Opening up to the Courtyards: An Essential Part of a House

Have you noticed how many functions these days are hosted in spaces that are enclosed on almost all sides but open to the sky? From Bollywood scenes of Haveli Weddings, to book space the courtyard is one architectural space that is certainly in fashion.
The Sharjah Biennial, one of the region's premiere cultural events (being held this year from March 13), is also using the courtyard as its theme. According to the curator, Yuko Hasegawa, the courtyard is where public and private life come together and new ideas can be discussed and pondered over; the choice of the courtyard as the theme for the event established the idea that the Biennial is the place were eastern and western ideas of art, culture, architecture and society can come together to initial a dialogue on learning.
The view reflects how the courtyard has spanned all cultures for as long as people have lived in constructed buildings. In ancient Rome  they were called 'atriums', although the term is now used exclusively to refer  to courtyards with glass ceilings; in the Subcontinent, most houses were (and many still are) built with a Sehan in the center where family members , especially women, could gather in peace and privacy away from the outside world ; in China the 'siheyuan' refers to a similar space, surrounded by a conglomerate of houses, often featuring gardens or fountains to inspire thoughts of peace and tranquility. And across the Islamic world, the courtyard is an essential component of almost every mosque - the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore features the largest courtyard of any mosque in the world.
These days, courtyards are used in many other ways as well; in 'Marina' style houses across California where a community of households share a private outdoor space; in college dorms as recreational areas where temporary residents can meet; or as a place where experience and experimentation can converge, like at the Sharjah Biennial

The Remarkable Traditionalist: World's Pioneer in Skyscraper Architecture

A few years ago after it was completed, Cass Gilbert wrote to a friend about how he wished he had never built the Woolworth building. In his words, "Whatever it may be in dimension and in certain lines, it is after all, only a skyscraper."
Born on November 29, 1859, Cass is now considered a pioneer in Skyscraper architecture and was one of the world's first celebrity architects, counting among his peers Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies Van Der Rohe and Robert Venturi.
Unlike his peers, however, Gilbert stayed away from the modernist and post-modernist debate that would grip architecture in the mid 20th century. Instead, Gilbert believed that architecture's purpose was grander than the intended use of a structure; that a structure must bestow on its occupants, surroundings and even the city it resided in, a purposeful dignity and identity.
Thus when Gilbert envisioned the US Supreme Court Building, he imagined a place which would resoundingly echo the importance of the American Constitution, a document that claims inspiration from Plato's The Republic.
Built in an imposing beaux-arts meets neo-classical style, the pantheon shaped building with its tall columns echoes the tone of the inspiration on its pediment, 'Justice The Guardian of Liberty'. In effect, the building embodies the American sentiment that their republic is the ideological heir of Greek democracy and Roman organization.
The Supreme Court building was Gilbert's last major project, completed a year after his death in 1934. However, the intentions and style of the man who saw "early Romanesque cathedrals" in Beethoven's symphonies and "old Gothic windows" in Mozart's works, is evident in all his buildings.
Unfortunately, by the mid 20th century, modernism had gripped the world; Gilbert's designs were described as simply "classically competent" and his name disappeared into obscurity for a half century. But as a new generation of architects in training is looking back at how cultural identity has evolved in architecture, the words of The Times of London on his death continue to ring true, that Cass Gilbert was "the most remarkable architect of his generation in America."

England's Greatest Gardener

To Lancelot Brown, the value of an estate rested in its 'capability' for landscape improvement, hence why today he is better known as 'Capability' Brown. He was also probably England's greatest Gardner and is credited with fashioning over 170 of the 18th century's most remarkable gardens. In doing so he demonstrated how far landscape architecture could boost the appeal and value of a traditional estate.
Brown initially trained under William Kent who pioneered the English Landscape Garden as distinct from the French Formal Garden which was in fashion at the time. Where the French Gardens exhibited order over nature thanks to stairways that led to carefully sculpted hedges surrounding a central fountain, Kent's gardens were inspired by nature and featured lawns surrounded by droves of trees usually in front of a pond or lake.
Brown took the idea further by removing all unnatural structures that preceded the gardens and replacing them will rolling lawns punctuated by clumps of trees opening up carefully to reveal gazebos, temples or bridges, before spreading out towards invisibly dammed streams and lakes.
Brown envisioned the layout of his gardens to echo the sprawling English countryside and in many ways, considered dotting a landscape to be similar to using grammar in language.
As he said, "Now there I make a comma, and where a more decided turn is proper, I make a colon; at another part, where an interruption is desirable to break the view, a parenthesis; now a full stop, and then I begin another subject."
One of the Brown's most famous works includes Longleat, an estate that is currently home to the Marquesses of Bath. Originally planned in grids featuring foliage and mazes fashioned out of the hedges, Brown replaced the majority of the plan with vast undulating spreads of grass and roads that weaved through the landscape, making the estate appear much larger than it actually is.
The same technique was employed in the redesign of the grounds of Higher Castle, the venue of the critically acclaimed TV show Downtown Abbey. Those grounds, dotted with beech, oak and cedar trees were once complimented by British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli who said, "How scenical, how scenical"

Commercial Property in Eastern Karachi For Five to 10 million Rupees

There are several popular commercial hubs n the east side of Karachi, Pakistan that provide a variety of commercial property options such as office space, retail outlets, showrooms and standalone shops. The demad for, and value of, commercial property that has increased by nearly 15 to 20% in the last three years.

