Which way to go?

This sign on a rural road in Eastern Washington State, USA seems to suggest in the photograph, two very different sides, left or right. Not unlike the politics in the US today. However, I like to just think of it as choices of where we choose to be. We have many.

Adventures in Bhutan

Bhutan offers some of the best trekking in the world. The snowman trek takes you through the highest passes and into the most remote regions. This photo clearly shows the ups and the downs of this pass at around 14,000 feet. We paused for a rest, and to let the Yaks pass.

Designing first house at Chachalaka

The basic design and footprint is established for the first house at Chachalaka on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The house will have sweeping views of the ocean and beach. The design is open and like a gallery with many openings to the vistas towards the south and west. Natures art.

Building with natural materials

A simple rustic palapa at Chachalaka made by hand from nature. There are different styles of palapa construction. The principle difference being the type of palm leaves that are used. This is the most basic for a structure that is to serve as interim shelter during construction of a home.

Beautiful Functional Art

A very talented friend, Jason Brown, creates amazing designs for home and table inspired by traditional artisans from around the world. Shown are a two very different table runners. Jason's art is part industrial design and part craftsmanship. You can see more at studiojasonbrown.com

Nature's design at Chachalaka Beach

Early morning light, sculpted sand, and a lone bird on the beach. The beach and land at Chachalaka on the Pacific Coast of Mexico provide a gallery of colors, textures and patterns.

Discover Tehuamixtle Mexico

Less than a two hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta, lies another world of endless beaches and coastline that is unique in flora, fauna, and terrain. The fishing village of "Tehua" as it is known by locals, is by many definitions paradise. A small condominium project of only four units may be starting sometime soon. This will be a unique opportunity to own in this special place.

Trekking the High Atlas in Morocco

Morocco has much to see and experience. Trekking in the High Atlas Mountains takes you to Berber villages and places that you can only reach by trail. After climbing into snow at 13,000 feet, you can unwind and relax on the coast or take a trip into the desert on a camel.

Seasons of change

Eastern Washington State in the U.S. is an ever changing palette of colors and textures as the seasons change.

Available...rooms with view

In a safe and peaceful little fishing village called Tehuamixtle, tucked into a protected cove, surrounded by cliffs, where locals still earn their living fishing and harvesting oysters, a small lodging will soon be built. For the right individual, it is possible to have a share of this. By many definitions, this is paradise. Far enough from the usual tourist trappings, yet close enough to the amenities of the modern world. tehuamexico

R.M. Schindler House in California

Rudolph Schindler worked for Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920's. A project in Los Angeles, CA lead to his opening his own practice there with the design of what is known as "The Schindler House", a live-work space for two couples. I like the simplicity and the integration of interior and exterior space. Concepts that very much apply to my project in Mexico. This exellent book documents the house, and I believe it is out of print. See links for more information on this house.

Exploring Washington wine country

There is nothing like a very good bottle of wine. A well crafted fine wine, and the culinary art of fine food are one of life's pleasures. Consumable design. Wine country in Walla Walla Washington, USA, has excellent wineries that produce world class wines.

Designer cocktails on the edge

Sophisticated cocktails, amazing small plates, rustic chic, rolling hills, vineyards, wheat fields, at what seems like the edge of the world. Waitsburg Washington U.S.A. Exploring the wine country of Washington State, I discovered this most unlikely and surprising place. jimgermanbar

Better art than automobile

This old Citroen seems very much at home in the medina of Marrakesh. Most streets are no wider than a small automobile, making for interesting travel if you choose to drive. This car has somehow become part of the landscape.

Chachalaka on the pacific coast of Mexico

This video shows Chachalaka. It is a very special place and I am working towards designing a very Eco-friendly setting for a handful of small casas. Links to Chachalaka, Mayto, and the Tehua area are here.

Design studies for Mexico project

These studies are for my Chachalaka project on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The three views show the entry of the buildings. The other sides are open to the vistas, ocean, and beach. Designs are terraced into the natural topography and will create a very low profile as you approach each site. One view shows what is a 'tunnel' through to the site below. Access to buildings is planned for electric vehicle only. Motor vehicles will be parked in a designated area near the road. There are wonderful trees and cactus that will lend to a feeling of intimacy and attract birds and butterflies.

Guanajuato inspires design and creativity

Guanajuato Mexico is a beautiful colonial city with a rich history. The Spanish created a vast tunnel system to extract large quantities of silver. At one time during the 18th century, Guanajuato was the largest source of silver in the world. Today it is a business and government center and home to a university. The colonial architecture, layout of the city and colors are unique. The tunnel system is now an underground road system for traffic resulting in few automobiles in the centro area.

Powering Mexico

For the moment, the vultures are the only ones utilizing this windmill. A relic from the past and a symbol perhaps of the state of alternative energy solutions in Mexico. I hope that in the near future it will be politically fashionable to promote solar and wind alternatives to supplying energy. Mexico has a lot of sun, and many areas have consistent wind. These technologies would be useful in developing areas and eliminate the need for expensive expansion of conventional power grids.

