© S T E L L A M A R I S A R C H I T E C T U R E L L C │ 2 0 2 5
C A S E S T U D Y O F B E A U T Y A S A M E T H O D O F P R A C T I C E
B E A U T Y I S O U R D I S C I P L I N E O F A R C H I T E C T U R A L P R A C T I C E
From antiquity, Western civilization clarified and valued these three qualities; Integrity, Consonance, and Clarity, as the criteria for what is beautiful.
Beauty as a model of excellence could be said to be the perennial inspiration for the creative endeavor.
The principal architect's academic studies in ancient Western philosophy educated him to this model;
and it is the method of achieving architectural excellence for the firm.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN PRAGMATICALLY AND TO OUR CLIENTS?
Firstly, it does not mean that the goal of a project is an aesthetic, cosmetic, or subjective result.
These criteria for beauty are a conceptual, integral, and objective means of analysis for any project.
Such a method of analysis inevitably produces a beautiful result.
The process that the firm offers the client will be conceptually driven, detail oriented, and visually engaging. It is for this reason, that the firm and its clients delight in the manifold mediums of representation employed by the firm.
That process continues in the firm's detailed construction drawings and architectural support through the construction phase of the project.
WHAT DOES INTEGRITY, CONSONANCE, AND CLARITY LOOK LIKE IN A REAL PROJECT?
The case study used to manifest this methodology is the firm's project The Homestead.
Beauty, and its inherent constituents of Integrity, Consonance, and Clarity, are always in relation to what something is.
The first question the firm seeks to answer is what is the project about? Define the concept.
The concept for The Homestead is a mixed use community comprised of commercial and residential sectors whose planning and development strategies' purpose is the holistic health of the community, both member and body.
The planning strategy intends to foster social, educative, and protective functions through intentional scaling and programming.
The development strategy will foster the mental and physical well being of the community by means of integrative approaches to existing and proposed natural systems of the ecology, geography, and climate.
Consider the following diagrams describing different aspects of the concept and how the method of beauty is utilized.
INTEGRITY
Such a life is given breath and expression in the vignettes illustrated in this diagram. Click any image to enlarge.
| CONSONANCE What is beautiful will have due proportion to the concept. What strategies are proportionate to the idea of integrating and preserving the site's geographical and ecological systems? This diagram highlights several strategies that preserve and imitate the site's natural systems. | CLARITY What is beautiful will magnify the concept radiantly. How can the planning layout and programming magnify the concept of healthy social interaction? The monotonous neighborhood rowhouse block is replaced with social units of numbers conducive to social interaction and bonding; and these units are pedestrian connected to integral common commercial and recreational sectors.
|