tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17663233308035646442024-03-06T01:39:49.004-05:00Timber Frame and Post & Beam ArchitectKenneth Wertheim, Architect, AIA, NCARB designs custom timber frame, post & beam homes. Welcome.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-56109478126239825102013-02-17T13:17:00.002-05:002013-02-17T13:17:18.774-05:00Disney Epcot Memory 1979Now that our oldest son is a cast member working at Disney in resort management, we reminisce about Disney more than ever since we have been Disney fans for more than 35 years.<br />
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In 1979 I graduated college with a degree in Civil Engineering Technology and went to work for a site engineering firm in Westchester County, NY. I remember that first summer seeing an interesting poster on the wall of our lunch room. What caught my attention was a very interesting drawing that looked like some type of “futuristic city” plan. It was actually an advertisement by WED Enterprises, (Walt Elias Disney), or known today as WDI (Walt Disney Imagineering), The Walt Disney Company. They were looking for junior engineers and engineering technicians to work on the new EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) Center in Walt Disney World, FL. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE44VCZSCoLaWZQFXfSZuU95A3V9_o0anZrJlRcHGlvtVlGWhNHc_soiN6OfPazIpK9nhrEH9VPVz6MAqYPWplIjWcWQqP-TpYrI5Ozj8ko84StGN-xcVBKEfbj4Iv0tmQ3kQMgFKgek/s1600/EPCOT_model_1977_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE44VCZSCoLaWZQFXfSZuU95A3V9_o0anZrJlRcHGlvtVlGWhNHc_soiN6OfPazIpK9nhrEH9VPVz6MAqYPWplIjWcWQqP-TpYrI5Ozj8ko84StGN-xcVBKEfbj4Iv0tmQ3kQMgFKgek/s320/EPCOT_model_1977_web.jpg" uea="true" width="183" /></a><br />
They were offering casting roles from1979 to1982. <br />
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Although I was married at the time but without children, this sounded like a fun adventure. So, a coworker of mine and I called Disney (there were no cell phones or email at that time). When we learned that most of the work would be in the field outdoors in the Florida heat we decided to pass. (Having an air-conditioned NY office job, the thought of working in the blazing Florida sun was a bit daunting). <br />
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In 1981, I went back to school at SUNY Buffalo and got my Masters degree in Architecture, but have often thought “what if” we had gone to work for Disney building EPCOT; perhaps I would be a Disney Imagineer today. <br />
<br />Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-60314324097787063302013-01-22T11:38:00.001-05:002013-02-17T13:11:05.702-05:00Disney Inspiration<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My family has been a Disney fan for over thirty years, and today our oldest son Andrew is a Disney cast member in resort management. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKF9rMWTzNOkTucdMvx6SIfoKu_wAKqBf9HtNuxtZu8zkn_0W6CWu0J-Q7M_ADjp4UpEhiE7SHaJPAcScpkxPOwNdri7rrsLUjLgNgUYIUMzfHfLofoxtLK6pkbvHV76EgW_IFOYTzx4/s1600/Disney-Maurice-CottageR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKF9rMWTzNOkTucdMvx6SIfoKu_wAKqBf9HtNuxtZu8zkn_0W6CWu0J-Q7M_ADjp4UpEhiE7SHaJPAcScpkxPOwNdri7rrsLUjLgNgUYIUMzfHfLofoxtLK6pkbvHV76EgW_IFOYTzx4/s200/Disney-Maurice-CottageR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This past Christmas and New Years while visiting Andrew at Disney World, we had the opportunity to experience the newly opened Fantasyland. I was especially intrigued by the Enchanted Forest themed area, in particular the Royal Castle, Gaston’s Tavern, and especially Maurice’s whimsical cottage. Being an architect I found this story book cottage to be magical. I’m always fascinated with the creativity of the Disney Imagineers, wishing I could do that.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeaVzJA5gU9Vp42XE54j2Gv6BohNFWH7_aEbkolrjYV8JMZeqgNIF_GEw4A9yVegtNtmAMVof1OipT2SYWKdfnTYp_GN-cOkj92Ov3GqFZFIIoHPygTrqWhO1TjX42pdePKitIhhSLA8/s1600/WC-box8r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeaVzJA5gU9Vp42XE54j2Gv6BohNFWH7_aEbkolrjYV8JMZeqgNIF_GEw4A9yVegtNtmAMVof1OipT2SYWKdfnTYp_GN-cOkj92Ov3GqFZFIIoHPygTrqWhO1TjX42pdePKitIhhSLA8/s200/WC-box8r.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
After having been inspired, and with the Enchanted Forest images impressed in my mind, I thought to myself, “This could be fun!”. So while driving back to our room at the Saratoga Springs resort, and I came up with a whimsical cottage concept sketch, which is now part of my “Little Mountain Home” collection. <a href="http://www.mtnarc.com/desbld.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mtnarc.com/desbld.htm</a><br />
