This week will be a busy one for me – all the playhouses that were selected for construction in the 2013 Life of an Architect Playhouse Design Competition will be finished and delivered. I will be posting a few more articles this week than I normally do so that I feature all the work that is going on that is associated with the Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses – the charity event that these playhouses were designed and built to benefit.
Today, I wanted to focus on the 3 individuals that were selected as the winners of the 2013 Life of an Architect Playhouse Design Competition. I very much appreciated their participation and wanted to introduce them to you:
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Thanh Ho Phuong
How old are you?
I’m 26 years old.
Where did you go to school?
I’m currently doing M.Arch in Politecnico Di Milano, Italy. I hold a B. Arch from Hanoi Architectural University, Vietnam.
Are you currently working and if so, what type of work do you focus on?
Currently, I’m just focusing on academic career.
What lead you to enter the Life of an Architect Playhouse Competition?
1. I’m a loyal reader of Life of an Architect. I knew this interesting competition last year but didn’t have chance to join. So I have waited for one year and take part in the competition this year.
2. Doing something for children is always my hobby . Moreover, I will have chance to see my design be built for charity
How long did you work on your design?
It took me about 2 weeks. I had numerous ideas but it’s really hard to choosing one which is suitable with the required criteria . Finally, I took one of them and went for developing and completing it.
How did you come up with your idea?
I recalled my childhood. I was really imaginative back then. When I was about 8 years old, I tried to build my own playhouse with anything I could find then imagined it as a house in some fairy tales. For this competition, I decided to do something simple but could stimulate children’s imagination and interest in the nature.
Was there one aspect of the design requirements that you felt was particularly challenging?
It must be the aspect of size : how to adapt to the children’s activities and satisfy the size restriction from the requirement.
Have you ever designed a playhouse or similar small project like this before?
Yes. I designed some playrooms and playhouses for children in a kindergarten.
How do you feel about having your playhouse be built for charity?
It means a lot to me. I had some hard time suffered from stress but this opportunity has raised me up. I felt really happy that my design was built for charity. It reminded me that we can do something small but could make the world a better place. I can never say thank you enough to Bob and all people have dedicated to this competition and this charity event.
Will you be coming to town to see it while on display?
It’s a pity that I can not be there. However, I will definitely come to future exhibitions when I have chance.
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Katie Friesen
How old are you?
I’ll soon celebrate the 8th anniversary of my 29th birthday, thanks!
Where did you go to school?
I went back to school seven long years ago and just graduated from Drexel with my B.Arch.
Are you currently working and if so, what type of work do you focus on?
My background is in marketing, so a few years ago I started a business called StudioView 360 with a friend. It’s a marketing company with an architectural focus, so I get to collaborate with builders, architects, and property managers and create the images and videos they need for their print media and websites.
What lead you to enter the Life of an Architect Playhouse Competition?
I saw it last year on the Life of an Architect blog, and I entered the competition with my younger brother, Kevin. We had a lot of fun and our “Treeless Treehouse” design was a finalist, so I decided to enter again, this time solo. (I hope to collaborate with Kevin again next year.)
How long did you work on your design?
I spent several weeks grappling with an entirely different design, but I was never happy with it. So at the 11th hour I looked over my old sketches, saw a drawing I did of a cheese wedge, and decided it looked fun. Because I was in the middle of my senior thesis project, I had to get this off my desk immediately, and I’m embarrassed to admit I only spent about two (very fun) hours on The Swiss Chalet – from initial sketches to hitting the “Send” button on my submission. It’s dead simple for that very reason. (The construction drawings, on the other hand, took a millllllllllion years!)
How did you come up with your idea?
In Philadelphia there are plenty of examples of Claes Oldenburg’s public art, and I liked the idea of taking something small and playing with its scale. At Philly’s Franklin Institute there’s also an enormous fiberglass model of a human heart, and I remember exploring it as a kid and thinking it was the neatest thing ever. That influenced my initial, abandoned design scheme — this idea of having different chambers, entrances, and exits — and I think its influence carried over to my final design. Because, you know, a human heart is just like a big block of cheese. Obviously.
