Table of contents for Feb-15 in Dwell

Your two most crucial allies during any renovation— other than your contractor and your therapist—are patience and flexibility. There’s no getting around it. Things are going to go wrong. There will be unexpected costs and delays. The process will be uncomfortable, frustrating and, in many cases, terrifying. In this issue we explore these notions expressed through modern homes from São Paulo, Austin, and Odawara, to Montreal, Los Angeles, and New York. For each, we present the dreaded “before” picture alongside the victorious final result, paying special consideration to the challenges and surprises along the way. First up is an outstanding reboot for an ailing outbuilding in upstate New York (page 36). In 2009 residents Alan Orenbuch and Bryan O’Rourke purchased a property with two existing structures by Harvard Five architect…

Winifred A. Bird To write about the Geo Metria House (Backstory, p. 64), Winifred Bird took a train from Tokyo to the historic castle city of Odawara, Japan, where her hosts entertained her with tales of medieval battles and mischievous monkeys. Although she was hoping to glimpse a monkey or two in the woods behind the house, she settled for a gorgeous view of Sagami Bay under a perfectly clear December sky. Brian W. Ferry A New York–based photographer who shoots for clients including Condé Nast Traveler and the Wall Street Journal Magazine, Brian W. Ferry loves the perks of Dwell assignments. In one week, he shared lunch alfresco with the owners of the Stanfordville, New York, outbuilding (Modern World, p. 23) and pizza and wine in São Paulo with…

A Infinite Glass: Pattern+ by 3Form, $48 per square foot The gradient in this pressedglass product offers privacy while still allowing light to shine through. It’s available in a wealth of customizable colors and patterns. 3-form.com B Camou by Ornamenta, $15 per square foot An abstracted camouflage graphic adorns the porcelain tile. It’s rectified—meaning mechanically finished on all sides—to achieve uniformity and evenness. ornamenta.com C Micene by Moonish, $324 per 36-tile box Made from formaldehyde-free plywood, the wall tiles can be configured in myriad ways. The magnetic mounting system is a boon for renters or frequent movers. moonishco.com D Flexible Architecture by Philippe Starck for Ceramica Sant’Agostino, $22 per square foot The tile comes in glossy, matte, and stucco-like finishes. Nine color options are available, as is matching grout. ceramicasantagostino.it…

In Mexico City’s increasingly crowded and vibrant design scene, Michel Rojkind and Gerardo Salinas stand apart. For starters, Rojkind is a rock star in the most literal sense of the term, having traded a gig drumming for one of Mexico’s most popular bands of the 1990s for an uncertain future as an architect. And then there is the extent to which RojkindArquitectos—the firm he founded in 2002 and has run since 2010 alongside Salinas—has managed to impose a sense of order in pockets of the famously crowded and cacophonous Mexican capital. It’s this element that has distinguished Rojkind and Salinas from their peers and positioned them in the vanguard of a new generation of Mexican architects. Stepping in where haphazard urban planning efforts have fallen short, they nudge their private…

Music man Sam Shah, a former A&R rep with Dave Matthews’s ATO Records, and multimedia designer Anne Suttles, a native Texan whose expertise ranges from floral displays to interiors, met at a party in Austin during SXSW 2004. But rather than music, the pair bonded over a shared appreciation for modern Dutch and Danish architecture. In short order, the couple were building a dream home together in Texas’s capital city. With the help of Kevin Alter—a dean of architecture at the University of Texas and founder of Alterstudio, an award-winning local firm—they constructed an ultragreen home out of recycled materials, loaded with eco-amenities. That house was recognized by AIA Austin, won a National Dream Home Award, and was featured in this magazine (see Dwell, October 2011). Inspired by this success,…

