Architectural Dreams

The New Three Storey Living Space Design, Mosman House

2011-04-08T15:40:00.008+05:30

A living space design called Mosman House which is located in Sydney, Australia is completed designed by the Corben Architects architecture design. This new three storey living space project has four bedrooms. This north facing residence is sited on a battle axe block. This house is designed to take a maximum advantage of the put standing water views and maintain the absolute privacy to the adjacent neighbors. To adhere to the local approving authority’s views sharing the policy and ensure the minimal view loss to the neighbors behind, this building is replaced a small older single level house style and have to be skillfully designed for it.

The living space is concealed behind a timber battened garage door and entry gate to the street, but then reveals itself as one enters of the site and moves through the landscaped garden from the front gate to the front door. Only glimpses of the panoramic water view which are lies beyond are revealed along this journey. By entering the house and keep moving into the large open plan Living/Dining/Kitchen, the full impact of the stunning views is felt. The substantial living space with its large sliding windows and high ceilings flows out and becomes one with the outside encouraging the indoor/outdoor lifestyle. The two living areas and the guest wing are located on the middle level with three bedrooms on the upper level, while the main one designed as a luxury suite, they are exist in the main entry. In the lower level is incorporates a large rumpus / media room and the store areas.

The building is a simple rectilinear form of the concrete and the masonry construction, then to present a modern home with a focus on the natural materials and the clear design principles; it is carefully layered with a timber battening and the sandstone cladding. The incorporate American Oak timber floors to the living areas are finishes the interior design. To the circulation areas is honed the Grey Limestone. The Walnut veneered joinery, white polyurethane cupboards, Quartz kitchen bench tops and the Marble slabs in the bathrooms to create a contemporary, sophisticated interior with a warm inviting feel.

To provide the thermal mass and the Energy Efficient which is glazing to the external windows and the doors, energy saving option is adopted including an operable skylight over the central core which is allowing the natural light and ventilation. This house design is also consists of a rainwater harvesting system which is comprisees of 30,000L rainwater tank, it is used for the garden irrigation and flushing of the toilets.

The finished house is a fine example of an understated but luxurious house which is takes the maximum advantage of a difficult site.

Why do we need interior design

2011-02-05T13:13:00.001+05:30

For a full life, we need the proper organization of all activities in which we are engaged on a daily basis. Workplaces and recreation should closely match the individual characteristics of the person to whom it is intended. Match the color preferences of the person, his psychophysiology, must improve the efficiency of the process and level of comfort. Life – is continual change, so the interior should change along with us, and modern technologies in the field of design. It is time to withdraw completely from the template, typing in our apartments, cottages, offices and public areas.

Only a professional designer wisely choose the best style of the home interior and under the supervision embody the idea. Given the peculiarities of the space, emphasizing its pros and cons of leveling. If you already have a stylistic idea (look for different home interior design photos ), the designer can arrange and add your idea to the laws of composition, and function in accordance with modern interior design trends. Between artistic conception, which exists in the imagination, and concrete interior – huge distance. It begins with a sketch, followed by design apartments, which may include plans, estimates, perspective, layout. The next step are the working drawings and design documentation. Sketches, usually need a few to compare, consider and choose the best one. On the sketch stage, the idea may not be related to a specific room, its size. To make it all went right, you can see stylistic decision before construction. To this end, many companies offer a realistic picture of future repairs on the photo or video media.

Interior Design For The Home

2011-01-03T15:45:00.003+05:30

Any home can be pleasing with the correct application of basic interior design techniques. Some men and women study interior design to be quite good at it but there are individuals who are gifted with an eye for beauty and for interior designing.

A individual who is creative can do some interior designing on his own even without having formal training. Those who have an eye for what is aesthetic can just as simply decorate and design his own home depending on his tastes. Of course, it assists to read books and articles about designing to be updated on the basic and newest design approaches.

Any interior designer can create a particular atmosphere just by putting together numerous pieces and unifying them in a single theme. There are interior designers who have a bias for specific motifs like eclectic, modern or even country style. Some go for basic designs without having the clutter.

Interior design is not only aesthetic but also functional depending on the requirements of the client. An interior designer can make a tiny room spacious and an otherwise cluttered room into an orderly 1. Interior design is utilized just about anywhere from homes, offices to commercial buildings.

The interiors of a room really should usually match the personality of the person who will occupy that room. This is the reason why designers often function closely with their clients so they can make certain that they get a really feel of what their clients want in terms of design style.

Folks have this notion that interior design is costly. However, designers are not only creative people but they are also extremely great in budgeting. Most designers will work on a design that will match or fit the spending budget of their clients. A person can allot a minimal quantity for the interior design of his house or office and still come up with an aesthetic and functional room.

Professional interior designers who are formally trained normally have basic knowledge on architecture, engineering and even accounting. They require these courses to make their design aesthetic, structurally right and cost effective.

The terms Interior design and interior decorating have typically been employed interchangeably. However, the two terms really deal with distinct phases of creating a room or a space aesthetic. Interior design is essentially the method of studying the personality of the occupant of the room being developed in order to maximize and tailor-made the room’s design for that person’s behavior and personality.

Interior decorating on the other hand is the procedure of truly mixing and matching the various design techniques like window remedies, the appropriate wallpaper, wall finish and even the furnishing of a room.

There are a lot of opportunities for those in the interior design and decorating business. An interior designer can go into designing household, corporate or commercial establishments. Others specialize in the design of wellness facilities or even tourism establishments.

The most recent trend now for those in the interior design industry is to be able to incorporate the proper engineering and aesthetic design with sustainable development. Even designers are now a lot more conscious about the state of the environment so they tend to use environmentally friendly materials for their designs.

There are designers who specialize and use Feng Shui in their designs. This demands further study because Feng Shui deals with the Chinese’s ancient approaches of designing a space to make the design function for the owner’s wellness, organization and other life elements.

The Chinese believes that a structure ought to be correctly developed so as to permit positive energy to enter the structure. When the structure has already been built without the aid of a Feng Shui professional, the mistakes can be corrected by way of proper interior design utilizing the Feng Shui methods.

By incorporating Feng Shui in interior design, it is believed that a individual can bring out all the positive energies in a room to make him wealthy, happy and healthy. An interior design employing Feng Shui can also get rid of bad spirits that bring in negative atmosphere in an abode.

Obtaining the services of an interior designer can make a room both aesthetic and functional. Any individual who wants to make his residence livable and functional ought to try finding the services of an interior designer to maximize his space.

Interior Design – An Effective Tool In Recording History

2010-12-10T17:15:00.007+05:30

Overall Design addresses a society and its culture in any marked period in time. This is true whether the form of design we are addressing is interior, graphical or architectural. The further you go back in history, you will realize how interior design has blended between artistic societies, has crossed boundaries, and has traveled across continents.

The history of interior design is constantly changing as new ideas eventually take effect and modern materials are gradually developed to accentuate the home. No one knows when the art of interior decorating and design were recognized but as long as there have been homes to live in, these elements of design have existed in some primitive form.

Interior Design for the Wealthy
The mounting evidence of the history of interior design is in the history of the architecture. It appears that throughout the history, interior design was limited to the very wealthy. There is evidence to suggest that interior design was important to the Ancient Egyptians. The richly decorated tombs for the pharaohs were designed both as a final resting place and as comfort for the pharaoh in the next life.

They also believed that architectural design was determined by the gods. Thus they believed that they should not attempt to alter the look of the temples and tombs because improving on perfection was not possible. This belief did not deter the rulers of that time from erecting larger versions of the same design.

Historians are fortunate that so many tombs and temples remained and were not destroyed giving them an overall unbiased view of ancient Egyptian culture.

There are further indications to suggest that the rooms of the ancient Romans were planned around the varied ways that they would be used, which is a key part of modern interior design. For example, they would have separate living rooms based on luxurious comfort for summer and winter seasons.

Development of Interior Design
We can follow the development of design over time. During the Italian Renaissance, all arts experienced an escalation in popularity. Wealthy patrons contributed capital to support the arts.

The mansions of this period were luxuriously decorated with beautiful furniture, oriental carpets, intricately designed mirrors and works of art.

In France during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the design of interior spaces followed purpose and form, with some of the most prominent examples being the excessive decoration of the palace at Versailles, an expression of royal corruption.

Industrial Revolution
At this period in history of interior design, such things were again well out of reach of the average person. This all changed with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. This economic revolution made goods for home decoration cheaper and the middle-class families were soon able to afford such luxuries as having some one else design their home. It was not long before interior design magazines were gradually developed, and the business of interior designer became an industry in itself.

Conclusion
The history of interior design can be such an interesting and fascinating subject and one which integrates profound information about historic interiors with knowledge about historic buildings. It was shaped by numerous styles, movements, social developments and technological revolutions. This history niche has a lot to tell of the individuals living in a particular place and time and will continue to be an effective tool in recording history.

Interior Design – Learn More About It

2010-12-10T17:15:00.005+05:30

Interior design is a multi-aspect career in which technical and creative solutions are related within a structure in order to attain a constructed interior setting. The interior designing

There is a broad assortment of employment opportunities and working conditions within interior design. Tiny and large businesses frequently hire interior designers to work for them on a regular working time. Designers for smaller companies typically work per job basis or on a contract. Self employed interior designers, which are 26 percent of all interior designers, typically work the largest amount of time. Interior designers frequently work under stress in order to meet deadlines, meet customer’s needs, and stay on the budget. In some situations, licensed experts check the work and authorize it prior to passing the design to the construction permitting or clients for approval. The necessity for a licensed verification and signature differs by relevant legislation, range of work, and locality. Their career has the tendency to involve a huge deal of travelling to visit various studios, locations, or offices and homes of the client. A lot of interior designers are employed by bigger architecture companies. With the assistance of new technology, the procedure of calling clients and getting design options across has become simpler and needs less travel. A number would argue that essential makeovers have reformed interior design from a client viewpoint, making the designing process more exciting and interactive, in a fairly technological yet labour intensive setting.

A theme or style of an interior design is a continuous idea utilized throughout a space in order to create a sense of completeness. Themes are not to be mistaken as design concepts or the higher level party, which involved a deeper comprehension of the architectural framework, the programmatic and the socio-cultural needs of the customer. These styles frequently follow era styles. Examples of these are Art Deco, Indian Mughal, Gothic, English Georgian, Minimalist, Mid Century Modern, International, Feng Shui, Islamic, Victorian, Louis XVI, Louis XV, and a lot more.

The development of interior decoration styles has now bred to include styles not necessarily dependable with a certain era theme permitting the combination of pieces from various eras. Every element has to contribute to function, form, or both and keep up a constant standard of quality and blend to create the wanted design. An interior designer develops an interior and home architecture design for a client that has a theme and style that he mentally relates to and personally likes. For the past ten years, architects, designers, and decorators have been discovering the innovative fixtures that were created post war of the 50s and 60s from the new supplies that were created for military functions. A number of the trendsetters include Herman Miller, Knoll Miller, Ray Eames, and Charles Eames.
procedure follows a coordinated and systematic methodology, including analysis, research, and assimilation of knowledge into the artistic process, whereby the resources and needs of the customer are met in order to create an interior area that satisfies the project objectives.

Narrow Wooden Design Farquar Lake Residence House Architecture

2010-12-10T17:05:00.004+05:30

Situated in Apple Valley, USA, contemporary narrow house architecture design idea called Farquar Lake Residence comes from ALTUS Architecture + Design. It is located deep within wonderful natural forests view and guarding a gorgeous lake. The luxury house interior design features plenty of active outdoor spaces like beautiful landscape green gardens and playgrounds, but also innovative floor to ceiling windows for taking advantage of the stunning views.

The unique wood-clad wings design of the home sit on a blue-stone “outcropping” that extends the natural entry grade, grounding the residence. A series of bluestone monolith steps extend from the lakeside terrace toward the shore. The modern living room decorating layouts is mostly fascinating, as the wide glass connects the people indoors through the scenic outdoor comfortable atmosphere. The Farquar Lake Residence interiors are eye-catching, housing contemporary furniture design and modern minimalist decorating elements. The client’s desire was to have a luxurious residence which would ensure a connection with the natural landscape and that would reflect an active style of living space.

Modern Jindal Corporate Office Interior Design

2010-11-25T15:00:00.011+05:30

Jindal Corporate Office designed by Morphogenesis Architecture is one of the contemporary commercial office interior design building ideas located in Gurgaon, India. This modern office architectural project use built-up area about 35800 sq. ft and entailed intriguing a finished office construction and designing the interiors with comfortable furniture design for it with obvious constraints imposed on the interior decorating architecture as the house design was completed separately and through little provision for the intended and eventual use of the building.

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The Jindal Corporate Office (2007) construction had a large out of scale central open space planned with little or no consideration of the obvious heat gain issues throughout the building. The creative office central courtyard design has a series of multi level air-conditioned terraces and event spaces. The best Indian commercial office building has significantly deep office floor plates. Presented the sheer scale of the contemporary office building, the executive room and meeting room interior design of spaces within has been approached with approximately a product design attitude. The unusual 45 degree cant of the structure created unruly spaces that have been dealt with by inserting shell like structures into the office decor camouflaging and integrating scores of large and otherwise unworkable triangular spaces.

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Sustainable Flexible House Northcote Design Melbourne, Australia

2010-11-25T14:59:00.006+05:30

The flexible house architecture design idea designed by Zen Architects located in Melbourne, Australia demonstrates original use of area to maximize living rooms and storage space, and makes exciting home spatial volumes. Sustainably sourced, radically-swan contemporary timber decking, flooring design plan and fencing reduced waste, and natural “lino”, carpets and underlay’s, little emission color paints, and ply wood cabinetry all contributed to decrease off-gassing. Rainwater harvesting and Grey water recycling have been fully included, minimizing storm water run-off, and use of mains water. Water-efficient shower heads and appliances further reduce waste. Existing vegetation assists to retain water on site, and landscaping incorporates indigenous and drought tolerant plants.

These sustainable flexible home decor living rooms are sloping to the north, thermal mass logically heats and cools the building and double glazing and high levels of insulation reduce heat transfer. The high ceiling uses a ‘stack effect’ to bring together and remove heat via clerestory windows, and open able windows throughout facilitate cross ventilation. The house modern ceiling form bounces light into a living space through an internal window that would not otherwise have received natural afternoon light. On site composting, worm farm, clothes line, secure bike storage, solar hot water with gas boost for hydro-id space heating, zoning for heating, and ceiling fans all act to further reduce energy consumption.

Enzo Hotel by Manuelle Gautrand Architects

2010-11-25T14:58:00.024+05:30

Enzo Hotel by Manuelle Gautrand Architects, The Triangular Shape Hotel Design Based In Paris

This great project name is Enzo Hotel. This three start hotel is based in Paris, precisely in District Boulevard D’Indichine-19EME District, Paris. France. The area for this construction for about 5.400 m2. The construction cost which this hotel project has been spended is confidential. This Enzo Hotel can accommodate for about 150 rooms. BNP Paribas Immobilier is the famous contributor client for this hotel.

