I love the way your writing braids nature and architecture together in nearly every post. The two are are inseparable which I think I knew but didn't fully appreciate until I started following your writing. The Ledge House is such an incredible feat of engineering -- the size of those stones! Thanks for sharing the story behind it.
As the daughter of an architect, this speaks to me on so many levels. My mother invested me with a love of seeing spaces, an appreciation of form and function, an immediate reckoning of the buildings as I walk through any city. Did I love it as a child, the endless detours for Corbusier, the extra day on the road for yet another Romanesque church? You bet I didn't. But I do now. She worked for Goldfinger before starting a practice of her own, a lifelong love of Brutalism was born, and lives on in me.
Brutalism! That's hardcore! I love that your detours were for Corb and Romanesque and mine were for colonial houses and random eccentric rich-people castles. And Frank Lloyd Wright, to be fair. And, being honest, I didn't much enjoy it at the time, either.
Hey Julie, thanks for this article on a truly inspirational build. The kind of house I have always aspired to create myself. I became fascinated first with medieval architecture at the age of 12 - houses that grew bigger as they went higher, castles and cathedrals. I studied the designs but not the math for a year. Later I spend 5 years as a roustabout on motorways, tunnels, tower blocks, bridges. Eventually I did a 90% rebuild on an old house inherited. All the while a hobby of drawing perspectives of homes incorporating ancient and ecobuild structures. Next year planning on finding a ruin with land, probably in France, to actually realize the dream.... as a center for people with like minds. I'll post as I go... Wish me luck, Peace, Maurice
What a cool endeavor. Good luck with it! Thanks for reading.
About castles - when my son was little, he had two picture books about castles with insanely detailed illustrations - line drawings, color, cut-away sections showing how tower privvys work, people in action doing all sorts of things. They were marvelous. I could gaze at them for hours.
Thanks Julie, I created a model of a Hill with a Castle for my Legends, four years ago, then a large scale model of the auditorium, this year I produced an even larger bas-relief painting of the main Keep Door with a tiny me opening it. This piece is currently in a local exhibition. It's all a work of love, of course. Maybe I'll build it for real in France.......
What a great piece Julie! Should I bill you for The Ledge House monograph I ordered five minutes after reading your story? As if I don’t have enough books already. But what’s one more, right!? :-)
It sent me reminiscing about a wonderful understated Peter Bohlin lecture so long ago (possibly in Baltimore) and then having Jim Cutler lecture here years later in central PA, in the throes of his collaboration with Peter Bohlin on the Bill Gates house. God is indeed in the details. But this project was new to me...and so close...so thank you so much for sharing.
Are there any plans for it to be open to the public for tours or events? Hoping the university will be generous and not keep it all to themselves and share with the public on occasion.
Hi, Jim! So glad to encounter you here. Haha! You won’t want to bill me once you’ve seen that book. You’ll thank me. 😊 Glad it’s still in print. I remember Bohlin’s lecture too. I think it was when their building at Loyola opened. I don’t know what the University plans to do with it. I get the impression this is all very new. But if I ever get to go back (which I’m counting on), I’ll let you know.
How wonderful that your Mom toured you around so many beautiful historical homes to kindle your love of architecture! I am fascinated that you thought this miraculous home smelled lonely. When I was reading your essay all I could think of was if someone lived there, if they were enjoying the building as it deserved to be relished, if the human energy of love and joy were seeping into the stone and wood. I hope the house isn't lonely, just as I hope it's not available on the short term rental market!
I think there’s been plenty of life in it over the years. And now it’ll have a new life as a retreat and meeting place for our university. I’m fascinated that Greg the builder has had this deep connection with it for nearly 30 years.
I feel like you’ve opened a world (architecture) that I didn’t know I took for granted.
Oh how marvelous! 😍
Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts, Joe. Much appreciated. You’ve given me some ideas for future posts.
Architecture is the home of ever lasting creativity, n'est ce pas !?
me too!
