2013: a year of moderation

I know, I know, moderation doesn't sound interesting. Believe me, I'm not normally a person who takes well to moderation; quite the opposite - I've traditionally clung to extremes. Go big or stay home, right? It's always been that way for me: in school (last minute all-nighters), at work (a gazillion client visits one week and none the next), with my health (extreme diet and exercise or complete couch potato) and even in design (decorating my new home to obsessive perfection in the first two days).

But I've been reading spiritual/business/self-improvement books lately, along with my usual design and news sites, and the word "moderation" seems to be glaring back at me from every page. So maybe it's worth examining.

For example, the classic best seller The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma has made me revisit how I am going to treat my physical and mental health in 2013. I am performing the recommended 10 Ancient Rituals of Radiant Living daily. It's all about cultivating your mind and body to live a meaningful and enlightened life. The book advocates repeatedly the wisdom of "everything in moderation." By beginning a new way of living, slowly at first, and adding in more and more mindful practices each day, new and healthy habits will slowly form, and, here's the kicker: they will stick. It's what nutritionists have been saying about eating healthy for years (lose 2 lbs a week by eating sensibly) but of course, I always wanted the quick results. Maybe its my wise old age (ahem), but I think it's finally time to give this moderation thing a try. The quick results don't often last, and certainly aren't as fulfilling. As they say, the journey is the destination. 

So what does all of this have to do with design? Everything, actually. Our western desire for everything to be built big and fast has driven us to a place of unnecesary urban sprawl, overconsumption, and sometimes poor quality craftsmanship. Why are we obsessed with excess and extremes? We want either luxurious mansions or solar-heated 800 sqft. green homes. What if we simply took moderate steps toward living sustainably?

We may not all be able to build LEED certified, but we can source locally and we can build for what we will need now as well as 20 years from now, so we won't need two or three different houses over our lifetime. We can buy antique furniture that will last another two generations, and we can reclaim materials to decorate our homes. Sustainability and affordability in design is all about moderation, when we really think about it.

This interesting article by Lloyd Alter, a sustainable design prof at Ryerson University, talks about the need for better design in order to use less, live well in moderation, and therefore do our part for a sustainable planet. I'm all for it.

Living a healthy, happy, successful and comfortable life is achievable if we design our lives better. Everything from our homes to our morning routines to the food we eat to the ways in which we entertain ourselves can be more fulfilling and more sustainable if we can think a little more moderately. That's my goal for 2013.

What's yours?

the principles of green design

Yesterday I featured a home by designer Jessica Helgerson, who adheres to the principles of green design. I adore her work.

photo by Lincoln Barbour

Jessica outlines on her site an overview of green design principles, as written by environmentally-friendly architect John D. Kelley, who also does outstanding work. 

John D. Kelley

The green principles below from Kelley are similar to the principles of building a "slow home", which I've posted on previously. They should definitely be taken into consideration when building and renovating. 

PROTECT & ENHANCE THE SITE

Land is an environmental resource and we should make appropriate use of it. When planning a development it is important to study the ecosystems on the site,  in order to avoid environmental harm to undeveloped land, and then to protect the site during construction. On ecologically damaged land, landscaping with native plants and creating beneficial microclimates with water features and trees can help to restore and enhance environmental productivity and biological diversity. On steep sites, it is least disruptive to terrace the buildings in harmony with existing land contours. Landscaping with edible plants enhances the sense of community, while making positive use of the land.

ENHANCE COMMUNITIES

Building appropriately gives us a chance to strengthen local economies and communities by preserving and enhancing the existing economic and social fabric. By remodeling existing historical buildings we maintain and enhance a sense of place, while saving the energy and expense of new construction and eliminating demolition and disposal costs.  We can also plan new developments to integrate with and enhance existing communities, maintaining beneficial land use and transportation patterns and minimize new infrastructure.