The great Enzo Hotel which constructed by the Manuelle Gautrand Architect is based in Paris. The unique of this hotel come from the shape itself which take the strong triangular. The triangular shape is chosen intended to engage the hotel lively streetscape. The brilliant color which the hotel took is inspired by the around nature of its hotel located. As a result the unique and great aesthetic for the building itself is added. Besides, it gives the sleek texture to the hotel shape. The architect of this hotel said that the fragmented bands of the hotel give a kinetic effect to overall volume which one can view the movement of the car there, a certain impression of a speed.

The mass of the building is reduced according to the surrounding areas itself which so narrow. So the design needs the professional designer to done it. The different ideas in plan of the building‘s organization is generated by the tapering and narrow ground floor plate of the hotel. Depending upon the angel viewed, the volume offering the different perceptions. It is resulting a project which continually changing with overall dynamic comprehensive view.

Great Panaromic in West Seattle Residence

2010-11-25T14:58:00.019+05:30

The comfortable living space has been completed designed by the Lawrence Architecture which is located in the West Seattle district of Seattle, Washington. This living space design has a view property of living space for about 3,800 square feet, and 925 square feet detached the garage. The main materials which are construct this building is include the concrete, steel and a glass. While providing the privacy for the main living space is a curtain wall-enclosed the pavilion, the sites and the house is organized by a concrete wall which is up to twenty-four feet high such as the garage, the entry and the service spaces which are on the street of the wall.

The element for the circulation which is including the stairs with the cantilevered steel treads also organized by the wall. The pavilion is capped by the supported on steel frames and the triangular steel trusses and also the roof swoops over the concrete wall. Eight by sixteen foot sections of the curtain wall are pivoted for the ventilation. Which are normally in place but it is removed for the photographs; the star has the demountable guardrails. The daylight basement level is occupied by a family room, media room, children’s bedroom and the bathrooms. While in a loft space above the kitchen is placed the master bedroom. Above the garage which is accessible via stair or the future elevator there is a living space.

Modern Contemporary House Designs in Hollywood Hills – The Michael Parks House

2010-11-25T14:58:00.014+05:30

The talented designer Michael Parks is proud to announce the completion of renovation of the House of Representatives dramatically Parks, three bedrooms are modern and innovative, three-bath hillside home, located in Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. Creative ingenuity behind a year and a half from the House Garden of transformation made all the more appealing because the owner, has no formal architecture / design education. But he designed and led the project itself – a metamorphosis of architecture through the park she finds a new career and a passion for creating ground-breaking modern design.

Parks face many challenges when he bought a house: dry rot and termite damage to each area of the post, and home-built wooden beams, window frames that are not connected with them, a floor plan poor with valuable and useable space just a little right one bedroom, a kitchen, where the park really put his foot through a rotten floor, poor ventilation without isolation and a lot of odd-shaped coupled with a difficult slope conditions. But the park looked through the various housing problems and instead look incredible, unrealized potential.

Modern contemporary Park house now stands as evidence of forward-thinking, slender, open, airy and inviting modern architecture who completed a rare feat with a minimalist aesthetic combines both comfort and hip, understated luxury. With perfect proportion and geometry bold, designs Parks’ use of strategic interaction between volume and mean horizontal and vertical to determine the home’s appearance – attractive and elevate the senses of people who visit.

Foreign Architects in India

2010-10-21T17:18:00.003+05:30

The profession and practise of architecture in India has undergone a complete transformation in this decade. The last eight years have been a boom time, not seen since the heady days of Post Indipendance India.

The booming economy and the burgeoning middle class has prompted developers to bring in foreign architects with foreign fees to design everything from airports to residential and office towers and bungalows and resorts.

Foreign architects bring in the tried and tested processes and function precision to bring about a complete turnaround in the way projects are designed and built. They pair up with Indian firms who have the expertise on the ground to get things done and built.

Foreign architects for the most part are bringing in foreign solutions and design principles which may not all work in India, but the public does not think a second before lapping it all up. We are literally bringing New York, Chicago, Tokyo or Shanghai to Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and countless other towns and cities.

Only time will tell if this is successful in the long term. India is not the only place in the world where this is happening. China is way ahead of us in transplanting urban fabric from the West into their cities.

The TOI has an interesting article about the whole phenomenon of foreign architects coming to India.

" Time was when there was only the occasional eruption of concrete. Today, India’s skyline is a work in progress. But while the towering new skyscrapers, sprawling IT parks, glitzy airports and swanky townships reflect desi aspirations, the blueprint, more often than not, is foreign.

Be it a slum redevelopment project in congested Mumbai or Kolkata’s new museum of modern art, the global imprint on the country’s fast-changing urban landscape is evident. Made in India but designed by a clutch of foreign architects looking to cash in on the country’s real estate boom. For Edinburgh-based RMJM, the company behind the distinctive Scottish Parliament, a foray into India four years ago has translated into business of £1 billion. That, the company says, is unprecedented for a UK architecture firm doing business in India. “There’s a cue here for UK business — we need to be in India in a very big way,” says RMJM CEO Peter Morrison. RMJM, which currently has 38 projects under way in India, is now looking to establish a permanent base in Mumbai.

Many others have taken the cue. Celebrated British architect Lord Norman Foster, who shaped London’s skyline with buildings such as the Gherkin and designed the Reichstag in Berlin, has entered India in a tie-up with a Mumbai real estate firm, the Neptune group. Other big UK names in India are Laing O’Rourke, Davis Langdon and Mott MacDonald. Not just UK, firms from Canada (Arcop) to Australia (Omiros One) have designs on India.

But does India really need foreign architects or is it just about getting a brand on the brochure? Most builders agree it’s as much about star power as it is about international quality. After all, well-heeled buyers respond to designers with international reputations as much as they respond to a luxury label like Gucci or Prada. “When people purchase an expensive apartment, a famous architect is extra validation they’re making a good choice,” says Kunal Banerji of Ansal API which signed up US firm Chelsea West to design Manhattan-style condos at its Aquapolis project in Ghaziabad.

The Mahindra group’s real estate arm Mahindra Lifespaces, which has roped in US-based architect and design firm HOK (of Dubai marina fame), says their reasons go much beyond the brand. “The selection of an international architect or planner is driven by the unique needs of the project. For instance, the 325-acre Mahindra World City project is one of the largest such developments under implementation and to that extent the width and depth of on-ground implementation experience is currently available only with international firms who have conceived and implemented such projects in different parts of the world,” says Anita Arjundas, COO of Mahindra Lifespaces.

Size does matter and with Indian developers going beyond stand-alone commercial blocks and residences to converting huge swathes of land into townships and IT parks, a ‘foreign hand’ does come in handy. “Foreign firms can visualise and handle massive scale. Also, their designs are very innovative. They create landmarks and not just buildings,” says Shantanu Malik, DGM-Architect, Unitech Ltd.

It’s a win-win for Indian architects as well. “Working with foreign firms gives us exposure to international standards. There is a lot to learn from their use of detailing and modern materials,” adds Malik.

Unitech often hires multiple design firms for a single project. For instance, it has 10 global architecture and design consultants for the $3 billion Unitech Grande, a super-luxury residential complex spread over 347 acres along the Noida expressway. This project draws on the expertise of US-based mall designer Callison, landscape artists SWA and EDAW, Britain’s RMJM for architecture and interiors and HOK for floor plans, besides a course designed by Australian golfer Greg Norman.

With so much demand, it isn’t surprising that Mark Igou, director in the US architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Llp (SOM), has been shuttling between New York and India over the last three years. “I spend more than three months a year in India, familiarising myself with the ground situation.” And ground reality is what SOM — the firm which has designed the Burj Dubai, which will be the world’s tallest skyscraper when it is finished in 2009 — is faced with in Mumbai where it is designing homes for slum dwellers in Mumbai’s Santa Cruz as part of a masterplan for Unitech. “It’s a unique design challenge — recreating the same sense of community that exists in their current housing so that people don’t want to return to the slums they left,” says Igou. SOM is also using the services of sociologists and cultural anthropologists to get a sense of the social and cultural aspects of the lives of those being rehabilitated.

Whether it’s slum housing or a swanky township, India is essential to the design inputs. “Education and social interaction are both important to Indians so our designs will reflect these needs. So residential units would have schools nearby and public spaces for people to interact,” he says. Besides projects like the Jet Airways headquarters in Mumbai, SOM is also working in Tier-II cities like Ahmedabad and Nagpur.

Be it the Indian ethos or the vagaries of its climate, Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott keeps it in mind when he is on the drawing board. Ott, who has designed a technopark for Tata Consultancy Services at Siruseri, Chennai, in association with countryman Carlos Ponce de Leon, says, “I am constantly studying the history and traditions of India, hoping to integrate some of its characteristics in my buildings. And though my work is definitely contemporary, the clues from the past are integrated in a modern vocabulary.”

Ott is building on the work that earlier foreign architects have done in India. Apart from Lutyens and Le Corbusier, several other international architects have showcased their designs in India. Ahmedabad’s Indian Institute of Management reflects Louis Kahn’s trademark style of veering towards monolithic masses resembling ancient ruins. Christopher Charles Benninger designed the Mahindra United World College of India, near Pune. British-born Laurie Baker planned the Fishermen’s Village in Poonthura in Kerala, while American Joseph Stein gave shape to Delhi’s India International Centre.

Now, a new generation of foreign architects has designs on India. And their glittering computer-generated images look set to redefine the country’s skyline. "

TOP CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES of the World:

2010-10-21T17:10:00.004+05:30

Following is the List of Best & top Architectural Companies in the World.

VINCI is No.1 Construction Company of FRANCE and the WORLD
BECHTEL is No.1 Construction Company of the U.S.
HOCHTIEF is No.1 Construction Company of GERMANY
CCCC Ltd is No.1 Construction Company of PRC
ACS is No.1 Construction Group of SPAIN
SKANSKA is No.1 Construction Company of SWEDEN
TAISEI is No.1 Construction Company of JAPAN
SAIPEM is No.1 Construction Company of ITALY
STRABAG is No.1 Construction Group of AUSTRIA
BALFOUR BEATTY is No.1 Construction Company in the U.K.
ROYAL BAM GROUP is No.1 Construction Group of NETHERLANDS
LEIGHTON is No.1 Construction Group in AUSTRALIA
AKER SOLUTIONS is No.1 Construction Company in NORWAY
ENKA is No.1 Construction Company of TURKEY
SNC-LAVALIN is No.1 Construction Company of CANADA
HYUNDAI E&C is No.1 Construction Group in S.KOREA
LARSEN&TOUBRO is No.1 Construction Group of INDIA
YIT is No.1 Construction Company of FINLAND
ODEBRECHT is No.1 Construction Company of BRAZIL
CCC is No.1 Construction Company of the MIDDLE-EAST
ORASCOM is No.1 Construction Group in EGYPT
MURRAY&ROBERTS is No.1 of S.AFRICA
ELLAKTOR is No.1 Construction Group of GREECE
MTHOJGAARD is No.1 Construction Company of DENMARK
SHIKUN & BINUI ARISON Group is No.1 in ISRAEL
BUDIMEX is No.1 Construction Group in POLAND
JULIUS BERGER is No.1 Construction Company in NIGERIA
GRANIT is No.1 Construction Company of MACEDONIA

The list is not any order.

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Frank Lloyd Wright-A Man Far Ahead of His Time

2010-09-18T17:03:00.005+05:30

Frank Lloyd Wright (born Frank Lincoln Wright, June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 projects, which resulted in more than 500 completed works. Wright promoted organic architecture (exemplified by Fallingwater), was a leader of the Prairie School movement of architecture (exemplified by the Robie House, the Westcott House, and the Darwin D. Martin House), and developed the concept of the Usonian home (exemplified by the Rosenbaum House). His work includes original and innovative examples of many different building types, including offices, churches, schools, skyscrapers, hotels, and museums. Wright also often designed many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass.

Wright authored 20 books and many articles, and was a popular lecturer in the United States and in Europe. His colorful personal life often made headlines, most notably for the 1914 fire and murders at his Taliesin studio.

Already well-known during his lifetime, Wright was recognized in 1991 by the American Institute of Architects as "the greatest American architect of all time".

His work includes original and innovative examples of many different building types such as offices, churches, schools, hotels, and museums. He was the architect of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan and spent almost three full years in Tokyo between 1917 and 1922 to design the hotel. During this time, he acquired thousands of woodblock prints for himself and other prominent American collectors. In his later years, he sold these woodblock prints to support himself financially.

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in the farming town of Richland Center, Wisconsin in 1867. He changed his name from Frank Lincoln Wright to Frank Lloyd Wright after his parents' divorce in 1881 when he was 14 years old, to honor his mother's Welsh family, the Lloyd Joneses. Prior to his parents' divorce, Anna, his mother, had been unhappy for some time with his father, William's inability to provide for his family. After the divorce, Frank assumed financial responsibility for his mother and two sisters as the only male left in the family.

Interest in Japanese Art
Wright attended a high school in Madison, Wisconsin but there is no evidence he ever graduated. He was admitted to the University of Wisconsin at Madison as a special student in 1886. He took classes part time and in 1887, he left the school without taking a degree, although he was granted an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the University in 1955. He moved to Chicago and joined an architectural firm of Joseph Lyman Silsbee in 1887. While working for Silsbee, Wright meets Silsbee's cousin, Ernest Francisco Fenellosa, who happened to be America's foremost expert on Japanese art. Fenellosa stayed with Silsbee on his visits and at one meeting, Wright was shown the Japanese woodblock prints which Fenellosa had brought with him. Wright later recalls that "when I saw the fine prints, it was an intoxicating thing". Seeing these prints sparked an interest in Wright on Japanese art and architecture. What especially interested him was harmony with nature, simplification, honest use of materials and minimal decoration.

As background information, Japan had been closed to foreigners for more than two centuries beginning in the 1630s; this foreign policy remained in effect until the arrival of Commodore Matthew C. Perry in 1853. This led to the opening of Japanese ports to foreign trade and the artistic benefits which came from it were to be seen almost immediately in Europe. By the 1870s, there was a steady flow of Japanese art and artifacts to Europe, particularly France. The Japanese woodblock prints, or the "uki-yo-e" (meaning "pictures of the floating world") especially inspired the leading artists of the time, such as Manet, Degas, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. What was happening in Europe, particularly France, eventually made its way to America. In America, at this early stage, until the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, interest in Japanese art was confined to a few artists and collectors in the major cities.

Wright's first direct experience of Japanese architecture came at the World's Colombian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World. Carpenters from Japan were sent to reconstruct a replica of Ho-o-den, a residential temple complex which had been the private home of the imperial regent Yorimichi Fujiwara (990-1074). It was the merging of religious and domestic forms in the building that appears to have made a lasting impression on Wright.

Wright's architecture was influenced by the Japanese concept of architectural space where "space was one of total flexibility. The ceiling,columns, and floor were the only fixed structural members of a building: what little there was in the way of furniture was easily movable and rooms could be completely changed by addition or removal of screens and doors and the temporary placement of appropriate objects, as the occasion demanded". (from Margo Stipe, "Frank Lloyd Wright and the Inspiration of Japan",p.6)

Similarly, Wright's houses rejected the idea of the house as a large box which contains smaller boxes and introduced the idea of continuous space. He was one of the first architect to introduce this concept.