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<br />Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-72327233396065911192012-12-10T10:32:00.000-05:002012-12-10T10:34:05.397-05:00Mountian Home Wins Gold Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShOKWK0aPR5o7LckVJZqWa0LSEk01pHLnGiH84Q0ZwwBsvJtPE7yi2m5om4pBs3AyR6SM2XVU8ewtsD8oXvbJ0vuseCoRSQkixwAQR9B_aP792kNgWbtzjfoL3FatYWkyWdcIKzh52ic/s1600/ParadeAward2012rev2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShOKWK0aPR5o7LckVJZqWa0LSEk01pHLnGiH84Q0ZwwBsvJtPE7yi2m5om4pBs3AyR6SM2XVU8ewtsD8oXvbJ0vuseCoRSQkixwAQR9B_aP792kNgWbtzjfoL3FatYWkyWdcIKzh52ic/s400/ParadeAward2012rev2.jpg" width="383" /></a></div>
Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-63973881925782544602012-02-14T12:28:00.000-05:002012-02-14T12:28:58.923-05:00Timber Frame Raising ~ " Topping Off Ceremony "<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzOY6J2bW-qsLV4cI-YDTbM_5mNf-IJ72qsGtIToKMBILqJAtyLCGBkQotlv6jXpjhvu2joXsMJ4cqR2yWNfWlWuOlIt2Lv5HEKmkXRSRQ1Sy0J_Hp_b0hsP1lMB4EKGlN8q3gkO51f8/s1600/1009067r.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzOY6J2bW-qsLV4cI-YDTbM_5mNf-IJ72qsGtIToKMBILqJAtyLCGBkQotlv6jXpjhvu2joXsMJ4cqR2yWNfWlWuOlIt2Lv5HEKmkXRSRQ1Sy0J_Hp_b0hsP1lMB4EKGlN8q3gkO51f8/s200/1009067r.JPG" width="200" yda="true" /></a><u>It’s a Tradition</u> – another timber frame raising is complete </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">in <place><city>Black Mountain</city>, <state>NC</state></place>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Architect, builder and timber framers celebrate with a </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Topping Off Ceremony”, a tradition for centuries and </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">a legacy for timber framing; the ceremony where a small </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">evergreen tree or bough <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsaoKeXadTBFsw6ipRBLxSv4zOff1gIfpboDF0FLZ_ClxM0gMtiPt7_YY-fPIPoSAEacdh0n_0gghSYhyhNUBZj4Q09LM_JAFIwt6tqYKZK0g4j3p3v-N1U1hiwzsu64LQma9Iz_Kx-0/s1600/1009085r.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsaoKeXadTBFsw6ipRBLxSv4zOff1gIfpboDF0FLZ_ClxM0gMtiPt7_YY-fPIPoSAEacdh0n_0gghSYhyhNUBZj4Q09LM_JAFIwt6tqYKZK0g4j3p3v-N1U1hiwzsu64LQma9Iz_Kx-0/s200/1009085r.JPG" width="200" yda="true" /></a>is anchored to the highest peak in </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">celebration of the craftsman’s successful raising, good fortune for the new owners and to honor the trees and land which made building the house possible. This tradition can be traced back to <place>Europe</place> and <place>Scandinavia</place> as well as Native American Indian tribes, as a symbol of thanksgiving and respect.</div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-80512755755465763672012-01-30T14:06:00.002-05:002012-02-01T10:06:13.451-05:00International Builders Show in Orlando, FL<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">February 8 -11, 2012 sponsored by the NAHB and Hanley Wood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When my son Andrew started his Disney Internship in Hospitality Management last week, I was fortunate to be able to stop by the 2012 “New American House”, a reinterpretation of the classic “white box” of the 1960’s and 70’s made popular by world renown architects LeCorbusier and Meier. .</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLbBX04UditY_gKmEOo9R4W0AiTdpIWFc3y4kuBVrsEXvQ8CgJ4IJVNup_E-6khOldYpJ30DO-tJTMa1QRdKbthQcBFaTvMEIe8PsUejUMwbkP3_XToKHe75NMqLcWnV4_hAiZhwJZSU/s1600/IBS-ORL-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLbBX04UditY_gKmEOo9R4W0AiTdpIWFc3y4kuBVrsEXvQ8CgJ4IJVNup_E-6khOldYpJ30DO-tJTMa1QRdKbthQcBFaTvMEIe8PsUejUMwbkP3_XToKHe75NMqLcWnV4_hAiZhwJZSU/s200/IBS-ORL-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQzVPIH1ZeUcNrd3L3W3OW1ygVsTQ71qVYKIMsdLl3SkoVLio5xhILnVu_C6xlJIhf-je-K4ycHgayl_q97e0bEoTe1P6wQJjTlYge06K-zdElcV0_6hyphenhyphenAtcJmm-HKW1FxpfzruBnFOE/s1600/IBS-ORL-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQzVPIH1ZeUcNrd3L3W3OW1ygVsTQ71qVYKIMsdLl3SkoVLio5xhILnVu_C6xlJIhf-je-K4ycHgayl_q97e0bEoTe1P6wQJjTlYge06K-zdElcV0_6hyphenhyphenAtcJmm-HKW1FxpfzruBnFOE/s200/IBS-ORL-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This house was quite interesting to see in person, showcasing design trends and technologies, the latest green building products and materials, as well as many innovative construction techniques.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The home was designed by architect / builder Phil Kean of </span><place><city><span style="font-family: Arial;">Winter Park</span></city><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><state><span style="font-family: Arial;">FL. It </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">received Emerald level certification from the US Green Building<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>National Standards program, USGBC LEED for Homes Platinum Certification, and the US DOE Energy Star.</span><br />
