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Rising like a prism in the heart of the nation’s capital, the Conrad Hotel in Washington, D.C. is a sleek testament to contemporary luxury and thoughtful design. Captured here on a crisp winter day, the glass façade reflects its surroundings—and itself—with hypnotic symmetry. Located on New York Avenue NW near CityCenterDC, this modernist masterpiece by Herzog & de Meuron brings a European architectural sensibility to the American skyline. The mirror-like surfaces blur the lines between structure and sky, creating a visual paradox that draws the eye and rewards it with layers of abstraction. In the foreground, a Capital Bikeshare station anchors the scene in everyday D.C. life, while the juxtaposition of old and new buildings tells a story of a city forever evolving. Whether admired for its engineering, aesthetics, or as a sanctuary for travelers, the Conrad is more than a hotel—it’s a reflective experience, both literally and metaphorically.
Apparently, Haemanthus (Blood Lily) has only one supplier in the Netherlands, which makes them an expensive purchase. Thankfully they are quite dramatic when open and look great with equally long-lasting Sandersonia. This is about as close as I get to 'tropical' at The Connaught.
Being a florist means often getting up before the birds! This installation had to be complete by 7am, when service starts in Espelette.
I wanted to create a naturalistic-looking coppice using birch poles. Five poles were attached to a large sheet of wood with long screws and then secured at the top forming a sturdy free-standing core into which further birch poles could be tied.
The canopy of branches, from which the vandas hang was made up of several pieces of dead ivy wood, which I found in a local cemetery (this involved me rummaging around at twighlight and clambering over a fence!). The ivy wood had the perfect shape to provide the horizontal accent for the canopy.
The sheer volume of all the wood meant we had to make two trips in the van to get everything into the hotel (there were three trees made in total). It took two hours for two people to complete.
Ann Pibal’s LDFSX (2008), on view at the Hirshhorn Museum, is a striking exploration of geometry, balance, and color theory that challenges our perception of space. Painted in acrylic on panel, this 45 x 60 inch work features a hypnotic network of orange and white lines intersecting across a black background, creating an intricate dance of form and rhythm that evokes both architecture and abstraction.
Pibal’s composition is built on a minimalist grid structure, where diagonal and horizontal lines intersect, overlap, and create dynamic shapes that seem to push and pull at the boundaries of the canvas. The bold orange lines exude a vibrant energy against the stark black, while the white lines add a sense of balance and structure, guiding the eye through the work’s shifting planes.
Installed on a vivid orange wall, the painting’s chromatic tension extends into the gallery itself, blurring the line between artwork and environment. The interplay between the painting’s internal geometry and its external setting enhances its immersive quality, inviting viewers to engage with the piece both visually and physically.
LDFSX embodies Pibal’s distinctive approach to painting, where precision meets spontaneity and order meets complexity. The work reflects her interest in modernist ideals while embracing contemporary design sensibilities. Visitors at the Hirshhorn are encouraged to lose themselves in the painting’s rhythmic interplay of lines, discovering new angles and perspectives with each step.
This installation exemplifies the Hirshhorn Museum’s commitment to presenting innovative contemporary art that invites reflection, conversation, and delight in the power of form and color.
Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s dynamic Mission Bay neighborhood, Avalon at Mission Bay stands as a testament to modern living with a historical twist. This residential haven boasts sleek lines and expansive windows that reflect the area’s industrial past while embracing contemporary aesthetics. With its prime location, residents enjoy easy access to waterfront parks, bustling markets, and cultural hotspots like Oracle Park – home of the Giants.
Avalon at Mission Bay offers more than just luxury apartments; it’s an urban retreat steeped in local history. Once an industrial hub teeming with warehouses and rail yards, Mission Bay has transformed into a vibrant community where past and present merge seamlessly. The architecture of Avalon mirrors this evolution with its minimalist design punctuated by bold color accents that pay homage to the area’s artistic spirit.
Living here means indulging in top-tier amenities against the backdrop of San Francisco’s iconic skyline. From state-of-the-art fitness centers to tranquil courtyards, Avalon caters to those who appreciate style without sacrificing substance. It’s not just about having a place to live; it’s about experiencing life at its finest amidst landmarks like the UCSF campus and Oracle Park.
For those seeking connectivity, culture, and comfort wrapped up in architectural sophistication, Avalon at Mission Bay is not just an address; it’s a destination for discerning urbanites who crave insider access to one of San Francisco’s most sought-after neighborhoods.
Along a quiet coastal lane at The Sea Ranch, this cedar-clad residence captures the essence of the community’s founding principles: simplicity, natural materials, and harmony with the landscape. The home’s sharply angled rooflines rise like sails against the vivid blue of the Pacific sky, framing floor-to-ceiling windows that reflect the surrounding cypress and meadow.
Designed in the spirit of The Sea Ranch’s original architectural vision, the house uses unpainted wood siding to age gracefully with the elements. The geometry is clean and deliberate—two asymmetric roof planes meeting in a central ridge that balances openness with protection from coastal winds. A gravel path and unmanicured native grasses reinforce the ideal of living lightly on the land, where boundaries blur between architecture and environment.
Set against a backdrop of forest and ocean air, the house’s restraint becomes its beauty. The proportions, materials, and siting echo the work of designers like Charles Moore and William Turnbull Jr., who helped define The Sea Ranch ethos in the 1960s. This residence feels both timeless and deeply local—a quiet conversation between structure, texture, and terrain.
39402 Sea Ranch is a cedar-clad modernist home defined by minimalist geometry, natural light, and an enduring dialogue with the Northern California coastline.
