Jes Stafford

Designer. Maker. Architecteur. Builder. People watcher. Space and place aficionado. Construction Junkie. Social Media Connoisseur. Shower singer. Coffee break guitar player.

I Am Listening

Another post in the #Architalks blog post series. This month’s theme – MY  THREE  FAVORITE  WORDS.

When the theme for this post was issued, there was a rush of three word phrases and three word combinations that came to mind. Let’s do lunch. Let’s get started. Let’s go sailing. Let’s go fishing. We’re almost there. We made it! Make it happen. This looks great! It’s all yours. Here’s the keys. I like that. Words are fun.

I love discussion. Discussions are little explorations where discoveries are made between those involved through the conversation at hand. Continue reading

Homework

A #DesignersBuilding DIY Blog Series

Sun-room  - Before

Sunroom – Before

We were especially attracted by the sunroom nestled in the treetops on the back of our house when we were shopping for a place.  We have enjoyed many hours out there since then, on the three season porch.  We suspect it was enclosed during the other renovations to our home before we bought it, by some weekend warrior handy work. There is (was) a lot of T111 siding in and out, operable windows, and flooring added.  The additional materials for the enclosure added a bunch of weight that the original structure was probably not designed to handle, although it has handled nicely.  The retaining wall holding all that up has a bulge in it though.  That bulge has long been stable but is still a little bit worrisome.

When deciding on the best way to fix up that porch and moisture damage that had ravaged the West wall, restoring it to its speculated original screened in state was the winner.  Continue reading

Making Space and the Favorite Place

Another post in the #Architaclks blog post series.

Steam rises from a mug of morning goodness to catch the rays of the rising sun that streak sparingly at their shallow angle through the bay window. The spider fern there bends – reaches and joins a dance as a breeze catches the sheer curtains, briefly billowing into the room.  The morning breeze makes its way over and buffers the rising steam and makes little ripples in the mug before a chill runs through.  Is it a chill of sunrise cold or a tingle of peace and contentment? Continue reading

Numbers Games

Life of an Architect‘s Bob Borson asked for a little blurb to the question about being good at Math, architects being good at math, to be specific. Here’s $0.02 that I sent his way.

“Architects should be math ninjas. The aspiring architect should rush headlong into math as if charging into a field of battle. Math is an education in problem solving and of knowing what is asked. There are few stronger parallels to all the the variables in the Builder-Architect-Client dynamic. All math puns intended.

Also, strengths and weaknesses in various math disciplines can indicate or help diagnose learning disabilities, cognitive disorders. The earlier these problems are identified and addressed, the easier life can be for someone who might otherwise quietly suffer.”

This I proclaim with the day I dropped out of calculus in mind. If you can spare a few moments, there are some important life lessons in the journey that started with that decision. Continue reading

A Day in the Life of MODarchitect

The fourth post in the #Architaclks blog post series.
Constrcution Management Topping Off Town Hall Public Work

Introducing The Client to the Super at the topping off ceremonies of Fletcher Town Hall

The following is a somewhat accurate recollection of “a day in the life” on nineteenth of November, two thousand fourteen. Information is omitted to protect the guilty, my privacy, your reading pleasure and the innocent from the thoughts I have or things I say when I am waiting a computer, repeating commands on or to a computer, forcing a portable computer to do something I should be doing on the desktop, driving around a bunch of people that do not drive exactly like me and talking with contractors. Pictures have been added from some other days in my life…for effect.  Move along now, nothing to see here.

05:48

It begins

Continue reading