Here are three areas where commercial property is in high demad and is available within a price tange of five to 10 million rupees:

1. Gulshan-e-Iqbal comprises several blocks and has numerous commercial pockets. Shops, offices and showrooms are located in malls and low-rise beauty salons, eateries, home stores, retail outlets and wedding halls.
popular commercial areas include those located on: Rashid minhas Road and University Road.
Outlet sizes range between: 100 and 600 square feet.
2. mohammad Ali Society is located a few minutes away from Sharah-e- Faisal. Most retail and office spaces there can be found in low-rise buildings; over the years several eateries have been established there.
Popular commercial areas include: Dhoraji Market and those located on Karsaz Road and Tipu Sultan Road.
Outlet size range between: 100 and 600 square feet.
Price range: Rs. 15,000-100,000 per square foot.
3. Tariq Road and its adjucent areas are popular shopping destinations; the area comprises traditional bazaars, shopping centres and malls. Fabric stores, tailors, jewlers, shoe shops and automobile workshops dominate. There are also plenty of eateries ranging from restaurants to raodside dhaabas.
popular commercial areas include: Bahadurabad, Sharfabad, Sindhi Muslim Socienty and those located on Khalid Bin Waleed Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Tariq Road.
Outlet Sizes range between: 100 and 600 square feet.
Price Range: Rs. 15,000-100,000 per square foot.

The Architect In The Bend

The straight line is simple; it sets a limit, normalizes the extraordinary and registers a purpose. But to Oscar Niemeyer, one of the greatest architects of the 20th century who passed away last week, the straight line was the enemy.

To Niemeyer, the straight line was a man-made invention, utterly rigid and full of constraints. While movements such as the Bauhaus based their design dialogue on right angles and straight lines, Niemayer held them in disregard, saying, "The rule is the worst thing. You just want to break it."
This was despite the fact that Niemeyer was a modernist himself, deeply inspired by peers such as Le Co busier with whom he worked on the remarkably rectangular headquarters of the UN in New York. He was, however, averse to devote himself to a particular style and when asked if form followed function, he would reply, "Form follows beauty."
Niemeyer believed in curves, which he said reminded him of the sensuality of the feminine form on the sun-kissed beaches of his native Brazil. They allowed his designs to break away from the monotony that was dictating modernism and reflect a more optimistic and liberating nature of architecture, often culminating in surprise, as at the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Sao Paolo, and delight, as at the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro.
Niemeyer's legacy is preserved in Brasilia, Brazil's federal capital, which he was commissioned to build in the 1950s. The largest city that didn't exist before the 20th century, Brasilia is as sensuous as any capital could be, with the great halls of Congress resembling giant demos and cauldrons and low-roofed administrative. buildings revealing subtler bends. There, the Cathedral of Brasilia is considered one of Niemeyer's greatest achievements. Using 16 parabolas to connect a high circular roof in the center with shades of tinted glass, the Cathedral boasts an audacious design and is a reminder of an architect who is one quoted to have said "Of curves is made all the universe".

Ranking Real Estate: Block Avenue

According to microeconomics, the discrepancy between the information available to people who own property and those who wish to buy is a big reason why property values are inefficiently calculated. That information is power is a well known fact but now, thanks to the internet, such information (like power) can be acquired democratically.
The main driver behind this movement in real estate is a website called Block Avenue, which documents and then compares property values across different city neighborhoods. The comparisons are based on feedback (graded A through to F) of how a street or community is doing according to set criteria, including amenities and healthcare facilities available in the neighborhood.
An accurate estimate of the "livability" of a property is easily gathered, as owners (the people with the most information about where they live) are asked to rate their neighborhood.
However, as a critic pointed out, "Why would owners rate their property and location poorly?"
To counter this, Block Avenue allows anyone familiar with a neighborhood to contribute to the rating. It also uses objective data sources such as census reports on crime rates, as well as yellow book listings of businesses and recreational options to grade.
With the help of Google Maps and Street View, Block Avenue makes hunting for real estate incredibly convenient and potential investors can virtually eliminate the need to visit a property before buying it,
Launched earlier this year, Block Avenue touts itself as a service made by the people for the people. Apart from property owners and buyers, Block Avenue is generating interest among researchers working on determining how amenities and other variables impact property prices in a given neighborhood. Currently, the services provided by Block Avenue are available only in the US, but with the amount of interest it is generating, the company expects to expand worldwide in the near future.

What to Look Out for When Purchasing a Home

If you are thinking about buying a house, be it to live in or rent as a long-term investment, here are some things you should look out for to avoid potential financial losses in the future.
Renting instead of buying. Many homeowners opt to move into rented premises because they are unable to find a property to buy that meets their requirements. This is one of the biggest mistakes one can make because paying rent over long periods of time absorbs funds which can go towards buying a property.

Buying a house for its decor. Most would be sellers use home staging and immaculate decor to amplify the perceived value of a house, so do not get carried away by fancy interiors and furniture which may prevent you from discovering some of the property's faults such as bad plumbing and wiring. Focus on the structure and  functionality to determine the real value. And don't forget to have a home inspection survey conducted by a professional.

Not considering resale. When buying a house, don't forget that at some point in the future you may want to sell the property. Therefore, have its projected price appreciation and demand evaluated by a real estate agent to ascertain its future market prospects.

Not reaching your neighborhood. Find out about existing amenities and facilities such as schools, hospitals, parks and restaurants. Gauge the safety of the neighborhood by visiting it at different times of the day and night.

Buying an overly luxurious house. Every buyer dreams of a lavish home with fancy architectural design and features such as fountains and swimming pools. However, it's wiser to buy a home that fits your needs instead of one that fits your dreams because such features require a lot of maintenance.

Leaving a house vacant. If you are buying a property for investment purposes, do not let it remain vacant for more than a few months. Vacant properties are always in danger of illegal possession, theft and damage.