Humanizing Architecture

architecture1Architecture can take on many different styles and give off countless moods. From every corner of the earth architecture varies according to how it was created in the past and what transcends time and moves towards the future. Whether its eastern inspired architecture or modern and western architecture tells a story and evokes emotion. The big question that every architect must ask themselves before developing anything is, “how do I humanize this?”

There are a lot of wacky ideas out there for buildings, public spaces, homes, and more, but there’s a lot of ideas that don’t make the most sense. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to see the spiraling towers, or the deformed houses that look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, but sometimes they don’t make the most sense or aren’t developed for the humans that will inhabit them.

A good architectural design changes the way we look at buildings and what is possible for builders in the future. Architects are developing new methods of construction and design all the time and they are pushing the boundaries for commercial and residential buildings. Many architects rely on their traditional knowledge of designing buildings and develop subtle and function pieces. Others treat each new project as a competition and try to make a spectacle of each design. All buildings and designs are welcome for me personally because each one says something different and alters my perspective.

Take a look at some of the photos below that showcase some of the more non-traditional buildings and think about how they make you feel. Think about where they are in the world and how they impact the public scene there.

 architecture2

architecture3

architecture4

Thanks for reading!

William Mungall

World Trade Center’s New Look

william-mungall-world-trade-center

The World Trade Center area of New York is always changing. The architects responsible for this area have definitely gone above and beyond with their current work and their future plans for the new tower. The new tower will be located directly next to 1 World Trade Center and their one of a king observatory.

2 World Trade Center will be the second tallest building at the site. It will be over 80 stories and reach heights of 1,340ft, while 1 World Trade Center stands tall at 1,776feet tall. The tower is expected to complete construction by 2021 marking the 20th anniversary of the September 11, attacks.

One of the big questions that recent was answered was, “who will the new tenants be?” 21st Century Fox and News Corp have in fact come out publicly and said they have the rights to the lower half of 2 World Trade Center. The companies will house 5,000 employees and grow the Murdoch kingdom.

Silverstein Properties released an amazing video detailing the new building and how it will change the skyline of New York city and complete one of the most important and integral areas of the city. Enjoy and thank you for reading.

-William Mungall

Plans for the Largest Mansion in the US

william-mungall-LA-mansion-1

Film producer Nile Niami is building the largest mansion on U.S. soil and plans to sell the behemoth for a whopping $500 million. The mega mansion is in the process of being constructed in the most likely location one can imagine, a hilltop located in Southern California. Where the project currently stands the estimated time for completion is estimated at about 20 months. Nothing says luxury like looking out upon the Los Angeles lights and knowing you can own all of them.

The massive compound will span a massive 100,000 square feet and have an astroturf lawn. No need for grooming or water with this lawn even with the drought crisis. The home will be separated into one main residence and three smaller living areas. The main area will span about 74,000 square feet and accommodate staff living quarters. Putting the rest of the mansion aside, the master bedroom will feature twin walk-in closets, bathrooms (there will be more than one), a sitting room, an office, and an infinity pool for private swimming.

william-mungall-LA-mansion-2

The rest of the kingdom-like house will have all the high tech toys and gadgets one can imagine and ever want. There will also be copious amenities to serve any homeowner. The mansion will feature a 30-car garage area, a full gym with spa, four swimming pools, a regulation sized tennis court, and a room where the walls are mostly comprised of tanks filled with jellyfish. The plans also call for massive home theatre (seating 45), a bowling alley, a casino, and an 8,500-square-foot nightclub, in case you feel like dancing the night away after swimming, gambling, and watching the newest blockbuster hit.

william-mungall-LA-mansion-3

For the more easy paced evenings the private elevator will take guests to the skydeck atop the roof. From here one can see as far as the eye can at spanning vistas and never miss a sunset. You can even see the ocean from this area of the home if that wasnt enough.

The neighborhood is also fairly affluent as the future owner will share the pristine roads with Nancy Reagan and Elon Musk.

Thank you for reading!

-William Mungall

william-mungall-LA-mansion-4

Top Architectural Ideas in Mountain Homes

william-mungall-mountain-architecture

In the past 10 or so years the evolution of mountain homes has grown significantly. Mountain homes used to be cabins or log houses, or at least thats what people would assume when they were going on vacation up in the mountains. No a days mountain homes are sprawling, beautifully designed, architectural masterpieces. I have seen a fair amount of changes personally and noticed specific changes that new clients in the housing market. Cabins and lodges are no longer a place off the grid but instead a luxurious retreat away from the bustling city. Below you will find some of the most requested pieces that homeowners are starting to require.

Indoor-Outdoor Living:

When you’re up in the mountains you have the opportunity to take in all the scenic views you can find. A large percentage of new modern mountain homes include both indoor areas of comfort while providing outdoor space to move around comfortably. There is usually a simple divider the easily access the indoors or outdoors seamlessly. Imagine the ease of walking into a hot tub and being surrounded by heat lamps while viewing your favorite television show and surround sound completing the experience.

Massive Window Walls:

There has been a huge demand for floor-to-ceiling windows separating the outdoors from the comforts of the interior. The massive windows provide beautiful views while also cleaning up the interior without having extra walls or shelves to collect dust. More often than not the windows are thick, stable, and have strong roof overhangs to shade the interior from the summer sun.

Cleanly Detailed Natural Materials:

When designing the interior of mountain homes it’s important to design around the natural decor and ambiance. I highly recommend using natural materials that compliment the rugged nature of the outdoors. Using natural wood indigenous to the area and locally mined stone will make your home pop and be an integral part of the mountain community.

New York’s Skyscraper, Park Infusion

Architecture is so interesting for many reasons but one in particular is the ability to change the landscape of an entire city and push architecture to its limits. Ever since the dawn of architecture people have been trying new and interesting things that were ahead of their time or erecting reminiscent structures from the ancient past. Architecture is extremely dynamic and its up to the architect to test the boundaries of what they thought was possible to what else can be constructed.

william-mungall-nyc-tower

All that being said, there are now plans to once again revolutionize modern day architecture. In the heart of New York City, a new skinny skyscraper that will feature 3 living and breathing parks is set for construction in the near future. The building will be residential and will reach 700 feet high. Its location is set for 12 East 37th Street.

The building will offer residents such amenities as a fitness area, infinity pool, and private yoga studio. The design director Robert Goodwin says, “You’re never really four or five floors away from a common space.” There are 65 apartments set to be added to the new structure that will range from 400sq. foot studio apartments to 1,800sq. foot floor throughs.

Due to specific New York City zoning rule the building will be quite skinny thus minimizing the footprint on the city. With the building being so thin there are virtually unlimited height restrictions. Since the building will be rather tall the parks will have 33-foot-high areas.

william-mungall-park-tower

One of the major complications with tall, skinny buildings is providing the structure with an efficient support structure to assist in controlling the building with heavy winds or other acts of nature. To maximize inside space in the new building the designers have moved the structural system to the exterior and are set to arrange a steel grid with a  concrete one as extra support. The benefit of this method gives developers more flexibility in laying out units and reduces the elevator core thickness by about 50%.

Personally I cant wait to see the new building go up and watch New York City change again. Truly groundbreaking when it comes to modern architecture.