Was there one aspect of the design requirements that you felt was particularly challenging?
I remember reading a blog post by Bob where he said that these should not only be playhouses but also garden follies that can be enjoyed after the kids are grown. It’s a tall order to design something whimsical that kids will enjoy and that adults won’t mind having in their garden.
Have you ever designed a playhouse or similar small project like this before?
No, but now I want to design more! The great thing about small projects is that they’re almost instant gratification. If you were so inclined, you could design and build a playhouse in a long weekend. That’s awesome!
How do you feel about having your playhouse be built for charity?
I just spent seven years in school designing imaginary projects, so this experience was just what I needed. Not only do I get to see one of my designs get built, but it will benefit kids who really need the help. It’s design that MATTERS and I hope these playhouses raise boatloads of cash!
Will you be coming to town to see it while on display?
NO, and I am so bummed about it. My husband was going to be in Dallas for work around that time, but the trip just got canceled. Maybe next year?? *Takes out sketchbook*
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Sarah Fox
How old are you?
I am currently 22. The age of optimism:)
Where did you go to school?
I received a Bachelor’s of Environmental Design in Architecture from North Carolina State University. This fall I will be returning for a fifth year of undergraduate study to complete a Bachelor’s of Architecture.
Are you currently working and if so, what type of work do you focus on?
I am not working for a firm quite yet (hopefully soon!). However, I am really interested in larger scale urban design projects that integrate architecture and landscape architecture. Then again, I like small-scale projects as well. Perhaps it is too early to tell.
What lead you to enter the Life of an Architect Playhouse Competition?
Well, I came across the blog a few times while searching the internet for answers to my questions about architecture as a practice and a profession. I found the competition a few days before it was due and decided to enter. The competition supports a great cause, and the playhouse designs from last year’s parade are really inspiring.
How long did you work on your design?
As I mentioned, I found the competition about 5 days before it was due. I was also working on a studio project deadline which restricted the amount of time I could devote to the playhouse. I would estimate around 8 to 10 hours total from the concept to the board.
How did you come up with your idea?
A few ideas were bouncing around in my head at the beginning. The mushroom was the only one I could figure out how to build efficiently with common materials. When I was young, my favorite games involved the imagination. I liked to pretend I was in mystical lands with magical creatures. So, a larger than life toadstool appealed to my childish sensibilities.
Was there one aspect of the design requirements that you felt was particularly challenging?
Getting the proportions of the mushroom correct was a bit difficult. It had to be recognizable as a mushroom but also occupiable. I also had a bit of trouble understanding the correct sizes of openings and heights for children. Embarrassingly, I blocked out some sizes with masking tape and researched the heights of various aged children. It was a fun type of research 🙂
Have you ever designed a playhouse or similar small project like this before?
I designed a “shack” once for a Habitat for Humanity fundraiser our school does every year. We have a large brick courtyard fronting the library where several dozen shacks are built by various university clubs and groups. We call it the “Shack-a-thon.” The shacks are made of recycled materials provided by Habitat. I designed a Japanese tea house one year for the honors program. It was incredibly fun! The total size was about 12×12 feet, I believe.
How do you feel about having your playhouse be built for charity?
It is fantastic! I am really excited to see the talents and time of architects being used to promote charities and quality of life for all people. Large building projects are brilliant, but it is great to see them juxtaposed with small-scale charity work. The breadth of work an architect can do continues to amaze me. And as a student, it is really exciting to see some of my work built.
Will you be coming to town to see it while on display?
Unfortunately, I do not think I will be able to make it. But I hope everyone else enjoys the parade of playhouses!
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Thanks again to Thanh, Katie and Sarah for participating in this year’s playhouse design competition. Their playhouses have been under construction for the past few weeks and will be delivered and put on display this Tuesday and Wednesday. Later this week, I will post completed photographs of their playhouses. I’m quite sure they will be excited to see how they’ve turned out.
Cheers,
