@Hampshire_Hog It's lovely that you've managed to get a place so well suited to you and your wife. When it works like that, it's a daily delight
There are arrogant architects and there are nightmare clients. There are incompetent architects and there are stupid clients. You'd hope that in a good relationship, the architect and client have proper discussions and the result is better than either could have come up with alone. There's no point employing an architect and then telling him exactly what to design - you're never going to get better than ordinary that way. An architect who ignores client needs and budget is entirely missing the point of their job.
A very well known (in the business - not by the public) architect once said to me that he won't do houses anymore - he said "You just end up being a marriage counsellor - trying to negotiate compromises between husband and wife. And you can't ever win". He has a point.
And at the other end of the scale, Frank Lloyd Wright probably never did a single thing that any client ever asked, but he designed some of the most beautiful houses in the world. He wouldn't have done, had he limited himself to what clients wanted (or could afford). Falling Water could never have come out of a compromise. The days when anyone could build a place like that are long gone (and it's definitely not wheelchair friendly).
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
There's a new development going up near us and the house on the main road has fake, bricked up windows. No architect worthy of the name would come up with something so fake and so naff.
There's a new development going up near us and the house on the main road has fake, bricked up windows. No architect worthy of the name would come up with something so fake and so naff.
What is wrong with these people? Mr L. Wright must be spinning. I agree with all that's been said regarding him. Genius is an overused word nowadays, and should be saved for people like him. It's interesting when you look at some of the good houses being built - many having that Scandi look aboout them - as it's very sympathetic to the style of many of his creations. Falling Water sometimes makes me cry when I look at it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I didn't know what you were all talking about so I had a Google. It's a stunningly beautiful building but I don't think I'd feel comfortable living in it permanently. Perhaps I'll have it as a holiday home.
There's a new development going up near us and the house on the main road has fake, bricked up windows. No architect worthy of the name would come up with something so fake and so naff.
There have been developments in Cheltenham of rows of Georgian style town houses. Many of these have 'fake, bricked up windows' in order to maintain the uniform appearance of Georgian houses. The originals have them too, although they were blocked up to avoid the window tax in the 19th century.
Unpopular opinion: Falling water is an egotystical imposisition on a beautiful landscape and has resulted in a popular tourist attraction admiring the American contempt for nature rather than the house in a beautiful secluded location that it was designed to be. It's also knackered in some very expensive ways after a relatively short lifespan. It does look nice though...
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Unpopular opinion: Falling water is an egotystical imposisition on a beautiful landscape and has resulted in a popular tourist attraction admiring the American contempt for nature rather than the house in a beautiful secluded location that it was designed to be.
*snort* well you're in the right place for that opinion It is egotistical, selfish and would never be allowed now - building in a natural beauty spot. On the other hand, lovely as it must have been, that building has elevated a place that none of us would have known about to a place of world renown. A villa on the hillside overlooking the river (what they say the client was hoping for) would have been more respectful, but much more ordinary response to the site. And despite it's imposition on the landscape, I think it adds more than it detracts. A bit like Castle Drogo - wouldn't be allowed now, but I am always enchanted by it.
FLW did build a lot of leaky roofs
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Posts
There are arrogant architects and there are nightmare clients. There are incompetent architects and there are stupid clients. You'd hope that in a good relationship, the architect and client have proper discussions and the result is better than either could have come up with alone. There's no point employing an architect and then telling him exactly what to design - you're never going to get better than ordinary that way. An architect who ignores client needs and budget is entirely missing the point of their job.
A very well known (in the business - not by the public) architect once said to me that he won't do houses anymore - he said "You just end up being a marriage counsellor - trying to negotiate compromises between husband and wife. And you can't ever win". He has a point.
And at the other end of the scale, Frank Lloyd Wright probably never did a single thing that any client ever asked, but he designed some of the most beautiful houses in the world. He wouldn't have done, had he limited himself to what clients wanted (or could afford). Falling Water could never have come out of a compromise. The days when anyone could build a place like that are long gone (and it's definitely not wheelchair friendly).
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Mr L. Wright must be spinning. I agree with all that's been said regarding him. Genius is an overused word nowadays, and should be saved for people like him.
It's interesting when you look at some of the good houses being built - many having that Scandi look aboout them - as it's very sympathetic to the style of many of his creations. Falling Water sometimes makes me cry when I look at it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's a stunningly beautiful building but I don't think I'd feel comfortable living in it permanently.
Perhaps I'll have it as a holiday home.
FLW did build a lot of leaky roofs
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”