Special New Years Offer to Make your Renovation Planning a Breeze

Special 2015 New Years Offer 

Wo-Built's Roadmap for Your Renovation

Credit: MS Office Clipart: Two story house with a chimney; Ribbon tied like a bow

The New Year is here and true to our New Year’s resolution we would like to start the year off by giving back and offer something truly unique.

Spring, the busy renovation season, is only 4 months away. If you are planning a renovation, now is the time to start putting all the pieces in play. Four months is not a long time and contractors get busy very soon in Spring as everyone wants to start then. It does not matter where you are in the process, you will have many questions. Who do you ask? Your friends and family who may only have anecdotal information or an independent professional who has your best interest at heart?

Over the last weeks we have introduced our ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ process which is a great planning tool for your renovation. As you know, the wrong decision in a renovation can cost you $1,000's of dollars. Good and thorough planning and getting the necessary know-how of the process, pitfalls and risk management will save you a lot of your hard earned money.

The Wo-Built ‘Roadmap for your Renovation’ Assessment helps you formulate your ideal home and your ideal home renovation and enables you to communicate your visions to your contractor. In addition it outlines the process for you, teaches you what steps to do when, plan the project in great detail and gives you the confidence to embark on your project to achieve your ‘Dream House’.

We developed the ‘Roadmap for your Renovation’ Assessment to provide you with an invaluable tool which will enable optimum understanding of your dream house and your own abilities to deal with the renovation. By exploring your individuality and your unique problems and situations you can really determine what you want and what will suit you ultimately. Communication will be so much more effective between all parties and the results so much more satisfying.

The Assessment will enable you to voice your vision so much better than just showing the contractor magazines articles, pictures or design references from home improvement shows. This is seldom effective as the shows and magazines represent someone else's taste and situation. So the concept is the same, but different and the difference is left to the interpretation of the contractor. Hence, often the results will fall short of expectations and disappointment is possible as everyone envisages similar things differently according to his or her own experience.

The findings of the assessment are captured in the Wo-Built ‘Roadmap for your Renovation’ Report. If design options are required concept designs are explored in Wo-Built ‘Roadmap for your Renovation’ Design Options.

The Wo-Built ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Assessment is the basis for the detailed design by an Interior Designer or Architect, a rough estimate of the costs and construction process, methods and timing. Having gone through the Assessment you are ready to proceed with confidence with your own designer/contractor or if you wish continue with Wo-Built into the Design and Build phase.

We like to celebrate the New Year and we always have something special* for a limited time for our clients.

From now to Chinese New Year 2015 we offer a great deal on our ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Assessment and the ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Report. You not only save on $1,000's of dollars during the renovation with the know-how you are getting, you also get a great bargain on the education.

* For $350 you will get the ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Assessment and the ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Report in a bundle. You save $125.

Invest in your peace of mind. Get a truly unique education and let us help you beat the system.

Call us now to learn more on 416-402-2679 for more information. We would be happy to help.

** Offer valid for the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga, Brampton only. Applicable taxes apply.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Narrowest House puts a Broad Smile on our Face Keret House by Jakub Szczesny ekes out a place in our Hearts

Image Collage by Wo-Built: Jakub Szczesny’s Keret House

Images Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

"I started to think who could live there. It had to be a person that would like to be a hermit, someone who would like to spend time alone doing something…It requires a sense of humour, as you cannot stay long in a place like this"

~ Jakub Szczesny, Architect

Source: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

The Keret House, squeezed into a crevice between two buildings in the centre of Warsaw, is a perfect example of how light can transform even the smallest of spaces into a place perfectly livable.

Image: Etgar Keret in his house, Photo by Bartek Warzecha

Source*: kerethouse.com: KeretHouse: First night at home: Etgar Keret in his house

Well, okay, claustrophobes need not apply. But considering that the house, designed by Polish architect Jakub Szczesny, is a mere 122cm at its widest point, one cannot but smile at the ingenuity of design and clever use of space—what little there is of it.

Image: Keret House: Entrance Hall & Stairwell.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

According to the official website, Keret House was an exercise attempting to “fill the cracks” of a disjointed Warsaw.

“Jakub Szczęsny decided to fill such a crack, to restore its existence by turning it into a perfectly functional living space and by inviting somebody to take care of this space. The architect designed a House, which, despite its microscale caused by the size of the plot, constitutes a functional space – a place to live. Szczęsny invited an Israeli writer of Polish descent - Etgar Keret to live in the House. By doing so he imparted one more function to the House – the function of a study.”
Source: kerethouse.com: Keret House: Settle in Void

Image: Keret House: Looking down on staircase.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

Szczesny paired up with Israeli writer Etgar Keret and began developing the triangular house which could reasonably accompany a single person to live and work—the kind of work a writer might do.

Image: Keret House: Main level after staircase “hatch” closed.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

All the furnishings in the house are custom, which is how they managed to fit all the furnishings, according to Szczesny.

Image: Keret House: Custom furniture is as minimalist as the house is narrow.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

We here at Wo-Built think that Keret House is more than just some novelty or one-off art project.

Image: One would have to be very friendly with anyone sharing Keret House’s only bed.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

We think Keret House demonstrates what can be achieved with the use of natural light and how remarkably tight spaces can be made to feel more open and inviting (if not exactly “spacious”).