Visit to Japan
Wright visited Japan for the first time in 1905. By that time, Wright had undoubtedly become familiar with Fenellosa's ideas on Japanese art and how its aesthetic principles could be applied to architecture. Apparently, not much is known about his three month stay in Japan in 1905. He stayed in various cities, including Shikoku, Nagoya and Kyoto. When Wright sailed back to America, he took back a head full of architectural ideas and boxes of woodblock prints, several hundred by the artist Hiroshige alone. Hiroshige was one of the most famous woodblock print artist of his time.

Personal Life:

While Wright was still married to his first wife, he began an affair with Maymah Cheney, the wife of Edwin Cheney for whom Wright designed a house. In 1909, Wright abandoned his first wife and six children and left for Europe with Maymah. They stayed mainly in Italy and upon his return to the States a year later, Wright began constructing his home called "Taliesin" in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The term "Taliesin" in Welsh means "shining brow".

The Imperial Hotel

In 1913, Wright and Maymah Cheney, his mistress, visited Japan. Wright asserted that the trip was the invitation of the Emperor, but the real purpose of the trip was to purchase Japanese prints for re-sale to American collectors. During the course of the visit, Wright was contacted by the representatives of the Emperor who informed him of of the Court's wish to replace the old Imperial Hotel in Tokyo built in the 19th century by German investors with a new, deluxe building which would attract foreign visitors to the city. The commission was important to Wright because it gave him the opportunity to design on a grand scale, something which had been denied to him until then.

The following year in 1914, the fire at Taliesin devastated Wright's blossoming professional and personal life. While Wright was away in Chicago, one of the servants set fire to the house and killed Maymah and her two children. After this tragedy, he started a self destructive relationship with Miriam Noel, who took drugs and was emotionally unstable.What saved him was the commission to design the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, which became official in 1916. Wright came to Tokyo in 1917 with Miriam. Until 1922, Wright basically lived in Tokyo with occasional trips home.

Wright's version of the Imperial Hotel was designed in the "Maya Revival Style" of architecture. It incorporates a tall, pyramid-like structure and also loosely copies Maya motifs in its decorations. The main building materials are poured concrete and concrete block, and it was completed in 1923.

In the same year, the Kanto Great Earthquake struck Tokyo and the surrounding area. The earthquake measured a magnitude of 7.9.

A telegram reported the following:

Hotel stands undamaged as monument to your genius. Congratulations.

In reality, the building had damage; the central section slumped, several floors bulged, and four pieces of stonework fell to the ground. The major damage was on the foundation. The foundation was an inadequate support and did nothing to prevent the building from sinking into the mud to such an extent that it had to be demolished decades later. But most importantly, despite the damage, the hotel remained standing.

In 1968, more than 40 years after it was built, the facade and pool were removed to the museum called Meiji Mura, a collection of buildings mostly from the Meiji Era located near Nagoya. The rest of the structure was demolished to make way for a new hotel on the site.

Later Years
Wright began collecting Japanese woodblock prints when he first visited Japan in 1905. He became an active dealer in these prints and frequently served as both architect and art dealer to the same clients after he returned to the U.S. For many years, Wright was a major presence in the Japanese art world, selling a great number of works to prominent collectors.

His last visit to Japan was in 1922, the year before the earthquake. He was unable to buy more prints during his visit so presumably, he bought prints off one collector and sold it to another when he returned to the U.S. Wright, however, had the tendency to live beyond his means and this led to great financial trouble for him. He was forced to sell off much of his art collection in 1927 to pay off outstanding debts. The Bank of Wisconsin claimed his Taliesin Home the following year. Wright continued to collect and deal in Japanese woodblock prints until his death in 1959. The sale of these prints saved him financially throughout his life. Wright's life work was architecture, but dealing in these prints paid Wright's bills. That aside, he is still regarded as one of the greatest architects of the 20th century.

St. Mary's Cathedral Tokyo

2010-08-03T12:24:00.001+05:30

St. Mary's Cathedral Tokyo (Katedoraru Sei Maria Daiseido) is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo. It is located in the Sekiguchi neighborhood of Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.

The original structure of 1899 was a wooden building in the Gothic style. It was burned during World War II. The present church, designed by Tange Kenzo, dates from 1964. Kenzo Tange won the competition for the reconstruction of this church in 1961. It was built with assistance from Wilhelm Schlombs, architect to the Archdiocese of Cologne, the engineer Yoshikatsu Tsuboi, who worked with Tange on many of his projects and the Zurich architect Max Lechner.

The plan of the building is in the form of a cross, from which eight hyperbolic parabolas rise up. These open upwards to form a cross of light which continues vertically the length of the four facades. To this rhomboid volume other secondary constructions are added, including the baptistry and the baptismal font. Their rectangular volumes contrast with the symbolic character of the cathedral. The bell tower is 60 m in height and stands at a little distance from the main building of the cathedral. The exterior surfaces are clad in stainless steel, which gives them a special radiance in keeping with the religious character of the building.

Location : 3-15-16 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku
Town: Tokyo
Country: Japan
Completed: 1964
Renovated: 2007
Height: 39.4 m
Floor area: 3,650 m²
Architect: Kenzo Tange
Structural engineer: Yoshikatsu Tsuboi

The Swaminarayan Akshardham complex in Delhi, India

2010-08-03T12:14:00.003+05:30

Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi, India. Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the complex displays centuries of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham.

The temple, which attracts approximately 70 percent of all tourists who visit Delhi, was officially opened on 6 November 2005. It sits on the banks of the Yamuna adjacent to the proposed 2010 Commonwealth Games village. The monument, at the center of the complex, was built off of the Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra. The complex features a large central monument crafted entirely of stone, exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India, an IMAX feature, a musical fountain, and large landscaped gardens.

Monument:

The main monument, at the center of the complex, is 141-foot (43 m) high, 316-foot (96 m) wide, and 370-foot (110 m) long, and is covered top to bottom with carved details of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.

Designed in accordance with ancient Vedic text known as the Sthapatya Shastra, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. It is constructed entirely from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and has no support from steel or concrete. The monument also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murtis and statues of Hinduism’s sadhus, devotees, and acharyas. The monument also features the Gajendra Pith at its base, a plinth paying tribute to the elephant for its importance in Hindu culture and India's history. It contains 148 scale sized elephants in total and weighs a total of 3000 tons.

Within the monument, under the central dome, lies a murti or statue of Swaminarayan which is 11-foot (3.4 m) high. The murti is surrounded by similar statues of the gurus of the sect. Each murti is made of paanch daatu or five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. Also within the central monument lie the murtis of other Hindu deities, including Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan.

Vastu House By Khosla Associates in Bangalore, India

2010-07-24T13:27:00.004+05:30

Placement of space in this house plan in harmony with Vastu Purusha Mandala (the ancient Indian science orientation and placement). The biggest challenge when designing the house to arrive at a visually interesting architecture of the program dictated rigid specific location of various rooms. Houses, built on soft-split levels rose lazily from the north east (lowest point) to the point (highest southwest). Its linear horizontal and cantilevered roof forms broad weave around the trees of the population, and a large expanse of glass blur the spatial boundaries between garden and house. One experiences a sense of infinity as he walked though open plan living spaces, which are restricted from each other by sliding, bi-fold doors and in some cases there is no barrier at all.

So regardless of the position of the main areas in accordance with elements of the house – the main bedroom in the zone of the Earth (SW), the kitchen at Fire zone (SE), and a swimming pool and into the zone of Water and Air zones (N and NE), – even the position of the door , the staircase, the location of the bed, wardrobe and desk and position in the bathroom lavatories shall be in accordance with the proper flow of energy. In all other respects however, the client gave us complete freedom of aesthetics.

This home is located near a quiet street, and house – office is located near the main road. Home office to act as sound barriers and temporary one in the house situated in an almost unbroken canopy of old trees one can not see the hustle and bustle of the main road. Rather than have a conventional space is limited, spontaneous response to the surrounding homes by choosing to dwell on the beautiful views from the rooms strategically placed.

Bifold doors into the large open living room in open court, where the soft steps carved from local granite quera take you to a page open to the sky with ornamental trees were perched in the middle. Home about internal pages have a sloping roof of Mangalore tiles vernacular. This column supports for the roof is innovative. Large load is transferred through a diagonal steel struts to hand carved stone columns. An outdoor dining table takes advantage of the climate of Bangalore where they live and dine in a semi-outdoor space can be more fun than sitting in the house.

A wooden staircase takes you from page to the first floor Master Suite. Master suite has a large sitting out, installed a fitness center, walk in closet and full bathroom with natural light pages. There is an interesting mix of luxe and natural elements in home Vaastu – rough stone steps, the court gravel, exposed concrete ceilings and polished concrete floors contrast well with polished Italian marble, fine teak furniture, silk and satin. Park with a lap pool on one side has an outdoor dining room with rough-cut logs 15ft as a table. Here one can eat under the giant banyan tree with layers of tropical planting around you.

Contemporary Remodel Mid Century Modern Home Plan Design Ideas

2010-07-24T12:56:00.003+05:30

The house was reorganized again into contemporary Mid Century Modern Home. This is a contemporary remodeled mid-century modern home in Austin, Texas of Kevin Pruitt, a film producer and director.

Originally built in 1967 by an eccentric builder Northwest Hills as a private residence, was “Googie” influenced, medieval houses oriented to take advantage of stunning views of the canyon walls at Bull Creek. This house was built for entertaining. From the floating lava rock fireplace that seats 8-12 people over for dinner for two large areas of outdoor entertaining for bedrooms that all open on to a kidney-shaped swimming pool.

Vastu Remedies For Financial Success

2010-07-22T15:01:00.004+05:30

Vaastu Shastra addresses every sphere of your general well being starting from health, to relationships and most importantly finances. Having a well balanced cash flow and investments is crucial to having a good lifestyle and for overall prosperity.

Very often it’s been noted that professionals in different lines of work may have problems regarding shortages, debts and expenses, in spite of a fairly good income. Even people, though quite rich due to ancestral property or family business may experience a vacuum in their lives. These problems could be attributed to improper house constructions.

Any person experiencing obstacles in financial situations should confirm if their home is constructed according to the Vaastu rules to ensure an unhindered financial flow. Vasatu Shastra primarily focuses on the directions, i.e. east, west, north and south and their sub directions such as northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Each of these directions is governed by any one of five elements - fire, water, air, earth and space which form the basis of Vaastu Shastra.

Vaastu for financial fulfillment
Let’s take a look at how Vaastu Shastra can help to improve your finances by considering the existing structures in your home, and understand how some structures could aid in positive financial flow, while others could create obstacles, and remedies for the latter.
Vaastu directions, conducive to financial prosperity are the north and northeast directions. The north direction is ruled by the Lord of Wealth, Kuber and the North-east direction is governed by the element water, which is regarded as an indication of a person’s financial status according to Vasatu Shastra. Other directions should also be checked to ensure that they are in proper order to avoid any negative influence related to finances.
Since North is the direction for Lord Kuber, a blockage in this direction, would imply obstacles in the flow of wealth and prosperity into the house is blocked. However, if the block cannot be removed, placing an aquarium or a small fountain towards the north of the house serves as a good remedy.
In case of a single main entrance door, the East or North side location is the best. North or North East is specially good for ensuring financial gains. A single main door from the South should be avoided. If two doors have to be fixed the combination should be North(M)and East(S), East(M) and South(S), East(M) and West(S),East(M) and North(S), South(M) and East(S); but should not be South(M) to West(S), West(M) to North(S), West(M) to South(S).(M = Main, S = Subsidiary). In case of three doors, it would be preferable to locate the doors on three sides other than South or West.
Safes or vaults in your house opening towards the south or west, are likely to result in expenses. This situation could be altered by placing safes, vaults, and other important assets like jewelery, cash, bank cheque books, property papers in a central north room of the house, and position the almirah locations to the South-west corners of this room. When these open towards the North, the amount of money flow enhances as these places are directions of wealth.
Since water is considered to be an indication of a person’s financial health by Vastu, stagnant water in the house is an indication of lack of financial growth. Stagnant water within the house in the form of a pond could be remedied by installing a fountain in the house, and hence create a system of circulation for the water. Taps within your house should also be checked, for leakages, since leaking taps are a sign of expenses and hence should be rectified to alter the situation. Similarly, you also need to ensure that there is no boring or a tube well placed in the south direction as this could negatively affect finances.
Similarly, a water tank located in the northwest direction of your house indicates stagnation of wealth. This could be remedied by covering the tank with metal planters and filling these with plants which have round leaves.
You can expect a consistency and growth in your finances when the direction of water flow is from the north to the east. A water fountain placed in the north-eastern part of your house or office will also bring in similar good results. An aquarium with nine gold fish and one black fish placed in the north east corner of your house or place of business would ensure a good income flow.
1. If you are planning to construct a well, underground tank, bore or swimming pool, ensure that it is placed in the North of North-eastern directions of your home.
2. Business professionals should properly utilize the southwest portion of their homes as this direction represents power. Hence, you would receive power in whatever you choose to do, provided that the southwest direction is fully utilized.
3. Since the North direction is governed by the Lord of wealth, taking care of this direction when constructing the house will ensure that the residents would have a good business or a profession with huge profits.
4. Toilet placed next to the main entrance, could result in you incurring debts, since a toilet represents waste products and toilet water is stagnant water, which gets flushed down the drain. A toilet, next to your home entrance personifies that you are flushing down your wealth. This however could be remedied by keeping the door of the toilet always shut and placing mirrors on the toilet’s door to deflect negative energies.
5. Whenever entrance and exit doors come in a straight line, it means that whatever comes in through the door goes out of the exit. This will adversely affect your finances as they would never stay with you. This could be remedied by placing a screen between the entrance and the exit doors. An excellent choice is to place plants (preferably palms) close to the entrance and exit doors as they have a good effect in improving finances.
These simple rules laid down in Vaastu Sastra would enable you to live a prosperous and happy life.

Vaastu Tips for Bedroom
1. Use southwest corner room for the elder members.
2. Always sleep with your head in the east or south side.
3. While sleeping, your legs should not face the main gate.
4. Avoid having direct light falling on your eyes while sleeping.
5. Door should be of a single wood.
6. It would be beneficial for students to sleep in the west side.
7. There should be no beam in the bedroom.
8. Beds should be kept away from the walls.
9. There should be no locker in the bedroom.
10. Always keep the lockers in west or south side, so that the door of locker should always opens behind the north side or east side.
11. Keep money in the north side.
12. Locker used to keep money should be facing north direction.
13. Build Almirah’s and wardrobes in the west or in south.

Vaastu Tips for Dining Room
1. Dining room should be located in south, west, and east.
2. Always use pink or orange or cream colors in the dining room.
3. If your dining room is in any other direction then you should have food in the west side of the room.
4. Dining room can be made in west side of the kitchen.

