DESIGN
We believe design centers around seven significant "elements" or considerations. The premise for each is universal, but their individual application is unique to each project.
1. Context
New buildings should be an enhancement to their surroundings and should not attempt to visually succeed at the expense of their neighbors. The whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. Location and building are inextricable. As the philosopher Roger Scruton observed: "Architecture becomes the art of the ensemble."
2. Planning
Buildings should be functional and adaptable. Orientation, views, public and service access, proper adjacencies, convenience and sustainability (sun & wind patterns, economy of resources, energy efficiency) are but a few of the considerations for a well-planned building.
3. Movement
Human movement in architecture, in addition to practical considerations, is also psychological and is a matter of clearly finding one's way and comprehending one's surroundings. Movement patterns often become primary organizational and aesthetic elements in architecture.
4. Shelter
Architecture is a provision for human shelter that is also both physical and psychological. Gresham & Beach has long practiced in the Sonoran Desert, which places psychological demands upon architecture not found in more benign climates. In addition to physical strategies, the sense of shelter contributes to design success. Wide overhangs, thick walls, sun protection, privacy and courtyards all serve to create feelings of protection that are psychologically rewarding.
5. Light
Le Corbusier declared: "Architecture is the masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light." Architecture does not exist without light. Only painting is so dependent upon light. But unlike painting, architecture reveals the third dimension with light. The quality of light in a space determines its ambience. A fine environment can only be measured by an enhanced experience through light.
6. Tactile qualities
Fine architecture appeals to other senses than the visual, particularly the tactile sense. Texture and pattern play extremely important roles in the appreciation of architecture. Surface shade, shadow and pattern bring buildings to life. Helen Keller could appreciate sculpture by running her hands over it, but with architecture, the tactile sense is mostly visual and contributes to the perceived essence of the building.
7. Judgment
The prevailing quality of architecture is judgment. Appropriateness trumps all other considerations. It is within this sphere that successful design is proposed and eventually reviewed. Architecture exists within a gray area between the practical and the creative.
We believe sustainability to be an ethical and civilizing issue in today's architecture and that its application is also a matter of judgment towards making a better environment. We live at a time of depleting resources and it is therefore essential that energy conservation strategies be employed and recycled and renewable materials be used. In our judgment, sustainability is good design practice.