Image: Keret House.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

There are many homes in old Toronto, Etobicoke, Markham and elsewhere build on long, narrow lots. While none of these houses are as extremely narrow an example as Keret House, a great deal can be learned from its example in opening up the feel of these old houses, and making better use of space.

Image: Keret House in Warsaw, Poland rendering.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

Just how useable is the space? See the Keret House “in action,” below:

YouTube Video: The world's thinnest home has been built in a Polish alleyway Published by ITN

Source: youtube.com: The world's thinnest home has been built in a Polish alleyway

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Project Director
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

* Image Photography is by Bartek Warzecha, © Polish Modern Art Foundation, The National Centre for Culture.

Doors Open Toronto 2013: Our Top Buildings to Visit Creators, Makers and Innovators #DOT13

Doors Open Toronto is a celebration of the City's built heritage.
Explore Toronto's Buildings May 25-26, 2013
City of Toronto: Doors Open Toronto

Great event #DOT13! MT @mediaintoronto @doors_opento: Don't forget - FREE Great Gulf Speakers Series this weekend "The Future of #Toronto"
— Wo-Built Inc (@wobuilt) May 23, 2013

As every year we are looking forward to Doors Open Toronto, especially as this year there are quite a few Green buildings on the list. The Green Doors Open initiative run by the Canada Green Building Council – Greater Toronto Chapter and the Clean Air Partnership to increase awareness of the benefits of green buildings in our region.

Every year new buildings are added to the already substantial list and it is great to see so many architectural interesting buildings in Toronto. Unfortunately we can only highlight a few.  Our top five picks for this year are all from the Green Building Series, not surprising since our emphasis is green and sustainable  building.

The selected buildings range from new to old, different styles and different green elements, but they all sparked our interest.

• - Daniel Spectrum
• - George Brown College Waterfront Campus
• - Hugh Garner Housing Co-Op
• - Miller Lash House
• - Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Daniel Spectrum
Daniels Spectrum is an exciting new cultural landmark in the heart of the Regent Park Revitalization.
Architect: Diamond Schmitt Architects, 2012
Address: 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

George Brown College Waterfront Campus - NEW!
The new Waterfront Campus is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility built specifically for George Brown Health Sciences students.
Architect: Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, 2012
Address: 51 Dockside Dr, Toronto, ON M5A 0B6

Hugh Garner Housing Co-Op
The Hugh Garner Green Roof tops a 181-unit, 8 storey residential building in Cabbagetown.
Architect: Klein & Sears, 1981
Address: 550 Ontario St, Toronto, ON M4X 1X3

Miller Lash House - NEW!
The Miller Lash House is a classic design in the craftsman principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement (ACM).
Architect: Edward B. Greene, Buffalo, NY, 1913
Address: 130 Old Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON M1E 3J5

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto
Newly renovated four-storey, 30,000 square foot office building, is the headquarters for Native Child and Family Services of Toronto.
Architect: Levitt Goodman Architects Ltd., 2010
Address: 30 College St, Toronto, ON M5G 1K2


We will report back on our site visit in the next posting.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Map: Doors Open Toronto 2013: Architect's Studio Visits - Self Guided Tour- Toronto Society of Architects
Date(s): Saturday May 25 | Time(s): 1 to 5 pm
Length: Self Guided Tour of 11 locations across Toronto
Tour map: Download PDF (1M)
Presented by the Toronto Society of Architects: TOURS | Doors Open Toronto Architectural and Design Studio Tour

You may also like to read the following articles:

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto 2012: Our Picks from #DOT12
May 8, 2012 – Doors Open Toronto is back, this time celebrating 200 years of Toronto City History. There are some amazing buildings to be visited, from ...

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto – Humber College Arboretum
May 31, 2011 – Photos: Doors Open Toronto – Humber Arboretum May 28, 2011 @ wobuilt.

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto 2011 Featuring City in Focus: Architecture + Photography
May 5, 2011 – One of the must-see events in May is Doors Open Toronto. This inspiring urban exploration is our busman's holiday and it's a brilliant occasion ...

wobuilt.com/blog: Our Busman's Holiday: Doors Open Toronto

Habitat for Humans: Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden

CBS News: God's Architect: Antoni Gaudi's glorious vision

Architect Antoni Gaudi's vision for the Sagrada Familia, a church under construction for over 130 years, is aided by modern technology. Lara Logan reports.

Published March 10, 2013 4:00 PM

Can “God’s Architect” show us how to design & build heavenly spaces here on earth? Naturally!

Whether you are a devout anything or not, there is no question: La Sagrada Familia must be counted among the architectural wonders of the world. And it’s not even finished yet.

The vision granted to Antoni Gaudi some 130 years ago has been under construction for most of the time since. We won’t recount the history in detail; see the above 60-Minutes feature video for a good overview.

Rather, we’d rather focus on snapshot images like these; “majestic” and “awe-inspiring” come to mind.

Image: La Sagrada Familia – Interior, showing giant “tree” columns supporting “canopy” ceiling.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

What immediately captured our interest was the majesty and reverence invoked by this building’s interior. It is entirely inspired by nature. Natural light casts shafts of illumination down through the spires in what amounts to a pure white forest of other-worldly design. Inspired design. (Where do you think the word “spire” comes from?)

