It has been quite a while since we have been updating you on what we are doing so here is some exciting news. About 8 months ago we have started with a new brand, Quincessentials, to develop, produce and market a line of natural cosmetic products based around the Japanese Quince. We have now acquired all national and European legal licensing and permissions and have set up a production and research facility. We thought it was about time to let you in on how this all came to be.
Breathability in Buildings (pdf)
Pallets, What To Look For
When it comes to using pallets in the garden, for firewood or construction, proceed with caution. Discarded shipping pallets, long used as construction material by gardeners and crafters. But regulations designed to prevent invasive pests from hitching a ride in the wood mean some pallets really shouldn’t be used in the garden or home (or burned for fuel, either).
Hobbit Houses
The Hobbit has inspired generations of fantasy creators. But it’s also been an inspiration to tons of architects and designers.
Strange Beauty
Sometimes normal is good, sometimes it is boring. When it comes to houses most of us seem to think square boxes work well enough. This however is not always the case which leads to some very interesting and often quite beautiful structures.
The Four Season House
Spanish studio, Churtichaga+Quadra-Salcedo (ch+qs) designed the Casa 4 Estaciones, or four-season house based on engagement with the countryside. A house that tells a story, a welcome invitation to sit back and relax and enjoy what nature has to offer.
The “strange” Ufogel
It’s as if an alien but contemporary object of some sort has landed in a field in the East Tyrolean village of Nussdorf, a popular skiing area in Austria. It sits on its stilts or legs and because it looks remotely like a UFO or even some sort of bird, albeit a very strange bird, it’s called Ufogel.
Straw Bale Mountain Home
This straw bale mountain vacation home was designed to connect visitors to the surrounding environment and serve as a welcoming retreat for friends and family.