How would you define his architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel, Extapa related to culture and climate?

The Salana project in Dallas TX, in my opinion does not fit it’s context. It stands out like a sore thumb with its bad architecture and bright colors. Legorreta’s Camino Real Hotel in Mexico does a much better job at fitting into it’s context. Even though it has bright colors, it is successful because it only uses one bright color. Not many, as Solana does. The architecture is formed to the landscape, completely emulating the mountains. The design has been much more thought out. I appreciate the fact that Legorreta takes the climate into consideration by controlling where the air conditioning will and will not occur. He pays close attention to the way the space folds out before you, and the way that it feels. He shows in this piece of work that the climate, not only the design, effects the user. He creates three different climates within the space, encouraging the user to emotionally experience the architecture. Solana could learn a thing or two from the Camino Hotel. It looks like colorful blocks merely being placed next to, and on top of.

“Do you find value in Lyon’s “Three F’s for an Architecture of Regionalism: fitting, framing, and forming?”

I believe that Lyon’s Three F’s are valuable in the first initial stages of design and are very vague guidelines from which he follows in all of his designs, however have a basis of truth applicable to all architectural designers.

In the fitting stage, he seeks to locate the architectural idea through exploration and development of the site. This is important because of how he completely immerses his buildings in the context of the environment. All three of his examples show a careful understanding of where his building is going to be located and he uses the subsequent F’s (framing and forming) to make the project unique in its surroundings.

After the initial fitting stage or site analysis, his next step is the realization of a design idea through construction and then forming the structures. Framing and Forming seems to build off of the ideas gained from the fitting stage, however makes the context of the building even more special by thinking of the site as a “form of skeletal exploration of space” rather than simply another random location. It is also interesting to see his usage of the word “framing’ in his design process correlating with the amount of framed views that he actually creates with his physical structures.

 

Would you like to participate in building the Ghosts? (This implies, “would you like to have that design/build experience.” As it is expensive.)

One of the reasons why I would have stayed at the University of Utah for graduate school is because of their renowned design/build bluff program located in Southern Utah. The opportunity to actually be able to design something and then physically build it for someone less fortunate than me is not something that a lot of people get the chance to do. I feel like my knowledge about the construction process is very limited and the information that I would learn from such a program would greatly supplement my design and architectural knowledge.

Do you find value in Lyon’s “Three F’s for an Architecture of Regionalism: fitting, framing and forming”?

I do find value in MacKay-Lyon’s three F’s, fitting, framing, and forming.  The text states, “..Brian’s aim is to avoid any restrictive predetermination of final external form.”  I find this as the essence for the purpose of the three F’s.  MacKay-Lions uses fitting, framing, and forming as his personal architectural agenda.  He uses these guidelines to ensure the design positively reflects the functionality of the program and reflects the forms of the surrounding environment.  It is important to design from function to form, to design without pre-conceptual notions of what the space should be.  This is most apparent in the Howard House.  The text states, “The narrow prow-like south end of the house fronts on the bay”.  It is apparent that MacKay-Lyons directly utilized the site to formulate his design.

Would you like to participate in building the ghosts?

It would be interesting to participate in the building of the ghosts.  A design-build project would be beneficial to anyone’s architectural education.  There is the chance to learn about the intersection of materials, design, construction methods.  Also, it would just be cool to have the opportunity to work with MacKay-Lyons…

 

Do you find value in Lyon’s “Three F’s for an Architecture of Regionalism: Fitting, Framing, and Forming?”

I definitely find value in Lyon’s ideas for regional architecture. I think all architecture should reflect its greater contexts. We pay very close attention to how the building fits in with its neighbors, but we should be paying as much attention to how the building fits in with the neighbors of hits region. I think this very easily ties into sustainability. Before we could alter the indoor climate with HVAC, there were regional solutions to the shared climate. Not only does regionalism reflect climate but its resources and people. All of these things make the building relevant to its context. I think the Three F’s are a great way to keep all of these ideas in mind as we design.

Would you like to participate in building the Ghosts? (This implies, “would you like to have that design/build experience?” as it is expensive.)

I would love to participate in a design/build experience. I did not have this experience in my undergraduate study, but would have liked to. I have always been very intrigued by the work that the students of the Rural Studio are doing. I wonder if there is also an aspect of the studio that deals with fund-raising and really understanding the costs of one’s design. If this were incorporated into the design/build, it would be an amazing and eye-opening experience.

