Razor’s Edge is located on a lot previously inhabited by a blighted ranch home. With overgrown landscape and a poorly situated residence in a highly sought-after neighborhood, the site was ripe for a fresh start. The challenge of a properly positioned piece of architecture could open and resolve the view corridors, manage two existing washes, and manage the harsh Arizona summer sun. Razor’s Edge boasts views of four prominent topographical features, captured through the razor-like folding forms that both frame…

Consumer confidence increased for the second straight month to the highest level since April, as solid job gains, declining gas prices and easing inflation contributed to more optimistic views of economy. However, spending plans were mixed. The purchasing intention to buy cars and major appliances increased, while the intention to buy homes fell due to the rising mortgage rates. Looking… Read More ›

A brief decline in mortgage rates helped to boost new home sales in August but sales are expected to move lower in the months ahead as rates have since moved higher and builder sentiment continues to fall due to declining housing affordability and ongoing supply chain bottlenecks. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in August increased 28.8% to a 685,000… Read More ›

The Maren is a 380-unit, 12-story apartment development in DC’s Capitol Riverfront district. Amenities include a contemporary rooftop clubhouse and sundeck, private event space, glass-enclosed fitness center, and an activated plaza with direct connection to the city’s best restaurants, fitness concepts, green spaces, and entertainment destinations, including Nationals Park and Audi Field. Inspired by the project’s direct waterfront access and contribution to the riverfront as a destination with eclectic public realm, the design concept infuses refined, urban-organic elements with textures…

This contemporary home is situated into a hillside with large expanses of glass that capture and frame commanding views of the valley below. Additionally, the large rooftop decks and patio spaces allow for classic indoor-outdoor living. The home includes 5 bedrooms and 7 baths, totaling 8,500 sf of livable space. Features include an entry bridge over a sunken courtyard with a waterfall/fire feature, a large open living space and kitchen, private bedroom wings, and outdoor amenities such as outdoor kitchen/dining,…

The share of homes built with patios hit a record high in 2021.  Of the roughly 1.1 million single-family homes started in 2021, 63 percent came with patios.  This number comes from NAHB tabulation of data from the Survey of Construction (conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau with partial finding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development).  Patios on… Read More ›

Now and Zen afforded a second life to a stucco McMansion as it was transformed into a modernist zen-like retreat. The zen-like retreat is firmly founded in a timeless, refined palette of natural materials including limestone walls and floors, Douglas fir ceilings, vertical grain rift oak millwork, and a careful selection of complementing tile and countertops. A re-imagining of formal and informal spaces, the design breaks down the rigidity of perceived formal rooms with a sequence of overlapping spaces. Before…

The owners’ suite sitting area opens via large sliding glass doors to an outdoor TV room with fireplace and spa/hot tub strategically located steps away. The 480 sf closet was a hit with its 10-foot high cabinetry and a comfortable sitting area inside. In the bath, the client required two water closets, two vanities, a soaking tub, a walk-in shower large enough for two, and lots of natural light. The floating vanities are custom designed and the vanity wall is…

While the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered many social and economic disruptions, it has also changed working arrangements and has accelerated the shift to work from home (WFH). During the COVID-19 outbreak in the early of 2020, many businesses across the United States closed and millions of workers experienced the work from home trend out of necessity. This sudden and massive… Read More ›

The latest results from the Federal Reserve’s Z.1 Financial Accounts of the United States, i.e., the Flow of Funds, show that in the second quarter of 2022, growth of the market value of all owner-occupied real estate in the United States slowed after showed the largest year-over-year percentage gain since 2001 the prior quarter. The market value of owner-occupied real… Read More ›