vernacular architecture | Real people don't hire architects...?

Posts Tagged ‘vernacular architecture’

Accidentally Modern

January 19, 2018

Fun opportunity to add color!

These are real and work too keep out sun and weather.

Difficult to say how important these are for protection from the elements but at least they are real and work.

These shutters are a design elements, act as awnings, and keep out the weather. Triple duty!

A while ago I wrote a post called “De-shuttering Our World.” I’m afraid it was not completely flattering to the application of most shutters, my biggest complaint(s) being that most are ill used, and don’t actually work.

All of the shutters in this post, on the other hand, actually work and serve, often multiple, and very real purposes. This may qualify them for my definition of classic, which brings me to the last photo on the bottom and the reason for this post, which is to inquire, “about what shutters have to do with classic design?” The answer: a lot when they work!

Does this mean that classic design is a product of function? Well yes I suppose it does. Certainly if one scours the architecture history books long treatises moralizing on the subject will quickly appear. Likewise function is seen as the classical root of many products, cars, software, even business systems. It would appear that form follows function is a classical standard. One that nicely applies to the little manufactured home in the bottom image.

The need to justify having thus been satisfied, I am now allowed to say that I picked the place because I like it. If I were looking for a sunny place to hang my hat I would take it in a heartbeat.

Classic manufactured home. I had to draw a picture because the photos of the house were copyrighted. Follow the link to see how it actually looks.

Why? It is all about function, i.e., metal siding, hurricane shutters, carport, porch enclosure, and fence, all are there for a reason, even its overall size and roof angle has clearly been designed to fit on the back of a delivery truck.

Nothing more is included. The construction materials look, manufactured, otherwise it is without decoration. Only the skirt around the base of the building, because of its color, hints at a bit of amplification. The house is austere, un-contrived, accidentally modern and therefore pretty special.

Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged manufactured homes, mobile homes, modern architecture, timeless standards, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

The feel good factor of unbridled color.

October 10, 2017

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Basic town house found in any town USA

Better than a tiny house? – This is the face of many pseudo urban commuter suburbs in the US. Not such bad places really, especially if one seeks the untroubled reverie of commonality, the refuge of normalcy in uncertain times. By many standards the place is actually a pillar of luxury. Who, with jobs, kids, grandkids, and stuff, could argue with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a big kitchen, actual dining room, “whatever” room, off street parking and a security system too. Why then, in the face of such naked functionality, does this place leave some of us feeling mildly depressed? I don’t think that I really want to know why, or more likely want to face it.

Admitting that color feels good! Rather than subject the reader to more dreary investigations, I thought it would be a lot more fun to look at what makes many of us feel good! That, of course, would be bold, bright, primary, unapologetic color.

Colorful historic downtown mixed use.

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Colorful townhouses.

Advocating for reinstatement. I often wonder why we have removed it from our visual life, demoted it to a position of the unsophisticated, even crass. I for one would like to see it reinstated. I wonder what the home owners association would say if the home owner in the photo above were to apply for approval to repaint the house as per below? Approval or not, it definitely makes me feel a lot better about the house.

Defying the HOA

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged architectural colors, architectural theory, curb appeal, design ideas, home owners, property values, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

Making a Case for Anomalies

July 18, 2017

Holy Cow! This looks a like the concept house in the header, begging the question; “do I own it or change it?”

Artistic Logic – Where do I start with this one? The temptation is to say what makes a home owner do things like this, until I think, “maybe the homeowner didn’t do it.” Maybe it was a builder? Probably not. Those guys are all about conformity and resale value. What/wherever the idea came from doesn’t matter. I looks pretty strange to most of us. Yet, I hesitate to criticize, because I somehow find artistic logic in what was done. Honestly, I see things like this in modern art museums all the time. There has been a kind of purists pursuit of geometry while totally ignoring everything else. The effect is humorous. It makes me smile which is not such a bad thing for a house to do.

Typical Vernacular House.

Vernacular Building – It also points to another interesting question. Is the split level house a form of “new” vernacular? What does that word mean? Wikipedia says it is “an architectural style that is designed based on local needs, availability of construction materials and reflecting local traditions..,” without the use of “…formally-schooled architects.” There are text books written on the subject, but I like this definition. It sums up how I think about vernacular building (notice that I did not call it architecture, but that is a subject for another day). The definition almost, but not quite, fits the split level place. There is a utilitarian and historical implication associated with vernacular buildings that often manifest as a foundation for some future style, or expression of a recognizable over riding unity. The split level house meets the utilitarian criteria but hardy the historical one. The log cabin meets them both.