The following two images capture this effect in greater detail. The feelings evoked are truly that of a magical forest. One can imagine oneself in the mystical Loth Lorien from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In truth, the space captures in essence, the purity and genius of any forest ecosystem.

It manages to uplift the spirit not unlike the majesty of West Coast Redwoods do when one encounters those columns reaching toward the heavens.

Two Images: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Interior Detail of tree trunk and branches columns supporting canopy ceiling, and the heavens above. 
Credit: Warwick Mihaly; Source: Panfilocastaldi | Architecture, design and photography: La Sagrada Familia forest + La Sagrada Familia ceiling

This image of the space above the sanctuary (the altar and surrounding area) perfectly illustrates how natural themes and elements reach upwards toward the heavens, where natural light floods the space from above in harmonious union with the divine (religare: from which we derive the word religion).

Image: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Above the Sanctuary.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is the epitome of how natural light and themes transform a space into something more…much more. They bring a vibrancy, life, vitality, energy, to a building. They evoke positive feelings of peace and tranquility, even in the face of such majesty as this cathedral…exactly like nature itself does. It is a perfect union of architectural mastery and building technology with the essence of nature – light, energy, the foundations of the natural world.

Antoni Gaudi’s vision was to immortalize in glass and stone the glory of God, the majesty of nature, and the mystery of how the heaven’s and earth unite. Heady stuff. Sort of requiring a building project on the scale of La Sagrada Familia. Wo-Built can’t help but ask: can this same effect be created in a home? An office? Any building?

Absolutely.

With lots of natural light; a living breathing ecosystem; some nature-inspired design and a healthy dose of sacred geometry, even the smallest of buildings, the tiniest of spaces can be transformed into tribute to the glory and majesty of Divine Mother Nature, the Divine Father of Everything, and where the two unite in mutual harmony and symbiosis to create something truly wonderful and magical together: habitat worthy of true human beings…a building suitable for us…the so-called Children of God.

Advanced Human Habitat. A space to thrive in; to feel better about yourself and others in. A building which makes you gain more by consuming less. Saving energy and warming your heart instead of burning energy and warming only your body.  A space which provides purity of air, water, and atmosphere. A place that is your sanctuary. An Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden. A little bit of Heaven on Earth…for you and your loved ones. A habitat for human beings to aspire to their highest selves, perform to their utmost abilities and achieve their greatest achievements.

And you don’t have to believe in anyone or anything but your own senses: you can see, feel and benefit from such inspired habitat. You don’t have to believe…you need only be human!

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Masdar City – the Sustainable Community

Image Montage by Wo-Built: Masdar City Master Plan & Actual Masdar Institute Building in Masdar City
Images Credit/Source: Masdar - A Mubadala Company: Masdar City Image Downloads

Masdar City – the Sustainable Community is not just for Dreamers anymore.
Sadly, it’s just not for Torontonians yet either.

Let’s face it, Canadians are safe. We don’t like rocking the boat—at home or abroad—and we certainly don’t make a big deal about being the first, the best, the most, etc. Sure, we may like it when by some fortuitous accident we find ourselves on top or ahead of the curve, but we generally don’t hunger for it like some other places in the world — notaboy our neighbours to the South. And certainly, if Research in Motion (RIM) or Nortel are any indication, we are absolutely terrible at maintaining our technological edge, if ever we do acquire it.

It’s unfortunate that residents of Canada, Torontonians for instance, are nowhere nearer to living in a truly sustainable community. No, that accolade goes to Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates. A project whose mission is:
"To advance renewable energy and sustainable technologies through education, research and development, investment, commercialization and adaptation."
Source: Masdar - A Mubadala Company: About Us

The following Masdar City promotional video says it all.

YouTube.com: Welcome To Masdar City

Masdar City is the world's first sustainable city - it's taking shape in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Uploaded by Hayes Thompson on Jan 18, 2010

A List of Masdar City Values reads like the philosophy of PeapodLife Building EcoSystems & Technology:

1. Agility – The ability to switch from one technology to another but retain a sound footing based on a balance of best value and state of the art know-how.
2. Commercial Viability – To ensure the widespread adoption of any sustainability technologies, they must be made commercially viable. While some environmentalists may be anti-capitalist, we feel rewarding investors for investing in people, planet and profits is a perfectly acceptable strategy for building a better world built on social, environmental, economic values (SEE-V).
3. Sustainability – There is simply no point in embarking on a new system or course of action unless we consider all known factors—and best guesses as to what lies down the road—to ensure it will perform as needed for decades to come.
4. Grounded in Reality – Dreaming is for bedtime, science fiction and video games. Doing is for those able to ground their imagination in the roots of what is achievable today: financially, technologically, socially, environmentally, et al. Deep down we are all dreamers, but the key to being a successful dreamer is remembering Lao Tzu’s wisdom: “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

So do these values translate to Canada? PeapodLife says: absolutely! As for the “vast distances” we have to travel in this country, Masdar is incorporating two ultra-modern, ultra-high-tech approaches to transit, both imported from Europe: Personal Rapid Transit for in-town personalized subterranean transport, and the Superbus (from the Netherlands), for high-speed transport between cities.

YouTube.com: Superbus visits Masdar City

Superbus, a new clean energy public transport vehicle, visited Masdar city in Abu Dhabi.

