2009 Austin Homes Tour Announced

The 24th Annual Homes Tour will take place on October 10-11, 2009 from 12 Noon - 6PM.

Presented by AIA Austin (the Austin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects), the self-guided Tour is one of the most popular fall weekend events in Central Texas, and AIA Austin’s most dynamic community outreach program.

To submit a home for the 2009 Homes Tour, please visit the AIA Austin.

A few photos from the 2008 Homes Tour below:

Anthony Alofsin

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

9 square studio

Clifford Welch, Dallas Architect, Professional Bad-Ass

A dear couple friend of mine who live in Dallas, Texas recently met with a really talented architect, Clifford Welch, to discuss building their future dream home. Below are a few photos from his residential portfolio.

And I nearly died when I learned Welch also designed this house in White Rock neighborhood of Dallas I fell in love with a few years ago...

Morris Lapidus. Yummy.

Photos via WSJ. Do yourself a favor and check out the photos in the slideshow.

Stop the presses! Just when I gave up hope on scouring the www for additional images for you guys, Mlle Raina just sent me a magical link with these splendid images. Eeeeeeeee! (My excited squeal). Raina, you rock HARDER than Kip Winger!

More eye candy can be found here.

Cameron's "Ferris Day Bueller's Day Off" House for Sale

Which one of you peeps truly, truly, l-o-v-e-s me and has an extra $2.3 million you can loan me, I mean, *cough* give me so I can purchase this home in Highland Park, Illinois featured in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"? I know how humble some of you are, so to avoid you feeling any awkwardness, rest assured you can simply send me an anonymous donation and it'll be our special little secret. It's all good in the millionaire hood!

In the film, the home belonged to Bueller's best friend Cameron Frye's father and housed a tempting red 1961 Ferrari 250 GTO that Bueller and Frye took for an iconic joyride through Chicago. Remember the famous crash scene when the Ferrari is pushed out into the ravine?

According to the listing agent, Melodee Hughes, the filmmakers had to set up a rail in the pavilion, which is behind the main house, to roll the car out. Fiberglass versions of the Ferrari were used but they didn't smoke when crashed so smoke bombs had to be used.

The home is known as the 'Ben Rose Home' was designed by architects A. James Speyer and David Haid. It has been owned by Rose since it was built in 1953 and is also known as the Ben Rose Auto Museum. Rose died in 2004 and his wife Francis lived there with a caregiver until her death earlier this year.

The contemporary home has four bedrooms and is 5,300 square feet. The garage is also an art showcase for modern pieces as well as vintage cars. There is a separate two-car garage for cars that are driven on a more regular basis. The property is listed as being sold as is with no disclosures and likely needs some renovations and is listed at $2.3 million. [via TMZ]

Photos via Sotheby's Realty

MCM Mondays - Pierre Koenig

Pierre Koenig, 1925-2004. R.I.P., talented cool dude.

"The architecture of Pierre Koenig, FAIA, demonstrates a simple elegance derived from a design process that melds plan, structure and nature into a holistic experience. With the use of steel and glass he has evolved fresh and exciting solutions to some difficult aesthetic and structural problems.

His first exposed steel and glass house, completed in 1950 while still a student at USC, launched him on a career that has earned him international recognition for numerous innovative buildings. When Arts and Architecture magazine was seeking inventive architects for their Case Study Houses, they chose Koenig to design two of them, Case Study House 21 and Case Study House 22.

Over the years Case Study House 22 has become an iconic symbol of Southern California living. It is a spectacular house soaring above the city below, with long cantilevered roof and floor overhangs that extend the viewer's line of vision to the distant ocean and the horizon beyond. Case Study House 21 exemplifies a meticulous coordination between plan, structure and detail. The landscaping, designed by Koenig, is composed of water, brick and gravel to extend the horizontal planes of the house. In 1989 the Museum of Modern Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles constructed on-site at the Temporary Contemporary a full scale walk-through model of CSH 22 for the exhibit titled "Blueprints for Modern Living."

Pierre Koenig's work has been published throughout the world. Recent honors include the 1996 AIACC Lifetime Award and the AIACC 25 Year Award, the Pacific Design Center Lifetime Achievement Award and the University of Southern California School of Architecture Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award. The first monograph devoted to his architectural career will be published this Spring by Phaidon Press." Via La Obscura.

The Case Study House #22, more popularly known as the Stahl House, is Koenig's most well-known work located on 1636 Woods Drive, Los Angeles. West Coast's most famous house built in 1960, is the backdrop of many TV shows and movies and is still occupied by the original owner, Carlotta Stahl. Lucky lady.

Not as well known but of the same style, Case Study House #21, the Bailey House, located in the Hollywood Hills (9028 Wonderland Park Ave., Los Angeles) was constructed in 1958 and embodies much of what is the quintessential L.A. Modern.

At 1320 square feet, it was built for $20,000. The 2 bedroom structure is balanced by five, count them, five reflection pools that completely surround the house and serve both cooling functions and as visual transitions between building and site. Koenig himself oversaw a complete renovation of the house for owner Dan Cracchiolo in 1998, after which it was sold for $1.5 million to Mark Haddawy. He sold it in December 2006 for over $3.5M. Guess who is doing some stalking this weekend??

Koenig's Case Study House #21 photographed by Julius Schulman (are his iconic images burned into your retinas yet?), with Pierre Koenig himself at the stereo. Then...

...And now. Remember when Brad Pitt collaborated with photographer Steven Klein (I heart you) in the 'controversial' edition of W magazine starring then rumored new love/man-eater Angelina?

Nice Papa Bear chair, BRAD.