Noteworthy? – Psychologist define many different ways of learning. I suppose that perception is particular to each individual and that mine is visual. Often, I see something noteworthy without any idea why. Only after some time and conscious analysis does the meaning reveal itself. For me the split level house is like that. It sent a message that read; ” I may be an anomaly but I am also an individual who is unconscious of, and therefore uninfluenced by, architectural and stylistic mores.” The message is totally unsophisticated. It redefines how we think about building and points toward a fresh approach to design, the pursuit of which being the reason for this this blog.

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged architectural anomolies, architectural theory, curb appeal, design ideas, home owners, new architecture, primitive hut, timeless standards, vernacular architecture | 2 Comments »

Simple Architecture: a place for the eye to rest?

May 10, 2017

Hi Hugh! This Hugh Newell Jacobsen.

Hugh Newell Jacobsen

is a semi famous, and as it happens, local architect; the kind that mostly architecture students and the “arts and croissants” crowd know about. As first year architecture students, way back in the 1990’s, we were once given the name of an important “architectural luminary” and told to copy his style. I remember having thought that I lucked out because I got Frank Lloyd Wright. My friend, on the other hand, got Hugh. Now I think that he was the lucky one.

If you look up Hugh Newell Jacobsen, Wikipedia will tell you that his architecture is simple. If you then decide to do a search on the term “simple architecture” you will find all manner of modern, very un-simple houses. You may even ask yourself, “what is simple? Is it definable?”

This is the house that Hugh built. Sorry you need to google him for images. I couldn’t find any that were labeled for reuse, so a drew a picture.

Good Question

One I will explore a bit here. The most important thing to know about simple architecture is that the architect is a decision maker, and I didn’t read this anywhere. I just know it. Architecture, like language is semiotic. Think of it as “logo-centric,” meaning just about every person who has ever lived in a house has some notion of how one should/does look. If there are 248 million adults living in the US, then it follows that an equal number of mirages make up the collective dictionary of residential architecture. Likewise, if you think of them as words, then it is not too difficult to see that Jacobsen decided to use only vowels to write his. He ended up with “Snoopy’s Dog House.” Of course, the decision forced him to use every sophisticated architectural trick in the book, i.e. scale, proportion, repetition, texture…, to design an ethereal dog house, simple to recognize, not simple to achieve.

Common Simplicity

Is it possible to find simplicity in our real low budget, often crowded, every day world? Is it possible to make these places ethereal? Us everyday, “non luminary” architects ask ourselves these questions all the time.

Take a look at these houses. What would it take to make them “ethereal?” Can a 3′ ribbon of grass fit between the raw yard and the house? Can the roof vents be moved to the back where they don’t show? Can the window frame be made to disappear into the building? Can the stair landing become a low deck extending the full width of the house? Can the railing become a panel type element to match the house? Can the siding be made from something besides vinyl?

The answer of course is yes to all. Do these changes make the places “ethereal?” Probably not. Maybe though, in today’s complex built environment, common simplicity is not a bad place for the eye to rest.

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged architectural theory, simple architecture, timeless standards, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

The seen can also see.

February 13, 2017

Land for Sale

House for Sale

Which is better, house or the hilltop?

Strip Mine

German Castle

Anyone who has driven down an interstate through a hilly or mountainous area in the US has seen these places. I often wonder what piece of psychology makes a home owner want to live on top of a mountain enough to cut off said mountain top?

Strip mining for example – I think I just compared a house to a strip mine – is understandable. Miners must cut off the mountain to get the coal, which makes them a lot of money. It is what they value. Big box retailers like Walmart do this too, which is also understandable. They want to be seen from the freeway. It brings them more customers.

Historically, people went to considerable trouble to build on promontories as an act of defense, because the locations were hard to attack. They were very visible, and of course, the seen can also see. Which may be key to my question. Maybe the mountain top home owner likes the view. For a second this is believable, certainly it is what he or she would tell anyone inclined to listen. Then one realizes that the little house half way down the hillside most likely has an equally breathtaking view, until a “Pile-A-House” was plunked into the main site line, that is!

