courtHOUSE by Mark Meyer (aka less than 1,000 square feet)

rglater · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 9

All-

Sturgeon's Law (Ted), is, "Ninety percent of everything is crap", art, design, craft, etc. I used to add, "The trick is to find the ten percent", going for a more elite quote I have tried, "The examined life is lived in search of the ten percent". I am afraid that last one falls into the ninety percent area.

Most of the environments we experience are crap, I appreciate anyone trying for ten percent status. I love many styles of design my favotite car of all time is a Ferrari 250 GTO but I wouldn't want to own one, I love Greene and Greene but I wouldn't want to own one. I need the architectural equivalent of a Mini, small, fun, enough nostalgia to make my 47 year old sensabilities comfy, but I would be willing to try a Prius house.

I don't need/can't use a Dwell House, I need less than 1,000 square feet, maybe much less. And I need to be able to buy and/or build it on an American wage. Do that for me and make it into my ninety percent and it can be any style plus I'll kiss you full on the lips. Ask my former, she'll tell you I am a ten percenter at kissing.
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R. Dietzel
gabh an latha
Eugene, OR, USA

eamesdaedelus · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Location: Austin, Texas

lavardera · Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 708 Location: merchantville, nj

rglater · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 9

Sorry, I do want style, I am just less concerned about which style.

I like that apartment. Currently I live in an eco redo of a 60's apartment, bamboo floors, low VOC paint etc. at 600 square feet it is big enough for me. I did live in a 1950 architect designed, FLW inspired place but 2,000 square feet for two people? Loved it but not needed.
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R. Dietzel
gabh an latha
Eugene, OR, USA

lavardera · Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 708 Location: merchantville, nj

pbreit · Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 215

designSTUDIO, I *like* that design! If I can find some land, I'd definitely consider that layout. Can you show us some ideas on what the exterior might look like? What specific dimensions did you have in mind?

eamesdaedelus · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Location: Austin, Texas

pbriet,

The apartment is wonderful. Architects have lived in this particular unit since 1990, the first of which was a profesor of mine, then some visiting arch profs, now me. It really is amazing, especially as it is more or less untouched since its 1963 construction date. If you drop me an email I can send you a pdf of the existing dimensioned floor plan, as well as the floor plan for my panelized version of the apartment. It has grown a wee bit from the original size, based mostly on overlaying a 4' grid over the plan to take better advantage of panelized construction. Due to the central courtyard the exterior elevations are kept intentionally minimalist, with few if any windows. I've toyed with the idea of allowing the living/dining room to have a higher ceiling with clerestory windows above the 8' plate height. Currently the existing building has a flat roof and a red-brick exterior (w/ brick courtyard wall as well). I can see the exterior translating to currugated metal, corTen plate, smooth plaster, or better yet, horizontal Ipe siding. Since the plan is so simple the sky is the limit for the exterior materials.

(you can click on my signature and it will take you to my LiveModern homepage where you can find my email address if need be)

Mark
_________________
designSTUDIO
box 684742
Austin, Tx 78768

512.619.6962

HD · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 29

how about those long ago promised picts, hey busy boy? ;D

ChicagoTim · Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Posts: 5 Location: Chicago

I think the idea of living in a smaller space is appealing, especially from an ecological perspective. There is a particularly American notion that bigger=better, resulting in our current dilemma with rampant sprawl. I grew up in typical suburban colonials- which always had the formal living and dining areas that sat empty most of the year, only to serve as shrines to upper-middle class affluence. It seems homes have doubled or tripled in size in the past decade- a wing for each member of the family. No one has to interact with anyone. Particularly baffling are those palatial roman baths that seem to be the norm- thanks to developers and real estate agents who claim they are necessary for "resale value." I've seen others post on here that the Dwell home seems too small but by European or Asian standards it would probably be seen as more than adequate. We don't need more space we just need to stop buying so much crap!

lavardera · Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 708 Location: merchantville, nj

You said it brother!
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Gregory La Vardera
architect www.lamidesign.com
modern stock plans www.lamidesign.com/plans
modern workplace www.workalicious.org

HD · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 29

i concur with the above and

[we just need to stop buying so much crap!]

and limit severely our driving habits, which often only serve the purpose of spreading all that useless crap all over the place.

mfojas · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 144

That is an incredible layout. Unfortunately, I really do want to have kids, so three BR option? Is it possible to consolidate the kitchen/dining/living room? People gravitate to the fridge or kitchen anyway...

eamesdaedelus · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Location: Austin, Texas

It really is a well-layed-out space, and all of it in only 750s.f. You could make the wings larger, allowing the kitchen/dining/living area to take one wing, slide the bathroom to where the kitchen is now, and place a third small bedroom along the hall. The hall wing would have to grow to 16' feet wide to make all of that work, and you'd be creeping into the 1200s.f. range, but it is possible to do. The kitchen layout now, seems like it could benefit from being opened to the dining area, but my apartment is the only one in the complex with the kitchen seperated, and for my money is the only kitchen in the complex that one can really cook in. We cook lots of stuff, and have tons of kitchen accessories, but yet we have tons of storage in the TINY kitchen. You can literally stand in one spot and reach everything. For a bigger space as I was describing above, I think you could afford to open the kitchen to the rest of the space. Even how it is now, folks congregate in the kitchen, but since there is so much glass you can still have visual relation between the other spaces in the house and the group gathered at the kitchen.

Courtyard houses are the best....

Mark
_________________
designSTUDIO
box 684742
Austin, Tx 78768

512.619.6962

mfojas · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 144

As long as it's below 1500, it should be much more affordable and livable than the homes you currently see on the market...

What's the minimum size of lot that you see an expanded 1200 sq ft. type of plan (or smaller preferably) being?

You have definitely hit upon something here... I'm anxious to see what you come up with.

eamesdaedelus · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Location: Austin, Texas

I'm working on a 1232 s.f. version that is 32'x 52', three bedroom/one bath with a 24' x 17'7.5" courtyard. The kitchen/dining/living is 16'x32', and all of the bedoorm are decently sized (11'x13'). It should fit on most standard 50'x130' lots. Floor plan below...

Mark
_________________
designSTUDIO
box 684742
Austin, Tx 78768

512.619.6962