For years, actually for almost a century the “elite” architects of the world have been honing their skills in the art of exclusion.  Reductionism has reined supreme as the Holy Grail of the minimalist ideal, sought, pursued, and relentlessly forced upon the public.  The public has been too smart, they have not been fooled, and they have not been shamed into accepting it.  At the same time, these elite architects have “elevated” themselves into their own exclusive club.  A club so elevated, I believe they now dwell on the moon, or some other inhospitable planet. 

Real house actually built by a world famous architect.

Well that’s fine with me they can have their planet, good riddance.  Now that they have clearly left us, it is time for the rest of us to turn our eyes to the world of infinite possibilities where we can include things once deemed beneath us, and still to manage to do it beautifully.  This art is what I like to call the Art of inclusion. 

You are all welcome to the party; yes, even the elite are invited if they can accept the error of their ways.

So what do we include?  First, we should turn our attention to the most hurt, insulted, and frankly pissed off faction, the client. 

I have clients who build things they intend to use, love, and live in.  Places that they want to proudly call home or work.  Places in which they will dwell, where they will raise a family, feel cared for, cook, clean, entertain friends, relax, find solace, and sleep.  In the process of designing their home, they want to, need to, and have the right to have a voice, and have that voice respected.  Architects must see their client as a collaborator and partner in the process.  As another architect recently said, we are actors and the design process is a night at the improv.  This very accurate analogy perfectly captures the spirit of inclusion.  Architects must learn to bring our skills, experience, and our open minds to the table and leave preconceived ideas behind.  It can get messy when a client has an idea that perfectly messes up everything, but the truly talented and creative architect will struggle and find the kernel of truth that brings it all together into a cohesive whole.  We are singular beings built of disparate and conflicting pieces.  Yet, as individuals, we somehow build a life, and so as an architect dedicated to inclusivity, I must find a way to build a home or place of work, out of all the conflicting needs, desires, and dreams of my clients. 

My projects will never have the same look always being as unique as my clients. 

The result of this openness is always a happy client, that has great place to live in and experience, but a place that is inevitably difficult to photograph.  The greatest complement a photographer can give me is when they walk into one of my projects they love it and are excited to photograph it but once they get to work they just can’t capture it. My work is never set up as a stage set for the camera.  It is more set up as a stage set for life. I may create three dimensional space but I always include the fourth dimension, life.

I have been absent for a while but here I am getting back into the swing of things. The economy definitely seems to be picking up, such that I have been so busy I have neglected this blog. Everyone I speak with has definitely seen in increase in their work load which is great for all of us. It means buildings are being planned which means construction is on the way back. YAAAAY!

I want to take this restarting opportunity to tell you about a great charity I have become involved with called Sophia’s Heart. It was started by a guy by the name of Danny Gokey in memory of his late wife Sophia. They both had a passion for helping disadvantaged children and family’s. Sophia’s Heart is dedicated to helping homeless families by providing hope. Hope through the arts and the fostering of dreams. As a board member I am thrilled to a part of an organization that recognizes that dreams are the foundation of a truly successful, productive, and fulfilling life. By teaching and fostering dreams in the arts, Sophia’s Heart is encouraging the creative mind that is essential to success. Through education of both parents and children, instilling a work ethic, and job skills we are equipping families with the skills they need to lift themselves out of poverty.

Last year Sophia’s heart was given a large medical facility that we are in the process of converting into temporary residences for homeless family’s. While we put a roof over their heads, and keep them well fed we are equipping them to move forward in life. Through education in choir, music, dance, film, etc. we are helping children and parents find their strengths and their confidence.

So as the economy improves, and your situation improves, remember those that are still hurting. Check out the website and keep in touch for upcoming events and ways that you can help. This is a program unlike any other any where. This is charity for the homeless done the way it should be done.

http://www.sophiasheart.org/

So what is sustainable and what does it really mean if you are considering building a new house?  Some would have you believe that it is just about using the latest certified materials, good insulation, and solar panels or geothermal, or some kind of new “green” technology.  A lot of the buzz around “green” building is stuck very much in the fad mode of thinking. It’s the latest cause you’re supposed to be interested in.  The reality is much simpler, much broader, and much more radical for today’s American society. Live simple  

We have somehow allowed ourselves to be told that we need to buy more stuff to get this economy going. Buying lots of stuff is the American way? When did our national identity get caught up in the act of consuming? Rabid consumption is NOT sustainable. To suggest that to survive as a nation we must consume more is a suggestion that sits on top of the pinnacle of extreme absurdity.  Those who settled this country survived on what ever they could find around them. They were not consumers. They were producers, and they produced what they needed, then produced for the country, then the world. That is a sustainable model of living.  

 We live in a world where garbage is pretty much all that is produced.  Most things are made for a very short shelf live. This is a concept consciously implemented by manufacturers.  If they make things that don’t last very long then you will have to buy more very soon. Sounds like a sustainable business model, except we, the rabid consumers, along with the environment, are the patsies in the scheme. This unsustainable model of living represents a constant drain on our wallets and a constant source of material for landfills.   

