Monday, December 21, 2009

Architecture - Baroque Style Of Architecture !

A very early style of architecture, but a very beautiful
style is Baroque architecture, which began in the early
17th century in Italy.

Taking the renaissance architecture and modifying it to a
new theatrical, sculptural fashion, Baroque architecture
became a very fanciful, extravagant style of structural
design.

While the Renaissance style was designed for the well to do
of society, the Baroque architecture initially played into
the wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church.

The concerns were for light, shade and color intensity and
Baroque found its secular expression in grand palaces first
in France, then throughout Europe.

If you were to visit France today, the Chateau de Maisons
would be one of the highlights of Baroque architecture.



One of the most famous though of the Baroque architecture
pieces is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is the most
prominent building inside Vatican City. Topped with its
towering dome, it is a notable feature in the Roman
skyline.





Baroque structures are grand in size and ornaments. As
baroque moved through Europe, it eventually took on the
look of European Colonialism.

Greenwich hospital in London, England is another beautiful
example of Baroque architecture. Founded in 1694 as the
Royal Naval Hospital for sailors, the Greenwich hospital is
famous for its Baroque Painted Hall, which was painted in
honor of King William and Queen Mary.







The chapel is an awesome example of not only Baroque
architecture, but of baroque art with its high gold painted
ceilings.

What attention to details and beauty these places have.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Architecture - Art Deco!

Between 1920 and 1939, Art Deco Architecture was all the
rage. Not only did the Art Deco movement affect
Architecture, but also interior design, industrial design
and visual arts like fashion, painting, graphic arts and
film.

The movement was a mixture of many different styles,
incorporating cubism, modernism, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, and
Futurism, and its popularity peaked in the roaring
twenties.

While many earlier architectural styles had political or
philosophical roots, Art Deco Architecture was simply
decorative.

Designed to be beautiful, elegant, functional and modern.
One of the best-known pieces of Art Deco architecture in
the U.S. is the Chrysler Building in New York.



The beautiful Art Deco spire was built between 1928 and
1930. Following close behind the Art Deco period was the
Streamline Moderne. The focus was mainly on advancing
technologies such as automobiles and aviation.

Art Deco architecture is mainly composed of man-made
materials. The most popular being glass and stainless
steel. Lines were very symmetrical and repetitive
throughout structures.



They used Terra Cotta to decorate with.


And details like this to add beauty to the home.

Very popular during the great depression because of its
simplicity and practicality, Art Deco still reminded people
of the better times and gave them hope of one day reliving
them.

World War II cut short the life of Art Deco. People began
to see it as gaudy and a false image of luxury, but Art
Deco presented the gateway to modernism, which continues
well into the 1960s.

Today we see a revival of the old, people caring enough to
reconstruct or refurbish the beautiful designs of Art Deco
architecture or even begin modernizing it and mixing it
with styles of today. But as you travel the country, in
many big cities you can still find the grand structures of
Art Deco still standing.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Thursday, December 17, 2009

What Is Architecture?

Architecture is the science and art of designing buildings
and other structures. It can also be expanded to the
designing of surrounding environments, towns and
landscapes.

Someone who specializes in architecture is called an
architect. Architecture has played a key part of our entire
worlds history. For wherever there have been buildings or
structures that were safe for inhabiting, there has been
some sort of architecture.

Architecture combines functionality with aesthetics to
create the buildings we live in, work in and play in. From
the smallest 1 bedroom home to the grandest palace or
biggest cathedral, every structure is based on some form of
architecture.


( Big cathedral and the single family home shown bellow.)


Architectural designs change with time and space. Each era
has its own style of architecture, from Baroque,
Greco-Roman, Art Deco, Victorian to American Colonial,
Prairie, and Bauhaus. Lines, materials, structure and
symbolism all contribute to the different styles of
architecture.

Architecture styles can be anywhere from subtle to garish
and materials vary from lumber to limestone. Most early
styles of architecture though utilize local materials that
were bountiful.