Vaastu Tips for Guest Room
1. Northwest rooms are ideal for guests

Vaastu Tips For Drawing Rooms
1. Hang a painting of the rising sun or of natural beauty on the wall.
2. Furniture should not be kept touching the east or north sidewall.
3. East north corner should be kept empty.
4. The head of the family should face east or north.
5. Round shaped furniture should not be used.
6. Any heavy Elmira or bookrack should be in the south or west wall.
7. A/C or room heater should be fixed in the southeast wall.
8. Study table should be kept in north, northwest or northeast.
9. Water Cooler should never be kept in southeast.
10. Clocks should not be hung on the south wall.

Vastu Tips for Kitchen
1. Kitchen should not be made near or opposite the bathroom or toilet.
2. Kitchen should not be opposite to the main entrance.
3. Kitchen should not be below the staircase.
4. Raw food like wheat, ghee etc should be stored in the east.
5. Kitchen should be made in southeast corner. Alternatively, it could be in the west side.
6. Cooking appliances are to be kept in southeast corner in the kitchen.
7. Loft or boxes can be made in any side of the kitchen.
8. Heavy weight utensils should be kept against the south wall.
9. While preparing food the person should face east.
10. Refrigerator could be kept in south east, west or north side, but not in the northwest corner.
11. Dining room can be made in west side of the kitchen.
12. The electric appliances should be fixed at southeast corner.
13. Fire equipments should be affixed in the southeast corner.

Vaastu Tips for Basement
1. Basement should be built in the east, north or northeast side.
2. The depth of basement should be less than or equal to that of ground floor.
3. It is would be better to limit all construction in the middle of the basement field.
4. Leave equal spaces in all the four fields.

Vaastu Tips for Door
1. No big stone, pillar or waste box should be in front of any door.
2. Main door should never open in front of another house door.
3. Kitchen should not be built opposite the main entrance.
4. Doors should not be in south.

Vaastu Tips for Compound
1. The thickness of the walls in the Southwest side should be thicker then the other walls.
2. The construction work should proceed from east side to southward and then move to west northward.
3. Garage should be built in northwest or southeast corner.
4. Avoid any shadow on the main gate.
5. The Kitchen should not be made opposite the main entrance.
6. Trees should not be planted in front of the main gate.
7. If required the mezzanine floors should be built in the west or south.

Vaastu Colors To Use In House
Colors play a very important role in our lives and have a definite bearing on our fate. Just as our choice of colors reflects our attitude and approach towards life, the color of the walls and every corner of our home deeply impact the happenings around us and affect us negatively or positively. Colors have the capacity of pacifying our mind and stimulating our energy. Our mood, health, happiness are all affected by the colors of our house. Colors can have emotional, intellectual, materialistic, intuitive and many other types of influence on humans. The article deals with the king of Vaastu colors, which are suitable to use while painting your house.
Red
Red color is known for its vitality and zest. It displays warmth and enlightens your mood the moment you look at it. Due to the qualities it possesses, red is one of the favored colors to be used at home. Red represents power and valor. It is dramatic in mood, emotional, active and ignites passion and desire. It enlivens the interior space and creates excitement and enthusiasm for life. However, red should not be used in the bedroom, as it is too energizing. When used in bedroom, it can be overpowering and stressful for the ones anxious by nature.
Orange
Orange color has its own beauty, due to its ethereal qualities. The color inspires spirituality as it represents transcendence and an otherworldly aspect of life. It the best color for your dining room as orange color has the ability to stir, rather stimulate your appetite. Communication, positive feelings, cheerfulness and interaction is enhanced, if you paint your dining room or living room orange. Peach color can also be used in the dining hall, as it gives a cool affect.
Yellow
Yellow is associated with sun. It nurtures clarity of mind and natural alertness. Yellow also gives a sense of patience and wisdom. Its placement should be chosen with care, as it is a very bright and energizing color. A room that gets direct sunlight need not be painted yellow or peach. However, yellow or sandal-colored walls are just perfect for the prayer, room due to their ability to inspire intellectual clarity.
White
White symbolizes purity and is highly recommended by Vastu for your ceilings. It also reflects light and brightens the room. In a bedroom located at the northwest direction, white color can be used.
Pink
Pink color can be used in the master bedroom or bedrooms located in the south and southwest direction. It is a color which reflects joy, happiness and pure feelings, essential for a happy life.
Green
Green represents harmony and peacefulness. As green is symbolic of nature, it generates calm and inner peace in the house. Green can be used in the study room, as it augments intelligence. Since green brings quick healing and rejuvenation as well, disturbed people or those who need refreshment can calm themselves in a green-colored room.

Top 10 green buildings by American Institute

2010-04-30T16:35:00.004+05:30

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top 10 sustainable architecture and green design solutions.

The top 10 includes:

- City of Watsonville Water Resources Center by WRNS Studio. The new 16,000 square foot building consolidates three different city and county water departments and includes administrative offices, a water quality lab, educational space and a design that puts the story of water in California on display. The building, its systems and its landscape will serve to educate the public through exhibition and guided tours.

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

- KAUST, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by HOK. KAUST's new campus is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first LEED certified project and the world's largest LEED Platinum project.

Kroon Hall

- Kroon Hall by Hopkins Architects and Centerbrook Architects & Planners. Replacing a brownfield site, Kroon Hall was charged with being a net zero energy building. The project has a mix of active and passive design measures and visible, invisible and interactive building features.

- Manassas Park Elementary School + Pre-K by VMDO Architects. The school is conceived throughout as a teaching tool that shepherds children along a path of environmental stewardship. Interior extended learning spaces offer views of the neighboring mixed oak forest, while elementary classrooms face shady moss and fern-covered learning courtyards featuring 'fallen' trees.

- Manitoba Hydro Place by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects and Smith Carter Architects and Engineers. The project was designed utilising a formal integrated design process to achieve goals of energy efficiency, healthy workplace environment, urban revitalisation, sustainability and architectural excellence. At 88 kwh per sqm annually, from a demand side, it is the most energy efficient large office tower in North America, with a 66 per cent improvement over the standard.

355 11th Street

- 355 11th Street by Aidlin Darling Design. The project is a LEED-NC Gold adaptive reuse of an historic (and previously derelict) turn-of the-century industrial building. The design team implemented a strategy of introducing subtle perforations into new zinc cladding to allow light and air into the occupied spaces.

- Michael J. Homer Science & Student Life Center by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects. The design encourages scientific inquiry, linking the school’s science curriculum to building functions throughout the seasons – how it breathes, resists gravity, conserves precious resources and generates energy.

- Omega Center for Sustainable Living by BNIM Architects. The Center has been designed to clean water, return the clean water to the local systems and educate users about the process. Eco-Machine technologies were selected to clean the water, utilising natural systems including the earth, plants and sunlight. The entire building and water process utilise site harvested renewable energy achieving a net zero energy system.

- Special No. 9 House by KieranTimberlake. The project was designed to provide storm-resistant, affordable and ustainable housing options for the residents of New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Key goals were to create safe, healthy and dignified housing to residents in a flood-prone area and to empower residents to return to improved living conditions that take advantage of New Orleans’ climate.

- Twelve|West by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP. Twelve|West was designed to achieve the highest levels of urban sustainability and is expected to earn a platinum rating under LEED NC overall and LEED CI for the office floors. An emphasis was put on selecting low-impact materials, including salvage, reclaimed and FSC-certified wood. Much of the concrete building structure is exposed on the interior minimising the use of finish material and providing ample thermal mass.

Australia sees its first zero emissions house opened

2010-04-30T16:23:00.001+05:30

Working with industry partners Delfin-Lend Lease and the Henley Property Group and supported by the AusZEH consortium, CSIRO designed and built the demonstration house 30 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD in the community of Laurimar in Doreen, Victoria.

The 8 star energy-efficiency rated AusZEH showcases off-the-shelf building and renewable energy-generation technologies and new future-ready energy management systems.

The AusZEH is designed to produce enough ‘zero-emission’ electricity from 6 kW solar panels to supply all the operating energy needs of the household so that its net total CO2 or other greenhouse gas emissions is zero.

The director of CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship, Dr Alex Wonhas, says the uptake of zero-emission housing in Australia could have a significant impact on reducing emissions nationwide.

"CSIRO scientists estimate that if all the new housing built in Australia between 2011 and 2020 were zero-emission houses, 63 million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be saved," he says.

"This would be equivalent to taking all of Australia’s private cars off the road for two years and 237 days, or closing all Australia’s power stations for up to 100 days."

CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship initiated the AusZEH project to demonstrate and evaluate how low-carbon housing can be achieved in Australia to reduce GHG emissions and create a more sustainable future for the nation.

For 12 months, the AusZEH demonstration house will become a home for an Australian family and a laboratory for CSIRO.

The house has been fitted with a unique energy management system developed by La Trobe University in partnership with CSIRO, which tracks energy use in the house and provides feedback via customised reports to household members.

This information on the performance of the ‘living’ house will be used to identify ways to improve the design of future zero and low-emission houses.

CSIRO initiated the National Research Flagships to provide science-based solutions in response to Australia’s major research challenges and opportunities.

ATTRACTIVE MODERN BEDS

2010-04-12T17:35:00.002+05:30

If you’re looking for an easy way to update the look of your bedroom, perhaps you might consider purchasing one of the many modern platform beds that are available.

Attractive modern platform beds

Once you begin your search, you’ll quickly realize what the attraction of modern platform beds is all about. Modern platform beds have a sleek shape that compliments practically any décor, whether it’s contemporary or traditional. You can find modern platform beds that boast a simple design or those with more ornate details. You can select from modern platform beds that come upholstered in sophisticated leather or even those constructed of fashionable metal. And you can find modern platform beds in a number of colors and materials. Choosing from the many options could be more difficult than you thought!

The cost of modern platform beds

Modern platform beds can vary greatly in cost depending on a number of factors, including their size and material. For example, modern platform beds that are upholstered with leather can cost over $1,000 for a king size, whereas modern platform beds made of wood generally start around $350.

Choosing the right modern platform bed

Shopping for modern platform beds can be quite entertaining. It’s selecting from all the modern platform beds that you like that’s tough. Try asking yourself a few questions to help select the right one. For instance, what type of material do you want? With so many different options to choose from, deciding in advance which material you prefer can help narrow your selection of modern platform beds. Out of all the modern platform beds you like, is there one that will blend better with your current décor or perhaps provide an interesting contrast? What amount are you willing to pay? The price range of modern platform beds varies greatly, so setting a budget in advance is good way to avoid overspending.

A Contemporary Kitchen Design

2010-03-27T15:28:00.002+05:30

A contemporary kitchen design inspiration has been designed by an Auckland, New Zealand based designer, Mal Corboy. This contemporary kitchen design is a part of a modern penthouse apartment interior with a high degree of glass and natural stone on the exterior design. The client wanted a very masculine looking kitchen space and the designer chose the Stat Vein Marble and Stainless Steel, which provided an overall strong mono chromatic look to the Kitchen to achieve this masculine kitchen design.

Bench tops were made 150mm high of Stainless Steel with the Stat Marble inserted into the work surface. The designer continued the use of the Stainless Steel on the draws, doors and end panel fronts. A streamline chromed handle was used on all the cabinetry which were imported from Germany, this gave the Kitchen nice lines and could be used secondary to the Blum electric push release draws. The clients are very design conscious people and coupled with the fact it was twelve months before production began for this Kitchen. The end result is a very contemporary kitchen which takes peoples breath away when they first see it. This has become a focal point in this large open plan apartment.

Black and White Minimalist Kitchen Interior Painting Decoration in Various Style

2010-03-27T15:19:00.001+05:30

Black and white colors painting can create dramatic effect and can also give sensational look to your home. Combination of black and white in painting and decorating gives an elegant, sophisticated, clean and a fresh look. This minimalist kitchen interior design dominated with black and white color, it is look very simple, clean, minimalist and elegant interior. Combined all things black and white with great effect and look very luxurious.

Horizontal House – Contemporary Architecture in Italy

2010-03-27T15:04:00.004+05:30

This white Horizontal House is on a flat landscape with an endless beauty of the outside. Located in Cuneo, Italy this house presents in clean and smooth line with pure white color of the exterior and interior.

Open walls, clear glass windows, and wide glass doors invite the surround view to come in and fill the interior. Outdoor patio is designed with natural hardwood floor and several floor cushions. An interesting architectural structure of the exterior continues to the interior design which is also presented in white shade. Taking the modern and minimalist concept, the interior is decorated with touch of hot red, stone and big flower pots. Large windows ensure the natural light to fill in and open-concept floor plan leads us to move from one room to another easily. Wood floor becomes a great combination with white shade and make the house looks clean. The kitchen looks very stylish with horizontal windows in wood frame. This awesome Horizontal House very stands out in both exterior and interior design.

Bechtler Museum

2010-02-24T15:15:00.004+05:30

Clad in a glazed terra cotta tile that lends it an orange hue and a sleek feel, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, North Carolina, shows Swiss architect Mario Botta shifting subtly from his signature brick and stone.

A mortar-free terra cotta rain screen clads the essential forms of the small museum. The massing block of a fourth-floor gallery reaches out over an entry plaza below, underpinned by a column wrapped in a double-tapered sheath of tiles.

The building's exterior surface combines flat, single-thickness tiles with tiles of triangular cross section, forming textured patterns and creating a play of light and shadow throughout the day. In using the terra cotta, Botta has described his concept of the building as a clay mass carved out by light.

The museum opened on January 2, 2010, as only the second building of Botta's in the United States, after SFMOMA (1995), although his work has flourished in Europe and Asia in the meantime.

Botta says he maintained the open area in an Italian piazza style to give people on the street a sense of being part of the structure. He also aimed to create the feel of a welcoming Southern front porch. Throughout the 36,500-square-foot (3,400-square-meter) building, one gets the sense of being integrated — aware of and able to see what's going on, both inside and out, from all four levels of the building.

Greenpoint Stadium to House South Africa World Cup in 2010

2010-02-09T17:06:00.003+05:30

It’s nice to see an example of how architecture and sports evolve together. The pictures below were made in Cape Town, South Africa and they represent the new Greenpoint Stadium which will house the South Africa World Cup in 2010. The previous stadium in Cape Town had a capacity of 18,000 spectators, which apparently was not nearly enough, as the project from Gmp Architekten has a capacity of no less than 65,000 seats. The stadium is not only famous for its future matches, but also for its great architecture. Here is some technical information from the architects concerning the giant building: “The lightweight membrane structure consists of extensive concave features forming a uniform, flowing facade that follows the undulations.

The light-colored glass fiber mesh boosts this effect, its coloration generating depth and vitality. The translucent surface absorbs and reflects the changing atmosphere of the daylight.The angle of inclination means that all the seats have the best possible sighting of the pitch. The interior of the stadium is designed to focus all attention on the pitch, thereby generating an atmosphere of intimacy and excitement”. How is this for an additional reason to stay in touch with the World Cup events?