Uploaded by Masdar VideosChannel on Apr 21, 2011

It’s such a shame that Canada has seven important factors in common with UAE, but not the political will nor entrepreneurial drive to pursue our own version of Masdar.

The seven characteristics Canada and UAE have in common are as follows:

1. Canada and UAE are wealthy countries with oil revenues.
2. Canada and UAE with climatic extremes (cold and hot).
3. Canada and UAE have lots of available development land.
4. Canada and UAE seem to share a fundamental concern for the environment and long-term sustainability.
5. Canada and UAE are in close proximity (and economic relationship) with economic superpowers.
6. Canada and UAE are known around the world as a “land of possibility / opportunity”
7. Canada and UAE are both cosmopolitan nations; active destinations for both tourism and investment.

But whereas UAE is looking to the future and the impending oil crisis—and with a project like Masdar City is moving preemptively to reinvent itself for the new energy economy—what is Canada doing? Attracting direct foreign investment to develop a wealth of as-yet unexploited natural resources. For shame!

Well, we at Wo-Built and PeapodLife won’t stand for it. It may be an uphill battle ahead, but we are ready to bring our vision for sustainable buildings and indoor ecosystems to Canada and the world, and join the likes of Masdar City and others trying to not just dream or talk, but act.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

It Takes A Village To Build A Village

Collage: It Takes a Village!

2012 @ wobuilt.com + peapodlife.com

It Takes A Village...: Part 2

It Takes A Village To Build A Village

So how does all this pertain to idea, "it takes a village to build a village"? And why should we care? The answer lies in the reality of today’s world, our relationship with nature and our disconnection from it and one another.

Nature has no “global solutions.” The environment of the earth is a complex ballet on an enormous scale, consisting of countless individual local ecosystems in balanced harmony with each other. In other words, the “global village” only exists in the minds of human beings. Nature itself understands that the status of the planet relies on strong local ecosystems, living in harmonious symbiosis with their neighbours.

We need to learn from nature and mimic its wisdom. That means connecting more with each other on a local level and in person to foster civic engagement, greater empathy for our neighbours and deeper social interaction. In some ways we are already doing this. The phenomenon of meet-up groups is clearly a manifestation of our innate need to connect in communities of likeminded individuals with common goals.

But a village is much more than a community of interest. A village, like an ecosystem, may have a common, shared goal (survive; thrive; prosper), but its constituent components (i.e. its community of members) can be very different. Indeed, they MUST be different. A village is made beautiful, powerful, resilient, interesting, dynamic, and creative — just like any ecosystem — through diversity.

It’s the way in which the diversity that makes up the village comes together to define it, build it, evolve it, grow it and bring it to life which matters.  It’s all in the how. And, just as ecosystems evolve overtime to adjust to the changing forces in the environment and the evolving needs of the individual members of its diverse community, so to must the way in which the village organizes itself change to meet the needs and demands of today.

PeapodLife is on the verge of announcing an exciting new vision of such an evolutionary jump in the concept of what a village is; and the diverse village of individuals, businesses and organizations who will make it what it should be—a vehicle for all to achieve common, shared goals.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
It Takes A Village...
Part 1: It Takes A Village To Build A Building
Part 2: It Takes A Village To Build A Village

Is There Even One Straight Line in Nature? So Why Design & Build Civilization with Them?

Image Mosaic by Wo-Built: Biomimetic Analysis of Lines in Nature

Image Credits: MS Office ClipArt: Close-up of Green Leaf, Close-up of Fire,

Snowflake, Bees on Honeycomb, Close-up of zebra stripes,

Rock formations, Close up of bamboo trees , X-Ray of Hand

"Nature does not proceed in a straight line, it is rather a sprawling development." 
~ Robert Smithson, American sculptor and painter

Suffice it to say, we at Wo-Built and Peapod Life feel Mr. Smithson was onto something. And while his words express nature’s apparent preference for nonlinearity simply enough, his artwork bespeaks the essence of this truism on a scale more befitting of Mother Nature herself.

youtube.com: Robert Smithson - Spiral Jetty (Excerpts)
Uploaded by MtCenis on Mar 18, 2009
YouTube Video: Excerpts from the short film “Spiral Jetty,” featuring Robert Smithson’s 1970 earthwork sculpture of the same name. “Built on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake near Rozel Point in Utah entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks and water, Spiral Jetty forms a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil jutting from the shore of the lake.”

Source: Wikipedia: Spiral Jetty.

This begs the question: what is humanity’s obsession with the straight line? I am not referring to geometry as such. There are countless examinations and discussions of sacred geometry, for instance — the geometry found repeatedly in nature.

I am speaking specifically about the line itself, and that most peculiar and frankly unnatural quality of linearity. Let’s explore this line of thought, shall we?

No matter what our line of work, we line up, draw the line, line dance, hold the line, walk the line, hang-up the line, go down the line, cross the line, end up in the firing line, maybe fall back in-line, often in the line of duty, possibly in the theatre where we learn our lines and worry about sightlines, in the hopes the audience falls for our performance hook line and sinker, so that someday down the line things align for us and looking back we see that somewhere along the line we were thinking along similar lines.

