The Ones to Watch

TREY JORDAN

Clients come to you for... A current, more modern expression of Santa Fe. I don't know of any other architects in Santa Fe who are as strongly engaged in this idea of historic reference expressed in a modern way. Too often, when someone does a modern house in Santa Fe, the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater in that references to traditional details are not incorporated. I have a real reverence for the qualities and details of really beautiful historic buildings.

You're really excited about... Getting ready to dig my teeth into a large-scale planning project just outside of Santa Fe, in Galisteo Basin. It will be a village that contains single-family home of multiple typologies—some detached, some attached, and even some townhomes. The vision is a place that's strongly regional but also expressive of current cultural values. So you'll see a real sensitivity to environmental impact, social consciousness, and using resources in a very efficient way. My goal is to layer on top of that a set of values that people will relate to as home.

A good building should... Age. Really good buildings that are of their time do that. “Dated” is an evil thought. I want people to look back at a building I designed and say that the building represents the cultural values of the time. That's increasingly missing from buildings here. Historic buildings in Santa Fe are very organic structures and as a result, they show some physical wear and tear. When you don't have that, it takes something away from the building. I try to incorporate elements that weather in a way that doesn't compromise the thermal envelope of the building. Perhaps a yard wall that will crack and fade, or wood details that dry and warp, all in the context of a building that maintains itself beautifully.

You bring a sense of place to your designs by... Really trying to take the stuff that makes this place unique and bring it forth, sometimes in an abstract way, sometimes literally, so that it's of its time but there's an underlying resonance that's old or Santa Fe.

People live behind walls here. A lot of buildings are intentionally private and mysterious. I call it “showing the bra strap” — you just see a glimpse of what's behind the walls. Even the orientation of rooms is not always clear. The familial compounds that produced the density we have in Santa Fe also produced streetscapes that are somehow unclear in terms of where one house ends and another begins. It has almost a collage quality. I tap into that by designing buildings that continue that level of uncertainty about “what's going on back there?” I also try to reflect the values of truly historic buildings in New Mexico, like the Martinez Hacienda in Taos. Like long walls that capture light, or the way things are framed very simply. The Santa Fe kit of parts has gotten out of hand. It's just so cute. I can understand why people may want a corbel on top of a viga column. In the rooms I design, while they might be done in a more pared down fashion, the proportions are quite traditional. For example, I follow the old rule of thumb that rooms can be no wider than 12 to 14 feet. Why? It was the maximum distance that a log could span that two men could lift.

Your design philosophy is... To do buildings that are really strong and really quiet at the same time. It's like one of those lenticular image prizes you used to get in a Cracker Jack box: Flip it one way and the building is a still sculpture—even the functioning parts are really quiet and still and very beautiful. Flip it the other way and the cabinets open, the wine is poured, the dog is barking and people are going in and out, and the building beautifully accommodates that, too.

VITALS: Trey Jordan, Trey Jordan Architecture, Santa Fe, NM, (505) 983-5624, treyjordan.com

TOM WARD & MITCH BLAKE

Clients come to you for... One client called it “dirty modernism.” The homes we design often have some modern sensibilities, but they aren't sterile or pristine. We use lots of touchy-feely materials like log and stone and glass, so our buildings have a certain ruggedness and warmth to them, as opposed to early modernism. They're very comfortable, livable houses. Most clients have also told us that we bring ideas to the table that they could never have imagined, so our approach just seems fresh.

New techniques you're experimenting with include... We've recently developed and patented a post-tension rammed-earth system that we love to use because you get these big, thick earthen walls. We like to leave them exposed so it looks almost like the walls of Bryce Canyon. They make a house incredibly quiet inside and, because they absorb and re-emit energy, also help it maintain a more constant temperature.

We've been doing sod roofs for about 20 years. When we started, we did it because it was cool, not necessarily because it was green. We really love the way they help connect a house to its site. And, they reduce heat gain and loss, slow runoff water and reduce the heat-island effect. We've done a few homes with sod roofs just outside of clerestory windows, so when you look up, you see grass waving outside the windows.
Finally, we're taking the planet's geomagnetic fields into consideration. These fields are arranged in a grid and where they cross—every 18 feet—there is a node of energy that can be clearly measured by a magnotometer or divining rods. The ancient Greeks knew this and never placed an altar or entry to a temple over one of these nodes. It's really too compelling to ignore.

Your designs are inspired by... It starts with our basic creed: We take all of our cues from the land. We really do try to make our houses feel like they belong on their site; like they're part of it. We want our clients to live with the land and not on top of it.

If you're in a beautiful area like Jackson, the surroundings are compelling. So we start by acknowledging the available natural resources, then spend a lot of time siting the building so that it fits very carefully into its environment.

We stay away from a stylistic approach because if you say, “I want an Adirondack-style house,” then you're ignoring your context. We don't work with those rules, so we're able to capitalize on the amenities of the site and put the parts where they work. Our goal is to be less literal; to capture the spirit of the West.