Amazing Residence in Malibu, California

2010-02-09T16:51:00.010+05:30

Located in California, with fantastic views of Point Dume and priced at $13,500,000, this luxurious residence in Malibu is sure gonna bring some piece of mind to its next owner. This place has access not to one, but two private beaches reachable by stairs. And this is not surprising, being given that the building is constructed on an area of 3,500 square feet.

The house also feature over 80 feet of glass walls through which the owners can have non-stop access to the amazing ocean views. And if this is not enough, there is always the possibility of stepping outside, on the large and stunningly-organized patio and have a sit in one of the lounge chairs with a delicious cocktail. The place houses four bedrooms, four bathrooms and spacious living-spaces. How is this for a luxurious escapade?

Vastu for Living Room

2010-02-06T11:20:00.000+05:30

According to Vastu Shastra, Living room or drawing room should be located in east or north direction. The ideal location of a living room depends on plot facing. The living room can be in northeast direction for east and north facing house. The living room can be in northwest for west facing house. In south facing house, living room can be in southeast.

Where to Place Furniture as per Vastu

The furniture should be placed in west or south direction. The furniture such as showcase or heavy articles etc. should be in south or west direction. It should be rectangular or square, not in oval, circular or odd shape.

Television, A.C and Telephone Place according to Vastu

T.V. should be placed in southeast direction. Living room vastu opposes to place T.V. in north-east or south-west corner.

Cooler or A.C should be placed in west or north direction. Avoid A.C or Cooler in southeast and northwest. Telephone should be placed in East, North or south-east. It should not be in south-west or the north-west corners.

Aquarium Placement as per Vastu Directions

Aquariums are beneficial to place in the North, East and North-East of living room. The faults related to north-west corner can be corrected by putting an aquarium. Avoid aquarium in south direction as it draws out positive energies from house.

Painting and Pictures according to Vastu

The use of painting can create a pleasant environment in the room. Painting of waterfall, rising sun provides positive energy. Avoid paintings that symbolize death, violence and negative aspects of life.

Vastu Color Scheme

The color of wall in living room should be white, yellow, blue or green. Prefer light color over dark colors. Avoid black and red color in living room.

Vastu and Lighting

Lighting of living room should be bright. If chandelier is in living room, it should be slightly towards west, not at the centre of the room.

Vastu for Doors and Windows

The door of living room should be in east or north direction because doors are very auspicious in these directions. There should not be a photograph of any God in living room or at entrance door. Windows in east and north are beneficial.

Vastu Tips for Living Room

The East and North are best directions for living room.
The furniture should be square or rectangular.
Air-conditioner or cooler should be placed in West direction, not in South-east.
Portraits of women, animals, birds, scene of war should never be displayed in living room.
The sitting arrangement for the head of family should be in East or North direction.
A painting showing depression should not be placed on a wall.

Dining Room Vastu

2010-02-06T11:10:00.000+05:30

According to vastu, Dining room should be located in east or west portion of the house. If the kitchen is on ground floor, dining room should not be on upper floor. The room should be located adjacent to kitchen or drawing room. Having meal in such located dining room will be beneficial for you, ensures Vastu.

Vastu Dining Location

Dining room should be located in west direction whereas kitchen should be made in south-east direction. Dining room should not be located in south side. Water arrangement should be in north-east direction.

Color: The color of dining room should be light like pink, light green, cream etc. Avoid black and white color.

Shape of dining table: According to vastu dining table should be in square shape and rectangular shape. It should not be in round shape, egg shape, and oval shape.

Location of TV and electronic appliances: Electrical appliances like fridges should be in south-east direction. Television should not be placed in the dining room.

While taking food Family members should face east, west or north directions. Do not face south direction as it creates quarrels among family members. It’s best to face east or west direction while eating.

Lighting: Lights create positive energy. The décor of dining room should be arranged according to the mood and taste of the family. Lighting should create easy and relaxed environment. Candles and lamps give special effects to any meal. Ceiling lights should fall vertically and mainly focus on the surface of dining table. Scenery and paintings give positive effect in dining room.

Window and Door: Window should be placed in north or east side as compared to south or west side. If the house is located in north direction, the entrance should be in north direction. If the house is located in east direction, the face of entrance should be in the east.

If the room is located in south direction, the face of entrance should be in the South and if it is in north direction, the entrance should be in the north.Main entrance door and dining room door should not face directly to each other. Toilet should not be attached to dining room.

Vastu for Kitchen

2010-02-06T11:07:00.000+05:30

According to Vastu Shastra, the lord of ‘Agni’ (Fire) prevails in south-east direction. So ideally the kitchen should be located in south-east of the home. The second best option is north-west part of the home. The stove should be placed in south-east direction of the kitchen so that the cook may face east direction while cooking.

East quadrant is considered an excellent location for kitchen because this area brings prosperity. South-east is the best direction for the kitchen. North quadrant is second option and north-west is direction. In diagonal plots, avoid north quadrant which has ill effects on female members. West quadrant gives average results for kitchen. The kitchen should not be placed under or above Pooja Room, Toilet or Bed Room.

Sink: Sink (wash basin) should be in north-east corner as far as possible.

Storage: The storage racks should be made on southern or western wall Essential commodities like boxes of grain, spices, pulses, etc. should be in south or west direction. The water source including pitcher, water filter, etc. may be kept in north-east.

Flooring: Ceramic tiles, mosaic, marble are good choices for kitchen flooring. Ceramic tile flooring is recommended to accommodate Indian conditions as it is stain-free, dust-free and scratch resistant.

Windows: There should be one or two windows or air holes in the east direction of the kitchen. An exhaust fan in the East is good.

Color Scheme: The color of floor and walls should be yellow, orange, rose, chocolate or red. It should not be black as far as possible.

Children Room Vastu Tips

2010-02-06T11:05:00.000+05:30

According to Vastu, keeping everything in positive direction in children’s room results in creative thinking and good health because this room is the hub of fun and joy where children spend most of their time. Your child can grow in such atmosphere and lives a happy and prosperous life.

Vastu Shastra recommends west direction for children's room. The location of bed should be in south-west portion whereas the head should be in south or east direction. The door of the room should not be exactly opposite to the bed. The furniture should not be placed at the centre of the room.

Furniture: The location of bed in children’s room is south-west corner. The furniture should be few inches away from the walls. Almirahs and cabinets should be located in south or west direction.

TV and Computer: Computer and TV should not be placed in children’s room. If it’s necessary, it’s recommended to place TV in south-east corner and computer in north diection of the room.

Study Table: If study table is placed in bedroom, it should be in such direction that child could face east, north and north-east while studying. Thus placed table boosts both memory and concentration and invites new ideas. The books should always be kept in south-west, south or west as lots of books and papers in study room create clutter and mental pressure.

Lights: Use up-lighters at south-east corner in children’s room as it is good for health and generates positive energy. Never use sharp lights and spot lights as it creates mental strain.

Color Scheme: Color affects mood and every aspect of life. Green color is ideally recommended for children’s room as it gives freshness, peace and increases brain power.

Doors and Windows: The door of children room should be in the East or the North. Windows in the East and North of the room are beneficial.

Vastu Tips for Children Room

The west is best direction for kids' room. Girl's room can be in northwest direction whereas boy’s room can be in northern or eastern part of the house.
The door of children’s bedroom should in the North or East. It should have one shutter only.
There is no harm in having small window in west as compared to the one in east or north direction. The window should be opposite to the door.
Avoid study table, T.V, computer and mirror in children's bedroom.

Vastu Tips for Office

2010-02-06T11:03:00.000+05:30

Vastu principles are practical for all buildings whether it is a home, factory, temple or even an office. Office is mainly built to generate financial growth of business. Vastu suggests some rules in building offices that prove to be very functional for economic growth of the organization.

Vastu principles are applied keeping in mind various energy fields originating from different directions. First of all a site should be selected, which is free from any Vastu defect. After selection of the site, the layout of office should be planned by following these Vastu norms.

Construction of Office

The plot of office should be rectangular or square. Heavy structure should be built in the South and the West as these are negative zones. More open space should be in the East or north direction. The slope of floor should be towards East, North or Northeast. The height of building should be equal in all sides. Water bodies should be built in northeast or eastern zone. Water sump is good in the North or East. But overhead tank in northeast is a big Vastu defect. So, the tank should be built in southwest direction. Staircase should be built in southern or western part of the office. Staircase in the center of office is not good. Toilets can be built in the west or northwest. Northeast and southwest directions should not be used for toilet. Office should not be built near temple, grave yard or hospital.

Design reception in northeast of office and receptionist should sit facing the North or East. Waiting room can be in northeast or northwest direction of the building. But northeast corner should be left for temple and flowers can be placed in northeast direction. The office of Chairman or General Manager should be built in southwest or south direction of the building. He should sit in southwest direction facing north. His desk should be rectangular. Employees should sit facing the North or East. Employees should not sit under beam. If any other alternative is not possible, the loft of beam can be covered with wooden board.

Place heavy almirah or safe in the southwest in which important documents are stored. Pantry of office should be built in southeast of the building as southeast direction is a place for fire. The center of office should not have any heavy structure. Paint office in light colors. Avoid dark colors as they make us short tempered. Doors and windows of office should be in the north and east direction. Don’t use paintings depicting sadness in the office. These painting may affect harmony among office staff.

Bed Room Vastu

2010-02-06T11:00:00.000+05:30

According to ancient science of directions, ‘Vastu Shastra’ peace and harmony reign through bedroom if the room is located in right direction. A properly located bedroom provides complete relaxation after a weary day and also brings good things into life. Here are given the facts which explain complete vastu for bedroom.

Location for Bedroom

Ideally master bedroom should be located in southern part of the house and all other bedrooms should be located either towards the East or North of master bedroom. Master bedroom may be located in south-west of the house. This room should be used by the head of the family and eldest son of the family. South portion is also recommended for eldest son bedroom. If there is more than one floor, the head of the family should have his bed room in south-west direction on first floor. This bedroom should not be used by young children otherwise unnecessary quarrels can take place in the house.

A west sided bedroom is good for children. An eastern bedroom can be used for children. But this room should not be used by newly wed couples because it can cause unnecessary quarrel between the couple. Teenager girls should have their bedrooms in north-west direction. The bedroom should not be constructed in central portion of the house or in basement as it may lead to mental tension. Also bed room should not be constructed above porch and kitchen. An attached bathroom can be in north-west or south-east of bedroom.

Bed Location

The beds should be of good quality wood and metal bed should be avoided. The bed should be placed in such a way as the foot of the bed should be in North and does not face the door. It should not touch walls keeping 2 or 3 inches distance. Avoid placing bed in corners or under the beam. The space under the bed should be clean and clutter free. Due to paucity of space modern vastu says to use box bed.

Keep storage space clean and clutter free. Do not keep utensils and metal in storage space. This may cause mental stress and diseases.

Cabinet Location

Cabinet/Almirah should be placed in south-west of the room opening towards North. It should be placed leaving south-east, north-east, south-west, north-west corners and east and north directions of the room.

Television and Electrical Appliances Location

Avoid television in bedroom. If you place T.V. in bedroom, it should be kept in south-east of bedroom. It should never be placed in front of bed as it works like a mirror. Thus placed mirror is not good for health. Electrical appliances should be kept in south-east of the room.

Doors and Windows Location

The door of bedroom should be in the East or the North. Windows in the East and North of the room are beneficial.

Color Scheme

Color affects our mind and changes the mood. Vastu recommends light colors. Light colors are better than dark colors. The color of bedroom should be light rose, pink, blue, yellow and green. Avoid black and red color in bedroom. Yellow and white marble should not be used in bedroom.

Lighting

As per vastu lighting is an essential part of bedroom. Comfortable lighting is the key to excellent bedroom. The bedroom should not have too bright or too dim lighting. Keeping an up-lighter in south-east is good.

Pictures

Do not display pictures of war, cruelty, sadness, single bird, any animal and wild animals in bedroom. Generally people having religious nature display idols of God in bedroom. They should place these idols in ‘pooja Room’.

Mirrors

Do not use mirror in bedrooms. If it can not be avoided, keep it in such a position that should not reflect your shadow while sleeping. Keep a curtain on mirror to avoid reflection. To avoid mirrors in bedroom means to avoid unnecessary quarrels between the couple.

Tips for Vastu Bedroom

• As a general rule of vastu, south-west corner of bedroom should not be left empty. Always keep heavy things, furniture etc. in this portion in every room.

• South-west side of the house and of all rooms inside the house should always be heavier than the East and north-east side. Maximum open space should be left in north-east side of the room and house.

• Nobody’s bedroom should be exactly in the middle of the building.

• Some buildings do not get proper east-west and north-south directions. They have corners only. In bed rooms of such buildings, for getting the proper direction, one should not put his bed in an oblique position.

• As far as possible, the almirah should not be in the bedroom. If it is necessary, it should be placed in a way leaving the south-east, the north-east, the south-west and the northwest corners as well as the east and the north directions.

Tips for Bedroom Ceiling Color

2010-02-06T10:36:00.003+05:30

The bedroom ceiling design and color combination can not only cherish the mood but make an impression of a large space. Paint ceiling in a soft color, a lighter version of wall color to create a pleasant appearance.

As bedroom ceiling is watched more than the ceilings of other rooms, select color trends that your inner desire expresses.

The shades of medium to dark browns are perfect for bedroom because these shades nurture and satisfy our spirits. Make use of beiges, browns and tans because they are earthier and reflect the colors of rock, stone and soil. A combination of greens and brown is a great for bedroom because of warmth and cozy feeling in your room. Pick right shades of green because some shades are not flattering to skin tone.

Useful Tips for Color Selection

Opt for the color that is lighter than wall color to make bedrooms with low ceiling harmonious and spacious. Use a darker shade to make rooms with high ceiling look appealing.

Choose monochromatic theme for fresh look. You can pick a color that is two or three tones lighter than the color of your bedroom walls for tranquil look.

Go for white ceilings which the people usually tend to do but it is conventional.

Opt for a ceiling color that is in contrast with wall color like combination of light pink and mauve color for different look.

Add a subtle shade of wall color to your bedroom ceiling to give room a soft and serene atmosphere.

Use ceiling as a place for visual expression; create an overhead view of pleasant blue sky or pattern your ceiling with colors and shapes that match up with the décor of the room for dramatic look.

Make a choice for superb ceiling light or even a crystal chandelier that will add a patterned effect to the ceiling.

Vastu Tips for Happy Married Life

2010-02-05T17:52:00.003+05:30

Vastu leads to a happy married life which every couple dream of. Life becomes joyful and peaceful if your life partner is compatible with you. Vastu defects may cause non compatibility with life partner. Everybody wants to live a successful and peaceful life. You also want to live a life which is enjoyable and happy, but you do not know why you become sad when you come to your house. You may feel that you are quite happy when you are far away from your house, you can feel some mood swings when you enter in your house.

