In an essay entitled The Hedgehog and the Fox, Isaiah Berlin quotes the Greek poet Archilochus, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing” (Berlin 7). The essay was written as a commentary on Leo Tolstoy’s view of history, however, the text can offer an understanding for how one might practice architecture as well. For us, this understanding reveals itself in perceiving the environment as a fox and believing in it as a hedgehog.
Perceiving the environment as a fox requires “plenty of full light” (Albers) and a methodical rigor aimed at exploring forces and processes including climate, culture, economy, atmosphere, and material.
Believing in the environment as a hedgehog requires a confidence and trust that the projects we build and discussions we nurture “feel the pull of life” (Martin 159) and contribute positively to our clients and the world around us.
—
Albers, Josef. Poems and Drawings. Ed. Nicholas Fox Weber. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Print.
Berlin, Isaiah. The Hedgehog and the Fox; an Essay on Tolstoy’s View of History. New York: Mentor Books, 1957. Print.
Martin, Agnes and Briony Fer. Agnes Martin. Ed. Frances Morris and Tiffany Bell. London: D. A. P./Tate, 2015. Print.
Explore
Memorial Townhome Renovation
Houston, Texas
Residential
Located near Memorial Park, this project is a complete renovation of a townhome. Providing a sense of calmness, an abundance of daylight, and a living canvas for plants and collection of objects is the foundation for the creative energy of this project. In working with the existing structure of the townhome, walls and columns have been removed to allow for an openness that reflects the identity of the client.
Carlos Pozo
Architecture, Screen Printer, & Musician
Art and Design
In this episode our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with Carlos Pozo, a screen printer and musician who works in architecture. Carlos Pozo is an architectural associate from Houston, Texas. Though he spends his days working in an architecture firm, much of his free time is spent immersed in creative endeavors outside of architecture, namely screen printing and music. Kevin and Joe sat down with Carlos to discuss the influences behind his screen printing, his journey from music critic to musician, and taking action in creative pursuits.
Bruder Klaus Photo Essay
Kevin Barden
Drawing and Photography
Bruder Klaus Field Chapel stands in the landscape of the Eifel region of Germany. Images are not allowed inside the chapel, however, through small holes from the outside a glimpse can be caught of the atmosphere within. The chapel was designed by Peter Zumthor and completed in 2007.