Comments on: impact: Milton Curry http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/ improving the built environment in the san joaquin valley Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:34:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brianne http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4249 Brianne Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:43:54 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4249 The question of whether Fresno has a distinctive vernacular style is a very interesting one. I've always sort of thought it does, but maybe I'm wrong. This was a very interesting interview. Thank you for posting it. The question of whether Fresno has a distinctive vernacular style is a very interesting one. I’ve always sort of thought it does, but maybe I’m wrong. This was a very interesting interview. Thank you for posting it.

]]> By: brent http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4015 brent Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:18:46 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4015 Two things: Nice interview, but it I cringe when people toss in "this used to be a desert".. Well, no not really, especially not a desert like Phoenix/Tempe. No summer monsoon season, no saguaro... Mediterranean? Eh. "Semi-arid"? OK. We have (or should) our own thing goin' on. I like his insights but wouldn't trust my fortune with a designer who didn't know the difference, especially one who grew up here and doesn't get it :) The "sameness" and lack of risk taking is partially attributable to general lack of disposable income, and risks that were taken and perceived ridiculed by the public such as the Fulton Mall, and city hall, although I dig both :) Two things: Nice interview, but it I cringe when people toss in “this used to be a desert”.. Well, no not really, especially not a desert like Phoenix/Tempe. No summer monsoon season, no saguaro… Mediterranean? Eh. “Semi-arid”? OK. We have (or should) our own thing goin’ on. I like his insights but wouldn’t trust my fortune with a designer who didn’t know the difference, especially one who grew up here and doesn’t get it :)

The “sameness” and lack of risk taking is partially attributable to general lack of disposable income, and risks that were taken and perceived ridiculed by the public such as the Fulton Mall, and city hall, although I dig both :)

]]> By: floridia http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4005 floridia Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:22:03 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4005 i think enoch and i picked up on the same ringing comment, "the sameness", from curry's interview. i have only worked here for a few years in this industry, and this last year, it doesn't seem like there is really any new building going on in this town. so for the buildings that i have seen built, it seems like architects love to recycle the same type of wood frame/stucco and plans to be most cost and time efficient. the previous architects i worked for built schools, and as a business, they thought it was most efficient to recycle the same floor plan and design for all its project. the only variance was the soffit detail, implementing different school colors or rotating the building on a master site plan. those buildings work with the budget they are given, so i think that is why school architecture looks very similar in this region. those school buildings, the simple wood frames with stucco, are the same type of buildings built everywhere now...extremely popular in strip malls. i guess that is cheap option for a big building, and what the younger designers/architects learn and are comfortable in detailing...so i think that partly contributes to the "sameness" in the built environment. i think enoch and i picked up on the same ringing comment, “the sameness”, from curry’s interview. i have only worked here for a few years in this industry, and this last year, it doesn’t seem like there is really any new building going on in this town. so for the buildings that i have seen built, it seems like architects love to recycle the same type of wood frame/stucco and plans to be most cost and time efficient.

the previous architects i worked for built schools, and as a business, they thought it was most efficient to recycle the same floor plan and design for all its project. the only variance was the soffit detail, implementing different school colors or rotating the building on a master site plan. those buildings work with the budget they are given, so i think that is why school architecture looks very similar in this region.

those school buildings, the simple wood frames with stucco, are the same type of buildings built everywhere now…extremely popular in strip malls. i guess that is cheap option for a big building, and what the younger designers/architects learn and are comfortable in detailing…so i think that partly contributes to the “sameness” in the built environment.

]]> By: floridia http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4004 floridia Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:52:05 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4004 i think curry's observation is the same as the rest of us architectural designers, that there is "sameness of the entire built landscape." it is obvious that we need to take more risks, but i think it is tied to the local conservative attitudes and tight economic budget that restrict us from designing more interesting and unique buildings to our landscape. everything that has to do with architecture, unfortunately costs money (which our impoverished towns do not have)! however, with the mockbee inspiration, perhaps we should utilize some of the farming equipment...bales and tractors...to possibly create structures to address our socio-economic problems (homeless). hmmm...this has got me thinking now... i also appreciate his insight/advice that we should recognize that we live in a desert, and that we should really use fresno as a discourse for sustainable architecture and creating solutions for our air pollution problems. we do need to understand and worship our landscape to build buildings that is more efficient and appropriate! anyway, thanks for the great interview kiel (and i think you used my distinctive vernacular question too, cheers!)! and yeah, i agree with you about the brain drain of talent, but perhaps we should take advantage of curry's resources and connections one day! i think curry’s observation is the same as the rest of us architectural designers, that there is “sameness of the entire built landscape.” it is obvious that we need to take more risks, but i think it is tied to the local conservative attitudes and tight economic budget that restrict us from designing more interesting and unique buildings to our landscape. everything that has to do with architecture, unfortunately costs money (which our impoverished towns do not have)! however, with the mockbee inspiration, perhaps we should utilize some of the farming equipment…bales and tractors…to possibly create structures to address our socio-economic problems (homeless). hmmm…this has got me thinking now…

i also appreciate his insight/advice that we should recognize that we live in a desert, and that we should really use fresno as a discourse for sustainable architecture and creating solutions for our air pollution problems. we do need to understand and worship our landscape to build buildings that is more efficient and appropriate!

anyway, thanks for the great interview kiel (and i think you used my distinctive vernacular question too, cheers!)! and yeah, i agree with you about the brain drain of talent, but perhaps we should take advantage of curry’s resources and connections one day!

]]> By: Enoch http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4003 Enoch Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:35:20 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4003 Kiel, thanks for again shining the spotlight on the built environment of Fresno and one of Fresno's own. Prof. Curry brings up some interesting comments that make a good starting point for discussion. I'm curious what other reader's think about "the sameness of the entire built landscape. I ask myself why there is not more experimentation, more diversity". Kiel, thanks for again shining the spotlight on the built environment of Fresno and one of Fresno’s own. Prof. Curry brings up some interesting comments that make a good starting point for discussion. I’m curious what other reader’s think about “the sameness of the entire built landscape. I ask myself why there is not more experimentation, more diversity”.

]]> By: adam http://archop.org/2009/11/impact-milton-curry/comment-page-1/#comment-4002 adam Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:36:34 +0000 http://archop.org/?p=1874#comment-4002 Great interview Kiel. Fascinating stuff. Great interview Kiel. Fascinating stuff.

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