Amazing blown glass art work

Julie and I were finished with"The Las Vegas Market" last week and had a half day to check out the new architecture being built in Las Vegas. WOW WOW WOW!!!!!......... We didn't have to go far from our hotel to find the new "City Center" (http://www.citycenter.com)



While we started to experience the exteriors of these new structures we found a small art gallery in the heart of the "City Center" that housed only one artist - Dale Chihuly from the state of Washington. I have watched his shows on PBS and this is the first time seeing his work in person. What an amazing talent. You guessed it! we are planning to go see his company up in Washington soon - I can't believe we haven't done this already.

Small bowl......

Something for your garden,,,,,,,

Famous installation in the Lobby of the Bellagio Hotel/Casino.

This is one of his chandeliers.

This is a piece that is over 20 feet tall and costs over $750k not including installation...... So cool

What is "BIM"?

BIM is short for “Building Information Modeling” is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle[1]. Typically it uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building modeling software to increase productivity in building design and construction.[2] The process produces the Building Information Model (also abbreviated BIM), which encompasses building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components. (courtesy of Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_Information_Modeling)

Computer Aided Drafting started out as a drafting tool, that was like drawing by hand on paper but made changes and duplication much faster. It also was not a messy, smudgy, or hard to keep clean process. The old way of drafting with pencil and paper is now an art form and those who still design this way, produce amazing drawings.

Old style Blueprint with Hand Drafting.




As we have progressed over the years, everything in our lives has changed, too. What would we do without or cell phones, laptops etc?? I know when I lose my cell phone I feel lost and it’s the end of the world, until I find the stupid thing.

So to the computer aided drafting programs has progressed, from complicated 2d systems that at times seemed slower then hand drafting because of slow computer systems. Now we are at a stage that the computers are way more capably of handling the new 3d software systems that use the new “BIM” technology. Software companies like Autodesk ‘Revit’, Graphsoft’s ‘Archicad’, Nemetschek ‘Vectorworks’ etc. have been developing these programs to be able to design from scratch to final construction drawings - using one model.

The model is drawn and developed in 3d and is uses parts and blocks that are real world building components. So with this new way of drawing, we as designers have now the access to see our designs before they even dig the ground for the first time. Since working with a real life size model, it is like viewing the real building in every aspect of the building can be studied from how we interact in the spaces, to HVAC duct systems, how the building is constructed, to energy studies to how the building sits on the site etc..

"Revit" generated overall view of Hotel

Interior courtyard "Revit" generated model view

Ariel photo of completed Hotel

Front Perspective view of Custom Home "Revit"

Perspective view of custom home concept "Revit"

"Revit" Interior view of concept kitchen

These programs make our job of conveying our designs to our clients easier to understand and see how it will look when built. We as designers have imagined our designs and can see what they may be when built, from our experience - but most of our clients cannot visualize the final project when looking at flat 2d drawings on paper. With this instant feedback we receive from our BIM models, the decisions can be made quicker and more accurately so the process saves money and time.

This technology is also used in building huge airliners like at Boeing and so far is very successful.
From these programs we can add finishes, trees, cabinets, people, cars, pets, carpets, art, etc; that will be used so that everything from how we interact with the spaces, to what the walls will look like. We can get an almost photo like images as if we have the project built.

As a designer, I feel much more freedom to explore options and to provide my clients with more then they can imagine, before we ever get started designing. This gets my imagination and creativity flowing and it is so much more exciting to see my clients visualize what we have designed for them. This gives you a glimpse of what we find so exciting about the future of designing for our clients and how we are able to effect our built environment in a positive way.

New boutique hotel in Cerritos Mexico, north of Cabo

This project started out as a modest 18,000sf vacation home that we started designing couple of years ago, and is almost done, but it is open for business. Now it is a 30,000+sf boutque hotel up and running. It is located in a quiet off the main orad site, next to the only surfable beach on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja.

What a amazing project to see come to life. This is Nordby Design Studio 's first major project built outside of the Pacific Northwest and it's first Hotel. As you can tell we are very proud of this project and hope many people can enjoy it and it's surroundings.

I love to see how a project comes to life, from the white pages and Cad machine screens to the final built project. To see it and feel it, is the most amazing feeling.

Check it out and you can see our cad images at our web site to see where it started....

go to: http://www.haciendacerritos.com/