Curb Appeal versus Design Integrity

When I look at real estate offerings I often see the term “Curb Appeal,” referring to how a house appears from the street. Curb appeal is of course a valid characteristic of a home, but it is enough? In my experience it means that the designer put a lot of thought into the design of the front, street-facing, facade in order to impress visitors and neighbors with the “stunning” appearance of the home. But wait until you get around the corner to the sides and the rear of the house. Suddenly all of the appealing features are gone, and you see low-quality siding and randomly-punched openings where they were needed from the inside. It is almost like the designer exhausted all his skills on the one facade in order to make the house look more stately than it actually is. As a dedicated and devoted designer I can’t tell you how much that gets on my nerves! I feel outright irritated when I see homes like that.

At evoDOMUS, we design our custom homes in a more holistic manner. We see sculpture where others just see functions. Every home we design is created with the natural flow of the interior and the interaction with the surroundings in mind. We don’t design to create curb appeal (though we are not against curb appeal, per se). Instead we work hard to create a building that is well thought out in its entirety.

Influences

As a young student of architecture, one quote from Swiss modernist architect Le Corbusier got stuck in my mind and has informed my entire professional career: “L’architecture est le jeu savant correct et magnifique des volumes assemblés sous la Lumiere.” Translation: “Architecture is the masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light.” These are some wise words. Architecture is more than an accumulation of functions combined in a floor plan and garnished with code requirements. 

First and foremost, architecture is an art form, even if it must also adhere to laws of science and physics. Unfortunately, the art aspect of architecture is often neglected, either because of lack of dedication by the designer, or because it is confused with the addition of simple decorative elements.

In our opinion, architecture must address a number of requirements that go beyond everyday routine. Architectural design requires care, hard work, reflection, discussion and interaction —interaction with the end user as well as the surrounding context. Architectural design cannot end at the front facade with the questionable concept of curb appeal. It must analyze the user’s needs and budget. Functionality must be well thought out and pronounced throughout the entire building in order to create value and appreciation. 

That is the reason we take pride in addressing every aspect of design, even the smallest details, and this may include the roof — which we call the “fifth facade” — in order to create exceptional buildings that serve the owners and create value through architectural merit. Yes, we even care about the aesthetic quality of our roofs.