One summer day, Kensuke Kenmotsu stepped into his nine-month-old house and found a monkey standing in the laundry room. The airy single-story home hugs a wooded slope overlooking the city of Odawara and Sagami Bay. The monkey had walked out of a tangerine orchard adjacent to the house, slid open a screen door, and swaggered inside. “I think he was after our bananas,” says Kensuke, a construction labor contractor. His wife, Chika, who is terrified of monkeys, was not pleased. But for architect Masahiro Harada the story is the highest of compliments. “We’re all descended from forestdwelling apes, and I think we’re still happiest living in places that feel a bit like a forest,” says Harada. “Rather than cut down the trees and build a box, what I wanted to…

The gracious triplexes indigenous to Montreal’s Plateau and Mile-End neighborhoods, long admired for their stone and brick facades and wrought-iron outdoor staircases, captured Erik Rydingsvärd’s fancy soon after he arrived in the city from Copenhagen in 2010. “My first thought when I moved here was, I would love to buy one of those triplexes and just live in one [of the units] and rent out the other two,” he says. “I love the row houses; for me, coming from Scandinavia, it’s very diff erent.” But first, Rydingsvärd, a fashion executive who relocated for work, had to make sure he was staying put. His first two months in Montreal were “an interim period,” he says, which meant hastily securing a Plateau apartment on Craigslist. That led to a second short-term lease,…

The top floor of Gavin and Sheila Smith’s century-old Craftsman-style house in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood was, by any measure, a lousy place to sleep and keep an office. “It was cold, it was dark, it was cramped, it was just barely functional,” Gavin says. So, in 2012, Gavin, an architect, set about transforming it into a lightfilled suite that includes a master bedroom and bathroom and a versatile space where he and his family could work and play. His first step was to remove a series of collar ties to create a cathedral ceiling, which added nearly three feet of headroom at the center. A brick chimney was demolished, and four skylights were installed. In the office, Gavin designed built-ins—cabinets, a pair of desks, and two daybeds where the…

What kind of stain was used on the masonry of the Darkshadow House (Modern World, November 2014)? I wish to stain the masonry around my swimming pool but don’t know what to use. Geneviève Roy Posted to dwell.com Editor’s Note: The architect, Paul Syme, worked with a company called PermaTint, which uses a water-based silicate stain that’s absorbed into the masonry but allows the wall to remain breathable. “It’s environmentally friendly and quite economical,” Syme says. The hue was custom mixed for the project. permatint.com In the article on David Frum’s house (“The Invisible Plan,” November 2014), you have a photo of a bedroom on page 123. Would you be able to tell me who manufactured the ceiling fan? It is exactly what I have been looking for. Farrel Levy…

Italian tile company 41zero42 knows that when it comes to color, options reign supreme. Its new line U-color comes in 64 kaleidoscopic hues ranging from bold greens and saturated reds to cool blues and everything in between, neutrals included. The three-by-12-inch porcelain pieces ($10 to $22 per square foot) are inspired by the industrial wood floors of the 1970s, but are of the moment thanks to their subtle grain pattern and versatile applications. Visit dwell.com/u-color to see examples of the tiles installed on floors, walls, and even ceilings. 41zero42.com…

• “Ideally, home automation is discussed in early planning stages. This way it is part of the process that sets parameters for decisions such as light fixtures and window hardware. This prevents moments of panic later on if a light is determined to be incompatible with a light control system.” • “Any light control product should have a ten-second learning curve for ‘casual users’ of the system and advanced accessibility for the owner of the system. And it shouldn’t look like a space gadget.” • “I use Lutron products almost exclusively for home automation projects. They manufacture the highest quality lighting system components on the market, and the products are not reliant on a home’s wireless network to function, unlike many of their counterparts.” • “We use Savant’s software platform…

