When we look at buildings, paintings, or even product packaging, we often see attractive shapes and designs, interesting colors, and unique attention to detail that makes a thing nice to look at. But what purpose does that serve? If you’re a fan of philosophy, you can answer with something from Hegel, Kant, Hume, or others […]
As we face down weeks of social distancing in the middle of a pandemic, people are talking a lot about quarantine. People tend to think of quarantine in fairly limited terms these days. With advances in medicine, more functional hospitals, and a significantly lower number infectious diseases running rampant, quarantine hasn’t been a particularly big […]
For some, working from home is a way of life. For others, recent global events have driven the usual office goers and commute types towards a work from home situation. Unlike those work from home professionals, most people don’t even have a dedicated workspace. There’s two major parts to adapting your home to a sort […]
Portella is open and here to assist you. At the moment we are not taking clients in the showroom in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect you and the Portella staff. As things change and progress, we will be in touch. As we all navigate this trying time, please know that […]
Like with most careers out there, the role of the architect is shrouded in stereotypes and assumptions. Sure, some of them are based in truth, but there’s so much more to the job than what initially meets the eye – often with each project having unique duties of its own. While it may be one […]
Most people have some sort of idea of what they prefer in a living environment or are at least on their way to figuring that out for themselves. Some relish in the action and liveliness of Urban environments. To them, the noises of the street are like a symphony filled with culture and connection. On […]
Colonnades used in a traditional fashion have a way of making even otherwise simple buildings appear to be grand in nature. The rows of evenly spaced columns evoke a sense of balance, structure, and stability in those who come face to face with them. When you see an old (or new) building designed in this […]
The city of San Antonio is a treasure trove of historical buildings and a melting pot of cultural architectural style. While perusing the streets of this Texas city, you’ll not only find influence from the french builders that once occupied the area but structures that serve as a telltale reminder of the city’s Spanish and […]
Negative space has long since been a buzzword in the architecture and design communities. It’s used in reference to a variety of scenarios, but generally speaking, it refers to the spaces that are left behind. The “unusable”, unintended spaces in a building that are the byproduct of other intentional spaces and building features that are […]