Tag Archives: rick joy

The Architecture of Rick Joy

Posted on 11/17/2010 by Nancy Cheng
Leave a comment

The architecture of Rick Joy is very experiential as described in the readings. Even just seeing images of his work you can already imagine what it would be like to progress through the spaces he has created. His building forms are very simplistic, yet arranged carefully to frame views to the outside, and he is very attuned to the surrounding environment. I also like how he brings a sense of outside inwards, and vice versa. For example in the Catalina House, the use of the rammed earth massing, wood and light almost make you feel like you are in a cavelike setting. There is little disconnect from the outdoors as he seamlessly melds the interior design with the exterior. His fundamental basics of architecture do not take away from the experiential quality of his work, they enhance it. His materials and forms are very honest, and easily understandable by any viewer. I also think it is interesting that his background before going into architecture was a musician and carpenter. His attention to detail and experiential quality of his work are definitely influenced by his previous jobs.

Catalina House

Catalina House

Catalina House

Catalina House

Rick you are so joyous

Posted on 11/16/2010 by Nancy Cheng
Leave a comment

Rick Joy makes architecture look so easy.

I believe a large  part of this comes from his understanding of landscape and context. His use of materials, particularly  rammed earth, and his sculptural attitude towards the landscape are very memorable in photos. I would love to experience the buildings themselves after reading their vivid descriptions.

I did not really understand Steven Holl’s comments that Rick Joy is operating ‘on the fringe’. Obviously he has a small practice  but it seems he has gained a lot of notoriety and mainstream attention in a relatively small amount of time. While sometimes it seems that large firms and celebrity architects define the profession, from what I have experienced and read most practitioners actually work in small firms or are self-employed.  From what I know Rick Joy is very well respected in the architectural community and while he may be better at what he does than most of us,  I do not see him as the radical or outside the mainstream. Maybe my perspective is misinformed… but I would at least like to think that all of us would strive for the same type of attention to materials, light, landscape, and place as Rick Joy and that these are basic architectural considerations.