Bath design in a small area

This was a bath designed for an urban loft and utilized a small space. A skylight is above the tub/shower. The large mirror and custom wall hung vanity make the space seem larger. The toilet is closed off with a pocket door that has a frosted glass panel, allowing light. Double doors with frosted glass panels close the bath from the master bedroom. This was part of a complete renovation project.

A dedicated fisherman

This Egret was very dedicated to his place on the beach. Never mind the big waves. Every morning the Egret would be at the same spot, working the waves.

New Years at Chachalaka beach

Looking forward to a great new year. Design ideas are taking shape for Chachalaka project. It is a truly amazing beach.

Holiday in Prague

Exploring Prague during the holidays is a visual feast. The architecture is amazing and storybook. The original buildings remained untouched during the years of war and the result is an opportunity to experience the past in the functioning present. Winter skies can be gray and temperatures well below freezing, providing an interesting backdrop and two dimensional quality to the buildings warmed by the holiday lights.

Photographing Brigitte Bardot

This is a good story of how a great photograph can be caught in a moment of perfect timing, luck, and experience. Brigitte Bardot appears in the scenes from the movie Le mepris shot at Casa Malaparte. LINK

Scenes with Casa Malaparte

This video has scenes from the movie Le Mespris, shot at Casa Malaparte. It is a bit long, but it shows the setting and the house in it's original state. You will find an earlier post with more information about Casa Malaparte.

Two amazing escapes

Two favorite places for a great escape. Tigmi is about an hour drive from Marrakesh. It is a restored cluster of  connected structures within a very very small agricultural village. A very unique place. Verana is above the bay of Yelapa just south of Puerto Vallarta.  A handful of very carefully designed guest houses, each with a different theme make this a one of a kind place. Both have a quality that only a handful of places in the world share.

His Masters Voice

I like this image of what was, against what is now. It is almost frozen in time, since it was abandoned as a store over forty years ago. Life on the mostly deserted streets of Havana does not include shopping. This photograph was taken in 2000.  

Two doorways, two cultures

One interior is in Morocco and the other in Mexico.  One is old and restored and the other is newer.  They both have a quality that I like and find inspiring.  The organic quality of the materials and sculptural form make them timeless in their environment.

John Pawson, Architect

I discovered the work of John Pawson through this book documenting one of his projects.  His client Fi McGhee a British photographer wanted to restore and convert a derelict Dutch barn in Essex, dating from 1723, into a studio and home for her family.  Pawson's minimalist style combined with some of the remaining elements created a truly remarkable living and working space.  The project was a five year process of deconstruction and reconstruction.  Pawsons work while being modern minimalist, is somehow very compatible with the simple designs and construction materials used long ago.  The book was published by Booth-Clibborn Editions, U.K. in 1999.

Design for print

Designing for print media is two dimensional design, however it must consider the three dimensional object that delivers it.  I always preferred a strong use of photography and type in a manner that engaged the viewer to participate in the whole experience.  Our opinion of something may be shaped by a second or less of observation.  

Casa Malaparte in Capri, Italy

I recently discovered this book in a personal library, and it was a must have for my own.  It is inspiring and Malaparte's design reflects my own ideas for a project that I am working on.  This is more than a book on architecture.  It is about the man and his house.  Curzio Malaparte was an Italian writer and many other things.  Casa Malaparte was completed in the early forties.  It has been in films, photoshoots, and host to many events over the years.  It was in near ruin, until it's recent restoration.  I found a copy of the book on amazon.com, the book is no longer in print.

Sand castles in the sky

The coastal town of Essaouira in Morocco is a special place.  Like most places in Morocco, it has a fortified wall around the central city.  The coast has both sand and rock beaches and it is a major fishing port.  A bit of music history, Jimi Hendrix spent some time here while in Morocco on the "Marrakesh Express", and this is where "Sand Castles in the Sky" was authored.  I will be posting more on Moroc in the future.  The place is rich with visuals, both graphic and architectural.  I am also interested in their traditional construction methods and Tadelakt plaster-like finishes.  

Tango in Cuba

A tango dance hall in La Habana de Cuba.  This is a favorite photograph.  Probably because of the experience.  The music of Cuba is very much a part of everyday life in Havana.  Havana is a visually stimulating place.  One can see the architecture of the old Havana amongst the decaying infrastructure and imagine an earlier time.  Today, much renovation is underway and it remains to be seen if this will result in a Disneyland experience or a truly Cuban one.  I was fortunate to experience a very real Cuba.

Retro Annual Report Design

This screen shot is from a pioneering CD that my office designed and produced documenting the Mead Annual Report Show.  The Mead Paper Company was the sponsor of the longest running and most credible event honoring the very best in the print media of annual reports. This CD presented over 125 reports, representing Forty years of the best in annual report design, including video clips and comments from the designers.  I am not sure if this work has been archived in current formats.  Most early digital media is no longer playable today.  A consideration for future works.

Rural art

These images from Morocco represent the rural aesthetic from the past.  A restored house and the remainder of a rammed earth wall.  It is reference for a project and a photograph to display.