It’s time for the next stage of our lives, and we want to spend it in the perfect house for this chapter.
I know what I want, and as we push through the design process, the task is to figure out how to bring my vision to reality. My dream house should be modern, elegant and luxurious, with attention to materials and texture. A tailored, sculptural approach… graceful and timeless. And smaller — we’re getting older and don’t need as much space.
When we decided to build, the first thing I did was write down a paragraph of what I want to capture — a way to distill all of the ideas so we have something to check ourselves against throughout the decision-making process. Not unlike branding a business, clarifying your goals and priorities are key in planning a home. This is exactly what we do in our practice. We identify how a client wants their house to make them feel, and we base all of our work on those goals.
The next step on our journey was to find the right architect. Going through this process made me think about the architects who have been influential in my style. It’s a subject I could talk about all day long.
Of course, there are always the great, big names that influence so much of today’s work, too many to even list. But if you held my feet to the fire and I had to name a few of my favorites, they’d be Frank Lloyd Wright, Oscar Niemeyer and Zaha Hadid for their groundbreaking, sculptural approach to the practice.
Here’s a closer look at some of the other architects who I admire.
1. Michael Hsu
First is the architect we chose for our project. We interviewed several firms and decided the best fit was Michael Hsu. He understands how to capture a modern aesthetic, but his work is strong and sculptural. Perfect for our vision.
We are very excited about working with Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and can’t wait to see how it all develops. We will keep you posted!
2. Lake Flato Architects
I am also fascinated by the work that Lake Flato Architects creates. A fairly recent project called the Bridge House here in Houston has been an almost daily inspiration since I get to drive by it regularly. It is clean and modern and warm all at the same time. The way the house settles into the landscape is beautiful. I think that is what makes their work shine — they are always rooted in place.
3. Workshop/APD
Workshop/APD out of New York is doing such beautiful things. Their work feels fresh and modern, but the details create a really rich, luscious feeling.
4. Ike Kligerman Barkley
I thoroughly admire Ike Kligerman Barkley. Their work shapes the American vernacular style. The houses they build feel like they might have always been where they stand, but they always surprise in their fresh take on tradition.
5. Jean Nouvel
My husband and I spent a few days in Doha back in 2019 and were absolutely stunned by The National Museum of Qatar. The Jean Nouvel project was still under construction at that time so we couldn’t tour it, but I have never seen anything like this building. It was inspired by the desert rose and is the most remarkable assemblage of disks and curves growing out of the sand. I’d love to go back someday to get closer and really experience this building.