Okay, all cheekiness aside, where does this come from!? I mean, is it simply a question of efficiency? After all, geometry 101 states the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, right? And while that may be true in theory, in reality, every “line” in nature eventually leads to its origin (it returns). Even light travels on a curve. So, there is ultimately no distance between any two points in the grand scheme of things (an infinite timeline; or, conversely, if time doesn’t exist at all, but is only an illusion of the intellect).

In that sense, then, efficiency is not one of nature’s cardinal rules of thumb. Humanity is obsessed with efficiency (whose origins can be found in a combination of laziness and greed) and thus linearity. Why is linearity very difficult to find in nature?

Nature is cyclic. Nature is built not on an intellectual theory about the distance between two points, but on the actual foundations of reality — that time and space are illusions of the intellect — and that all points are, in reality, all interconnected. And that in a very practical, meaningful and ultimately scientific way, all interconnectivity between nodes are transient movements and passing interrelationships on the gentle cyclic rhythm of life — points simply expanding and contracting.

The big bang will one day lead to the big crunch and the whole cosmic dance will begin again. That, my friends, is called a circle, a cycle, a wave, an “anything but a straight line.” And so it’s on the experiential knowledge of this objectively observable cosmic wisdom that Wo-Built proceeds with its Peapod Life Building Ecosystems and Technology initiative.

Yes, we take biomimicry this seriously. This is the depth of appreciation for the foundation of nature which must be considered, comprehended and embraced if we are to successfully construct a new building paradigm for the 21st Century — one that has resiliency and sustainability at its core.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Where Does One Get Good Ideas from for Innovative Design?

wobuilt.com/blog: Organics make List of Best New Restaurant Designs
 
wobuilt.com/blog: Combining Old and New Technology - The New Paradigm for Building?

wobuilt.com/blog: A New Construction Paradigm for Buildings

Your Home Renovation Begins TODAY

Image: Second Story Addition by Wo-Built

A second storey was added onto a bungalow and over the garage.

The first floor was gutted and rearranged into open plan concept.

So the leaves are falling, the mercury is dropping, and the last thing on your mind is that major home renovation, addition, extension, demolition, or new build. Time to rethink your timing.

Don’t wait until Spring to start planning your new build or kitchen; home addition or extension.

Fall is the best time to start looking at a major building or home improvement project. As with most things in life, it’s best not to procrastinate. And getting a jump on everyone else in terms of planning has many advantages.

• 1. Planning and design. You do not want to rush the planning and design phase of your building project, especially an addition, luxury kitchen upgrade, etc. Taking your time to design what’s going to work best for your house and budget pays of big time.
• 2. Choose your contractor and sub-trades. Get them while they’re not as busy as thy will be in the Spring. Best to negotiate when their schedules are fairly light (as is their cash flow). The old “supply and demand” adage applies here.
• 3. Budgeting and financing. By getting a jump on your home or small business renovation project, you have an opportunity to adjust your budget and/or apply or additional financing should you find your original estimates were off.
• 4. Treat your partner / family with a huge Christmas present. By arranging next season’s home improvement project now, you can surprise your companion and/or family at Christmas with a truly unique gift that literally keeps giving for years to come.
• 5. An investment for this year. Although you should check with your financial advisor and/or accountant, it’s quite possible you can write off a portion of your renovation (especially if it’s for an office, small business, or your run a home-based business).

As always, you want to work with a design and build contractor who works together with you as your advocate: a company who wants more than to get another project; rather, a satisfied customer. Wo-Built is just such a design & build contracting firm.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: How to Turn Your Bungalow into a Dream House Mansion

wobuilt.com/blog: What to Do When You Outgrow Your House? Move or Be Moved?

wobuilt.com/blog: Five Things to Remember when Making Your Old Bungalow New Again

BMO Financial Group News Releases: BMO Home Renovation Survey: Nearly Half of Canadians Planning Home Renovations This Fall
- Most popular Fall renovation projects include bathroom, kitchen and bedroom
- More than half plan to spend less than $1,000; one-third expect to spend up to $5,000
- Canadians relying mostly on savings to fund renovations; taking a DIY approach to save money
Marketwire - Oct. 29, 2012

New Codes, Better Buildings: 2012 Green Building Festival, October 11 & 12

Screenshot: Green Building Festival 2012: New Codes, Better Buildings

October 11-12, 2012 at Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto

Credit: Sustainable Buildings Canada: 2012 Green Building Festival

Being environmentally conscious, eco friendly and green we, at Wo-Built, are always striving to minimize the ecological footprint in all our projects, and our passion is energy conservation and green building design. We like to tell everybody about upcoming 2012 Green Building Festival this October 11 & 12 at the Evergreen Brick Works.

2012 Green Building Festival
Dates: October 11 & 12, 2012
Location: Evergreen Brick Works,
550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4W 3X8
Website: www.sbcanada.org/gbfestival
Registration: http://gbfestival.eventbrite.ca

About the Green Building Festival
The Green Building Festival is Canada’s most comprehensive conference on green building design, operations, technologies, and materials. Since 2005, the Festival has brought together industry leaders from across the country and around the world to transform the building industry through educational presentations, technical training, and interactive workshops.

