Comments on: "Almost anything that was wood is gone"

"Almost anything that was wood is gone"

jessamyn — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 16:55:50 -0800

One of the many casualties of the California fires was the unique and lovely studio and residence of artist and architect James Hubbell. Hubbell is a proponent of Architecture of Jubilation and his living and working quarters reflected many of his ideas about organic designs and sustainable building. The artist and his family and co-workers are fine but his one-of-a-kind house is not.

By: spotmeter

spotmeter — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 17:04:22 -0800

Walls made out of (highly incendiary) bales of straw? Ouch... Fascinating looking place, however.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 17:57:03 -0800

This is a great post. Thanks, jessamyn.

By: majcher

majcher — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 18:09:03 -0800

"A straw bale is too dense to burn, and would be similar to trying to light a phone book on fire." Unlike, say, wood. Plus, straw bales are cool, man.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 19:53:25 -0800

That sucks.

By: aramaic

aramaic — Sun, 02 Nov 2003 20:06:16 -0800

Pity about the insurance, and 71 is sort of a crummy time to be starting from scratch. However: Architecture must take measure of all that it is to be human in a world that is whole. Um, what? One thing that drives me nuts is architects waxing rhapsodic about their own halfbaked philosophy, rather than building sensible structures that don't suck. When I hire an architect, I don't WANT a house that encompasses everything it is to be human in a world that is whole, I want a roof that doesn't leak (I'm looking at *you* Frank Lloyd Wright!). I want durable nontoxic materials that didn't destroy half the planet while being made. I want energy efficiency, comfort, and flexible good looks. ...instead, 8 times out of 10, you end up with something that's apparently been designed to be photographed, rather than used/lived in (I'm looking at *you* IM Pei). /rant

By: jfuller

jfuller — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 05:22:29 -0800

> many of his ideas about organic designs and sustainable building. ...one of which must not have been "don't build in a known fire zone"

By: i_cola

i_cola — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 06:02:47 -0800

I blame the 3 little pigs...

By: jscalzi

jscalzi — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 06:12:48 -0800

This is incredibly awful. I'm a classmate of one of his sons and I had a chance to visit the house. It was beautiful and unique and it's hard to describe how wonderful the place was to someone who's never been there. Had I the money, I'd get him to build me a house just like it. jfuller, most of California is a "known fire zone." Just really, really bad.

By: pardonyou?

pardonyou? — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 06:36:43 -0800

I don't see what the big deal is. It's just stuff.

By: jfuller

jfuller — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 06:46:49 -0800

> jfuller, most of California is a "known fire zone." Goal!

By: crunchland

crunchland — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 06:53:42 -0800

this is a tragedy.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Tue, 04 Nov 2003 08:42:10 -0800

The Boys' House This habitable sculpture was started in the early seventies. The tan clay tiles on the steps and floor were rolled out with a rolling pin, shaped, coded, dried, fired and reassembled on the floor over a period of about eight years by James and some friends. The lively leaded glass roof in the bathroom showers the bather with color. Wow.