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</div></div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-53272428673030332732012-01-11T17:20:00.002-05:002012-01-12T11:51:05.522-05:00Timber Frame Raising In Burnsville, NC<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAmPq2scRYYDVbysneNQbUk_-c3TYnTw0Tg5VdFFPNZldQWyojeKcaTkcmFLrEJkvEQOFWZJSs_XB9zaVduq-Ez7QhcNqL99jtuW_1RUWBPPnr7Bmy2HfWcnf3mgq4mLzXguRRSBMNKg/s1600/KW+306r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAmPq2scRYYDVbysneNQbUk_-c3TYnTw0Tg5VdFFPNZldQWyojeKcaTkcmFLrEJkvEQOFWZJSs_XB9zaVduq-Ez7QhcNqL99jtuW_1RUWBPPnr7Bmy2HfWcnf3mgq4mLzXguRRSBMNKg/s200/KW+306r.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This custom Timberpeg® post and beam home was designed by <city><place>Asheville</place></city> architect Ken Wertheim, <stockticker>AIA</stockticker> and is currently in construction in <place><city>Burnsville</city>, <state>NC</state></place>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_vBaoIHKkd9P1UOKgSlVnV8dfpk8KFnXqP8RVCDhmI9N0dEDRtagiGO8JuV0ioOnXM8UicH2qOmTPmXdayoThKzOeZT15gRZMVaH1CGb8QidYoS_5F2AwNbFDSqcogm8ft_pKyQ5t9o/s1600/KW+311r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_vBaoIHKkd9P1UOKgSlVnV8dfpk8KFnXqP8RVCDhmI9N0dEDRtagiGO8JuV0ioOnXM8UicH2qOmTPmXdayoThKzOeZT15gRZMVaH1CGb8QidYoS_5F2AwNbFDSqcogm8ft_pKyQ5t9o/s200/KW+311r.jpg" width="200" /></a>Another frame raising will begin later this month. It will be the first in “The Little Mountain Home” Collection to be built; a 1,385 square foot energy efficient mountain retreat incorporating green sustainable design principles, a high performance envelope and advanced technologies. It will feature a full timberframe structure and structural insulated panels (SIPS). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For more information, visit <a href="http://www.mtnarc.com/events.htm">www.mtnarc.com/events.htm</a></div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-33732519197923396452011-09-11T18:37:00.000-04:002011-09-11T18:37:04.875-04:00Remembering 9/11Today America remembers 9/11 ....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fj52JGGZCuG_4rcUWSQhUr4r8xRzvE0c-TzkSfCldWTAVleo1Wylsp2bxphidcJ1uQAXwJonRMWUPdI9hXEKVmfRK1rsMVD7fQoYRV-RpnostVLDvQWnXZFua6sSV3TMwpSYQ5vxJHM/s1600/Ground-Zero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fj52JGGZCuG_4rcUWSQhUr4r8xRzvE0c-TzkSfCldWTAVleo1Wylsp2bxphidcJ1uQAXwJonRMWUPdI9hXEKVmfRK1rsMVD7fQoYRV-RpnostVLDvQWnXZFua6sSV3TMwpSYQ5vxJHM/s320/Ground-Zero.jpg" width="193" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Tomorrow we will see the World Trade Center rise again!</div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-5634424493307372072011-05-05T10:35:00.001-04:002011-05-05T10:50:10.813-04:00Spring Timberpeg Homes Tour, May 15, 2011, Asheville, NC3 homes, 1 community, same day <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mERMs05xz8OEFFbh8d5q7XCc2UqnV7F_Ff9dBeKM4WafVgdGLEdTqwFepINk726UX5xnGqVoxwVQDIc0m83Owej-zC4ps_vs9gnA2t4oJ7zJAJLegf0NHGLQUUL5Cpoxn80l4cY1nNw/s1600/OH-EM-Custr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mERMs05xz8OEFFbh8d5q7XCc2UqnV7F_Ff9dBeKM4WafVgdGLEdTqwFepINk726UX5xnGqVoxwVQDIc0m83Owej-zC4ps_vs9gnA2t4oJ7zJAJLegf0NHGLQUUL5Cpoxn80l4cY1nNw/s320/OH-EM-Custr.jpg" width="242" /></a>Tour 3 Timberpeg homes<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">custom designed by </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ken Wertheim </div><div style="text-align: center;">Architect, AIA</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Fr Black Mountain, NC</u>: Exit 64 off I-40, take NC Hwy 9S (go 5 miles). Turn right on Chestnut Road. Go 2 miles, turn left on Flat Creek (fire station). Go 1.7 miles turn left on Nesbitt Chapel Rd. (chapel @ left). Take dirt road behind chapel about 1/2 mile. Follow Timberpeg signs. </div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-87424172403126059482011-02-19T13:47:00.001-05:002011-02-19T14:35:19.984-05:00Wood Solutions Conference, Atlanta, GAOnce again, I thoroughly enjoyed attending the Southeast Wood Solutions Conference. It was held in Atlanta, GA this year. I certainly love the “international perspective” that is offered at this conference ~ all five seminars I attended had presenters from Europe. What an experience to broaden my horizons through exchange of global knowledge.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-BS7q_0xOdPaeR7sE0fUglrS-xpYPc_uo40wIAw8yyyIDS23C-thBOsxHTWGiHkJ01iGDmJSdbSasgwmxEBcOboAP4lCTkBumjrX4c1qRfkOPBUIugl4igUdHgw1XUzFgRcN-QNbVNQ/s1600/pmp-metz.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="197" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-BS7q_0xOdPaeR7sE0fUglrS-xpYPc_uo40wIAw8yyyIDS23C-thBOsxHTWGiHkJ01iGDmJSdbSasgwmxEBcOboAP4lCTkBumjrX4c1qRfkOPBUIugl4igUdHgw1XUzFgRcN-QNbVNQ/s320/pmp-metz.jpeg" /></a></div>The Architectural Innovation Track began with a fantastic case study of the Centre Pompidou-Metz and Serpentine Pavilion presented by Andrew Lawrence of the UK. The European fabrication techniques and manufacturing processes and watching the construction of doubly curved and twisted timber elements forming grid shells was definitely fascinating. <br />
