Exterior Materials...

Following my "Big Concepts" post on January 11, 2012, "Use no more than two exterior materials";  this home uses only wood siding but changes the texture and color...a subtle, but classy move.  The gable is made up of lighter flush siding (to match the trim and entry) while the body of the house is classic clapboard siding, stained a darker color.

Simple Forms...

Following my "Big Concepts" post on January 3, 2012, "Simple forms are just the beginning"; three forms here...the two story main house, one story wings (probably additions) carefully designed not to overpower the original structure and finally a simple human-scale one story entry porch...no two story McMansion porch...just a beautiful honest structure designed to mark the entry and provide protection from the weather.

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns

So here's a new series I've developed as a good excuse to really take in many of the worthwhile details in a single photograph of a thoughtfully designed building...something that's often missed while flipping pages of a magazine or swiping through shelter apps like Houzz. Kind of like a "Where's Waldo" of genuine architectural patterns.

This week's photo is one I took while in Williamsburg Virginia. In this series I'll toggle between historic and new structures to show how genuine architectural patterns aren't just for "old" houses. I'll pick out a genuine architectural pattern each day this week and explain why I think it's so good. No long-winded explanations...just the photograph, a highlighted detail and a short summary. Can you find any others?

A Pattern Book for Neighborly Houses

Norfolk Pattern Book

Andrew Jackson Downing - Pattern Book

Andrew Jackson Downing (1815-1852) was a New York based landscape designer and prolific home designer.  His book, The Architecture of Country Houses, laid the groundwork for many pattern books that would follow.  He believed that everyone, rich or poor, deserved to live in a well designed house, and that the external appearance of that house could have the power to improve the lives of the occupants as well as those who would view it from the street.

I couldn't agree more!

Art Institute of Chicago - Pattern Book Exhibition

Last Fall the Art Institute of Chicago put on an exhibition of pattern books...modern-day DIY manuals for building a house...geared to builders and carpenters rather than architects.  Most people would never guess that many of the charming historic homes they see lined up along America's quaint downtown streets were directly or indirectly influenced by this form of design.

The overview of the exhibition states that "For the middle-class clientele that could not afford an architect's services, a design selected from a pattern book would assure them that their new residence would be in good taste".  Ah, If only we could be so lucky with today's tract homes!

Arcosanti

I couldn't leave Arizona without visiting Arcosanti, located in the high desert about an hour north of Phoenix.  Founded in 1970 it's the lifelong dream of Italian architect Paolo Soleri, one of the original sustainable community guys.  Even though the dream of a large permanent community hasn't come to fruition yet, the residents that do call Arcosanti home (mostly artists, environmentalists & architects)make some of the most beautiful bronze and ceramic windbells in their on-site foundry...pretty cool, and worth the drive.

Reinvention House Tour

Here's a shot I took of the last home on our tour designed by Jones Studio.  The materials take center stage when it comes to the use of genuine architectural patterns.  Locally source rammed-earth walls blend right into the desert sand and nearby mountains.  Check out the cleverly designed fencing...artistically placed rebar...the protective rusty layer will allow it to last for many years in the desert climate.  Here's a detail of the rammed-earth wall...placed in forms and left to set one "lift" at a time.

Reinvention House Tour

Here's a shot I took of the first house we toured, designed by Wendell Burnette Architects.  So does it have genuine architectural patterns?  You bet...here's four:  Lightly colored walls to reflect sunlight.  A thick roof and massive walls to slowly radiate the heat of the sun to the interior during cool desert evenings.  A large overhang designed to shade the massive glass wall from the overhead summer sun and invite it in during the winter when it's low in the sky.  And finally, my favorite...it's windowless sidewalls to intentionally screen out the neighbors' misplaced French Country, Georgian and Tuscan McMansions...just my opinion, of course!

The Desert

Every now and then, in any profession, it's good to step outside your comfort zone to gain a new perspective on how others do what you do.  In my case, it was architects designing homes that relate and respond to the desert climate of Phoenix Arizona - quite different from the four season climate where I practice architecture.

Do Modern Homes have Architectural Patterns?

I spent a week last December in Phoenix, Arizona at a conference put on by Hanley Wood, called Reinvention.  This yearly gathering (held in a different city each year) draws residential architects from around the country interested in recharging their creative batteries with well organized, inspiring and thought-provoking programs. There are a variety of seminars and lively panel discussions as well as an all day housing tour - usually the highlight of the conference.

As I walked through each thoughtfully designed home I couldn't help thinking to myself...do modern homes have architectural patterns?

I'll share some of my thoughts this week...

