Creating Architecture
For Robert Koch Designs, Architecture is defined as a symphony of material, form, light, and space created to evoke certain feelings. In the same way that music can evoke feelings of sadness or joy, Architecture can do the same. The right composition of material, form, light, and space can create a beautiful melody of balance and order, Architecture is designed to be seen, experienced, and felt, and each new project is a chance to create a masterful symphony. Robert Koch Designs translates a clients’ ideas and sketches into space and form in the same way that a composer creates music. The result is a composition that can be seen, experienced, and felt.
The Design Process
The process of designing a home begins first and foremost with the initial client meeting. Every new client comes to the table with unique design ideas and images, pulled together over days, months or even years. The process of listening to the hopes and dreams for the project and exploring the various ideas ultimately forms the basic framework of the design. Robert Koch Designs uses the clients’ individual needs and wants for the project to create a home that is specifically tailored to each client.
While the client is at the core of the design process, the relationship of the home to the site is equally crucial to the success of any design. At the beginning of each project, Robert Koch Designs completes a thorough analysis of each project site involving a careful documentation of the trees, views, grading changes, sun orientation, and neighboring property characteristics. This information is combined with local building code restrictions such as maximum building height, and allowable square footage, to create a unique set of design parameters which will act as a guide for the project. A successful design merges the building with the site, breaking down the barriers between inside and outside. Using large windows or doors begins to dissolve the perceived separation between inside and outside and can expand the perception of interior space. Creating outdoor rooms using decks, porches, and patios further breaks down the definition of inside and outside. The stairs, built-in planters, and creative landscaping ideas complete the integration of the building with the site. Once completed, the home should feel like it has been designed to fit the specific site.
In order for a home to be designed successfully, it must be designed as a whole, each part of the project should fit seamlessly into the overall design. The layout of the interior spaces, locations of windows and doors, and the architectural style all need to make sense both from the inside and the outside. This wholistic approach to design is an integral part of any project created by Robert Koch Designs.
Quality and attention to detail are the final fundamental elements that drive a successful design process. The architectural details of a particular design are not seen as merely ornamentation, but are instead treated as fundamental, integral aspects of the design, necessary for a project to be true to the style. A craftsman styled home lacking the extensive use of brackets, earth-toned colors, and large tapered columns, creates a watered-down version of the style, which can have an immense impact on the perceived quality of the home. The success or failure of a design often comes down to the accuracy of the stylistic details. Whether you envision a mid-century modern, craftsman, or a Tudor styled home, Robert Koch Designs strives to create high quality architecture that stays true to the style that it represents.