Light + Openess"

One thing that has stood out during our first interaction with our client is that we have taken for granted that design is truly a visual language that not everyone speaks. Those of us who consider ourselves designers and artists, communicate through images, shapes, color and masses. We take for granted the specialized tools that we gained during our training in school, some tools that not everyone is well equipped with. I once did a project in my Design Processes class where we had to convey the meaning of certain words with nothing more than a simple black and white drawing in a 2”x 2” square. We had to define what words like “masculine, repetition, passion and connection” looked like 2-dimensionally. It felt foreign because it makes you treat words as individual objects and the forces you to be accurate with the definition you are giving them visually. Going along with this idea, it would ultimately make everything that we design a statement- a definitive solution or attempt at defining some form in space whether it is a hot pink stiletto, an art museum in LA or the next new gadget from Apple.
This area of thought is very important because as we define and make these statements of architecture, of fashion, of technology, we are thus creating physical relics if you will, on what our thoughts are at any point in time. I really feel that if you don't know clearly what you are want to say then you are just creating "stuff" that isn't really making a contribution to our society or the legacy that our generation is going to leave behind. We see those "blah blah blah" forms in architecture all over the place, some hideous building that was created without a lot of thought, those houses that were of the mind of making the builder the most money and costing the least to produce. What are those buildings going to look like 50 years from now. Will they even exist? Will they look as good or better than the day they were erected? Will the inhabitants of that space grow "out of" as opposed to "in to" their homes?

That is the state of mind that I am taking with me as we work on our first project. Of course, we are no Frank Gehry or Calatrava- but that doesn't mean we can't hold this project in the highest regard. It is our beginning and even if we never get another project ever again I want to look back at this and know that we gave it everything we have and made a positive contribution to the lives of the people we designed for as well as the community that the project resides in. I dont just want to create a bigger version of the house. This home is going to make a statement about us as designers, about the people that reside in it and the life they want to live.

The words that we have to define in this project are "light + openess."
.. uploaded sketches to follow... so far we are integrating natural light into every area we can. Doors that fold back into the walls in their great room that lead into the backyard, giving them that glorious indoor/outdoor experience. Smooth transitions from one room to another and setting up situations for them to take in the wonderful views of the green rolling hills behind their property... sounds pretty dreamy huh? zzzzzzzz