In 2009, when Alan Orenbuch and Bryan O’Rourke settled into the home they had purchased as a weekend retreat in upstate New York, they gave little thought to what Orenbuch describes as an “unfortunate” shed, perched on stilts on a nearby slope. The main house, an idiosyncratic modernist experiment that the architect John M. Johansen designed in 1974 as his own residence, was the draw and the natural focus of their initial attention. Orenbuch, an architect, and O’Rourke, an interior designer, took meticulous care to preserve the character of the house by refurbishing the interior and furnishing it with vintage items from O’Rourke’s collection. As much as they had fallen in love with these new quarters, the couple found that the house—an open volume, with few interior walls and living…

Sacred buildings fulfill a multitude of requirements, from the programmatic to the sacramental to the symbolic. Tangible links between the human and the divine, they serve not only as places for meditation, celebration, and community but also as testaments to something more abstract: faith. Since World War II, modern religious architecture has relied less on historical styles and traditional symbolism than on novel forms and solutions, as in Peter Zumthor’s Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, in Mechernich, Germany, which pays homage to the 15th-century Swiss mystic Nicholas of Flüe. It was built on a framework of tree trunks, atop which layers of concrete were poured and rammed. The logs were slowly burned, leaving a blackened chamber lit by an opening in the roof above and holes bored through the walls. “To…

At rush hour, São Paulo, Brazil, convulses with traffic of biblical proportions. After a late dinner, the city embarks on what is arguably the world’s most electrifying nightlife. And when it finally succumbs to sleep, the ever-present threat of crime forces residents to keep one eye open. This relentless pace makes Brazil’s cultural and commercial capital thrilling but also exhausting. The city forgot to build in buff er zones—grounds to absorb all that excess charge. Neglected sidewalks discourage pedestrians. Green spaces are achingly rare. By her mid-30s, Simone Santos, a single financial manager, was feeling São Paulo’s toll. Weekends in the country provided a brief reprieve but required long confrontations with yet more crushing traffic. So she decided to build a garden in the middle of town. Santos focused her…

The product-packed Modern Market section of Dwell just got even better with a fresh look and an innovative crop of new modern designs. In this highly shoppable section, you are guaranteed to discover that one unique item or special gift that makes you feel at home in the modern world! For more products and services, visit us online at dwell.com! Alessi This flatware set is inspired by the tactile sensation and minimalist look of chopsticks. Alessi Mu Flatware Place Setting: $90 store.dwell.com Modern Mailboxes Home or Office by box design usa Create curb appeal for your home or office with modern mailboxes. We have a range of letterbox solutions to meet your style and function. We are the North American distributor for these one-of-a-kind New Zealand-designed mailboxes. We ship throughout…

@KalenAnderson: Lazy Sunday with my November edition of @dwell. @LauraMTARX: Thanks, @dwellondesign and @dwell, for helping me with my DODNY CEU info. Great conference and products, great mag, great people. @TheRanchMine: Had a blast being docents today at the first house to grace the cover of @dwell magazine, The House of Earth + Light. Follow the @dwell team on Twitter! @laradeam Lara Deam founder @dwellprez Michela O’Connor Abrams president @AmandaDameron Amanda Dameron editor-in-chief @erikaheet Erika Heet Los Angeles editor @kelseykeith Kelsey Keith special projects editor @wlamb76 William Lamb senior editor @DianaBudds Diana Budds senior editor @Allie_Weiss Allie Weiss digital editor @colahandle Marianne Colahan digital copywriter @DwellonDesign Dwell on Design…

What do BMW, Logitech, and Nike have in common? They’ve all consulted with Material ConneXion, an international authority on materials science and engineering. The organization has over 7,000 entries in its library, which is overseen by Andrew Dent. We asked him about today’s products that may enter tomorrow’s home. How does materials research in the residential market typically occur? One way is research that is specifically designed to solve a problem—cleanability, durability, making things lighter. You tend to get this from larger corporations who know it has the potential to be implemented into their own products, or products they know will specify this material. The other way is when individuals try to solve a need. Material ConneXion examines and evaluates over 1,000 materials every year. Below are Andrew Dent’s top…

