Dieter Rams
Ten Principles for Good Design

 

I've spent a long time trying to find a good example for Dieter Rams Principle #8 - Good Design is thorough down to the last detail.  Apple products were the obvious example that came to mind, but I tried not to go with the obvious.  Last week I walked into the Apple Store on 4th Street in Berkeley and decided to use the Apple Store itself.

Everything about the store is designed with the customer's experience in mind.  Everything is detailed to highlight the experience rather than detract.  The front facade is transparent almost dissolving the barrier between inside and outside.  What is apparent to the passerby is a gleaming space filled with multiple Apple products turned on and ready to be used.  Almost always filled with people as sales representatives breeze by to answer questions and complete a sale on the spot without taking another step.

One of the many details I've examined in the Apple stores are the understated and elegant grey floor tiles.  I first thought they were concrete tiles --  but there was a certain presence about them that made me want to stare.   Finally I asked about them and was told they were granite tiles and Steven Jobs had a private  quarry to maintain a consistent private supply of these tiles for his stores.  That is attention to detail!

Last week the Mock/Wallace office celebrated the Holidays with a small gathering.  Winter is a time for reflection of the year past and thoughts of each of you who have touched our lives in both small and big ways.  Thank you.  We prepare for the new year and hope our paths will cross again.  The best to you all!  

Ever wonder how a disaabled person gets out of a multi-story building if they are unable to walk and you can't use the elevator?  This Stryker evacuation chair is installed in a stairwell at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco.  Many times an "area of refuge" is required in stairwells as well.  An area of refuge is where a disabled person can safely wait for help without blocking the exit of other people.   LM

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  Two years ago, I became a LEED accredited professional by taking a comprehensive exam.  The LEED certification of an existing or new buildings is probably the most well known and respected standard showing an owner has made a commitment to sustainable design.  As I walk around town, I'm seeing more and more buildings proudly displaying a LEED Certificate on the exterior of the building.

In order to continue to be an LEED accredited professional, you need to take at least 30 hours of continuing education courses evert two years.  I just finished submitting my hours and am re-accredited for another 2 years!  LM   

Coffered ceilings refer to ceilings with recessed panels - sometimes just decorative or sometimes revealing the structure of the ceiling beams. The photo above shows the "grand" staircase at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco with a hexagonal barrel vaulted coffered ceiling. Adding lights, vents, and other items add another layer of complexity for the architectural team to coordinate. It's a good idea to have a "reflected" ceiling plan to show just how all these different elements go together.  Notice the lights in the ceiling are centered exactly in the center of the hexagonal panel.

Coffered ceilings date back at least 2,000 years.  The Roman Parthenon is an early surviving  example.  Here the recessed panels shave the weight of the roof structure in an elegant way.

  

Building construction still relies to a large degree on on-site cutting and fitting to accommodate specific site conditions.  I knew that fitting a countertop snug against existing walls meant a full sized template needed to be prepared to take back to the shop for fabrication.  

Above, Fernando from Fox Marble in San Francisco is making a template from thin strip of wood that can be easily cut with a matt knife.  Using a glue gun, he makes sure the outer edges align precisely with the existing walls.  Where the walls are not flat, he shaves the edge of the template until it fits properly.  He then, forms the cut-out shapes and makes notes on the template showing the radius of the cut-out corner, the overhang on the front edge and the edges that need to be polished.