My Two Cents

Jan 8 2009 11:09AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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By Susan Bady

A telephone conversation with architect Aram Bassenian got me thinking about the way housing designers are perceived in America. Aram, as you may know, is chairman and CEO of Bassenian Lagoni Architects, one of the most prominent residential design firms in the U.S. He commented that residential architecture was ignored 25 years ago by much of the mainstream architectural profession, but today it's taken much more seriously. Indeed, if you Google "residential architects," you'll come across highly respected firms, many of whom practice nationally and even internationally. Among the notables are Dahlin Group, Berkus Design Studio, Looney Ricks Kiss, Scheurer Architects, William Hezmalhalch Architects, Danielian Associates and Knudson Gloss.

Having been in practice for more than 35 years, Aram Bassenian knows whereof he speaks. But I wonder why architects didn't give residential design its due until recently. Is a creative home design any less worthy of attention than a great office building or hotel? Is it simply a question of project size and scope? One's home is both a physical and spiritual oasis, the place that expresses our individuality. Even the smallest home can exhibit a high level of design originality and clever utilization of space.

I guess I shouldn't be terribly surprised at Aram's revelation. After all, Frank Lloyd Wright wasn't fully appreciated in his lifetime. Now articles are popping up left and right about homes he designed that have been rediscovered and renovated. (See the January 2009 issue of North Shore Magazine for a great story about a Wright home in Lake Forest, Ill.) Frank didn't live to see the resurgence of interest in his residential work, but fortunately, the great architects that have been toiling away for more than a quarter of a century are getting some recognition.