[ALEXIS_DH]

I have a theory that in 20-30 years people will finally grow tired of the frustrations of the suburbs, and as the shoddy, characterless surburban homes begin to fall apart, they will flee back into the towns and cities, causing a trend in urban renewal. Unsustainable suburbs will become the new Ghetto's.

in a way i also think this is gonna happen at some point in lots of places if fuel prices and distances get more expensive.

while economies are wildy differente, the city i live in, has the old school euro planning. (it was laid down in the 1500`s).

since gas is ultra expensive, when adjusted to income, here (5-6 bucks a gal vs 150 bucks minimal wage), in the last 30 years the suburbs have become ghettos and shantytowns that rely on mass transit. (with very few exceptions of private multimillion buck houses suburbs)
and the inner city houses are getting torn down to for tall apartment buildings and high rises for middle and upper middle class...

at the point (if it ever arrives) when in the US the fuel (oil, electric or whatever) and cars get expensive enough to run, like in europe or southamerica (say 4 bucks per mile driven), the days of the 50miles commutes and suburbia will end...

 

[dh girlie]

So, if a guy can swing a hammer...does he drill a drill???

 

[N8 v2.0]

Ok... you Architects/wanna be Architects post your designs.

 

[valve bouncer]

For the average home buyer picking out paint colors and countertops is a major ordeal... and most do not want to even do that and are content with a finished house as long as it generally suits them.

F*ck me talk about having the attention span of a goldfish. I remember sitting down at the builders every Saturday for about 3 months, for 3 or 4 hours at a time, going over in minute and excrutiating detail with the salesman, architect and interior designer just exactly what we wanted. And yeah, it's a pain in the arse but the end result is that we have a house where everything is exactly how we wanted it. I'm guessing it's the people with the elephant garages that can't be bothered "picking stuff". Talk about lowest common denominator. I'm with Stosh and Archslater here.

Good thread anyway N8, occassionally a diamond is found in the turd fiesta that is generally your contribution to this site.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Good thread anyway N8, occassionally a diamond is found in the turd fiesta that is generally your contribution to this site.

You are only encourging me...

 

[Archslater]

Are you a licensed Architect?

Actually I just finally took my last ARE exam... so hopefully the license will be coming in a few months.

 

[N8 v2.0]

F*ck me talk about having the attention span of a goldfish. I remember sitting down at the builders every Saturday for about 3 months, for 3 or 4 hours at a time, going over in minute and excrutiating detail with the salesman, architect and interior designer just exactly what we wanted. And yeah, it's a pain in the arse but the end result is that we have a house where everything is exactly how we wanted it. I'm guessing it's the people with the elephant garages that can't be bothered "picking stuff". Talk about lowest common denominator. I'm with Stosh and Archslater here.

Sad but true. In fact, I've seen couples divorce over a custom built home because the stress of choosing door hardware and flooring was too much for them to overcome.

 

[pixelninja]

A perfect example of this New Urbanism is here in Denver. Denver's airport used to be 15 minutes east of downtown. Since they built the new DIA further east, they've torn down/ripped up the old airport and it had become the Stapleton community. All the homes have very small lots, with garages off alleyways. Some clusters of houses are situated around a common ground. Some have their own very small yards. Lots of small parks. Lots of bike/walking paths. The wife and I thought about buying there, but its a bit out of our price range. This is the look of an average house there:

http://www.stapletondenver.com

 

[N8 v2.0]

A perfect example of this New Urbanism is here in Denver. Denver's airport used to be 15 minutes east of downtown. Since they built the new DIA further east, they've torn down/ripped up the old airport and it had become the Stapleton community. All the homes have very small lots, with garages off alleyways. Some clusters of houses are situated around a common ground. Some have their own very small yards. Lots of small parks. Lots of bike/walking paths. The wife and I thought about buying there, but its a bit out of our price range. This is the look of an average house there:

http://www.stapletondenver.com

Price range?

 

[Andyman_1970]

The kind of home I would like to build is an updated version of the 60's mod home.

