With courts around the country validating zoning regs that prevent mcmansions from being built in neighborhoods near you - will builders and home owners turn to professional designers in this economy?
Ordinances that steer developers and individuals away from cookie-cutter McMansions, or that require homebuilders to finesse smaller footprints on oddly shaped lots and expand existing houses more tastefully, could increase demand for the services of an architect.
“I have worked on projects where I’ve been hired because the zoning is too complex for the homeowner to work through and going for a variance is too big a risk to take,” says Frank Shirley, a residential architect based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “There’s no perfect zoning bylaws, but they do more good than bad.”
Other observers caution that it takes more than regulations to encourage quality architecture. “It’s not really about size, it’s about design,” says Jeremiah Eck, FAIA, a partner at Boston-based Eck | MacNeely Architects. “It has to be about artful decisions based in the craft of architecture with full participation by homeowners, designers—I didn’t say just architects—and builders. Until we come to see our homes in that way, they will continue to be nothing more than speculative commodities.”
many areas have in their zoning codes little regs that keep mcmansions down. hinsdale illinoize for example won't let you use tji's in residential construction which cuts down on spans. also, height and far restrictions etc. have been imposed in many commuter communities after nice homes were gettin torn down and replaced by oversized cribs.
Hinsdale also has some great early century and 1920's residential architecture. Those architects and builders understood proportions and craft - thats why these homes are so much more exspensive and areas like Hinsdale sought out. McMansions are for the "think" their rich.
No - I live in Chicago - an office we did has been stripped 2x. Once they took a live meter fitting for the bus bars. I dont know how we didnt find a corpse.
This time they took the cooper plumbing - tore off drywall in some rooms to get to it.
We had an RTU get stolen off a truck before it even got to the site another time.
will anti-mcmansion laws help architects?
asks this tantalizing question!
With courts around the country validating zoning regs that prevent mcmansions from being built in neighborhoods near you - will builders and home owners turn to professional designers in this economy?
Ordinances that steer developers and individuals away from cookie-cutter McMansions, or that require homebuilders to finesse smaller footprints on oddly shaped lots and expand existing houses more tastefully, could increase demand for the services of an architect.
“I have worked on projects where I’ve been hired because the zoning is too complex for the homeowner to work through and going for a variance is too big a risk to take,” says Frank Shirley, a residential architect based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “There’s no perfect zoning bylaws, but they do more good than bad.”
Other observers caution that it takes more than regulations to encourage quality architecture. “It’s not really about size, it’s about design,” says Jeremiah Eck, FAIA, a partner at Boston-based Eck | MacNeely Architects. “It has to be about artful decisions based in the craft of architecture with full participation by homeowners, designers—I didn’t say just architects—and builders. Until we come to see our homes in that way, they will continue to be nothing more than speculative commodities.”
as long as design review boards favor the 'McMansion' aesthetic over an 'architectural' aesthetic, I would say no.
many areas have in their zoning codes little regs that keep mcmansions down. hinsdale illinoize for example won't let you use tji's in residential construction which cuts down on spans. also, height and far restrictions etc. have been imposed in many commuter communities after nice homes were gettin torn down and replaced by oversized cribs.
Hinsdale also has some great early century and 1920's residential architecture. Those architects and builders understood proportions and craft - thats why these homes are so much more exspensive and areas like Hinsdale sought out. McMansions are for the "think" their rich.
I guess what Im saying is peoples gots no taste including most architects.
Theres some retard architect whos been covering his house in copper for 6 years on my block. Its terrible.
evilP- I'm surprised that scavengers and scrap metal thieves haven't stripped that place!
Well they stripped an office we did thats being built right now over the weekend. Thats twice.
evil
do you live in the Nati???
"I guess what Im saying is peoples gots no taste including most architects." ep
exactly
No - I live in Chicago - an office we did has been stripped 2x. Once they took a live meter fitting for the bus bars. I dont know how we didnt find a corpse.
This time they took the cooper plumbing - tore off drywall in some rooms to get to it.
We had an RTU get stolen off a truck before it even got to the site another time.
Good Times in the Chi.
it may just dilute the obvious distinction with good design!
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