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The presentation by British architect Sophie Campbell on “Innovative Use of Cross Laminated Timber” (CLT) was also enlightening. This focused on the Open Academy in Norwich, the largest timber structure building in the UK. I was especially intrigued with the methodology and thought process behind the design which is a coliseum-like structure. Very inspirational. <br />
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What a unique opportunity it was to hear Egyptian born US architect Nabin Tahan speak. His work in Europe and especially in Austria was thought provoking. With my own background having both of my parents from Europe, I found this particularly interesting. The presentation focused on energy-efficiency and sustainability in design and construction of timber buildings in Austria. Learning of the “European Passive House Standard” approach was very insightful as well as the range of “High Performance” European products available and the integrated “systems built” approach to the pre-fab process in Austria.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1PffF-eetf5S5X0lw7Kr8tQeN1wkZ0YjYT498mIvIUAgvBc4Ms6o3qet714EkNjFU1dQwP-fRQwwny7qs6g08sWRj9RO1P07daBickhtMygFTxsRYIHtOqUQEewa0RQII3o4tGGfjK4/s1600/chuck2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1PffF-eetf5S5X0lw7Kr8tQeN1wkZ0YjYT498mIvIUAgvBc4Ms6o3qet714EkNjFU1dQwP-fRQwwny7qs6g08sWRj9RO1P07daBickhtMygFTxsRYIHtOqUQEewa0RQII3o4tGGfjK4/s200/chuck2.jpg" /></a></div>I must say the keynote presentation during lunch by Chuck Leavell, internationally renowned musician, author and tree farmer, as well as keyboardist for the Rolling Stones was pretty special. We also had a rare opportunity and pleasure to be entertained by him at the piano as he played “Georgia On My Mind”. He spoke of his passion for forestry, the environment and the meaning of stewardship. <br />
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At the presentation for the Wood Design Awards, I was especially impressed with the Willson Hospice House in Albany, GA designed by Perkins & Will; the Canoe Club in Palmetto Bluff, SC by architect Hart Howerton; and Pleasant Ridge Camp & Retreat Center in SC by DP3 Architects. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinF4zaaR9dOcxtAJSJ4i-K2iHrYA6IY2Ux7YJ-6iHQNGarAzhRd-PMjryGt3fUDzKp9Wx9Pgq5fEa_qckAhhcQj_356btpBmxxZvOuhym8Q6lKW2pNMTt_E-OthVb6DuQy1PMvgiWcmI/s1600/WSF-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="217" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinF4zaaR9dOcxtAJSJ4i-K2iHrYA6IY2Ux7YJ-6iHQNGarAzhRd-PMjryGt3fUDzKp9Wx9Pgq5fEa_qckAhhcQj_356btpBmxxZvOuhym8Q6lKW2pNMTt_E-OthVb6DuQy1PMvgiWcmI/s320/WSF-4.jpg" /></a></div>The conference ended with a great presentation on the “Eden Project-The Core” in Cornwall, England presented by German architect Ulrich Dangel. The Core is an Education Resource Center and supporting facility to the Eden Project; a series of geodesic biome structures for housing botanical collections. What was most intriguing to me again was the design process which evaluated ordering systems found in nature which were then translated into the design concept. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z7OpD9Ss0StHoJ3ZI5YT1Ky6SiYaYa4_GXtB6EP3YrP3WQKUAGc2N4qrKzVH2NnTCEiWcGpkHTwUTqWFHNVxrCMGqZ6irCkhDrIKfHzPT_nSjMVFRzgirHwe9AP_V1E9vRpR-hQ_GLI/s1600/WSF-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z7OpD9Ss0StHoJ3ZI5YT1Ky6SiYaYa4_GXtB6EP3YrP3WQKUAGc2N4qrKzVH2NnTCEiWcGpkHTwUTqWFHNVxrCMGqZ6irCkhDrIKfHzPT_nSjMVFRzgirHwe9AP_V1E9vRpR-hQ_GLI/s200/WSF-3.jpeg" /></a></div>Reminiscent of Architecture School, I enjoyed the discussion on the “Fibonacci Series”, “Golden Section Ratios”, and “Phyllotaxis” or geometry of plant growth. This really made you think about the relationship between man and nature; people and plants. We took a close look at spirals in nature (sunflowers, pine cones, seed pods). This reminded me how important it is to stop and smell the roses once and awhile; to spend some quiet time in the wilderness, forest or a park.<br />
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Great conference!Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-13492671470626987032011-02-06T11:39:00.001-05:002011-02-06T11:44:37.919-05:00Prospering 2011NC Business Conference, Blue Ridge Community College<br />
Flat Rock, NC.<br />
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Excellent business conference. Enjoyed a powerful presentation by Dr. James Smith, Chief Economist of Parsec Financial. Very enlightening session, many positive indicators: projected growth for next 5 years; pent up housing demand; consumer confidence; and heading into a good business cycle.<br />