In Greece for example, where limestone was plentiful, most
structures were created from this natural material. And
since marble was not only rare but for a few select
islands, but very difficult to transport, it was used
sparingly and usually only for ornamentation.

In Colonial America, Saltbox houses were created from
timber since it was so readily available and most
properties had abundance so it cost next to nothing. And to
save more money, these Saltbox houses were also put
together with joints because the cost of nails was an
unnecessary expense.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

American Colonial Archetecture!

A trip through the U.S. will grant you sights of beautiful
architecture, from coast to coast. During the 1780’s though
the most popular style of architecture was the American
Colonial.



Built mostly by wealthy Anglo Americans, the houses
afforded several distinct styles depending on local. Also
known as Colonial Georgian, these homes were the earliest
style to grace the U.S. colonies.

A prime example of early American Colonial architecture is
called a Saltbox. What the Saltbox basically is is a wooden
frame house with a high-pitched roof that slopes down to
the back.



Its flat front has two stories while the back of the house
has only one, making the sides unequal, but distinctly
looking just like an old salt box which was a wooden box
with a lid which salt was kept.

A simple name for a simple style of home. Generally, the
chimney was centrally located, making the house, from a
distance, look like a box with a lid and handle to lift it
off.

Other defining characteristics of American Colonial
architecture are the square, symmetrical shape, the front
door placed directly in the middle of the houses front and
the even, straight line of windows throughout.

Inside the front door are usually an entryway and a
staircase. All rooms branch off these. Typically they were
constructed of brick with wood trim, but with homes like
the Saltbox, they were also timber frame homes constructed
with woodworking joints instead of metal nails, since they
were costly. Saltbox homes were also finished with wood
siding.



Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Different Architecture - Adobe buildings!

Some of the earliest structures were Adobe architecture.
Adobe is a material made from sand, clay and straw, dung or
other fibrous materials.

The adobe is then formed into bricks using frames and dried
in the sun. Similar to cob or mud bricks, the structures
become extremely durable. They are used mainly in hot, arid
climates because they remain cool in the summer and release
heat very slowly in the winter.

The same mixture, without the straw is used for mortar in
placing the dried adobe bricks together to form a
structure. Some cultures even figured out they could
utilize lime-based cement for plaster to protect against
the wet months.

The thickness of the adobe bricks is key in the
architecture. It is what essentially keeps the structures
cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The largest structure ever erected from Adobe was the Bam
Citadel. But it suffered serious damage from an earthquake
in 2003.


Bam Citadel, Iran

The Huaca del Sol in Peru is another grand adobe structure
that was created from over 100 million signed bricks.



The world’s largest adobe architecture structure is the
citadel of Arg-e Bam, erected as late as 500BCE, possibly
earlier.



The area of Bam Citadel is 180,000 square meters and is
surrounded by walls 6-7 meters high and 1815 meters in
length, all out of Adobe. When the gates to the city were
closed, no human or animal could enter. The city was
self-contained with well access, gardens and cattle all
within the walls.

The adobe architecture was a little different when it came
to putting a roof on the structure. Typically roofs were
assembled from lengths of wood or metal. Then rows of dried
adobe bricks are laid over the top of a support structure
and plastered into place with more adobe.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

A Few Tips On What To Do When Your Home Gym Is Ready For The First Work Out !

If you have your modest equipment set up or a full-blown
exercise room but don’t know where to start here are a few
tips.

- It is wise to consult a doctor to get the all clear and
advice on healthy eating

- Buy good quality reading material and read lots of it to
see the common threads

- Buy exercise DVD’s to get you into a routine and teach
you important technique

- Try to set aside the same time for daily exercise to help
make it a natural part of your life

- Start out with routines you enjoy

- Keep it simple, if you go too hard it will discourage
further attempts

- Try and make it a group project with friends for fun

- Always make sure you warm up and cool down, as well as
stretch

Home gyms are a very non-threatening way to work on
fitness. Lack of experience can cause injury.

