I do have a thing for black houses.
Perry Road Press
The Brattleboro Reformer ran an article on the Perry Road Project today "LEED-ing the Way" For those who have been keeping tabs on this project, we will be holding several open house tours during and after construction. Stay tuned here for dates and more information. Also my college friend Mark LePage put an entry relating to me in his new blog Entrepaneur Architect It has been interesting to watch Mark's firm as it grows and his internet activities expand. Very inspiring, Now I am trying to inspire other classmates from architecture school to follow suit.
Update on the Perry Road Project
We broke ground last Friday and quickly discovered ledge. The big unknown here in Vermont. In comes the architect (me) to lay out the ramifications of moving the house, raising the house or spending the money to blast the interfering rock. This house relies on sitting well in the land without lots of terracing and earth moving to force it to look good. Also raising it would put the first floor even higher above the meadow and driveway where they will park their vehicles. So the decision was made to blast. At 8:30 that evening I got a call from the excavator who had stayed at the site until dark and dug away what he could to expose the rock. He determined that he could rent a jackhammer, one that attaches to a large excavator to remove the offending rock. Done. Cheaper than blasting. I recommended a batch of my famous chocolate chip cookies with secret ingredient to be baked by the owners for the excavator. It is important to feed the folks building your house.
Next come the footings and the ICF foundation. Should make for some good pictures. stay tuned.