Institute for Classical Architecture & Art

If you are involved in any aspect of the traditional building industry and you are interested in networking with other like-minded professionals, you owe it to yourself to check out the Institute for Classical Architecture & Art.  There are fourteen Chapters throughout the Country, each with their own regional flavor and activities.  The organization is "dedicated to advancing the classical tradition in architecture, urbanism and their allied arts.  It does so through education, publication and advocacy." 

I've attended several events organized by my local group, The Chicago-Midwest Chapter, which have been excellent...I really look forward to chatting with fellow attendees before and after the presentations as much as the presentation itself.

Save any buildings lately?

At a Historic Preservation Workshop I attended in Chicago, Robert Myers, Planning Manager for the City of Urbana Illinois, gave one of the more entertaining and informative presentations I've seen in a while.  He wasn't just talking about what we could do to save endangered homes...he was sharing with us what he's already done.  House by house, year by year, he has methodically saved numerous historic houses from the wrecking ball.  Here are five strategies he outlined that might work in your town:

1. Hammer home the point to your local governing bodies that historic preservation is economic development.  Show them examples of how it's worked elsewhere.

2. Realize that a change in ownership is usually the only way to save an endangered (usually vacant) historic structure.  If the present owners really had any interest in saving the home from demolition, they probably would have already done so.

3. Cast a wide net to find potential buyers of historic homes that are in need of restoration.  Find out why people relocate to your town and where they are coming from.  Robert pointed us toward a really unique interactive tool that shows human migration patterns as assembled by the IRS using tax records from the year 2008.  He cited numerous examples of how someone's relocation decision actually started with them falling in love with a picture of a house.  Here's the link: (you might have to press "continue to site" in the upper right hand corner of the page that loads)

http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/04/migration-moving-wealthy-interactive-counties-map.html?preload=17043

4. Convince owners of historic homes that their property is more valuable as a potentially contributing structure than just another piece of vacant land.

5. And finally, reintroduce the recently forgotten value of good old sweat equity.  Restorations are more manageable and affordable when broken down into smaller pieces...even over the course of many years, through different owners.

"Must Read" Traditional Publications...

There's no need to wait until the next Traditional Building Show to get your fill of inspiring ideas and historically based building products.  These two oversized magazines, Period Homes and Traditional Building, published by Restore Media, will keep you well informed between the shows.  They are full of well written articles, useful advertising and of course lots of beautiful photographs.

Traditional Building Show

In the Fall of 2010 I attended the Traditional Building Show right here in Chicago.  It's got to be one of the best trade shows for anyone involved in designing, remodeling or building new homes in traditional styles...the kind of home where you can't tell if it's old or new!  I was mainly there to attend a workshop for members of Historic Preservation Commissions organized by the Illinois Historic Preservation Association.  During the workshop and various networking events (parties) I met lots of really interesting people...That's why I'm devoting this week (and maybe more) to my findings!  Stay tuned!

Garage Doors

Whenever possible, two single, nine foot wide garage doors should be used in place of one sixteen or eighteen foot wide garage door. Narrow doors have more pleasing proportions and result in more car door opening space for the homeowner once inside the garage. Muellner Construction was the builder for this Historic District renovation in Naperville, Illinois.

More information on garage doors to come in future posts...

Columns

Columns come in many different shapes and sizes. Their proportion and scale should relate to the style of the house and should not be spaced too widely apart resulting in unnatural looking beam spans. The cap should always project past the face of the porch beam while the base of the column shaft should line up with the pier face below. Due to the taper of most columns, the outside face of the porch beam will not line up vertically with the edge of the deck below...don't worry, it will make sense when you see it on paper.

More information on columns to come in future posts...

Porches

Porches have lots of parts and it's important, and relatively easy, to get them right. Starting at the top...a low slope roof (preferably hipped) supported by a visible (on both sides of the porch) porch beam supported on columns sitting directly over a visible concrete, brick or stone pier with skirting (preferably not lattice) spanning from pier to pier. It also doesn't hurt to have a dark stained, mirror-like beadboard ceiling! This home, an addition to a 1907 Prairie Foursquare located in the Historic District of Naperville, Illinois, designed by yours truly, was built by P & M Renovations.

More information on porches to come in future posts...

Bay / Box Windows

I took this photograph of a beautiful historic home in San Antonio, Texas to show what a properly detailed cantilevered box bay window looks like. If an angled bay or box bay window does not sit directly on a foundation wall and is supported internally by a cantilevered structural system it should be detailed to look as though brackets, reflecting the style of the house, are doing the heavy lifting.

