On the Stands: Innovative Home Fall 2007
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
Innovative Homes, which started with so much promise of "bringing together the leading architects, designers and building professionals to advance and effect change within the residential shelter industry," staggers to the stands again with it's weird and unfocused collection of houses, loosely grouped around the theme of "designing for disaster"- Floaters like Modern Marine Homes (TH here) Our beloved Loblolly House (TH here), an over-the-top floating home by Robert Harvey Oshatz clad in Brazilian Cherry, a neat LEED Platinum house by Gary Olp and a very nice green house by Carter+Burton.
There is also a good article on "The Green House Effect, explaining LEED residential, but then it is all set off by not very innovative and huge backyards with monster fireplaces and kitchens.
But it is all confused, unfocused, and short on real innovation. Content on the website gets thinner and thinner; they have not even kept up the payments on the URL for the Institute of Home Innovation. Overpriced at ten bucks a pop, this may be my last review.
I agree. I got a subscription when it first came out, but I let it lapse because the content just wasn't very interesting. I suggest Metropolis and Dwell.
I feel like I paid more for it last time I got a copy, $12 or $15 or something, no? Website shows the winter issue is out ...