Architect's Delight (105)Architect Chip Bohl and his wife found the perfect home... in the wrong spot. They show us their home, an early 20th century American Foursquare style house, and share the story of how they moved it closer to the water on their 75-acre property in Maryland.
Tour a spacious one-story U-shaped home in Columbus, Ind. Influenced by the work of modern master Mies van der Rohe, architect David Foster built the steel-framed house with unusual structural features—such as a glass pyramid over the dining area.
Next, see how another architect applied his beliefs on economizing space to building a home with virtually no walls or barriers.
Lastly, learn how Arizona Public Service, a utility company, worked the EPA, Arizona State University, and other entities to build an efficient home that uses natural daylight, recycled plastics and "gray water."
Field Of Dreams Facts:
- At 5.8 million pounds, the Shubert Theater in Minneapolis made headlines—and The Guinness Book of World Records—in 1999 as the heaviest building ever moved.
- The American foursquare house style (also known as prairie box, Seattle box, box house, double decker, double cube, and Denver square) was popular for construction on small lots with small budgets.
- When painting a floor, use multiple coats of non-yellowing urethane to increase durability.
- From 1820-1860, homes and buildings with the "Greek temple" look were popular. The trend began in Philadelphia and became known as the national style.
- The dome of the Pantheon in Rome features an oculus ("eye of the dome"), a circular opening that served as the structure's only source of light.
Resources:
Pantheon: Design, Meaning and Progeny
by William Lloyd MacDonald, William L. McDonald
Houses by Mail : A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company
by Katherine Cole Stevenson, H. Ward Jandl
Paint Recipes for Surfaces : Over 40 Instant Wall and Floor Transformations
by Stewart Walton, Sally Walton
U-Turn Facts:
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969), pioneer of skyscraper architecture, was considered a master of the modernist movement.
- A sunken room provides a home with multi-levels and a seemingly higher ceiling.
- The Louvre in Paris features a courtyard with a large glass pyramid designed by the architect I.M. Pei.
- Both hard and soft maple woods are used for making furniture. Woods from the eastern US are harder because of cold winters and short growing seasons.
- A black and white color scheme works with both contemporary and classic design styles.
Resources:
Mies Van Der Rohe : A Critical Biography
by Franz Schulze
I. M. Pei: A Profile in American Architecture
by Carter Wiseman
Louvre : Portrait of a Museum
by Nicholas D'Archimbaud
Biagi's Bonanza Facts:
- Glazed windows help to control heat loss and condensation.
- Copper roof shingles are more expensive than composition shingles, but less costly than wood or brick.
- Cork floors are warm to the touch and very durable; they're as hard as wood but feel softer to walk on.
Resources:
Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater : The House and Its History (Dover Books on Architecture)
by Donald Hoffmann, Edgar Kaufmann
Modern House 2
by Clare Melhuish
Roofing : The Best of Fine Homebuilding
Best of Fine Homebuilding Series
Green House Facts:
- Energy-efficient windows can save 40 percent on heating and cooling bills.
- A wide variety of products are made from recycled plastic—including pillows, shingles, hammocks and boxer shorts.
- Heating and cooling accounts for 50 to 70 percent of the energy cost in most American homes.
- Gray water comes from household sinks, tubs, dishwashers and washing machines. It is filtered to a level where it can be reused for cleaning purposes. However, it is not safe to drink.
- The Arizona Public Service house was designed to make the most of natural daylight and natural ventilation. In addition, energy conservation and indoor air quality were key factors in the design.
Resources:
Solar Living Source Book : The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living (Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook, 11th Ed)
by John Schaeffer (Editor), Doug Pratt (Editor)
The Solar Electric House : Energy for the Environmentally-Responsive, Energy-Independent Home
by Steven J. Strong, William G. Scheller (Contributor)
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
www.adeq.state.az.us
