What Makes a Good Home #3

Liesl Geiger in her book Essence of Home details 6 aspects that are necessary for a good home. Most of the items have already been discussed by Hildebrand and Eck. Her six items are 1. Site and Scale; 2. Language and Style, she refers to the language of spatial forces and the language of physical detailing; they must work together. Language and Style complements Hildebrand's Prospect, Refuge and Complex Order; 3. Openings and Light Geiger describes as the relationship between the interior and exterior. She also describes houses as introverted (minimal relationship with the exterior) or extroverted (large openings connecting with the exterior); 4. Spheres of Living - Geiger reiterates Eck's request to not name the rooms by traditional names but rather what activity occurs in the space. This also corresponds with Eck's essential feature of how the floor plan minimizes efficiency and comfort for today's living; 5. Flow of Space - which generally is the same as Hildebrand's enticement but Geiger brings in a new concept of the speed of spaces. Slow spaces have furniture and fast spaces have little furniture. The links between spaces are critically important and can be accomplished by changes in doors, material, lighting and dimensions, both horizontally and vertically; and 6. Sustainability which Geiger defines as "Sustainability refers to a manner of building that takes into consideration the region and the environment - its climate, natural resources, and construction traditions."