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The keynote on Mobile Technology was especially interesting; learned <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pTzYEsFpSx8qeBhIVyXFPq7x0DZGhnK23tDl7tDqSIPaDRfK4mpg__pJaCkqU1U65BMMHWUNjswWV8D9BfgGzt7bKC6vJOnROz0zK3ZJC1z7Cb_MSaKfHphjnl4clcpKJwahhshC4ik/s1600/chart.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pTzYEsFpSx8qeBhIVyXFPq7x0DZGhnK23tDl7tDqSIPaDRfK4mpg__pJaCkqU1U65BMMHWUNjswWV8D9BfgGzt7bKC6vJOnROz0zK3ZJC1z7Cb_MSaKfHphjnl4clcpKJwahhshC4ik/s200/chart.PNG" width="200" /></a>about the upcoming trends, emerging technologies, and that mobile devices will overtake PC's by 2012. Innovation is exciting. Check out my custom created QR code (left) and please scan it with your “Smart Phone” to get totally connected to my business/social network, (QR reader/scanner app required). Thanks, Ken.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-9018604254202505212010-12-03T10:47:00.000-05:002010-12-03T10:47:35.222-05:00Tiny House Design December 1, 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtq0HX7od7IzZ2lonYO1OTKMlm28Xd50oqwRWiwYTNCMEyM4rQlOsHjDNuCHrHuBToD4iyJk4q1Sk-HHyznEKGei6zpesA7PcXtbYQ4U17OP8gC94ezFADA8t1mUJn_p1V6tVItHiS7k/s1600/KJW-Little-House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtq0HX7od7IzZ2lonYO1OTKMlm28Xd50oqwRWiwYTNCMEyM4rQlOsHjDNuCHrHuBToD4iyJk4q1Sk-HHyznEKGei6zpesA7PcXtbYQ4U17OP8gC94ezFADA8t1mUJn_p1V6tVItHiS7k/s320/KJW-Little-House.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>When my youngest son Kyle was given an assignment in his high school architectural drafting class to design a tiny house of only 11’ x 11’ with a maximum height of 12’, I decided to also take on the challenge for myself. The smallest mountain retreat I had ever designed was a 390 square foot Appalachian cabin. So, thinking outside the box, I wanted to see what could be done with only 121 square feet. Believing that this design (see photo inset) could very well be one of the worlds tiniest homes, I did some internet research and was pleasantly surprised to find some really interesting projects even smaller than mine. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5vMrACPNsF8k3CRyHX1cNng1JJPPYKIW-AJhXkdt-0gz6vLiSjA1QFAETvzWF_jJHSDyJM6FYfFb5XmvQKRKm53ftrP7PM83Zr-SwjqF_13jPscNeGFw9wcQj_we7VtEALlg0D1FlIg/s1600/KJW-Little-House2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5vMrACPNsF8k3CRyHX1cNng1JJPPYKIW-AJhXkdt-0gz6vLiSjA1QFAETvzWF_jJHSDyJM6FYfFb5XmvQKRKm53ftrP7PM83Zr-SwjqF_13jPscNeGFw9wcQj_we7VtEALlg0D1FlIg/s200/KJW-Little-House2.jpg" width="145" /></a><br />
If you are interested to learn more, check out these resources: Little Retreats by Jane Tidbury; Tiny Houses by Lester Walker; Compact Houses: Architecture for the Environment by Christian Del Valle; and Little House on a Small Planet by Shay Solomon.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-57173397606171476642010-10-24T13:55:00.002-04:002010-10-24T14:12:02.958-04:00Asheville Land Development Conference (ALDC), Asheville, NC Oct. 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDA4Ny3KjVRK-nhKYimlmWeTNqDWDLzgF7LE_TFpeyukswn60_8BgLFvLc7vk93IMkI1HzTl2Km0NRDdJ-ReRKhoGxPTRSFcVRhIr_1fr6V_KosNaXPDkTbrsyBDWWBxo1wFZGlNfIZs/s1600/asheville-skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDA4Ny3KjVRK-nhKYimlmWeTNqDWDLzgF7LE_TFpeyukswn60_8BgLFvLc7vk93IMkI1HzTl2Km0NRDdJ-ReRKhoGxPTRSFcVRhIr_1fr6V_KosNaXPDkTbrsyBDWWBxo1wFZGlNfIZs/s320/asheville-skyline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The conference was all about sharing visions, creative ideas, opportunities and challenges on land development for Western NC. Seminars included topics such as sustainable green communities, market changes and niches, and why the Southern Appalachian region is one of the hottest destinations for retirees. A discussion on consumer preferences in resort communities covered expectations, changing amenities, and trends towards smaller homes. Asheville mayor Terry Bellamy kicked off the conference with a welcome to Asheville, and NC Congressman Heath Schuler was the keynote speaker during lunch talking about the future economics of the Southern Highlands. I especially liked the seminars on Private Mountain Communities by Harry Redfearn, WNC Real Estate Update by Neal Hanks of Bevelry Hanks & Associates, and also enjoyed the presentation by Allen Holcomb of Moss Creek. I am looking forward to attending this conference again next year, because as ALDC’s slogan suggests. “knowledge matters”.</div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-68745088376208060932010-09-25T10:27:00.007-04:002010-10-24T14:11:37.449-04:00AIA Design Conference, Asheville, NC Sept 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt8xMlvNS0iqvs6B3HI-UI-BsEx7zub36HMlMAOMy2zFkBp7zDoHIfyNBIU-KoucJDbPmsYEXj34AGzJ2yNkYSZnWW_CuJhlZ4482_N81r_juN7kv8806r1cAJI7y4jTcNEW0i7Qyoms/s1600/aia-avl-pic1b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520857874539405266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt8xMlvNS0iqvs6B3HI-UI-BsEx7zub36HMlMAOMy2zFkBp7zDoHIfyNBIU-KoucJDbPmsYEXj34AGzJ2yNkYSZnWW_CuJhlZ4482_N81r_juN7kv8806r1cAJI7y4jTcNEW0i7Qyoms/s320/aia-avl-pic1b.