Read: The Slow Movement

This article, The Slow Life Picks Up Speed by Penelope Green in the New York Times really resonates with my reasons for writing The Year Before My Architect. This strong notion I have that it takes time and effort to make good decisions about how we want to live.

In the 1990s a Slow Food movement began in Italy. The precepts are simple and are intended to improve quality of life. As Green puts it, Slow Food asks people to "use local ingredients harvested and put together in a socially and environmentally responsible way." In the U.S. a similar campaign is often branded Local Food. By choosing your meals based on these principles it is anticipated that you will eat healthier, support crop biodiversity, your local economy, and participate more fully in your community.

The article links to John Brown's blog the Slow Home. Take a look at his blog. I hope that my blog might slow my readers just long enough to improve your quality of life.

Best Wishes,
Paul Cline, AIA

Read: Family Design - Flip Artists

I ran across this article at Cookiemag.com via Design Sponge and knew it should be shared.

These parents have a beautiful home with excellent furnishings and 6 kids. They've done a great job understanding their needs and aspirations and working towards them. It also looks like they had an ample budget to get there, which helps. What aspirations can you incorporate into your home?

"Flip Artists - A Manhattan couple with six kids under 9 discover that they have a sixth sense when it comes to real estate." Remember to click on the House Rules slide show to see the rest of the house.

Read: Mixing the Sacred and the Profane

Mixing the Sacred and the Profane: Metropolis Magazine
Renzo Piano talks about how the city informs his decision making in design.
Visit his firm's website to see some excellent work.

Read: Passive Survivability

Here's an idea that has been given prominence after the major infrastructure failures of Katrina.

Design homes to provide minimum functionality when the infrastructure around them fails.

BuildingGreen.com - EBN 15:5 - Passive Survivability: A New Design Criterion for Buildings