 MAKE BUILDINGS HEALTHY

When designing buildings, we should consider providing views for enjoyment and inspiration, and useful and pleasant outdoor spaces easily accessible from the building. For energy efficiency, it is useful to incorporate natural daylighting and ventilation to the maximum extent possible, and whenever possible, provide each room with windows on two sides for light and ventilation. Thermal performance should be designed for human comfort while minimizing energy use. Choose systems and materials to minimize or eliminate toxins from indoor air. Design acoustic qualities according to human comfort and functional requirements, by incorporating features to minimize or eliminate unpleasant noise. Minimize human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Protect workers during construction.

SAVE AND PRODUCE ENERGY

We can maximize beneficial use of sun, wind, and natural features with building placement and configuration. Use landscape features and outdoor rooms around the building to create beneficial microclimates. Incorporate natural daylighting and ventilation to the maximum extent possible. Design an energy-conserving building shell to optimize thermal performance and comfort. Once the shell is designed, we can further reduce energy consumption by selecting energy-efficient furnaces, water heaters, lighting, appliances and equipment, and by minimizing or eliminating air-conditioning. The building can produce its own renewable energy using solar hot water panels and photovoltaic electric panels. Also consider wind, hydro and geo-thermal energy production where feasible. This keeps money in the local economy by spending less on imported energy resources.

SAVE AND RECYCLE WATER

We can use significantly less water, and lessen the impact on our rivers and oceans by harvesting the water that falls on our sites with on-site ground water recharge systems and water storage tanks.  We can reuse water that has been lightly used (gray water) for use in our gardens. There are many ways to save water by using low-flow toilets, shower heads and faucet aerators, and choosing water-efficient clothes washers and dishwashers. We can further these savings by planting natives and other drought-tolerant plants in our gardens and minimize water use with drip irrigation and other water-efficient irrigation systems.

SAVE & PRODUCE MATERIAL

Reduce, reuse, and recycle during construction.  The most basic ways to use fewer materials are by re-using existing buildings or by designing smaller buildings. If reuse is not feasible, rather than demolish, move or deconstruct the building for reuse. By designing more intelligently, we can design the building to make efficient use of standard lengths and sizes of material. We can also expand the standard material selection criteria of strength, cost, appearance to include environmental impact, durability and toxicity.  With the materials we use, “greener” products are becoming available such as engineered lumber, bamboo, non-toxic paints and finishes, low-impact fabrics, non-toxic adhesives and insulation, and long-life roofing. We can also incorporate salvaged wood products such as timbers and flooring and select other products with recycled content. Consider alternative construction techniques such as adobe, native stone, rammed earth, sandwich panels, foam blocks, and straw bales. Create a sustainable supply of materials by using sustainably harvested wood products or by planting trees to replace the wood you use.

MAXIMIZE LONGEVITY

We should maximize the longevity of the entire building by designing with flexibility in mind. When selecting materials and construction techniques consider long life and sustainable maintenance. Design the building to be economical to build and operate, and maintain the specified quality of materials and workmanship during construction so the building performs as it was intended. Operate and occupy the building in a sustainable manner.

west coast homes: a study in sustainability, simplicity and harmony with nature

I was wowed recently on a trip to Vancouver, B.C. with how lush and green the city and surrounding area is, and how residents seem to value this natural phenomenon and incorporate it into their lifestyles. Parks are abundant, rooftop gardens are on countless skyscrapers and downtown buildings, and vines and plants are allowed to grow up and around city infrastructure. The thing that impressed me most, though, are the homes and how they are in harmony with their stunning natural surroundings. 

Hotchkiss House by Scott Edwards

West coast architecture is organic and distinctive to the Pacific northwestern coasts of Canada and the U.S.  It is significantly influenced by revered architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who was quoted as saying, "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." 

home in Horseshoe Bay, B.C.

One of Wright's most well-known mentees was Arthur Erickson, a Vancouver-born architect who left his stamp on Vancouver homes and city developments. Erickson said "Architecture, as I see it, is the art of composing spaces in response to existing environmental and urbanistic conditions to answer a client's needs. In this way the building becomes the resolution between its inner being and the outer conditions imposed upon it. It is never solitary but is part of its setting and thus must blend in a timeless way with its surroundings yet show its own fresh presence."

