Thursday, April 07, 2005
I fixed the broken link
Sorry to anyone who tried to look at the architect plans via the link in my previous post... I messed up on the url to link to the slideshow. It's fixed now. I've also added a link to it in the Background bit on the right hand menu, to make it easier to find in future!
the 1st set of architect plans
The mail gods were kind to us... the first set of house plans which Eric prepared turned up yesterday. That's only about a week to get from Australia to London, which is pretty good. I'd thought we'd be lucky if they came before the weekend.
There are 3 options in total, each made up of several A3 pages. This made them a bit difficult to scan, but Dave painstakingly did it in sections and then pieced it all together into a slideshow. You can view them here.
Last night Dave and I spent several hours pouring over them. At this stage, the idea isn't to pick a particular plan, but rather to use them as a series of "what if's". We decided to do it by picking out all the things we liked and all the didn't like about each plan. Dave also went back to the original (incredibly detailed) brief we'd sent, just to remind himself of all the things we'd discussed.
Overall, we have a whole lot of comments on every plan, and some plans sparked ideas that weren't in any of them! Tonight, after we've had a night and a day to think them over, I'll try to write up our thoughts on each option. Right now, if you forced us to pick our favourite of the 3, we agreed it would be option A... but, there are lots of things about option B that we really like too, especially the outer appearance... what I call the "house's face"! In fact, option B is my favourite from the outside. Also, there are a lot of things about option A, as it stands, that we don't like. Anyway, no more commenting for now!.. I'll just finish with an extract from Eric's letter giving his explanation of each plan.
Eric says...
What to look for
"At this stage, I often like to look at very general aspects of the designs like the locations of certain rooms in relation to other rooms. Also, the general look and feel of the buldings. Note any specific features like storage or room sizes that work better than others.
Option A probably comes the closest to strictly answering the design brief. It has the main rooms discussed so far. I've added a walk through dining area because I reasoned that if 10-12 people are visiting for a big meal, it could be difficult to set up a table in a room normally used for something else (therefore losing the use of that room).
Option B would be my preferred direction for the house to take. I like that it is simple and ordered, but less rigid than option A. The form is asymmetrical and the internal spaces connect in more subtle ways than simply walls and doors.
Option C is the black sheep of these options. it is included as a contrast to the other two. Single storey and the courtyard configured differently. Spaces like the study and cooking/eating areas are quite different and shown for discussion purposes.
Siting. I've generally adopted the concept of the buildings being linked together by the private, inward looking garden space. I'll be interested in your thoughts about this"
Summary
"The goal of this early concept stage is to better understand the design problem. On the one hand, this includes understanding the site features which affect the design. On the other hand, a refined understanding of what we want out of the building. At the second design cycle, these can be put together into a good solid concept which suits both your brief and the site. Since I have been absorbed with these designs for the last few weeks, I naturally have some opinions about which options I think work the best, but also encourage you to form some independent opinions of your own."
This is my first experience working with an architect but so far, I am very happy. I would have struggled to get anywhere near to what Eric has done in translating my ideas of rooms and sense of what a space should "feel" like, into practical layouts. If anyone's looking for an architect I whole-heartedly recommend him. Even though he lives in a country town in Australia at the moment, as demonstrated by my experiences he isn't put off by the idea of working with someone on the other side of the world! He's from Oregon originally too, which is one of the things I liked... it means he knows a lot about older styles of building in America (many of which are influences for me), which your typical Australian architect probably wouldn't. So if anyone reading this is thinking about getting some architect input, especially if you're interested in sustainable, energy-efficient building, he might be your answer. Best of all, he charges a flat rate for the first two design cycles, which I found very reassuring compared to other architects where the prices felt open-ended.
There are 3 options in total, each made up of several A3 pages. This made them a bit difficult to scan, but Dave painstakingly did it in sections and then pieced it all together into a slideshow. You can view them here.
Last night Dave and I spent several hours pouring over them. At this stage, the idea isn't to pick a particular plan, but rather to use them as a series of "what if's". We decided to do it by picking out all the things we liked and all the didn't like about each plan. Dave also went back to the original (incredibly detailed) brief we'd sent, just to remind himself of all the things we'd discussed.
