The Power of a White Roof

The New York Times ran a front page article about the energy savings of putting a white roof on a home. Evidently, white roofs which cost fractionally more than dark versions, can reduce air conditioning costs by 20 percent or more in hot sunny weather. The white EPDM torch down roof on the Oak Beach project is part of what earned it a perfect score on the H.E.R.S. scale (Home Energy Rating) by Energy Star. True, some renewable energy systems can be costly (photovoltaic, wind turbines, biodiesel) but clearly a white roof combined with efficient windows and proper insulation can be a cost effective way to reduce energy consumption. In fact, some scientists believe that if all of the world's roofs were white, it could save the equivalent of 24 billion metric tons in carbon dioxide emissions. Of course in cold climates, the roofing may not be as beneficial since heating costs outweigh cooling; however 'cool' roofing seems to be a logical trend in energy efficiency that's gaining some traction.

What is Authenticity?

On archisage, a rather intense discussion sprung up about defining architecture based on its location. What determines the style of architecture-- time period, architect, client? Is the Taj Mahal an appropriate architectural archetype to define Indian architecture? Does the Empire State Building typify New York? Both buildings have come to represent their place, and yet they are the exception and not the rule. Also, how influential are outside sources in terms of colonization and globalization? It was a heady topic indeed.
It was of interest to me since I have often wondered about the eclectic nature of American architecture, especially that of New York City. On one street you can easily spot Mediterranean next to modern next to classical. What then makes something seem quintessentially New York if it borrows so readily from other sources?
Vandana Naik of Bangalore, India recently shared a picture of her grandmother's seventy year old mud house and explained its construction. The foundation is laid in locally available laterite stone. Above, the wall was built in mud which had been treated and soaked for a few days. Then, the mud is applied in phases, just how the courses would be laid in conventional brick masonry. The construction is pretty slow as the height of each course would be limited to half a meter or even less. The average wall thickness would be 45cm to ensure stability and protection since the whole structure is a load bearing one. At times while the soaking or the treatment is going on hay is used as reinforcement; however this treatment was stopped as it would attract moisture and insects to breed if any gaps appeared. Closely spaced bamboo was used as the structural support for the loft area.
There have been changes to the house over time due to a change in lifestyles. Initially, every fortnight the mud floor was leveled to perfection with a neatly done cow-dung finish to prevent any wear and tear. As far as durability is concerned, the walls are finished with coating of fine clay. The large overhangs, sloping roof and the recessed main walls with the help of verandah or porch act as other barriers from rain and sun.
With all of this invaluable information provided by Vandana Naik, it is all too clear that local materials combined with human ingenuity breed a sustainable and authentic form of architecture which is a model we can learn from.

This Time, Saugerties

In the continued quest for a dresser, I headed over to Saugerties, a functioning town with a hardware store, two independent bookstores, a couple of chic clothing shops, and places to eat. My favorite store was an ecofriendly house furnishing shop, Green. The seemingly ubiquitous egg chair in the window caught my eye first, and once inside, there were very few pieces I wouldn't want in my home. An eclectic mix of styles with a heavy dose of mid-century modern, the store offered handcrafted, contemporary, and vintage pieces. I found this terrific dresser and bed stand, reasonably priced but unfortunately beyond our budget. What made the place even better for me was the basement, crammed with all sorts of bric-a-brac and furniture that smelled exactly like my grandmother's cellar. One whiff and I was transported. After snooping around there, I went through a few antique stores and had a bite. Over lunch I enjoyed watching the foot traffic pass by, a mix of locals, weekenders, and day trippers. I may not have taken home a dresser, but it was a good time nonetheless.

Halloween in July

One of the easiest backyard kiddie parties to orchestrate has to be a costume party. For Jackson's sixth birthday, we decided to hold Halloween in July. All the kids, and some intrepid adults, dusted off their costumes for the occasion. Better yet, we were able to reuse our halloween decorations to set the spooky scene.

Verace Progress

With Verace's new framing in place, the kitchen's professional kitchen equipment is on its way toward installation. Centered around a hand-cranked, hundred-year-old meat and cheese slicer, the other appliances are currently being painted to match the slicer's antiqued enamel finish. Also set to be installed is a wood-fired bread oven, which will be clad in steel tubing fabricated especially for the restaurant. The rear facade, shown above, is really exciting to me, however. The entire area will be an outdoor dining courtyard, with a cobblestone alley connecting Teller's Chophouse and Verace in its own mini-streetscape.