Romantically – Has the mountain top home owner romanticized the historic castle? Does he or she think the pile of bricks, mortar, wood panels and asphalt shingles is somehow it’s equal, or perhaps better. Is there a place for the natural mountain top in this line of thinking?

Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer. I do wish they would stop it, though! One thing I know is that a good architect could fit a house up there without making the neighbor want to move. More population must mean less nature. Careful consideration of where not to build leads to challenges about how we actually do. Challenges best met by an architect.

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged green building, McMansion, sustainability, sustainable design, timeless standards, vernacular architecture, where not to build | Leave a Comment »

Who cares if architecture has a soul or not?

October 24, 2016

You guys all recognize these don’t you? Ok, maybe not!

Architecture with a Capital A: Some would say that these images demonstrate the foundation of Architecture, with a capital A. Whatever your opinion, they are proportioning systems with academic roots in the ancient world. They are all based on a thing called the “Golden Ratio” and, like it or not, they work. The temptation, which I will resist, is to go into a discussion of what they are and where they are used. A one minute google search will inform any unacquainted reader and spare me the trouble of saying again what others have said often and better.

Numerous examples of the golden ratio demonstrate that proportion appears everywhere in nature.

Proportion, based on the golden ratio, can be thought of as an infinitely expanding and contracting telescope of repeating pattern: rectangle exactly divide by a square, another rectangle divided by square, another rec…

Proportion is Indigenous: So, if not to explain, then why bring it up? Because proportion, as defined by the “Golden Ratio” is indigenous. It is part of nature, and when used in the built world, proceeds from the human condition; meaning that many, if not most, of us recognize, relate, find comfort, inspiration, and just plain beauty in an entity displaying proportional properties; those being, the parts relate to the whole and they do so in an organized way.

Has Proportion Disappeared? Sadly, proportion, at least in the classical sense discussed here, is mostly gone from our everyday built environment, and based on recent pursuits of everything green, it would seem like it is threatened in nature as well. Proportion, after all, depends on rules, on absolutes. They don’t do very well in a world where everything is relative.

Are classical proportions the soul of aesthetics?

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Consider this old house, built somewhere around 1900. I know this place well because my grandmother lived down the street. If style is the meter, it appears that some history of architecture book exploded onto its facade, typical Victorian, except for the 1960’s aluminum awnings and the 1990 standing seam metal roof. Somehow classical proportions, along with the historic references, crept into the design with happy results. It took very little effort to impose golden rectangles onto the picture, in spite of the perspective for which no attempt at correction was made. The whole is a harmony of parts, even suggesting that if the proportion is right, then the mismatched and mixed styles don’t matter.

Are aesthetics without a soul?

The exercise was much more difficult with this “house” and the one below. Indeed, I couldn’t make it work. No mater how many ways I scaled, rotated, moved, repeated, assembled, disassembled and reassemble the golden rectangle and its various parts, I could torture only a hint of classical proportions out of the image on the top and nothing from the one on the bottom.

Are aesthetics even necessary?

It is only fair for me to reveal that, for me, the two places above qualify for “McMansion” status, which is nicely itemized here: McMansion Hell. Does this disqualify me? Maybe not, since if my analysis is correct, carefully worked out proportions could save even a “McMansion!” If someone sends me additional examples, I am happy to try the exercise again. I’d rather, though, evoke a positive, if fleeting, response.

Maybe it is the other way around. Could classical proportions proceed from the soul?

This little building should have come first in this discussion, as it is what made me examine the composition of beauty that I found residing there. Like some parti for elegance, not only does it appear to be returning to nature, but from the standpoint of proportion, it just might be.

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect. | Tagged architectural theory, dead architects, design ideas, home owners, human scale, Le Corbusier, McMansion, modern architecture, proportion, timeless standards, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

What’s in a name?

May 18, 2016

: Some appreciate this,

: or long for this.

: Some remember this,

: or even this,

: more likely this.

: A few appreciate this.

: Many hope for this.

: A lot can afford this,

: or this,

: and live in this.

: Most end up with this.

: The lucky ones end up with this.

