House Refurbishment is a residential project designed by forresterarchitects in 2016. It is located in London, England. House Refurbishment by forresterarchitects: “The fine semi-detached Villa’s of Belsize Park, North London are closely built houses. Separated by only the small side passages between them they conceal almost secret garden environments beyond. Only the neighbouring houses seemingly form a boundary to the gardens, which are long, wide and mature in foliage. This..
Khazar Residential Building / S-A-L Design Studio
© Saeed Pirasteh
- Architects: S-A-L Design Studio
- Location: Tehran, Iran
- Architect In Charge: Behrad Tondravi
- Design Team: Siamak Khaksar, Hiva Farajpour Bakhtiari, Faranak Foroughi, Soheil Ghasemi, Alireza Fazeli, Nilufar Moosavi, Nahid Malayeri, Farshid Moosavi
- Area: 1900.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2015
- Photographs: Saeed Pirasteh
© Saeed Pirasteh
Project’s site is located in one of North Tehran vicinities which comprises of condensed cluster buildings and narrow alleys. Therefore, approximately an amount of 48 sq. m. of the total land area of 350 sq. m. was neglected by the municipality code in order to widen the alley. In addition to the client’s required physical program, this issue led the building to be extremely compressed, as well as parking lots to be hard to design and the mass of building to be solid for shaping.
© Saeed Pirasteh
Consequently, Building’s outstanding features has been restricted to variety of terraces, altered skyline in comparison with regular flats and a new geometrical patterns which dominate the main facade. The said pattern provides maximum view and natural light into interior spaces, while illusively does not let observer recognize story arrangements and inner structures; in the meanwhile, it makes new and different view layout, by rearranging the floor story levels, horizontal lines and skyline; and this may lead the building to be realized as a unity so long as challenging the observers’ perception.
Section
Facade’s basic structure consisted of large-scale rectangular frames covered by natural honed travertine. The secondary effective layer outlines wooden cribriform panels used in similar pattern and color with the main material. Geometrically, the lattice has square holes in small-scale which inspires ancient Persian architecture with its famous humanized values.
© Saeed Pirasteh
Diagram
On the other hand, conducting light through the lattice imparts the outer sense continuously into interior space, whereas lights inside the house would be adjusted due to the harmonic moves by casting shadows and lights. Inside the house has been influenced by façade’s theme using wood and natural stone in large tiles and vast areas, which promotes a calm and peaceful place to live.
© Saeed Pirasteh
Nihilism clothing by DZHUS can be folded into different austere shapes
6 Gifts To Give Yourself Everyday
You’re reading 6 Gifts To Give Yourself Everyday, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
There are about 20 major holidays in the U.S. alone, not counting special and cultural holidays. That means you have 20 opportunities to give and receive gifts in a year. That’s a LOT of chances to get something nice. But what if you knew that it’s normal to accept gifts every day? Would you allow yourself to be spoiled that much?
According to professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., people are often reluctant to take care of themselves. This explains why you won’t think twice before giving your kids an expensive toy, but you’ll feel guilty buying yourself new shoes.
That’s not to say that you’re not being practical or that you’re selfish. Rather, learning to give ‘gifts’ to yourself everyday will help you become a more balanced individual. When you’re better in tune with yourself, there’s more love to share with those around you.
But what sort of gifts should you give yourself? Ultra-comfy fluffy slippers? How about a self-stirring mug? Stuff is nice – but it’s best to invest in gifts that won’t change or deteriorate over time. Give yourself these six gifts that cost little to none, but should make each day more special.
1. The gift of pause.
Life today has become busier than ever. Work for eight hours, hang out with friends, catch up on the Web before midnight, wake up by dawn, take care of family on weekends, rinse and repeat. Day turns to night and you wonder about another trip that didn’t push through, or another call that you didn’t return.
It’s certainly not practical nowadays to simply leave it all behind. But you owe it to yourself to TAKE A BREAK – even if for just a few minutes. The gift of pause should clear your mind, helping you make better decisions.
