Thank you for presenting this in a way someone (me) with very little knowledge of architectural design could understand! Like art, I know what I like, but having a framework for thinking about the design both confirms my preferences and expands what I can appreciate!
Thanks for mentioning my stack! By the way, Richard and I are not married. I don't believe in marriage. It's not a good idea for women to marry. I do know it's popular. xxL
7 months later - Julie - I think I have looked at this earlier, but in my trans-holiday not-so-early reading this am (12.28.24) I read this piece again - it belongs in a bibliography of sources on housing. The account of the Solar Decathlon House (still the HQ of the Potomac Valley AIA on the east campus of UMCP) is a keeper. It's clear that our housing standards and expectations are inflated to the point of today's record homelessness, and size is an issue. I recommend "A Paradise of Small Houses - the Evolution, Devolution and Potential Rebirth of Urban Housing" by Max Podemski. Not knowing whether this will disappear into the Substack archives, I thank you for the (now) institution you have brought to us.
Ah, thanks for the book suggestion, Ralph. And for reading this (again). It was fun to put together. Definitely changed the way I view tiny houses as a “solution” to homelessness. Bandaid on a gaping chest wound. I miss our chats! Can we have lunch sometimes? Meet you at Casey’s? When are you in campus this spring?
This is really fascinating and informing, Julia. I have had my dreams about tiny houses but have also wondered about their practicality long term. After living in Atlanta, GA, first in the suburbs and then later in the city, I am certainly an advocate of urban density and walkability. I live in Omaha, NE now, much smaller but sprawling. I learned recently that a building a block and a half from our house used to be a grocery store in 50’s. I wish it still was! Thanks again.
This is a great read, thank you! Whenever I read anything you share I learn something, which is powerful magic. I used to run social media accounts for an architectural award and I'd find it would take an age to queue a post, simply because I always went down a rabbit hole of further investigation, into the architect, the structure, and all manner of other things.
And a big thank you for mentioning The Crow's Nest, that made me happy too.
I read parts of this post as soon as you published it, but I saved it to read it more thoroughly over the weekend. I had so many thoughts to share. I am from southern India and though we didn’t live there, my family would visit every summer. The south is known for its amazing temples with their immense towers and intricate carvings. Reading about the expression of the abstract in architecture in your posts made me go back and look at these temples with new eyes and my mind was blown at how much symbolism and metaphor (which I have thought of as the domain of the writer) can be folded into a building. So, thank you, Julie, for making me aware of this. And, yes, circles are such a symbol of universal resonance.
I recently wrote about meeting a fellow Substacker in person and the fascinating conversations that followed. I love that Substack offers a meeting place where new ideas and understanding can be reached.
Sorry, people like me should not be allowed to type on their phones, in a parking lot, while reading a well written blog - the Shinto shrine! How amazing that would be to observe.
Oh, right! That makes more sense. It is amazing. I’ve been there, but the inner sanctum where the shrine is, is too sacred for outsiders. So you just see what peeks above the fence.
Thank you for presenting this in a way someone (me) with very little knowledge of architectural design could understand! Like art, I know what I like, but having a framework for thinking about the design both confirms my preferences and expands what I can appreciate!
Thanks for letting me know. It's exactly what I had in mind for this, so it's helpful to hear how it landed.
Thanks for mentioning my stack! By the way, Richard and I are not married. I don't believe in marriage. It's not a good idea for women to marry. I do know it's popular. xxL
Ah, thanks for that clarification and apologies for assuming. I'll correct that.
7 months later - Julie - I think I have looked at this earlier, but in my trans-holiday not-so-early reading this am (12.28.24) I read this piece again - it belongs in a bibliography of sources on housing. The account of the Solar Decathlon House (still the HQ of the Potomac Valley AIA on the east campus of UMCP) is a keeper. It's clear that our housing standards and expectations are inflated to the point of today's record homelessness, and size is an issue. I recommend "A Paradise of Small Houses - the Evolution, Devolution and Potential Rebirth of Urban Housing" by Max Podemski. Not knowing whether this will disappear into the Substack archives, I thank you for the (now) institution you have brought to us.
Ah, thanks for the book suggestion, Ralph. And for reading this (again). It was fun to put together. Definitely changed the way I view tiny houses as a “solution” to homelessness. Bandaid on a gaping chest wound. I miss our chats! Can we have lunch sometimes? Meet you at Casey’s? When are you in campus this spring?
(Oops! I mistakenly thought this was a thread on the tiny houses post!) 😂
This is really fascinating and informing, Julia. I have had my dreams about tiny houses but have also wondered about their practicality long term. After living in Atlanta, GA, first in the suburbs and then later in the city, I am certainly an advocate of urban density and walkability. I live in Omaha, NE now, much smaller but sprawling. I learned recently that a building a block and a half from our house used to be a grocery store in 50’s. I wish it still was! Thanks again.
Thanks for reading, Emily. I'm heartened that (it seems like) more people are moving back into cities. We can't keep sprawling forever.
Yes, me too. And I agree!
This is a great read, thank you! Whenever I read anything you share I learn something, which is powerful magic. I used to run social media accounts for an architectural award and I'd find it would take an age to queue a post, simply because I always went down a rabbit hole of further investigation, into the architect, the structure, and all manner of other things.
And a big thank you for mentioning The Crow's Nest, that made me happy too.
Thanks so much, Alexander. I feel your pain. I always think these are going to be quick posts but there’s always more and more to discover.
There really is, which is probably not a bad thing, being curious and interested! Still, a few more hours every day would be very much appreciated.
I read parts of this post as soon as you published it, but I saved it to read it more thoroughly over the weekend. I had so many thoughts to share. I am from southern India and though we didn’t live there, my family would visit every summer. The south is known for its amazing temples with their immense towers and intricate carvings. Reading about the expression of the abstract in architecture in your posts made me go back and look at these temples with new eyes and my mind was blown at how much symbolism and metaphor (which I have thought of as the domain of the writer) can be folded into a building. So, thank you, Julie, for making me aware of this. And, yes, circles are such a symbol of universal resonance.
Thanks for revisiting this, Priya. I love that you had new insights with new eyes on the familiar landscape of your heritage.
I recently wrote about meeting a fellow Substacker in person and the fascinating conversations that followed. I love that Substack offers a meeting place where new ideas and understanding can be reached.
Me too! Wish we could do more of that in-person meeting.
I so admire Renzo Piano's work. Off to restack this, Julie.
yes, he's one of my heroes. Thanks for reading, Mary.
Love these sentences for consideration -"[W]hat is your building about? What does it mean? And what form do those ideas take?"
And, I'm intrigued to move a structure piece-by-piece.
Wait! You’re moving a structure piece by piece?! How cool!
Sorry, people like me should not be allowed to type on their phones, in a parking lot, while reading a well written blog - the Shinto shrine! How amazing that would be to observe.
Oh, right! That makes more sense. It is amazing. I’ve been there, but the inner sanctum where the shrine is, is too sacred for outsiders. So you just see what peeks above the fence.
No. Hard-copy only. I might be persuaded to scan it sometime. 😉