Living Building Challenge Keynote aims to inspire at 2012 Green Building Festival
At the 2012 Green Building Festival on October 11th & 12th, key decision-makers and opinion leaders in the sustainable building sector – including experts such as Jason F. McLennan, CEO of the International Living Future Institute, the Seattle-based hub for visionary green building programs, Edward Mazria, Founder of Architecture 2030 and developer of the widely-adopted 2030 Challenge, and Mario Cucinella, the renowned Italian architect who has won dozens of major awards in international competitions – will gather with a range of players from across the burgeoning sector at the beautiful Evergreen Brick Works – Toronto’s LEED Platinum ‘Centre for Green Cities.’

The new Ontario Building Code, Low-Impact Development Guidelines, and the move from prescriptive to performance-based standards are the timely topics that drive core programming at the 2012 Green Building Festival. Sustainable building experts will address the real world practicalities of understanding, meeting, and exceeding the new SB-10 energy efficiency requirements in the Ontario Building Code.

Other talks include:
Stream 1
Achieving Building Performance
    Meeting the Energy Requirements of the new Ontario Building Code
    Toronto Green Building Standard
    Archetype Condo Project
    Envelope & Glazing Options
    Mechanical System Options

Stream 2
Low-Impact Development
Full-Day Training Session
    Stormwater Fundamentals
    LID Planning & Design
    LID Construction & Supervision
    Financial Considerations

Stream 3
People & Buildings
Sustainable Behaviour
    How We Make Decisions
Current “State of the Art”
    Architecture, Building Controls, Occupant Cultures & Dashboards
Development Workshop
    State-of-the-Art & Leading Edge Pilot Options
PRESENTED BY:
Sustainable Buildings Canada: Enabling the building industry to measurably improve the performance of the built environment.

For more information, please read Green Building Festival New Codes, Better Buildings Brochure.
Follow #gbf2012 to stay on top of Green Building Festival news and updates.

Our Green Commitment
We are dedicated to being environmentally conscious and have embraced Green Design and Build Construction in all our projects. We strive to be the leading design and build company that is sought after for its innovative design and quality construction and one that is recognized for using their projects as a means to help women, the community and the environment.

Organics make List of Best New Restaurant Designs

Image: Mexico City’s Tori Tori restaurant by Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studios. 

Photo by Paúl Rivera

Credit: Architectural Digest: Best New Restaurant Design

Architectural Digest has put a spotlight on a dozen restaurants whose designs, it says, are “as exciting as the cuisine.”

One eatery in particular caught our eye: Mexico’s Tori Tori restaurant by Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studios. Located in the Mexican capital’s residential Polanco district, where a three-story house once stood, a “glowing, futuristic cube of contemporary design” now takes centre stage in a lush garden-like setting. 

The restaurant’s glass walls are encased by a pleasantly organic mesh of precision-cut steel, while the striking geometric interior features a wooden-clad tea lounge with a lush living wall at one end. “This new branch of Katsumi Kumoto Kawasaki’s beloved Japanese restaurant focuses on traditional sushi and sashimi cut from the freshest seafood and features an extensive sake menu.”

We like it.  As far as Wo-Built is concerned, this building points toward a trend of contemporary organic design—combinations of natural materials and organic shapes with crisp lines and striking geometry.  In one way, it captures the essence of Peapod Life: the harmony of contemporary design and technology with natural elements.

Below is an indoor ecosystem installed at Tel-e-Connect Ontario by Peapod Life’s indoor Ecosystem Designer, Wolfgang Amelung.  Like all Peapod Life installations, the design, below, features a fully functioning aquaponic ecosystem.  The Tel-e-Connect installation also featured a multi-tiered waterfall.

Image: Fully functioning aquaponic ecosystem by Peapod Life’s indoor Ecosystem

Designer, Wolfgang Amelung, designed for at Tel-e-Connect Ontario.

The original artists rendering (below) show how deliberate design choices were made for every item of rock, flora and fauna; and still, the finished product looks suitably “wild” (natural and organic).  Compare that with the typical vertical grid-layout of plants common in most living walls. 

Image: Original illustrations of Tel-e-Connect indoor ecosystem (above left) featured all plants

& other design details correctly drawn to scale (above right).

It is this special attention to detail that sets Peapod Life’s indoor ecosystems apart from other vertical gardens, on simply a level of design. Beyond design, living systems that flourish enjoy longevity and this makes ours cheaper in the long run (with much lower plant mortality and replacement costs.)

Our systems are also aquapoic; a step above hydroponic. Peapod Life features true ecosystems where flora and fauna live in balanced harmony within a contemporary living space, requiring very little maintenance and no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or supplements.

This all-natural quality of Peapod Life offers a huge potential for chefs and restauranteurs. Whereas Tori Tori in Mexico uses organics as a design element, Peapod Life believes the real opportunity for restaurants is to take indoor ecosystems to the next level—organic food production.

With Peapod Life, the architecture, design, and bio-design of the space can contribute directly to the value proposition of the cuisine being served. Far from a disassociated design language, Peapod Life is a value-added hospitality services enabler: local, organic, vine-ripened and fresh-picked, from garden to table, 365-days a year, right before your very eyes.

It’s another reason why we call it Peapod Life: form and function working together in perfect harmony; contemporary design, natural beauty and living ecosystems, all working together in a balanced way to enhance people’s experience.

