Home At 523 Electra Dr.

[hugoks]

i found that term 'possessing no conceptual platform other than a container for people with applied stylistic elements' interesting. For example (being the devils advocate), at a glance, I like the overall composition of 12807 Tosca and consider its unique presence in Memorial Bend a source of pride - - but still really question the selection of its butterfly roof. Was Mr. Floyd just bored that day

[texasdago]

About privacy and what Floyd intended... it was exactly what he had in mind.

See: http://memorialbendarchitecture.com/12923but_hcart.jpg

"Children have a realm to themselves and adults enjoy complete privacy in a new home designed by architect William Norman Floyd for Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Mullane at 12923 Butterfly in the Memorial Dr. area."

"The house is so placed on the 70 by 120 wooded lot that it achieves complete isolation from the street side."

Then there's this one on Hansel: http://memorialbendarchitecture.com/12923han_ambuild.jpg

"House with privacy from the street"

"More homes like this one gain privacy by being constructed with an interesting wall cutting off the street view. In the tradition of the French entry garden, this is, in part, a reaction against the front-facing picture windows of recent years"

[retromodernjeff]

There is just something different about architects that had to use a pencil and slide rules instead of todays computers and CAD.

[Dan the Man]

There is just something different about architects that had to use a pencil and slide rules instead of todays computers and CAD.

I blame the gradual shift away from Classical training in the curriculums of architecture schools. Many people forget that Modern Architecture adheres to Classical principals (proportions, scale, lighting, etc), despite its radically different appearance. As Modernism and PostModernism are embraced more and more, many concepts are no longer stressed as much as they probably should be. Furthermore, drawing by hand causes the one to think more about exactly what they are drawing. There is more attention to detail in hand drawing, as it takes much longer to correct something than just hitting Control + Z in CAD.

[domus48]

"I blame the gradual shift away from Classical training in the curriculum's of architecture schools."

"It is probably fair to say that Andrea Palladio, who died in 1580, is the patron saint of every McMansion that has ever cluttered the American landscape, because it is he who brought architectural aspiration to the houses of the moderately wealthy. Before Palladio, serious architecture was for churchs, public buildings, and the palaces for the richest nobles. Palladio studied the architecture of ancient Rome, codified its elements in a famous treatise, and started putting porticoes and pediments and domes on on the houses of the landed gentry, conferring on them a feeling of classical pedigree."

Excerpted from "All He Survived", by Paul Goldberger, The New Yorker , March 30, 2009

Dead-on statement regarding the "McMansion aesthetic" -- if one could be so bold as to pair aesthetic and McMansion (such are mutually exclusive). 523 Electra is fully realized as a McMansion.

Edited June 19, 2009 by domus48

[chlo888]

I believe much of the blame for the destruction of Memorial bend architecture is the Memorial Bend Architecture Committee. They should be the gatekeeper and protect the architecture. Instaed, they have given these builders a license to create whatever they want. Do not blame the builders.

There are homes that integrate and become part of a whole; there are homes that while not necessarily integrating in terms of style are stand-outs and become part of a collective; then there are houses that have virtually no ties to style or form, possessing no conceptual platform other than a container for people with applied stylistic elements.

Guess which of the preceding types is currently under construction at 523 Electra.

This item would not be as significant a topic if this was a speculative project... but as it is a custom home for the property owners there ought to be something in place to assure a degree of sensitivity to the overall neighborhood context is upheld.

Call me a dreamer...

[bender]

I believe much of the blame for the destruction of Memorial bend architecture is the Memorial Bend Architecture Committee. They should be the gatekeeper and protect the architecture. Instaed, they have given these builders a license to create whatever they want. Do not blame the builders.

The Architecture committee doesn't have that kind of power. They're obligated to enforce the deed restrictions, which aren't written that way.

If you want to blame something, it's the economics of the situation. Due to location and schools, Memorial Bend is a more desirable neighborhood now. And according to a realtor, mods typically sell for about 10% less than traditionals, because fewer people want mods. Also, flat roofs are a maintenance issue. There aren't a lot of roofers who do flat roofs.

[domus48]

"And according to a Realtor, mods typically sell for about 10% less than traditionals, because fewer people want mods."

