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This sophisticated, metal guardrail beautifully offsets the weathered, cedar stair, deck, and cottage it serves. The marriage of the marine, industrial, tech look with the wood, natural, low-tech context is inventive and playful. The curved hand rail is another fun contrast with the straight, hard edges that otherwise predominate. See another take on a cable guardrail in this earlier design snapshot.
by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast
It sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? But let’s face it; Modernism is a style, and, as such, significant Modern structures warrant preservation as much as important structures built in more commonly recognized historic styles like Greek Revival, Federal, or Georgian. Jaci Conry writes in the Globe that five Modern cottages in Wellfleet are en route to preservation thanks in large part to the efforts of Peter McMahon, an architect and executive director of the recently formed Cape Cod Modern House Trust.
The cottages, among 115 other homes, were built on land later assigned to the Cape Cod National Seashore when it was created in 1961. The National Park Service obtained the properties by eminent domain, offering their previous owners lifetime use of them or 25-year leases. Once empty, the five Wellfleet cottages fell into disrepair. They were slated for demolition in the late 90’s. Then times and attitudes changed. McMahon is now arranging to lease the properties from the Park Service through the Cape Cod Modern House Trust in order to preserve them. McMahon's organization plans on restoring the Gips House, designed by Charles Zehnder, first with hopes of opening it this summer to the public for tours, among other activities.
According to the Globe article, David Fixler president of DOCOMOMO/US New England, another non-profit engaged in preserving Modernism, said, “The cottages were built very cheaply and close to nature. They spoke to a wonderful way of life…”
McMahon is quoted in the piece saying, “There’s a lot to learn from these houses.” I don’t doubt it. I look forward to visiting them one day.
by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast
Here are two quintessential New England charmers. These simple forms, cloaked in rugged shingles and outlined with quiet green trim, have enormous back-to-basics appeal. They work together as sibling structures or perhaps as an old, married couple: living side by side, each distinct, but compatible, with a comfortable space between them in which they welcome others to gather in their overlap. They look like they’ve led happy lives.
by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast
RISD President John Maeda talks with Jeff Stein in the November/December 2008 “Hybrid” issue of ArchitectureBoston, a BSA publication. I keep mentioning Maeda, because he keeps making pithy observations. For instance, he tells Stein, “In the field of architecture, the real challenge is how our world of data has changed how we live. Architecture in the future is going to engage much more psychology, much more anthropology, much more of the human condition, and much more of the liberal arts perspective, because the act of living has become a lot more personal.” I imagine that’s why I wanted to become an architect in the first place.
Later in the interview Stein asks Maeda what he means by “humanizing technology.” Maeda says, “Some people say the best solution is high tech; some people say no, go low tech. I believe that the best solution is always less tech. Just enough, which is not usually considered an option.” How true. As someone who enjoys the world-wide web for the connections between people and ideas that technology fosters, but who still draws and drafts by hand, for both the pleasure and freedom craft allows, I’m a long-time believer in less tech.
Towards the end of the interview, Maeda emphasizes the importance of relationships. He says, “I think what has to be designed is what’s been designed forever, which is relationships: between people, between people and their objects, between people and their past…I look at the whole design question as encompassing the design of you own life.” That sounds refreshingly human.
by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast
A little bit over the top, literally and figuratively, this seaside pairing of a Nantucket-style dormer and a widow’s walk is worth noting.
The dog-house dormers that flank the center shed dormer combine to form what is commonly referred to as a Nantucket-style dormer. This combination typically allows for considerably more daylight and living space at the attic level. Recessing the face of the shed dormer from the face of the dog-house dormers helps to differentiate the elements of the dormer, so the overall look isn’t too monolithic. This dormer would be improved if the rake overhang on the dog-house dormers were reduced. Ideally, the crown trim on the rake of the dog-house dormer would wrap across the face of the shed dormer eave and also continue back on the dog-house dormer eave.
The elaborate, Georgian-inspired guard rail on the widow’s walk is an interesting foil to the quiet detail of the original, Georgian, gabled house. Stepped in from the width of the dormer below, the widow’s walk rises in a wedding-cake-like fashion. Together, these stacked, dynamic, roof components add a dramatic flourish to the more restrained house below.
For more information on Nantucket-style dormers see the Drawing Board column I wrote for Fine Homebuilding about designing shed dormers.
by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast
