Boulder, Colorado - M. Gerwing Architects blog posts for M. Gerwing Architects
architect boulder
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION COST
Housing construction costs have risen sharply in the last few years. This means that not only the large, market developer home builder prices are up, but so are those of the small general contractors and all the associated trades - plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc.
That is very apparent especially in Boulder.
A number of years ago we worked on a project in Boulder that held a number of challenges, not the least of which was a long narrow lot with severe building restrictions. My client's property was 50' wide by 188' long, but because of its corner location, both street-facing sides of the lot require a 25' wide setback from the street. That setback along with additional side and rear yard setbacks made the building envelope 20' wide by 128' long, a 6 1/2 : 1 length to width ratio
I have written a post about evil lairs a while ago and wanted to follow that up with some thoughts on the special domains of superheros. Of course we are not talking about real heroes here, but the pop culture protagonists of comic books and movies. My initial impression was that these places were not as interesting as their counterparts evil lairs, as Dante's Inferno is significantly more interesting than Paradiso. However, some repeating themes in these places are quite intriguing
Modernism has a mixed reception in the United States. Especially in residential design, it is equally despised and beloved. There are loads of historical reasons for this, filling volumes of treatises and endless hand-wringing by architects. I have always felt that it was corporate America's embrace of the industrial aesthetic of Modernism that most distinctly became the focus of opposition for most folks image of "home"
Boulder is known as an outdoor enthusiast's kind of town. Almost everyone I know has a plethora of outdoor gear - multiple bikes, skis, helmets of every configuration, packs and bags, tents, stoves, and the occasional kayak and canoe. Largely this equipment has usurped the car from its usual haunt in the garage. It is a rare Boulderite who can actually fit their car in their garage because of the ever-expanding collection of bikes if nothing else.
