Design Precedent

"Precedent" is simply a design term used by architects to describe a project example in the past that has influence over your design solution.  My main precedent takes me back to my days in architecture school.  The first model I ever built was of the Chamberlain Cottage, designed by Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer in Wayland, MA in 1940.  I built the model base our of hydrocal plaster, and the wood cottage out of basswood.  The project is a hauntingly simple wood box, sitting (and cantilivered at one end) on top of a solid masonry base.  I have always been compelled by the visually ligthness of the wood box floating on top of the visual weight and solidity of the base.  The site of the Chamberlain Cottage is sloping to an exterior view, similar to mine.  Here are some photos of my model (that is now 20 years old), as well as some images of the Chamberlain Cottage.