I recently returned from a trip to New York City, where Broadway is slowly reopening and tourists are gradually returning.  I saw quite a few changes from the last time I was in New York, some due to COVID and others to  the continuous construction activity in the city.

For one thing, many streets had been blocked off and furnished with tables and chairs to facilitate social distancing.  It was quite nice to have all of these additional pedestrian-oriented spaces for socially-distanced people watching and expanded walking space.

Another new development due to COVID is the many outdoor dining sheds which have popped up on the street in front of restaurants throughout New York.  These create a semi-outdoor space for eating as well as making up for some of the space lost to socially-distanced dining inside of restaurants.  They provide a nice outdoor dining option, although they also eat up parking spots on the street, which people with cars probably don't appreciate.

This spring a brand new park opened on the west side of the city.  Called "Little Island", it is made up of 132 concrete "tulip pots", which spring up out of the Hudson River and support landscaping, pathways and an amphitheater above.  I'd seen this park mentioned in architectural magazines, and I wanted to check out its unique structure.  Although visiting the park is free, it requires timed entry reservations on the weekend, so apparently the park is quite popular.

The High Line may be my favorite park in New York, and it was completed since I was last there.  The High Line was built on abandoned elevated railroad tracks that run along the west side of Chelsea.  It creates a 1-1/2 mile long elevated "promenade", a place to see and be seen, a place to enjoy views of the city without the presence of traffic.  The view changes along the park, from wide open spaces, to secluded little pockets of nature, to canyons created by the tall buildings along the path.  Although no two stretches of the park are alike, they are all tied together by the use of landscaping, the incorporation of the old train rails into the paving and the use of concrete, metal and wood for the many benches along the way.

Just north of the north end of the High Line is the "Vessel", a 16-story visitor attraction with a honeycomb-like structure that contains 154 flights of stairs and 80 landings for visitors to climb

This was a fun project that was constructed earlier in the year.  It is the first carport that I've designed.  My client wanted a carport to blend in aesthetically with the home, just like the existing pool house and shed do.  The shape of the roofs, materials and colors all reference the other buildings on the site.  

The carport was built under the existing trees, and beautiful new landscaping connects it to the site as well.  Downlighting built into the ceiling of the carport is wired to a motion sensor which turns the lights on when the car approaches the carport or when the owner walks out of the front door of the house.  Rather than pour a concrete slab, my client opted for a gravel floor, in order to keep the feeling casual.  When there's no vehicle parked there, the carport can be used as a covered outdoor space.

This recent project illustrates a remarkable transformation that occurred when my clients decided to upgrade their recently purchased lakefront home overlooking Lake Wisconsin near Lodi.  Previous owners of the home clearly had some interesting ideas about how to make it unique, but when my clients purchased the home in 2019, it was woefully in need of an update.

The home consisted of a small cabin with a full basement and a later addition which stepped up the hill and had no basement below it.  The family room and main level bedroom had windows overlooking the lake, while the kitchen and dining area were in the newer part of the home, facing the street.  This project involved a total gut job on the inside, and the entire front part of the house ended up being replaced when it was discovered to be sagging.

The new design flips the kitchen and downstairs bedroom so that the kitchen and family room flow together as one space, with two large patio doors onto the enlarged lakeside deck.  The stair to the basement was relocated so that a laundry room and powder room could take its place at the front of the house, making more efficient use of the space.

On the second floor, part of an upstairs balcony overlooking the lake was enclosed to create more interior space for the bathroom and three bedrooms, two of which have doors onto the balcony.

The exterior of the home was dramatically changed when the street-facing balcony was replaced with a steeper roof and the T-11 siding was replaced with engineered siding.  The second story low-slope roof was also replaced with a steeper roof.  The front facade was given taller windows, a more attractive entry door and larger entry roof.  From the outside, the original home is barely recognizable due to the altered rooflines, windows and deck.