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 146px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Focus: Art, Community, Architecture</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I found the presentation on the history of the Village of Best, presently known as Biltmore Village very interesting. The village was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect and landscape architect for the Biltmore Estate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enjoyed a presentation by architect Matt Frederick, author of 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School. Interesting discussion on Radical Urbanism with regards to human-scaled neighborhoods inter-woven into the social fabric, and incremental growth allowing “organic development”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other seminars of interest included: Integrated Project Delivery that used virtual design with (BIM) Building Information Modeling with Rivet, and also 4D simulation. Another valuable session presented Graphic Recoding with topics in innovation, creative thinking, systems thinking and mind mapping complex ideas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the highlights of the conference was the keynote presentation by William Cecil and Jack Cecil, the great-grandsons of George W. Vanderbilt and present owners of The Biltmore Company and Biltmore Farms. They took us through an historic journey of the Biltmore Estate’s past as well as sharing their philosophies and vision for the future for both these unique companies that are so important to Asheville and WNC.</div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-5844520870925855462010-06-14T21:07:00.004-04:002010-10-24T14:12:39.013-04:002010 Green Building Expo, Virtual Conference<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FdChWcfK2WW0EUKNFwJHBBUg_apohXbGgu5F4T5avFpZkEKPgC9gR9Xl0vPWVQPdFgou4z4XVZg1sZV-0clpYj8nCLxb777cnEtWilMLODRSY2c7XzOi-D3JTRIPvThXL2niGmEzmhg/s1600/GreenExpo-Logo.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482801174581932946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FdChWcfK2WW0EUKNFwJHBBUg_apohXbGgu5F4T5avFpZkEKPgC9gR9Xl0vPWVQPdFgou4z4XVZg1sZV-0clpYj8nCLxb777cnEtWilMLODRSY2c7XzOi-D3JTRIPvThXL2niGmEzmhg/s320/GreenExpo-Logo.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 99px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 169px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This was the first live virtual online conference I have ever attended. It was divided into four venues which you could navigate through. The first venue was the Main Hall. Here is where you viewed personal profiles of attendees and obtained announcements; accessed your personal briefcase where you could store white papers, case studies, and personal files. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The second venue was the Exhibition Hall where you could explore exhibitor booths and gather information about the company, it’s products and view presentations. As you entered the booth an audio/video greeted you, and you could also speak live via chat or email with a booth representative, and even chat with other attendees visiting the same booth. There was an information kiosk where you could sign up for newsletters, view demo videos, gather contact information, obtain website links and even sign up for prize giveaways like i-pods. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third venue, and most interesting to me was the Conference Hall. This provided both live and on demand webcast seminars. You could also download podcasts for later listening. The presentations were audio video webcasts synchronized with Power Point slides. These were also interactive presentations where you could submit questions to the presenters and received responses. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last area was The Resource Center which has a press room, announcement board, the agenda to view, and even had a networking lounge where you could communicate online with other attendees. Overall I thought this approach to attending conferences was fantastic. It saved time and money traveling, allowing me the convenience of attending from my home with no environmental impact. I especially enjoyed the keynote “Achieving Success in Green Building” presented by motivational speaker and author Jack Canfield. Another seminar of interest was “A New Technology for Building Green Affordably” presented by Global Building Systems Inc. Can’t wait to attend the next virtual conference event.</div>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-72669674994463074512010-03-03T16:51:00.002-05:002010-03-25T11:37:00.793-04:00Asheville Home Show<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsQNbNiXH8Zh2QKxEFO6RKrUljzs-YrsDeaDyIgJbFomOzujQxfaXSLrf7QrtAajetYXcFZc0Z3LrTDeYC4-Vy9NHoFqbnSnINPyg3Smy05pzJtvu6fHOxGEAQGIw5BOosRt7m_Wnabo/s1600/timpeg-booth-kjwr.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsQNbNiXH8Zh2QKxEFO6RKrUljzs-YrsDeaDyIgJbFomOzujQxfaXSLrf7QrtAajetYXcFZc0Z3LrTDeYC4-Vy9NHoFqbnSnINPyg3Smy05pzJtvu6fHOxGEAQGIw5BOosRt7m_Wnabo/s400/timpeg-booth-kjwr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452595891342274242" /></a><br />Asheville, NC Mar 19 -21, 2009Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-23289328510959211052010-02-20T14:50:00.011-05:002010-03-12T13:20:32.025-05:00Southeast Wood Solutions Fair<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsYq_GnSEp6IjQtwcowG3MvnS2OIjz1uHbN53PFKLMn6n6HhPRl3vgF-FniNBPY9E8yCdr3MbtvwpVEekDyj3EGsH2cKkxeNG_unYciWEVEjHLEMVlyjSg59L_3MlGuzT6vx0OBSkNio/s1600-h/Logo-SEwood.