So this gets us back to architecture and green living, which begins with sustainable living habits and building practices.  The housing bubble was built on the foundation of houses that will last for maybe 30 years. Some of theses houses are so badly built they are tear downs today. Speculative builders are literally building garbage. These houses will overwhelm our landfills in 30 years or sooner. Houses that were built in the ‘60s and ‘70s are now being torn down as out of date and unsalvageable. They were the beginning of the speculative market, and by today’s standards they were well built.  

One alternative to going to the land fill

As a nation, even as a species, we cannot sustain this way of dwelling, and we are making ourselves miserable trying to do so. As Americans we tend to have houses that are way too big to maintain, with spaces that are so specialized that we rarely use them. Many of these uses could be utilized within a single well-designed space, or even be built communally and shared.  We put a lot of money into houses that are consuming huge amounts of income and always stressing out about how we don’t have enough money.   This economy is tough, but it is also a really good reality check.    

We need to find our way forward into a simpler way of living. A way of living that doesn’t require too much stuff.  We need to understand that building cheap is not building smart. We need to take responsibility for our presence on the earth.  We also need to build beautiful houses that inspire us to want to keep them.   If it is a beautiful house that you want to maintain you will be more likely to do it. If the house is well designed to take advantage of natural air circulation, and the seasonal changes of the sun you will have a house that is a living structure.  

Air movement can be created even on a day with no breeze

You will take joy in opening windows, sitting outside in the shaded porch, feeling the breeze of fresh air, and the warmth of a sun-filled room in the winter. If it is designed with a strong connection to the outside you will be more likely to use those outdoor spaces as living becomes more seamless.  You will take pride in owning a home that you know will be there for generations. There is a definite calming effect of living in a home that is simple and uncluttered, that meets your needs efficiently and clearly, that is scaled to fit you and your family.  People used to build this way. We can learn a lot from the way they did, but we have also learned a great deal since then and new technologies can work sustainably and should be considered.  

 I hear from so many people that are looking to downsize and simplify. This attitude is a growing trend and it is a wonderful sustainable trend. If you are interested in looking at sustainable living further, a good book to read is “The Original Green” by Steve Mouzon. He examines the old way of building and defines a good foundation for sustainability. A glance backward can also mean a more defined step forward and incorporating the many new and bright sustainable technologies available. In all things, we must ask the question of whether or not it will last for generations and is the maintenance simple enough that we can routinely do it ourselves.

Architecture and it’s creation is an ongoing process. I truly feel like it isn’t done until it’s built. I once knew of an architect who was a good business man but the designs that emanated from his office where mediocre at best. He felt that the process of creating a design, then figuring out the details, then drawing it, then building it was a rigid law of nature that could not be altered. Once the initial design was done, then, design was done. You put down your creative brain and pick the technical one. 

My brain is incapable of following this rule, every decision and every meeting and turn of events is an opportunity to make the project better. Never ever let the design slip or become compromised no matter how much money needs to be taken out. Even cheaper can be better. Frank Gehry got his start and initial recognition by doing great and innovative design on a budget. He realized it was about concept, form and light, not about money. Although now he is known for designing some of the most expensive buildings in the world. Look at his own house, all 2×4, site glazed glass, chain link fence and corrugated metal. Great forms, cheap materials. 

Frank Gehry’s current home, a Santa Monica bungalow he famously renovated in 1978. 

Every decision that is made is a design decision and the work never stops. I recently finished the drawings for a Fitness center that is moving to town. Impact Fitness will occupy a building I designed as a rehab for a couple of years ago. The owners really want a cool hip club feel. Something gritty and strong. He was looking at buying an antique bar for his bar/check in counter when I suggested having a metal one fabricated. Metal man enters stage right, we meet, and begin talking about a distressed metal look with rivets. Way cool. Then we start looking around the space, there is a curved wall I was going to have covered in corrugated metal, pretty conventional these days but inexpensive. We then start talking about covering it in steel distressed plates, very cool. but I really felt like it needed color but painting and distressing the whole thing was to much money. So to limit the paint I suggested stencil their name and logo on it then distressing that , They loved the idea and then thought of using there mission statement Impact life, impact health, impact fitness. way cool. This is the sort of synergy and openness that allows really great design to happen. I don’t remember who thought of what but we worked together as a team and came up with a great design and it was tons of fun. All of this was done after the drawings were complete. People love being creative and they love being a part of the creative process. We are all creative beings. 

I recently completed a house that went through a pretty serious cost cutting exercise. One part that was getting a lot of scrutiny was the pool pavilion. It was stone and timber and was pushed right up to the edge of the pool to use it as a reflecting pond. I had this grand structure with an arched dormer, double step back facade facing the pool, multiple stone columns, there was a bath, a kitchen a solid back wall, all of the bells and whistles. 