Overall, we have a whole lot of comments on every plan, and some plans sparked ideas that weren't in any of them! Tonight, after we've had a night and a day to think them over, I'll try to write up our thoughts on each option. Right now, if you forced us to pick our favourite of the 3, we agreed it would be option A... but, there are lots of things about option B that we really like too, especially the outer appearance... what I call the "house's face"! In fact, option B is my favourite from the outside. Also, there are a lot of things about option A, as it stands, that we don't like. Anyway, no more commenting for now!.. I'll just finish with an extract from Eric's letter giving his explanation of each plan.
Eric says...
What to look for
"At this stage, I often like to look at very general aspects of the designs like the locations of certain rooms in relation to other rooms. Also, the general look and feel of the buldings. Note any specific features like storage or room sizes that work better than others.
Option A probably comes the closest to strictly answering the design brief. It has the main rooms discussed so far. I've added a walk through dining area because I reasoned that if 10-12 people are visiting for a big meal, it could be difficult to set up a table in a room normally used for something else (therefore losing the use of that room).
Option B would be my preferred direction for the house to take. I like that it is simple and ordered, but less rigid than option A. The form is asymmetrical and the internal spaces connect in more subtle ways than simply walls and doors.
Option C is the black sheep of these options. it is included as a contrast to the other two. Single storey and the courtyard configured differently. Spaces like the study and cooking/eating areas are quite different and shown for discussion purposes.
Siting. I've generally adopted the concept of the buildings being linked together by the private, inward looking garden space. I'll be interested in your thoughts about this"
Summary
"The goal of this early concept stage is to better understand the design problem. On the one hand, this includes understanding the site features which affect the design. On the other hand, a refined understanding of what we want out of the building. At the second design cycle, these can be put together into a good solid concept which suits both your brief and the site. Since I have been absorbed with these designs for the last few weeks, I naturally have some opinions about which options I think work the best, but also encourage you to form some independent opinions of your own."
This is my first experience working with an architect but so far, I am very happy. I would have struggled to get anywhere near to what Eric has done in translating my ideas of rooms and sense of what a space should "feel" like, into practical layouts. If anyone's looking for an architect I whole-heartedly recommend him. Even though he lives in a country town in Australia at the moment, as demonstrated by my experiences he isn't put off by the idea of working with someone on the other side of the world! He's from Oregon originally too, which is one of the things I liked... it means he knows a lot about older styles of building in America (many of which are influences for me), which your typical Australian architect probably wouldn't. So if anyone reading this is thinking about getting some architect input, especially if you're interested in sustainable, energy-efficient building, he might be your answer. Best of all, he charges a flat rate for the first two design cycles, which I found very reassuring compared to other architects where the prices felt open-ended.
Monday, April 04, 2005
plants for the secret garden: part 1
OK, this is the last post for the night, then I think I have caught up except for the Vacola bottles... but that story is too good to rush!
Last week, Prue asked me for my ideal list of plants for the "secret garden", so she could think about the layout - most importantly, the kind of protection it would need from the elements and sizing.
Here's the list I sent her. I know it will change, and suspect some things are just total wishful thinking, but figured I may as well start with it all.
* Ferns
* Hydrangeas, underplanted with sweet woodruff
* Rodgeresia
* Japanese anenomes
* Helleborus
* Ligularia but only the kinds with tall flower spikes (e.g.,
Ligularia przewalskii), not Ligularia dentata that has flowers I think
look like weeds
* Great plants that have catkins in winter like wintersweet,
witchhazel (especially twisted branches)
* A plant whose name escapes me but it dies back to nothing in winter and then in spring resurfaces, growing foliage that looks a bit like a large maidenhair fern, with flowers on tall stems that are quite small but kind of droopy, look like little fronds of torn material. It was
really popular here last year and I've grown fond of it, we have quite
a few in our front garden in pale pinks and whites [UPDATE: I later remembered this is a variant of Dicentra]
* Clematis x lots
* Scabiosa (pincushion plant)
* Bulbs like crocus, bluebells, snowdrops, snakeshead frittilias - ie:
the more delicate woodland ones, not just blowsy daffodils!
* Moss - not sure if it's something you plant or a fungus that just
happens, but I love moss. We have whole patches of it in our lawn now that Dave is very protective of!
