Great photo blog of one man’s journey remodeling an AD Stenger home.  Looks like it is coming along nice and can’t wait to see it mostly finished (no home is ever ‘finished’ it seems).  Above is the ‘before’ picture, I believe.

1815 Dexter Blog

The common thread between the Tour de France and the Lundgren & Mauer home (located in Taylor, Tx) is one Brent Humphreys.   Brent has put together a nice website on the history of the home:  The Zidell House.

Brent is an amazing photographer with a long history of cycling photography.  For this year’s tour he put together a great photolog:  Project Le Tour (warning, flash website).

PS.  Brent if you read this, I still get your mail, you may want to update your address again

You may recall that this house was for sale about 18 months ago (and didn’t last long on the market).   Apparently, it was featured in Dwell the prior fall.  Here is the article and picture show from Dwell.

Many more additional pictures and info at Rural Theory (owners, designers and builders)

Sunday 10am to 6pm.

More info & tickets here.

Mark Meyer’s mid-century apartment was profiled on Apartment Therapy today.   Check out Mark’s design work for clients at his blog here.

I know the zone changes really changed Dean’s business model, along with the reduced availability of urban infill lots at semi-reasonable prices.  He did some of the better multi-house work in central Austin over the years so I’d hate to see him no longer building.

Join the members of AIA Austin in the event, an “open house” of twenty-two Architects’ Studios in the Downtown Area.  See where and how the magic happens inside these creative downtown businesses, hear plans for future projects and developments straight from the Architects themselves and experience the unique styles and personalities of each studio.  Maps will be provided so you may tour the studios at your own pace (to print your own map).  Refreshments will be served.

Tickets – $5.00 wristband.

Presale tickets are available through PayPal via the AIA Austin website.

If you purchased tickets online, your tickets will be available for pick up at AIA Austin the day of the tour.

Tickets are for sale the day of the tour at AIA Austin only, 801 W. 12th Street (cash/check/credit).

All proceeds benefit Casa Verde Builders – a service program of American YouthWorks

Via InspiredAustin.com

The Austin Outdoor Living Tour is this Saturday, April 17, 2010, from 10 AM to 6 PM. My good friends at modern pools have two beautiful designs on the tour, one of which is part of an amazing Cottam Hargrave designed home (pictured above). This alone would probably be worth the $12 ticket!

Full details are here: outdoorlivingtouraustin.com
Tickets are $12 in advance, $20 on the day of the tour.

Listing info.

This follows a design I’ve seen a few times, all on the east side: the very monolithic ground floor with few or no windows.  Some of no ground level access except through a garage.  Some like this have their access inside the fence line.

I know why they think they need to build like this but I really wonder what it does for the neighborhood in the long term.   The benign way to look at it is this is no different than what you see in many places like Mexico or traditional Japan with the fortress exterior around an interior courtyard or private space.  The less kind way is that it undermines the social street concept and encourages people to hide indoors away from their community.

WHEN:    Saturday, May 1
1p.m. – 5p.m.

WHERE:     A self-guided walking/biking/driving tour through Downtown Austin Free parking is available in the T. Stacy Parking Garage (with validation)

TICKETS:  Tickets to Open Architecture Downtown are $5. All ticket proceeds from the tour will benefit Casa Verde Builders – a service program of American YouthWorks that trains youth in green building practices.

More info & how to buy tickets.

AIAAustin.org