More information on bay windows to come in future posts...

Shutters

Properly sized shutters are probably the easiest fix for existing homes. Shutters look best with visible hinges, tie-backs and sized as though they could actually cover the window. It's the slight angle between the shutter and house that make this detail come to life. This new home, in Naperville, Illinois was built by Siena Custom Builders.

More information on shutters to come in future posts...

Arches

This one is pretty straight forward...arches occuring on the same house should be of similar shape and proportion...no mixing half-rounds with elliptical arches, etc. This new home in Naperville, Illinois was built by Schillerstrom Homes.

More information on arches to come in future posts...

Lintels

I took this photograph in Alexandria, Virginia,...it shows a traditional brick support (lintel is the official term) called a jack arch...before steel was used to support masonry. It's basically a large wedge made up of tapered (gauged, the official term here) bricks, with their mortar joints converging on a single point.

More information on lintels to come in future posts...

Windows

Windows look best with a sloping sill, 4" surround and a flat or crowned head casing, usually a little wider than the jamb (side) casing...try with all your might to avoid "picture framing" windows. Windows with grilles (muntins is the official term) attached to both sides of the glass have come down dramatically in price and are the way to go. Snap-in grilles break easily and grilles between the glass disappear from view at first reflection. I'm sure some of you are thinking to yourselves, "but aren't they harder to clean?" My answer is yes...for your window washer who doesn't mind and needs the job.

More information to come in future posts...

Trim Details

I took this photograph of an addition to a Craftsman Style Foursquare in Naperville, Illinois built by Acorn Custom Builders. Look closely and you can see all of the historically inspired trim details of a thoughtfully built home. A frieze board, a belt course (at the second floor line), and a water table (at the first floor line) directly above the foundation. A layer of mortar was applied to the foundation wall then hand tooled to resemble square-cut limestone...a unique historic detail brought back to life.

More information on trim to come in future posts...

Dormers

The most beautiful dormers (this one is from Mt. Vernon) are almost always just a little wider than the window itself and more vertical tha horizontal. Side walls of flush siding angled to follow the roof slope (a historic detail) keep the dormers from calling too much attention to themselves. The front face of the dormer looks best trimmed to the corners with no siding present.

More information on dormers to come in future posts...

Architectural Patterns - little details

When it comes to architectural patterns it's the little stuff that can have the biggest impact. Not only on the house itself as the sum of its parts, but on the sheer number of existing homes that could benefit from an introduction to traditional details. Even something as mundane as a window and siding replacement job could benefit with a little help from an experienced residential architect. It's a wonderful chance to re-imagine what your home could be. The value of a well designed or re-designed exterior cannot be underestimated.

Following are ten common elements found on the exterior of many new and existing homes throughout the country. Unfortunately, finding many examples as well executed as the pictured elements below is a less common experience. In addition to the brief introductions that follow, future posts will show why these architectural patterns and many others came about and how their principles can be applied today in creating a timeless quality while renovating or building a new home.

Respect regional building traditions...

I took this photograph while on a Chicago Architecture Foundation walking tour of Prairie Crossing in Grayslake, Illinois. The community is new but the houses look like they have been there for quite some time. They have been designed with a respect for regional building styles typically influenced by history or climate, in this case a Midwest Farmhouse complete with wrap-around porch.

Are your details believable?

Here's a really important one...making details believable. New lightweight products that imitate heavy materials have made it possible to hold up seemingly heavy loads with very little structural effort. If using a lightweight substitute for a heavy material like brick or stone the supporting details should look as though the material is actually heavy. The stone base of the pictured bay is not structurally necessary but makes the detail more believable.

Natural materials - time tested...

This home, in Naperville's Federal Historic District, shows how natural materials (wood and stone) installed and maintained with care will last a lifetime and age gracefully while doing so. It's one of the reasons why "cool old houses" look so cool!

No more than two exterior materials...

Back to the Historic District for this addition to a Queen Anne Victorian. The architect did a great job in showing restraint in the placement, materials and details of the new structure. A general rule of thumb among some of the most respected residential architects is that no more than two different materials should be used on a home's exterior. Materials should relate directly to the style of the home which in turn should say something about the local history and climate of the region where it is constructed.

Consistency counts...

Consistency makes this home in Winnetka, Illinois pleasing to the eye. Even though there are two different and distinctive roof forms (gambrel and shed) they work together because neither one dominates the other.

Thoughtful massing...

Sometimes I think a house like this one was designed to solely explain a concept...this one would be massing. Thoughtful massing is a common thread that runs through all great homes regardless of their size or style...so it doesn't just apply to the brick Georgian from Williamsburg, Virginia pictured above.