Many of the new homes that I design are built on properties that were previously farm fields or wooded hillsides and are being inhabited for the first time.  However, one of my current projects, located near Belleville, is being built on an old Amish farmstead.  At one time there was a farm house, barn, other outbuildings, a well and a septic system on the property, most of which had been torn down.  Although the parcel consists of 4 acres, much of the site is steep, and the homeowners wanted to build as close to the location of the original farm house as possible, where the land is flatter and there are beautiful views of an adjacent wetland.

Nature had overgrown the area where the previous house was located, making it hard to see exactly what we were dealing with, but we knew that there was a pit which may have been the location of the previous basement, and an adjacent pile of rubble, as well as miscellaneous debris scattered around. Once the excavator got to work digging the foundation, it became clearer where the soil was undisturbed and where debris was sitting on or below the topsoil.  One discovery was what appeared to be an old cistern, (see photo below).  This had to be dug out until the excavator got down to undisturbed ground (see second photo below). 

Another area of concern was the location of the future garage, where a layer of loose rock beneath the upper  layer of soil pointed to a potential area of settlement.  This area was also excavated and replaced with compacted rock.

Foundations need to be built upon undisturbed soil, or the disturbed soil has to be removed and replaced with adequately compacted rock.  Soil that has been disturbed can settle over time, resulting in settling of a home's foundations and damage to the home.  

​For this project, I recommended bringing in a geotechnical engineer to assess the site and oversee preparation of the previous homestead for new construction.  ​Many potential property owners may not be aware that there are additional concerns and costs involved in building on a site that has been previously built upon or where the natural topography has been otherwise altered.  This often includes costs to haul away dirt and debris, for additional excavation and for bringing in and compacting clean rock to create a suitable surface to build upon.  

On some properties, there may be existing buildings which will be removed, or there may be evidence of former buildings.  it may be possible to learn about previous development of a site by looking at historic aerial photos.  In other cases, the owner may not know of previous development until excavation starts.  The excavation phase of a project is usually the most unpredictable stage of construction because it is unknown whether there exists underground rock, unsuitable soil, buried debris or high groundwater.  That's why it's good to include a contingency in the construction budget for surprises that may be discovered during excavation.  General contractors may include a line in their construction agreement stating what the additional cost will be if rock has to be blasted or if additional gravel has to be brought in to replace disturbed soil.

Homeowners living in a two-bedroom log-sided home near Viola found that they needed more space after the birth of their two daughters.  They asked me to design an addition that would include a master suite and possibly some additional space adjacent to the loft on the second floor.  They also requested a new front porch, entry door and mud room.  The existing entry door is difficult to find because it's located on the back of the house and isn't visible from the driveway or the walk from the driveway to the house.  

I came up with three variations based on the same floor plan.  Two bedroom closets will be relocated to create a new hallway from the great room to the new mud room.  A 3D floor plan of the proposed addition is shown below.

In the 3D views below, white indicates the existing house.  The image directly below shows a two-story addition.  The advantage of this option is an additional 10' x 14' room off of the loft.  One disadvantage of this option is that the sole existing window in the loft is lost.  

The one-story option below has the simplest roof of the three options.  Like the two-story addition, it requires the loss of the sole window in the loft.

The third option below also has one story.  The low profile of the roof above the porch creates room for additional windows in the existing loft above.

3D animations can be very helpful in understanding what a new home will look like, before it is built.  3D still views can help a lot, but being able to "walk through" or "fly around" a building is even more valuable.  I've been experimenting with my CAD software's ability to generate 3D animations.  I can walk through the interior of a home or fly around the outside of it, and I'd like to start offering these views to my clients.  The difficult decision is always how much detail to put into the animations.  The more detail and nuance, the more time it takes to create the CAD model, and the longer it takes to render it.  In my CAD program, Vectorworks, adding lighting to the drawing, in particular, dramatically increases the size of the rendering but also creates a more interesting and lifelike animation.  

For now, at least, I plan to offer fairly simple animations with a limited amount of detail, that will give clients a good sense of what their new home will look like on the inside and outside but will certainly not be considered photorealistic.  I can add more detail and complexity to animations for clients who are interested in paying for that level of detail.