Smith House by Erickson

Erickson was obviously plugged in to the current slow home idea of building homes that will last and be relevant for many generations.  His homes use wood, exposed beams, and indoor-outdoor spaces with sweeping views of the coastal surroundings. Erickson's homes, like true west coast homes, were built not on top of the land, but as a part of it, designed to fit in as a piece of a whole.

Graham house by Arthur Erickson

As you can see from this home of Erickson's, the oldest left standing in Vancouver, the simplicity of clean lines and earth-inspired design are integrated seamlessly. 

Stegman house by Erickson

 The trend today toward minimalist design fits perfectly with west coast architectural style, and proves that simple and live-able design that harmonizes with our natural surroundings will always remain relevant and modern.

West Coast home

the slow home movement

What is slow home design? Basically, it is the principle of slowing down to design homes and spaces that are sustainable, practical and functional.

The slow home movement is a response to the poor design practices that pervade the mass housing industry. Slow Home Studio, founded by principals John Brown and Matthew North in Calgary, Alberta, strives for a more “considered, calm and intuitive” approach to residential design. 

The concept is to use well-considered design principles to create smaller homes that will be both environmentally sustainable and literally so, in the sense of being built to endure.  The practice also includes remodels of existing, appropriately sized older homes that need updating.

Brown says in an interview with The Chicago Tribune  that a slow home is:

"reasonably sized and carefully designed to support its occupants. It might have an entry where family members can easily take off their boots, stash their keys and store their backpacks, for example. It might have a living space that encourages people to talk or read, not just watch television or surf the Internet. It's energy efficient, filled with natural light and designed for easy flow among rooms and access to the outside."

North, in an interview with The Calgary Herald says:

"I think the boom of the big-house era is coming to an end. So those houses will be less desirable and valuable as time goes on," North says . . . Expect a shift to smaller, more energy-efficient homes, North says, and a move away from homes on the fringes of cities. A decade ago, a 5,000-sq.-ft. home sounded like a dream to some. These days, that much square footage "sounds like a noose around your neck. There's uncertainty about the energy cost to heat your house."

Slow Home Studio offers "12 Steps to a Slow Home.",  very interesting how-to to get started on your own home.  And they offer weekend in-studio courses on slow home design, which I am excited to be participating in this Fall.

I'm a big fan of the slow home movement, especially since my focus is on redesign instead of consuming new.  What do you think of slow home design? What is your take on the concept and how do you incorporate it into your home?

a showhouse-inspired slow home

The real life Houston home featured in the latest issue of Traditional Home is based on ideas gleaned from show homes, but it also stands out as a great example of what I consider a slow home. Virginia Mary Brown carefully considered the design of her home to suit her family's needs, to preserve history, and to responsibly re-purpose materials salvaged from her grandmother's home that used to sit on the property.

For example, look at all of the light coming through the windows that were put on three sides of the house for maximum ventilation. The sofa is handed down from grandma and recovered in white cotton duck.

The wonderful brick pavers that run from inside to outside are from her grandmother's home. The downstairs is open concept in order to keep the family close together, but the big sliding barn doors can be closed to separate the family room from the kitchen when needed.

The reclaimed pine floors are warm and stand up to kid traffic.

The kitchen is deliberately placed so that everyone goes through it to go in and out of the house. It is therefore a gathering spot, and has a big table in the middle to accommodate all kinds of activity.

All of the bedrooms were placed upstairs, bucking the trend for a downstairs master.

The fantastic marble mosaic tiles in the bath were purchased at a hotel salvage sale.

This home was obviously well thought-out and its contents were found and purchased with deliberation and patience. Finding the right pieces can take time, but it is worth it in order to end up with a home that is highly functional and durable, will grow with your needs, and will last for generations. All that and high style as well! Not bad.