Archive for February 2010
Starting in Early Spring
Winter is still here as you can clearly see. However, it is of little consequence if we are working inside a closed house, i.e. roofed, windows in place, etc. This usually requires breaking ground in the early Spring. We have poured slabs in February and it can be done, but it is tricky. However, I’m looking forward to being warm again I must admit.
Site Circulation
Clearly identify a road hierarchy that creates slow movement of traffic through and within the site and ensures safety for the residents. The road network should be logical, legible and permeable which provides for attractive streetscapes and reinforces the functions of a street. The street reserve width needs to be adequate for its proposed paths, pavements, planting, drainage and services. Simplicity in street layout is encouraged instead of engineering design devices of raised road platforms, funnelling, chicanes and the like. Plan for issues such as on-street parking, maneuvering requirements for garbage truck/furniture vans and the like. Tessera has been designed with a gently curving road pattern that by nature controls maximum speed without artificial traffic calming devices. Roll up curbs provide for on street parking. Streets are wide enough and visibility is good enough to safely accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Re-vegetation of the roadways has been done with gentle slopes, juniper and pinon trees, and a proprietary seed mix resulting in attractive landscape that preserves the look of the indigenous flora and still provides a safe roadway for forms of transport.
How Healthy is your Neighborhood?
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, architects and urban reformers helped to defeat infectious diseases, such as cholera and tuberculosis, by improving design of buildings, streets, neighborhoods, clean water systems and parks. In the 21st century, designers can again play a crucial role in combating the most rapidly growing public health epidemics of our time: obesity and its impact on related chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Today, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet are second only to tobacco use as the main causes of premature death in the United States. A growing body of research suggests that evidence-based architectural and urban design strategies can increase regular physical activity and healthy eating. Santa Fe is one of the healthiest cities in the country with an endless array outdoor activities and a penchant for healthy eating. Hurlocker subdivisions always include walking/running trails and the communities are bicycle friendly.
Contemporary - What is Being Built Now
Contemporary architecture is defined by some as that which is being designed and built now. However, not everything being built now qualifies. Some houses are simply repetitions ad nauseam of a style that has long since become stale. Often it represents a “safe” style that, hopefully, has broad market appeal. In the case of Santa Fe’s “Pueblo Revival” style which emerged around the beginning of the 20th century, the style has been replicated over and over with little creativity. Hurlocker Homes has created contemporary versions of this style by cleaning up the lines, removing dis-ingenuous ornamentation, and focusing on the spaces and views rather than the masses. We believe that our homes are true to the tenants of Santa Fe style but are “contemporary” in their execution.
