Akron Museum of Art

This last weekend a friend of mine, Nick Hill and myself took a little architectural weekend trip (I will probably have to blog about it more later). From this trip we happened up to Akron, Oh and saw the new Museum addition by Coop Himmelblau. This project is their first public building in the US. Coop is known for their avant guard design over in Europe and they didn't pull any punches with this one.

What was great was that we took lots of pictures. From that I have had two sources use some of the images for their websites/blogs. The first is a blog called Archidose (see the blurb HERE with my pic). Archidose basically does daily updates on different and new architecture being built. It has brief info. on modern designed buildings and is a great resource for Google Earth placemarks.

The other website that has used my images from my Akron visit is www.architectureweek.com, an online weekly architecture magazine. I was approached earlier in the week for permission to use some of my images for an article they were writing. I might be one of the few, so far, that has any images up on the web for this building, as it just opened on the 17th. Anyhow, you can check out the article, which gives some good information on the building, and check out some of my images they used.

If you want direct access to my photo set of the Akron Museum of Art check out my Flickr photo set.

Shooting Models

So after I finally made my DSLR purchase I figured it was time to get out and check the Atlanta Flickr community. One of the off=shoot groups from the Atlanta Flickr Group is the Atlanta Photographers Guild(APG).

The APG is mostly about getting together down at the Elliot Street Cafe/Pub and shooting a couple of models. Two weeks ago was my first time and I wasn't sure what to expect. I have never really shot people in a portrait/modeling way and so it was a first time experience for me, and I had a blast. Also, the people were great and it is a very fun group. I only knew one person before going and so it was great to meet other people with interest in something I am becoming more in love with - Photography.

Anyhow, here are a few images from the shoot that came out for me. I was really struggling with using my flash and dealing with low and now natural light. I took about 200+ shots and maybe 10 were worth doing something with. Thank goodness for Photoshop :)

Condo Floor revisited...

A while back I made a post about redoing my condo floors with slate and a "fake" wood flooring. Well I got the wood down and slate but months went by before I actually put the finishing touches on everything. I finally got around to grouting the slate about 3 weeks ago and getting in the rest of the quarter round. All I have left now is the put the final coat of sealer on the slate flooring and the last trim molding piece between my sun room and living room floors.

Here are a couple of shots I took the other evening of the floors...

This one is from the entry foyer and the transition to the wood flooring. Gotta love how dogs shed hair. I can never keep up :)



And here is the flooring transition from the sun room to the living room. After I seal the slate here I will have a mold piece just like in the image above. Sorry for the sideways view. My camera had auto-rotate on (I hate that option).

Cool Views & More

Just recently I switched places of employment (you can read about it HERE). My new office of this new job is in Midtown Atlanta. Fortunately we are afforded with a great view of the city and can see right down Peachtree Street. With the view I have become more and more conscience of what is happening with Atlanta's development.

One great resource I came across a while back is the Atlanta Metroscapes forum. The forum was started by an enthusiastic high schooler; and soon to be in his first year of college. What is fantastic about the site is its wealth of information about what is happening in the South and specifically Atlanta. So if you have a spare minute or two check it out, and I promise you will see so much of what is happening with Atlanta's growth right now you'll lose an hour before you know it :) .

The image I wanted to post is from our office at night. Below in the image to the bottum left is the 1010 Midtown project (which I am taking pics of weekly). This will be a big first step in the realization of the Midtown Mile (a million square feet of retail space along the Peachtree corridor from North Ave. to 17th Street.

Whats this blog thing again?

Yep... been a while again... Life just keeps getting in the way...

Anyhow, I really want to start making more posts to my blog. I really need to update some things and share some stuff. So, to start, here is the most exciting thing that has happened to me in recent days... I got a DSLR... Woohooo!!! finally!

I have been holding off for some time now until I knew I had the money to pay cash for one. Well, I found a good deal and was able to do a 6 months no interest deal - but the kicker is I will have the cash by August as it is the "magic" month (in case you have no idea what I am talking about, you get two months a year, if you get paid every other week, that have three paychecks in them. If you budget and work it out you can do some damage with those two paychecks :) Anyhow, I digress...

Say Cheeze!!!

New Employer

I haven't updated this thing in a while. Well, I've been busy...

Just before Christmas I starting looking around Atlanta for potential new employment. After 3 interviews I decided to go with an architecture firm based out of Destin, Fl called DAG Architects.

About a year or so ago they opened an Atlanta office. While discussing a job change with a former classmate he brought up the potentials of this new office and how there were some interesting opportunities. In the end I discovered I was ready to work in a smaller office environment, and also a less restrictive one too. The opportunities with DAG's Atlanta office seemed like the best fit for what I was looking for.

Currently our offices have been in Buckhead (link to a panoramic taken from our office space), but that will be changing shortly, as we will be moving to Midtown in the very near future.

The image I posted is a sketch/test rendering of a condo beach design I was working on about a month ago. Currently I am working on a new hospital design for a sleepy beach town in Florida that might become the next big vacation getaway in the coming years.

