Houses architects design for themselves / edited by Walter F. Wagner, Jr. and Karin Schlegel

Includes index.

Preface: When architects design houses for themselves -- 1. The most frequent answer to where the design started: the site -- 2. Another basic-for almost everyone- is cost...and sometimes the discipline of budget forms the starting point of house design -- 3. Wheatever else is the starting point for design, the needs of the family's are paramount -- 4. For some contemporary architects, a "response to tradition" is the stating point -- 5. Sometimes a planning idea - a special arrangement of rooms to suit a particular family - forms the starting point for design -- 6. Many architects-in their own houses-experiment with forms and plans and structures they would not ask a client to risk. And this another way house design evolves -- 7. For some architects, like many clients, the city is the place, and rehab the solution -- 8. In some cases, small details, or big intangibles, makes the difference -- 9. Sometimes unique problems create some of the most interesting houses for all -- Index.

What kinds of houses do architects build for themselves? There are as many answers to that question as there are architects involved. In this case, there are 61 architects and 61 very different houses. Whether your personal interest in houses is that of the professional architect or builder or that of the prospective homeowner, you'll find this volume a unique and provocative source of design ideas and innovative solutions to typical design problems. And you'll find these ideas presented in a manner that is both informative and interesting—because each of these architects explains not only why and how he designed his home as he did, but also how this home worked out for himself and his family once they were living in it. The editors asked each architect to describe—the problems he had in deciding upon a design—how his house differed from that he would have designed for a client—what he would do differently if he were starting over—how the house measured up to hopes, dreams, and plans—and whether he and his family still lived in the house. Their answers revealed that in almost every case some special consideration played a dominant role in shaping the design concept adopted by the architect. It seemed logical, therefore, to group together descriptions of those homes that shared the same basic determining factor. Site—Many architects began, of course, with a particular site, chosen, for example, because of a treasured view or location, or because it was available, with its irregularities and problems, at a lower price than neighboring parcels.