As a residential architect specializing in the shingle style, I have decided to try and design an architecturally “A+” 2100 (amended to 2721 sqft) square foot house to make available to the masses for a low cost compared to my one off designs for full service fees. The style will be Neo-New England vernacular design; very simple and boxy to save money, analogous to a traditional cape or colonial, but putting a focus on architectural design and material quality rather than traditional fluff.
Just out of curiosity, what program are you using to build this model in? It looks very time consuming, I really hope you are pretty sure about the whole modular block concept.
Also, what sort of thermal properties will the blocks have? Can you insulate them effectively?
I'm not trying to rain on your parade- the blocks looks very cool! I just hope this doesn't turn into a dead end for you. Of course, it's your design and your time, so as long as your enjoying the process, that's all that really matters. But I suspect it's starting the perhaps become tedious (although it looks like you getting close to finished.)
Good questions. I am using Sketchup 7.0. It is free. Once I built the blocks in 3d, I am literally building the house block by block, or in groups. Connecting items or groups in 3d can get kind of finicky at times, and tends to make one drink more, but I am enjoying the process.
Now to your big question, why waste all this time? Christopher, this is all a “cardboard” to me. Part of my discussion early in the blog is where I should actually take this exercise. I am trying the inane, cutting edge. I am trying to push the envelope first. Guess what, sometimes when you do this you end nowhere at the end. I am ok taking that risk. The alterative was to design another one of 20 million houses. Again, I may end up starting again and using my own shingle style vocabulary to build a real house, but I wanted to try something bigger first.
The blocks don’t exist. If I get the design through schematic design, and I am happy with it, I begin the process of contacting companies to see if the blocks can be made. I have considered so many options for the modular system, from recycled concrete composite, to fiberglass veneer. Really… why not consider anything? To me, the unfinished enduring aspect of a protective veneer (that is cost effective,) is very intriguing to me.
Again, I was hoping to allow someone to follow me through a real design process… one almost separated from the typical restrictions of reality of material and budget (like in college,) so they might sense what “out of the box” experimentation is, and how it can add latent design power to a ending design. Remember, at the end of the day, do I really think I am going to make any real money selling this plan? It’s certainly not why I am doing it, it is for CORA first.
As I said yesterday on the CORA board…to me, CORA is about educating the public about good design. I hope this can seen as a design exercise and exploration first.
2 comments:
Just out of curiosity, what program are you using to build this model in? It looks very time consuming, I really hope you are pretty sure about the whole modular block concept.
Also, what sort of thermal properties will the blocks have? Can you insulate them effectively?
I'm not trying to rain on your parade- the blocks looks very cool! I just hope this doesn't turn into a dead end for you. Of course, it's your design and your time, so as long as your enjoying the process, that's all that really matters. But I suspect it's starting the perhaps become tedious (although it looks like you getting close to finished.)
Hi Christopher,
Good questions. I am using Sketchup 7.0. It is free. Once I built the blocks in 3d, I am literally building the house block by block, or in groups. Connecting items or groups in 3d can get kind of finicky at times, and tends to make one drink more, but I am enjoying the process.
Now to your big question, why waste all this time? Christopher, this is all a “cardboard” to me. Part of my discussion early in the blog is where I should actually take this exercise. I am trying the inane, cutting edge. I am trying to push the envelope first. Guess what, sometimes when you do this you end nowhere at the end. I am ok taking that risk. The alterative was to design another one of 20 million houses. Again, I may end up starting again and using my own shingle style vocabulary to build a real house, but I wanted to try something bigger first.
The blocks don’t exist. If I get the design through schematic design, and I am happy with it, I begin the process of contacting companies to see if the blocks can be made. I have considered so many options for the modular system, from recycled concrete composite, to fiberglass veneer. Really… why not consider anything? To me, the unfinished enduring aspect of a protective veneer (that is cost effective,) is very intriguing to me.
Again, I was hoping to allow someone to follow me through a real design process… one almost separated from the typical restrictions of reality of material and budget (like in college,) so they might sense what “out of the box” experimentation is, and how it can add latent design power to a ending design. Remember, at the end of the day, do I really think I am going to make any real money selling this plan? It’s certainly not why I am doing it, it is for CORA first.
As I said yesterday on the CORA board…to me, CORA is about educating the public about good design. I hope this can seen as a design exercise and exploration first.
Fondly,
David
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