Austin Tunnell @AustinTunnell Twitter profile | Pikagi

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Austin Tunnell

@AustinTunnell

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550

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Founder @build_culture . Fusing the liberal arts with construction & real estate to build a more beautiful, resilient & thriving world for people. Newsletter👇

Oklahoma City

https://t.co/6LegRGmDjk

Joined November 2023

Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Out of a ~$3.2MM total project budget (Cerca 2019), this Moongate cost us about $15k. It made the project. People take prom and wedding photos in front all the time. It anchors it in people’s mind. Where do you live? “I live by the Moongate” is a common refrain. This taught

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Holy ***t. I just got a quote to replace our HVAC unit, ductwork and everything, on a 2,000 sq/ft house, for $45,000. No joke. The guys that quoted know I have a building co (subs mainly do new construction), are a reputable company but quoting normal equipment (nothing super

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

23 days

A fun backyard project from a few years ago. First thing I did when we bought the house. Just mixed two bags of mortar and laid brick on Friday evenings when I finished up work until I ran out. It’s cathartic. Will post video of it. But on a more useful note: very easy (and

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Moving on into the kitchen. Reminder: a 2 story, 2,200 sq/ft house (3 bed 2.5 bath) Did a dropped ceiling over the stove and peninsula to shape the space and create a cafe-like feel. Walk in pantry is through that reeded glass, red oak door. Windows up high above sink

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

BTW: the $3.2MM from 2019 would cost as at least $4.5MM to build today—probably more. It costs us 40% more to build today than just a few years ago pre covid.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Continuing inside on one of our latest, 1904: Another great use for under stairs. Storage + desk. This desk has a real working area: 30” deep and nearly 6’ long. For a 2,200 sq/ft house, having a space like this, with drawers and cabinets to organize and keep declutterred,

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

I am so stoked about this next stage @Build_Culture . If you thought what we were doing before was cool? Just wait!! Historically we’ve been focused on designing and building houses—with me largely at the center of it all, and a support team to execute. But that era is now

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Recently completed one w/ the @Build_Culture team. The stone parapet caps were a pain in the butt! But dang they look good. Also, I love the natural sandstone lintels with chiseled faces. Those are pretty cost effective, and MUCH better than cast stone imo. Not even close.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Perspective of a portion of the 80 acre master rural master plan we finished up. Hard to tell in an aerial, and this is only of the partial site, but we have large estate lots to small ~2,000 sq/ft lots, ADUS, quad plex courts, a village center with live/works and some

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

22 days

Building a Backyard Arch. Follow up post to yesterday. This was a few years ago. No leads or strings. Just laying with a level. If I wanted it to be perfect, I could have set it up that way. But frankly, fun to freehand it. Feels more...artistic, and less scientific, this

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Here is the other side of it. Leads into a wonderful courtyard and through to parking in the rear. For that table in the back we built 3 brick columns and used granite as the top. You can also see the fire pit through the moongate. It was a pocket neighborhood we did called

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Out of a ~$3.2MM total project budget (Cerca 2019), this Moongate cost us about $15k. It made the project. People take prom and wedding photos in front all the time. It anchors it in people’s mind. Where do you live? “I live by the Moongate” is a common refrain. This taught

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

I was surprised when I first learned that a good chunk of air pollution from cars isn’t engine emissions, but micro particles from tires, brake pads and roads—which have serious health repercussions. But this stat is a new one I just ran across that’s fairly shocking,

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

A peak inside. This is a wood framed house, FYI. Have to work within budgets, too. But we bring structural brickwork inside. Standing in the vestibule after walking in the front door. This is a 2,200 sq/ft two story house. We used that tripled Roman arch wall to provide a

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

For those wanting to see the Moongate in the context of the project.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Our 1040 project. Stained trim is back. Key is to not do too much of it, or too dark, or too light (Scandinavian feel). Unless you want to of course. Here we did a medium tone on red oak. A transitional vibe that feels part 100 year old historic home but fresh and sleek.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

I love the color palette here. A little moody but still fresh. Those cabinet latches are my all-time favorite. Not for every project, but we use them often. From House of Antique Hardware. Living finish—they’re brass that will continue to patina over time. So much depth to

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Ready to have your minds BLOWN??! I've been dying to post this podcast with Phillipe Block, coming out Thursday. Here's a teaser. An incredible example of blending the best of old and new to pioneer something truly groundbreaking that could change the nature of construction.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

13 days

Stunning work. Just raw, authentic, low-tech, human beauty. World could use more of this over talking fridges.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@SmileyGnome May need to consider. No way we’ll ever get our money out of this!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Here’s the mirror version of it in different light. Also, swipe for interior pic. Cerca 2019.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

