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"Don't fight with your surroundings", is a guiding tenet for Ross-Fox. Although Joel has a strong personal style, each home he designs is greatly influenced by the piece of land it's sited on. At the heart of this lies a deep reverence for Nature. Special consideration is always given to how a structure sits on the site, and what if any changes to natural features should be made. Joel is an expert at sensitive sub-division and siting that respect the unique features of the land. Keenly aware that undeveloped real estate is already a precious rarity, he studies not only its contours and other distinct properties, but how it behaves through the cycle of seasons, how light and air will move in a finished building throughout each day and season; how it takes views into account; and how it presents itself to the Visitor. Ross-Fox tries to preserve the best of the original property, leaving it undisturbed wherever possible, mixing this intent with the best solutions for the practical matters of accessibility, drainage, septic system design, etc. Inside the house, great attention is paid to the client's wishes concerning function, traffic flow, acoustics, privacy and numerous other factors. Frequent experience dealing with the "aftermath" of architect-designed buildings, as well as the trial-and-error experience of designing and living in five homes of his own, have honed his ability to meld the practical with the aesthetic. Keeping an eye on economy without artistic compromise is another pillar of Ross-Fox's work ethic. Again and again, we've found that the simplest, least-expensive solution is often as good as or better than a more elaborate one. Whenever possible, we use local materials. For instance, in all our own houses we've incorporated lumber and stone from the land they stand on, saving money as well as creating a sense of harmony between the buildings and their surroundings . We believe in using Green solutions whenever we can, to protect both inhabitants and environment. We carefully research materials, from insulation to door knobs, always providing a variety of choices and full pro-and-con information to allow our clients to make informed decisions. We work hard to develop good working relationships with clients, lawyers, building authorities and sub-contractors, for a smooth and enjoyable process and a completely satisfying outcome. And we believe in clear and frequent communication with our clients, bringing them into the project as thoroughly as possible, from start to finish, both creatively and practically.
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