THE HOMEOWNER " This house was imagined
as a gracious space for people to gather, to share
experiences, hold significant conversations, learn together
and be
nourished in body
and mind. We wanted all senses to be engaged: food
preparation is central; musical sound - instrumental,
human voice, animals, birds,
critters; space invites movement as well as intimacy
and curiosity; the eyes must be stimulated at times,
soothed at others. "
"With
that in mind, the house was designed for maximum view of the outdoors
- embracing the japanese inspired garden and western views of the forests
and sunsets. The
house nestles onto the contours of the ground so as to feel held close
by the land. Individual rooms are few, enabling an open space for large
groups and several corners for quiet reflection or cozy exchange. The
kitchen is central to the open space because that is where people consistently
gather and linger. (John Ottenheimer declared this area our convergence
zone.)
"Finally, the building process encourages and welcomes the contributions
and creativity of every craftsman employed by Richard. In its imagination,
conception and now manifestation, this house is a collaborative effort
of love and hope."
Terri Anderson
THE ARCHITECT's STATEMENT: This is a building about an appropriate
fit to the site. It is about smooth function, comfortable
scale, and a special sense of space and light, designed to
be passive solar heated and earth cooled. Architecture
is not about size or cost, it is about design and an intangible. When
completed it will speak for itself in a way that words and
photographs will not be able to convey.
I see every house project - within the limitations of budget, client, contractor,
tradespersons, suppliers, and building codes - as an opportunity to advance
the state of the art in residential design and construction.