1 month

Our first and last Moongate was in Carlton Landing (left). Finally, getting the chance to build another in our Townsend project. It’s a portal to a spacious, green, inner-block courtyard with 12 townhomes. Making it inner-block, in an urban environment, we are able to

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Interior post massing, pre framing. We did an interior Roman arch, or half round, on this versus a segmental which we often do (segmental = segment of a circle, so less round and more eyebrow shape) Surprised at how different it feels. Very fun though! Space on right of arch

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

I do love the front door. It's Alder. The sunburst pattern in the arch is so cool. Found online at urbandoorscompany. Very reasonable price for being an arch top. Lantern on left is handmade copper gas from Bevolo. Magical at night. Yes, I know, missing handle!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Re my last couple posts: This is the house completed.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

I love having a few steps up to the front door of a home. Raised first floors are way underrated. Not just the experience of approaching the house, but its relationship to the street. But also, the experience of the approach itself, having a transition to a new space as you

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Alright here is the final execution of the whole concept (see concept video in post below). Gosh, it turned out well. That Moongate really was/is a special moment! Completed 2020.

@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

#4 . Late 2017. It wasn’t a huge leap to go from a single house design to this pocket neighborhood and video. Did this all in Sketchup, by the way. Will post finished video next. What I think I appreciate most about where my head was at when I made this was that I simply

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

More pics of kitchen. Had a custom red oak butcher block made for island. Much better than the thin strips of wood you can buy off the shelf. We are increasingly purchasing lights off Etsy. Have had some issues with broken fixtures, but overall very successful, particularly

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

The white limewash with the cedar shakes and timbers is 👌 The limewash leaves a natural finish on the brick versus oil based/latex paint which creates a continuous adhered surface (which can and will peel in time) as well as being breathable and anti-microbial due to its high

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Have had a number of comments about ADA and people in wheel chairs in response to this post—insinuating a few steps is unfairly and unnecessarily harming people. I’d like to address this compassionately, because I understand it comes from a good place, but also firmly. If you

@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

I love having a few steps up to the front door of a home. Raised first floors are way underrated. Not just the experience of approaching the house, but its relationship to the street. But also, the experience of the approach itself, having a transition to a new space as you

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Etsy is an incredible place to find unique architectural salvage pieces at a reasonable price. The front door was something we found locally & restored, but the newel post & Moroccan French doors we found on Etsy. Truly unique pieces that really shape the feel of a home!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Inside the courtyard. Big spaces can be tempting, but it’s the small, enclosed spaces that are typically the most sought after and valuable because they are intimate, defined and human. Thigmotaxis, our affinity to hug walls and objects, means big, wide open spaces can feel

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Twitterverse: I'm raising money for an infill urban neighborhood designed and built entirely by us at @Build_Culture . 12 townhomes, 7 live/works, and a few small commercial buildings. It's an incredible project in a one-of-a-kind location. $2.15MM out of $3.5MM raised, and

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Other under-stairs options to use space effectively. Showed day bed before. Here we have a desk & storage to left (or Harry Potter nook—little kids make a beeline to it when they walk into house. They’re not used to seeing their scale reflected in architecture). Have fun w/ it!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

A few of our projects over the years. Looking forward to late this year when we break ground on Townsend, our mixed-use, urban infill neighborhood. Fun stuff coming!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

1/2 We love using these interior arches to create spaces within a smaller, open floor plan to create transitions between rooms, as well as to allow people to experience the architecture and tectonics up close. Can build free standing in a wood framed building, too.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

More kitchen photos from our 1900 Oso project. This grey/silver granite for countertop and backsplash is one of our favorites. People often confuse it with soapstone, but it’s substantially more durable, AND cheaper. We usually have to custom order slabs as fabricators don’t

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Love the way arches like this frame views. It’s much more interesting than “taking it all in at once” because it creates a center, gives you something to focus on. And wherever you walk it’s always reframing different views.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Under stairs magic. Place to cozy up and read or family cuddles. Most of these under stair spaces we leave undesigned until during trim. We make sure to have some wiring for whatever we might need, but otherwise give it time to marinade and let the story unfold a bit as we

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

It costs us roughly 40% more to build today than it did four years ago. I don’t see that going down. Anyone else have a different experience or thoughts? It’s pretty tragic imo. Affordability was a problem in 2019. Now, it just doesn’t work for so many ppl. Just too expensive.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

16 days

Completed in 2022 The glimpse of the brick arch is a limewash we applied and then I sanded down myself to get the right look using a palm sander Hadn’t intended to do that originally, but the solid white just wanted working inside Needed more texture. But would do this again!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

