Architecture and interior design thread

Figured I'd ask here rather than the PC tech thread: I need a new laptop (about to start my masters), won't be doing much/any heavy rendering, mostly regular drawing (autocad & archicad) and the usual lightroom/photoshop stuff. How much (if any) would I benefit from a nice graphics card as I suspect my uses are more heavy on the cpu?

From my experience, and of course it could just be me... (and the fact my budget was small).
I had 3 architects come round, all were confident we could get what we wanted within budget, it'll be tough, but it's doable.

We chose a decent but cheap architect (around 1/2 the price of the others who wanted 10K wish for stages 1-5) and we are now at the final costing stages, where they price it down to the nails (these guys do build to) and we are currently looking at 20k over budget for an extension that is about half the size they all claimed was possible.

Not sure what I am suggesting your talk away is from that, but I would be inclined to suggest architects are terrible at estimating costs.

Did you make any tough decisions to try and keep the costings on track? Often 'getting what we wanted' means: 'you can have windows that size, but they will have-to-have massive frames to come in on budget' (or similar).

May be a bit random, anyone seen this wallpaper/mural. It's from one of those George Clarke programmes

Hmmm... not really... although wee didn't go nuts. We talked through what we wanted and gave numerous references, which they said were unachievable with our budget but said something close to would be achievable with interior compromises.
We have gone with much less scale than we wanted, if we paired back our finish choices we would be within budget but for a much smaller scale build, if that makes sense?

Any unexpected elements to cater for? Groundworks? Currency fluctuations? Etc?

Nah nothing really...

All architects felt we could do a full wrap around extension if we compromised on finish, which we were happy to do.
What we are ending up with is just a side return, but with a nicer finish (if we paired it back we would prob meet original budget).
In retrospect I am actually happier with the plan despite it being off original brief. The thing that confuses me is how all (and more) were confident the former could be done.

While we are on the subject, wall mounted lights... looking at flos long arm one or a Marseille lamp but neither are cheap.
Anyone any suggestions along the same line?

Tolomeo?

Reminds me of those Ridge socks that Defeet made for someone else then trumped my releasing them as Defeets once they got popular.

Vipp?

Bit office esque I think...

Nice but a wee bit small for a dining table... I’m thinking something big.

Flos arco? I know it’s not a wall light but it is big and they work well over tables. I have a copy and its quality is as close as an original and no one cares anyway. Had mine 10 years and still as good as the day I bought it

I've always been tempted by one of them but this needs to be wall mounted as it sits above a built in full length bench so there is no floor for it to sit on.

This is the current wining option, but it is spenny...
https://hauslondon.com/collections/wall-and-ceiling-lights/products/lampe-de-marseille-by-le-corbusier

office esque

Aren't all of them?

If cost is a factor, have you looked on aliexpress?

Nah... neither the Marseille nor the Flos are... don't want to buy faux products, IP theft isn't it.

Like this?

If so apparently:

A lighting classic, the subtly charming Lampe de Marseille was originally designed by Le Corbusier for the Unité d’Habitation of Marseille in 1949, and has since solidified itself as an archetype of the lighting genre.

Personally I think +50yrs from the death of the person who designed it is plenty, and I'm not sure what value is added, or extra authenticity is gained by some other brand milking a dead guy's design.

But what I actually meant was have a look on aliexpress for another design you like and not necessarily a fake one.

Out of interest I had a look to find an original (well period one I guess?) and came across this.

cheaper than going for three blingy pendants instead…

Having a browse, all looks pretty hideous, or am I doing it wrong?

I would assume someone is paying a license or whatever to use the design as the IP will be owned and protected by the company it originated from regardless of creators condition. Plus I'd trust the quality more.

^^Just catching up on all of this.

My interest in getting an architect to look at the place is really is to get a fresh pair of professionally skilled eyes on a bit of fairly minor interior remodelling to make the most of an ugly rear extension. It's currently housing a utility room and completely superfluous extra bathroom that just ends up being used as a dumping ground for crap. The secondary thing is to get some conceptual ideas for what a slightly longer term plan for the back of the house might be (full width single storey extension). We're not planning on doing that for at least a couple of years.

Just curious really.

Not talking pendants, looking for wall lights.

Already bought the pendants although not sure whereof put them now.

By the looks of it Nemo has the design. It's so long ago that I did IP law, idk. Copyright is authors life +70yrs. But design rights are much shorter, as are patents (25yrs iirc).

Personally I feel there is a balance to be struck and I was always taken by the fact that the most dynamic and fast moving industries seem to have the least restrictive* IP laws.

*or least heavy enforced might be a better phase

I'm technically*a QS by trade so not too worried about the pricing side of things if we do decide to go with structural changes.

*i have 15 years experience... almost all of it on railway electrification and signalling projects. Did work on some big building and civil projects but nothing domestic and i'm no good at counting bricks. I just know people who are.

Thats super interesting! Thanks for sharing...