Product Corner: The Fireplace

No matter how hot or cold the weather might be we will always yearn for the perfect fire. Even though a fireplace is no longer a practical necessity it is still considered an essential component of the present day home. The fireplace will always be the toasty core of every home, modern or classic.

Here are 3 fireplaces inspired by our clients’ ancestral lust for fire:

Old dog new tricks: Wood burning

The following fireplace design combines a modern styling with traditional building methods. The stone surround is beveled and extended to create a deep profile and stretch the length of the fireplace. The construction of the fire chamber and flue are mortar and brick, the same type of materials and techniques used in traditional construction.

Midcentury Collection: Freestanding

Freestanding fireplaces are a great choice if you have a soft spot for midcentury design. Several manufacturers produce sculptural replicas of midcentury classics. The image below shows one of our homes with a simple fireplace design by Focus Fireplaces.

For the sensible kind: Insert box

An insert fireplace is easy to install, has several ignition agents and a variety of styles. It also has minimal structural requirements and the heat produced by the system is easy to control. Because of all these factors, many do not need to be vented, as shown in this image.

This blog was written by Francisco X. Arredondo. Senior Project Manager. All houses featured designed by Dick Clark Architecture.

Product Corner: Outdoor Lighting – unplugged, creative and sculptural

As we head into summer, many of us are taking a look at our backyards and thinking about how to get them ready for the summer barbeques and backyard parties that we’ve been looking forward to all winter.  Whether you’re planning a major landscaping overhaul or just dusting off your grill, outdoor lighting can give your backyard an instant upgrade and be relatively easy with some updated lighting products.

Hardwiring the exterior of your house for outdoor lighting can be an undertaking that requires a lot of planning and effort, but there are a lot of great-looking wireless products out there, so you can eliminate the installation time and expertise needed.  We found some nice fixtures that are powered by a rechargeable battery, as well as some creative solar-powered ones.  What we love about these products is not only that they stand up to the weather, but they’re also more sculptural and artistic than the standard selection of solar-powered path lights that we’ve seen so many times before.  Because they’re wireless, you can put together a creative arrangement of light fixtures just about anywhere, and then move them around and re-arrange as often as you like.  The flexibility of these products can be a simple way to add interest and variety to any outdoor space.

Here are some products to help you get inspired:

The Cube Rechargeable Outdoor Light

IKEA's SOLVINDEN Solar-powered lighting

IKEA's SOLVINDEN Solar-powered pendant lamp

Moonlight Rechargeable Round Outdoor Patio Light

IKEA's SOLVINDEN Solar-power uplights

Local Stuff We Like

Local Stuff We Like:

Jennifer Prichard

Her installations include wall compositions, in which individual porcelain pieces are installed directly onto walls and other architectural elements.

http://www.jpricharddesign.com/

La Boite Café

A cool place with hot drinks located on South Lamar. Great coffee, buttery croissants, macarons, and other delectable treats await you. Focused on a small menu with the highest quality, La Boîte strives to deliver local, organic, divine, baked goods and traditional french-style sandwiches.

http://laboitecafe.com/

Jester King Brewery

They are the new kids in town and they brew a mean bear. Located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Jester King Craft Brewery is an authentic farmhouse brewery committed to brewing artisan ales of great depth and character. An additional layer of complexity is added to Jester King’s bottled beers by allowing a second fermentation to take place in the bottle.

http://jesterkingbrewery.com/

Franklin Barbecue

A former food trailer Frankin Barbecue is up and running again, now in a more formal space located at 900 E. 11^th.  Get there early before the “sold out” sign comes up.

http://www.franklinbarbecue.com/

This blog was curated by Francisco X. Arredondo. Senior Project Manager at Dick Clark and a sucker of all things local.

Creative Collaboration: Newbold Stone + DCA

John Newbold knows concrete and there is no design challenge he is not willing to take. Powered by the creative energies of founder John Newbold, an experienced designer and engineer and third-generation tradesman trained by renowned concrete expert Fu-Tung Cheng in San Francisco, Newbold Stone is dedicated to excellence in the design and installation of decorative concrete. You can see his work at House + Earth located at 1214 W. 6th. Street Suite 120, Austin Texas.

These are a few examples of our collaborative efforts:

Custom sink at the Lake LBJ Retreat

John Newbold helped create a continuous 13’ long counter and shower bench with an integral sink.  Using his lightweight concrete he was able to make the entire piece, seamless, in one pour off site. .  John also designed the plumbing to hide the drain below the sink basin so it would not be visible from above.  The counter is white with a semi-gloss finish.

Custom sink at the Lakeshore Retreat

John Newbold made it happen. A ¾” concrete sink with an integral countertop and solid legs with no joits, all done in one pour. The finish is max white with a semi-gloss finish.

DCA Selected as Architect for SXSW Dome

Dick Clark Architecture has been selected as the Architect for the dome set to hold SXSW 2012. (see Austin Chronicle) The visionary behind the dome project is futuristic planner Alec Dante, a Dallas native. Dante and Dick Clark, who were childhood friends in Dallas, have never collaborated but felt the partnership was mutually beneficial. In a late night City Council meeting that extended into the early morning hours of April 1, the council unanimously voted to create a circular-shaped PUD to allow the special CBD-DOME zoning. It’s the second time this year that the Council has granted a singular building its own PUD. A jubilant Clark exclaimed that, “I have been a big supporter of SXSW and the city of Austin for a long time and this will ensure the longevity of the event. I could not be more excited! Ye-ha!”

Dick Clark Architecture describes the concept as a complex of geodesic domes, each serving different functions. This also allows branding and sponsorship opportunities. For example, most will follow the city’s ban on indoor smoking but a special American Spirit dome will allow the festival goers to sample the popular cigarette companies newest products while pulling in imported air from Williamsburg, NY and Silverlake. A coalition of local semiconductor companies is working together to supply over 20,000 photovoltaic panels necessary for the main dome’s skin. The panel’s breakthrough technology will ensure that noise decibels outside the dome comply with the city’s noise ordinance levels.

“The buzz for SXSW 2012 has been mostly positive,” Clark said in a phone interview on Tuesday. The Chronicle is hosting a competition to name the new dome (link); “the pleasure dome” (yes Frankie) is our early favorite. Clark’s firm expects to wrap up drawings for the project in three weeks says Project Architect Jeff Krolicki. He added, “we certainly did a lot of research during this year’s south by. So when Future Design Concepts wanted a firm with Austin ties, a strong design sense and the ability to perform under the very tight schedule we felt privileged they thought of us. We’re excited for the challenge. This thing’s going to be big!”

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