Tag: renovation

The Forest at Duke (TFAD), recently introduced a new building at the heart of its campus in Durham, North Carolina​. The five-story building embraces the small-house model, with 10-bed households forming neighborhoods, each with a unique personality. The staff and caregivers were integrated into this model, fostering a sense of community. Family-style meals became the norm, and even TFAD leadership participated in meal preparation and sharing. The property was built at a cost of $40,000,000 and is spread out over 109,655 square feet. The metaphor of a tree within a forest guided the design, influencing everything from structure to color…

In the first century BC, a Roman architect and engineer named Vitruvius came up with three simple principles of architecture: firmitas, utility and venustas. In the 17th century, English diplomat Sir Henry Wotton translated these precepts as “firmness, commodity and delight”. Today, we take them to describe the qualities of durability, utility and beauty in design.“It’s the idea that [an object] should be well made, well built; it should be easy to use and ergonomic, but it should also bring joy,” Kevin McCloud, the host of Grand Designs, tells ABC RN’s Blueprint for Living. Architects and designers still refer…