Name Dropping – Did you ever notice that real estate people like to insert the names of house styles into their conversations with potential buyers? “…nice to meet you. I have a move in ready Center Hall Colonial to show tomorrow.” or “…there is a Mid-Century Modern neighborhood that generates a lot of interest.” The local historical committee, of course, has raised name dropping to an art form. Here in Old Town they are the designated authority, champion and voice of all things Georgian and very present at all meetings of the local architectural review board.

Name Listing – There is a list of house styles on Wikipedia with which, truth be told, I have a lot of fun. I can’t wait to tell some realtor that I would like to see a Dingbat house? No kidding. It really exists! It is also possible to get creative and customize these terms. I actually thought of this a few years ago when a potential client brought a fist full of photos to a meeting. She repeatedly told me how much she like Regency style design. The photos were of mirrored replicas made into furniture and finishes of what appeared to be every decorative cliche ever invented by Thomas Sheraton, all of it originating from some shop like Pier One. What, I thought, would one call these? We could say Meta Modern or Pseudo Modern ( I will let you look those up) which seem to be buzz words that include all things previous. How about Post Modern Revival of Regency Revival? That ought to cover it. I think putting things into categories gives us a feeling of control. Although not much in the way of actual control.

Name Cancelling – Does not even the lowest budget shopper have a vision or image relating to his or her expectations about where they hope to live? Think cottage and white picket fence a là now deceased American Dream. What guides this? I don’t think it has anything to do with style, named or real, unless that style somehow fits into the larger world of the individual’s past residential experience, turned into a dream or not. Anyone looking to define a future stylistic paradigm might do well to flush out what is common in places we have lived in the recent past. No easy task in an increasingly small and populated world and further complicated by the manipulations of large scale planners defining a built environment according to their particular terms.

Name Hunting – I have a friend, raised in an urban apartment block, these days sporting a million plus house budget in a quaint suburban neighborhood and hard pressed to find an acceptable house. She has been conditioned to think of a house as a commodity, with stylistic taste leaning towards the McMansion, she will consider only new construction and is completely put off by a yard of any size. Her ideas about security and building in general are still involved with her roots in the apartment block. As a member of a larger similarly inclined shopping group, she is influencing the look of a neighborhood because developers do very good market research. They understand and deliver the absolute minimum that must be provided in order to satisfy this customer. Expanding a customer’s horizons is only part of the program to the extent necessary to sell a newly built home. More complex, better assimilated options are never offered and existing housing is mostly ignored.

Name Finding – The word “finding” may be a little misleading (it fit in the text). It is more as if a new style, rather than directly resulting from the search, just appears, although the looking is still required, and I might add, is considered to be a high intellectual activity in the world of architectural scholars. It is the result of a dialectical process, where the tension between the dominant old style and the emerging newer style become so great that the whole conflict collapses into something else. It is like the invisible whole, which is greater than the sum of the parts, suddenly becomes visible and Voila, a new style is there. This line of thinking, of course, comes from the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a favorite of mine, distained by many, and begging the question, what is the emerging new style? Is it already implemented? Will it be defined by the spatial needs of an expanding population or the desire to be “green?” Will it return to nature like a Hogan, or the earth like a Sod House. Maybe it will look like my favorite Parkitecture! Could we see a Modern Farmhouse, or how about a Star Wars version of the Rumah Gadang? That might work. Whatever the new name, I am pretty sure that some combination of its elements will be easy to locate in the afore mentioned list of house styles!

Images are used under Creative Commons from Flickr and Wikipedia or owned by the author. Please contact us for the links.

Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged architectural theory, dead architects, design ideas, home owners, McMansion, modern architecture, modernist, Post Modern Architecture, primitive hut, sustainability, sustainable design, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

Architecture: Density by Idea or Ideal

May 28, 2015

Recently the AIA launched a national campaign entitled “Look Up.”

Without going deep into the pros and cons of how successful the add is at raising awareness about what architects really do – REAL being the operative word – I would suggest that the ad is most inspiring to those who authored it; the rest of us, not so much. In the name of fairness, though, I decided to try it, looking up that is. As it turned out, it was not necessary to look very high. I found the perfect parti for high density green housing sitting on top of a back yard pole happily posted to flickr. This mini neighborhood of individuals suggests a happy counterpoint to the uniformity of developer housing. It makes me want to turn it into an apartment building.