How would you define Legorreta’s architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel Ixtapa – in relationship to culture and climate?

I am not as well-versed in Mexican vernacular architecture as I am other forms. What comes to mind when I conjure an image of what this means is a cluster of buildings with thick walls of punched openings that are located around open courtyards. This same description could be used to describe both projects. Both projects are organized by strong planes that limit and define space with different screens to provide shading and allow for ventilation. Both projects use the bright yet earthy color palette that is found in Mexican and Latin American architecture. I am not as taken with Solena as I am with the Camino Real Hotel Ixtapa, meaning that the latter engages my emotions and sense of inspiration. Legoretta describes the Mexican culture as appreciating a love of privacy, humanism, and mystery. These traits are quite apparent at the Hotel. The way that Legoretta carves into the cliff-side to create these individual pockets with great privacy and even better views to the pristine coast line is wonderful. At Solena, I appreciate his use of brightly colored formal architectural elements (like columns, thick planes of walls, and vaulted spaces) to signify an important space or path. Perhaps it is the contrast between the previous project where it is so tied to its cite that Solena leaves me feeling satisfied, but not intrigued in any way.

Do you think Joy’s use of materials and building form are convincing?

Convincing seems an odd word to use here, but, yes I find his use of materials and building form to be convincing. By ‘convincing’ I will mean that the building form seems entirely an appropriate choice for the region, as do the materials. It fits in beautifully with the environment. It is a building that at first glance seems so at peace within the environment, one has to look very closely to realize it is a new project and has not been standing there for several generation, which it looks as though it has been.

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

When you do look closely at the building in Vermont, you notice the ‘Modernist’ details. It is evident that Joy did not just recreate an old form, but really took notice of how well that formed worked. His adjustments to eliminating eaves to prevent icicles from forming (which can actually be dangerous in this extreme winter-driven climate) and how he re-assigned the buildings entrance to the short-side so that winter snow from the roof would not have the opportunity to fall on its visitors. These are just a couple things that he did that shows that not only did he not compromise by the fundamental basics but has redefined and improved upon them. In his desert works, I see the same theme of designing with simple forms that are very closely tied to the landscape and paying very close attention to the details. I find his work to be very inspiring.

Are you able to design an ecologically inspired art of building in the Age of Ecology in your present studio?

For me an ecologically inspired building is one that is very much connected to the micro-ecosystem of the environment of its site. That seems separate from an urban site where the ecosystem has long since been destroyed; but within our urban context, I am trying to design a more sustainable building. I have chosen structural systems that use local, renewable materials. My wall system is pre-fabricated and highly insulated, which minimizes on-site erection time and waste. I’ve carefully selected how much glazing, not to lose too much R-value, while gaining building illumination to reduce the lighting costs. My roof integrates a rainwater catchment system with a water feature to take advantage of the resources of this rainy climate. I am doing these things, but I do not feel completely satisfied. I know that I could do more. I also haven’t done any performance calculations to justify these decisions. Unfortunately, there has been little to no emphasis in my studio towards sustainable design; it has been solely driven by each student. I am  hoping that my next studios will push this agenda towards sustainability and push me to do more.

Do you find Uffelen’s historical examples and attention to materials and use convincing?

Yes, I find his examples convincing. I think this is because of the sheer number of examples he gives, their varied place in time, and that they are located all over the world. His attention to materials and their use was helpful in this brief overview of examples. I did have questions of ‘how was the building cited?’, ‘did it utilize any passive strategies?’, and ‘how did it work with its particular climate?’ for example. That tells you his descriptions elicited a desire for a more comprehensive look at his examples. It made me want to read the rest of the book.

Since global warming has been recognized and accepted, “A change in paradigm took place in architecture, setting sustainability as a priority above style or structural function” Do you think this has happened in the U.S.?

I don’t think that style and structural function has been superseded by sustainability as its priority. Here in the US, sustainable buildings are still the minority. Not everyone accepts global warming, nor does everyone care. Money is still the strongest driving factor for some. I think that the sustainable buildings that are being made in the US still adhere to the expectations and desires for aesthetics and, of course, structural function. I think in the US (where not all accept global warming) that these buildings are scrutinized. Architects know this and, in my experience, the sustainable buildings that I have seen are also very beautiful designs.

