IKEA Custom Residential Homes

Recently, an article was published on www.msn.com about a modular home designed by Ideabox. The home features 745 square feet and is completely furnished by IKEA. Currently, Godden|Sudik Architects, a leading Colorado Architecture Design firm, is designing a series of custom residential homes for the Denver, Colorado area with the same concept of using only IKEA products. All cabinets, vanities, media centers, etc.

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2012 NAHB International Builders Show

This year at the International Builders Show (IBS) Gary Godden will be presenting an educational session titled "Competing Against Foreclosures: Powerful Architecture and Land Planning Solutions that "Sizzle" for Distressed Properties". The lecture informs the audience of how to analyze their current properties and teaches them how to boost their curb appeal and attract buyers. 


Follow the link to read more about the lecture. http://www.buildersshow.com/Global/EventFrame.aspx?url=http%3A//ibs12.buildersshow.com%2F5_0%2Fsessions%2Findex.cfm%3Fst%3Dspeakers

Balancing Form and Function

Here is an interesting NPR Broadcast about the Denver Art Museum and the San Francisco Contemporary Jewish Museum. They discusses the form and function of the addition to the DAM and its design and how some people love what it adds to the Denver cityscape, while others feel that the building is an extreme example of using a celebrity architect to help create tourism within the city. They also discuss the form and function of the San Francisco Contemporary Jewish Museum and the differences between the two museums. Libeskins San Francisco museum seems to be more widely accepted by all and it can be argued that this is because of the two very different uses of the museums.  What do you think?


Click Here to Listen:
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=97965115&m=97983164

The 15 Best Housing Markets For The Next Five Years

Business Insider's Mamta Badkar merges data sources--the S&P/Case-Shiller and Fiserv--to assert that Business Insider has "combed through Fiserv's data and picked the best housing markets for the next five years." We're thinking we'll stick around until 2016, just to see if they're right.

Click Here to read more...

AIA Design Competition Results

AIA Denver and CAD-1, Inc. have partnered for the design-build competition for Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity located in Kittredge, Colorado. The project benefits Hazell and her son Titus. "Currently, Hazell and Titus live in a too-small cabin, and she works several jobs to support her son. She says she feels so blessed that she found Habitat for Humanity as she has always longed for a home and stability, especially now that she has her "miracle child.”

A multitude of individuals throughout the design industry teamed up to create innovative, energy conscious homes and the results were very impressive. The winning team consists of Molly Blakley, Assoc. AIA; Alan Ford, AIA; Kathy Ford, AIA; and Matt Weaver, Assoc. AIA. Alan Ford Architects P.C. is the Architect of Record. (Winning home shown above)

Click here to view images from all the entries.

$85,000 is needed for this project to become a reality and donations can be made at  GivingFirst.org

Check donations should be sent to Habitat for Humanity of Colorado (550 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Ste. 150, Lakewood, CO 80226) with AIA Denver in the memo line.

BUILDER'S 10 Favorite Houses of 2011

Builder has listed it's favorite homes for 2011 with categories ranging from Favorite Passive House (shown above), Favorite Traditional House to Favorite Organic House. Check out their article for some truly unique home designs!

Click here to read the full article.

10 Lifestyle Trends to Watch For in 2012

Looking for a niche to fill next year? These trends are likely to influence how consumers live for much longer than the next 12 months.

Living Smaller

While there’s danger in prognosticating which direction the housing market will take next, the fact that, according to the Urban Land Institute, boomers and their children, Generation Y, make up half the country’s population makes it a safe bet that these groups are likely to be strong drivers of where the housing market will need to go—and both those groups are positioned to be looking for something on the small side. Projections from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies indicate that persons living alone will make up the largest share of household growth for the foreseeable future, as boomers lose spouses to either death or divorce and as the rising generation finally moves out on their own. The trend also dovetails nicely with the green movement, given that smaller homes use less material to build and take less energy to condition. And then there’s always pure practicality: Smaller homes can cost less, which means there’s a greater chance the bank will approve that mortgage application.

Click here to read the full article by Builder