**1900 Walkthrough #1 ** This was our first structural brick masonry house built in Oklahoma City. Started in 2021. We’d ordered brick months before, called to get delivered to site as we were wrapping up the foundation as usual, and guess what…. Our 1 week delivery lead time

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Arched openings really add a nice touch. Been doing this a lot lately for key moments. Powder is also through here. Did a wainscot and wallpaper in there. Hard to get a good pic, but looks great. Always a fun place to be a little bolder.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Just had a homeowner who moved in last year call that they’d lost all the food in their fridge while away due to a tripped breaker. They were upset, obviously. Said it’s tripped multiple times since move-in not even a year ago. Fridges shouldn’t trip breakers—we assumed

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

One of our recently completed projects. Really enjoyed how the kitchen turned out. Not sure how to classify it, but it has a Transitional-European-Farmhouse feel that’s warm, cozy, inviting, while still feeling bright and lively. A couple of my favorite colors right now,

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

A few more photos pre finish out. A great way to make your arches look better? Works in veneer too: Use multiple brick to create the arch. Corbel them out. Play with patterns and shadow. So many times people just use one and it looks silly if it’s more than a 12” span. And

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

More interior views of living. The 3 pieces of brickwork bring a lot of character inside. But also note the stained trim. I’ve been loving stained trim the last few years. Don’t always do it by any means, but feels so warm and cozy—and balanced with enough windows, still

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

2017. My first house design and video I created. Took me ~1.5 years and probably a thousand hours. Sounds crazy but I was having to learn and work through a lot—and time can overcome inexperience. I was currently apprenticing and learning to build with my hands, so I’d do this

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Brick is really a sculpting material. The small, hand-sized pieces lend itself to this. Notice the negatives up top. Can do this in veneer too. You can extrude out as well, but doesn’t stand out as much. Have found that these negatives are super cool ways to fancy up some

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

Visited our project last summer and shot this on my iPhone—first houses completed in 2018. Pocket neighborhood of 6 homes surrounding a central U-shape courtyard. Structural brick masonry homes w/ limewash, for reference, and timber framed porches. Cool to see it 4+ years later!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

One of the biggest problems here isn’t just how fast housing is getting expensive—and that’s a huge problem—it’s that it’s getting obscenely expensive while still being cheaply constructed. Structural, foundation, water, rot and mold issues will start to reveal themselves

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

We love using the often-underutilized space under stairs for something special. Here we did what I call a cuddle-nook. Perfect for reading, kids, and family cuddles. @Build_Culture

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Continuing into the back of the house. It may just be a mudroom, but make it beautiful! 1,100 sq/ft overall footprint, btw, so yes, it’s a small mudroom. But still useful. Note the curved bench to beautifully resolve the things that happen in small floor plans, like offset

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Dining area breakdown. You can see the adjacent house just outside the windows, hence the use of clerestory windows. Light + privacy without needing curtains. The wainscot creates an elevated feel and helps create a visual separation from the rest of the quasi-open floor

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Turning around, this is the front door. An old, salvaged mahogany door we had refinished. Beautiful piece. Handle is from House of Antique Hardware—one of our favorite shops for hardware. Btw those switches on the brick wall? Wireless. Makes it easy!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

The world would be far more beautiful with more of these gas lanterns. Bevolo makes incredible ones. Handmade copper. The patina, how it darkens, is really lovely. And the way the flame dances off the brick? I dare you not to feel something! $7 - $11/month to run continuously

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Closer up of patio and stone caps, along with sills and lintels. Inspiration for uncovered patio comes from my own house. We live in a 100 year old historic home in Oklahoma City. We have a porch, partially covered and partially uncovered. To my surprise, we love the

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

I’ve never understood “the 15 minute city = control/loss of freedom”. It seems the opposite to me. Let’s say you live in a nice suburb with a 1/2 acre lot. 1) Gov can take away your license 2) Car breaks down and you can’t afford to repair the increasingly expensive repair

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Moving inside. Standing just inside front door. This is a 2100 SF two story, so 1050 SF ground floor. Townhouse setup with deep narrow lots, even though detached. Not only is the reclaimed brick beautiful, but note the lack of a “grid” that often screams at you in brickwork?