Why has Norberg-Schultz been drawn to Heidegger’s ideas as they relate to today’s architects and their work?

Norberg-Schultze believes that places cannot be described by a means of analytic concepts because in doing so, one loses that which makes up the world of everyday life, which should be of real concern to architects and planners. It is no surprise then, that he is very drawn to Heidegger’s ideas of dwelling as a conceptual beginning to his own ideas of phenomenology in architecture, which are searching for more concrete conclusions. This is very clear in Norberg-Schultz’s grasping on to Heidegger’s relating a true description of space to Trakl’s poem ‘A Winter Evening.’ This is where Heidegger’s conceptual ideas transform to more concrete understandings.  Norbeg-Schultz believes that poetry is able to “…concretize those totalities [of space]  which can elude science and may; therefore, suggest how we might proceed to obtain the needed understanding.” The poem both describes the structure of place in terms of ‘landscape’ and ‘settlement’ while also describing the “space” and “character.” These connections in their descriptions of the phenomenology of space, I believe, is why Norberg-Schultz is so attracted to Heidegger’s ideas.

How can we understand and determine a person’s experience of architecture?

I think that we can understand and determine a person’s experience of architecture only by knowing and understanding that person, which would most likely come from having a dialogue with that person.  He or she would then have the opportunity to describe, in his or her own words, what it is that they feel of that architecture. The interviewer should then ask why he/she feels this way, wherein the interviewee might relate a personal experience or bias. We all have preferences and biases, but often they are tied to the individuality of that person and his/her past experiences and how he/she interprets those experiences.

How do you interpret Pallasmaa’s ideas about the following?

All art emanates from the body……….

I believe this would be the conclusion statement to a series of truths. All art is a depiction of a response to something. All responses are some form (or forms) of emotion. Emotions originate within the body. Therefore, all art emanates from the body.

Early childhood memories inform and form us as we grow up……….

I agree that early childhood memories inform and form us as we grow up. I certainly feel that way about my own experiences. Of my earliest memory in life, I could describe to you where I was sitting, what the furniture looked like, the color of the carpet, the way the light was falling into the living room window, all of the details of the space within the living room of our 1920’s bungalow home. I don’t recall these details because of their architectural or spatial significance, but because the action occurring in that space at that time was significant to me and my family. I believe this is what Pallasmaa calls ‘personal indentifiability and emotional force’. Is it a coincidence that all of my collective memories are organized in my mind by the spaces in which they occurred? I don’t think so.

Other arts create the importance of place and our experience……….

I don’t think that what Pallasmaa is saying is that other arts create the importance of place and experience, but rather, that they provide an insight that is unconstrained. Because of that untethered perspective, other arts can observe more clearly experiences that those within the architectural discipline might overlook or misunderstand through over-analysis. Pallasmaa likens this perspective to a “‘pure looking’ of a child’s way of experiencing things.’ By child, Pallasmaa does not mean immature or lacking, but in an unbiased fashion.

Loneliness and silence of buildings……….

Palllasmaa attributes the loneliness and silence of building to the “…private dialogue between the work and person experiencing it, which excludes all other interaction.”  I disagree that lack of interaction equates to loneliness. Of the works of architecture I’ve found moving, I experience an introspection sparked by the recognition of a sense of understanding and of being understood. I am simultaneously aware of a greater importance beyond myself, but also my part in that. For me, it feels like being in a room and meditating with fifty others (also meditating). We are not interacting, but I am aware of and comforted by their presence. For me, silence does not equal loneliness, but reverence.

Is it possible our personal interaction affects the building? Does our interaction as designers and clients affect the building?

It is not only possible that our personal interaction affects the building,  but it is inevitable. Our job as architects is to create space. We do our best to approach the design with the needs of the client in mind, but ultimately we design thorough our own lens. As individuals, we have each experienced a variety of spaces and formed different emotive associations with their conditions. Unconsciously or not, we bring these associations to the drawing when we design.

It is possible that Heidegger’s search through the old language for meaning is a search for authenticity. Is it valuable to search for authenticity in designing/building architecture?