Tucked into the upscale enclave of Sea Cliff in San Francisco, this corner residence is a striking study in mid-century modernism—an unexpected but welcome contrast to its more traditional neighbors. Clean lines, minimalist facades, and an emphasis on horizontal volumes give the home its modernist credentials, while the restrained material palette—textured concrete, smooth stucco, and dark metal-framed windows—adds architectural depth. The subtle terrazzo-like façade offers visual texture without disrupting the home’s otherwise monochromatic elegance.
What makes this home especially captivating isn’t just its geometry but its context. Sea Cliff is famed for its early 20th-century mansions and Spanish Revival villas, but this residence bucks the trend, opting instead for a Zen-like simplicity reminiscent of 1960s and '70s design philosophies. Framed by meticulously sculpted trees and manicured greenery, the landscaping further underscores the influence of Japanese and California Modern design—a tranquil foreground to a boldly restrained home.
Though the architect remains unidentified, the design ethos feels informed by the likes of Edward Killingsworth or perhaps even Joseph Eichler’s influence, with its clear focus on indoor-outdoor harmony and unadorned elegance. This is modernism built for longevity—not to shout, but to last.
Located just minutes from the Lands End Lookout and China Beach, this Sea Cliff gem speaks to the power of architectural restraint in a neighborhood known for opulence. It's a quiet showstopper, and for lovers of design, an under-the-radar must-see on any San Francisco architecture tour.
Nestled in Tokyo’s Roppongi district, this striking cylindrical building immediately stands out amid the sleek glass skyscrapers that define the city’s skyline. Its corrugated concrete facade, a rare design choice in a landscape dominated by steel and glass, gives it a sculptural, almost organic feel. The textured surface plays with light and shadow, creating an ever-changing visual effect depending on the angle of the sun.
This building is a perfect example of Japan’s modernist architectural movement, where architects often blur the line between art and function. The narrow footprint of the structure hints at Tokyo’s real estate constraints, where every square meter is maximized. The vertical slit windows reinforce the sense of height while maintaining privacy—common in Japanese urban design.
The intersection in the foreground is a classic example of Tokyo’s pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. The clearly marked crosswalks, traffic signals, and designated pedestrian zones emphasize Japan’s meticulous urban planning. The ginkgo trees lining the sidewalk add a touch of greenery, a stark contrast to the geometric forms of the surrounding architecture.
This building’s distinctive facade, combined with its placement in the city, makes it a hidden gem for architecture enthusiasts and urban photographers alike. Whether you’re exploring Roppongi’s contemporary landmarks or simply admiring Tokyo’s blend of the old and new, this structure is a reminder of how Japan continuously pushes the boundaries of architectural design.
An intriguing monochromatic photograph that captures the stark contrast of a modern building's exterior. The well-defined lines, reflections, and geometric patterns seamlessly blend, creating a visually compelling narrative of urban architecture.
I decided to keep the structure I built last week in place for another week. As the canes were tied to the vases, this unfortunately meant I had change the water by syphoning the water out of the vases with a hosepipe. I had plenty of mouthfuls of bleached water and one dead beetle. Disgusting!
Hot pink Vanda orchids and huge Alliums brought some brightness and colour in contrast tp last week's green hydrangea.
This is the second design for Orrery Restaurant this week (see rejected design below). I lined the vases with cork bark, lichen and reindeer moss, before adding in the mini white phalenopsis orchids, removing the support canes, so that they cascaded over the sides of the vase.
This layered cityscape of San Francisco captures the architectural diversity and vertical drama of the Cathedral Hill and Lower Pacific Heights neighborhoods. In the foreground, we see a modernist apartment building with a sleek, gray-toned façade and clean-lined bay windows. Its horizontal rhythm and sharp geometry reflect mid-century and contemporary design trends, framed with a subtle cantilevered red awning.
But what truly commands attention is the richly ornamented brick high-rise in the background. With its elaborate cornice, white terra cotta trim, and bold window framing, the building exemplifies early 20th-century apartment house design—part Beaux-Arts, part Spanish Colonial Revival, and unmistakably San Franciscan. Set at a corner, the structure stands as a historic anchor amid more recent development, offering a tactile sense of the city’s architectural evolution.
This portion of Geary Boulevard, known for its steep grade and mix of residential and civic buildings, reveals the layering of time that defines much of San Francisco. The angled late-morning light casts dramatic shadows along the façades, highlighting decorative moldings and the crisp rhythm of windows and balconies.
A wide-angle lens captures the contrast in style and scale, making this image a study in architectural juxtaposition: minimalism meets ornament, soft shadows meet bright stucco, and early-century grandeur meets contemporary restraint. For lovers of urban form and light-play, this is a quintessential San Francisco moment.
This is the exterior of a newly completed apartment building on the edge of Oxford. Taken in my role of in-house photographer for Riach Architects. The building recently won an Oxford Preservation Trust Environmental Award.
My office
My Home is where my heart is. Everyone may know me as a contemporary artist - I am, but this is where I spend the bulk of my time.
My partner David and I have transformed this place; tearing off half of it, adding on, filling it with the wonderful objects and art that inspire and bring more meaning to our lives.
I'm just playing around with the settings on my new camera for the most part. And having lots of fun doing it!
Recycling recycled! More an exercise in styling: this display was a way of saving money, as I had to compensate for an unexpected overspend last week.
new Railing/Planter system for Spacca Napoli restaurant
soon to be added to www.kramerdesignstudio.com/stair_railings.htm