MCM DESIGN

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Villa Cielo

This Island villa design is a tower surrounded by a wide wrap around covered terrace. The tower has basically one room or function per floor. This allows each room to have three view exposures and to facilitate natural flow through ventilation for cooling. Two separate out buildings flank either side; one a staff, laundry and storage building, another a guest suite with it's own entry so it can be used independently. The major living areas for this house are outside under cover. An indoor kitchen with dining area area is available for retreat during stormy weather, as is a library media room on the second floor that can also function as a guest bedroom.

While the building will be very formal and dramatic when approached on the entry side, once inside the spaces will be very relaxed and casual, gradually opening up to the sea and sky.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Creating Neighborhood, Russellville Commons

©MCM Architects 2011 All Rights Reserved

Creating a neighborhood oriented around a linear series of park blocks was our design goal in for the Russellville Commons project in Portland, Oregon. The project has about 500 units on a 12 acre site. What is unique about this design is that rather than designing a typical apartment project surrounded by and accessed from a series of large parking lots, we actually introduced a public street grid, with on street parking, onto the super block site, organizing the streets around central park blocks. This not only connected the project with the surrounding neighborhood it provided organization and structure to an apartment project that had over 25 separate buildings. Parking lots were placed behind the buildings and connected by landscaped pedestrian walkways to the main park blocks and new streets. The building and unit entries orient to either the new streets or to the park blocks, which in turn connect to Portland's light rail system.

The public spaces and streets are shared by a diverse cross section of people because the project includes regular rental apartments, senior living apartments and assisted living units. So rather be isolated in buildings surrounded by parking lots, the residents of Russellville Commons, of all ages, participate in creating a true neighborhood.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Contemporary House Plan 4 Renderings

Street View of Contemporary House 4

Back View of Covered Verandah with outdoor Kitchen to the left.

Main Living area as seen from the Kitchen looking out into private Walled Garden.

Main Living Area looking back to Kitchen and up stairs to Loft.

Main Living Area with Loft above.

Street View of Home with Master Suite Terrace above.

Loft area looking out to Terrace.

Loft looking back into sleeping area and Bath.

Master Bedroom with closets behind and cabinet storage wall as headboard.

Master Bedroom Terrace with outdoor tub with surrounding screen.

View of home from private Walled Garden.

See Plans on following post.
©MCMArchitects 2011 All Rights Reserved

Contemporary House Plan 4

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

This 1,450 sf plan is for an urban townhome that would fit comfortably on a 50' X 80' lot. The main Living area is a two story high space that flows out into a walled garden with a covered verandah creating an indoor outdoor living environment. The Master Suite is on the second floor and features an outdoor tub on a private screened terrace. The Master opens onto a Loft space that overlooks the main first floor living area and the walled garden beyond. This second level is a private reserve for the owner with wide double pocket doors that allow the space to merge as one, or to be able to divide for sleeping privacy.

The "L" shaped garage offers a range of of options for use. One standard size car and one compact car can be parked inside; or one standard size car and a collection of sports equipment such as canoes or kayaks, or storage for one car with a work or studio area. The "L" shape also allows the flexibility of closing in one wing and expanding the Guest Bedroom into a larger room that could also be a home office that can be accessed from the street.

The efficiency, simplicity and flexibility of this plan make it ideal for a retired couple or single person. A small house that feels very large with ample light and contemporary style.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Downtown Portland Sketches

Morrison Bridge © All Rights Reserved

A series of downtown Portland, Oregon sketches by Robert Moreland done in 1995. Each sketch was taken from the view of a pedestrian walking the streets and are meant to capture the unique scale, style and experience of downtown Portland.

8" X 10" prints suitable for framing are available for $45 each. Please contact me by the email link at the top of the page. Custom sizes available by request.