The grand local tour

By Lisa Peck
Much like the grand tour of old, our local Homes by Architects tour can broaden your horizons. Maybe it's not Europe or Asia but for $30 and some gas it exposed me to new ideas. It was inspiring again this year. (Last years blog entry)
The first home on my personal list was by Albertsson Hansen Architects and the over all feel of this loft space was stunning. It juxtaposed the old shell of the Itasca building with a thoroughly modern kitchen, master bedroom and bath. All the amenities you have ever dreamed of were present and the flow of space was seamless.
Every home I visited on the tour (I couldn't get to them all) had the earmarks of good architecture. There was a large variety of projects...new construction, renovations, remodels. A thoughtful approach to the design of the home that took into consideration siting, massing and framing of views. But what struck me was that in every house I found some thought, some approach, some detail that I had never seen before. Each house was unique because the architect, the client, the site and the design objectives were unique.
This encourages me to continue to seek new uses of materials, to look at every design problem with fresh eyes and to embrace passion and wonder as I approach my work.
If you are interested in architecture this tour is a must see next year. If you are wondering about working with an architect visit www.aiamn.org. for more information on what an architect brings to a project.