Architecture is kind of an “old man’s” profession, or old woman’s as the case may be. This is not an accident. It is a necessity resulting from the years of experience required for a practitioner to develop the skill and knowledge base that enables him or her to actualize a successful project, a fact that is becoming ever more true as the information base steadily increases. Since, for “old men” looking back is unavoidable, long memories come with the territory and probably influence a design idea. Younger architects, unencumbered by memories, are more apt to look forward toward some design ideal. Somehow the advertising executives have pick up on the subtle difference between the idea and the ideal and come down decidedly in favor of the latter. The bird houses in the photo, on the other hand, sends us in pursuit of the former.

I wonder if Villa Savoye, completed by Le Corbusier at the beginning of his career when he was 41, is the result of and idea or an ideal? Either way, “Towards a New Architecture” clearly outlines a plan of action.

Idea or Ideal

a. transcendent entity that is a real pattern of which existing things are imperfect representations: idea

b. a standard of perfection : ideal

c. a plan for action : design

Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged AIA, architectural theory, design ideas, green building, Le Corbusier, sustainability, sustainable design, timeless standards, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

Church Living: evolution or devolution?

December 29, 2014

Church converted to a house.

For centuries architects have borrowed design ideas and details from religious buildings. If we were brutally honest, we might find that 75% of the designs found in a typical architectural history book first appeared on some religious building. That said, the elements were rearranged into some new form or use or usually both. For example we see the plan and form of an ancient Roman basilica evolved over time into high architecture as it combines with a myriad of other motifs to become the standard form used in the design of a Christian church.

Check out the garage. Can it be original?

These days we forgo the rearrange and reassemble part and jump directly to the reuse. How would you like to live here? First glance tells us that things could get a bit crowded, as one could never be sure that the good Lord deigned to move out. Also, what does one tell the parishioners who unwittingly show up for service on Sunday morning? No one thought to change the commercial entry to something with more residential appeal. There was, though, a salute to the all important automobile. Looks like someone added a two car garage. Maybe it is time to let some architect come up with a little devolution.

Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged converted church, dead architects, devolution, vernacular architecture | 1 Comment »

Architecture: “Street Style”

October 19, 2014

Quirky Street Style

Most news papers, fashion magazines, etc. have a section devoted to “street style.” Consider the popular “Glamour Does & Don’ts.” Some famous photographer goes out with a camera and snaps photos of fashionistas parading down Madison Avenue and “voila.” A trend is born. I keep thinking architects need a similar outlet. If such were the case I would nominate the building in the photo as a candidate for a feature article. It reminds me of the “Silly Architect” in a previous post. I truly wonder what the person who built this was thinking. I also wonder what it looks like inside and if windows face the back. Maybe there aren’t any, except for the little square one between the top of the door and he little birds nest porch above. Does someone stand on the porch and drop a rope to hoist up the groceries or maybe shout out to a friend on the street?

“Fashion Week of Architecture”

Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris, Milan, etc. express salient fantasies which finally end up on the backs of real people everywhere. Such is the purview of and industry afforded the practical luxury of experimentation, leading one to wish it were, likewise, possible to try out various styles on buildings. After all, architecture is generally thought of as a practice. Not so architecture of course. Time, costs, and all that prohibit, so we architects find ourselves resorting to all manner of media in an effort to represent an understandable idea or vision for a building. Computer and paper models, drawings, video simulations make up the “Fashion Weeks” of architecture and compared with the immediacy of the runway they fall terribly short. I prefer the “Street Style” approach. After all, it is at least real.

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Posted in Architectural Criticism, Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Hire an architect., Residential Design | Tagged Architectural Street Style, design ideas, Quirky Architecture, Street Style, vernacular architecture | Leave a Comment »

Real people don't hire architects…?

Posts Tagged ‘vernacular architecture’

Accidentally Modern

The feel good factor of unbridled color.

Making a Case for Anomalies

Simple Architecture: a place for the eye to rest?

Hugh Newell Jacobsen

Good Question

Common Simplicity

The seen can also see.

Who cares if architecture has a soul or not?

What’s in a name?

Architecture: Density by Idea or Ideal

Recently the AIA launched a national campaign entitled “Look Up.”

Church Living: evolution or devolution?

Architecture: “Street Style”

Quirky Street Style

“Fashion Week of Architecture”

Why & Where

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