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 98px; height: 43px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsYq_GnSEp6IjQtwcowG3MvnS2OIjz1uHbN53PFKLMn6n6HhPRl3vgF-FniNBPY9E8yCdr3MbtvwpVEekDyj3EGsH2cKkxeNG_unYciWEVEjHLEMVlyjSg59L_3MlGuzT6vx0OBSkNio/s320/Logo-SEwood.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444780822853742178" /></a><br />Charlotte, NC Feb 2010 ~ S.E. Wood Solution Fair <br /><br /> The Wood Solutions Fair in Charlotte, NC featured ground breaking wood projects from around the globe including the world’s tallest wooden building in England. If you are an architect, an engineer or a builder, this was a great event. It offered seminars related to design with wood ranging from inspirational architecture to innovative use of wood, and from sustainable forestry to Green sustainable design.<br /> <br /> I really enjoyed the seminar on inspirational architecture by Alison Brooks of Alison Brooks Architects Ltd. (UK) which discussed her projects that exploit the potential of wood. She showed some very interesting mixed use residential projects incorporating urban agriculture, sky gardens and roof terraces. And oyster fisherman cottages utilizing unique organic folded geometry.<br /><br /> Another seminar which was thoroughly entertaining by another UK architect was given by Andrew Waugh of Waugh, Thistleton Architects who designed the worlds tallest modern mixed use wood building. The entire structure was built using KLM (cross-laminated timber panels) where the walls are essentially acting as beams which offers entirely new possibilities with regards to load transfer. The project was constructed by framers from Austria. http://www.klh.at<br /><br /> Southeast Wood Design awards were also presented exemplifying outstanding use of wood. I thought the Jury’s Choice Award for the Camp Twin Lakes Treehouse in Georgia by Lord, Aeck & Sargent, Inc. Architects, a treehouse that connects campers with nature, was of particular interest.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-33428915371513494452010-02-20T14:49:00.000-05:002010-03-03T17:15:15.311-05:00Made in Canada, Built in the USAAsheville, NC Feb 17, 2009Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-14988349593868711542009-10-25T17:00:00.000-04:002010-03-03T17:04:37.213-05:00Timberpeg Brand Open HomesOct 18 & 25, 2009Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-6177081620586661592009-10-10T16:48:00.000-04:002010-03-03T17:01:47.136-05:00Mountain Living Log & Timber ShowAsheville, NC Oct 9-11, 2000Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-10096615945537261892009-09-18T13:39:00.009-04:002010-03-12T13:19:43.752-05:00AIA South Atlantic Regional Conference<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0Dn3P5w65RlF0Dum64fUF2CCYYfMeLcUuOX6K29i7PavhYR-6F6cQKXgA9WyadubGIW6MHf5hr8vZ0uTcPfcknr5TUNy0DTtaBApxqf_bpOWFUaFMbclMN0R-N8VGpef0BbtzDb5lO4/s1600-h/1000421r.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0Dn3P5w65RlF0Dum64fUF2CCYYfMeLcUuOX6K29i7PavhYR-6F6cQKXgA9WyadubGIW6MHf5hr8vZ0uTcPfcknr5TUNy0DTtaBApxqf_bpOWFUaFMbclMN0R-N8VGpef0BbtzDb5lO4/s400/1000421r.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446673545579462802" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIRtq0qKkb4Mrmzqypwgw05hy0RBa0BBAA5c_VyVLz0go_xF27uGkqMmj42847kILrWPlN5E1IAReI4J2GYxlO0Bvt-O9k7OOlgRa7ggk0iZnQrKUpFmnnCw9esVAudgLYiJGD4f6oqA/s1600-h/1000424r.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIRtq0qKkb4Mrmzqypwgw05hy0RBa0BBAA5c_VyVLz0go_xF27uGkqMmj42847kILrWPlN5E1IAReI4J2GYxlO0Bvt-O9k7OOlgRa7ggk0iZnQrKUpFmnnCw9esVAudgLYiJGD4f6oqA/s400/1000424r.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446673341467003490" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9Aufr4IXyjUELR-pl0TT7ikXc_OLkweDkVOMEKhm04QCM4OnO1zX3yj7Xxl3iVEkIh2-FMrZjyj4BR43KQ-UGGQrx0rc-RWpcj1A2Z1K_2Pq9GqWQjtqlbJ292luxUwWJ-L2O3wtK8s/s1600-h/Logo-SAR09.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 104px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 109px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444796589555509186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9Aufr4IXyjUELR-pl0TT7ikXc_OLkweDkVOMEKhm04QCM4OnO1zX3yj7Xxl3iVEkIh2-FMrZjyj4BR43KQ-UGGQrx0rc-RWpcj1A2Z1K_2Pq9GqWQjtqlbJ292luxUwWJ-L2O3wtK8s/s320/Logo-SAR09.JPG" /></a><br />Greenville, SC Oct 1, 2009 <br /> This is a regional conference that meets every three years bringing together architects from NC, SC and GA. This year the conference was in Greenville, SC and it offered educational seminars, tours and an expo hall with the latest materials and products. The seminar topics ranged from Integrated Projects Achieving High Performance Buildings to Alternative Housing Models from Copenhagen, Denmark and the Netherlands.