Notables & Quotables | March Edition

Notables & Quotables | 
March Edition

As we turn our clocks forward this month, we joyfully welcome the arrival of Spring, with its blooming flowers and longer, sunlit days. I'm excited to dive into the second edition of Notables & Quotables where I explore a bit of whimsy and intrigue in architecture and design, embracing both the residential and commercial realms of real estate.  My goal each month is to spark curiosity and enjoyment in the design that surrounds you at home and in the world. Here are 5 favorites that got me "stirring the brain".

Exteriors | When the Balcony is Like Sculpture

This article features 10 of the most dramatic sculptural balconies of buildings that include meandering balconies and terraces that fan out like leaves.  The photo here shows a Parisian complex that includes eight stories with duplex apartments incorporated on the top level. Its wavy balconies create private spaces outside each apartment, whilst maintaining a communal thoroughfare along the length of the building.

Courtesy of Dezeen

Commercial Design | Google NYC's New Adaptive Reuse HQ Design

Google’s brand new New York City headquarters inside St. John’s Terminal at Hudson Square has opened following the completion of a five-year and $2.1 billion project designed by COOKFOX Architects and Gensler.

The renovation of the two-block-long former rail terminus yields a total of 1.3 million square feet of new offices. Another nine stories were added above the existing structure. The building will house some 3,000 employees of the tech giant, who said in a blog post that its design is responsive to a research-driven office strategy and supports a new workplace model that’s meant to foster greater collaboration, creativity, and growth.

Courtesy of Archinect News

Interiors | IKEA and Raw Color Create "Tesammans" Design

‘Tesammans’ means 'together' or 'in company' in English. It is also the name of the latest collaboration between Ikea and Raw Color, a studio based in Eindhoven and founded by Christoph Brach and Daniera ter Haar (whose ‘Link’ sofa for Sancal won a Wallpaper* Design Award 2024).

Colours have the power to stir emotions and influence people's psychology. Warm shades typically evoke vitality and enthusiasm, while cooler tones are frequently linked with a sense of calm, serenity, and relaxation. ‘As designers, we are captivated by the transformative potential of colour and the ways in which various hues interact with light, motion, materials, and one another,’ ter Haar says.

Courtesy of Wallpaper

Architecture From Around the Globe | Canada

Chez Léon, an elegant update of the classic cabin in the woods, is part ski lodge, part tree house, combining traditional materials and stunning views with a light footprint - a contemporary retreat in the Quebec countryside.

On the edge of Charlevoix in Quebec, a Canadian retreat by Quinzhee Architecture is a new private structure for winter escapes, set into the slope of a hill and raised up above the forest clearing on wooden pilotis. At a modest 129 sq m, the holiday residence is pared back and minimal in every respect, with a small concrete porch at ground-floor level, beneath a long living and sleeping area.

Courtesy of Wallpaper

Interior Design | The Ceiling is the 5th Wall

WOOD WALL PANELING can trigger 1970s design flashbacks—dank basements cluttered with macramé wall art and rattan chairs. But recently, like the decade’s earth tones, the look has returned, this time migrating unexpectedly (and more stylishly) to a room’s fifth wall—the ceiling. We queried design pros for tips on how to pull off the warm flourish.

Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

"Your eyes can only see and your ears can only hear what your brain is looking for." - 
Zig Ziglar

I hope you enjoyed the March Edition of my 
Notables & Quotables - a place where I leave my 
day job in real estate at my front door along 
with my shoes. Thank you for reading!

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Suzy Minken

Lic. as Suzanne Minken
Lic. R.E. Salesperson
M: 908.239.9261
O: 973.310.6816
suzy.minken@compass.com
@suzyminkenhomes

COMPASS
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Office: 973-310-6816

Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.