I love the way your writing braids nature and architecture together in nearly every post. The two are are inseparable which I think I knew but didn't fully appreciate until I started following your writing. The Ledge House is such an incredible feat of engineering -- the size of those stones! Thanks for sharing the story behind it.
Thanks so much, Ben. I appreciate your thoughts - it helps inform future writing ideas.
"Architecture is for the 1%" Now, there's a topic for a future newsletter.
Hmmmm. 🤔
Thanks for the suggestion.
As the daughter of an architect, this speaks to me on so many levels. My mother invested me with a love of seeing spaces, an appreciation of form and function, an immediate reckoning of the buildings as I walk through any city. Did I love it as a child, the endless detours for Corbusier, the extra day on the road for yet another Romanesque church? You bet I didn't. But I do now. She worked for Goldfinger before starting a practice of her own, a lifelong love of Brutalism was born, and lives on in me.
Brutalism! That's hardcore! I love that your detours were for Corb and Romanesque and mine were for colonial houses and random eccentric rich-people castles. And Frank Lloyd Wright, to be fair. And, being honest, I didn't much enjoy it at the time, either.
Hey Julie, thanks for this article on a truly inspirational build. The kind of house I have always aspired to create myself. I became fascinated first with medieval architecture at the age of 12 - houses that grew bigger as they went higher, castles and cathedrals. I studied the designs but not the math for a year. Later I spend 5 years as a roustabout on motorways, tunnels, tower blocks, bridges. Eventually I did a 90% rebuild on an old house inherited. All the while a hobby of drawing perspectives of homes incorporating ancient and ecobuild structures. Next year planning on finding a ruin with land, probably in France, to actually realize the dream.... as a center for people with like minds. I'll post as I go... Wish me luck, Peace, Maurice
What a cool endeavor. Good luck with it! Thanks for reading.
About castles - when my son was little, he had two picture books about castles with insanely detailed illustrations - line drawings, color, cut-away sections showing how tower privvys work, people in action doing all sorts of things. They were marvelous. I could gaze at them for hours.
Thanks Julie, I created a model of a Hill with a Castle for my Legends, four years ago, then a large scale model of the auditorium, this year I produced an even larger bas-relief painting of the main Keep Door with a tiny me opening it. This piece is currently in a local exhibition. It's all a work of love, of course. Maybe I'll build it for real in France.......
What a great piece Julie! Should I bill you for The Ledge House monograph I ordered five minutes after reading your story? As if I don’t have enough books already. But what’s one more, right!? :-)
It sent me reminiscing about a wonderful understated Peter Bohlin lecture so long ago (possibly in Baltimore) and then having Jim Cutler lecture here years later in central PA, in the throes of his collaboration with Peter Bohlin on the Bill Gates house. God is indeed in the details. But this project was new to me...and so close...so thank you so much for sharing.
Are there any plans for it to be open to the public for tours or events? Hoping the university will be generous and not keep it all to themselves and share with the public on occasion.
Hi, Jim! So glad to encounter you here. Haha! You won’t want to bill me once you’ve seen that book. You’ll thank me. 😊 Glad it’s still in print. I remember Bohlin’s lecture too. I think it was when their building at Loyola opened. I don’t know what the University plans to do with it. I get the impression this is all very new. But if I ever get to go back (which I’m counting on), I’ll let you know.
That’s awesome! What a treat to visit a grail building.
How wonderful that your Mom toured you around so many beautiful historical homes to kindle your love of architecture! I am fascinated that you thought this miraculous home smelled lonely. When I was reading your essay all I could think of was if someone lived there, if they were enjoying the building as it deserved to be relished, if the human energy of love and joy were seeping into the stone and wood. I hope the house isn't lonely, just as I hope it's not available on the short term rental market!
I think there’s been plenty of life in it over the years. And now it’ll have a new life as a retreat and meeting place for our university. I’m fascinated that Greg the builder has had this deep connection with it for nearly 30 years.
How wonderful for your University. Yes, thank you for sharing that story about Greg!
You’re on!
Lol !