I'm a craftsman style cottage guy myself.....................

 

[stosh]

Actually I just finally took my last ARE exam... so hopefully the license will be coming in a few months.

*jealous*

If you ever need an new employee you know where I am.

 

[dh girlie]

Wow...not only can the guy surf, swing a hammer and drill a drill...he's a snappy dresser too!

 

[N8 v2.0]

Wow...not only can the guy surf, swing a hammer and drill a drill...he's a snappy dresser too!

Jeebus... would you just get a vibrating hammer drill and git after it?


:angry:

 

[dh girlie]

Jeebus... would you just get a vibrating hammer drill and git after it?

:angry:

No thanks...I prefer to have the 'driller' attached to it...

 

[stosh]

I'm a craftsman style cottage guy myself.....................

Me too, although I like to add a modern twist to it.

 

[stosh]

A perfect example of this New Urbanism is here in Denver. Denver's airport used to be 15 minutes east of downtown. Since they built the new DIA further east, they've torn down/ripped up the old airport and it had become the Stapleton community. All the homes have very small lots, with garages off alleyways. Some clusters of houses are situated around a common ground. Some have their own very small yards. Lots of small parks. Lots of bike/walking paths. The wife and I thought about buying there, but its a bit out of our price range. This is the look of an average house there:

http://www.stapletondenver.com

Nice house but WHY the heck didn't they put the vents in the rear of the house.

 

[pixelninja]

Price range?

That one was 3 bed 2 bath, 1500 sq ft and started in the low $200s.

 

[pixelninja]

Nice house but WHY the heck didn't they put the vents in the rear of the house.

Because its KB Home.

 

[Archslater]

*jealous*

If you ever need an new employee you know where I am.

In my six years of practice, I've pretty much focused on Healthcare design, so for now residential design is just something I like to study/talk about.

 

[stosh]

That one was 3 bed 2 bath, 1500 sq ft and started in the low $200s.

I thought you were getting like 300k for yours.

 

[N8 v2.0]

In my six years of practice, I've pretty much focused on Healthcare design, so for now residential design is just something I like to study/talk about.

Well, nothing is stopping you from designing homes. Here in La anyone can be a home designer no license req'd.

 

[stosh]

In my six years of practice, I've pretty much focused on Healthcare design, so for now residential design is just something I like to study/talk about.

*NOT JEALOUS* @ Healthcare design

 

[jmvar]

This is a great thread.

I think that as far as architecture, it would be interesting to see how many people purchase a house simply because it is the only one they can afford, with the amount of rooms and bathrooms necessary.

As far as smart growth communities, we have a very nice one close to where I live in Maryland called the Kentlands. Withing walking distance you have every major store you would possibly need. The issue I see here is the way Americans live and shop is as much a reason why it is such an automotive driven society as the love for the automobile.

Would you go to the store an buy a pint of milk, or do you buy 2 gallons at a time? If I had a family I know I would be buying 2 gallons at a time. What about juice, bread, mayo, cereal......can you walk home with 40-50 lbs worth of groceries if you are living in a smart growth community? When it comes to shopping the Costo/Price Club method has extended itself to the supermarkets.

 

[pixelninja]

I thought you were getting like 300k for yours.

When we were looking in Stapleton, we didn't think we could get that much for our house. Now that its on the market and we think we can, we COULD afford Stapleton, but we're already committed to moving back to St Louis

Plus, that "low 200's" is the starting base price. You know, laminate floor in kitchen, super cheap-o carpeting, everything bottom-of-the-line stuff. We would have to upgrage plenty of stuff and the price would get much higher.

 

[stosh]

This is a great thread.

I think that as far as architecture, it would be interesting to see how many people purchase a house simply because it is the only one they can afford, with the amount of rooms and bathrooms necessary.

As far as smart growth communities, we have a very nice one close to where I live in Maryland called the Kentlands. Withing walking distance you have every major store you would possibly need. The issue I see here is the way Americans live and shop is as much a reason why it is such an automotive driven society as the love for the automobile.