This house has a substantial base below the first floor line, tall first floor windows, a belt course showing the line of the second floor, smaller second floor windows and a roof that does its job without overpowering the house.

Attention to scale...

Attention to scale makes this addition built by Classic Renovations (630-390-8232, old school!) just outside Naperville's Historic District a good example of how a home can provide ample space for a family (I've been inside this home) while respecting its neighbors and sidewalk strolling pedestrians. The street side of the house's second story is tucked under the roof, keeping the scale manageable, while the taller portion was located on the back side.

Try approachable instead of "impressive"...

The first thing that popped into my head after snapping this photograph in Naperville's Historic District was how approachable this house seemed with the addition of a simple portico. Historically, houses in northern climates limited the size of covered entries to allow more sunlight to penetrate into the house on cold winter days.

Detached garages - really!

While strolling the streets of Seaside, Florida, the first New Urbanist Community, my eyes were naturally drawn to this scene...a beautiful house with a well-detailed detached garage pushed all the way to the back property line. Before you say “that wouldn’t work in a typical suburban neighborhood!” think back to the movie Father of the Bride and tell me you can’t see the benefits!…back yards are over-rated anyway…and just think of the new interior wall of natural light you’ll get…not to mention the classic side entry kitchen. It’s one of the reasons historic neighborhoods are more neighborly…you can’t just hop in your car, open the garage door and speed off for the day!

Simple forms are just the beginning...

I took this photograph in the town of Serenbe, Georgia, a New Urbanist Community just outside of Atlanta. It's not a large house by today's standards, but its use of simple forms can be applied effectively at almost any scale. Note how the simple and honest roof forms used to cover actual living space (not added here and there for "street appeal") give the house its distintive character and charm.

Architectural Patterns - big concepts

Architectural patterns can simply be described as the way, intentionally or by accident, in which the parts and pieces of a building come together. From the trim around a window or door to the composition of a porch or building façade, architectural patterns are all around us. Some are the result of careful research and respect for materials and context, while others appear to have been dropped from space…or from an adjacent subdivision.

Following are ten big concepts that can really help to get any house off on the right foot.

Historic Neighborhoods...in the movies.

Think back to the last good movie you saw. Chances are the home occupied by the main character was set in a historic neighborhood. You know the type…picture perfect homes with manicured lawns set a few steps up from a sun dappled sidewalk hugging a narrow tree lined street. Ah, the quintessential American neighborhood.

a welcoming front porch...

Movie makers aren’t drawn to these homes for their overly complex roof lines, random window arrangements, gratuitous two-story foyers, three car front load garages or even their granite countertops and stainless steel appliances (sorry McMansion fans). They are drawn to film in and around these homes because of their simple, classic and timeless details, universally loved by many Americans as well as countless advertising and magazine location scouts…not a McMansion in sight.

simple, classic, and timeless details...

Unfortunately, the only media attention paid to the many McMansion-lined streets lately has been as the poster child of the foreclosure crisis. It’s not hard to see, when compared to a thoughtfully designed historic or historically-inspired home, why these subdivision-style houses are difficult if not impossible to sell.

They don't draw 'em like they used to...

...or maybe they still do? Look closely at the drawings above (dated October 22, 1910)…when blueprints were blueprints. I acquired these images after scanning a set of tattered prints I'm working from for an addition to a historic home in Naperville, Illinois. The house was designed by the Aurora, Illinois firm of Worst and Shepardson.

Now look closely at drawings below, scanned out of one of my favorite books, American Houses, chronicling the work of Fairfax and Sammons, a top tier residential architecture firm based in New York City (too bad all residential prints aren't this detailed). The exterior drawing is taken from a 1997 house built in Washington, Connecticut and the detail sheet is taken from a 1995 house built in Greenwich, Connecticut.

 

In person, all three homes share magazine caliber looks but differ dramatically when it comes to what it took to get them built; the old house was built using simple line drawings while the new house required many pages of detailed drawings. Why the difference?

The old house drawings didn’t need to show every detail because workers on the jobsite knew them like the back of their hand. They were common details that, for the most part, just made practical sense. The new house drawings, on the other hand, had to show a largely untrained modern workforce the ins and outs of building traditional details.

The American jobsite is no longer teeming with skilled artisans looking for a place to leave their mark; most of them have come and gone with no one to fill their shoes. If given the proper guidance, by way of detailed drawings, I believe our modern workforce would welcome the opportunity to once again build homes worthy of preservation and future admiration.