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

16 days

The Arch Test. Very first solo house back in 2017, fresh off apprenticeship. It was before I really understood masonry at a deep level. Little did I know I could have had 100 people on that arch with me and it would still stand without a sweat. Masonry arches are pretty

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Best stage of the build: brick massing pre interior framing. Funny note: that stone lintel in the foreground, I ordered it too short—my fault. But was during Covid and had taken 6 months to come in Needed to keep width of opening, so ended up corbeling the brick in as a

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

Project 1900 - #1 Sourcing Brick Going to be sharing some project details on our latest completed home—our first structural masonry project in Oklahoma City proper, near downtown in a TND. Completed 12/2023. Lots to share, but to start with: bringing the masonry inside? It is

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Turning from nook under the stairs into the kitchen. We were going with a European-cottage-farmhouse feel. The cabinets look like they could be retrofitted in an old brick cottage. Shallow, rough beams for the ceiling really bring the space together. That was a last minute

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@DomonicPyle Sounds like a plan!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

1 month

Was told last year from someone fairly high up in a large brick manufacturing company that only 1 new brick plant has been opened since 2008 due to regulatory environment. Only expansions of existing plants. While this is easy for me to believe, it’s difficult info to verify.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

7 months

I’d really love to build something like this in the next decade. I’ll give us two decades, just to be safe. But it’s happening.

@luusssso

lusso

7 months

The restaurant in China was built inside a massive brick art installation and it’s absolutely next level

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

From a 2020 project we completed. That tower (overlooking a lake) was fun! But note how the tower gets wider at the top story. It goes from 12” to 18”. You can corbel out 50% the width of the wall with structural masonry, so 12” wall = 6” corbel. HUGE advantage for cool details

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Back to pretty things: Old newel post we found off Etsy and incorporated into build. I love stuff like this. Whenever we can afford a warehouse I’m going to become a hoarder. Grab a big trailer and go to some of the best salvage shops in the country and load up and figure out

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

@jposhaughnessy He’s remarkable. Are you familiar with Guastavino? Spanish master builder (contemporary of Gaudi) who immigrated to the US late 19th century, landing in NY with his son. Went on to build absolutely unbelievable unreinforced masonry vaults and domes that are truly mind

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@j32pmxr That’s what I see in our biz.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

1 month

Man. I stumbled across this via Google maps looking at rentals in an area. I’d never seen a double garage like this (obv a duplex). Doors off to the side. Meter on front. Not even a street tree. This is really, truly, profoundly inhuman. There is a better way to build

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@philipbergen Wow. Thats wild

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

12 days

The materiality of brick masonry is awesome. And the shadows that can be created easily with depth provide a lot of design possibility. I love it. This is one of ours we are wrapping up here soon. These are simple details: some negative flutes, toothing (in and out), and then

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@SteveFranssen Considering it lol

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

27 days

It’s common for Americans to think of college as “the best time of their life”. And not just among partying folks and what not. I think it has to do with campus culture, community, and the design of college campuses as walkable neighborhoods. You’re around people and your

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

Those “negatives” in back brick wall? SO easy to do. Ridiculous ROI for what it is. It takes a plane brick wall and elevates it. Perhaps more than it should, but given the lack of other people doing stuff like this? A little attention to detail can set you completely apart. Would

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Played with green-on-green here. Walls, casing & cabinet same green, ceiling and doors complimentary green. Shower is Carrara and floors are my absolute favorite: Belgium Bluestone. Most of this stuff is very reasonably priced (Carrara is ~$12/ft). Love the natural finishes!

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

From 2016. See me up there? I'll actually never forget finishing that chimney. 👇 I'd just returned from the Peace Corps, had a 5 week engagement to my now beautiful wife Sarah, and began my apprenticeship with @1000yearhouse a couple months before this-laying my first brick.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

@NestedUrbanism @matt_hayes4 Reminder of on-the-ground feel of village center.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

1 month

I have no evidence, but I get the general sense we are at the right cultural, economic and political moment to see real, positive change over the next few decades. In architecture and our built world specifically, but also in food, health, environment, etc. I talk to so many

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Chimneys can make a house. I think it anchors them. Just a little bit of detailing (the reverse corbel swoop midway up) can really make them pop. And I am a sucker for parapets--particularly with stone caps. Inside, it's actually a pellet stove and the chimney acts as a

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

I was jumping back into design for our Townsend project (urban infill townhouse neighborhood) and doing some quick studies as we try to feel out style and massing. I love this part! Rest of team is working on it too and we’ll compare notes soon. Collaborating with a great

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

@rossiadam 100%

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

I’m looking back towards the beginning of my 3rd (and final) career. This is 2017. I laughed watching this. I’d ordered those stone sills having no idea how I was going to cut the slope in them to shed water. No mason or stone quarry or anyone said they could do it—no matter how

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

This is why you should never use Portland mortar on repair jobs. Brick were way softer 100 years ago and it will destroy them. At minimum mix a 1/2/9 Portland, type S lime, and sand if doing repair work. Can get all that locally and makes a type “O” which is like 350 psi.