I believe he believes he is searching for authenticity; however; his search, to me, seems a bit flat.  The meaning of an idea (like dwelling) is not solely characterized by the language we use to describe the idea (and the derivation of that language). When speaking of things related to people, we must consider how that idea affects the psyche, the psychological impact of that thing or idea to be considered. To dwell is to take shelter in, or contrarily to take protection from. A dwelling, as a place of protection, is a place where one feels safe. This is no small thing. The sense of safety, according to Maslow, is our most primary need that must be fulfilled before any other. It is no wonder our most intimate moments happen at home, in our dwelling. It is the place where we can be our truest self, without fear of repose or judgement. And that, I believe, is what makes it a dwelling and not merely a building.

Can we design and build with this sense of permanence?

That which exists solely in the physical world will inevitably succumb to neglect, deterioration, collapse; however; I believe the meaning of what the building stood for (if it truly is an idea that can reach all of humanity no matter race, religion, or I think we, as architects, can build with this sense of permanence. I do not mean to say that only trained architects can do this; only that those who build from a place of forethought and introspection. That is, if we allow that which we design to reflect who we are as a humanity and what it means to be in this space and time. If we design in such a way that demonstrates our values and ideals, we will build something that will always have a sense of importance and meaning. And that, I believe, is the greater sense of permanence.

How would you define his architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel, Extapa related to culture and climate?

I’m not feeling that these two projects directly relate to Ricardo Legorreta design principles as to the Mexican culture and climate.  The hotel seems to be for wealthy vacationers and probably foreigners.  Yes, it does respond architecturally to the coastal location by engraving itself into the hill side and by using natural ventilation. But the scale and intrusiveness of the project on the landscape are locally sensitive.   The massive Solana complex represents the corporate expansion and dominance of American culture.  Aesthetically, the use of color and light are beautiful but as for a representation to the his cultural Mexican roots, not so much.

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

Rick Joy’s use of materials in the Woodstock Farm house are completely convincing to overall site context.  The use of stone walls and cedar roofing speaks to the vernacular style and building methods of the region.  The form isn’t an expression of his own design ego but rather a reflection to the rural barn structures in the northwest.  What is most convincing is the modern details that speak to the family’s life style.  Large open floor plan and ample of amounts of light that provoke energy and activity.

Do you think the experiential characteristic of his project is in anyway compromised by his fundamental basics?

I think Rick Joy enhanced his fundamental values by creating such beautiful experiences within his structures.  His projects lead a comprehensive execution through every detail which gives an originality.  His attitude towards environmental design bridges the disparity that ecological design has to be distinctly a certain way and rather, design still holds the hierarchy to the process of designing and building.

Do you find value in Lyons’ “Three F’s for an Architecture of Regionalism”: fitting, framing, and forming?

There is certainaly value in MacKay-Lyons’ “Three F’s.”  I am not sure if there is any significance in the use of alliteration or why specifically those three words, but the ideas behind “fitting, framing, and forming” – which I am understanding as designing with site, craft, and shape in mind – are basic concepts important to most (if not all) works of architecture.  Perhaps MacKay-Lyons sees that those are the three overarching steps in the regionalist’s approach to architecture.  First, the architect has to understand the site, its characteristics, its climate and culture, in order make a judgement about how a program belongs or “fits” on the site.  Second, exploration of design ideas happens “by means of construction” (perhaps such as that seen in the side-by-side process of the design-build approach to the Ghosts).  While the third step of shaping, or “forming,” is also influenced during this second step, MacKay-Lyons does not commit to any preconceived notions of form during the process.  The third step of “forming” is still ultimately informed by the first step of “fitting.”  By laying out these “Three F’s,” MacKay-Lyons appears to have created a framework for himself to check if his architecture is achieving critical regionalist goals.

Would you like to participate in building the Ghosts?

It would be wonderful to participate in building the Ghosts.  I also am not sure why it would be expensive because I also understand the design-build process as one that is found to reduce construction time, costs, and errors for typical projects.  However, I like that MacKay-Lyons sees the design-build experience as one that can make an architect better connected to the craft.  He does not see it just as a means for social projects to get built.  (For example, this project seems to be a horse stable: http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/ghost/9/)  Rather, it is a way to refine an architect’s understanding for construction and details which in turn leads to better-designed buildings.  It would be fun to have a design-build studio.

How would you define his architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel, Ixtapa related to culture and climate?

