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More from Coffee with an Architect

Christmas Cards from the Architects 2024

It’s that time again. It is the time of year when the architects turn their attention from their Dec. 25th deadline to thoughts of Christmas. Here we are, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling glass storefronts in our offices, staring out at the rolling hills covered with snow, thinking of the innate hierarchy implied in the Santa/Elf relationship, and the pleasing use ... Read More

7 months ago 91 votes
If movies were about Architecture

“Apocalypse Now”: an architect goes grossly over budget. Another architect is sent out to find him and value-engineer the project, in the jungle, during a war. “It’s a wonderful life”: An architect mishandles his finances. Jumps off a bridge. Is saved by his guardian angel / building inspector and shown what the world would be like without his architecture. “The ... Read More

a year ago 91 votes
A simple description

The structural exploration reflects the dichotomy of the diametrically opposed forces creating intrinsic tension within the interstitial forms which have been bifurcated and articulated throughout the design exploration phases resulting from the pedological rigor employed throughout the process and within the contextual visualizations of the urban fabric and the liminal spaces between which have been juxtaposed with while simultaneously creating ... Read More

a year ago 109 votes
Design explained using venn diagrams

Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple venn diagrams. Unfortunately, this isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE

a year ago 109 votes
Design explained using pie charts again

Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple pie charts again. Unfortunately, this still isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE and HERE and HERE

a year ago 107 votes

More in architecture

Confronting the Reality of Climate Displacement

Planner Hilary Brown on how underpopulated areas across the U.S. could absorb population resettlements resulting from sea-level rise, flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat.

13 hours ago 2 votes
Modern Craftsmanship Meets Family Living in This Rebuilt California Home

What began as a small repair job turned into a complete architectural reinvention. Designed by boutique Northern California firm Medium Plenty, this three-story family home reflects a deep collaboration between the architects and a creative couple with two young kids. Originally initiated to address structural water damage, the project evolved into a fully custom rebuild with one goal: create a “forever home” that balances soulful materials, family life, and refined design.

2 days ago 3 votes
Reading List 07/12/2025

25 years of earthquakes, Google’s 2013 efforts to build a phone in the US, bear attacks in Japan, coal seam fires, and more.

3 days ago 5 votes
A Look Inside A Home That Feels Like Living in a Forest Sanctuary

Just off the coast of Seattle, a young family found their rhythm on Orcas Island, a lush, bluffside site in Deer Harbor where the forest meets the horizon. With the help of Syndicate Smith, a Washington-based architecture firm known for its sensitive, site-specific work, they built a grounded retreat that’s both elemental and modern. Designed to be built efficiently by the homeowner himself, a general contractor, this house reflects a deep connection to nature, family, and the quiet rituals of island life.

4 days ago 5 votes
Should the Federal Government Sell Land?

An early version of the US Senate budget bill which passed last week included a provision to sell off between 2 and 3 million acres of federal land in western states, ostensibly to be used for homebuilding.

5 days ago 10 votes