apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

it would get annoying to have to use stepping stones to cross your own living room.

um....so he took out the radiators because he didn't like the way they looked, but had to put them back after he froze all winter? Who gave this guy a license?

Hes just silly. It would really suck to fall off that bed thats for sure.

do you regularly fall off your bed?

I think he approaches architecture in a very conceptual artistic way that may not be the most practical way. But it seems to fit with his personality and reflect his sensibilities. I think it's is really bold to live in a space that embodies so much of who a person is, especially when it is so unconventional. I like his experimental nature but it maybe a bit extreme for the masses.

yeah, have fun making that bed!

What is it with architects and ugly eyewear?

Illegal, dangerous, stupid, and ugly.

While I may not fall out of bed regularly (only have to fall out of that one once to never have to worry about falling again), I do often fling off covers or pillows.

It would be nice to walk in that water on hot days. But then, the next thing you know, someone with kids comes over and some kid pees in the moat.

why does everyone get so annoyed when someone lives in a fanciful way? Homes like this are the kinds of places I imagined as a kid.. I wish I could keep that feeling all the time too, even if it's not practical.

Architects are a breed unto themselves.

I saw pics of this place (but not video) a couple of years back... Pretty cool, but I would be too fussy with upkeep. I can only handle so much peeling paint.

I think it's lovely but I wouldn't want to live there. I loved how he mostly had these really modern pieces of furniture and then there was that couch. That was AWSOME. And the peeling paint and the water reminded me of a favorite spot from when I was a kid.

I wouldn't want to live there, but good for him.

I'm not sure why people here have to judge him so harshly. It wasn't meant to meet anyone's needs but his own.

He says in the Dwell video that he would hesitate to use these elements for a client's project. It's been said that "design" is an "outward" process that primarily meets the needs of others, whereas "art" is an "inward" process that satisfies the needs of the artist. In that sense, this space is a work of art that he created as an expression of himself, for himself.

I really like this space, but more importantly, I really get the sense that he loves it and that it's perfect for him.

Yessss, 'lightspeed', you said exactly what I was about to say.
What an incredible place!!!

who is going to clean it? I can't imagine you'd want algae, nor chlorine smell.

I'm inspired by this guy.

I went to this house on a house tour a few years ago-- it's a fascinating space-- totally not practical but conceptually interesting anyway.

Very masturbatory. Not very awesome.

Haha masturbatory? I love that hahah

It looks like a Bond villain's lair. Asian influence, stark but posh, and utterly impractical. If only there were piranhas in the moat.

Wow... Just wow. How inspiring. Not so much the place (which I mostly love), but many of the things he said...

I'll be the first to admit it's fanciful and inspiring. But, I find in my own life that form has to follow function and not the other way around. I believe most peopile lives require function first and foremost because we have many things to juggle, and figuring out how to make our beds shouldn't be on the list of "how the hell do I accomplish THAT?"

The reality is that most architects are artists (or at least most GOOD architects are artists) and they live primarily in their dreams. If Ling wants to live his life fancifully and worry about having his pillow fall off of the edge (and fall into the water!), then let him do it. It's his choice.

Would I want to go party at his house? HELL YEAH! Would I want to spend the night there? Nope. While I wouldn't be worried about falling out of bed (I never have), I would be worried about finding my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night without falling in the moat!

Practical? No. Cool? Yes.

It sets a bad example. That's why I am displeased. That home, as it is, is not legal. OK? It doesn't meet code. It isn't safe, it isn't practical.

Even the outside of cat litter containers that come in buckets have warnings about little kids drowning. The bucket comes full of cat litter. It has no water. There is no drowning risk from cat litter. Check out the warning here, looks like this:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5006.html

Meanwhile, THIS guy has an open moat and he is supposed to be someone who knows the laws. Isn't he? Aren't architects supposed to know the laws on what can and can't be built? What code is? What things are dangerous?