* And totally off the scale... gunnera manicuta if it's possible (aka
giant rhubarb, the kind that's big enough to walk under in summer but
that dies back to ground level in winter)
* Maybe even a camellia with pale colour / white flowers?
Last week, Prue asked me for my ideal list of plants for the "secret garden", so she could think about the layout - most importantly, the kind of protection it would need from the elements and sizing.
Here's the list I sent her. I know it will change, and suspect some things are just total wishful thinking, but figured I may as well start with it all.
* Ferns
* Hydrangeas, underplanted with sweet woodruff
* Rodgeresia
* Japanese anenomes
* Helleborus
* Ligularia but only the kinds with tall flower spikes (e.g.,
Ligularia przewalskii), not Ligularia dentata that has flowers I think
look like weeds
* Great plants that have catkins in winter like wintersweet,
witchhazel (especially twisted branches)
* A plant whose name escapes me but it dies back to nothing in winter and then in spring resurfaces, growing foliage that looks a bit like a large maidenhair fern, with flowers on tall stems that are quite small but kind of droopy, look like little fronds of torn material. It was
really popular here last year and I've grown fond of it, we have quite
a few in our front garden in pale pinks and whites [UPDATE: I later remembered this is a variant of Dicentra]
* Clematis x lots
* Scabiosa (pincushion plant)
* Bulbs like crocus, bluebells, snowdrops, snakeshead frittilias - ie:
the more delicate woodland ones, not just blowsy daffodils!
* Moss - not sure if it's something you plant or a fungus that just
happens, but I love moss. We have whole patches of it in our lawn now that Dave is very protective of!
* And totally off the scale... gunnera manicuta if it's possible (aka
giant rhubarb, the kind that's big enough to walk under in summer but
that dies back to ground level in winter)
* Maybe even a camellia with pale colour / white flowers?
more on Geoffrey Jellicoe
I just found this site which gives a good background of him and even has some pictures. I am quite intrigued by Shute... here is a picture of one of the water courses, I like the combination of informal and formal.
update on the trees
The trees we planted on our visit back last October are surviving, mostly, but with no thanks to the local fauna! I think the fruit trees were the worst hit... they were the biggest so easier to reach over the wire. It was Dave's birthday on Saturday and for his birthday present his Mum & Dad are going to plant a few replacement fruit trees for the few that have died. We've not done too badly though (she says, hastily touching the wooden top of the table) considering they've been for over 5 weeks without rain and watering only every 2 weeks. Just have to hope that the gum trees don't succumb to frost when winter comes, can't be too far off it now there.
Extracts from Mum's email - 24th March 2005
"Up there 1 or 1.15pm. Dad set to showing me the container (very good) and starting to work on the trees, for winter. I went off to visit as pre-arranged a lady on the genie email lists who lives in Carisbrook just the other side of Maryborough. I got back about 5 (having gone to butcher in Carisbrook, he is famous, and the bank and bakery in Maryborough) to water the olive trees and found Dad was only half way along them fixing the enclosures and had done nothing else. Almost all of them have been pruned by eager rabbits possums kangaroos sheep - one or several or all of them. The wire was up six inches from ground in some cases, floppy in others, not joined at the seams in some, bent and bashed, posts bent / knocked over.. so Dad was repairing them and wiring them down and.. he stopped that and went to do some gum trees (ditto for their cages) to let me water. The olives were very thirsty.. and some have the water run off straight away as they were not planted in a little ditch it seems. I ended up putting about 4 taps on on each line and letting them go for ages, very slowly. They got a good drink each I think. We left at 6.30 and had tea at Talbot hotel. Dad thinks - I agree - that as there is no green anywhere apart from the trees where we water, and no rain not a drop even for about 6 weeks up there, that the creatures want something juicy and green and so work harder to reach your trees. Still, all the olive trees are OK and those that have been well pruned are all shooting new growth. The gums look fine as you drive along too but I did not get a closeup look"
Extracts from Mum's email - 24th March 2005