Below are a flyaround and a walkthrough of a current project that I did as experiments.  The videos can be paused at any point to take a longer look at a particular area.

If you're planning to build a home on a steep site, the location and design of the driveway should be considered early in the project.  The driveway must be designed to comply with the requirements of your municipality's driveway ordinance. The purpose of these requirements is to make the driveway safer (especially in wet or snowy conditions), to prevent erosion (which fills lakes and streams with sediment and encourages weed growth) and to make it possible for emergency vehicles (fire trucks and ambulances) to get safely to and from your home.  Driveway ordinances typically prescribe a maximum grade for driveways, commonly ranging from 10% - 15%.  At the intersection of the driveway with the public road, a maximum grade of 5% may be required for the first 20 to 30 feet.  There is often a requirement that steep ground (perhaps greater than 20% - 45% grade, depending on the municipality) cannot be disturbed in order to create the driveway.  A driveway on a relatively steep site may have to wind back and forth in order to increase the length of the driveway so that it can have a lower grade.

In addition, a home which is far from the public road (for example, on a rural site) will need to have a driveway which allows emergency vehicles to get to the home, turn around and drive back out.  This requires quite a bit of relatively flat land, enough for a 50' diameter circular drive or a 50' wide tee-shaped backout.

The erosion and grading plan shown above was done for a current project of mine.  The flat part of the site near the road has a high water table, and the back of the site is very steep, so the home was placed low on the hill, where the grade is shallower.  The area where the home will sit is not particularly steep, but space for a driveway and turnaround is limited by the proximity of the house to the property lines on the south and west, and to an existing stone wall and silo on the east.  The garage is on the main level of the house, which necessitates a steeper driveway than would have been required had the garage been at the same level as the partially exposed basement.  

The plan also calls out what measures will be taken to prevent erosion on the site, both during and after construction.

In another project that I'm currently working on, a large portion of the site is either wooded or sits within a floodplain.  The lot drops off steeply from the public road, and it was decided to design the driveway before the home, in order to determine the best location for the home and outbuilding.  Ed Short of Exeter Design, Inc. did two possible driveway grading plans, and the design of the home was based on one of those.  Ed did the erosion control and grading plan for the first project as well.

When choosing a site for your new home, it's important to consider not only the location of the house on the lot but also the ease of getting a driveway to that location.

I'm currently working on a new home to be located on a rural property near Westby, Wisconsin.  My clients are fans of Sarah Susanka and her "Not So Big House" concept, which "values quality over quantity and emphasizes comfort, beauty and a high level of detail".

The main living spaces will contain some special details such as multiple window seats, custom built-in shelves and cabinets, and a lowered soffit around the edges of the room combined with a vaulted ceiling in the middle.  To reduce costs, the bedrooms and other areas of the house will be left fairly simple.

Two of Susanka's trademark design features are utilized here:  defining spaces with changes of ceiling height and using horizontal trim bands to reinforce room scale and emphasize changes in the wall and ceiling plane.

The 3D Floor Plan above shows the public spaces on the right side, including a living/dining area, kitchen,  nook for the grand piano, entry foyer and screen porch.  

From the foyer, one looks past an arch to the piano nook.  The foyer is defined by the arch as well as columns and a lowered soffit between the foyer and seating area.

The view above shows the vaulted ceiling above the living/dining area, with 7' soffits around the edges creating a perceived transition to the piano nook and foyer.

As seen above, there are window seats centered on the dining table and the seating area.  They are made to feel more cozy by the 7' soffits above them and the bookcases which define their sides.

The image above shows the view from the kitchen toward the living/dining area and the screen porch, with the two windows seats on the left.

Many people dream of building a home in the country, perhaps after they retire and are no longer tied to a place of work.  Whether looking for a quieter, simpler lifestyle or wanting to move to a location with a lower cost of living, anyone contemplating such a move should be aware of some differences between living in the country and living in a city or suburb.  Here are some things to think about if you are considering building a home in a rural area.

