Austin's skyline has become a lot like the weather: Don't like it? Wait a few minutes and it will change. On the periphery of Downtown, from any angle, you are likely these days to see more than a dozen cranes busily giving the city an ever-changing face lift. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of all of the developments -- I know that personally I can walk down the street from week to week and go "Wait, where did that building come from?" Well, here is a great site that lists

Yesterday the world-renowned architect, I.M. Pei, celebrates his 99th birthday! Ieoh Ming Pei was born in Guangzhou, China in 1917, the son of a prominent banker. He moved to New York to study architecture and established his first architectural firm in 1955. Pei became famous for designing the Bank of China Building in Hong Kong and the Pyramid at the Louvre in Paris. Many of his best buildings may be found in the United States, including the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Stree

Here is another fascinating documentary about the advanced architecture of Ancient Egypt. Enjoy! SUMMARY: Ancient Egypt was a civilization of old Northeastern Africa, focused along the lower reaches of the Nile River in exactly what is now the modern country of Egypt. It is just one of 6 civilizations globally to arise independently. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unifications of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh. The history o

We discovered this 25 minute documentary the other day and thought you might enjoy it as well. Archiculture takes a thoughtful, yet critical look at the architectural studio. The 25-minute film offers a unique glimpse into the world of studio-based, design education through the eyes of a group of students finishing their final design projects. Interviews with leading professionals, historians and educators help create crucial dialog around the key issues faced by this unique

Continuing our exploration of the Tiny House Movement, we present to you the smallest house in all of Great Britain! Also known as the Quay House, this adorable historic residence is now a tourist attraction on the quay in Conwy, Wales. With a whopping 10 sq. feet, the Quay House was used as a residence from the 16th century until 1900 when it was finally converted into a tourist attraction. During 1900 the tenant was a 6-foot-3-inch fisherman named Robert Jones (if you can i

America's fascination with the "tiny house" movement has continued to gain momentum over the past few years. The recent addition of HGTV's Tiny House Hunters series has expanded the market even further as individuals and families contemplate ways in which to downsize their lives and live more simply. However, while it is human nature to jump on the bandwagon for the latest trend, whether it is fashion or home design, before you commit to the purchasing of a tiny house, there

Our city has changed so much over the years -- in another couple of years it will look even more different as people continue to flood into the Texas capital. We always have fun comparing historical images to ones from today so see just how vast that change has been. Enjoy! THEN NOW: #Austin #Texas #historicalphotos #DowntownAustin

According to L.A. architect and game designer Jose Sanchez we will soon be designing our dream homes and neighborhoods with video games. In many respects this is not at all far-fetched considering that "world building" has been an integral part of video games for nearly twenty years. From construction medieval kingdoms to building your favorite shopping center in SIMS, the assembly of a detailed and wholly viable living environment is something that gamers everywhere are fami

The national AIA website has a rather interesting article posted today about how architects in urban areas are working to combat the national food crisis through innovative outdoor design. By incorporating raised gardens and other vegetation solutions into their designs, they provide a green space for urban dwellers to have fresh vegetables readily available to them without the high prices found in many supermarkets today. It is the hope of many architects in inner-city areas

AIA Austin has announced their open call for the 2016 Austin Homes Tour for both architects and photographers. This will be the 30th Anniversary of the Austin Homes Tour. Not only is this event one of the Austin AIA's primary source of revenue, but it is also an amazing opportunity for both home owners and architects to take great pride in the architectural contributions to this city. Here is a little more from the AIA Austin website about the open-call: As always, we are loo