Our philosophy as designers and builders is constantly evolving. As we are exposed to new ideas, new materials, and new methodologies, we continue to learn and redefine our response to the ever-pertinent question: How ought we build? The following is intended to be a living document—a constellation of ideas and principles that currently inform our work—to be referenced, revised and acted upon. We invite anyone interested to join the discussion.
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Buildings are reflections of our society—they reflect the dominant beliefs, values, priorities and motivations of those who build them. A logical, expressed tectonic isn't just a logical expressed tectonic. A playful detail isn't just a playful detail. These speak to ways of being in and viewing the world. We make buildings according to our beliefs and, in turn, they make us. At their best, the choices we make in design and construction reflect our highest ideals—our highest visions of ourselves—so that in their presence we might be reminded of who and what we wish to be. A considered building has the potential to be a moral and philosophical compass. The question is: which way will it point, and, importantly, how?
We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us. — Winston Churchill
We want them to shelter us. And we want them to speak to us—to speak to us of whatever we find important and need to be reminded of. — Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
Any object of design will give off an impression of the psychological and moral attitudes it supports. — Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
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Buildings consume an immense amount of the earth's resources in their construction. If we are to build, it is our responsibility to build structures which will last and be cared for, ideally, for centuries. The most sustainable buildings are buildings that last and are simple to maintain. In order for a building to last, it must be continuously useful, it must be well-built of durable materials, it must be detailed appropriately for the climate, and it must be loved. In order for a building to be loved, it must touch the human spirit and move the soul—not just now, but forever. Building structures that are revered and simple to maintain can be more sustainable and less disposable than the high-tech, product-centric solutions being pushed today. Where lower durability or future material replacement is required, we ought to utilize plant-based materials with low embodied energy and high recyclability potential.
We owe it to the fields that our houses will not be the inferiors of the virgin land they have replaced. We owe it to the worms and the trees that the buildings we cover them with will stand as promises of the highest and most intelligent kinds of happiness. — Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
Whence this accumulation of matter and energy? — Kiel Moe, Empire, State & Building
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There is dignity in labor. Most buildings which are loved are not built quickly. Often, the love is born out of the labor. There is pride in creating something of quality with others. Pride in the creation of a building breeds care for that building over time. When we are confronted with a hand-carved wood door knob, our instinct is to preserve it, because we understand the love that went into it. It is sacred and it connects us to the past and the value of the present. The same cannot be said about a ubiquitous machine-made steel knob.
Construction has become more and more complicated. Skilled labor is more scarce and thus more expensive. We no longer have an abundance of skilled tradespeople in the fundamental trades—masonry, carpentry, tile, etc. Building products have become more and more specialized and are now specifically designed to be able to be installed by low-skill labor. Often times, this means most of the detail and craftsmanship that goes into construction materials is handled off-site during controlled manufacturing processes to allow for low-skill installation on site. We are no longer building with materials; we are building with products. Lots and lots of products. With this we lose part of the soul of our buildings. We bow our heads to industrialization, efficiency and profit, while we lose our connection to the earth. There is no love expressed in our buildings, and we discard them.
We must build with materials, and we must craft them with our hands. Handcraft yields richness that reminds us of our time and place in the world.
The best art involves a complex giving of honor. It gives honor to the materials that are being used in the work, therefore giving honor to God; it gives honor to the people for whom the art is made; and it gives honor to the maker, the responsible worker. In that desire to give honor, the artist takes on the obligation to be responsibly connected both to the human community and to nature. — Wendell Berry