18/03/10 – Toronto – Analysis

Good morning everyone,
I will be unable to “volley” today so I’ll get right to it.
I truly enjoyed the analysis of the condo and townhouse redesigns. It is important to identify the biggest concern with each space and I think Matthew succeeded in doing just that. “Giving up” something in the small condo seems to be the biggest hurdle…it is shameful to try to market these spaces as having all the amenities and living areas in a well laid out floorplan.
With more square footage in the townhouse, “tentative” placement of each space can make the home feel disjointed overall. So more thought has to be put into sectioning the spaces within the narrow constraints of the physical structure while maintaining a nice flow between them.
As the redesigns were shown, accompanied by Matthew’s commentary, I found myself getting a better sense of which elements worked best in both homes. This led me to ponder a little more what a homebuyer might want to have “in hand” when touring homes. So far I’ve come up with 3 things I think might help the homebuyer: (1) have the actual floorplan in hand while walking through the home…it is a different perspective to see the home from above: (2) walk through a furnished “model” if possible…circulation issues, cramped furniture placement, wasted space, etc. become more obvious: and (3) the SlowHome test…(for reasons obvious to us SlowHomers) which allows the homebuyer to slow down (no pun intended) and carefully consider EACH space’s livability, as well as the relationship between the spaces.

David,
Thank you for posting this house blog. It is a good example of a slow approach to creating a great place to live. Do you mind me asking if it is your own house?

I was intrigued yesterday and again today when Matthew brought up the concept of “too much” for the space allowed, and that something had “give” or some space had to be compromised. Each person or family will have their own set of priorities, but there is rarely, if ever, the opportunity to impose that set of needs and desires on a modern building development project. Possibly paint colours, flooring choices, kitchen countertops and the like, but no significant impact on the demarcation of the living spaces themselves.

So, are our priorities true needs or are they some combination of needs and desires? Our list of desires has the potential to become excessive. When needs and desires are confused then boundaries start to blur and we end up with excess. There is, from my point of view, a lot of excess in the plans we are viewing, and the problem is squared in large houses. Firstly, is there really a need for these large houses? I am not certain, but then it becomes a chicken and egg argument in that these houses are only large in the first place because there is excess in their space planning.

Competition and convenience seem to be popular motifs in contemporary living. I won’t go as far to say we are lazy (though I want to), but, for many, we really seem to want everything to be convenient for us, on our own terms. For many we also seem to want to be viewed as successful by those in our social stratum (who, we, in truth, desire to leave behind as we climb to the next social level). We must the biggest house, the most cars, the best kitchen appliances, the fastest and latest technology, and marble or granite everywhere else. I have a friend who often says “The one with the most at the end wins”. Is this a contemporary philosophy in the Western hemisphere?

What has led many of us to believe that we have a fundamental right, for example, to have a bathroom for every bedroom? Or an ensuite for that matter, excessive or otherwise. This list of desires might be endless.

What do we really “need”? I think we need a bed for each member of our family (we desire each bed to be in its own room), we need a simple, functional bathroom, we need a simple functional kitchen, we need a communal living space (we desire a hearth), and we need a dining space. We need a relationship with our natural environment. Apparently we need a garage, too (for one car).

Beyond this simple list of needs, (which is my own) the rest (in my opinion) is desire and excess.

Are we market-driven, or are we in the driver’s seat?

Murray,
Love your poem. I need a cat, yes, but others need to NOT have one due to allergies.

I agree that we have come to expect the latest and the best and sometimes these expectations are only a reflection of what others have acquired and we’re only trying to keep up without thinking about the true cost to ourselves. This is nothing new–it probably goes back ages.

In the last decade or so, though, it seems a “fast” life has become the norm, and our “wants” become “needs” in response. The workplace is demanding of our time (technology has only increased the pace); and as information is shared now over the Internet besides the usual mainstream media, people have become even more aware of what they could have. The cost is high for housing–don’t we all want to feel that the money is at least keeping us up with the status quo?

What we need is a change in perception of “status quo.” As more people make the choice for a “slower” life, we may see a revolution of sorts. Afterall, does all that stuff really make our lives better? I think most people will admit that it might make us temporarily feel good, but in the long term we pay a huge price.
(Final note: As a person with a special need, I want to say that people with IBD need more than one toilet in a house.)

BTW dogs get me vote.

Murray,

There is nothing wrong with achieving financial success end enjoying the rewards that come with that including aspiring to own a large home or homes for that matter. People who have money are all bad. These same people start businesses, employ people, invest money sand spend money. Believe me, it is the very rare exception where these people do not pay far more than their fair share in taxes. If you chose to live in modest circumstances I respect that but do pretend that somehow you are the better person for it. And, BTW, I definitely do NOT need a cat.

Brad,
Obviously wealthy people can afford whatever they want. But it would be great to see more wealth being used to further energy efficiency, thereby making these options more affordable for all in future.

“What you don’t have you don’t need it now
What you don’t know you can feel it somehow
What you don’t have you don’t need it now
Don’t need it now
Was a beautiful day” from Beautiful Day by U2
A nod to Murray and his sentiments about needs and wants which, despite my earlier rant, I am in many ways in agreement with, Beautiful Day by U2 can be interpreted in many ways. One is especially appropriate. It is about losing everything only to find happiness in this new place. I do not question striving to be better, accomplishment, success and if measured by material gain then so be it. But success can be measured in so many ways. Perhaps the greater success is finding the other ways.

Hi Slow Homers! We have started a Facebook fan page.

facebook.com/slowhome

I am looking forward to having you all join!

James,
I guess “the future” hasn’t arrived yet! I guess I should have added “sustainability” to that energy efficient comment.

Brad,
Nice to see your mellow side too!

Matthew,
I’m not on Facebook. I have no friends there either. (poor me, eh?)

Any newcomers to the site tonight? Welcome to the slow home project! Click on Learn More to hear more about our founder, who we are, and what we are doing.

This week we hope to wrap up our tests of new construction units in Toronto, packing our bags, and very soon flying south to Dallas, Texas.

Hope you can join us! They say everything is bigger in Texas. Dallas is one of the largest cities in the US. Their airport is one of the busiest in the world. And a effort to go green – http://greendallas.net/mayor_message.html . Are the homes bigger but slower in Texas? We will see.

Mid America Mom