Hummm... perhaps Robert Searcy can pony up an reply on this one. My gut response is that many folk in the market are caught up in the concept of new is better and that a family of four require 300 s.f. or more. Plus it takes a very specific market segment who desire and possess the wherewithal to restore/renovate a property -- be it post-war modern or any other period for that matter.

"Also, flat roofs are a maintenance issue. There aren't a lot of roofers who do flat roofs."

Not this topic again. To issue a blanket statement that "flat roofs are a maintenance issue" is not correct as all roofs are a maintenance issue. A flat roof will likely reveal it's problem sooner than a conventional pitched roof. As to the roofer/flat roofs comment, there are plenty who will do the work and guarantee the work as well. But, in general you get what you pay for so the roof is not the place to low-ball. Also, the work has to be done correctly -- putting new roofing material on a poor condition substrate will not get you another 15 years of protection from the elements. But are folk willing to chance it rather than springing for another $3 -- $5000 to correct substrate, you bet.

Ergo, flat roofs are considered problematic.

But please, lets not shift from the original topic(s) to a roofing debate.

[KatieDidIt]

I believe much of the blame for the destruction of Memorial bend architecture is the Memorial Bend Architecture Committee. They should be the gatekeeper and protect the architecture. Instaed, they have given these builders a license to create whatever they want. Do not blame the builders.

Our ACC is really getting rather strict in our little subdivision. This only happened after a massive remuddle took the board for a ride, with revamping,constant addtions, and inspection failures. The board of volunteers were just way too nice and the 1960's deed restrictions did not forsee people knocking down 5000 sf houses just to replace them with bigger ones. As a result, we have a 1960's Tudor changed into a Hill Country type house, with a roof that changes pitch and grade 5 or 6 times . It literally looks like a staircase in places. The two story, faux limestone Alamo garage, with no windows, is lovely too.

The three new builds going on right now are rather nice. The ACC buckled down to not allow a garages on the front. The first new build snuck it in so that the door was swung to the side, but side of the garage was still part of the facade. After seeing that the neighborhood was not happy with even that, now it must be behind the residence. THANK GOD! The lots in here are very generous, there is no reason to have a "car house" on the front.

I really perfer when people just gut the snot out of the old houses and leave the exteriors alone for the most part. The homes look like brand new construction on the inside, but they don't clash with the olders homes on the outside. Also, the new builds are just so massive in scale, they almost eat the lot they sit on, and not just the small lots either. Some neighborhoods have changed so much over the past 15 years that there are only one or two ranchs/colonials left on every street.

[sevfiv]

Was in the area this evening (a little glary from the sun, but you get the idea):

[chlo888]

That home is hideous and of course we have several of those now in Memorial Bend (I live on Figaro) but they are just a tad worse than some of the remodel jobs on the mid century modern homes. Classic architecture is not valued here in Houston for the most part. I do not think there are enough people in Houston that know much about architecture to preserve what valuable architecture we have remaining. It's just a mess.

Was in the area this evening (a little glary from the sun, but you get the idea):

[texasdago]

Seen the house on Memorial Drive designed by Metropolitan Design? Looks promising for a tear-down.

[domus48]

What's important to bear in mind on this addition to Memorial Bend is the fact that this home is "build to suit" -- the current owner of the property will be the occupant of the home. The original structure was no keeper with respect to being architecturally significant, however the owner opted to build a generic, box -- the kind of home one could find anywhere in the United States.

The central issue here is context. If the home erected had been "modern" in design -- there are abundant examples of two story modern homes -- at least the structure would communicate with its surroundings. As it is, we have yet another example of standard issue home design.

Is contextual design is not too much to ask for?

[retromodernjeff]

the following link is to a house in meyerland by the metropolitan design group. http://www.mdgi.net/details.cfm?PROP_ID=83&port=yes

many of you will be encouraged to know that the house at 12727 memorial in memorial bend will be a mod - -a site adaptation of the meyerland house by the same architect - rather than something of a more traditional architectural style.

Wow this guy was right on, it IS a mod variation

I think the answer about context of the house and neighborhood is, ME ME ME ME

Texasdago is correct, but I will go further, there are many new mcmansions in MB that are suitable for teardown lot only sales. Obviously no one is buying them. I have to laugh every time I drive by the Memorial and beltway feeder mcmansion, I hope they planned on owning that forever.

[texasdago]

Really can't wait to see what ends up on Memorial...

http://studiomet.net/