LIFESTYLE
Many rural townships require a minimum lot size in order to maintain the rural character of the area by preventing the development of farmland into subdivisions.  A common minimum lot size is 40 acres, and many townships allow only one home on a property, with the exception of additional homes that will be used by family members who are helping to farm the land.  There may be a requirement that part of your land by preserved as farmland.

If you are building in an area with farms, think about how you will feel about normal farming activities that may occur on your neighbors' property.  During the spring, summer and fall, farmers may start planting or harvesting early in the morning or continue late into the night, in order to beat the weather.  In addition to noise, there may be smells associated with farms, particularly those that raise livestock. 

Many rural citizens like to hunt or allow other people to hunt on their land.  How do you feel about hearing gunshots from your home?  Rural land (and roads) may be used by snowmobilers in the winter and by owners of 4 wheelers the rest of the year.


BUILDING COSTS
Depending on how close to the road you build your home, you may need a much longer driveway than you would require in the city or suburbs, which can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of building your home.  Someone will have to plow the driveway as well, meaning you may need to purchase a plow attachment for your pickup truck or hire someone to plow for you.  

Most rural sites need to have a septic system and well, since they are not hooked up to a city's sanitary sewer and water supply.  Electricity may need to be brought from quite a distance to get to your home, depending on where on your property you plan to build.  These things generally add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of construction.

There will likely be fewer general contractors to choose from to build your home, especially if you are far from a city.  Materials may need to be brought from a longer distance, increasing delivery costs, especially for unusual materials or products.  If you're building on a challenging site or in a hard-to-reach spot, that could increase costs for labor and equipment.


COMMUNICATION AND TRAVEL
Unfortunately there are still many rural places in the United States that do not have good wifi or cellular coverage (or the wifi may be very expensive).  This may be of particular concern if you are planning to work from your home and need to be able to reliably communicate with others.

Running to the grocery store to pick up a few things may require a long drive there and back.  If you have children, they may have a long bus ride to get to school, or you may choose to drive them to school and pick them up at the end of the day.  


VACATION HOME
If you're building a vacation home in the country, you may want to consider a security system that will alert you of intruders or burst plumbing pipes.  Some people hire a caretaker to check on their property regularly and take care of any problems.  If you won't be living in the home over the winter, you will need to either drain the water in your house, or keep the heat turned up high enough that the pipes won't freeze.
​

LIVING NEAR THE WATER
Lakes, rivers and wetlands can be beautiful features on a site, but they also come with restrictions determining how close you can build, both to protect your home from flooding and to protect the water quality, habitat and scenic beauty of the area.  In Wisconsin, buildings are generally not allowed within 75 feet of the water.  Sites that are downriver from a dam may have a "dam shadow" that they cannot build within.  This is an area that is expected to become flooded if the dam breaks or is opened.    

In addition, water may affect where you can place your septic system and well.  High groundwater may determine whether or not you can build a basement under your home.  In order to limit runoff from your site into a lake, there will likely be a limit to the amount of "impervious surface", such as buildings, patios or driveways, that you're allowed to build on your lot.  Your county zoning office will be able to tell you whether a property is located within a "shoreland/wetland" or "floodplain" district.


Owning a house in the country can be incredibly enjoyable, but it's important to know the tradeoffs before buying land and starting the process of building.

It's been a while since I've posted to my blog.  It's been a very busy spring and summer, and I only had the chance to photograph one of my completed projects.  The home was designed as a second residence for a couple living in Waukesha, who own property in a beautiful valley between Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills in Crawford County, Wisconsin.  It was important to my clients to have outdoor spaces where they could enjoy their beautiful property, and so there is a large deck and a screen porch on the main level.  Also on the main level are the great room and master bedroom suite.

The walkout basement contains utilities, a guest bedroom, office, exercise room and additional bathroom.  Unfortunately my photos don't do it justice.

Not long after the house was finished, my clients decided to sell their Waukesha home and make this their full time residence.

The general contractor for the home was Kickapoo Homes, Inc. of Viroqua.