Proposed Pavilion

I was very proud of it but money had to be cut. So we started whittling. We found another place for the out side bath, the kitchen wasn’t necessary the arch and step backs over complicated things the height was more than the owners wanted. We spent two hours reworking this thing. At one point I desperately wanted to escape to the seclusion of my drafting board and do my own thing without any one watching. This was my baby we were taking apart. But we persisted and it actually ended up better than what I had started with. It’s simple, strong, and well proportioned. 

Architects can go to far and sometimes the wisdom of his client needs to be heeded. Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to cover the concrete surfaces of fallingwater with gold leaf. Thankfully his client didn’t want to, and Wright uncharacteristically listened. For this reason an architect needs to pick his clients as carefully as his clients pick him. There has to be mutual respect. 

Ok enough rambling. I’ve made several points here but I guess if I have to whittle it down I can go with two. Design never stops and clients are smart too. These things may seem obvious but isn’t that the way it always turns out. Some of our best lessons in life are the things we already knew.

This post addresses questions you may be thinking about when it comes to engaging an architect.  Questions and comments welcomed.

Do I need an architect?

Most people who ask themselves this question immediately begin to look for a legal answer trying to figure out if the law requires an architect’s stamp on their drawings.  So lets make this simple, in Tennessee,  if it is a commercial building the answer is yes if it is a residence the answer is no.

Boy that was easy, and makes for a very short first blog entry.

Guess what, I’m not going to leave it there. In order to really answer that question there really needs to be an understanding of what an architect does.   So,…..

What does an architect do?

Much better question, which I find a lot of people don’t really understand the answer too, including my own mother. As many times as I try to explain it, she is constantly surprised, so let me try to lay it all out right here and now so that in my future entries we have a good foundation and understanding of where I am coming from.

First let me make it clear that making the drawings are really a very small part of what we do. Yes it is part of it, but really those drawings are the by product of what is actually a service. That’s right, architects are service providers. So if all you want, is for your architect to draw up a set of plans based on something you’ve seen in a magazine you are really missing out on what we do.

The big picture is that an architect is that person who has the experience in construction and planning that will guide you through all of the decisions that need to be made during a construction project. This guidance takes the form of planning, by knowing ahead of time the decisions that will be required rather than waiting until the tile contractor is there with mortar and trowel wanting to know what tile you want to use.  This planning takes place way ahead of time, it takes place on paper where changes are much less expensive, and most importantly, it takes place with a guide, who is trained to listen to you, your needs, your desires, and your particular and peculiar way of living and working.

The drawings are nothing more than the documentation of the decisions made during planning. Documented in such a way that a builder can then construct what has been decided. Remember also that the experience an architect brings to the table allows him to anticipate potential construction problems or issue and help you to either steer clear of them or at the very least minimize their impact, again way before construction starts. The last thing you want is to discover that something is a problem after or while it is being built. That can become very expensive.

So, what happens after the drawings are done?  Since the drawings are not the primary goal of an architect’s endeavors, the beginning of construction is not usually the end of his services. Again your architect is there as your experienced guide throughout your project. He can be invaluable in choosing your contractor by evaluating their costs and helping you to understand if they’re realistic or not. Your architect is an objective observer of the construction costs. He can help you determine if the contractor has done the work he is asking to be paid for.

Once construction begins the architect is there to help you deal with questions that will always arise. No matter how much planning there is ahead of time there are always questions and decisions that need to be made. The architect is there as the one person who has the finished building in his head and can guide your though the decisions with the end in mind, with a full understanding of how those decision will affect the final building.  If errors are made during construction he can be invaluable in deciding how best to deal with them.

Yes this is a big broad brush look at what an architect will do, but understanding what an architect does helps you, I hope, to understand that if you are about to build something, you need an architect whether the city requires you to have one or not.  Even if you think you know exactly what you want it could prove invaluable to have an architect evaluate what you want to do and see if he may have any additional thoughts.  He is that person that helps you avoid all of the nightmares you here about from your friend’s experiences.

Then, of course, even after realizing you need an architect you will easily convince yourself that you can’t afford one, because architects are of course only for the very wealthy. The real question is one of value added.  Is there a return on that investment?  It is not very difficult to imagine that even one avoided bad decision or error could save you at least a 10% increase in the cost of you project. Once that happens your architect has earned his fee.  There is also the added benefit of being happy with the place that you will be living your life or spending your work week or asking your employees to spend their work week.  There are numerous studies that show a significant increase in worker productivity in a well designed built environment.  The stress and satisfaction that the architect/advocate brings to the table has enormous value. I have heard so many stories of people starting a project with a fixed budget in mind and by the end of construction the cost is over budget and they are in serious trouble without any idea of how they got there. Although your architect cannot guarantee a budget he can help guide you through the process in such a way that any decisions you make to go over your original budget are understood and they are a conscious decision made before construction starts. The goal is no surprises.