I would rather see this kind of carefully considered, meaningful thought provoking statement than the sad, humungous, builder's grade throughout, 3 story "Mediterraneans" that pop up in adorable post war ranch neighborhoods and diminutive 1920's spanish colonial neighborhoods around Los Angeles.
They represent no one's passion or point of view, and are instantly put on the market upon completion. Those are a travesty, these are someone's art.

Ooooo. AMN is SO correct! Scale is the part that makes it a true misfit.

I live in a fairly old neighborhood myself. My house was built in 1926, and though many of the homes around mine have been remodeled or even rebuilt, for the most part they are in keeping with the overall style of the neighborhood, though some can push the scale to the limits sometimes. It helps that my neighborhood is fairly eclectic in style to start with, with Mediterranean styles plopped down next to craftsmen or tudors when the neighborhood was originally built all those years ago.

I think what confuses me is that when I am looking at houses, the neighborhood and the feel of the neighborhood is a huge part of my decision making process, so it's strange to me to buy into that feel, then completely change that feel by razing the house and building something totally out of character.

The city I live in has a very strict (some would say draconian) architectural review board that must approve any new buildings or renovation designs (even tiny ones) to preserve the historic character (1920's-1930's) of the houses and neighborhoods. Property values depend on keeping the historic character intact, so people who want more modern designs just don't buy houses here. While many people would find the codes to be an impingement upon their freedom as homeowners, I have to admit I really appreciate the ethos of historic preservation and feel that I benefit from the neighborhoods maintaining their original historic "character."

OTOH, I grew up in a CA suburb that had mostly modest, but attractive, 1940's and 50's ranch houses scattered through the open hills. Now when I go back (30-40 years later), many of those original houses and empty lots have been replaced by massive two and three story McMansions--architectural monstrosities that merge disparate architectural styles and add superfluous turrets and Palladian windows at every turn. The property values have gone up, but the loss of "character" and lack of a coherent relationship between the new houses and the landscape they are set in makes me cringe.

Yes - stay with the character of the neighborhood - if there really is a style.

Mine won't ... it is the only dome house in the area. It will never fit in with the neighborhood, but since it will always be different, we went with the color scheme we liked.

I think there can be a happy medium. You can keep the style - maybe not strictly a brick colonial or a ranch - but maybe in the materials and scale.. and maybe roof lines? Things like that. I have been looking up some contemporary exteriors lately, in hopes of being able to purchase own first house and spice it up a bit. This image keeps coming up in my search and I think they did a fantastic job of finding that happy medium.

http://www.houzz.com/projects/30170/Arlington-Residence

It's a remodeled old split level home. Scroll down to find the exterior shot.

But, as others have said, if you aren't going to make an attempt to fit in at all, don't be obnoxiously out of scale.

You don't have a duty but it would probably be a good idea not to stick out like a sore thumb. That said, sometimes a well thought out design that's a liitle different can nudge a neiborhood that may be stuck in an architecturally unfortunate era in the right direction.

As long as you are not worried about real estate resale value.

Well.... this house sticks out in an ... ah .... awful way. That can't be a good idea for anyone in the neighborhood.

If this is an important issue to anyone then make sure you move into a town with a design review chapter to the local government. People have a duty to follow the laws, once they have then they're free to build or remodel what they like. I wish some of them had more common sense, but technically their "duty" is to obey the laws established by the municipality in which they live. I agree scale is a common offense by some of these new builds or remodels.

I think most architects would say, at least in terms of residential architecture, its better to be part of the fabric of the neighborhood - scale, materials, similar look.

I also think this is why most of the historic, classic, marvels of residential architecture are found, not in neighborhoods, but out by themselves. Falling Water by Frank, Fransworth by Mies, Villa Savoye by Corbusier, etc are all out in fields or in the woods, on their own property, not to be influenced by other houses.

In general I don't like to tell someone what they can do with their house or money, but I DO believe that you need to be respectful of your neighbors. Firstly, If they purchased homes in a historic neighborhood, it was most likely because they liked the look of the homes/ community. I know that I love (and am trying to talk my husband into purchasing) older homes. It would truly sadden me- and ruin my enjoyment of my home if someone built one of these homes next door to my house. That would be all I could see every time I stepped out of my house. Further, I think that it would lower the value of neighboring homes if someone was to build a home that was discordant with the others in the area. I know that I would definitely not pay as much for the house next to this monstronsity as I would for the same house a block over.