From a vastu perspective, if your home is not in proper balance, it may cause sadness, problem in relationships etc. Like nature all five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) are in balance. Your home can also be balanced there is a need to know the importance of structure that can benefit you. Balance the five elements in your home because each of the five elements is associated with each direction. Northeast of your house is associated with water element. Open space in northeast of house is good for relationship and finances. Having water element in this direction without touching the diagonal axis is good for finances. If your financial condition is good, it has a positive effect on your relationship. An under ground water tank is good in this direction even though over head water tank is also water element, but if it is in northeast direction that can be stressful for you.

Pooja room in northeast quadrant is also good. Bedroom in northeast may be the reason of lot of tension. Toilet, kitchen, store room and a missing northeast corner can cause stagnation in relationship. The southeast of your house is associated with fire element. Kitchen, electrical equipments are placed in southeast of house are good for lively relationship. Avoid water elements in southeast as fire and water cannot live with each other. If there is cut southeast corner, your relationship can also be suffered.

Master bedroom in southeast can cause quarrel in family. The northwest of your house is associated with air element. If there is a cut corner in northwest or less open space in northwest, it may cause lack of communication between family members. Communication is the base of any relationship so it can affect your relationship with spouse. There can be mental instability due to blocked northwest. Toilet and guest room are recommended in this direction this may lead to proper communication which helps in stability of relationship. The southwest area of your house is associated with earth element. Southwest master bedroom is helpful in stability of relationship. An extended southwest or cut corner in southwest can cause conflicts in relationship. A store room in southwest is a good option. Toilet, kitchen and under ground water tank are not recommended in southwest, it may affect a relationship. Center of House (Brahmasthan) is associated with space element. A cluttered center of house or no open space in that part of house can cause poor communication in relationship. Toilet, kitchen and under ground water tank in the center of house may cause disagreement. Vastu tips for happy Married Life DO’S

Keep bedroom in the south-west of the house.
Avoid bedroom in south-east as this is a fire place. It may lead to the clashes between the couple.
Place bed in the southwest portion of the bedroom. Avoid placing bed in northern and eastern zone of the bedroom. It may cause mental stress and financial instability.
Keep head-side of the bed in south direction.
Use wooden bed instead of metal bed.
Always build square or rectangle bedrooms which bring peace and love in life.
Paint walls in light colors like green, light blue, rose pink. Avoid red color in bedroom.
Place kitchen appliances/objects like gas and sink that represents fire and water respectively properly. You should place gas in South-east and water in North-east or North.
Keep money in northern or eastern area of the house as it is an important part of the life.

DON’T DO

Do not use Northeast bedroom in case you are newly wed couple.
Never place the bed under a beam. It may cause bad effects on health.
Avoid mirror in married couple’s bedroom. It may lead to quarrels between the couple.
Avoid Computer and T.V in bedroom as they will reflect like a mirror. If you place T.V and Computer in bedroom, cover them with a cloth while sleeping in the night.
Ensure that the under ground water tank is not in the south-west direction.
Avoid paintings that symbolize death, violence and negative aspects of life.

Vastu for Bathroom and Toilet

2010-02-05T17:46:00.000+05:30

According to bathroom vastu, bathroom is located in North or North-West portion of the house. If bathroom is located in wrong direction, it can cause health and financial problems. Bathroom should not be in South, South-East and South-West direction. South sided bathroom can cause adverse effects on the health of female members.

As per Toilet Vastu, toilet should be located in west or northwest direction. Avoid construction of toilet at the centre and in the east, northeast of the house. The toilet seat should be placed in such a way that the person sitting could face the North or the South. Now a day toilet combined with bathroom is becoming popular due to lack of space. Combined bathroom and toilet should be in north-west direction. It should not be adjacent to Pooja Room, kitchen and under the stairs.

Geyser and other electrical appliances like heater and switchboard should be installed in south-east corner of bathroom. Taps and showers are fixed in north direction. Placing bath tubs in east, west or north-east direction is good. Wash basin and shower can be either in north-east, north or east direction. The North is a good direction for vanity mirror.

Water closet should be placed in the West and the South direction of the toilet. A water closet should be placed near a window or an outer wall.

Exhaust fans are necessary if there is no window in the bathroom. The slope of bathroom floor should be in the North. It should not to be in south-west or south-east direction.

Septic tank should be in northwest of the house. It should not be in south-east, north-east, north or east directions. The tank should be higher than floor level of the building.

The door of bathroom should be in North or East direction. It should not be placed in south-west direction. In a bathroom there should be a small and airy window either in East, West or North direction. If the window is in south direction, it would have adverse effects on health.

The color of bathroom tiles can be white, sky blue and light blue. It helps in giving a fresh look to bathroom. Avoid dark colors like black or red. The slope of floor in bathroom should be towards East or North direction.

Vastu Tips for Bathroom and Toilet

It should not be located in east, north or northeast direction.
It should not be in northeast and center place of the house.
It should not be near kitchen and under the stairs.
If a change room is built in bathroom, it should be in South or West direction.
The mirror should be on northern or eastern wall.
The door should not be in south-west direction.
Washing machine can be placed in south-east and north-west direction directions.

Pooja Room Vastu

2010-02-05T17:43:00.001+05:30

Pooja room is a place where we worship God for peace and prosperity. Ishanya or north-east is governed by God and is an excellent location for pooja room. Locating ‘Pooja room’ in north-east brings prosperity, good health, wealth, happiness and peace of mind. North-east is auspicious for other reasons. In morning sunrays fall directly from north-east and give us positive energy.

Location of Pooja Room

North-east is an excellent location for Pooja room. Pooja room in north quadrant provides good results. You can opt east, north and north-east for pooja room. Avoid other directions if possible. Special pooja’s can be performed in Brahmasthana (center of house). In big plots, pooja room can be in Brahmasthan (central portion) of the house. Pooja room should not be inside bed room. It should not be made above, below or next to toilet or kitchen. It should be on ground floor, not on first floor or in basement. Avoid Pooja Room under the stairs.

Planning a Pooja Room
Doors and windows of pooja room should be in North and East. Doors of pooja room should have two shutters. The doors should not have any door closer. There should be a ventilator. Walls of pooja room should be painted in white, light yellow or light blue color. The floor of pooja room should be of white or off white marble. Cupboard for placing things should be in South or West of pooja room. It is beneficial to have a threshold in pooja room.

Interior of Pooja Room
Idols of God should be kept in north-east portion of pooja room. The idols should not face one another and the door of pooja room also. The two idols of same god should not be placed in pooja room. The idols should be 1 inch away from walls. ‘Kalash’ or water body is in North or East of the room. ‘Deepak’, lamp and ‘Agni’ kund are in south-east. We should face East while worshipping. Avoid keeping heavy idols in pooja room. Cluttered and broken idols should not be placed in pooja room. Avoid photos of dead people in pooja room. Keep pooja room clean and clutter free. There should be one pooja room in a house. The room should not be used for other purposes like storage or other room.

Study Room Vastu

2010-02-05T17:41:00.001+05:30

The right place is very important for study as it affects the concentration of students. Many times students complain that they are not able to concentrate on studies. The remedy to these problems has been formulated by our ancestors through ‘Vastu Shastra’.

Here are few vastu tips which can help students to achieve success in their studies.

The study room should be located in the directions which are considered auspicious for studies such as East, North or north-east of the house. As per Vastu, these directions improve the power of concentration while studying. Make sure that there is no mirror reflection in their room. This may have effect of doubling their work load. Make sure that the student does not study under a beam otherwise he or she feels unnecessary pressure.

Locate Study Table according to Vastu

The placement of study table is important for concentration. You should place study table facing East or North. Do make sure that the child should face East or North while studying. The table should not stick to the wall.
There should be open space in front of child as it augments fresh ideas. The child should have a solid wall behind him as it signifies support.
The study table should be square or rectangular as per vastu, it should not be too big or too small. A table of small size can be uncomfortable while working and a table of big size can affect working capacity of the child.

Placement of Bookshelves as per Vastu

Bookshelves and cabinets should be placed in the East, North, and North-east directions. The cabinets should not be placed in the center of room. It is best to leave central portion of study room empty. Avoid placing bookshelf above study table. It may create unnecessary stress for child. Study table should not be cluttered with lots of books.

Color scheme as per Vastu

The walls of study room should be painted in light colors rather than dark colors. Light colors are very auspicious according to vastu and enhance learning power of students. Avoid black color in study room.

Proper Lighting

The study room should have proper light. Dim lights are not favorable for child’s education and growth. Sunlight gives us energy for doing work so the windows of study room should be in East and North of the room. A table lamp is another source of proper light which helps in concentrating on the task. If the child is using table lamp, it should be placed in south-east of the table.

Vastu Tips to Create an Effective Enviornment in Study Room

The room to be chosen for study should be in the East , North or the North-East direction of the house. These directions improve the absorption power.
Ensure that your child sleeps with his head towards East or South. The head towards east helps in learning whereas the head towards south helps in maintaining magnetic balance of the body or earth. Avoid bed in study room as it may make child lazy.
Avoid television in study room because it interrupts concentration of students.
Place computer in south-east of the room.
Make the room noiseless. The study room should not have any noisy toilet on the floor above or below the room.
Do let the child study under a beam.
Make study room clean, clutter free and noise free.

Vastu Shastra for Staircase

2010-02-05T17:36:00.000+05:30

Vastu verifies to locate staircase of the building in the South or West direction. Staircase is a heavy structure; hence it should be located in negative zones like the South or the West. The staircase in northern or eastern part of house may give adverse effects. The stairs should rise from the East to West or from the North to South. The staircase should not be in the center of the house. Avoid staircase in northeast direction also.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for functional staircase.

DO’S

Make staircase of the house in southern or western part of the house as these directions are heavy.
Build staircase in southeast in east, northwest in north, southwest in west and southwest in south if the staircase is external.
Arise the stairs from the East to West or from the North to South and a turn can be taken to any other side due to paucity of space.
Make the number of stairs odd. It should not end with zero. The number of risers should be such odd numbers that if divided by 3, the remainder is always 2.
Paint staircase in light colors. Avoid red and black color.
Repair broken stairs immediately otherwise it may cause accidents or mental tension due to clashes.

DON’TS

Avoid staircase in northeast of the house and in center of the house as it will cause loss of wealth. The staircase in any other corner reduces loss.
Do not make staircase circular as it may cause ill effects on health.
Do not build any room such as kitchen, bathroom and ‘Pooja’ room under staircase. However it can be used for storage.
Do not use common staircase for going upstairs and basement.

Vastu Tips for Doors and Windows

2010-02-05T17:14:00.001+05:30

The doors and windows are essential furnishing articles of the house. These are used for insulation purposes. They provide comfort in working at the house. The following are important points that one should consider before designing the doors and windows.

Maximum number of doors and windows should open in the North and East as compared to the South and West.
The doors and windows should be in even numbers like 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. but not 10 and multiple of 8.
The main door of house should be taller than other doors. It should be of two shutters.
There should not be any obstruction in front of main door like big trees; pole etc. There should not be any temple opposite to the house too.
The doors should not be placed in center of the wall. It should be far from the centre. It should not be in extreme corner.
For doors and windows one type of wood should be used. Teak wood is the best option for doors and windows.
The doors and windows should be rectangular. The doors having irregular or square shapes are not auspicious.
The doors should not close automatically; it may affect the health of children.
The doors should not be over size or under sized. Its size should be of ratio 2:1 in regard to height and width.
If the door is making noise while moving, it should be repaired otherwise it can cause quarrel.
There should not be cracked door in a house. It should be replaced as soon as possible.
The entrance door should be well decorated with pictures and decorative pieces.
The main entrance door of two houses opposite to each other should not be opened towards to each other.
If there is more than one floor in a building, one door over another door should be avoided.

Note: Any picture of God should not be hanged at outer side of the door.

Vastu Tips for Plants and Trees

2010-02-05T17:06:00.001+05:30

Vastu Shastra being an ancient science deals in residential buildings, factories and industries. Vastu can be applied on flowers and plants in the house. The plants play significant role in activating positive energy to our day to day life. Here is what Vastu says about plants.

Tulsi or Basil plant is most powerful and auspicious plant. The plant should be located in the North, East and North-east of the house. Tulsi can be grown at the front or the back of the house.

Banyan and Peepel tree are sacred trees so they should be planted near temple or sacred place.

The trees should not be planted in front of the entrance of house.
Big trees can be planted in the South and West portion of the house. They should not be too close to the building as they block sunlight and roots of the tree can damage foundation. The roots of big trees absorb sunlight and do not allow them to reach the house.
Small trees can be planted in the East and North side. But no tree should be planted in North-east corner.
Thorny plants should not be planted in the house as these plants except rose can have negative energy.
The creepers should be planted near entrance door. It should not be raised on compound wall of the building. It is good to plant creeper in garden.
Avoid milky trees in the house as it may affect the health of family members.
Flowering plants should be placed in the South-west portion of the house. Jasmine, Rose, Marigold, Champak, Mogra and Prijat are good around the house as it gives positive energy.
Money plant should also be planted inside the house as it brings good luck to the house.
No big tree should be planted in the centre of the house.
A rock garden should be in southwest portion of the house, not in the northeast portion of the house.

Vastu and Brahmasthan

2010-02-05T16:09:00.002+05:30

Brahmasthan is a unique feature of ancient architecture based on Vastu Shastra. It is central, holiest and powerful zone of the house. All directions meet at the center of the house and disperse positive energy in all directions. This positive energy is very useful for living beings of the occupants of the house. Brahmasthan is also important place for factories and industries. The central place is identified by painting ceiling with a different color.

If people want to enjoy riches, harmony and happiness, Brahmasthan should be left open and is free of obstructing objects. In ancient time, it was common to construct a courtyard at the centre of house which was open to sky and to the rooms around courtyard.

Identification of Brahmasthan

Divide the plot into 8 equal parts from East to West and North to South. Now the plot is divided into 64 equal parts. The four squares at the center of plot are the place of Brahmasthan.

Tips for Brahmasthan

Main hall, Pooja Room or Courtyard can be constructed at the centre of the house.
Toilets and Bathroom should not be built at the centre of the house.
Kitchen at the center may have adverse effect on health.
Generally, in duplex houses staircases are built at center of house. It may affect mental and financial growth of the residents.
The pillar having a load of structure makes the centre heavy that’s a big Vastu defect.
Sleeping at the centre place will mess up the life.
There should not be a beam at the center of house.
Beams, arches, store room etc. should not be constructed at Brahmsthana.

Colours for Home According To The Vaastu

2010-02-05T16:00:00.002+05:30

Colours according to Vaastu Shastra play a vital role in bringing balance to our minds as well as bodies and to stimulate our energy. Therefore colours in one home should be coordinated with the colours of respective planets and elements associated with different directions. This will help in enhancing the energy flow around every individual in the house. Here are some guidelines on particular colours, which will help you to choose the right Vaastu colours for every room.

Red: The colour red represents power and bravery. It is the most dramatic, emotional and active colour comparing to other two primary colours blue and yellow. It is known for evoking a seductive atmosphere of passion and desire. With its versatile effect it enlivens the interior space by creating excitement, warmth and elegance.
It should not be used in bedrooms because of its energizing quality, although some red can be used to enhance sensuality. It can also be exhausting or overpowering and stressful for those who are anxious.