Red Hook

Red Hook, NY is a lovely spot to walk around, have lunch, buy a book, and snoop through antique shops. This is just what we did a couple of weeks ago when I was in search of a dresser for our new bedroom. We had done well with the kids' furniture on Craigslist: two twin beds with head boards, a dresser, and a bed stand for $250. After doing a couple of weeks of searching on Craigslist for my dresser to no avail, I decided to continue looking elsewhere. I found these dressers in three different shops, all within the price range of $160-$135. None of them particularly 'wowed' me, but I liked each for different reasons. The painted one had a shabby chic look and a lot of storage, and the oak one was in working order but not really the aesthetic I was going for. Besides, $160 was more than I was in the mood to spend. The last one, which has a secretary desk inside, really caught my fancy. It wouldn't necessarily work for upstate, but I began to play musical dressers in my mind: Well if I move the one in Islip, and swap it with that one... Needless to say I left all three right where they were, but enjoyed the search nonetheless.

Wordless Weekend

Olana on the Hudson

Everyone who has traveled over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge notices the large home perched on top of the hillside, Olana, the Persian-inspired residence of Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900). Church designed the home and its surrounding landscape on the site where he painted as a young man with his mentor Hudson River School founder, Thomas Cole. The residence, equally impressive close up as from a distance, remains as it was during Church's lifetime thanks to its stature as a National Historic Landmark.
The building's exterior is a bit intimidating on several elevations, but is softened by the ornate details of the crown moldings and the Moorish doorways. Not surprisingly, some of the best angles of the building are the ones facing the Hudson due to the porches and balconies meant to capitalize on the stunning view.
A walk through the grounds shows an equal attention to details. With its well-tended flower gardens and its specimen trees, it didn't disappoint us too much that the house wasn't open to the public when we showed up on a Monday. Instead, the kids and I delighted in watching the butterflies flutter around in the sunshine. The interiors will have to wait for another day.

Potic Progress

Top of the agenda has been getting our open porched screened in. First of all, I've never met a screened in porch I didn't like. We had one in Sayville, where we spent many hours watching the summer passerbys on their way to the beach. Both the Alabama beach house and the camp house have screened porches, perfect spots for watching the wildlife from the swing or hammock. So it was really exciting to add screens to the porch at Potic Cottage. Better yet, we can combat the mosquito situation which has been fierce with the wet spring we had. Our first step was to block in the rafters, caulking and nailing them into place. Next we braced the span between the posts, adding a toe plate, chair rail, and brace to help prevent wear on the screens. I primed and painted while James hung the screen door. After three days of work, all that's left -- install the screens.

Nostalgia of the Infinite

It was a surprise to find the Hudson Area Library looking like a deChirico painting with its classic architectural and sculptural elements, trains looming in the distance. Unfortunately it was a bit disheartening to see the library in such dire need of renovation. I am a firm believer in the public library system. With open access to books, anyone in our country can educate him or herself as long as they put in the time and effort to do so-- isn't that the American Dream after all? The public library is where I first discovered art history when I was twelve, as I sat at the long tables in the reference area memorizing paintings and quizzing myself in identifying the different artists. It is where I held my first official job, shelving books, discovering the vast history of literature, sneaking a chapter here and there. It is where I take the kids now to feed their appetite for new books and to encourage another generation to love reading. Restoring an old library to its former luster is a worthy project, not just in terms of the architecture, but in terms of the community's future intellectual growth. Hopefully Hudson will undertake such an endeavor.

Potic Mountain Evening

Last evening as the sun reached a perfect golden spot, we received a phone call from our Greene County cousin Tom Judson, who had just returned from the Dutch Caribbean Island of Saba the day before. After I bored him with renovation updates, Tom says, with his usual exuberance, "Well I'm headed right over your house in a hot air balloon. Look to the west." The family and I made our way outside to sit watch, Jackson with his binoculars, while I imagined Tom swooping down from the sky. Last time I saw that was a 1970's film version of Pippi Longstocking. We waited, looking this way and that, but no sign of Tom in his hot air balloon. We did, however, find a lovely toad we promptly named Tom in honor of the event.

Long-Distance Blogging

I'm here typing on the computer at the Athens, NY public library, a lovely old place which is open four hours a day. Needless to say getting on one of their four public computers is a task, but not nearly as challenging as getting on a computer in Hudson-- a forty-five minute wait. So this entry will be brief-- and unfortunately without pictures. Instead I lead you to one of my favorite blogs-- Ciao,Chessa! by photographer Monica Shulman who will be in a group show at Factoriem in the East Village, which opens this Friday, July 17th from 6pm to 9pm. Monica very graciously put together a flickr page of some of her images that I think are simply smashing. Thanks, Monica, and everyone take a look when you get a chance.

Retrofit

I'm all for saving buildings, so this project by FNP-Architekten caught my eye. I've seen others like it, mostly with barns, but this one's deconstructed look makes it completely intriguing. As the exterior crumbles, the interior is the actual structure. Kind of cool. WIth Bouler Design Group converting the original brick Doxsee Clam Building in Islip into a restaurant, it becomes a balance of what to save and what meets current codes and needs. Certainly a residence is far less complicated in terms of both, but retrofitting buildings is an art in itself.