BACKGROUND:

MITCH (MICHAEL) DEVELOPED HIS THOUGHTS ON ARCHITECTURE OVER MANY YEARS HAVING BOTH ACADEMIC AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE. ACADEMICALLY HIS COURSE OF STUDY INCLUDES: OXFORD UNIVERSITY, OSU MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND VIRGINIA TECH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE WHEREUPON HE COMPLETED A SIX-YEAR DISSERTATION: THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONCRETE.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GLENN MURCUTT (TOUCH THIS EARTH LIGHTLY), KENNETH FRAMPTON, BRYAN-MACKAY LYONS, RICK JOY, AND OTHERS, MITCH’S ETHOS OF DESIGN BUILD IS BASED ON THREE IDEAS: PLACE, CRAFT, AND STRUCTURAL EXPRESSION (THE TECTON OF ARCHI”TECT”URE).

MITCH’S PROCESS ORIGINATES FROM THE SITE, DEVELOPS BY HAND, AND PRESENTS AND COMMUNICATES UTILIZING INNOVATIVE TOOLS OF TECHNOLOGY.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP:

ARCHITECTURE/CONSTRUCTION ISN'T GREEN- ANY FORM OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE. MY STANCE ON “GREEN ARCHITECTURE” CAN BE SUMMARIZED BY THE COMMITMENT OF US ARCHITECTS DECLARE, OF WHICH I AM A FOUNDING MEMBER. OUR APPROACH CAN BE FOUND HERE.

THE FAMOUS QUOTE FROM MIES VAN DER ROHE: "LESS IS MORE" IS TIMELY GIVEN OUR CURRENT SITUATION BECAUSE LESS CONSTRUCTION IMPACT, LESS WASTE, LESS MAINTENANCE, AND BUILDING LONGEVITY ARE KEY TO ACTING AS STEWARDS . THIS FITS WELL WITH MY ETHOS OF PLACE, CRAFT, AND TEKTONIC CULTURE, AND THE REASON WHY MY CURRENT FOCUS IS ADAPTIVE RE-USE + RESTORATION WITH MATERIALS SUCH AS CLT. WHY CLT? CLT OVERVIEW HERE.

ETHOS:

1) PLACE: THE ORIGIN OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE IS LOCAL. WHILE CULTURE, COMMUNITY, AND LOCAL VERNACULAR EXPRESSION INFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE, THE SITE DETERMINES IT. THE SITE INCLUDES THE SEASONAL PATH OF THE SUN; THE CLIMATE; THE GEOGRAPHY; THE INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA; AND THE GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. ARCHITECTURE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO REFLECT, RESPECT, AND MAINTAIN THIS ESSENTIAL CREATION.

2) CRAFT: THE NATURE OF ARCHITECTURE

CRAFT IS THE INGENIOUS MANIPULATION OF MATERIAL. MODERN MANIPULATION UTILIZES APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY OFTEN LEADING TO INNOVATION.

3) TEKTONIC CULTURE: THE EXPRESSION OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE IS THE POETIC EXPRESSION OF MATERIAL, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTY IS DEFINED AS: ‘THE REASONED HARMONY OF ALL PARTS OF A BODY SO THAT NOTHING CAN BE ADDED OR TAKEN AWAY EXCEPT FOR THE WORSE’ (ALBERTI).

EXTRACURRICULAR:

IF MITCH ISN’T DRAWING, MODEL MAKING, OR BUILDING, HE IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT.

PHONE: 802.431.7355

EMAIL: TEKTONCULTURE@ICLOUD.COM