A Urban Armor by Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Ann Sacks, from $57 per square foot The triangular metallic tile comes in brass, steel, and black finishes and nine-and 18-inch formats. annsacks.com Slimtech Type-32 by Diego Grandi for Lea Ceramiche, $220 per 7.9" x 78.8" piece Suitable for wall or floor applications in high-traffic areas, the tile has a textile-like look and four mix-and-match patterns. ceramichelea.it C Fractal Ridge by Studio Conran for the House of British Ceramic Tile, from $5 per square foot The highgloss wall tile is easy to clean and reflects light, making small spaces seem larger. britishceramictile.com D Otto by Robert A.M. Stern Architects for Walker Zanger, from $26 per square foot Postmodern design is about reappropriating elements from the past, and the same is true of…

Architect, academic, and rock star—Odile Decq is a triple threat in the eyes of the global design cognoscenti, who have recognized her bold talent with accolades (a Gold Lion at the Venice Biennale) and commissions ranging from restaurants to museums to banks. Decq has just added education to her CV as the dean of a new cross-disciplinary school in Lyon, France, called Confluence. We spoke with Decq about her layered approach that melds architecture and design. Do you have certain designers or furnishings that you love to use? It’s difficult because it depends on the project. In my work, I never have preconceived ideas. If a client wants to have something precise, then I say, “Okay, I can find my way in that.” But if it’s really, really ugly, I…

STEARNS & FOSTER A Stearns and Foster mattress combines handcrafted quality with indulgent styling to deliver luxurious rest. From soft cashmere to exotic silks, we’ve searched the globe for the finest materials to produce the most indulgent mattresses available. Only a small number of elite craftsmen–— distinguished by their quality and attention to detail–— are chosen to handcraft the mattresses that carry the Stearns and Foster name, resulting in truly luxurious sleep experience. TO THE TRADE 800-697-3259 stearnsandfoster.com CALIFORNIA CLOSETS California Closets create customized solutions for every room of the home to match the personal style of each individual client. This gorgeous wardrobe designed to look like a piece of furniture, features embossed decorative mirror panels that evoke timeless elegance, and adds a stunning design statement to the room. Discover…

A. Quincy Jones designed some of the most dazzling midcentury houses in California, including Sunnylands—Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s vast estate outside Palm Springs—and the Brody House, in Los Angeles’s Holmby Hills. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi bought and sold the Brody House last year, perpetuating Jones’s reputation as an architect who catered to the wealthy. In fact, Jones was determined to prove “that modern architecture could be available at every income level,” says Cory Buckner, author of the book A. Quincy Jones. In the late 1940s, Jones set out to improve the quality of tract housing by helping to create a planned community in Brentwood, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. Called Crestwood Hills, it was intended to contain 500 houses: 160 were built, and only 33 survive. One of…

Donghia fabric on 1940s Danish chair from Denmark50 denmark50.com donghia.com Bertoia chair for Knoll knoll.com 1960s Italian coffee table from Blue Hill Antiques 207-374-8825 Persian rug from Collins Gallery collinsgallery.com Martini side tables from West Elm westelm.com Swedish Biedermeier chest from John Nelson Antiques johnnelsonantiques.com Vintage ottomans from 1stdibs 1stdibs.com Eames molded plastic side chairs for Herman Miller store.hermanmiller.com Lamps by Jieldé and Isamu Noguchi jielde.comnoguchi.org Cooktop by Wind Crest windcrestcnp.com Oven by Bosch bosch-home.com/us Kitchen cabinetry pulls from the Tom Kundig Collection by Olson Kundig Architects 12thavenueiron.com Faucet from Blanco blancoamerica.com Pendants from Birchwood Lighting birchwoodlighting.com Legnoletto bed from Alias aliasdesign.it Lamp from Ikea ikea.com Splayed-leg table from Edward French Woodworking 610-869-9250 Studio lighting from Artemide artemide.us Studio desk top from 3form 3-form.com Outdoor table from CB2 cb2.com 86…