This guy doesn't apparently know that stuff. Which means he is no real architect...

Or, this guy doesn't CARE about the rules and regulations when it comes to HIS space. And not only does he not care about the LAWS, but he flaunts the fact that he is disregarding the rules and laws. That makes him a crook, in my eyes. Dishonest. A very bad person! :::giggles:::

Do I want some guy to work on my house or my business who disregards safety? Heck no. What if that was the entry to your doctor's office, designed by this dude, and you're suffering vertigo. So you get dizzy and fall of the edge, because asshat has perched the waiting area just above the waterfall.

The designer is responsible for the safety of the home for himself and all that visit it. It's not safe. And if he has a license, it ought to be pulled. For the same reason that a crazy reckless drunk driver has their license pulled or suspended.

It's cool because it's creative and no one else's house looks that way. He stepped outside of the box, defied physics and logic, and designed a space that worked for him. Even if it may not work for you.

So, kudos to David!

I think you are all overreacting. It's his place, not yours...

Cat litter containers have warning messages because of liability, and litigation. Not because children are drowning in them all the time. People who lack the common sense to let their children drown in a cat litter bucket are not likely to ever have the chance to enter a home like this.

As for having a water feature inside the home...Its not illegal, nor dangerous. While certainly not common, it is not unheard of on the West Coast, where people tend to bring a lot of the outdoors inside.

Expand your narrow mind True Blue.

I see a horrible death by mold inhalation in his future.

Sorry, but this home is great for a movie set, but the magic of architecture is turning FUNCTIONAL design into works of art, not making shock value gimmicks.

Even Gehry would scoff at this one.

Interesting, but now for me.

Bad feng shui, and dysfunctional.

Devyn: yes.

Jason: im pretty sure people have survived indoor water features before, though i have no proof.

maybe A.T. should post some products that can un-bunch panties?

Here is an architect who designed a home with his client in mind (that is himself). I don't suppose he has children because if he did he would probably design the space differently. His other clients obviously have different design needs than his but perhaps are attracted to his fantastical creations. From the look of his office/design area, he has many clients who like his work which probably makes him successful enough to do what he wants for himself.

As for the making of beds, cleaning the moat, etc., he probably has plenty of hired help.

It's almost a classic description of: "don't hate me because I'm beautiful" or in his case, successful.

clearly a brain child. but if that how he likes it ... (i suspect he doesn't have to do the household chores himself ...)

It seems very over the top...having a bed cantelevered over a waterfall seems like something a kid would want in his room. I guess my perception went a little sour when he said he took all the radiators out and then (surprise!) was cold all winter. That kind of mistake is NOT something you'd want to share with your clients.

whoooaaaa True Blue..

antimatt, that last line of yours is perfect :D

I don't understand why anyone is freaking out about this guy creating the home he wants. Good for him.

I was once in a custom-designed house with an indoor pond. It had probably looked great at first but by then was rather...humid. That's what this makes me think of.

I'm in the "it's his space" camp. I am assuming he is aware of the code, and the reasons behind the code, and if he's okay with the risks then that's his problem.

Thinking out of the box does mean you get some very weird things occasionally, but it's better than the alternative.

I'd be afraid I'd constantly wet myself as I was drifting off to sleep in that bed over the waterfall... ;-)

In the Dwell video, he says his space is autobiographical. It's made to please him. He probably wouldn't invite over those afraid of drowning, plummeting, or other mishaps. Not because they might drown, plummet, etc, but because they're attitude's so barren and bleak. At dinner, they'd probably wipe off the silverware with their napkins.

Come on! It's HIS house. I'm sure he would design a PUBLIC space keeping codes and safety in mind. We come here to see cool things and this is cool. Sure, I wouldn't want to live there but it cost me nothing to see it and now I have something strange and cool to talk about with my architect cousin.

