Word of The Day
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What to Expect When You're Renovating
Are you considering renovating your apartment but don't know where to begin? Educating yourself on what you're getting into before you start will do wonders for your confidence in the process. NYC's Center For Architecture is hosting a two hour seminar for the public to guide you through the process of working with architects, contractors, expediters, etc.
Read more and sign up for the April 16th seminar here.
I haven't attended myself but found an insightful synopsis of the course here.
For a complimentary one-on one-consultation, please call 212-729-7554 or email am@andrewmikhael.com
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Triple Condo Combination Approval
Big day at the NYC DOB yesterday, just got permit approval for our design of an apartment combination of three 2-bedroom units on W42nd Street. More to come........
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Sneak Peak
Here's a slightly dusty sneak peak at our nearly completed gut renovation of a Park Ave South co-op apartment....
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Apartment Therapy Top Post - Alpine Farmhouse Renovation
Apartment Therapy's top post of the day is our renovation of an old farmouse in Alpine NJ. Click here to read the article by Nancy Mitchell.
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2012 Super Service Award
A busy and exciting year is coming to an end. And with it the news that Andrew Mikhael Architect has recieved the Angie's List Super Service award, earned by only its top 5% of businesses for exempleary customers service.
Thank you to all the wonderful clients who made it happen.
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Using iPads and Tablets as an Architectural Tool
Lowesforpros.com asked me for my input on the benefits of using an iPad or other tablet as a tool in your architecture firm.
Link: http://www.lowesforpros.com/tablet-mobile-computers-iPad-business-technology-software
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Army Chess
Last month, an Army soldier stationed in South Korea was searching for a simple, modern magnetic chess set to use on the go. He came across the set I created and after a few emails back and forth on how to customize it, I designed one for him with a US Army logo and put it in the mail this week. Looking forward to seeing the new chess set in overseas action!
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theSweeten network
Earlier this month I was nominated to be part of the professional network on TheSweeten. After a series of interviews with me and my clients, my firm was welcomed in and is now an active member. For those of you who don't know, The Sweeten is a website where people in NYC use to hire architects, interior designers, and contractors. It is free to use for clients, and entry for professionals is by invitation only. The thought being that they've done the heavy lifting of seeking out the best and brightest. You post your project, and The Sweeten team connects you with professionals that are a right fit. If you haven't heard of it, check it out!
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Adams House in Young Architects Forum Magazine - YAF Connections August 2012
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Interview with Advisoray
I recently sat down to talk with James DiPaolo about architecture and entreprenuership for a feature spotlight on Advisoray.com
Original article here
Advisoray Member Spotlight: Andrew Mikhael, AIA
July 19, 2012
Advisoray Member Spotlight: Andrew Mikhael, AIA
By James DiPaolo
I became acquainted with Andrew Mikhael (Advisoray Profile) at an event at the Princeton Club of New York. After describing Advisoray to him, he joined our community soon thereafter. On behalf of the team, I can say we are honored to have with us an architect who builds amazing looking spaces and structures.Andrew, 33, is a NYC-area architect born in New Jersey. He has traveled extensively throughout SE Asia, the Middle East and Europe. He received his bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and later received his master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.Before starting his own practice, Andrew worked for Moshe Safdie and Associates as a project leader on Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort in Singapore, leading a team of architects and consultants on the design of the resort’s casino.
Andrew currently works throughout New York and New Jersey, designing contemporary spaces for homes, apartments and shops. He is an active member of the American Institute of Architects, a LEED Accredited Professional and sits on the board of GE Appliance’s Professional Designers Advisory Council.His architecture designs have been called “functional and elegant,” and his services have been referred to as “highly reliable, very timely and personable.” Source: http://andrewmikhael.com/clientsIt was a pleasure interviewing Andrew about his architectural career:
1. Advisoray: Why did you choose your career path?
That’s hard to pin down but looking back I can see some signs that pointed towards an interest in architecture. One, Legos! I grew up playing with them all the time and always preferred a big bucket of pieces to create something from my imagination. A second early memory was while watching the Beatles movie,Help!, and just being mesmerized by the crazy apartment they lived in.
2. Advisoray: What are some common misconceptions about your profession?
We could make an interview around this question alone. There’s a double edged sword to the “mystery” of being an architect. People usually perk up when they hear it, but often don’t know what it is we really do, or are capable of doing. There’s two extremes that people usually relate to - the international superstar and the person you need to get building permits. Generally, this leads to underestimating the architects’ creative ability while at the same time assuming we’re a luxury only the rich can afford.
3. Advisoray: Who would you say is the biggest inspiration in your life and why?
My father came to this country on his own, [yet] for many years had businesses on Park Avenue. I like to think I get my entrepreneurial spirit from him.
4. Advisoray: Do you have any professional regrets?
Not going out on my own sooner. There’s always a reason to wait. The flip side to that is whenever you start, there’s going to be a lot you don’t know. But like most things in life, there is never going to be a perfect moment to take the plunge.
5. Advisoray: What advice would you give to those interested in your field?
Architecture requires passion. It isn’t worth doing unless you love it. I think after a year of architecture school you ought to know if you have it or not. That being said, there are many ways to practice architecture and finding what suits you within that is as important as deciding to get into the field.
6. Advisoray: What projects are you currently working on OR what projects do you have planned?I am working on apartment renovations in Manhattan; a suburban weekend getaway house for a client who works during the week in NYC; and about to begin working on an addition to a home on a cliff facing Manhattan with the project brief being simply, “make the most of this view.”
PICTURES: Top - Andrew Mikhael; Middle Top - Coptic church in a private residence (detailed closeup); Middle Bottom - Master Bath design for a current residence project; Bottom - External view of same residence -
Coloredshape Wall Lamp
Unique and creative wall lamp doubles as a wall sculpture. Bravo, Italian designer Sabrina Fossi.
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STOP
Sometimes you have to stop and smell the oregano...
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Luis Barragán: His House - Book Review
"Let's build a white wall where the shade of this tree can rest."
For someone interested in the poetry of architecture, this is about as good an opening line for a book as you can get. The book is all about the home of Mexican architect Luis Barragan's self-designed home and essays like the forward that begin with the above quote give us an inside look at the architect's way of seeing that makes the book a worthwhile read.
Not that it's all about the text. Architecture is visual and the photographs are plentiful and walk us through the entire house, with scale drawings in the back in case you're interested. One aspect of the home that I wasn't too familiar with before seeing this book is that many of the rooms had mirrored globes strategically placed. For an architect living in his own creation, it comes off as a self-conscious abstraction of space. Architect experience our work through representation - drawings, models, photographs. And in his own home - the only work he experiences after construction - he chooses to continue to view the house through an abstracted filter, the mirrored globe. Psychologists, chime in now.
It won't take you long on this website to notice that I am not afraid of using color in design. For architects, when we think of those who used color as a discreet design tool, Barragan is the first name. But there was much more to his work than a splash of color, there was a sacredness to the spaces he created; spare, shaped by sunlight and texture. For one interested in going into depth learning about such work, this book is a great addition to the library.
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New Office Artwork
See some of the office's newly hung eye candy on the facebook page HERE
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People of Earth
Today is Earth Day, a tradition that began 42 years ago amid wars, oil spills, and nationwide student activism. Sustainability didn't then have the connotations of 'green' as it does today. In 42 years, our attitudes towards our planet have changed and the economics have changed too, so much so that green is good for our wallets and the earth. So switch on your energy efficient light bulb and take a look at this video for the wide view of what today is all about.
Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.
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New Website
Welcome to the new website and new blog page!