“The land of pleasant living;” If you grew up in Maryland in the 50’s and 60’s you should remember that slogan. I still love using those words when describing how wonderful it was to have grown up near our state’s treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. With in 1-2 hours of our Baltimore County home we could sail, crab, fish, boat or hunt. I have one brother and three sisters and our family would spend the entire summer on the waters near Chestertown. We rented a 3 story farm house in Still Pond with my aunt Nancy, Uncle Ronnie and 4 cousins and another close family friend Roger and Sally and their four children. There was so much to do; so many memorable moments that made returning home in September to start school very difficult. We crabbed and boated; we fished and sailed. My sailing wasn’t as good as my brother’s; I never caught a bigger rock fish then my father. It was shooting I liked and when it came hunting that was a different story. In the winter we would occasionally return to that wonderful old house to ...

Have you ever wondered why some rooms "feel better" than others or why some buildings are used as "measuring sticks" for comparison to others? These spaces probably exist in harmony with their surroundings and seem to "fit in" as if they had sprung out of the ground. They cost no more, but have a much greater value, and they are a pleasure to live in and visit. The magic formula is complex, but not complicated. Good Architecture is on the rebound. How is it done? Naturally!   Good Architecture is self made when natural factors and indigenous features of the site are given careful consideration. Natural factors include climate, solar orientation and prevailing winds. Indigenous features include existing vegetation, view, topography and existing amenities such as oceans, marshes, fields, wooded areas, etc. These considerations must be recognized and sensitively manipulated in order to bring the outside in and take the inside out.   Natural light is the most important indigenous feature, and unlimi ...