50 Countries at the Workshop

According to the very useful, thorough Wordpress Stats page, people from over 50 different countries have visited the Workshop since this February. This is very exciting as well as a bit humbling. Thank you to everyone who has been to, and continues to visit, the Creative Minds Group Workshop site.

Ed

Best Uncle Ever - UPDATE

Yup - I was right... best Uncle in the World!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnkKhMjLBA]

Home Made Valentine's Day Gifts from the Workshop

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, the workshop is busy making new seasonal decorations, including table centerpieces, garden decorations and a mantle piece for the fireplace! All very simple designs that make for a thoughtful gift. I have full size patterns available, just send me a message through the Contact page. Enjoy!





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Buenos Aires Velodrome - Schematic Design Phase

After almost a year of working on designing a master plan for the Drexel campus, it's finally time to start something new. I'm currently in the process of designing a velodrome (indoor bicycle race track) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The project description is as follows:

This project includes designing a velodrome, an indoor bicycle racing track, that will provide both a world class sporting venue for the nation and a civic amenity for the Portenas in the neighborhoods surrounding the site. The site is located between the neighborhoods of Colegiales and Palermo Hollywood just outside of the center of Buenos Aires. It is currently an under used industrial area close to public transportation, airports, and the port, and not far from many of the city's other sports venues that are located just to the north along the Rio de la Plata. The intent of this project is to explore the tectonics of long span structures; not just from the standpoint of connecting two points and supporting a roof, but creating a meaningful architectural space, shaping the volume of the building, controlling daylighting, articulating building joints, surfaces and finishes, creating an identity on the interior and exterior of the building, and relating this new form to the existing surrounding context. 

My initial design concept is to play off the juxtaposition between the site, a dense urban area with straight lines and well defined intersections, and what one might expect from a bicycle racing track - dynamic, motion fast and light, etc. I'm currently in the process of laying out the site. The actual velodrome is the largest building on the site. Right now, I'm thinking about taking the curtain wall on the eastern side of the building, giving it a big upward "swoosh," and making it a media panel that loops clips of bike races, etc.

Like I said, this is still the initial design phase, but I welcome any input or constructive criticism! Thanks!

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Recycled Gadget Stand

 

 



A few weeks back, I wrote a blog post called Creating (Storage) Space, about the new storage I built in the top of my garage. In order to get some of the new structure in place, I had to cut down some old 2x4 beams and, instead of throwing them away, I hung on to them to see if I could figure out a good use for them. I wasn't sure what I was going to use them for until I went to visit the Coastal Research Center and saw the nifty little phone holder that @shhhoward made for himself and @thecurrentwave. It looks very similar to the image above. With a couple quick rips and dados on the table saw, the old 2x4's were cut to size and given new life. Reduce, reuse, recycle - any chance you get.



 

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