VITALS: Tom Ward & Mitch Blake, Ward + Blake Architects, Jackson, WY, (307) 733-6867, wardblakearchitects.com

CANDACE MILLER

Clients come to you for... An understated type of design that responds to and blends with the landscape. I work primarily with reclaimed materials and rustic materials, like Montana stone, so everything has a lovely aged patina to it and just feels a bit more organic. I'm not trying to make this “wow” type of building. Instead, it feels settled, it's comfortable, it embraces the person.

You give your buildings a sense of place by... Creating a connection between the structure and its specific site. In the West, when we have lovely weather, we have really lovely weather. So I integrate covered porches, open porches or patios on several sides of the house so you really get a sequence of outdoor spaces. There's a place to go to get some sun and there's a place to get away from the sun. There are places that catch the breeze and others that shelter you from the wind. The idea is to not have an enclosed space that abuts the landscape. Instead, there is a transition from enclosed space to covered porch to landscape. The stones on the home's exterior disappear and become stepping-stones on the ground. It's all integrated so there aren't any abrupt edges.

Your dream project is... While I certainly have my own dreams, this is really about expressing my clients' dreams. And it's really fun because it takes me out of my box and away from what I might normally think. I have to come up with different solutions that aesthetically I like. So I suppose my dream project would involve a client who has some definite dreams that I can help them to interpret.

Your design philosophy is... An enduring type of architecture that's not just for the moment, but for the generations.

VITALS: Candace Miller, Miller Architects, Livingston, MT, (406) 222-7057, ctmarchitects.com

TOMMY HEIN

Clients come to you for... Our willingness to obsessively revise and refine each detail.  I am never attached to any idea that does not meet all of a project's goals. I welcome a process that pushes me beyond my comfort zone and forces me to re-assess any design at any time. We continuously innovate on all our projects and look for opportunities to take artistic risks.  This is what makes our projects unique. Clients are also drawn to my thirst for timelessness. My goal is to do things that stand the test of time, so I follow processes and premises that can exist in any time. And I work with natural materials, which have much less tendency to date themselves.

You're really excited about... My next project—a home at Sunnyside Ranch near Telluride—with an enlightened client. The building site is unbelievable: 360-degree views on an elevated land peninsula facing due south. The design is rich with our local vernacular and maintains a deep connection to the environment. Detailing includes crafted timber and metal work, custom windows, operable glass walls, and extensively landscaped water features and fire elements. The placement of glass, steel and wood accentuates and enhances this special location, embracing the outside and bringing it inside.
 
You bring a sense of place to your designs by... Studying the micro-climate of the site in all seasons; everything from sun angles and wind patterns to the trees and vegetation. In Telluride the elk, deer and bears often select the best place on a site for a building. The attributes that humans are attracted to—a sense of protection, vistas—animals are attracted to as well. Every living, breathing being is after the same thing. Even when I'm placing driveways, I try to follow the natural path. Animals know the easiest way up a hill; they create switchbacks naturally. So I carefully look at the matted grass and droppings, then follow their lead.  An exceptional building, residential or commercial, is nothing more than an extension of all the natural attributes of a particular place. 

Big house or small house? You prefer... It really depends how you define big or small. Some very large houses feel small, while some very small houses feel large.  Size is about spatial volume, natural light, color, proportion, focal elements, vistas, efficient space planning, storage, furniture scale, materiality, and connection to nature.

Let's be honest, everyone wants the feeling of as much space as possible within the parameters of their budget and site. It is a human condition that cannot be denied.  Everyone wants luxury, yet we are all afraid to express it openly for fear of being criticized. Luxury to me is space, light, and consciousness. 

We design everything from 400-square-foot guest houses to 12,000-square-foot ski homes to 100,000-square-foot condominium projects. Whatever the size, our goal is to meet our client's needs in the most efficient and beautiful manner possible.

I think people should build be able to build whatever they want appropriate to the context.  I would like to see our federal laws change to require homes to produce as much energy as they consume. This would really encourage interesting solutions.

Your dream project is... To inspire an entire generation of architects to be more sensitive than I have been or will ever be to the needs of our growing society.  To enhance every person's life with a shelter that not only protects them, but nurtures their soul. To educate people about energy flow in the environment and how to harness it in our structures to promote well-being and happiness for all. To make design democratic and accessible to all people. 

VITALS: Tommy Hein, Tommy Hein Architects, Telluride, CO, (970) 728-1220, tommyhein.com

HARRY TEAGUE

Clients come to you for...  Most of our business comes from people who have experienced our architecture and realized that the building is connected perfectly to its site and that it has held up over time. From a stylistic standpoint, we're trying to work in a timeless way. And while our style has evolved over the years, we've always made a strong attempt to make the architecture respond to the climate and attitudes and feeling of the region in which it's built. In that way, it should wear well. From a more physical standpoint, we always try to use materials that improve with age. Some materials start out looking great, but as they get older, you have to maintain them. We were the first firm to use rusty steel as a major material. It can survive in our climate and it slowly develops a patina rather than needing to be repainted.

You're passionate about... Working very hard to make buildings that are responsible to the planet. We were this doing years ago, but we've become even more serious about it. We just moved to a new building in Basalt that's solar heated and has radiant floors; we're making more electricity than we use. In every project, we try to use green materials and incorporate a passive solar design so it doesn't overheat in summer and is easy to keep warm in winter. It's just a matter of orienting it properly.