- Stuck between deadlines at work? Pause, breathe in, and slowly exhale.
- Full schedule ahead? Wake up slowly instead of immediately reaching for your mobile.
- Stressed with your spouse? Enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea before things get out of hand.
You don’t need to hop on a plane to give yourself a well-deserved break. Often, just stopping to smell the flowers is enough.
2. The gift of music.
When you’re stressed or angry, the last thing you can think of is to listen to music. But before you continue work on a foul mood, there are scientific studies that suggest music can have beneficial effects on individuals. In one research, listening to soothing sounds has helped participants recover faster from stressful stimuli.
Don’t underestimate the gift of music. Use its power whenever you need to:
- be productive at work.
- de-stress after a long day.
- increase self-esteem.
- reduce burnout and the blues.
Simply turn up the volume and sing – or dance – your troubles away! Not at home? No problem. Simply pop on your headphones and hum to your own tune. There’s no reason for you not to enjoy your favorite songs every day.
3. The gift of laughter.
You already know how things like proper diet, exercise, and meditation are good for you. But what about something as simple as laughter? Although research about its mental and physical effects is still vague, you’ve no doubt felt better after a few seconds of genuine hilarity. Whether you’re giggling from a friend’s joke or chuckling over a funny sitcom, it’s usually enough to turn a bad day around.
Laughter may not be the best medicine (yet), but it sure can foster good relations as it helps us connect with the people we share giggles with. Don’t deprive yourself of the gift of laughter.
- Play with your kids or partner.
- Watch a funny movie or video.
- Read witty articles or comics.
Use the web to quickly get your daily dose of fun.
4. The gift of nature.
Trees, flowers, mountains, and hillsides not only look great, they also promote health and wellness. There are numerous studies that support how nature is good for us: from inspiring people to take on more active lifestyles, to helping patients cope with various health conditions. Even if you live in the urban jungle, you deserve a bit of greenery to brighten up your days.
- Visit your local park or garden whenever you feel the need to de-stress.
- No park nearby? Try growing your own garden at home, or bringing a cute potted plant to work.
- Absolutely pressed for time? Simply look outside your window and scan for something green.
5. The gift of health.
One of the reasons why you need to take care of yourself is so that you’ll have more energy to give your friends and family. You can’t spend time with them if you’re tired or sick. So investing in your health may be one of the best gifts you can give yourself. There are the basics like balanced nutrition and exercise; but don’t forget other things you can do to look and feel better, such as:
- Meditating.
- Visiting a spa or sauna.
- Getting a massage from a loved one.
6. The gift of love.
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Love certainly is what makes the world go round; what makes us get up in the morning, and the reason why we pursue the impossible. If you want to give more love to the world, there’s no better place to begin than with yourself. Every day, each of us is given multiple chances to take care of ourselves.
But often, modern expectations trump over this principle. We push ourselves beyond our limit, we lose sleep and appetite, we neglect the activities we enjoy. This leaves us feeling depleted. By the time our friends and family come to us for a shower of love, we can barely give a drop.
But the beautiful thing about this gift is that it doesn’t keep count. Our loved ones forgive us, and we’re free to begin again. Don’t rob yourself of love: talk to friends and family whenever you can, spend time with your kids, write in your journal, or enjoy the solitude. This is the least expensive gift of all: yet it pays for itself tenfold.
You deserve priceless gifts. It may not be shiny pearls, or an expensive car – but trust in these gifts to make every day more beautiful.
—
Cristina Antonio is the EIC of scoopfed.com and a writer of all things related to world news, movies, real estate, health, or social media. She’s currently focused on helping healthcare workers find better career opportunities through Locum Tenens. Cris also enjoys painting, collecting toys, reading German novels, and lurking the Web.
You’ve read 6 Gifts To Give Yourself Everyday, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Scotlandphoto via andrea
Ma’s Kitchen / Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
- Architects: Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
- Location: No. 1, Dongkangsi Street, Daci Temple, Chengdu City, China (Taikoo Li)
- Main Designers: Tang Jiajun, Liu Ruiyan
- Area: 700.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2016
- Photographs: Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
It is challenge consisting of passion and contradiction when we take over the new restaurant which will keep a foothold at the most fashionable and dynamic landmark in Chengdu.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
It is a time-honored restaurant which has been famous for Sichuan cuisine over a hundred years and inherited by four generations. The restaurant devotes itself to cook traditional exquisite Sichuan dishes by using the most ecological and natural food materials. The sense of leisure embodies the beauty of simplicity in “Xiaohebang” (a style of Sichuan cuisine).
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
After experiencing, recollecting and perceiving the glamour of various teahouses, old streets and markets in western Sichuan, the highlight of our space design must be the long-lost “relaxation and leisure” which is also the language to be used by us at this time.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
Ground Floor Plan
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
Some noise, which may be a kind of jollification and feelings for ancient Sichuan and Chengdu, shall be included. Drinking tea, taking a meal and enjoying unvoiced sound may be at the same timeline. The bamboo and bamboo weaving at the West Sichuan Plain Area may accompany us as a kind of geniality and aftertaste of lives. It also may be a local characteristic to feel but not covered by impracticality and vanity as well as a space sense matched with the century-old restaurant.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
The architectural design tries to avoid artificial elements in building appearance and patterns as much as possible, whatever they are outside surfaces or entrances. The building appearance can become gentle and exquisite by installing simple bamboo screens, ensuring good day-lighting and removing deliberate assemblies. Every detail in the room may shorten the distance between space and customers artificially, whatever it is the mental, spatial or reminiscent distance, such as Laohuzao (a traditional Chinese kitchen range used to boil water) tea table at the entry of restaurant, a large amount of kitchen range above the cooking station and rattan weaving behind sofas. It should be a combination of space and delicacy when customers cannot help having their eye expression of surprise just like in childhood.
Courtesy of Chengdu Hummingbird Design Consultant Co., Ltd.
Ellsworth, Maine photo via kirsten
One Community Church / DKO
© Peter Bennetts
- Architects: DKO
- Location: Melbourne VIC, Australia
- Area: 12000.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2013
- Photographs: Peter Bennetts , Derek Swalwell
- Client: One Community Church
© Derek Swalwell
From the architect. The design of the Church focused on reinventing the modern day church to create a multi-purpose community and youth centre for all people. The result is a centre that encourages community based activities and provides an ideal vehicle for sharing information, ideas and resources.
© Peter Bennetts
© Peter Bennetts
The building contains a coffee shop, function rooms, youth centre, reception area, breakout spaces and a 500 seat auditorium. Construction of this project was undertaken whilst maintaining full operation of the Church facilities.
© Derek Swalwell
DKO’s architect and interior design teams worked closely to design the latest addition to the burgeoning floor plate of the Church. The design brief was looking to achieve a series of spaces that would appeal to both their existing congregation and a new, younger following whilst also encapsulating the fresh, modern image of the Church.
Floor Plan
Catering to a richly diverse demographic, the series of spaces were designed for flexibility to assist in the abundance of events held at the church; from weddings to children’s Sunday school.
© Derek Swalwell
Both the large open plan areas and smaller intimate zones act as a meeting point for the young and old generations within the community.
© Derek Swalwell
The interior palette was paired back to natural timber and durable materials, successfully grounding the project and dividing the expansive floor plate into a series of functional & private enclosures. Clad entirely in American Oak these pods mimic the angular architecture of the building’s exterior fabric whilst housing the Café, Reception and Councillors rooms. In contrast to the warm timber tones, cool greys and black were used to create a versatile interior that will stand the test of time.
© Derek Swalwell
Cúre and Penabad illuminates double-height office building in Guatemala with long skylight
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Abandoned Skyscraper by Eridony The Book Tower, designed by…
Sig Nordal 