Legorreta seems like a man of philosophies, where he talks about emotion, people, culture, environment, site, discipline and passion in his style of architecture. His understanding and comment on importance of light is intriguing “no benefit of creating an beautiful space if you don’t consider  light entering it”. I appreciate his style to blend these sensitive (culture, people, human,emotion) and physical (climate, light, site, color) to make a responsive architecture piece which is a very unique and stands out. Solana and Camino Real Hotel have the same fundamental basis but are unique in its own of expression responding to the respective site locations.

Camino Real Hotel, certainly responds to the site by adapting to the topography and the form of the cliff by creating staggered terraces that follow the slope of the site. This not only  responds to the site conditions but also creates individual private spaces for the guest rooms which brings in privacy for individual guest rooms. He blends nature (landscape) with the built form which is an attempt to maintain the natural beauty of the site rather than the building form dominating the site. This shows his respect to the environment and the surrounding. He continues the same language in the public areas where various zones of pools and outdoor spaces blend with the landscape. It is fascinating of how he creates and provides different zones of climate  in his design of the guest rooms. Finally he responds to culture in by creating a magical spirit in the environment which draws back to the vernacular Mexican style where color, solidity in material, opening sizes, pathways, furnishing form the supporting system.

Solana placed with a strong context, and having a mixed use development is unified with the stucco walls, color, fenestration’s and courtyard plazas which puts forward the cultural aspects of design by creating spaces for people and in relation to them. Further, the strong vertical walls, texture and color that symbolizes and gives a sense of direction adds to the character of the place. He also brings in the style of blending the landscape with the building by slanting or freestanding walls which interconnect the buildings and form the edges.

Thus Legoretta’s work clearly express his inclination towards climate and cultural aspects of Mexico as his strong influences in both of the above projects.

– Vijayeta

 

WINES

Are you able to design an ecologically inspired art of building in the Age of Ecology in your present studio?

I believe that everybody has the ability to design an ecologically inspired building, however one needs to have the knowledge regarding the subject to adequately be able to do so. So far in my architectural studies I have learned many methods and theories, which can be applied during the design process to produce a more green and environmentally conscious building. Acquiring this knowledge while in school has not been difficult, however being able to successfully implement these ideas into your individual design is. We are currently at a point where we are still learning how to be good designers in studio as well as learning about proven sustainable techniques and technology. At a certain point we will become comfortable enough with both subjects to successfully fuse them together. Until then, we can only practice and learn from our mistakes.

 

UFFELEN

Do you find his historical examples and attention to materials and use convincing?

I believe that Uffelen makes a good case with his chosen examples and their attention to materials, however his book was published in 2009 and therefore should have had more modern day examples indicating how much technology has come in recent days.

Even though most of his examples come from a long ago era, I still believe that they are strong in terms of what he is trying to achieve with his writing. The fact that designers and engineers were already trying to find ways to be more sustainable and energy efficient in the days of excess really says a lot about the potential we have and the possibilities of what we can achieve when the general mindset has shifted to one of being resourceful and environmentally conscious. The shift is happening slowly, however it is headed in the right direction.

 

2.  Is sustainability put as a priority above style or structural function in the United States?

Currently sustainability is not put as a priority above style or structural function. This is due to a number of reasons, but I believe it all revolves around money. There are certain situations where designing sustainably is the obvious choice, such as when designing a home for yourself, where you will see a high rate of return and will personally experience the payback period, but for the majority of designs, it just isn’t worth it.

Designing sustainably has never been the “cool” thing to do, but I believe that in our current state of living and with our population becoming more educated on how limited our resources are becoming, being sustainable is becoming more fashionable. LEED buildings are becoming better recognized and in time, I believe that people commissioning buildings will pay extra money for these added benefits.

 

LEGORRETA

1. How would you define Legorreta’s architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel Extapa – in relationship to culture and climate?

In terms of materials, Solana and Camino Real Hotel Extapa are very similar through their use of stucco in expressing Legorreta’s Mexican culture and background, however the strength of the ideas behind the projects is very different. The Camino Real Hotel Extapa uses its very specific and site driven design well in dealing with issues regarding climate as well as program. The concepts behind Solana seem like they are being stretched to make it seem like they relate to its design more so than it actually does. The fact that Legorreta states earlier in his interview that he chooses certain design moves simply due to the fact that he likes them, makes me skeptical about the well-thought out process behind all facets of this building.