Orange: This colour inspires spirituality as it represents transcendence and an otherworldly aspect. It encourages happy, joyful and social gatherings.

An orange coloured dining room will help to stimulate good appetite. So, if you want to enhance parties, communication, positive feelings and cheerfulness in your daily living, paint your dining room or living room in orange. Peach can also be used as it gives a cool effect.

Yellow: Yellow colour nurtures mental alertness and clarity of mind. It represents sunlight. Remember, if a room gets direct sunlight; do not paint the walls with yellow or peach.

Choose its placement with care, as it is bright and very energizing. However this colour inspires intellectual clarity, comprehensible associations, articulate thinking and joyful energy. For prayer room, yellow or sandal wall colours are just perfect. It is a recommended colour for the logical left side of the brain. It is intellectually beneficial and you might use it with yellow accents instead of painting each wall yellow.

Green: This colour represents nature. Green helps in bringing a harmonious atmosphere that generates calm and inner peace with an energizing quality within the house.

It brings balanced harmony, quick healing and rejuvenation to a room. It can be used as a calming place for people who are disturbed or in need of refreshment. Today most of the hospitals use it because of its quick healing aspects. It can also be used in study room as it enhances intelligence.

Blue: This colour represents Sky. It gives a sense of space and expansion that relaxes body and mind.

It can be used for bedrooms or meditation rooms because of its calming and spiritual energy. It enhances meditative quality and it is believed that blue acts like a colour therapy to reduce blood pressure.

Purple: It helps in reflecting positive reflections and stimulates meditation. This rich colour inspires faith, intuition and trust. It is very protective, spiritual and comforting. Never paint an entire room in purple as it could be overpowering. However an additional light violet colour can provide a very healing and calming atmosphere.

White: white is an elegant colour and works fine anywhere when combined with accent colours. It has an uplifting and cleansing aspect, however too much white can reflect a sterile and isolating quality.

White ceilings are widely suggested by most of the scholars as they reflect light and brighten the room. A room in Northwest direction representing the room should use white and other bright colours like blue and green. Avoid grey and black colours specifically.

Choosing the Paint Color according to Vastu

Bedroom : Pink is an auspicious color for bedroom. Light blue and light green are also good for bedroom. Choose green color for children’s bedroom because it can helps in study of children.

Living Room: Yellow, blue, green, tan and beige are best colors for living room as these colors are pleasant for guests.

Kitchen: The white is the best color for kitchen. Yellow, orange, rose pink, chocolate and red colors are also good colors for kitchen.

Bathroom (Toilet): It can be of white or a mix of black and white or gray colors. Pink and other pastel colors are also good.

Dining Room: The Pink, green and blue colors are good for dining room as this place needs to be painted in refreshing colors for the family eats and entertains there. Avoid black and white or mixture of black and white in the room.

River House - Stunning Architecture and Beautiful Views

2009-12-12T16:48:00.006+05:30

This dream house is from Australia. The River House impresses one down to its smallest details.

With a beautiful exterior design and fantastic angles, some of them smooth, others dramatic and unexpected, this house dominates the surrounding areas.

Due to its architecture plans, the views from inside the place are fantastic: water, palm-trees and luxurious vegetation are just some of the elements in sight.

The interior was designed to leave nothing to chance and no compromises were made in creating a modern and dreamy interior.

Rafael Vinoly Designs New Carrasco International Airport

2009-12-02T15:39:00.002+05:30

Rafael Vinoly Architects has designed the new Carrasco International Airport in Montevideo, Uruguay.

This is the firm's first completed airport and its largest project in Vinoly's home country.

The new terminal will become fully operational on December 9, 2009.

The new terminal, which serves Uruguay's capital city of Montevideo, was created to expand capacity and spur commercial growth and tourism in the surrounding region.

The design of the building emphasizes its public zones and amenities, providing these areas with an abundance of open space and natural light.

Arriving travelers, for example, pass through a fully glazed mezzanine level that helps orient them to the terminal space before they descend to immigration, the baggage claim, and customs.

A public, landscaped terrace and a restaurant occupy the second floor, providing sweeping views of the runway and the main concourse.

Rafael Vinoly Architects' design elevates the public zones, both on the fully accessible roadside departure hall and terrace and the secure runway-side concourses, and houses everything beneath a curved, 1,200-foot-long roof.

The gentle curve and low profile of this monolithic roof help integrate the building into its site.

Architects Around the World Join Forces to Call for Copenhagen Commitment

2009-12-02T15:25:00.001+05:30

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Australian Institute of Architects, Architecture Canada and the Commonwealth Association of Architects joined forces to deliver a 15 point "Call for Action" at next month's United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen (COP15, 7-18 December 2009) in an effort to lobby world leaders to deliver an ambitious and effective international response to climate change.

The joint statement highlights the importance of the crucial roles architecture and the built environment can play in reducing the climate change impact on the environment; with buildings and cities currently accounting for almost half of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

It challenges Governments, and the global architectural profession, to work together towards achieving significant and lasting action to combat climate change.

The joint Call for Action paper covers issues ranging from the pressing need for an international standard of accounting for carbon emissions, to appropriate planning for the unavoidable impacts of climate change, and incentives to drive innovation to ensure greater and faster take-up of sustainable design.

"Our Call for Action statement is designed to encourage governments, architects and the broader global community to act," said Ruth Reed, RIBA President.

"I am delighted to join forces with architecture institutes around the world to tackle this vital issue."

Beach House Design by A Cero

2009-11-27T16:34:00.002+05:30

A Cero, Spanish architecture firm, introduces a Caribbean House Design created by Joaquin Torres. Located in Dominican Republic on 7000 square meter area, where the sun, sand, and beach you can enjoy every day. Curved roof design creates an interesting look from the outside, sand colored structures make blend into the surrounded environment. Designed in contemporary style make it easy to choose a modern furnishes to complete the house look. You can enjoy the beach views, sea breeze from the outdoor living room under the shelter of rolling rooflines. Creating a lot of open spaces give this house an easy access to bring the outdoor in. Sculptural walls hide the front entrance offering you privacy for an unforgettable Caribbean holiday.

List of Architecture Colleges in India

2009-11-11T11:01:00.001+05:30

DELHI - Colleges of Architecture
School of Planning and Architecture - I P estate, New Delhi - 110002
Vastu Kala Academy School of Architecture and Interior Designing - Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi-110067
Jamia Millia Islamia - Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025
T V B School of Habitat Sstudies - Vasant Kunj, New Delhi -110070

ANDHRA PRADESH Architecture Colleges
College of Engineering - Andhra University, Visakhapatnam -530003
School of Planning and Architecture - Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Mahavir Marg, Hyderabad-500028

GOA Architecture Colleges
Goa College Of Architecture - Campal, Panaji, Goa-403001

CHANDIGARH Architecture Colleges
Chandigarh College of Architecture - Sector 12, Chandigarh-160012

GUJARAT Architecture Colleges
D C Patel school of Architecture - Gujarat
School of Architecture Centre for Environment Planning and Technology - Nevrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009
Faculty of Technology and Engineering - Baroda

BIHAR Architecture Colleges
Birla Instituteof Technology - Mesra 835 215
Bihar Institute of Technology - Patna-800 005

MAHARASHTRA Architecture Colleges
Shri Siddheshwar Shikshan Mandals College of Architecture - Siddeshwar Peth, Solapur 413 001
S S E Society's College of Engineering and Technology - Akola - 444001
BMC's Lalit Kala kendra - Jalgaon Dist 425 107
Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies - Juhu scheme, Mumbai -400032
Manoharbhai Patel Institute of Engineering and Technology - Gondia-441614
Pillais College of Architecture - Sector-8, New Panvel - 400 206
Academy of Architecture - Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400025
G S Mandal's Marathawada Institute of Technology - Aurangabad - 431005
Vivekanand Institute of Technology - Sadashiv Peth, Pune -411 030
Paravara Rural education society - Shrirampur, Ahmednagar 413 713
DY Patil College of Engineering & Technology - Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
Shri Prince Shivaji Maratha boarding House's coll of Architecture- Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Visveshwaraya Regional College of Engineering - Nagpur
Sir J J College of Architecture - D.N.Road, Mumbai - 400001
Shri V .B. Patil Trust's College of Architecture - Sangli 416 416
Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Architecture - Pune 411 043
N D M V P Samaj's College of Architecture - Nashik- 422 022
Dr. DY Patil College of Architecture - CBD, New Mumbai -400 614
Rizvi College of Architecture - Rizvi Complex, Bandra, Mumbai 400 050
Marathawada Mitra Mandal's College of Architecture - Pune 411011
Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for women - Pune -411 052. Maharashtra
Kavikulguru Institute of Technology and service - Ramtek 441 106
L B H S S Trust's College of Architecture - Mumbai
B K P S College of Architecture - Pune -411 030. Maharashtra
Lady Amritbai Daga College for women - Nagpur
Priyadarshini College of Engineering - Nagpur
N T V's College of Architecture - Dhule
Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Architecture - near Konkan Bhavan, CBD, New Mumbai- 400614
Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College -Aurangabad - 431003
L S Raheja school of Architecture - Bandra, Mumbai - 400 050

HARYANA Architecture Colleges
C R State College of Engineering - Sonepat District, Haryana
Sushant School of Arts and Architecture - Sushant lok, Gurgaon - 122001

KARNATAKA Architecture Colleges
P D A College of Engineering - Gulbarga 585102
B M S College of Engineering - Banglore -560 019
Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering - Kanakapura road, Banglore 560078
College of Engineering - Gulbarga.
R V College Of Engineering - Banglore - 560059
Manipal Institute of Technology - Manipal 576119
Banglore Institute of Technology - Visveswara puram, Banglore 560 004
BLDE Association's College of Engineering and Technology - Bijapur 586103
Siddagana Institute of Technology - Tumkur 572103
Maland College of Engineering - Hasan 573201
B V Bhoomraddi College of Engineering and Technology - Hubli -580031
University Visveswaraya College of Engineering - Janana Bharati campus, Banglore city.
Malik Sandal Institute of Art and Architecture - Bijapur 586 101
M S Ramaiah institute of Technology - Banglore 560054

KERALA Architecture Colleges
Regional Engineering College - Calicut - 673 601.
College of Engineering - Trivandrum
T K M College of Engineering - Quilon-691 005.

MADHYA PRADESH Architecture Colleges
Government Engineering College - Raipur 492010
Maulana Azad College of Technology - Bhopal 462007
Sthapatya Kala Bhawan society - Indore
Madhav Institute of Technology - Gwalior 474005
I P S Academy school of Architecture - Indore 452003
Institute of Environmental planning and Technology - Indore

ORISSA Architecture Colleges
Piloo Mody College of Architecture - Cuttuck 753012.
College of Engineering & Technology - Bhubaneshwar 7510053

PUNJAB Architecture Colleges
College of Engineering and Technology - Bhathinda 151 001
Guru Nanak Dev University - Amritsar 143005

RAJASTHAN Architecture Colleges
Malviya Regional Engineering College - Jaipur 302 017

UTTAR PRADESH Architecture Colleges
Government College of Architecture - Lucknow -226 007
University of Roorkee - Roorkee -247667
Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology - Aligarh 202 002

TAMIL NADU Architecture Colleges
Mohamed Sathak Engineering College - Kilakarai -623806
Periyar Manimmai College of Technology for women - Thanjavur 613 403
Dr. M G R Engineering College - Maduravoyal, Chennai-602102
Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman College of Engineering
Regional Engineering College - Tiruchirapalli 620 015
Thiagarajar College of Engineering - Madurai -625 015
Sathyambama Engineering College - Jeppiaar nagar, Chennai -600 096
S R M Engineering College -Kattankulathur, Chengai-Anna District -603203
Adhiyamann College of Engineering - Hosur
Bharat Institute of science and Technology - Chennai 600 073
Hindustan College of Engineering - Chinglepet District- 603103

WEST BENGAL Architecture Colleges
Bengal Engineering College - Howrah 711103
Jadavpur University - Kolkata- 700032

The above list may be not complete. Please check with the relevant govt/ education boards for the complete list and their recognisation.

Green Architect Projects Gaining Ground

2009-11-10T15:39:00.000+05:30

Have you heard of green architecture, but are unsure exactly what it is? Green architecture concentrates on lowering the environmental damage done to the earth by putting up new buildings. This approach to putting up buildings while making it environmentally safe has been around for almost 30 years.

While green architecture was once viewed as highly unconventional, it's getting a lot more acceptable and popular. Many of the regulatory agencies are learning to recognize the advantages of the methods of green construction.

Today's green revolution can probably be tracked back to 1960s social awareness and the adoption of different methods of design. Green construction has made great strides since then. New techniques have been developed, new, innovative concepts and materials invented, and buildings have gotten greener.

A successful green project will reduce waste, use non-toxic materials, and pay close attention to the location and function of the building, as well as the climate that surrounds it. That's a far cry from "one size fits all" building methods of the past.

What makes a building green? There are a number of concepts that make up a green building. The main ones are energy efficiency, use of land, reduction of waste, materials used and the sustainability of the project. Green projects should use energy efficient electrical systems whenever possible, especially in the areas of heating and cooling. Gray water recycling, passive solar design, and the use of renewable power are all elements of this.

Building should be constructed to match the environment, rather than forcing changes to the site. Buildings should be located and oriented to take maximum advantages of their surroundings. Improved energy efficiency is the desired outcome and it makes for a building more pleasant to use. Use of land planning in the form of parking and transportation concerns become viable, too.

In a perfect setting the materials used should allow the building to be reused for other construction possibilities in the future producing minimal waste. Green architecture should reduce the dependence on wasteful and toxic materials and products, which is becoming much easier as the industry grows. Some buildings even reuse parts of other buildings, or waste materials such as old shipping containers.

Of course, not all projects labeled green are really green. Some are "greenwashed" - ordinary projects given a green veneer for respectability purposes. Others are built with good intentions but poor planning. That's why it's highly important and effective to know that all green projects be inspected carefully to ensure they are as safe for the environment as claimed. Helping the environment is complex, but it's worth it in the long run, with buildings being more usable and more sustainable years down the line.

