The growing edge - rural life and home - Brief Article

Sunset, Oct, 2001

Katie Tamony

* In California's rural Sonoma County where I grew up, no two houses looked alike. My friends lived in converted barns, old farmhouses, custom-built Victorians, bungalows, split-levels--even a geodesic dome. I often wonder if my interest in architecture and remodeling was formed early by the startling contrasts that I saw on my way to and from school.

In surveying this year's winners of our Western Home Awards (page 111), I'm reminded of that amazing diversity of needs and tastes that influence the look of our region. Each winner has its own strengths--a house designed to resist wildfire in Southern California, one that keeps its owners cool and saves energy in Arizona, a remodel of a water tower in Washington.

When Sunset teamed up with the American Institute of Architects to launch this biennial awards program more than 40 years ago, the criteria for choosing the winning homes were essentially the same as they are today: Does the house suit the site, and is it planned and built with the Western style of living in mind? What's new? The winners represent the "growing edge" of residential architecture, where innovation meets practical use.

Looking back through the decades, there are common threads: a concern for energy conservation, the need to get light into homes, the struggle to build on smaller lots, the desire to balance historic preservation with present-day practicality Every two years, we examine houses that solve these dilemmas in unexpected ways. We think you'll find this year's results stimulating, whether you're planning to buy a new home, build one, or just get an idea of how the rest of the West is living.