@wrathofgnon

Wrath Of Gnon

4 months

Our correspondent in Trnava, Slovakia, sends me this photo of the criminal level of neglect of the old city walls. Please use proper mortar and not cement. In the 13th c. Trnava was one of the largest cities in Europe, 0.56km² inside the walls. Thank you for the photo @cur_cel

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

3 months

Last room of the downstairs—the powder. Hard to get a pic because it’s small. But we still try to make it something special. The wallpaper is the same that’s in the vestibule up front. Powder is always a good place to go bold and have fun. Wall to wall built in mirror,

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

@graceisforyou Geeze. I remember just a few years ago and I was doing this kind of work for $15k to $20k. It’s a good time to be in HVAC

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

1 month

Cozy bedroom vibes. The brick and salvaged beams add so much character and texture.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

**Personal share** Just got back from foot surgery yesterday. My 5th in a few years from a car accident (that wasn’t my fault). They are frankly painful surgeries. This surgery, they were fusing 3 separate joints right below my ankle. They have to grind out the joints and

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

@AidenTyler Haha yes I know exactly what you mean. I trained as a mason so taught our guys at the time how to do it. Key: tumbled brick (or molded/reclaimed), and strike joints with a tuckpoint to let it push out and feel a little more organic while still closing all gaps. Let it be

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

A few under-construction pics of how we build gables with masonry from The Bend pocket neighborhood project I’ve been posting about. Remember: there is no ‘structure’ for masons to lay to like in veneer. You have to keep it plumb, level and square in free space all the way up, 3”

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

I love doing what we do @Build_Culture . It’s so much fun. It’s a whole lot of work—doing something different is always harder. Sometimes a lot harder. But it’s also what makes it meaningful. And when we get to put beauty out there into the world? THAT makes our hearts sing.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

Alright last pic of exterior before moving inside. We are building in a TND, Wheeler District, which requires front porches (a common and very positive requirement). We didn’t want to just slap a wood front porch to the front, so extended out another brick gable which marks

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

2 months

100% with Moses here. This is a terrible narrative, and one I hear disturbingly often. This is why our mission @Build_Culture is “facilitating human flourishing through architecture”. Thats our why. Not climate change, not energy efficiency, not carbon reduction. We deeply

@moseskagan

Moses Kagan

2 months

I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the de-growth nonsense published in today’s NY Times. We will solve our environmental problems in the same way we created them: With technology created by people & companies seeking profit.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

Also from 2017. This was my first solo house post apprenticeship with @1000yearhouse . I was testing it out. That’s what we call a segmental arch—a “segment” of a circle (vs half round, etc). They are extremely efficient/strong, but let off more ‘thrust’ than half round

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

2018. Funny I made it black and white. But does look more like 1918. We call this a “structural ridge beam”. Three 24” LVLs that get bolted together. Why do we do this? Masonry wants to be in compression, not tension. Rafters can “push” outward on the walls if you just use a

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Amazing! A sewage pumping station. I genuinely believe beauty has meaning, brings dignity and lifts the human spirit. We need more of it—even when the activity is not beautiful. Perhaps especially when the activity is not beautiful.

@HistoricEngland

Historic England

@HistoricEngland

4 months

This sewage pumping station in London is a sight to behold. 🤩 Opened #OnThisDay in 1865 by engineer Joseph Bazalgette, Crossness Pumping Station ( @CrossnessET ) is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

6 months

#4 . Late 2017. It wasn’t a huge leap to go from a single house design to this pocket neighborhood and video. Did this all in Sketchup, by the way. Will post finished video next. What I think I appreciate most about where my head was at when I made this was that I simply

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Heading upstairs on our 1900 Oso project to the master bedroom. Clerestory windows behind bed for light + privacy. The brick, stone sills and arches bring so much richness, just in the architecture itself. Locally reclaimed beams on ceiling to complete it all.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Out now! Phillipe Block: The Incredible Future of Sustainable Construction. Link in bio. What does modern building have to learn from thousand-year-old cathedrals? Strength through geometry, for one. On a 25 story mid rise swapping out the floor system ALONE with Phillipe's

@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

4 months

Ready to have your minds BLOWN??! I've been dying to post this podcast with Phillipe Block, coming out Thursday. Here's a teaser. An incredible example of blending the best of old and new to pioneer something truly groundbreaking that could change the nature of construction.

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@AustinTunnell

Austin Tunnell

5 months

What’s The Building Culture Podcast about? “Exploring the intersection of art, science, business, health, culture, meaning, and what it means to be human, through the lens of architecture and our built world, in an attempt to find our way forward into MORE human thriving, not

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