Google 3D Collections

I was contacted by Google Sketchup if I would be interested in starting a 3D collection group for Atlanta. Since I had already built and uploaded a ton of models to the 3D Warehouse I figure "why not?". So, now the MAP is an official group and collection apart of the user created communities of Google and 3D Warehouse.

This link for the Modeling Atlanta Project Group is an invite only discussion group about the modeling project. This link for the Modeling Atlanta Project 3D collection is where the models are located within the 3D Warehouse datadase.

With this new group established I am hoping to add more user models to the project so that Atlanta can really start taking some shape. If you are interested in contributing any models just shoot me an email.

Two New additions to MAP

Better Late than never... I actually modelled these about a week or so ago but forgot to mention and add links to them via my blog. The first one is the "Atlantic Center Plaza" buliding designed by Smallwood Reynolds. this building is part of the Atlantic Center complex which also includes the "One Atlantic Center" designed by Phillip Johnson. One more building is proposed for the office building complex and has been designed by Handel Architects.

The second building is the Mellineum Midtown building which sits at West Peachtree and 10th Street. this building is an odd one as it has it's loading docks on 10th street, a major East/west road through midtown, and then its main entry is on the backside of the building facing it's parking deck. Architecturally it isn't really anything special, using a combination of metal panelling, brick, and glass, and has a spire element on the corner of the building at the street intersection.

Here are the links to the models on 3DWarehouse:
Atlantic Center Plaza
Mellineum Midtown

SMyrna's Market Village

Just recently I had made comments to another blog on "lifestyle centers" by C. B. Whittemore (see blog here). In this commentary, and after she asked me for images related to my comments on Smyrna's Market Village, I realised I hadn't been down there to take any pictures. This seemed odd, as I was involved in the master planning of the project, and that I live just over a mile from it. So, I decided yesterday afternoon that I would go down, once the sun started to set, and take some pictures.

What I thought was funny was that I thought I wouldn't have much to shoot. I am much more into modern design and modern architecture. I don't hate traditional, but I just see too much of it done very very poorly. Anyhow, I was pleasantly suprised that I really enjoyed shooting the village and its traditional architecture. You can view my Flickr photo set of the Village HERE.

Now, if your not familiar with the Village and you live in the Atlanta area you need to give it a visit. there are shops, restaurants, and they are always having festivals and stuff there. It has become a really great place. The city of Smyrna's municuple facilities can be found here too (planned and design by Sizemore Group). City Hall, the main library, the cities community center, and the police station, all within walking distance of each other. This development has won some urban planning national awards and is a fine example of how a small town or community can recapture a city center.

MAP - Graves Building

So, I have had some time to kill this weekend and decided to build another model for my Modeling Atlanta Project. This building is in Midtown Atlanta and is just south of Tenth Street along West Peachtree. The building was designed by Michael Graves and was completed in 1989. It stands as a "post-modern" landmark in Atlanta and is one of only two projects designed by Graves. There is a sense of permanence about this building and it has held up very well in its 17 year existence. Find out a bit more about the building HERE. Also, you can see some pictures of the building on my Flickr page HERE.

the 3D Warehouse link:
Ten Peachtree Place

Modeling Atlanta Update

It has been a while since I have done any MAP Models. I think July actually. Well, I've been busy :) Anyhow, this one is called Two Midtown Plaza and was design by the architecture firm of Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart Stewart & Assoc. These guys have done a lot of design work in Atlanta, some OK and some not so good. There is a second building to this complex but I will have to get to that later.

As I have mentioned before, and if you are coming by my blog and are hearing othis for the first time, I am hoping for others to jump on-board and do other models in the Atlanta area and add them to MAP (Modeling Atlanta Project). When you create a model and are putting in the info about the model for the 3D Warehouse just make sure to add the "Modeling Atlanta Project" tag Thats all I ask. You can view the models I have created so far to get an idea of the level of detail that the model should have.

Here is the direct 3d Warehouse link:
Midtown Plaza

Edit: I have added the second tower to the Midtown Plaza complex which is available in 3d Warehouse. 11-19-06

Below is a snapshot from Google Earth of the project so far. All midtown buildings at this point. Now off to enjoy the rest of my Friday evening, preferably not on my computer...

My first "guest blog" article

Recently I had a message from C. B. Whittemore (mentioned in an earlier post)that I had one of my images being used for a blog article discussing Atlantic Station. I made some comments (you can see these at the end of CB's article on Atlantic Station I linked to) in regard to her article about my opinions on the new development here in the Atlanta area. CB seemed intrigued with my ideas on planning and urban design and asked me to elaborate on some of my comments. After doing this she asked if she could publish the comments as a "guest poster" on her blog site. I agreed and she has made that post "live" as of Monday the 13th of November. You can check out the article HERE.

This interaction with CB and the whole Blogging thing has really been interesting. I have had some other contacts regarding my opinions in the article and other possible discussions on city planning and development. We will see if that goes anywhere. I have definetly caught the bug...