We just HAD this post up:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/blogging/new-building-codes-new-york-magazine-61508-053638

Refers to this article:
http://nymag.com/realestate/features/47812/

The railings on the stairs do not conform (this means, for the layperson that they are ILLEGAL).

There is a railing required for any surface that is over 30 inches off the floor, how hard is that to understand?

And over here we talked about "The Bed of Death":
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/small-cool-2008-northwest/northwest-22-monicas-seattle-loft-048763

If it is "The Bed of Death" there, it is certainly the same thing in this guy's place, it doesn't change just because it's some architect vs. a person who was doing what they assumed was OK. The architect of all people should know better.

I sent him a letter, and told him how displeased I was. hahaha.

I also gave him a link to here, so maybe he will come by and answer questions, both for the people who love it and me... who is flailing about in the moat after falling off the bed.

I hope he has a keg party and invites all of us. I really want to see his garage and see if there is a spaceship parked inside or find out he has a clone of himself that is hidden behind the waterfall for "safe keeping." I bet he is full of all sorts of trickery like that and knows great magic tricks to boot!

Devyn:

Consider:

"But indoor waterfalls, hot tubs or swimming pools—all of which produce a substantial mist—are causing this lung disease to become more prevalent. "These organisms are water-loving bugs," Dr. Peloquin says. These organisms enter the air when a mist, called aerosolization, is produced and the bacteria are suspended in water droplets."

http://www.nationaljewish.org/news/y2000/news92.aspx

======

Where are the Risks of Legionella?
A foreseeable risk and potential for exposure to legionella bacteria exists in:
• Hot and cold water systems
• Water softeners
• Sprinkler and hose reel systems
• Indoor water features and fountains

======

Q: What about pond safety - will a pond be dangerous for young children who visit?

A: Pond safety is crucial - any water more than a couple of inches deep is dangerous for young children.

http://www.laterlife.com/laterlife-garden-ponds-and-pond-safety.htm

======

Track: New Models & Approaches
R49-Entrainment of Airborne Microbes in Engineered Water Features
Moderator:
Mark Hernandez, PhD, PE, Professor of Engineering, University of Colorado

The advent of indoor water features is a popular interior design trend over the last decade. As their installations have increased, so has anecdotal evidence implicating their operations as potential indoor sources for airborne microbes. This discussion reports on the full-scale chamber studies of high-flow indoor waterfalls, which capture relatively high concentrations of airborne bacteria as judged by a widely-accepted methodology for the determination of clean air delivery rate (CADR). Participants will discuss state-of-the-art in Bioaerosol Exposure Assessments, applications and interpretations of Clean Air Delivery Rates, and emergency technologies for bioaerosol disinfection.

http://www.hcd08.com/ME2/dirsect.asp?sid=B6554946B8224847BA9A3D575B010E66&nm=Session Descriptions

======

i really do hope the architect comes back here to remark on some of these killjoy comments

I don't think the architect will bother. Anymore than the guy who made that multi-windowed house with the loose rubble and cliffs on the bottom floor.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/living-room-house-054781

Here's what I think a GREAT architect should be able to do:
Create spaces while obeying the laws.

So that you, little flower, and I and everyone else can be inspired and encouraged and in awe of what is possible.

So that we can take images to a contractor and say that we want that feature, or that style of home. That if we went to talk about getting a permit to build such a thing, that the Department of Building Inspection wouldn't just laugh in our face and tell us that there is no way they will EVER issue a permit for those things in this county.

It's sort of like driving as seen on TV commercials...there is a disclaimer on those commercials that generally states "Professional driver. Closed course. Do not attempt."

I've always thought that those commercial were bogus. I figure if the car is so crappy that they have to resort to extreme (illegal) measures to make it look good, it's not a car I want.

And if the architect has to resort to extreme (illegal) measures to be "innovative", it's not a very creative architect, nor is it one I would want to hire.

but he did give a disclaimer in the video didn't he? he is trying out different ideas in his own home and said he wouldn't necessarily do these same things in a client's home.