While I am by no means an expert on architecture or design, I do enjoy viewing beautiful homes and decors of all styles, and staying up on which styles of homes are currently popular. I was recently asked to review HÄUSER – The Magazine for Architecture and Design which is available for the iPad.
Overview
HÄUSER is a digital Newsstand magazine for the iPad that covers trends in modern architecture and interior design. Each issue offers articles featuring high-definition photographs of various structures, while offering detailed information on the building techniques and materials used to create the structures.
The articles offer the story behind the design of the homes and other structures covered in the magazine, using an engaging mixture of photos, words, and even video and audio files to share the thoughts and ideas of the architects, builders, and their clients.
As well as offering a wealth of beautiful photos, many of the articles also include the construction plans for the structures, which can be downloaded from the HÄUSER website if desired.
Other features in the magazine include interviews with famous designers and architects, and even travel-related articles about the areas in which these beautiful buildings are located in. (There was even an article on a special set of LEGO building blocks the company makes specifically for architects.)
The navigation and layout of the magazine should be familiar to anyone who has read a Newsstand publication in the past. A simple swipe left or right allows you to navigate the pages, while a tap at the top of the screen allows you to view a Table of Contents, allowing the reader to jump to any spot in the magazine instantly.
I truly enjoyed HÄUSER, partially because I simply love viewing beautifully designed buildings. (I am a sucker for any of the home and remodeling shows that abound on cable TV, and I always watched “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” back in the ’80s.
However, HÄUSER also offers a number of intriguing features that such shows don’t offer. Such as the ability to casually read at your leisure about the structures and the design behind them, while being able to enjoy the beautiful photos and informative video and audio at your own pace.
Now is a great time to try out HÄUSER Magazine, as issue 2/2014 is completely free for a limited time only.
Verdict
I would recommend HÄUSER to anyone who has an interest in modern design and architecture, and the stories behind such structures. The magazine does a good job of putting the reader inside the minds of the designers who created the beautiful homes that are displayed within the “pages” of the magazine.
The magazine is well thought out, and the interface used makes it easy to navigate to all sections of the magazine, whether you enjoy casually flipping through the publication, or are one of those people who enjoy jumping from article to article.
Rating: [rating:3.5]
Price: Individual issues are priced at: £ 4,99/ € 5,99 – Issue 2/2014 is completely FREE for all readers – for a limited time only!
HÄUSER is published bimonthly (six issues per year).
Subscription prices:
2 months (1 issue) – £3,99 / €5,49
6 months (3 issues) – £10,99 / €14,49
1 year (6 issues) – £17,49 / €21,99
Subscriptions, and the free issue are available HERE.
Pros:
- Beautiful presentation of interesting content.
- The HD photos are breathtaking.
- The video and audio content are a pleasing extra.
- Love the idea of being able to download construction plans from the HÄUSER website.
Cons:
- One of the video interviews I viewed was in German, I was unable to find a way to listen to an English soundtrack or view English subtitles. A minor quibble.
*Note: The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion
