jovoto is cool even if it didn´t win anything....even if you were #79 of 88 entries.

Your entry will be posted in jovoto as long as you want (or jovoto.com lasts)...now tell me...isn´t that valuable ;)

Y.

Well yes... Except maybe ill hire you! :)

Ok...we have a deal!!

LOL.

Y.

Yes, but it would have been amazing to have from all of them some feedback earlier. Maybe next time :)

Y.