I'm strongly considering building a house and have been searching Pinterest. I have come to focus on an architect named Tom Kundig. I like his strong commitment to functionality and I like his use of materials. Ain't going to hire him, but I like where he is going. Especially how he uses ambient light and designs unique hardware.

I'd appreciate your comments and perhaps other designs that you like.

Thanks,

Bot

Howdy Bot,
Rocky Mountain Log Homes.

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Frank X. Morris
17 Kia Niro
08 Jeep Wrangler 4 door unlimited

Modernism with heavy use of natural, uncomplicated materials...Kundig seems to be successfully melding elements of Philip Johnson and FLW design philosophies.

I'm utterly infatuated by homes built from shipping containers!

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

watch out the pelican salesman will offer home parts cheap.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

I looked at those shipping container homes and many of them are really remarkable.

My "But..." is from experience. I lived in mobile homes off and on for several years and I became phobic about narrow linearity. I walk into a long narrow room and I think, "fancy-schmancy mobile home". It could be the Great Hall of Buckingham Palace or Versailles. Still a mobile home to me!

Hexagon house!

Two words B - earth bermed, that is if you have the correct type of topography. Exposed wall has to face south.

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Jim

Site is on an E-W slope descending east to 3 acre, cypress dominated pond. Slope is sufficient for 1/2 basement.

FWIW, I'm planning to go completely off the electrical grid and also go for FW from a well. Average depth to potable water is 160 ft or so. Goal is to go completely off grid. I'm hoping Elon Musk's promises come to fruition in that regard.

Years ago I became infatuated with geodesic domes. Surface to area ratio is most favorable. No interior load bearing walls, making wall location entirely free of any support consideration. The downside is I just don't find the dome aesthetically pleasing. As PC noted, I like strong horizontals and verticals. I should be a Freemason.

I own a "contemporary" home, ca 1979. Avant garde designs tend not to age well from a resale perspective. Glass walls are impossible for curtains. And if the home has skylights (I have an unlucky 13 skylights), be aware that these are basically holes in your roof. Custom windows and doors age like anything you could buy from Home Depot, but parts are impossible and replacement is five times more expensive. After 30 years of "innovative" heating and cooling solutions, I'd be happy with a working window air conditioner and a Weil Maclain oil boiler. Not to be discouraging, but this has been my experience, yours may differ.

Geodesics are theoretically very efficient but difficult to subdivide inside for good usable space and are murder on the shingle installer and drywall installer. It's hard to beat conventional frame construction with poured concrete basement.

Berms as Jim suggested are fine too if a basement is not desired.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You might look at these.
Prefab Homes | Net Zero | Round Homes | Hurricane Proof | Deltec Homes

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Moss Gate Bed & Breakfast
1985 300 TD GG done in by a red light runner
1984 300 CD Sold
2008 Titian
2000 Cadillac SLS
1966 FLH Sold
2003 Harley Ultra

Howdy Bot,
Looks like lithium-oxygen & lithium-air batteries are coming around.

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Frank X. Morris
17 Kia Niro
08 Jeep Wrangler 4 door unlimited

Concerning domes & shingles, every dome owner I have ever met had problems with leaks at angles and/or around dormers. I just like the space efficiency. Might be useful in my future L-5 home in space.

Skylights? Same problems, mostly due to workmanship, a roofer friend says.

Concerning batteries, about 10 years ago I started reading some research blips about novel battery chemistry and structures. It was in Science, a reputable source of research pubs. Subsequently I have seen some R&D on the production side of novel batteries. I had hoped they would be widely marketed by now. ... when I need them! I have to admit that my knowledge of physical chemistry was inadequate to the research papers, but I understood the pretty pictures! My subscription lapsed a few years ago so what little I was aware of has probably been superseded.

I don't want to be on the bleeding edge of new tech. A friend (and flight instructor) told me "Never fly in the 'A'" model. Go for the "C". Good point.

Oh yeah, and I really don't give a damn about resale. It's my final home. I move in, that's it. My kids can worry about making a buck.

My major constraint is I don't want to do maintenance when I'm in my 80's and 90's. I want this sucker to be maintenance free for 30 years. I'm willing to pay for that. Make it so.