Architecture Without Architects

This perspective sketch of a rural house for the Savery family of Shropshire, UK, left my studio recently, on its way to a planning meeting.

The project was a rare chance to create a series of presentation drawings for a caring builder who runs his own sawmill and who makes such a special effort to include feature timbers in his designs.

In my own projects, I draw only a few lines between sculpture and architecture. Instead of trying to “conquer” Nature as most modern architects do, I try to draw my designs out of their location. Here’s a ‘before’ and ‘after’ shot of some stone stairs I designed around future tree root growth. Layers of non-biodegradeable padding and airtex have been included to ‘direct’ growing roots back into the hillside to form a strong ‘footing’ against future high winds.

 

 

 

 

When designing your own garden feature or house,
the more attention you pay to detail,
the less problems you’ll have with it over time.

I sketch out every feature when designing a product, a landscape or an entire house. In my following house design for a US developer, I sketched out everything from garage flood defences, kitchen/bathroom/s layouts to carpet weaves and lighting. This is to get a full feeling for the home which develops from the house. In this way, each facet of my designwork holds true when combined.

 

Tomorrow Design

I usually sketch practical buildings that are buildable now using existing building materials and present technology.

When I do not need to be guided in this by my clients, I enjoy designing that which would be hard or difficult to construct using present technologies.  This is an example of a Moonbase created for a book on Space adventure:

If you are also interested, as I am, in the study of intuitive living, non-formal and non-classified communal architecture, I recommend the book “Architecture Without Architects” by Doctor Bernard Rudofsky who has written a number of other interesting books including ‘Are Clothes Modern’, ‘Streets For People’ and ‘The Unfashionable Human Body’.

Book Photo by kind permission of World of Water reference library. #cat.gja.000364

 

FAQ: What is a “Project House”?

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At the HoBB, we  help Projects along their way
– spending just hours on some and years on those that are on-going.

And annually, many visiting students from around the World help us to grow the HoBB Project House into an ever better place of useful action.

By keeping this balance of helping and being-helped, we make happy progress. We never know or pre-judge what project is around the next corner so it could be your project.

If your project is yet to start, some way along its progress, or even on-hold, you may need some space to do some fresh thinking on it. You can find this at the HoBB Project House by ‘dropping-in’ for a cuppa and a chat or by taking a break for a couple of days to concentrate on your Project, away from the distractions of regular home-work-life.

Whatever stage your Project has reached, you will find it of interest to receive new input, new ideas and new insights. We’re great at providing all three and more. [We are happy to sign a non-disclosure form – see a FREE example by clicking on ‘non-disclosure form’ link at the bottom of this page]

“There are several Project Houses in the World but nearly all of them
are linked to large city companies and therefore, situated in large cities.”

Our Project House, The HoBB, is hidden away in peaceful, beautiful countryside where time ‘stops’ long enough to allow your project to surface fully, without distraction.

So when you need a break and really want to concentrate on your Project away from the distractions of everyday life, come to The HoBB, a traditional stone farmhouse with open fires and a host of fresh country creature comforts – a very green location for your ever greener shoots to grow.

Contact me and let’s:
* compare diaries
* book a time and date and
* get ready for your first HoBB visit and think-over.

I also work online to provide assistance to overseas projects using dropbox, passworded client folders on our server along with phone, email and messaging via linkedin and twitter.

For a quick online guide to our services and productions, visit ‘What we do‘ which summarises the categories located top right on menu bar.

For our advance programme news, visit ‘What’s next’ for a list of forthcoming projects and new contacts required.

Send a comment to us.

See also:
Becoming a Friend of the HoBB

Posted by Grant