EXTERIOR SPACE: The Transition

Summer is winding down, and here in Minnesota, we are taking advantage of our coveted porch and deck evenings.  Exterior spaces and the transition they provide between 'inside' and 'outside' have been an element of architecture since the Ancient Greek temples and the portico at the front, filtering people into the space.

The Parthenon, Athens

As a part of our homes, exterior spaces have firmly rooted themselves as a place for gathering, serving as the middle ground between the privacy of home and the rest of the outside world. They have also become a cornerstone of our culture.  (Listen here for NPR's 'All Things Considered' about the culture of sitting on the porch).

Recently, Building Arts worked on a project with a home that was lacking this transitional space:  

Jon and Katie's exterior space before.

Mostly due to a rotting deck that had to be removed, Jon and Katie's sliding glass door was met immediately by a set of stairs to ground level, and Maisy's dog door, met by a ramp.  We not only wanted to give them an exterior space, but also wanted to connect it with the reorganization we were doing inside.  We added a sliding glass door at the opposite end of the house, integrating the deck and porch into the overall flow, and opening up the home, successfully tying the inside to the outside.

Showing the flow before and after the remodel with the deck and porch.

Here is the result:

Jon and Katie's deck and porch after.

So, as these final days of summer wind down and the air gets cooler, invite the neighbors over, unwind, and indulge in the sweet spot between inside and out.  



**This project will be shown on the Homes by Architects Tour September 21 & 22.  See our Website for more details.  www.building-arts.net



Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Informal Architecture: A Walker Exhibit

Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites

The Walker Art Center

Exhibition view Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites The Walker Art Center 2013

There is currently an exhibition at the Walker Art Center that we find particularly fascinating as architects and builders.  It showcases informal architecture, specifically that on the outskirts of Mexico City, where the artist, Abraham Cruzvillegas, spent his childhood. 

In these areas, the inhabitants slowly and informally constructed their homes. Informally in the sense that there are no designs, no plans, no structural engineers, no plumbers, no electricians, no carpenters. The home owner, with the help of family and friends,  slowly constructs their own space over many years as materials become available.

The artist refers to this as Autoconstrucción, or 'self constructions'.  The families of this community used what they could find to construct, as they do not have the financial means to buy typical construction materials.  The foundations were built from volcanic rock found around the city, and above that, many found materials, most that had been created for a completely different purpose, and had once been disposed of, along with a mix of concrete, wood, and re bar.  Cruzvillegas addresses the process and content of this informal construction through his art, but also addresses the current political dilemma, as they now fight to keep the homes and communities they built themselves.

This brings us back to each of our definitions of 'home'.  These people's homes are built over decades, on land they did not own, as they found objects and building materials, creating the most intriguing juxtapositions, and they are never completely finished, always allowing for the next step.  

The ingenuity, passion, and ambition of people when creating their personal space is never lost on us.  It is always appreciated, no matter if it is here - adhering to building codes, utilizing architects, plumbers, electricians, traditional building materials, and the expertise of carpenters - or whether it is there..

Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites will be on exhibit in the Walker through September 22nd.  For more details check out the site.