Designing Idaho Idaho Architects Invite Area Residents To Choose Favorites
Only two percent of American homes are designed by architects, and maybe fewer than that in North Idaho.
Hoping to coax new clients out of the woods (or anywhere else they plan to build), the American Institute of Architects’ North Idaho Section has organized its first public exhibition.
Visitors to Silver Lake Mall, on U.S. Highway 95 north of Coeur d’Alene, can peruse two dozen residential, commercial and institutional entries today through Sunday.
The public is invited to vote for their favorites in each category, and local architects will be on hand during regular mall hours to answer questions.
In the past, Idaho architects have submitted their work to be judged by a panel of their peers every two years. “But we’re eager to get feedback from lay people as well,” explains Kristina Clark, president of the 40-member North Idaho AIA Section.
Clark acknowledges it’s easier for someone shopping for a new house to confine their search to so-called “spec homes” - standard residences intended to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers.
But she believes the merits of custom-designed homes justify the extra time and effort.
“For one thing,” says Clark, “an architect can organize a client’s specific needs and wants, taking into consideration things like energy efficiency and space-saving ideas.”
The second reason, she says, is that an architect can shepherd a project though the competitive bid process, “and if those bids come back with even a 10 percent difference, the client has already made up the architect’s fee” by choosing the lower bid.
“If all goes well,” says Clark, “you get a house that’s custom-tailored to your lifestyle. You don’t have to fit yourself into what a spec designer presumed about the way you live.
“Your home may not look like every other house on the block, and it may not appeal to everyone when you go to sell it someday.
“But in the long run,” Clark argues, “if it’s unique and it’s done well, whatever the style, it’s a good investment.”