Would you go to the store an buy a pint of milk, or do you buy 2 gallons at a time? If I had a family I know I would be buying 2 gallons at a time. What about juice, bread, mayo, cereal......can you walk home with 40-50 lbs worth of groceries if you are living in a smart growth community? When it comes to shopping the Costo/Price Club method has extended itself to the supermarkets.

I agree but I know my GF and I who live together prefer to buy on an as needed basis probably because we don't have kids but if we did and we able to walk a block or 2 to a store we would buy on an as needed basis and never shop at places like SAM's Club and Walmart.

 

[Archslater]

This is a typical streetscape in my neighborhood. Most homes have more color than this, but this is one of the better photos I could find online:

 

[stosh]

When we were looking in Stapleton, we didn't think we could get that much for our house. Now that its on the market and we think we can, we COULD afford Stapleton, but we're already committed to moving back to St Louis

Plus, that "low 200's" is the starting base price. You know, laminate floor in kitchen, super cheap-o carpeting, everything bottom-of-the-line stuff. We would have to upgrage plenty of stuff and the price would get much higher.

oh, so you got a job in St Louis?

 

[N8 v2.0]

This is a great thread.

I think that as far as architecture, it would be interesting to see how many people purchase a house simply because it is the only one they can afford, with the amount of rooms and bathrooms necessary.

Most people want their house to look like every other house in the neighborhood. Very rare is the person who goes against the norm.

 

[Archslater]

*NOT JEALOUS* @ Healthcare design

Its not for everyone, but actually I find it very rewarding. I mostly do hospital additions, surgery centers, etc... The projects are interesting, and often have decent budgets. No issue with job security in this sector either.

 

[stosh]

Most people want their house to look like every other house in the neighborhood. Very rare is the person who goes against the norm.

Man that f'ing pisses me off.

 

[N8 v2.0]

This is a typical streetscape in my neighborhood. Most homes have more color than this, but this is one of the better photos I could find online:

I hope that ain't wood/vinyl siding...

 

[stosh]

Its not for everyone, but actually I find it very rewarding. I mostly do hospital additions, surgery centers, etc... The projects are interesting, and often have decent budgets. No issue with job security in this sector either.

Yeah thats cool! We just interviewed a woman who was doing that.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Man that f'ing pisses me off.

Reality meet stosh...

 

[douglas]

............trendy junk IKEA Furniture and do bad paint jobs they see on HGTV because they are to lazy to ready quality literature on home design and interior decorating.

RUM RAISIN ICECREAM!!



solution: you all can move to albany, heck there are some houses that are for sale for 10-15k, and you can walk or take the bus to get to plenty of stores, jobs, resturants........have fun!

me, I'll keep my joint in the suburbs with room for a pool, a BBQ & a volleyball net, off street parking/a garage, etc.......also I have no intrest in spending time with my neighbors (that I have nothing in common with except the street we live on)

 

[stosh]

Reality meet stosh...

I know it's reality, it's unfortunate however. I think having a similar style home aint bad but most people want the exact same one which is sad.

 

[Archslater]

Most people want their house to look like every other house in the neighborhood. Very rare is the person who goes against the norm.

Probably why it would be best for me not to design homes, I'm sure it would make me angry and cynical.

 

[Westy]

I hope that ain't wood/vinyl siding...

You don't like wood or vinyl or are you talking about the wood like vinyl?

My house has Cedar siding. I like the looks but treating it every few years has gotten old.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Probably why it would be best for me not to design homes, I'm sure it would make me angry and cynical.

Well, you can always get your license, put up some capital and build what you like and see if it sells.

 

[stosh]

Probably why it would be best for me not to design homes, I'm sure it would make me angry and cynical.

I think a good architect is able to design what the client wants with his own "artistic" interpretation. We are a service industry after all.

 

[Andyman_1970]

Me too, although I like to add a modern twist to it.

Yeah I'd never try to renovate one too many headaches, but I would however like to have a new version of that style (with a few twists) built...........some day