JOY

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

Upon reading the interview with Joy as well as looking at his many examples of work I get the impression that he is a very unique and intellectually driven architect due to the fact that architecture was not his first passion, but one that grew as a result of his involvement in music and art. I do believe that his use of materials and building form are convincing, especially when looking at the context in which they have been built.

The Tubac and Vermont Houses are prime examples of how well a building can fit into its location through use of materials and building form. Though both of these buildings are situated in very different locations, the attention paid to context and use of natural materials is easily noticeable. My first impression of the Tubac house was how natural it looked in the environment of the Arizona desert through its use of materials and color as well as the scale it was presented at. The Vermont House does not blend into its natural surroundings as well as the Tubac House does, however it understands the history of the location and its traditional rustic style to achieve a modern reenactment of its historical counterpart.

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

I do not believe that the experiential characteristics of his projects are in anyway compromised by his fundamental basics. The experiential qualities of a building are wholly determined through the designs of the architect and though Joy’s experiential designs may not be as extravagant as some other projects, still have a character very much unique to each of his individual projects.

 

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

In the Foreword of Desert Works, Steven Holl comments on Rick Joy’s work as that where “the overall phenomenon which is a result of material, detail, space, texture, light, and sound, allows architectural form to be almost negligible.”  I found this aspect of Rick Joy’s work to be very strong in the 152-foot-long house on Woodstock Farm in Vermont.  The simplicity of the form allows the home to rest peacefully and quietly with the surrounding forests and hills.  The stone texture, cedar cladding, and cedar roof shingles create the feeling of age and a tie to stories of English settlers’ lives in pastoral settings.  The 152-foot-long house’s simple form does not need to be any more or less than what it is because the materials (both exterior and interior) and the placement of windows and entrances already hold a hierarchy in telling the story of the house.  There is one area in the house, however, that I find not as resolved as the rest.  The hallway (labeled as No. 6, the Gallery, in the floor plan) which leads to bedrooms appears overwhelmed by the heavy, 12-feet-on-center, black steel frames.  It seems to be an area where the form and materials are not complementing one another.

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

Rick Joy is one of those few architects whose use of simple materials and forms enhances the experiential characteristics of his projects.  The simplicity of his architecture allows the surrounding context/ environment to come to the foreground, and lets the building itself become a background.  The building becomes a tool that aids the user in experiencing the surrounding environment.  This can observed in both the 152-foot-long house at Woodstock Farm and the Tubac House.  Joy recognized that the the houses at either site could not compete with the lushness of the forests and hills in Vermont or the mountainous landscape in Arizona.  It is also evident by his choice of materials in the Tubac House that the house is meant to blend with the desert flora and the burnt, rusty colors of the immediate sandy landscape.  In the Tubac House, Joy also makes an effort to connect the living spaces with the outdoor environment – in a way similar to Glenn Murcutt’s Simpson-Lee House (click on photo below).

How would you define his architectural accomplishments for the two projects Solana and Camino Real Hotel, Ixtapa related to culture and climate?

The Camino Real project is extremely successful in relating to the culture and climate of the area.  The first thing I noticed was how large the building was but the way he steps the building down the hillside makes the building fit comfortably into its context.  Culturally I think he relates to the local vernacular by using the stucco and tile painted vibrant colors.  Stucco and vibrant colors are very much a part of Mexican architecture and culture, it’s nice to see a modern building use color in a tasteful/subtle way!  He addresses the climate in a variety of different ways.  “The main lobby, lounge, and restaurant open to the natural environment and are not air-conditioned in order to complement the sense of being one with the surroundings.”  In the guest rooms he only uses air conditioning in the sleeping quarters, the rest of the unit and terrace are shaded but open to the outside air.

The Solana project is successful but the context isn’t as dramatic as the Camino Real hotel which makes it not as picturesque.  I think Legoretta’s architecture is appropriate for the culture of Dallas.  Historically Dallas is strongly linked to Mexico so the materials and colors are appropriate in reference to that history.  Legoretta’s use of courtyards and shaded outdoor spaces are appropriate for the hot and humid climate in Dallas.  Although this project is not as dramatic as the previous project, I think it is successful in relating to the culture and climate of the area.

Brandon Cari