Rick Joy

Do you think his use of materials and building form are convincing?

Yes. It is especially clear when contrasting the Vermont and desert projects. Though the shapes and materials differ, there is a cohesive commitment to quality in Joy’s work.  In Vermont, the monolithic element of the stone gable walls celebrate the local material and respond to the need for entry at the side, away from snow. In the Tubac House, the concrete retaining wall is the monolithic element that buries the house in the ground, away from the burning sun. It is this element that ties the inside to the outside at the master bedroom, and extends the reach of the house out to the courtyard. Throughout his work, Joy values the connections between things, and uses form to highlight the natural characteristics of the materials.

Do you think the experiential characteristic of his projects is in any way compromised by his fundamental basics?

I think that the fundamental basics are Joy’s way of achieving an experiential architecture. It is stated best in Desert Works. “Joy’s ethical stance is firm: the task of architecture is not to entertain… but to create the silence, calmness, and concentration that enable us to experience the beauty of the world and life around us.” When studying the work as a whole I feel that sense of calmness and concentration, and a connection to a sense of place.

On craftsmanship and working with architecture students.

Like we saw in Ben’s and Tim D.’s presentations, it is difficult to get high quality finishes from students new to the craft of building. Many of these structures use metal, stone, concrete, adobe/rammed earth, as well as interior carpentry… all of which would require a separate sub-contractor. I wonder how many of these projects actually employed professional craftsman, or is Rick Joy just that good of a teacher and carpenter?

-Annie