White House Tradition Compliments Innovation & Consensus

Architecture straddles an important balance of pragmatism and art, and culture mirrors itself in buildings. The delicate state of that symbiotic relationship produces a successful design, or an unsuccessful one if the scales tip too far toward functionalism or too far toward aesthetics. 

Gilding the White House would convey a different message through one thin layer. The alteration of simple elements reveals the fragile state that exists in architecture. It is unlikely that the White House color will change, but if it did, consider the impact of the departure from that familiar monochrome facade. 

“We relate to buildings as we do in nature. Familiar faces help us feel safe. We are more comfortable in physical environments that appear balanced and have scaled to human dimensions,” says architect Steven Corley Randel, founder of a house plan website that sells Traditional, Modern, and Mediterranean designs. “The tradition of classical architecture such as the Neoclassical White House dates back to ancient Greece. The familiarity of that design conveys a sense of protection and safety. The attachment to a design translates to modern and indigenous styles just as well, as long as you achieve that critical balance between beauty and function.”

Steven blogs about residential design and recently published this article: White House Tradition Compliments Innovation & Consensus. He emphasizes understanding all residential fashions and investigating from where their roots stem.

“Home design fascinate me. I grew up in West Texas, studied architecture in Italy and have lived on the east and west coasts. You find variations of style everywhere, as well as distinct regional styles”, Steven explains. “There are only a handful of primary roots of architecture, but the diversity and richness of interpretation produce ever-evolving creations. Classical architecture establishes a tradition, modern design shifts with innovation, and regional architecture delivers simple solutions from consensus.” 

Steven Corley Randel of Randel Architecture, Inc. designs new homes and home additions throughout California. His experience spans three decades, and he works in numerous cities within the Bay Area as well as Southern California. Homeowners build Steven Randel’s ready-to-build house plans throughout the United States. He contributes articles for HOUZZ.com on the topic of home style and residential design. In addition to his new house plan website, CAHomePlans.com, more information about Mr. Randel is available at stevenrandel.com. 

Contact Information

Steven Randel

President

Randel Architecture, Inc.

cahomeplansinfo@gmail.com