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Architecture & Design

Architecture & Design

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Ice Dams, Insulation and Air Leaks, Oh My

A (Qualified) Defence of Tiny Homes

April 1, 2016

Tiny Homes have been getting some bad press lately. What started out as the darling of forward-thinking homeowners has become somewhat of an eye-roll inducing byword for starry-eyed naivety. Last July Tech Insider published an article by Megan Willett titled "Living in Tiny Homes was Much Harder than these People Realized" which detailed three cases of failed Tiny Home Dwelling attempts. But was this criticism fair? Were the problems that caused the abandonment the fault of the home size or the homeowner?

Is the Open Kitchen Over?

February 17, 2016

The open kitchen has reigned supreme over the new home and renovation market for the last 15 years. Americans have wholeheartedly embraced the combination of the kitchen, living room, and dining room into one big space. Parents can cook while keeping an eye on the kids. Hosts can prep their dinner party while still entertaining guests. The concept of togetherness has become the overriding consideration in residential design. In the last few months, however, I have been seeing more and more articles pushing back against this concept.

ARCHITECTURALLY ADVENTUROUS

Explorations in cutting edge residential design

A blog by Holly Butler, AIA NCARB

Ice Dams, Air Leaks and Insulation, Oh My.

January 6, 2016

Winter has finally decided to arrive in Iowa. The trees glisten with ice, snow blankets the corn fields, and cars go careening down the highways. Unfortunately, the cold can be as hard on our houses as it is on our lifestyles. Have you ever driven through town and noticed large chunks of ice and snow mounded up over the gutters of the homes? Sometimes they drip long icicles down the siding. As lovely as they are, these "ice dams" pose a significant problem for our houses.

Welcome to Architecturally Adventurous!

December 15, 2016

Welcome to my new blog, Architecturally Adventurous! Here you will find meditations, musings, and useful info on items relating to residential architecture, green homes, and energy efficiency.