Respecting your site
/There is something truly special about a structure that feels like it belongs exactly where it is. A feeling that the design has “grown out of the site” to become an integral part of the environment. This practice sets apart the outstanding architectural projects of our generation from the merely functional and is a driving force behind all of Evolution Architects’ work.
“Always design a thing by considering its next larger context – a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.”
It all begins with a key design principle: having respect for context.
Having respect for context means integrating your design into its surroundings and being neighbourly to the local residents (humans, flora and fauna). It also means reinforcing the local distinctiveness of the area. In short, it is responding to what is already there.
Responsive design
Great design never happens in isolation. It always begins with taking account of the context and responding to it in a positive way. Taking stock of what’s on the site and the surrounding area and tailoring a solution to fit it. A development should never feel like it could be anywhere in the world. It should take advantage of the features like trees, ponds and views to create spaces that are distinctive and full of character. This lends local identity and emotional connection to the functionality of the space, creating havens that people enjoy being in.
Responsive design also examines other structures in the area and the local patterns present in all the designs. These patterns are known as “urban grain” and includes roads, building types, building lines, open spaces and sub divisions. There may be a historical design style that you would like to reiterate or reinvent. Or perhaps offer a considered contrast, that still fits within the local identity. You can maintain local character by respecting elements like the height of surrounding buildings. This should reflect in your design by not necessarily matching the exact height but staying within the overall scale.
Organic Architecture
Beyond responsive design, we have a responsibility to build structures that create harmony between humans and nature. This is achieved through a holistic approach to understanding what was there before you arrived and being sympathetic to it. Organic architecture views the buildings, furnishings, animals, plants and surroundings as part of a unified, interrelated composition. This enables nature to continue flourishing in harmony with you.
If you want your development to become more than a functional structure, allow Evolution Architects to approach your design responsively and organically. Our highly trained team will do all the legwork needed to assess your site and the surrounding area, ensuring your final design is a timeless development that feels like it belongs nowhere else.
“No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.”