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When I wrote the original Cullen House article I never imagined it would gain the popularity it did. As promised, I have been in contact with Jeff Kovel from Skylab Architecture and have prepared the following interview/bio along with a few more images for all the mad fans!
“I am in architecture, development, and rock and roll.”
- Jeff Kovel
Jeff Kovel grew up just outside of New York City and lived there until he attended Cornell University’s Architecture school. Since then he has made his way to the West Coast and in 1996 he finally settled down in Portland, Oregon. However, it was while growing up in New York that Jeff realised he wished to become an architect. His family had begun work on a new home and a young Jeff thus developed a new fascination for both building and design.
It was three years after arriving in Portland when 26 year old Jeff founded his own architecture firm, Skylab architecture. He admits that he started his practice at a very young age and wishes that he’d worked under other architects beforehand. Nevertheless, Skylab Architecture has grown into a fully fledged successful firm. When asked what the most rewarding aspect of practicing architecture is, Kovel explains “We [architects] have carved out a niche that allows us to explore and innovate. The most rewarding part of this career is the work which we are able to create with this open format.”
Kovel likens his own design philosophies to storytelling. “We bring concepts to life, each of these concepts is a story,” he says. “The paragraphs are like spaces, the words, materials. Each project is a unique deep investigation into this story telling…
Our process is research based, and iterative. We look for authentic meaning and relationships. We do not rush aesthetic conclusions.”
Kovel explains that his inspiration comes from many different architectural sources. “I love many progressive architects from all eras of modernism, I appreciate the periods prior as well. There isn’t a subject I would rather talk about.”
As I’m sure many of you can relate, Jeff Kovel and Skylab architecture became known to me through the film Twilight; what many of us have come to know as the Cullen residence is actually the ‘Hoke Residence’, so I asked Jeff about how the house came to be.
“The Hoke residence was originally built as a ‘spec’ house [This simply means it was built, with the speculation of finding a suitable buyer], or a project built without a client as a development for sale.
After two days on the market, the house was purchased by the director of footwear design at Nike, John Hoke. Following a cover story in a northwest architecture publication, The Hoke’s were approached by a film location scout, a little film called Twilight.”
“We designed the house in 2006, completed construction in 2007. We have designed an additional residence next door that will begin construction once we locate another vampire”
“This December, we took our staff to see the movie to start our holiday party. We all loved it. We have been receiving fan mail from all over the world, including many inquiries for the house plans – contacts from Croatia, The Philippines, Buenos Aires, and Melbourne Australia among others.”
There is more to Skylab architecture beyond the Hoke House – amoungst Skylab’s impressive folio is also the following..
Montgomery residence
Nau Webfront
‘North’
12 + Alder
More images on these projects and more can be found at Skylab Architecture’s website.
Jessica, I am in Portland for the holiday and attempted to find the house today with no luck. Any assitance you can provide would be appreciated. I would like to just drive by so my daughter, grand daughter and I can say we found it! Please respond ASAP, as we will only be here for a short time. THANKS!!!
Hey! Where is the house then. To “Jessica” who knows where it is!
Thanx.. :D
The house is located in vancouver, USA. The place is also called Forks (from twilight)! Yes this place does excist
Jessica, PLEASE tell me the address!
[...] house. According to an interview that architect Jeff Kovel of Skylab Architecture gave to Design Tavern, it was built as a spec house and bought by the director of footwear design at Nike, John Hoke: [...]
I know who the architect of my house is gonna be.
[...] (que todos nós conhecemos como a casa dos vampiros de Twilight). Você pode conferir em inglês aqui e em breve [...]
this is my house!! omg!
Beautiful House!
This style is very popular these days and the UK (certainly in the south where I live) is being slowly covered in cedar cladding- not very successfully though. This scheme shows how is should be done- this is a real piece of architecture- not just paper-thin cladding!
heyy.
on this website could you please put up the Twilight cullens house plan ha will be very good cause me and my friend like putting house plans together and makin new ones.
byee.
adityy.
please….. :D
#1 reasn 2 see Twilight: http://bit.ly/1S8vVA
what is the black material on this building? x
I'd like this house: http://is.gd/4JJRU (some people will recognise it from photos, the title gives it away)
I really want to use the wallpaper that is in the kitchen entryway. It is in lavender shades and features a twiggy / birds in trees look. Does anyone know who designed this wallpaper and where I could get it?
[...] post on the Hoke House by Jeff Kovel from Skylab architecture (see my original interview with him here!) I thought now would be a good time for an update on the architecture of New [...]
http://bit.ly/1S8vVA Ksa dos meu sonhos com o ED! :D
[...] [...]
Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/4OiKLw
http://www.designtavern.com/2009/02/interview-with-jeff-kovel-the-architect-of-the-cullen-house-hoke-house-from-twilight/
http://bit.ly/1S8vVA OH MY…. *drools*
@designtavern RT From the Vaults: The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/4OiKLw
RT @designtavern From the Vaults: The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/4OiKLw
@JvargZ : i found this thing on the Twilight house from @DesignTavern – http://bit.ly/4OiKLw maybe you can use it for your BluRay project?
From the Vaults: Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/4OiKLw
RT @designtavern Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from tw.. http://bit.ly/G6zvx
Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/1v2aj3
[...] Skylab Architecture http://www.skylabarchitecture.com/ > Design Tavern interview with Jeff Koven http://www.designtavern.com/2009/02/interview-with-jeff-kovel-the-architect-of-the-cullen-house-hoke... > Hooked on Houses review of the house [...]
[...] an interview about the Hoke’s home, Mr. Kovel told the blog Design Tavern that he and his staff saw the movie together and have received fan mail from all over the [...]
[...] an interview about the Hoke’s home, Mr. Kovel told the blog Design Tavern that he and his staff saw the movie together and have received fan mail from all over the [...]
I thought John Hoke was cool last week, but TWILIGHT WHAT. http://bit.ly/2fcl05
This house amazing!
A teacher of mine has a best friend who’s parents own this house and they keep a POD at it for when the movie is filmed so that the set design crew I guess can move stuff in that belong to the owners in the POD.
morri http://www.designtavern.com/2009/02/interview-with-jeff-kovel-the-architect-of-the-cullen-house-hoke-house-from-twilight/
RT @designtavern: Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. http://bit.ly/bfL21A
[...] an interview with jeff kofel, “The Hoke residence was originally built as a ‘spec’ house [This simply means [...]
Thank you for this interview and sharing more pictures of this spectacularly, designed house. It is truly one of a kind. Hope we’ll be seeing it again in Breaking Dawn.
[...] (images via: design tavern) [...]
[...] (images via: design tavern) [...]
[...] Also see an interview with Architect — Jeff Kovel Here [...]
[...] Also see an interview with Architect — Jeff Kovel Here [...]
question: from which company is the white ( cream ) sofa in the living room of hoke house? does anyone knows it? best regards, tina
[...] originally bought the house was John Hoke; the director of footwear design for Nike) (photos from Design Tavern and [...]
…for all Twilight fans…or the ones who like to live in an beautiful house with spectacular forest… http://t.co/q7yVNNAS
Interview with Jeff Kovel – The architect of the Cullen House (Hoke House) from twilight. – http://t.co/xPYxvdpk
I love the smooth lines in the house. the thing I love the most is how it is very contemporary but has so many elements of nature. everything from the large window in the light in the beauty, would that makes the house feels so warm. I would love to know where I could get a book or magazine with more of this architectural design. so very breath taking.
Vanessa
[...] completa com Jeff você pode conferir aqui, no Design [...]
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