"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe
to be beautiful."
— William Morris, "The Beauty of Life" (1880)
"Architecture came about from our need to be sheltered from the environment.
Throughout history, however, domestic architecture has provided that
shelter in ways that have brought us increasingly closer to the elements.
Inherent in the human psyche is the desire to "have it all" - to live
indoors, protected, and yet continue to experience the outdoors. Creative
souls, such as architects and designers, have continually found ways
for people to enjoy both."
— Julie D. Taylor
"Style is a philosophy, an attitude about the approach to design. If
a design emanates from logical determinants, is carried out with skill
and with an evidence of intelligence, it has class, it has style, and
can be said to possess style. When that design is composed by the hands
of an artist who infuses all elements of the design with a particular
imagery, then we may identify that expression as exhibiting a particular
style."
— Ranell L. Makinson
"Except on rare escapes to desert landscapes, or trekking high in mountains, or sailing the high seas, most human beings are surrounded by buildings. There is, though, a difference - a very important one - between building and architecture. Animals build structures. Birds build nests, some, like that of the bowerbird of Australia and New Guinea, of great sophistication and beauty. Bees build spectacular hives; their innate sense of geometry and knowledge of lightweight materials unsurpassed."
"Humans, though, developed architecture. This is, to be blunt, the
science and art of building, or to be more poetic, the moment that a
building is imbued with a knowing magic that transforms it from mere
shelter into that of a self-conscious work of art. This art might offend
and baffle as well as delight….Architecture is a continually evolving
art. It maps our ambitions in three solid dimensions. It is the greatest
visible means by which we celebrate our wealth and health…"
— Jonathan Glancey
We invite you to check out these wonderful reference books at your local library, they contain lots of useful information about design and architecture. We thank the authors for letting us use some of their material to help explain the building and design process.
"The story of architecture" by Jonathan Glancey
"Creating the not so big house" by Sarah Susanka
"Outdoor rooms" by Julie D. Taylor
"Ideas for great fireplaces" by Cynthia Bix
"Greene & Greene, Creating A Style" by Randell L. Makinson and Thomas A. Heinz