<br /> <br /> One of my favorite seminars was titled “Build Like a Farmer” given by Chad Everheart, Architect, AIA. The presentation focused on a simpler, more practical approach to cultivating designs for modest living based on the resourcefulness of building like a farmer. Farmers construct modest buildings that are sensible, functional and simple. We can learn a lot from the minimalism of agricultural buildings and farmsteads which incorporate vernacular forms and indigenous materials. Farmers use a commonsense approach to design which is sustainable and environmentally conscious while being regionally appropriate and in context with its local community, producing meaningful and responsible architecture.<br /><br /> Another excellent seminar was “Lake/Flato on Sustainable Design Approach” presented by Ted Flato, Architect, FAIA. This approach focused on solutions of vernacular architecture incorporating sustainable strategies for different building types to achieve energy conservation and protect natural resources.<br /><br /> One of the highlights at this conference for me was the tour of the BMW Manufacturing Plant near Greenville, SC which is BMW’s first full manufacturing facility outside of Germany. This plant, which produces the BMW-X5 and X6 hybrid, is four million square feet, employs 5,000 people and produces 600 vehicles per day. This particular plant is the most sustainable automotive manufacturing facility in the world. They recycle 100% of their manufacturing scrap, and the building is powered by reclaimed methane gas which produces 60% of its energy needs. The assembly process, using a careful intricate flow of sequenced parts and timed processes, was amazing to watch. As an architect in a field that uses a design process, I found it fascinating to watch the automated use of hundreds of robots performing welding as they manipulated the vehicle body at high speeds and efficiencies. I highly recommend this tour. (Call 1-888-TOUR-BMW).<br /> <br /> Downtown Greenville was a great place to hold the conference. I especially enjoyed going to the Riverplace Development which is an oasis in the heart of Greenville’s historic west end, and Falls Park on the Reedy River with its famous suspension footbridge and scenic overlooks. As the sun set, conferees were treated to Dining by Design including restaurants such as High Cotton which features game and fresh fish, Oysters on the West Side featuring a taste of the low-country, and The Lazy Goat with flavors of the Mediterranean.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-13660168557472360292009-09-05T11:00:00.013-04:002010-03-15T13:15:39.031-04:0021st Century Building Expo & Conference<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfgtNiJEGqezrx7PU3OKPNe5BCSdciTX_VIp_1JQGvwrXK1bm3vYmY3ZLJmOg7kDDapVmcGiMin9RUK2RUUzen_9iGfUCHPLld99nT4nhNuaLQZj5XpGqmIPuHqC817-uLxjLbEocFCw/s1600-h/1000183r.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446670625917433458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfgtNiJEGqezrx7PU3OKPNe5BCSdciTX_VIp_1JQGvwrXK1bm3vYmY3ZLJmOg7kDDapVmcGiMin9RUK2RUUzen_9iGfUCHPLld99nT4nhNuaLQZj5XpGqmIPuHqC817-uLxjLbEocFCw/s400/1000183r.jpg" /></a><br />21st Century Building Expo and Conference, Charlotte, NC<br /><br />This expo was the site for the Seventh Annual 21st Century Building Expo and Conference presented by the NC Home Builders Association. This is the largest industry show in the southeast, featuring the latest building products and services while offering educational opportunities from expert speakers from around the country. Seminars included topics from value engineering and emerging trends to new technologies and high performance building. I especially enjoyed the presentation by Paul Montelonge on Marketing Strategies and the Power of the Law of Attraction; and Jerry Rouleau’s session on New Technologies and the power of the internet.<br /><br />This was the place to be for builders, architects and developers, especially during a down economy, to understand trends, forecasts and tap into continued education and knowledge. It was also quite enjoyable to explore downtown Charlotte for two days.Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1766323330803564644.post-51914343904871322442009-08-25T15:30:00.000-04:002010-03-08T18:07:28.567-05:00Southern Energy and Environmental Expo 2009<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu8AkB8ZfO8sqUCqz7Cw2wfx8AocmwAUmlI0E5Io2YuR-UCy3LxqqLtl-zjPkiSi5ltleI4N7NXqa145js7RDWwJ2LeetdG_s8FqutRuuhmrTxqTUhRrTd7jq_j6RELbSDNVUgojnNZk/s1600-h/Logo-SEEExpo.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu8AkB8ZfO8sqUCqz7Cw2wfx8AocmwAUmlI0E5Io2YuR-UCy3LxqqLtl-zjPkiSi5ltleI4N7NXqa145js7RDWwJ2LeetdG_s8FqutRuuhmrTxqTUhRrTd7jq_j6RELbSDNVUgojnNZk/s200/Logo-SEEExpo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446402026018039602" /></a>Ken Wertheim, AIA, NCARB ~ Asheville, North Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13956251932938845123noreply@blogger.com0