Guest Post: subtilitas

I am honored to have my tumblr friend, subtilitas, guest post today.  Subtilitas makes exquisite selections and possesses extensive knowledge that will take your breath away.  Many have suggested that his tumblr  be published.  It would be the perfect book of architecture that we are all searching for.  If you have time, please do stop by and visit subtilitas.

Shortly after becoming “professionally challenged” during the recession a couple years back, I took to reading, researching, exploring, and writing as much as I could to remain architecturally inspired. Slowly amassing a small library of the images, designs, and ideas, I decided to take to tumblr and start subtilitas as a vessel to store it and share it with others. It was shortly thereafter that I first came into contact with the wonderful cabbagerose (who is one of the nicest people you’ll ever speak with), so when she asked me to contribute to her site, the answer was easy.

I considered a lot of options when deciding on a topic for this post. Should the focus be on a single project, carefully analyzing every detail and conceptual intention? Or look at a certain building type, location, or material to see how various architects have handled similar challenges? Maybe examine a single architect/designer; discussing the various projects of their portfolio to shed light on the unique challenges they faced with each project and client?

Rather than taking any of these routes, I’ve decided to look more closely at how a variety of architects have handled the challenges presented by the most difficult client they will ever face. The one  client that will want to revisit the design hundreds of times, will keep them up for nights on end, will never be completely satisfied, and will constantly revisit any and every detail, imperfection, and design decision: themselves.

I’ve always found the homes architects design for themselves to be fascinating; if not for dealing with the self-inflicted challenges described above, but also in seeing how the spaces they inhabit themselves informs the conceptual, formal, and aesthetic framework of their practices.

Alvar Aalto:

Jan Benthem:

Gunther Domenig:

Adam Caruso:

Geir Grung:

Le Corbusier:

John Pawson:

Stefan Marte:

Paulo Mendes da Rocha:

Luis Barragán:

Jørn Utzon:

Vincent Van Duysen:

Werner Sobek:

Peter Zumthor:

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