Architectural and Interior Colleges in India:

2009-11-10T15:31:00.001+05:30

Architectural Colleges in India, Architectural colleges in Delhi, Architectural Colleges in Mumbai, Architectural colleges in Kolkatta, Architectural colleges in Chennai, Architectural colleges in Pune, Architectural Colleges in Chandigarh, Architectural colleges in Nagpur, Architectural Colleges in Cochin, Architectural colleges in Ahmedabad, Architectural colleges in Trivandrum, Architectural colleges in Goa, Architectural Colleges in Haryana, Architectural colleges in Punjab, Architectural Colleges in Jammu, Architectural colleges in Gujarat, Architectural colleges in Rajasthan, Architectural colleges in Maharastra, Architectural Colleges in Karnataka, Architectural colleges in Bangalore, Architectural Colleges in Kerala, Architectural colleges in Tamil Nadu, Architectural colleges in Andra Pradesh, Architectural colleges in Hyderabad, Architectural Colleges in Orissa, Architectural colleges in Bihar, Architectural Colleges in Patna, Architectural colleges in Jharkhand, Architectural colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Architectural colleges in Varanasi, Architectural Colleges in Kanpur, Architectural colleges in Himachal Pradesh, Architectural Colleges in Goa, Architectural colleges in Assam, Architectural colleges in Guwahati, Architectural colleges in North East, Architectural Colleges in Gwalior, Architectural colleges in South India, Architectural Colleges in North India, Architectural colleges in Amritsar, Architectural colleges in Jaipur, Architectural colleges in Pondicherry, Architectural Colleges in Andaman, Architectural colleges in Calcutta, Architectural Colleges in New Delhi, Architectural colleges in Kashmir, Architectural colleges in Lakshadweep, Architectural colleges in Chhattisgarh, Architectural Colleges in Ludhiana, Architectural colleges in Indore, Architectural colleges in Arunachal Pradesh, Architectural colleges in Meghalaya, Architectural Colleges in Tripura, Architectural colleges in Mizoram, Architectural Colleges in Manipur, Architectural colleges in Shillong, Architectural colleges in Sikkim, Architectural colleges in Bhubaneshwar, Architectural Colleges in Ranchi, Architectural colleges in Dehradun, Architectural Colleges in Shimla, Architectural colleges in Srinagar, Architectural colleges in Raipur, Architectural colleges in small cities of India, Interior Design Colleges in India, Interior Design colleges in Delhi, Interior Design Colleges in Mumbai, Interior Design colleges in Kolkatta, Interior Design colleges in Chennai, Interior Design colleges in Pune, Interior Design Colleges in Chandigarh, Interior Design colleges in Nagpur, Interior Design Colleges in Cochin, Interior Design colleges in Ahmedabad, Interior Design colleges in Trivandrum, Interior Design colleges in Goa, Interior Design Colleges in Haryana, Interior Design colleges in Punjab, Interior Design Colleges in Jammu, Interior Design colleges in Gujarat, Interior Design colleges in Rajasthan, Interior Design colleges in Maharastra, Interior Design Colleges in Karnataka, Interior Design colleges in Bangalore, Interior Design Colleges in Kerala, Interior Design colleges in Tamil Nadu, Interior Design colleges in Andra Pradesh, Interior Design colleges in Hyderabad, Interior Design Colleges in Orissa, Interior Design colleges in Bihar, Interior Design Colleges in Patna, Interior Design colleges in Jharkhand, Interior Design colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Interior Design colleges in Varanasi, Interior Design Colleges in Kanpur, Interior Design colleges in Himachal Pradesh, Interior Design Colleges in Goa, Interior Design colleges in Assam, Interior Design colleges in Guwahati, Interior Design colleges in North East, Interior Design Colleges in Gwalior, Interior Design colleges in South India, Interior Design Colleges in North India, Interior Design colleges in Amritsar, Interior Design colleges in Jaipur, Interior Design colleges in Pondicherry, Interior Design Colleges in Andaman, Interior Design colleges in Calcutta, Interior Design Colleges in New Delhi, Interior Design colleges in Kashmir, Interior Design colleges in Lakshadweep, Interior Design colleges in Chhattisgarh, Interior Design Colleges in Ludhiana, Interior Design colleges in Indore, Interior Design colleges in Arunachal Pradesh, Interior Design colleges in Meghalaya, Interior Design Colleges in Tripura, Interior Design colleges in Mizoram, Interior Design Colleges in Manipur, Interior Design colleges in Shillong, Interior Design colleges in Sikkim, Interior Design colleges in Bhubaneshwar, Interior Design Colleges in Ranchi, Interior Design colleges in Dehradun, Interior Design Colleges in Shimla, Interior Design colleges in Srinagar, Interior Design colleges in Raipur, Interior Design colleges in small cities of India

Interior Designer

2009-11-10T15:27:00.001+05:30

Interior design is a very exciting field of work that is becoming more and more popular as people are increasingly spending money to improve their homes. The popularity of home improvement and renovation TV shows has increased the desire to work on our own homes and make them into something special, rather than sell up to buy something more extravagant. People hire interior designers to guide them on the latest trends and advice for what sort of interior decorating would suit their house. Interior designers are also employed in the commercial sector such as in hospitality and corporate offices.

There is no doubt that you must have a creative streak if you are to become a successful interior designer. You need to be able to take a bland room or space and turn it into something to suit the people, demographic, purpose and desires of the client. If you are not experienced with designing yet, studying courses, magazines, websites and other material will assist you on your way. In addition to the creativity, you also need the ability to plan well and to communicate with your clients. You will need to design the way they want their homes and buildings designed, not base everything on your tastes. So it takes a special kind of person to excel in interior design.

Getting an interior design degree shows that you have proven yourself to be dedicated to the field. If you wish to be employed by a design firm then they will look fondly upon your degree. Likewise, if you choose to run your own interior decorating business then your clients will be comfortable in knowing that you are qualified.

An interior design degree goes beyond teaching you the basics. It will teach you innovation, creativity, business skills, colors, concepts and more. It will also help you work well in a team and communicate with others. Most degrees also give you work experience in the field, working with professional interior designers so you can get a feel of what it is all about in a practical sense. This is crucial as it will help you build up a portfolio before you graduate and give you some vital experience. Making sure your degree offers this will be a big help when you graduate and begin looking for a job.

What exactly does an interior designer do?

He or she advises clients about the reorganizing, redecorating or initial decorating of internal spaces. This can be in new homes, old homes, offices, hotels and other locations. The interior designer generally sketches out design ideas and works with the client to perfect the layout. Colors are a major focus of interior designers as are materials.

The selection of fabrics, furniture, storage, colors and other aspects of a room are important parts of an interior designers work. A designer should have strong contacts with decorators, electricians, builders and upholsterers amongst others in order to be able to accurately quote prices and delivery estimates.

The Best Interior Design Schools

2009-11-10T15:22:00.001+05:30

The best interior design schools are generally the ones which have the most graduates and most successful employment rate on completion of courses. Naturally it can be difficult to access this type of information as it is often considered confidential, but you will find top rating schools boasting about their graduation rate and this can be a good way to find a great school. You can also learn from other people in the field, they will often have a good idea of which schools are best.

There are more and more schools offering interior design classes than ever before and this is due to the rising interest in this field. People enjoy spending money redesigning their homes, and business and the commercial sector are in an ongoing need for creative and talented interior designers. This results in an abundance of opportunities for you after you complete your interior design certification.

What do interior designers do?
Interior designers have a goal of creating functional areas out of spaces in buildings. They design environments for living, working and functioning according to the needs of the client. Graduate interior designers can find work in architectural firms or as a freelance interior designer. Some speciality areas of expertise for interior designers include:

Kitchen and bathroom design
Lighting
Retail store design
Office planning
Health care planning
Universities and schools
Locations

Interior designers by nature must be creative people. Although most of the skills can be learned at interior design schools, creativity generally comes naturally to someone choosing interior design as a career. Creative skills that will be studied in school include color choices and compatibility, textures, space, cultures, materials and more.

They must also work well with people as they will need to find out what their clients want and be able to provide it for them. Remember, it's not about what the designer wants, but what the client wants! Interior designers must also have the ability to plan well as it is often impossible to buy all the decorations and furniture and then return it. So to avoid hassles like these, interior designers often plan spaces with the use of a computer and decide everything before they buy anything.

The best interior design schools provide a variety of general courses and courses that are aimed at qualified designers who want to become an expert on a particular aspect of interior design. Most people start with an associate or bachelor degree in interior design before embarking upon a speciality subject of study, generally after gaining some employment experience.

Some schools offer interior design apprenticeships which let you study and work at the same time. This provides excellent practical experience so that you can more easily understand that theory that is taught in school. It will also give you excellent opportunity for employment on completion of your apprenticeship, with most people staying on in their current employer.

If you enjoy manipulating space and can see yourself creating outstanding indoor environments then an interior design career is for you. Make sure you research interior design schools before deciding on the one that best meets your needs.

Unique Landscape Design

2009-11-10T15:14:00.002+05:30

What is a unique landscape?

The definition of a unique landscape would be a landscape that elicits a mental/emotional response that normally would be observed with no notice. From the functional and aesthetic stand point we believe a unique landscape should fulfill and exceed the requirements and dreams of the client, the site and the home. This has to do with great design experience and understanding, knowledge of materials and construction methods as well as experience in the execution and maintenance of landscape gardens.

Context-the relationship of the house to the site

At the heart of a unique landscape would be the homes relationship with the property and the properties relationship to surrounding homes, easements, streets, trees which is termed as the site context. First to consider are spatial relationships. What is the sequence of spaces from inside the home to the outside of the home? What is the walk experience from the street to the front door? Is there a clear distinction of spaces or rooms in the back yard and does the space tell you what its use is? Great architecture tells us, “a building that has signs to tell you were the restrooms are, is poorly designed because the sequence of spaces should be the signs and vocabulary of the architecture. This statement couldn’t be more true for landscape designers creating a unique landscape.

Unique Landscape Materials

The second layer of detail to context is the use of hardscape and landscape materials in articulating space. Materials should be sympathetic to and have a wonderful blend with the architectural materials. Elements of selecting hardscape; patio or deck materials include scale, color and texture. In terms of scale, you need to know if you’re building a patio to accommodate large parties or simply a family of four. Color can be used to either compliment the finishes inherent in the home or contrast with it. For example, in trying to match a multicolored brick choose a dark base color to “ground the brick facade.” Texture is the final detail selection in the hardscape which includes; size of units used, toweled edges or grout selections depending on the material used. Textural details can also relate back to the architecture, use contrasting materials which define spaces and as a finishing touch add warmth and intimacy. In designing the landscape planting we also utilize the same elements of scale, color and texture. Much like a painting, plantings are arranged in groupings and masses with contrasting color and textures. Rather than thinking in terms of shrubs, groundcover, flowers, think in terms of movement, contrast, and large brush strokes of color.

Style-

The landscape style doesn’t have to be an exact replica of the homes architectural style. What is more often the case regardless of the architectural style is creating “space” that reflects modern lifestyles. Often times even a classical landscape design or formal landscape design will have a contemporary approach in terms of how the spaces are utilized. Oftentimes the landscape of a modern home lacks the sleek lines that the architecture of the house has or lacks the quality of spaces or modules of a true modern landscape design. Also a modern home may not take be taking full advantage of sculptural opportunities which are true the home and its style.

Beauty is no accident

A unique landscape is not arrived at by accident. It requires an understanding of architecture, design principles, hardscape materials, landscape materials, their installation and construction methods as well as maintenance. Most importantly is the understanding of site context, the architecture of the home, the client’s wants and needs. The interpretation of these fundamental elements creates the unique landscape.

Hoover Dam ( It's Called Engineering)

2009-10-28T13:21:00.003+05:30

THE WIDER VIEW: Taking shape, the new bridge at the Hoover Dam

Creeping closer inch by inch, 900 feet above the mighty Colorado River, the two sides of a $160 million bridge at the Hoover Dam slowly take shape.

The bridge will carry a new section of US Route 93 past the bottleneck of the old road which can be seen twisting and winding around and across the dam itself.

When complete, it will provide a new link between the states of Nevada and Arizona . In an incredible feat of engineering, the road will be supported on the two massive concrete arches which jut out of the rock face.

The arches are made up of 53 individual sections each 24 feet long which have been cast on-site and are being lifted into place using an improvised high-wire crane strung between temporary steel pylons.

The arches will eventually measure more than 1,000 feet across. At the moment, the structure looks like a traditional suspension bridge. But once the arches are complete, the suspending cables on each side will be removed. Extra vertical columns will then be installed on the arches to carry the road.

The bridge has become known as the Hoover Dam bypass, although it is officially called the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, after a former governor of Nevada and an American Football player from Arizona who joined the US Army and was killed in Afghanistan.

Work on the bridge started in 2005 and should finish next year. An estimated 17,000 cars and trucks will cross it every day.

The dam was started in 1931 and used enough concrete to build a road from New York to San Francisco. The stretch of water it created, Lake Mead, is 110 miles long and took six years to fill. The original road was opened at the same time as the famous dam in 1936.

An extra note: The top of the white band of rock in Lake Mead is the old waterline prior to the drought and development in the Las Vegas area. It is over 100 feet above the current water level.

How to Synchronize Architecture and Interior Design

2009-10-14T15:47:00.001+05:30

Coordinating architecture and interior design is what takes a house from a bland and cookie cutter look to a house of distinction. Today many homes are part of a development where every other house shares architectural design or lack there of. You need to take a good look at your home to see beyond the frames to look for what makes it special.

You don’t need to have a historic home in order to have architectural detail.

In a 60’s ranch it may be the wood floors that are the focal point of a room. Choose the rest of the rooms design to highlight the strongest point. Place of the furniture so that it compliments what you want to highlight.

When it comes to surface materials it is also important to consider the character of the house. If you have a Victorian House it may not adapt well to ultra modern surfaces and colors. By the same token it is wisest to not try to turn your Craftsman beauty into a country cabin.

Some exterior architecture adds great appeal to the interior design. Gables offer the opportunity for interior window seats. The steeply pitched roofs of Cape Cod homes make a good spot for built-ins and storage where it isn’t possible to walk easily. When choosing your interior design, using the coordinating architecture can help to define your style as well as accentuate the architectural details of your home.

What are the architectural details? These days there are many details that can become the focal point of the interior design. One of the problems is that it is difficult to see the entire picture; you can only see one room at a time.

Look at the room and identify it’s architectural details. If it is the living room is there a fireplace with a mantle? Is there a window that draws your eyes to it immediately? Once you have identified what is significant about the architecture of each room it is important to look at the entire interior as a cohesive whole. You want to make sure that the mood or style you are trying to accomplish works within the framework of your home.

You may want to de-emphasis the fact that your ceiling is low. Make sure that the paint color of the ceiling is not dramatically different from the walls. It should always be lighter to accentuate the feeling of spaciousness. If you have twelve foot ceilings and want to make your room feel warm paint the ceiling a darker shade of the walls.

There are spaces in your home that may run together such as your entrance way and your interior stairway. A staircase can be the main architectural feature not only in a room but of the whole house. You want it all to work well together. Choose furnishing and colors that highlight the mahogany handrail, newel post or the great spindles.

Finding the architectural details in your house is the most important thing you can do to help you choose the perfect interior design. If you are in the process of looking for a new home keep your personal design tastes in mind. You can always change the interior design of a room but changing the architecture is much harder.

Chicago Cultural Center

2009-10-14T15:43:00.001+05:30

Look up ... off the ground ... or else you might miss something spetacular! This Tiffany mosaic stained glass dome forms the interiors of Chicago's first Public Library ... built in 1897. However as the city grew there was need for a bigger library ... Now this place is renamed as "Chicago Cultural Center" and has offices for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs. Surprizingly, despite this being in the heart of downtown Chicago, I know of many Chicagoans who have never been to this place. The building has another dome, which is the largest Tiffany dome in the world.