Because We Can blogs

Stage and props fabricated by Because We Can featured in Spring 2010 cover story of Martha Stewart's Weddings

Jeffrey McGrew — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:49:55 +0000

Congratulations to our dear friends (and clients!) Eunice and Daniel for their amazing wedding that we were honored to be a part of. A wedding that made the front cover of the Spring 2010 Martha Stewart Weddings issue!

We've been wanting to post pictures forever, but couldn't until the issue shipped. Expect to see a whole lot more soon here on the blog and under Events. We had a blast working with the very talented Eunice on the design of a flat-pack stage and various signs and props for the event, which we in turn fabricated with our trusty robot Frank.

Click here to see the article!

Such a Googie wonder!

Because We Can Inspiration Stream — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:35:10 +0000

IMG_9735, originally uploaded by jillianisaphotographer.

Found on the outskirts of Phoenix, this gem of a Googie sign warmed our hearts. Someday we hope to have the wherewithal to drag this back and mount it to the roof of our office!

Arizona is so awesome...

Because We Can Inspiration Stream — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:32:50 +0000

IMG_9692, originally uploaded by jillianisaphotographer.

Man just look at this plant. Just look at it! Arizona flora is so crazy and strange and interesting...

Because We Can at the Winter BIM Forum

Jeffrey McGrew — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:31:17 +0000

BIMForum was amazing. We were honored to be included! The presentations were all great. It's certainly wonderful to see the newest developments out there within our industry.

As always, the steel fabrication guys are way ahead of the curve. We got to see a presentation from Chris Fischer of Schuff Steel where they talked about going from BIM models (Tekla, in this instance) to their fully automated steel shop, where huge CNC plasma machines and automated conveyer systems process massive steel beams all day long. It's just like we do, except a whole lot bigger and heavier!

We also got to hear from my old boss Ken Sanders and a fellow Gensler friend Shawn Geile with a stunning presentation on the epic towers Gensler is working on. One of which was just finished at the LA Live! Center. It was great to see that building complete, as I helped out in the early stages of it years ago when I was still at Gensler. A very complex project that could only be done via BIM, yet a complex project to do with BIM!

When it came our turn to talk we focused on our in-house process we use for fully leveraging CNC and BIM together for creative interiors. Happy to say that it went over very well and that we hope to get a video of it up soon.

Best thing about the conference was all the new friends we made. There are some amazing people out there doing simply incredible things. Specialty contractors making mountains for Disney, civil engineerings using automated robotic grading machines, huge contractors coordinating whole skyscrapers, to programmers developing totally new ways of collaborating together: across the board, everyone we met was up to something mind-blowing and awesome.

We're sad that our schedule won't allow us to make the next one in June. But we certainly hope to go again soon!

We got interviewed for MAKE: couples working together

Jeffrey McGrew — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:37:03 +0000

To continue our little run of press we've had lately, we were lucky enough to be included in an article on the MAKE: Blog about couples what work together.

We feel honored to be included with other such Maker Couples as Amy Parness and Ariel Churi of Sparkle Labs and Dave and Cheryl Hrynkiw of Solarbotics!

Check out the article here!

Road Trip Building Tour - Jan 2010

Jillian Northrup — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:12:37 +0000

On our way back from the BIM FORUM conference in Phoenix, AZ, we took the opportunity to go on a quick building tour.

In Phoenix we went to visit two very divergent buildings, both in function and aesthetic.

First we went to the Phoenix Public Library, designed by Will Bruder

The celebration of materials in the library's interior is beautifully done.
Exposed concrete spans up to the exposed under ceiling, and the tall ceilings keep the place cool in the summer.
He added whimsical sail - like shades to the exterior to block the harsh summer sun.

The 5 story building has an elevator in the center of the front lobby. Instead of hiding it off in the side of the building somewhere, Bruder put the it in the center, left all the mechanical workings exposed and made every surface he could out of glass.

It is an incredibly modern and industrial look. But done so well, it is not harsh at all, but inviting and interesting.

The next building we went to see was the Mystery Castle

An endearing story of a man who, diagnosed with only a year to live, left his family and moved to then, the middle of no where in AZ and set forth building a castle for his daughter.
His family did not know where he had gone to, until many years later when he died and left the mostly finished land and "castle" to his daughter.

Now just above a suburb of Phoenix, this completely hand built building still stands.
The daughter lived there for many years, and gave tours of the place for most of her life.
Now very elderly, she is still there for the tour, but no longer leads them.

The castle was built around the same time that Frank Lloyd Write was building his studio, not that far away.

It is amazing to think of all the work that went into this place. Every brick scavenged and placed by hand.

Finally, while passing through LA, we stopped off to see the new tower in downtown that was just completed by Gensler.

When Jeffrey worked at Gensler five years ago, he helped out with some of the complexities of this building.
It was really cool to see it built in the flesh!

It has an incredibly complex curtain wall, and was designed completely in Revit.
Jeffrey helped with making the parametric families for the curtain wall. And helped making this BIM project a success.
The bulb shape of the tower combined with the complexities of the curtain wall made it imperative that the project be done using BIM.

This building was actually the presentation that Gensler made at the BIM forum we were speaking at in Phoenix.

We'll do a post on that conference soon, and tell you all about it.

See all the photos from our trip here.

Jeffrey's Article on the MAKER Blog gets re-posted on Boing Boing

Jillian Northrup — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:01:04 +0000

The new series on the MAKE blog: MAKER BUSINESS was just mentioned on Boing Boing, and we are the photo!

Make: Online series: Maker Business

So now you are reading about how you can read on Boing Boing about the MAKER BUSINESS article that Jeffrey wrote on the MAKE blog.

make sense?!?

Because We Can on the MAKE Blog

Jillian Northrup — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:38:21 +0000

We were asked by the nice editors over at MAKE: to write the first entry on their new MAKER Business series.
The series focuses on tips for MAKERS who want to go pro- and start up a business.
Jeffrey wrote a great 6 steps to getting started article.

And you can read the whole article here!

Eat Food Talk Shop - This Thurs! 2-11-10

Jillian Northrup — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:19:06 +0000

Hey Y'all!

Don't forget to come to Eat Food Talk Shop this Thursday!
It's the first one of the year!
Hoorah!

It's gonna be a great year!
We are super busy already, and we'll have a couple cool projects to show off when you come over.
We're in the middle of a funky trade show booth, an LED table, a climbing wall, and a bunch of other cool stuff.

here we are making an LED table..... ; )

So come on over!
Bring a project you've been working on to show off.
Or just come to talk!

Bring friends!
Bring snacks!
Bring beer!

This Thursday
Feb 11
6:30PM - 9:30PM

At The Because We Cannery, 1722 15th Street, Suite C Oakland, CA

Hope to see you there!
Lost? Lonely? Not sure what to get us for Valentine's Day?
BWC help line: 510-922-8846

Our interactive LED table in Transmaterial 3 !

Jillian Northrup — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:36:32 +0000

Transmaterial 3 just came out!

If you are not familiar with this series, you should definitely pick one up. A great resource and inspirational guide to all kinds of innovative materials, techniques and applications.

Need another reason to pick it up?
We're in this one! Showcasing our Interactive LED tables