The possibility of losing your drive and enthusiasm is also
a distinct possibility. It would be a shame to spend the
time and money setting up to have silly mistakes ruin it.

The internet is rife with programs you can buy to get fit
overnight. If it seems too good to be true, it is.

Long term fitness means lifestyle change, and your home gym
is a wonderful start. Make the time to learn good habits
and your home gym will be a wonderful addition to your
life.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Home Gym - Why More People Are Choosing This Way To Go!

In 2005 exercise equipment sales were at $4.4 billion, and
increased to $4.7 billion in 2006. Gym suppliers are
clicking on to the fact that home users are a completely
new market.

And a high growth one.

No longer is the home gym relegated to a dusty corner, now
fully fitted custom designed rooms are becoming a must-have
in homes.

By and far the leading reason for this is convenience.
Having a home gym means there is less hassle to the day. No
need to turn your nose up at sweaty gym gear in the bag you
forgot to unpack. You can work out when you get home.

In today’s fast moving society, time is precious. Not to
mention money. Even a large initial outlay will save you
money down the track.

Gym fees, personal trainers, fuel costs, to name a few
savings. Certainly, the huge competition in the market is
making quality home gym equipment more affordable by the
day.

The majority of buyers for their home are people who have
worked out in gyms, and have knowledge of workout safety
techniques.

But that doesn’t mean beginner’s aren’t in on the
purchasing. Starters are more likely to try and buy one
machine to do it all, or buy too much for their skill
level.

The bottom line is if you have some knowledge and the
space, a home gym is a fantastic option. If you are just
starting out, consult a doctor, get specialist fitness
advice and start with basics.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Home Gym - Multi Staion Equipment !

What are they?

Freestanding training units using weights to offer
resistance to a range of body movements. Found in public
gyms, athlete-training centers and now from the comfort of
your own home gym.

How do they work?

A steel frame is set up with a series of pulleys, weights
and cables. Varying exercises can be performed on these
with the weights offering resistance to work muscles beyond
everyday activity.

Which is best?

There really is no one size fits all. Test them with
lighter weights first to get a feel for set up. If awkward
or uncomfortable once adjusted, it probably isn’t the right
design for your body.

What does multi-station mean?

A round of exercises is usually called a circuit (i.e.
circuit training) and each action you perform around the
machine is known as a station. Hence, multi-stations means
more than one station can be performed on the equipment.



How many stations will I get?

The more you pay the more variety you get. A basic would
have around 10-15 and that can range up to 70 or more. Ease
of use is much better to start with.

What does a station do?

Each station is designed to work a different set of
muscles. They are also set up with correct technique in
mind, which is very important. Don’t overdo the weights.
Just because you can lift it on the first round, does not
mean you will on the last one if you’ve worked too hard.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Home Gym-It Is Nice To Have Privacy!

If looking at long-term, serious fitness, a home gym needs
its own space. Apart from the privacy aspect, a
user-defined room is more likely to get used regularly.

One thing is for sure in this world and that is; nobody
wants to come visit or call until a non-interruptible
activity is started.

In fact, one might assume folk have forgotten where we
live, until we start exercising in the corner of our lounge
room. Then we just wish they would forget.

But apart from that, having your home gym separated means a
space can be created to suit you. Plus the much needed
time-out, you-time is achievable. Enjoying exercise time
means you’ll keep up with the routine.

A series of exercise stations can be positioned and mirrors
set on the walls for technique spotting. There will be
plenty of room for a multi-station home gym and other
equipment.



Also adequate area to stretch is very important. Charts,
technique pictures, and exercise reminders go on the walls
to help.

But more than anything, it is your space, your time, all
about you. Away from the pressures of the rest of the
house, interruptions, and embarrassment, you and your home
gym can be as one.

Having a unique space shows this is as important as any
other aspect of life. And well it should be, because with
proper use you and your home gym will live a long, healthy
life together.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"