"Up there 1 or 1.15pm. Dad set to showing me the container (very good) and starting to work on the trees, for winter. I went off to visit as pre-arranged a lady on the genie email lists who lives in Carisbrook just the other side of Maryborough. I got back about 5 (having gone to butcher in Carisbrook, he is famous, and the bank and bakery in Maryborough) to water the olive trees and found Dad was only half way along them fixing the enclosures and had done nothing else. Almost all of them have been pruned by eager rabbits possums kangaroos sheep - one or several or all of them. The wire was up six inches from ground in some cases, floppy in others, not joined at the seams in some, bent and bashed, posts bent / knocked over.. so Dad was repairing them and wiring them down and.. he stopped that and went to do some gum trees (ditto for their cages) to let me water. The olives were very thirsty.. and some have the water run off straight away as they were not planted in a little ditch it seems. I ended up putting about 4 taps on on each line and letting them go for ages, very slowly. They got a good drink each I think. We left at 6.30 and had tea at Talbot hotel. Dad thinks - I agree - that as there is no green anywhere apart from the trees where we water, and no rain not a drop even for about 6 weeks up there, that the creatures want something juicy and green and so work harder to reach your trees. Still, all the olive trees are OK and those that have been well pruned are all shooting new growth. The gums look fine as you drive along too but I did not get a closeup look"
more snippets on the hobbit hole
just wanted to jot this down for future posterity... I love all Dad's dreamings about the "hobbit hole"! (This is his name for the rammed earth /stone holiday cottage he's building on the steep hill at the far corner of our property)
He writes:
"I have bought the two tanks for the hobbithole, and by the time you come again it will be a pretty comfortable abode for short stays. Making a shower room is one of the plans, using the old firestove of Mum's for heating water and warmth. This will later be used as a sauna. There will be a baker's oven in the hobbithole to heat it and to cook on and to heat water. But that is a long way off".
I've bought him a digital camera as a present so now it will be a lot easier for him to take photos. I feel like I haven't seen anything of what's been happening there for ages!
He writes:
"I have bought the two tanks for the hobbithole, and by the time you come again it will be a pretty comfortable abode for short stays. Making a shower room is one of the plans, using the old firestove of Mum's for heating water and warmth. This will later be used as a sauna. There will be a baker's oven in the hobbithole to heat it and to cook on and to heat water. But that is a long way off".
I've bought him a digital camera as a present so now it will be a lot easier for him to take photos. I feel like I haven't seen anything of what's been happening there for ages!
Sunday, April 03, 2005
we bought a shipping container
I had a bad patch with work recently (in that there was too much of it!) and fell behind posting... I just realised I hadn't mentioned the recent big purchase of the shipping container yet, so here goes..
It was something we'd been toying with for a while, but Dad resurrected the idea. One of the problems we have is that because we don't live in Australia, we don't have anywhere other than our parents houses to store things. That's OK provided there's not too much stuff, but it just seems to be ballooning now we know we'll be moving back there at some point. Like with the Vacola bottles (that's for the next post).
Anyway, in Australia you can buy second-hand old steel freight containers for a few thousand dollars, which effectively can function as an instant - and very very secure - shed. Dad found one for sale at a place near Geelong which seemed perfect for what we needed so he bought it on our behalf on impulse. It was delivered a fortnight ago and put between the driveway and the dam, near the entrance. You can just see the top of it over the dam wall from the house. Obviously it doesn't look that pretty but we can disguise it eventually with planting; or even build a mock shed around it if need be!
Here's the description of it in Dad's words...
Extract from email from Dad - Mar 6, 2005
"I had not intended to do more than sus (the container) out and make a decision after comparing Melbourne and Geelong based firms. One of the difficulties when buying something in an "as is" state, is there are various conditions you can find containers in, some of which render them to a short life in the open unless roofed. All the firms suggest coming out to look at the item before buying. I looked as 20 footers, 40 footers, and a cutdown version only 10 foot. His were in good condition, and then he said he had one he could sell more cheaply. I had looked at the 40 footer, and found out that whereas the cost of a container 20 foot is 2100 plus delivery of 328 from his farm, the cost of the 40 footer was only 2300, but delivery was more expensive due to the more difficult offloading technique. I said I wanted one only a bit bigger than 20 foot because spouting and pipes come stocklength at exactly 6 m and the inside of a 20 footer is only 5.8 m. He then showed me a one-off container that had been bought by him from a plumber... He offered the container for 1600 and it contains lovely shelving, has an extension of 18 inches at one end, is wired for powerpoint, and has two vents in it for air circulation, which are covered with very heavy mesh. It also had brackets for blocking the doors closed with a large steel "I" beam, but he didn't have the beam formerly used. I arranged for him to fit his self-designed covered security locking system so the paddlock is protected from bolt cutters or sawing off, or barring off. I also arranged for him to make another beam to block the doors with a further level of security".