Project underconstruction

I just learned this week that a project I was involved in, during the design phase, is under construction. This will be the first building I have had a heavy hand in designing that will be built since graduating from school and joining CDH partners. Unfortunetly I didn't get a chance to have more influence in the document process but from what I have seen the design intent has been kept from our original design and I think this building will turn out to be a nice addition to the current church campus.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center

Just down the road from my condo is a new building rising along I-75 in the cumberland Mall/Galleria area. I hadn't heard about it until I saw the construction starting, as I frequently drive by the area. The building was designed by Smallwood Reynolds and has involvement with the Facilities Group, two firms not neccessarily known as "design" firms. So far I have been impressed with what I am seeing so far, as you can see from a few of the pictures I am posting along with this blog, and wonder, even though the building isn't being done by a starchitect that it will garner any respect in the architecture world. I will look forward to seeing more as the building gets closer to completion and will share images of the process from my Flickr page. You can see more about the building HERE.


So far I would say that this building has the potential to be a landmark building in Atlanta. It has a presence about it, from its context, that is Disney Hall-ish. Now I am not saying that the building has the ground-breaking aesthetic or methods of construction that Disney had, but what I am saying is that the presence of the building seems to respond, in its form and relationship to its surroundings like Disney (though in a much different kind of context). It seems foreign from its context, yet seems to belong too. If you live around Atlanta or are heading through definetly drive by and check it out, I think it is worth your while.

My images on the web

I got a comment via one of my photos on my Flickr site today. The comment had a link and mentioned that that particular image was used in a blog talking about the Atlantic Station development in Atlanta, Ga. Anyhow, it was cool to see others liking my photos and the article that the image is apart of is worth a read. You can check it out HERE

Webpage - Portfolio section

I have added more content to my website the last few weeks. The latest section I have added is the 'portfolio'. This section of the site is basically a control panel that will link you to all the work I have done from my college years to the present. Take a look and see if you see anything good :)

Wizum.com Live

So what are you waiting for? go check it out... www.wizum.com

I got myself some free webhosting from Godaddy.com and have gotten my webpage up on the net... Finally!!!

The site is basically a "table of contents" that will act as home base for all my stuff on the web... my Flickr site, this blog, and other content that will be apart of the page itself... The one big reason I have decided to start this page is to have a place to put online a database of info and links to architecture throughout the world, via KMZ files (bookmarks for Google Earth)... What is great about these KMZ files is that not only you do you get a quick location on the Earth to a particular spot, you can attach weblinks and images to the placemark. This creates a great way of providing information on a particular place or building. Anyhow, you will be able to find these in the section called "architecture"... which is not up yet, but stay tuned :)

Portfolio updating

I Realised after reviewing some of my portfolio work, mainly from my school years, that I hadn't finished uploading several images from my 3rd year of work. These images were of my weather center design located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in Kill Devil Hills. If you ever get a chance to see this area don't miss it, very beautiful and a great place to visit.

This design was supposed to be submitted for a design competition when I was back in school but I never got around to submitting it. Oh, the missed opportunities :) Never the less I have always liked this design and really learned a great deal from it back in the day. So, go to my Flickr photo set and check it out in detail. I have images showing the full development of the design from intial concept sketches, study models and drawings, and the final presentation work I submitted at the end of the semester.

You can see the photo set here: Weather Center Design

Turner chapel photo visit

I have known about this building since way back in school (mid to late 90's) but yet I never made it over to it. As I met a fellow architect I was in school with to find a house by the same architects I decided to stop by on my way home to take a look at this building. To my suprise, as I had only seen a couople of images, the building was realy exciting to see.

I had found the location of the chapel from Google Earth, and so as I turned down the street it is on, I found myself in an apartment complex called Turner Village. as I traveled through this complex of brick and student living I came across the architectural suprise that Turner Chapel is. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Scogin Elam back in the late 80's and is apart of the Turner village which houses theological students from Emory University.

The Chapel is nestled amongst trees and though it has a dynamic shape, as its roofs peak outward towards you, it isn't an overwhelming building at all. Its walls are primarily made of a dark grey brick and has a piercing frosted glass double wall that creates an axis through the building. At the rear of the site you will find a tower element that is of a white steel frame that reaches for the sky. At the base of this tower is a small prayer chapel that is disengaged from the main chapel building but is not lost to the overall site layout and architectural composition of the whole.

You can see my Photoset of my visit here: Turner Chapel photoset

Flickr Photo Sets

If you haven't tried Flickr your really missing out on a great way to store your images and organize them online. I have been using it now for almost a year and I have found it to be invaluable. You can open an account for free with limited sets, or purchase the "pro" account for about 2 bucks a month. Not to be an advertisment for Flickr :) but as I have begun to collect a number of "photo sets" I was trying to figure out a way to make it easier for peopel looking at my Flickr site to find my images. I remember coming across the idea from the discussion groups on Flickr some time ago but finally thought I would give it a try. So check out This LINK and see what you think. I just have one image up in this set but will add others as I get more time to do so.