The Driehaus Prize is awarded to an architect whose work embodies the principles of traditional and classical architecture in contemporary society.
A discussion and book signing
with Marianne Cusato and Ben Pentreath,
the authors of the new book,
Get Your House Right
Wednesday, March 12
5:30pm
104 Bond Hall
A reception to follow in the Bond Hall Gallery
Copies of Get Your House Right will be on sale
courtesy of the Notre Dame Bookstore
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Even as oversized McMansions continue to elbow their way into tiny lots nationwide, a much different trend has taken shape. This return to traditional architectural principles exemplifies qualities that once were taken for granted in home design: structural common sense, aesthetics of form, appropriateness to a neighborhood, and even sustainability. In Get Your House Right, Marianne Cusato, B.Arch '97, who ranked 4th most influential person in the building industry by Builder Magazine, addresses how to design homes and communities that will stand the test of time. Co-authored by Ben Pentreath, with contributions from architects Leon Krier and Richard Sammons as well as H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, a passionate supporter of traditional architecture, urbanism, and green design.
Get Your House Right describes the essential elements of a house, how they work together, and how to use them appropriately; and through nearly 1,000 meticulous line drawings, shows how to avoid common mistakes at every stage of the design and construction process. The book explains the language of architecture, from vocabulary (components such as windows, doors, and eaves) to grammar (the rules we use to put those components together). It also offers practical advice on which elements and materials to choose in order to achieve a beautiful, harmonious, authentic design.
Get Your House Right suggests how to steer clear of mistakes such as second-story windows that are out of proportion to those below, shutters too-small for the windows, and arches that defy structural logic. The book also covers issues of place, materials, and cost; the ways in which homes relate to others in the neighborhood to form streetscapes and communities; and sustainable building.
Marianne Cusato is the renowned designer who pioneered the Lowe’s Katrina Cottage, for which she was the winner of the first annual “People’s Design Award” from the Copper Hewitt Museum, the Nation Design Museum of the Smithsonian Institute. Ben Pentreath is an award-winning architectural designer based in London, where he is working on a variety of new housing developments, in particular for HRH The Prince of Wales, at Poundbury, Newquay, and Truro.