It was something we'd been toying with for a while, but Dad resurrected the idea. One of the problems we have is that because we don't live in Australia, we don't have anywhere other than our parents houses to store things. That's OK provided there's not too much stuff, but it just seems to be ballooning now we know we'll be moving back there at some point. Like with the Vacola bottles (that's for the next post).
Anyway, in Australia you can buy second-hand old steel freight containers for a few thousand dollars, which effectively can function as an instant - and very very secure - shed. Dad found one for sale at a place near Geelong which seemed perfect for what we needed so he bought it on our behalf on impulse. It was delivered a fortnight ago and put between the driveway and the dam, near the entrance. You can just see the top of it over the dam wall from the house. Obviously it doesn't look that pretty but we can disguise it eventually with planting; or even build a mock shed around it if need be!
Here's the description of it in Dad's words...
Extract from email from Dad - Mar 6, 2005
"I had not intended to do more than sus (the container) out and make a decision after comparing Melbourne and Geelong based firms. One of the difficulties when buying something in an "as is" state, is there are various conditions you can find containers in, some of which render them to a short life in the open unless roofed. All the firms suggest coming out to look at the item before buying. I looked as 20 footers, 40 footers, and a cutdown version only 10 foot. His were in good condition, and then he said he had one he could sell more cheaply. I had looked at the 40 footer, and found out that whereas the cost of a container 20 foot is 2100 plus delivery of 328 from his farm, the cost of the 40 footer was only 2300, but delivery was more expensive due to the more difficult offloading technique. I said I wanted one only a bit bigger than 20 foot because spouting and pipes come stocklength at exactly 6 m and the inside of a 20 footer is only 5.8 m. He then showed me a one-off container that had been bought by him from a plumber... He offered the container for 1600 and it contains lovely shelving, has an extension of 18 inches at one end, is wired for powerpoint, and has two vents in it for air circulation, which are covered with very heavy mesh. It also had brackets for blocking the doors closed with a large steel "I" beam, but he didn't have the beam formerly used. I arranged for him to fit his self-designed covered security locking system so the paddlock is protected from bolt cutters or sawing off, or barring off. I also arranged for him to make another beam to block the doors with a further level of security".
Saturday, April 02, 2005
geoffrey jellicoe
At the moment I'm just about to start reading a book called Gardens of the Mind about Geoffrey Jellicoe. There was a BBC series recently that looked at how gardens had changed through the decades. Each episode they made a "typical" garden from the period using traditional techniques (e.g., in one of the early ones, I think Victorian? they buried a truckload of rotting fish as fertiliser!) Anyway, the 1970's episode mostly focused on concrete, BBQ's, pergolas, etc but then it had this short interlude about Jellicoe's designs which apparently were in the grand scale of historical gardens but with the added twist that they were designed to fit with Jungian philosophy! Also, not just designing in terms of the visual aspect of the garden (light, plants, texture, etc) but also auditory... the sound that tinkling
water makes, the rustle of leaves, etc.
Now, I don't know how successful he was in practical terms as I've never been to any of his gardens, but the concept is intriguing. I can't work out yet if it's just a pretentious way of dressing up commonsense, but for now I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.. :-) The garden of his they focused on in the BBC show was at a place called Shute in Wiltshire but it seems to be privately owned so hard to get to see.
water makes, the rustle of leaves, etc.
Now, I don't know how successful he was in practical terms as I've never been to any of his gardens, but the concept is intriguing. I can't work out yet if it's just a pretentious way of dressing up commonsense, but for now I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.. :-) The garden of his they focused on in the BBC show was at a place called Shute in Wiltshire but it seems to be privately owned so hard to get to see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)