Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

Richard

Nov 20, 2001, 9:20 PM

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Spanish House designs

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I am looking for a book or books that show homes with Spanish or Mexican design/flare aka use of natural ventilation, verandas arches etc. Hoping to put a 2nd floor addition on our home and would like to tie it all together. Would be nice to have a little insight or input before we meet with our new Architect. First fellow we tried to work with really wanted us to accept a very modern design. Not At All What WE wanted. Yes we have taken pictures and cut out photos here and there but are hoping for a bit more.

Loco

Nov 20, 2001, 10:43 PM

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Spanish House designs

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Carl Carlson

Nov 21, 2001, 3:21 PM

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Spanish House designs

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I also recommend "Casa California." I also recommend "Spain" and "Spanish Style." These are picture book. For a practical guide to applying spanish themes to a house design, there is no better book than Christopher Alexander's "Pattern Language." See the latter part of the book for great ideas for making a livable house.<p>Carl Carlson

Richard

Nov 27, 2001, 10:43 PM

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WOW YOU HAVE TO !!!

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Check out this design web site WWW.PatternLanguage.com Thank You CARL!
We are selling all of our properties here outside Chicago and have been for about a year working on a design for a home we will build in the heavily wooded rolling countryside of North Western Ill.
We have also been working on and off again for about 2 years or redesigning our home in Cozumel and adding about 850 sq.ft. to this property.
This web site and several links has caused me to have a greater appreciation for patterns and design than I had accrued over the past 33 years in construction . I am now starting at ground zero on both of those projects. Will I end up with 2 Taj Mahal? NO by no means at all! We are still people of limited funds with simple needs and desires . However we WILL end up with 2 homes with more visual appeal and usefulness both inside and out, than we had ever thought possible.
Yes, I have seen so many Neat/cool/Spanish/???- homes, but once inside they have all shown to lack continuity and flow . Either they where designed for the curb appeal or concentrated on only 1 or 2- aspects / needs / desires. Till our 2 projects are completed I may very well curse you (CARL) and your help, but we know when all is said and done it will be worth it.
As I have walked through the 5000 sq. ft Victorian that we now live in , that was condemned by the city 2 days before closing , that we had to completely GUT . I see so many mistakes we made . Yes its a very nice old house (1870's) but truly it is a collection of boxes, yes rooms all of different sizes and a few distinct shapes but nothing of what it could have been even on our limited budget.
We are never to old to learn
YT Richard

Carl Carlson

Nov 28, 2001, 3:15 PM

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You Are Welcome. Pattern Language is the Way! nomsg

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Richard

Dec 11, 2001, 10:02 PM

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A little slow to say thanks BUT THANKS +

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I have ordered several books and put several more on Santas list . With the books and Patter web site . Our next to house will be more of what we hoped for . Thanks

sterlingm

Jan 23, 2004, 7:08 PM

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Re: [Richard] Spanish House designs

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Richard - I am in deep South Texas wanting to build to concrete block mexican style casitas to serve as our ranch headquarters...large overhanging 12-14 foot porches....heavy wood headers/lentils, etc..have you found any help you could pass on? thx, Sterling Morris/Corpus Christi, Texas

Rolly / Moderator

Jan 23, 2004, 9:40 PM

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Re: [sterlingm] Spanish House designs

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Hi Sterling,

This thread is a legacy form the old MexConnect system. Those people are no longer around.

I can't help you with books, except Pattern Language referred to above is an interesting and, perhaps, useful design guide for various kinds of buildings. It is more of a design philosophy than a how-to book.

I may be able to help you with an understanding of Mexican style construction Go to my website and have a look at the building of a large Mexican house -- actually a 4-plex – and the remodeling of another. http://rollybrook.com/building_directory.htm

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook