For practical
purposes there isn’t
really any ideology describing sound design principles that
can distill good design into any sort of doctrine or formula. Especially
with the private home, this is a highly individualized process,
intricately wound up with not just concrete objectives and
determinants, but personal values, lifestyle, orientation,
family dynamics, and strategies for livelihood. This
is the sociology of design.
| |
“When
we do not know what harbor we are heading for, no wind
is the right wind.”
|
| |
~
Seneca |
| |
|
Design is a crucial aspect of our lives,
both as an expression and determinant of who we are. All
of what we are happens in the context of time and space, and
architecture is the space-experience. What’s at
stake is not just a box that encloses us but the setting of
our experience as spatially orientated beings, and a well designed
living space will enhance the quality of life in many ways,
subtle and profound. It will express how we identify
and aspire to live. A successful design process proceeds
from time tested design principles, well articulated goals,
and thorough consideration of the host of dynamics influencing
the outcome. And there’s unlimited opportunity
to do something unique and special! This is the value
of design.
As for the particular attributes
of good design, the
signifiers of excellent versus mediocre design, there is no
one-size that fits-all, beyond a basic sensibility as a point
of departure. A time-tested and proven aphorism
expressing the constituents of good design and the approach
I take toward it is: Firmness, Commodity, and Delight. (This
is the classical, or ‘Vitruvian’ formula): “The
beautiful is built on the foundation of the necessary"; it’s
a way to keep the process relevant and the results balanced
on all levels: aesthetically and creatively, functionally
and practically.
A design philosophy or approach
shouldn’t constrain
the process, but liberate it. More useful than a litany
of design rules is a brief inventory of the kind of general
concerns that a good design process ought to deliberately and
methodically address:
- Siting considerations
- Phasing & Masterplanning
- Orientation factors
- Influences of climate & geography
- Vehicular access and use
- Structure, Enclosure
- Light and ventilation
- Circulation and space planning
- Spatial interest and opportunities
- Form, massing, detail and composition
- Sustainability issues: energy conservation, maintenance
- Character & Context
- Accessibility, Safety, Security factors
- Economics, both initial and life-cycle costs
- Balancing form and function
|
