Month: May 2018

Meet Our Team – CJ Spell

Hello! I am CJ, the newest member of the TAB team.  I was born and raised here in the Eagle Valley and after receiving a Bachelor’s of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado Boulder, I packed up my bags and moved to Bozeman, Montana where I earned a Masters of Architecture.  Eventually I found my way back to Colorado and spent 3 years in Fort Collins before coming back to the mountains.

Professionally I have strong interests in music performance spaces, community planning, historic preservation, and sustainable design.  In the past I have worked on a wide range of design projects from net zero energy residential developments, community music spaces, to office and mixed use buildings.  Throughout this journey I have developed a wide range of technical skills to help visualize projects in their early stages to allow for good design decisions.

In my free time you will find me on my next adventure often near a lake, with a camera, friends and fly rod in tow and when not out exploring, I will most likely be in the music studio composing songs that I swear someday I will finish.

How Architectural Elements Can Make a House Feel Like a Home

architectural balance

Balance in a home is important. Balance does not have to mean symmetry; it can mean a sense or feel of balance where one element balances another element. Architectural balance is an idea that has been put forth by some  architects in the work they do, and a recent study confirms it.

A House vs. a Home: The Balance of Vail Valley Architecture & Psychology

A study in Australia revealed that one’s psychological state and association of home is directly related to architectural balance. The physical nature of a place can have a significant impact on the dweller’s perception of the place, whether the dweller deems the place a home or just a house. Here are three takeaways from this study.

  1. Traditionally, the concept of home has always been perceived as a psychological construct of our human condition taken from our personal and social lives and our memories. The home was something our minds created through what we perceived to be a home. But now, we know home is both a psychological and architectural concept. Both are intrinsically connected.
  2. Architecture impacts a person’s psyche and has a direct impact on the perception of what a home is or means. The architecture of a structure can — if designed accordingly — positively impact the occupant of the structure and create a connection with it. On the other hand, if the architecture poses no stimulation, the mind is not stimulated and a connection to the structure is not made. The structure, therefore, is just a structure, a place where one lays his or her hat, and that’s all.
  3. The balance between architectural design and psychology is what helps make a house a home. Architectural balance lends itself to this effort through the proper distribution of aesthetically appealing architectural design and elements.

Architects work to bring balance to any house so you have yourself a home, and that’s something you live in with peace of mind. Contact TAB Associates today to assist you in the design of your dream home!

Meet Our Team – Anna Griffith

Hello world! Anna Griffith here from Tab Associates.  I have been with TAB Associates for almost a year now and feel so lucky to have found such a great team to work with.  I received my masters last spring from University of Colorado Denver and moved to the valley shortly after.  It feels so good to be back in the mountains of Colorado.

I was born and raised in Durango, Colorado and received my Bachelors from Montana State University in Bozeman.  These small mountain communities have helped shape who I am today and are a continuing reminder of what I hold dear in life.

Through my work, I aim to bring awareness and presence to the natural beauty that surrounds us.  One project I am particularly proud of is a 300sf cabin designed for the director of the Colorado Outward Bound program located in Leadville, Colorado.  Through the Colorado Building Workshop, 28 students designed and built 7 cabins over the course of a semester.  This was an incredibly rich experience which has helped shape the trajectory of my career.