We asked nine outstanding architects to design species-specific birdhouses for our silent auction. The results were outstanding. Installed in the newly created Magnolia Bosque, the birdhouses offer ingenious housing for Wrens, Piping Plovers, Towhees, Screech Owls and more.
— Alejandro Saralegui, Director, The Madoo Conservancy
Birdhouses Designed by Architects — Silent Auction held Friday, June 13, 2014.
Birdhouses presented in alphabetical order by firm name.
—————————————————————————–
Brad Smith, Jenny Kononenko, Rebecca Costanzo, Ryan Vanderhovel
Blaze Makoid Architecture
Cedar + Concrete
24”H x 18”W x 19”D
“The Towhee Townhouse has been designed for the ground-nesting Eastern Towhee. Located against the brush and bushes where the Towhee generally situates itself, this home incorporates the desired living conditions of its resident; sheltered entry, screened surrounding, and an in-ground nesting location.”
Blaze Makoid Architecture is a 12-person design firm in Bridgehampton. The firm specializes in luxury residential architecture that acknowledges the lifestyle and day-to-day experiences of their clients while interacting with beautiful and demanding sites.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Edward Siegel, Partner
Cooper, Robertson & Partners
Painted mahogany with a cedar shingle roof
2’-5”H x 1’-8” W x 1’-1” D
Builder: Ben Krupinski Builder
“Cooper, Robertson & Partners was inspired by barn owls – one of the two families of owls – for our Owl Birdhouse’s barn-like appearance. The jerkin head roof is hipped in front in order to provide an unfavorable perch for predators. Bracketed overhangs along the sides suggest a bird spreading its wings in preparation for flight. To meet our (owl) client’s strict requirements, we designed the Owl Birdhouse according to Audubon Workshop specifications for their Ultimate Owl Nest Box.”
Since 1979, Cooper, Robertson & Partners has practiced award-winning architecture and urban design, with both disciplines working together at a range of scales. Our New York City-based team crafts exceptional private residences and resorts, skillfully shapes cultural and educational buildings, and creatively addresses large-scale design challenges.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Francis D’Haene and Axel Clissen
d’apostrophe design, inc.
Statuario marble + recycled waterproof cardboard
1’2” H x 5-3/4” W x 7-1/4” D
Builder: d’apostrophe design, inc. in collaboration withVan Den Weghe – The Stonecompany
Bird Box House is a reinterpretation of the archetypical birdhouse split up in two distinct volumes; a fixed marble bird shelter and a recyclable cardboard box. During nesting season the box, held by the shelter, can house different birds depending on the entrance hole size you choose. The rest of the year, the shelter will function as a birdfeeder.
Each box is a fold-it-yourself waterproof box and features information about the birds and their nesting habits with room for bird-watch notes on a postcard, ready to be sent to nestwatch.org.
The architecture and interiors of d’apostrophe are characterized by a mixture of simplicity and sensuality with an emphasis on primary forms and compact volumes. Our designs are the result of progressive refinement in which raw material is used to create space, revealing original structures wherever possible, in order to underline visual and communicative values. We tend to be simple, clear, pure, silent, elementary, minimal and relaxed.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lee H. Skolnick, Principal, Miguel Cardenas, Sr. Design Associate, Valmik Vyas, Designer, Tugce Zaloglu, Designer, Paul Alter, Principal
Mahogany, 1/4 thick. sanded acrylic and aluminum rods
15” H x 13” W x 8” D
Builder: Pink Stool Studios, Matthew Laska
The Eastern Screech Owl nests in the cavities of natural knot holes that occur in trees. There they can hatch the eggs of their offspring and protect and camouflage themselves as they spy on potential prey. The beautiful forms of these natural structures inspired us to create an interpretation that will hopefully attract these exquisite creatures. And the (k)Not House is naturally ventilated!