On a broader scale, our job is to make responsible architecture be delightful and wonderful, so it isn't like a pair of orthopedic shoes that feel really good but don't look so great. We want our designs to do all those wonderful things and look good too. There's no reason why they can't.

You marry your fresh perspective with regional vernacular by... Awareness. If you pay attention to climate, that creates the best kind of regionality. When you create original solutions to climatic problems, you come up with fresh ideas that relate to the place because they are a direct response to the climate. Using indigenous materials also adds a sense of place. In terms of the appearance of a structure, a big part of the equation is context. If the context is totally natural, what is it? Vertical aspen trees? Horizontal geological planes? Water that shimmers and reflects? If the building is within a city, it's about having an interesting architectural conversation with the surrounding buildings. That doesn't mean it imitates them. Maybe it argues with them. Maybe it says, “Yes, that was then, but this is now.” The point is that it relates. It's part of the place because it isn't ignoring those other buildings. A building has an obligation to at least address its neighbors.

Your dream project is... A spiritual building. It would also be wonderful to take the things we've learned here and translate them somewhere else on the other side of the planet. At the same time, we'd get to learn from those other places. There's something to learn from the buildings in even the most simple, undeveloped areas, because they're solving problems too.

VITALS: Harry Teague, Harry Teague Architects, Basalt, CO, (970) 927-4862, harryteaguearchitects.com

JIM CUTLER & BRUCE ANDERSON

Clients come to you for... Most of our clients have some romantic relationship with their land; they have a deep desire to connect with it. When they feel strongly about it and don't want to damage it, they find us. We want to design things that feel like they are part of the landscape and that simultaneously reveal the landscape. When there is a particularly beautiful thing that we want clients to see and emotionally respond to, we choreograph their movement through property so they see what we want them to see.

Small or large buildings—which do you prefer? We really like smaller buildings because it's easier to come up with a poignant solution that's emotionally compelling. We especially like small houses with big budgets because we can make every inch of the building reflect itself as a whole. Buildings between 1,200 and 2,200 square feet are our favorites. When fitting something in the landscape, smaller is easier. It can be perceived more as a single object; a single experience. The simpler the problem, the more perfect you have to be because everything is right there. You see it all at once. So you have to make a powerful, simple statement.

Making a building fit the land is... Not rocket science. Many of our colleagues are lazy. You just have to go out and walk the land. The owners and we pick the location where we think the building will approximately be, then we set up a tripod and survey the property ourselves. The owners come out with us and act as our grunts, moving the rod and dragging tape measures through the bushes. We shoot the contours and spot all the trees. We find the exact angle of different views and objects. We spend the better part of a day apprenticing to the landscape. It's like when you first meet a person. First you might have lunch together and get acquainted. The more acquainted you become, the more you appreciate their subtleties. Then you start to like those things, then you start to love them. It's the same with land. How can you love land unless you go in and engage it physically? Once you do that, you know emotionally what's there. After that, it becomes pretty easy.

Your design philosophy is... To understand the complete context and respond with all of our skills. Where is the sun? Where does the rain come from? How cold are the winters? What's the topography? What's the flora and fauna? What is the culture of this place? What is this individual like and how does he sit in this culture? We want to respect the nature of all of these things and reveal what's beautiful in everything.

Imagine that you're in a room full of children and you ask them a really easy question. They all know the answer and they all want to show you how good they are, so they're screaming for your attention. That's what it feels like to us when we encounter a piece of land. It's like a room full of children screaming, “Show everyone how good we are!” Our job is to make all of those voices sing in harmony. We look at the value of every input and see how it will fit with the next element. At a certain point, if you're lucky, they all settle down into a coherent whole that sings in the landscape.

VITALS: Jim Cutler & Bruce Anderson, Cutler Anderson Architects, Bainbridge Island, WA, (206) 842-4710, cutler-anderson.com

TOM KUNDIG

Clients come to you for...  A sense of adventure and a willingness to take risks, regardless of their project's setting—natural landscape or urban environment. The clients I tend to attract fully embrace an authentic expression of materials and construction. They are open to rethinking a building's materials and the commodities it uses. They are also looking for a fresh approach that avoids typical stylistic trends.
 
You're especially excited about... Everything I'm working on is exciting. Each project has different innovations or explorations that respond to the idiosyncratic situation of the client, the cultural setting, the moment in time, the landscape or urban context. All of the projects I work on are interrelated. Everything that has come before informs what I do in the present and, in turn, will affect my work in the future.

A strong sense of place is something that... Is brought in at all levels of the design, from the macro to the micro, from the conceptual idea that combines history and culture, to the exploration of the idea, to the smallest details and the most intimate human moments—those things that we touch and move. It is a continuous immersion into the spirit of each special place and client that remains as the design and construction develops over time.

Your design philosophy is... To create an authentic response to the conditions of the culture and nature of each place and client.

VITALS: Tom Kundig, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, Seattle, WA, (206) 624-5670, oskaarchitects.com