For more information, contact us at info@peapodlife.com.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

link:
architecturaldigest.com: Architectural Digest: Best New Restaurant Design
AD spans the globe to spotlight a dozen eye-catching eateries where the architecture and interiors are as exciting as the cuisine
Text by Andrew Sessa

Five Things to Remember when Making Your Old Bungalow New Again

Photos: Before and After Bungalow Renovation Project: Second Storey Addition
A second storey was added onto a bungalow and over the garage.
The first floor was gutted and rearranged into open plan concept.
2012 @ wobuilt.com

It is not always easy to make the move from an old bungalow to a new house, especially given sky-rocketing prices in the GTA’s real-estate market. The answer: renovate instead of moving.

Here are five tips to make sure your new bungalow renovation is the house of your dreams.

Let’s face it: there’s very little chance you’re going to move out of an old bungalow somewhere in Toronto into a stunning example of new architecture somewhere else in the city. Even with ultra-low interest rates, the economics are just not there given the GTA’s red-hot real estate market.

But why put yourself into all kinds of debt when you can increase the value of your house? Whether you want to update a builder’s bungalow or build a ranch bungalow addition, a major renovation can really raise property values by combining old and new architecture. Here are five tips to keep in mind before embarking on the project.

• 1. Make sure it’s just a "renovation." Even if you’re effectively building a new house where the old bungalow once stood, you want to be sure structurally-sound elements from the old architecture are preserved and incorporated into the new design. This way your project will technically be a renovation and not a “new build.” Your contractor should know this.
• 2. Be prepared for the unexpected. Old houses harbour many secrets. It’s not until walls and floor coverings are opened up that years of sub-standard handyman repairs might be revealed. Removing and/or correcting these can often add extra time and cost to your project. An experienced design and build contractor should be prepared for this and suggest a suitable contingency fund be included in the budget.
• 3. You get what you pay for. Beware low-ball quotes that sound too good to be true, or contractors who claim they can do high-end design and build quality for bargain-basement prices. Once your old bungalow has been ripped apart, you will be in no position to renegotiate terms with your contractor, and what seemed cheap at the outset can balloon "unexpectedly." Remember: you are ultimately trying to increase the value of a house and raise property value…what you don’t want is a barn renovation (unless you live on the outskirts of the GTA, in which case a barn renovation might be just the thing to increase your property value).
• 4. Don’t try this alone. No matter how handy you may think you are, a major renovation is almost certainly beyond anything you’ve ever tackled before. From the permit process with the city to demolition logistics and a myriad other considerations that probably wouldn’t even cross your mind, bungalow additions or rebuilds are not to be trifled with. Call a professional. You will be glad you did.
• 5. Have confidence in your design & build contractor. It’s no use getting involved with someone you don’t "feel right" about. Remember, you will be working with this person for weeks; and, you will be living with the results of your relationship with them for years! Talk to a qualified, experienced design & build contractor who specializes in combining old and new architecture. Ask for references and follow-up with them. A trustworthy professional will always be willing to have their past work and working relationships with former clients scrutinized.

The bottom line is simple: there’s no reason you can’t update your existing bungalow (or backsplit, sidesplit, etc.) by combing old architecture with new designs to create the home of your dreams and a renovation that raises the value of your property.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Collage: Wo-Built's Renovation Projects: the Ranch and the Tower
Interesting Bungalow Additions with Architectural Merit.
Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Silhouettes

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: How to Turn Your Bungalow into a Dream House Mansion

wobuilt.com/blog: What to Do When You Outgrow Your House? Move or Be Moved?

How to Turn Your Bungalow into a Dream House Mansion

Collage: Wo-Built's Renovation Projects: the Ranch and the Tower
Interesting Bungalow Additions with Architectural Merit.
Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Silhouettes

Initial steps to take to turn your bungalow into a dream house mansion

You bought the tiny 600 sq ft bungalow a few years back, your family was small, room was enough. You bought the house, because you liked the neighbourhood, the right schools, the back yard was a real bonus for you.

Now, your family has grown, you need more space, the kitchen is not working anymore and everyone is getting fed up. But you don't want to move, your kids friends are here, you actually like your neighbours and you have grown attached to the back yard. Any other houses you have looked at always need work to make it your own.

So, how about adding to the beloved bungalow? Many of your neighbours have done it, so why not you?

Step 1: Family Powwow
It is important to get everyone's wish list first and to see what you want to implement. It may be that there are many conflicting needs and wishes within your family. Resolve them as much as you can prior to embarking on the design.

With other words know what you want, the design process will go so much faster.

Step 2: Beg Your Financial Institution for Money
Before talking to any designer or contractor know your money situation. Fix your budget. Don't get estimates before you know how much you can afford. Be upfront with your designers, so that they don't a palace you cannot afford or hire a design and build company that will ensure that you can afford the design and guide you through the process.

Remember you will most likely need funds to live somewhere else during the construction time.

Step 3: Planning, Planning and Glorious Planning
This is the fun part. You will sit down with a designer or a Design and Build company to create your dream house. Planning does not just involve any permit drawings, but also your finishes, where you will stay and many other things. All these issues will have to be resolved before you start construction. The advantage of having a design and build company on board at the start is that tight control is maintained on the budget.

Never design to the maximum budget, always have a 10%-20% contingency fund available.

Step 4: We Are off to the City
If you add to your existing building the chances are that you will have apply for variances for existing by-laws before applying for building permit. This will increase the design time, however it gives more time for planning. Other issues to look out for are trees on your property. The City will require tree deposits for city owned trees.

