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.
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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.
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Port Bolivar Beach House
Port Bolivar, Texas
Residential
Located in a community along the Gulf Coast, this new single family residence creates a place of of rest and relaxation. Working with the local vernacular language of stilt frame wood construction, the elevated main level captures views, sun, shade, and breeze at all times of day and night. Vaulted ceilings, a bright sun room, and a cozy loft offer diverse spaces to unwind from the day and spend time with family and friends.
Greg Dean
Actor & Director
Music and Performance
In this episode, our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with Greg Dean, a theater actor and director from Houston, Texas. Greg Dean has been a player in Houston's theater scene for practically three decades, having spent much of that time as an actor and director with locally founded Catastrophic Theater. Joe and Kevin sat down with Greg to discuss his evolution as an actor and his approach to directing.
A Place of Passing
Kevin Barden
Writing
In the summer of 2022, Kevin’s dad passed away. In this essay, Kevin reflects about the qualities of growing up in a geodesic dome as well as the beginnings of a deeper understanding of a “forever home”.