Jordan Plaut
Digital Content Intern
Jordan is the digital content intern for the summer of 2012. An aspiring writer and social media expert, he currently attends Colgate University in New York.
10 Smart Small Spaces
The ingenuity of architects and design-minded residents is often best showcased in designs for homes with less than ample square footage. These spatial savants found clever ways to circumvent confounding floor plans, and dark and closed off rooms, proving that a few smart moves—tearing down walls, adding adjustable partitions, and applying fresh coats of paint, among others—go a long way. Tour these 10 small spaces, ranging from a renovated apartment in Bratislava to an airy and Spartan home in a historic Brussels building to a shoebox-sized Seattle abode.
Pinterest Inspiration
Dying to see the digital content that inspires the editors, photographers, and designers of Dwell? Then look no further! From graphic design to food to fashion, Pinterest boards provide an exclusive window into the creative and cultural aspects of Dwell's modern perspective. We've put together 10 of our most inspiring and rapidly-growing boards to give you a sneak peek. Join us today, and we may "repin" you!
Top 10 Pinterest Design Boards
As a follow-up to Pinterest's top design boards, we've discovered 10 more boards that are leading the social scene in modern architecture and design. These boards are meant to inspire and to be shared—you might even spy a few pins from Dwell along the way.
Going Green Again
If going green at home was so simple, everyone would do it right? And though it makes sense in theory, actually bringing a sustainable plan to life is often easier said than done. Over the past few years, however, Dwell has charted the incredible progress of eco-friendly design and the people taking what are often drastic steps to improve their homes and lifestyle for a green future. With that in mind, let's take a look back at our recent past in preparation for the future.
Five Questions for Nitin Rao
Nitin Rao, along with Kaustuv DeBiswas, is co-founder of Sunglass, a cloud-based environment that aims to democratize design and provide an easy, user-friendly way to collaborate on 3D content. Launched in late May, Sunglass was selected as one of 6 finalists in the TechCrunch DISRUPT Battlefield (see the company's presentation here). We sit down with Rao to delve into the process behind Sunglass' creation and the future of digital design.
7 Tremendous Tree Houses
Symbolic of both blissful childhood and the threshold between humanity and nature, tree houses hold a unique position in the world of modern architecture and design. We take a look at some of the tree houses from Dwell's past that inspire us to compile childlike imagination and adult creativity into one balanced and complete package. Hopefully you'll be inspired, too.
Changing the Point
When Byron and Sue Henry began spending more time at their cozy lake cabin, they realized the existing layout no longer suited them or their two sons with growing families. So in late 2008, the Vancouver, Washington–based couple called Portland architect Michael Flowers and design partner Judson Moore of farm research and design to take charge of the remodel and expansion of their second home. Located on a secluded, half-acre hillside property overlooking Hayden Lake in Northern Idaho, the modern, 1,250-square-foot Henry Point cabin now boasts a fully-updated interior as well as an 830-square-foot loft addition that conveys a dichotomy of bright, alterable transitional spaces that engage the surrounding environment. The two, new independent living areas create a more comfortable multi-family experience.
With the aid of Byron's continuous input, Flowers and Moore were able to dramatically brighten the cabin's interior as well as enhance the relationship between the cabin and lake. "Byron was integral in the process from concept through building," Flowers says. "He allowed Jud and I the freedom to really get at what the place was about and find a balance between the existing and new while really anchoring the entire project back into the landscape. We really wanted everything to fit and feel together." The striking connection between house and land is accentuated by the fir, concrete, steel, and basalt used in the project, all of which were either locally produced or native to the area. In addition to being durable and low maintenance, these materials help mediate the wide variation in seasonal conditions at the lake edge. The result is a bright, adaptive cabin fit for Byron, Sue, and generations to come.
