Frank Harmon
James Monroe's modest home at Ash Lawn benefits form cooling bre…
Frank Harmon has been sketching since he was an architecture student seeing the Parthenon for the first time. His hero, Le Corbusier, always hand-drew buildings, so Harmon decided that he would take up the same practice. Earlier this year, Harmon decided to share his sketches in the form of a bimonthly blog called Native Places. “In today’s climate, especially about what’s important in architecture and design, things can get overheated,” Harmon says. “Most statements are so absolute, so I thought it would be nice to take one of my sketches and attach a few words that present architecture in a more neutral way, and to use the English language as a way to describe buildings as simply and purely as possible.
Although he’s not limiting himself to any particular type or location, Harmon focuses many of his sketches and insights on houses. Harmon has won numerous awards and accolades for his home designs, including several past Custom Home Design Awards. Much of that acknowledgement results from his intelligent consideration of how a structure sits in the landscape and functions with regional climates. His blog entries gravitate toward similar topics through drawings and written explorations of houses that endure and inspire largely because of simple, effective design and strong connection to place.
Harmon has been asked by several state AIA chapters to give a talk on his blog. The presentations focus on how hand-drawing can help architects, designers, and builders better understand how a structure goes together. He also talks about ways that learning to write simple and concise descriptions and more importantly the ability to self-edit translates into more focused and clear designs. His next session will be given at the 2013 AIA Ohio Valley Region convention being held in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 19 to 21.
The sketches and blog topics Harmon selects are spontaneously based on what catches the architect’s eye, but they relate to current building practices and approaches. The first entry looks back at a presidential home that was designed using time-tested passive cooling and heating techniques. Another post in response to Hurricane Sandy looks at century-old waterfront houses that have survived multiple hurricanes thanks to good siting and storm-resistant design. “I don’t go out looking for something,” Harmon explains. “I notice what’s wonderful or fulfilling or instructive in the things that are everywhere around us.”
