I'd say Richard Balkins exudes the most critical regionalism since everything he does and thinks about extends no further than his parent's house in Astoria, Oregon... but then again, to be considered in this category, he'd have to actually be an architect (he's not), or at least marginally involved in design (evidence strongly suggests that he's not).

Patkau is a decent one for canadian west-coast region. Following along those lines, I'd add Douglas Cardinal, but only his earlier works.

David Miller of the Miller Hull Partnership literally wrote the book about critical regionalism in the Pacific Northwest, and that way of design thinking is still very strong in this area. In addition to the firms mentioned in the OP, also check out Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Mahlum, Johnston Architects (Seattle), and BUILD LLC. There also also lots of smaller, lesser-known boutique firms doing great work along similar lines.

Bench, I meant early Cardinal... real early, like back in the days of the design-built brick churches early. See St. Mary's Church in Red Deer, 1969.

BTW, Blackwell is pretty awesome.

Some younger 'critical regionalist' firms: De Leon Primmer, Sanders Pace, DUST, CC Arquitectos, Omar Gandhi,

Shim/Sutcliffe are amazing. Hard to fully understand when a majority of their work is private single-family homes. What I've seen published is great though.

Does anyone have any good examples of contemporary critical regionalists who successfully work in urban environments? Seems critical regionalism is best expressed through single-family homes; anything larger and the approach falls apart. Miller Hull has probably built the largest / most urban stuff, maybe Predock w/ Austin City Hall too.

I am constantly at awe on the omnipresence of Richard Balkins, he comes out here and there once in a while...

Miller-Hull, Olson Kundig and Patkaus are the only ones I see consistently accomplishing that theoretical position in any type of non-residential projects. MLS does great houses, but the public/institutional work doesn't quite seem to accomplish the same thing.

NS: Ive always found the work (even early) to be primarily focused on issues of identity relating more to Indigenous culture rather than regionalist mentalities - though this may tangentially touch on overlapping motifs periodically.

Going somewhat off-the-board, in the (seemingly) few built works that he completed, Juhani Pallassmaa was certainly prolific - while not strictly cut in that stream, I think most of his ideas overlap or at least touch with those of Frampton's outlines for CR.

Bench, I like where this is going. I propose we continue this over several beers while talking loudly and gesturing and whatever pub is closet. 

Needed to do that 6 months ago before I moved across the world!

Small world - I got Frampton to sign my copy of Modern Architecture at one of the Ghost labs in nova scotia

Pretty good answers. I just was wondering it because sometimes I am not able to identify critical regionalist architecture in architecture because of the way it looks sometimes. I am kind of familiar but not completely. That is why I have been researching more about firms. For example: an architect, such as Stanley Saitowitz. I have seen that Kenneth Frampton considers him as critical regionalist and I understand his point in some way. I just don't feel that Stanley's architecture inherit many aspects of San Franciscan Architecture. So, it is confusing. Therefore, I would like to know how you would compare critical regionalism in USA to Europe. Which one is more identifiable?

The Wikipedia article (yeah, I know) about critical regionalism mentions Peter Zumthor as one of several critical regionalists. I'd always figured him to be more of a phenomenologist, but I suppose one could make a strong case that the two terms aren't mutually-exclusive and, in fact, the Venn diagram between a critical regionalist approach to design and phenomenology would contain a significant amount of overlap. Thoughts?

David, I think you are right. Saitowitz is a good example of the connection between phenomenologists and critical regionalists. I think the Tampa Museum of Art is a work that could be embraced by both 'camps'.

Zumthor is another good example, but maybe it's very scale-specific? Because while I see a lot of critical regionalism in Leis House, his own studio, Gugalan house, the larger works tend to be more abstract, contemporary, and phenomenological. Therme Vals, Kolumba, and Kunsthaus Bregenz all seem more focused on phenomenology, the effect of light across surfaces and on perception, tactility of materials, etc.

Both of you are right about your arguments. So, I understand much better after your explanation about phenomenology.

David, yes I have seen the wikipedia article about Critical Regionalism and they mentioned some names that I do not know if they are debatable about what they do, as Alvaro Siza. I think that he is under the phenomenology influence more than the critical regionalism, or Eduardo Souto de Moura too. Their architecture is all about the experience. Thus, what europeans architects are more into critical regionalism? I guess architects as Gion Caminada or Sverre Fehn was. 

Phenomenology is different from critical regionalism. Don't confuse the two.

Nobody here was implying they were the same. But I think it's a fair to say it's possible to have a design approach that incorporates elements of each, and I was interested in exploring that intersection.

In a nutshell, phenomenology is primarily concerned with the human experience of the building as it relates to the senses and the web of meanings between sensory input and mental associations. Example: a big stone fireplace may conjure associations with home, comfort, and/or fond memories of sitting around a campfire as a kid. It's about setting a particular mood or establishing a particular character.

(Above: The Pierre / Olson Kundig)

Critical regionalism is primarily concerned with the building's response to its context, but natural and man-made. This doesn't necessarily mean copying the regional vernacular in a knee-jerk manner, but responding to it and reinterpreting it as necessary. Example: DeLeon and Primmer's interpretation of a Kentucky barn for their Wild Turkey visitor center.

I'd agree that these two approaches aren't necessarily incompatible with each other, and can often compliment each other in profound ways. A work of architecture can contain elements that are both strongly phenomenological as well as responsive to climate and the regional vernacular.

Sorry David - I understand the definitions of each, my point is rather that in pursuing a critical regionalist agenda, does that not inherently include a local-historical approach to phenomenology? Seems to me that anything outside of that sphere would fall into a vernacular category (or kitsch if its a fake vernacular).

*Throws out the Marc Miller beacon*

Fair enough. Your point is well-taken. I don't think it's a stretch to say that, when done right, a critical regionalist approach will by necessity include some phenomenological elements.

Has anyone who spent a lot of time in barns as a child been to the Wild Turkey visitor center? I've never been there, but I'm wondering because as a kid I spent a lot of time screwing around in barns. I'm not sure a barn form + 'regional' cladding material like the De Leon Primmer project does enough to invoke memory to where I would call it a project interested in phenomenology. I don't see any hay dust falling through beams of sunlight. Where is the feeling of danger when you climb a toenailed ladder up to a loft? I definitely don't smell manure or hay. I'm not sure being there would cause me to think back to my time spent in barns. Is that project 'phenomenological'?

The referential nature of that project takes me out of the experience a bit; I think that might be an issue for a lot of critical regionalist projects. The more references are made to historical or regional precedents, the less one can focus on the 'phenomenological' experience. So I lightly disagree with the 'by necessity', though I think there are a lot of great examples where a phenomenological approach to critical regionalism is successful.

By the way, I think that project is great, a great example of critical regionalism, and probably a great place to sample an average, imo, bourbon.

I just have a last question. Does anyone know any architects in Tucson or Arizona with the same approach as Rick Joy? 

(runs in late as the dessert plates and coffee are being cleared from the empty tables)

Bench, how are you defining vernacular? Initially in my head vernacular building overlapped with both CR and Ph, with the added element of being made from a "language" that is coded by traditions of making outside of architecture. Think barns, covered bridges or why you don't have old fashioned plaster walls in some regions. 

KellyS is a spammer. Posts flagged.

I'm patiently waiting for Kelly S's posts to be removed as spam so it looks like Balkins is having a discussion with himself. 

<grins>

Perfect.

Heh