Another deposit which may be required is a road side curb deposit.

The next step is to choose your contractor and you can find a good description here.

If you have any questions about any of the above please contact us. We would be happy to help you.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Interior Design Show: Ideas and Inspiration in Design and Architecture

Screenshot: IDS12 Interior Design Show
January 26 to 29 2012, MTCC Toronto
Canada's Largest Contemporary Design Fair
Left: William Yeoward, Designer, London, Presented by Primavera,
Osborne & Little for Designers Guild,
Keynote Speaker: Globe Style Saturday presented by Para
Right: Paul Aloisi, Language Structure, Toronto, Prototype Exhibitor
Credit: www.interiordesignshow.com

Being design and build construction company we know design is all around us. Coming from an architecture background, we look at spaces and often start analyzing them to see what makes them work or more often not. Spaces define values. We believe that well-designed and built spaces can increase productivity and improve our clients’ quality of life. We would like to inform you about one of the most exciting contemporary design fair upcoming today in Toronto - the Interior Design Show.

Interior Design Show 2012
Connecting the right people
with the right product
in the right place.
IDS12

When: January 26-29, 2012

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North)
255 Front Street West, Toronto Ontario M5V 2W6

Now in its 14th year, the Interior Design Show (IDS 12) presented by RADO, is Canada's largest contemporary design event.
IDS12 will be a year of fresh ideas and new events, with the most innovative in international and Canadian products presented by over 300 best-in-class exhibitors.
Legendary design stars and emerging talent are set to share their ideas through never-before-seen features and enlightening symposiums.
Introduced for the first time is IDS PLATFORM presented by RADO and AUDI: a series of talks, installations and exhibits, highlighting the cultural content of design.
Located in Toronto, IDS has established the city as a design destination and secured Canada as a leading player on the international design map.

Thursday, January 26, 2012
Conversations in Design - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
IDS Opening Night Party - 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Friday, January 27, 2012
Professional Trade Day - 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saturday, January 28, 2012
Public Day - 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Sunday, January 29, 2012
Public Day - 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Details and Tickets at:
InteriorDesignShow.com
IDSPlatform.com
ConversationsInDesign.com

Twitter Live Stream @IDSToronto: #IDS12

Come see the design world's trailblazers, gamechangers and celebrities and hear about their inspiration, projects and view on the direction of current design trends.

Update: Please read our short post Interior Design Show 2012 – Wo-Built’s WOW! Moments and you will see some of the products that caught our eye and/or captured our imagination.

Contemporary Design vs. Classical Design – Personal Preference or De-facto Evolution of Design?

Collage: Contemporary Design vs. Classical Design
Images Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Cube Houses in Rotterdam; Row Houses in Amsterdam

"All the evolution we know of proceeds from the vague to the definite."
Charles Sanders Peirce

Vs.

"All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of evolution."
William Jennings Bryan

Quotes Sourced from: Brainy Quote

The argument for and against evolution is fitting given the question of contemporary versus classical design. It’s a case of the future versus the past. But which belongs in the present?

Contemporary designers would argue no-doubt theirs is the valid approach. After all, isn’t this the 21st Century? Raised on Star Trek, dreaming of the day our living spaces made us feel we were an advanced, sophisticated, space-faring society, why not envelope ourselves in stainless steel, glass, concrete, etc.? Trouble is we are none of these things (at least not in the way we imagined). Technology has made us more detached from each another, our communities, our food and the environment. Contemporary western society confuses connectivity with connection; complexity with sophistication.

Maybe this explains contemporary design’s obsession with simplicity and “cleanliness.” Simple forms and clean lines counter the chaos of the modern world, but does it create warmth; comfort? There is nothing warm or inviting about stainless steel and concrete. Like industrial food (another “technological wonder” of the last Century), all the “life” has been processed out.

Classical design, on the other hand, seems sorely outdated—quaint for stay at a B&B in the Muskokas or a fancy dress ball at the Royal York. But really, who needs all that clutter in their everyday life? If you live in a farmhouse in rural Ontario, great; but, in East York, Oakville, and elsewhere in the GTA, the trend is to blend contemporary interiors with existing buildings (be they brownstones or loft conversions of old factories). Blending old and new in — dare I say it — a contemporary way.

The reality is that design is always a sign of the times. Like any other art form, it reflects the idiosyncrasies of particular eras or moments. Our society faces advancing technological complexity at a pace never before imagined. Resistance to change is equally potent. Today’s design is truly eclectic. We can see every conceivable permutation and combination of old and new imaginable. Old-style houses made from faux concrete stones with stainless steel kitchens, steel roofs and hardwood floors. Concrete, glass, and stainless steel buildings with animal skin rugs, wood furniture, stone accents.

To say it comes down to personal preference seems like a cop-out. It’s really about livability. Does a space strike a liveable balance between what you find aesthetically pleasing and what you need practically speaking? It’s not just about what a space looks like or how it works, but also how it feels.

The question of contemporary vs. classic has always been there, as each generation struggles to fit the new into the established. What makes a space liveable for you? That’s what matters today.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Architecture: Combining New and Old

wobuilt.com/blog: Do Industrial Buildings Have a Future?

wobuilt.com/blog: Design in Motion … in a House!?