Lee H. Skolnick Architecture+Design Partnership is an internationally recognized, interdisciplinary design firm that has created distinctive homes and cultural projects on the East End for over 30 years. Winners of the Long Island AIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the firm designed the Children’s Museum of End and the interiors of the new East Hampton Library Children’s Reading Room
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Martin Architects
Cedar, Aluminum
8’ H x 2’W x 2’ D
A reinterpretation of traditional purple martin housing, the freestanding garden tower consists of 8 avian apartments designed to defend against predators and competing bird species. Each nesting box accommodates three spaces along its horizontal depth: a porch, anteroom, and nesting space. Elevated cedar nesting units pinwheel around a central aluminum support structure.
Martin Architects is a design-oriented architecture firm in Sagaponack. The firm emphasizes an integrated consideration of landscape, interior space and furnishing, as they collaborate with clients to produce site responsive and poetic places.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ted Trussell Porter
Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects
Cypress
24″ H x 24″ W x 9″ D
“Our Condo for Purple Martins includes eight individual spaces sized specifically for this species of swallow. Each cypress condo unit has a ledge for arrival, a properly sized hole for entry, an overhanging roof for protection from rain, and smaller ventilation holes to keep the space cool in summer. The spiraling form provides a sense of privacy for each entry hole. The cypress is left unpainted to weather naturally as research shows that the chemicals in paints and sealers can be a deterrent to birds. The condo should be mounted on a pole or other surface at least seven feet tall above the ground.”
Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects works on projects ranging from new construction, to renovations of existing spaces, interior design, and additions to historic structures. Partners Ted Porter, Bill Ryall, and Ted Sheridan collaborate with staff members to serve the various requirements of clients. The firm has successfully produced commercial, institutional, and residential projects that have all benefited from a close working relationship between client and architect.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lucas Cowart
Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects
Weathered copper and Birch wood veneer (copper donated by TRM Enterprises)
Approximately 11″H x 7″W x 8.5″D, Hole is approximately 1.5″ in diameter
“The most recognizable features of a birdhouse are the hole and perch. I wanted to expand on these two features while creating something that was sculptural and functional. In my birdhouse the perch plays a more critical role, serving as the structural spine of the entire house. The hole is formed from two bent sheets of material. The resistance of the bent materials eliminates the need for any adhesives or fasteners.” — Lucas Cowart
Stelle, Lomont, Rouhani Architects: the firm strives to create a rewarding design and building experience for our clients. Each project is unique and a response to the client’s program, budget, schedule and site. Architecture is a patient search and theirs is a collaborative approach to the whole process.
FIRST PLACE WINNER
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Damen Hamilton
Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects
Weathered sheet metal, Crushed muscle shells, White coastal beach sand, and Cypress box (Millwork donated by DUNE Woodworking)
Approximately 12″H x 24″W x 9″D
“My proposal situates a Birdhouse for the Piping Plover in its natural habitat along the sandy coast of Long Island. I envisioned a nest scrape situated above the high tide line amongst the light cover of the local dune grasses. The interior of the scrape is lined in a delicately laid radial blue muscle shell pattern. The roof of the birdhouse is constructed of a thin sheet of weathered steel folded up at each end. When bent under the compression of the beach sand, the metal sheet forms an arched enclosure for the scrape. This minimalist roof provides shelter and protection from avian predators above.” — Damon Hamiltorn
Stelle, Lomont, Rouhani Architects strives to create a rewarding design and building experience for our clients. Each project is unique and a response to the client’s program, budget, schedule and site. Architecture is a patient search and theirs is a collaborative approach to the whole process.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Workshop/apd
Tree Swallows nest in tree cavities; they also readily take up residence in nest boxes. Built from joining pieces of laser cut mahogany, the nest is easy to install and care for. The Birdhouse hangs by a resistance system of cotton masons twine and is equipped with a pivoting door for convenient access. Inspired by drinking satchels, the birdhouse accommodates the Tree Swallow’s natural need to nest in an enclosed space such as a tree cavity.
About Workshop/apd: A design firm specializing in both luxury home design and high-end commercial development. The firm solves design challenges with innovative solutions that incorporate sustainable methods and ingenuity within a signature aesthetic.
_____________________________________________________________________________
THE MADOO CONSERVANCY
www.madoo.org
————————–
Text supplied to Madoo by Architects/Firms.
Photos, Jeff Heatley
__________________________________________________________________________________________________