Yes you should consider the neighborhood you're in and the overall aesthetics of your project. I live in a neighborhood that had far too many people think they could "build" their own house with their "friends" helping them. And one place looks like a Grecian museum and the other place looks like they wanted turrets everywhere possible...and they're both mixed in with a bunch of ranch houses from the '60's and 70's. When your house gets referred to as the "Brothel" looking home...you know you've done something wrong. Not only do you bring down the property values around you, but think how hard it's going to be to sell that home one day. I helped a couple build a beautiful, quaint little house that was their dream home...unfortunately, the house next door went up and was a disaster...all I wanted to do was hang a curtain for my couple to slide across their yard so they didn't have to look at what just went up. I also think some municipalities need to get on board and tell people that they need to stay in certain parameters. Some cities and towns do it for gated communities and I think the same rule should apply when tearing down an old house to put up a new one. Keep it relative to your area and your neighbors won't hate you.

We recently bought into a neighborhood with strict guidelines on materials and the style of the homes. We bought knowing we wanted to change the look of the house inside and out. It was very frustrating that several design elements where rejected. We like things more modern with some mid-century details. This was not going to work in our Acadian, Creole, or Caribbean themed newly developed neighborhood (South Louisiana). We bought there already knowing these requirements. We had to concede on many design details on the outside, however; no one could dictate to us what we had to do on the inside. We pushed as far as we could go for our outside design and used the materials allowed but made sure they were what we liked. Example: We could use siding, stucco, or brick. We opted for stucco with Ipe accents. We don't stick out as if we don't belong, but we did define the space to represent our style.

I believe it's important to be respectful to the neighborhood you choose to live. Know what or if there are restrictions. Remember, these are your neighbors. Do you really want to piss someone off that you will live next to for how ever many years?

Scale is what's bothering me with these two homes... I like both of them very much (always err on the modern side). I just don't get what they were thinking when they planned them? Why upset your neighbours and become an eyesore in the area? Go build your beautiful home somewhere it can be enjoyed by everyone!

Have a great designs. Thank you for sharing.

www.designcoholic.com

It depends on personal choice , Imagine if we were seven brother and sisters with the same faces , It would be so difficult to Identify , with just clothing or hair style etc. so I feel everyone is Unique and should have his own style .

I agree with Amn, In the UK people are not allowed to change the exterior of some listed or heritage houses, they mainly have to keep the same-there may be minor exceptions with extensions at the front or back, but as far as I know changes can go on within the houses.

Now this is a very interesting topic brought up by Emily, in the Arabian Gulf and ME in general, traditional houses in the past were all the same style , same height and with large courtyards and porches . Courtyards are very important in the houses 'villas' today-they are very much part of house or villas in the region as they give family, privacy.

Now, presently people have been building far much higher ( 2-3 storeys) to provide for the extended families or several smaller houses within a large plot of land. some land owners, however, have rented them and windows overlook (in a towering effect) into the neighbours' compounds ( which contradicts a traditional norm ) . Now, I have heard a new rules have come into play, to stop owners making their 'homes' into tall buildings to rent ( more units, more income attitude).

Thus, there are people over here who think their neighbours are overpowering them with their new imposing designs, some even block out the sunlight or even block one's house from view in the neighbourhood, so yes I think some consideration should be given when building next to a neighbour indeed.

Its a beautiful house but does not belong here. I think you have to have respect for what is around you before you build a monstrosity like this. It really brings down the flow of the nearby homes especially a tudor home like the one next to it.

I'm not sure which is worse - obviously out of place designs like the two pictures above, or neighbors that don't care enough to maintain their property and make the whole neighborhood look bad. Don't they also have a duty to fit in? Our county just adopted a resolution that people will be fined $1,000 for not maintaining their front yards because of all the short sales and repo's.

I live in a brownstone in a Landmarked neighborhood. I knew what I was signing on for. I also like (in older neighborhoods) the look of consistency but I have also seen neighborhoods where homes are different but there is a theme of consistency that exists, be it landscaping or color. I was in the hamptons and just walking on the beach side you see all these different styles. But on the street side you saw lawns. pebbled driveways, hedges, gates. So in spite of the "business in the front" it was all "party in the back. My only objection to difference is when someone says screw you to their neighbors and build a McMansion or puts up an odious wall or shrubs that dwarfs the neighbors house to the extent that they look like they are squeezed.

To make a difference on choosing a peculiar design to our house it should be in a harmles place towards the surroundings including neighborhood, of couse! This is an example that each one is a good option but mus be taken appart.

I believe you lower the value of your home as well as those around it when you diverge greatly from the character of your neighborhood. You will not endear yourself to your new neighbors by doing this either.

If your home is being built on land with no other house in sight, do what you want. If an area is known for an eclectic style, then it's okay to build whatever you want as long it's on a similar scale. Anything else is just thoughtless of your neighbours. My parents had to sell my grandparents' lovely brick Brooklyn home and the new owners bought two other neighbouring houses and turned all three into one big mansion with almost no yard--looks completely ridiculous now.

I think it is acceptable and perhaps desired to introduce contradicting but complimentary architecture into areas that are ripe for revitalization. There is a certain revolutionary and rebirthing aspect to it. I do believe, as many others have said, that scale is a fundamental principle that should be respected.