Clearing

After deciding to relocate the buildings and clear the land I spent a good deal of time up on the land looking at views and thinking about elevations, accessibility, grading and sightlines. After the leaves fell it became clear that if we cleared as much as we had agreed we would be able to see the neighbors farm very clearly and they would be able to see us. This in conjunction with concerns about sound led to a retreat from the clearcutting idea back to a "parkland" idea where many trees would be preserved to provide both visual and aural insulation from the valley and neighbors.

Five new proposals were drawn up over a month or so and presented in New York at the More Than Annual Meeting.

1. Approved

• State approved plan
• 24’ x 24’ Kitchen
• 20’ x 20’ Bath House
• Meadow undeveloped
• Additional clearing for gardens
• New road/path to bath house
• No clearing below road except for mound and trench

2 Elbow

• Kitchen & Dining Pavilion separate with deck joining them
• Bath House uphill near end of exposed ledge
• Gardens between Bath House and Circle
• Flat circle with amphitheater formed in meadow
• Separate fire circle
• Parkland below road

3 Embrace

• Kitchen & Dining pavilion embrace a deck space
• Bath house located directly uphill on radius around central circle
• Parkland below road
• Gardens between lodge complex and bathhouse

4 Termimator

• Kitchen and dining pavilion terminate road in a single building
• Bath House adjacent and level with Kitchen
• Winding path down hill through parkland
• Gardens extend uphill from road
• Sitting circle in meadow

5 Gateway

• Kitchen and Dining Pavilion split across road
• Bathhouse uphill near exposed ledge facing onto circle
• Circle contains fire pit
• Complete clearing below road for views
• Oak tree preserved as central element in clearing.

The New York meeting didn't really consent to a particular plan, but encouraged the development of ideas in 2 and 3. The kitchen in 3 was liked for its embrace and the location of the bathhouse in 2 was liked.

After the New York meeting I took a break from design, which didn't pick up again until February 2005.