Tony Watkins

The Human House

The Human House - Like a letter to a friend

Frank has passed on, and yet Frank will always be present. The sculpture which Frank carved from a piece of old oak now hangs on the wall, breathing life into the house.

The face of Christ was not carved to make money and Frank did not want it to belong to someone for whom it had no meaning. He wanted to share his creativity with someone who would be gentle with the things he loved. He wanted to find life through enriching the lives of others.

So he gave away the carving he loved so much, and now it hangs on the wall of the house.

The Human House - Houses are for the birds

Building a house yourself changes the way in which you see the world. As any building changes and grows there is an opportunity for everyone associated with it to also change and grow. This opportunity will be lost if the building project is only seen as a result of growth and not as a cause of growth. Take "Charlie" for example.
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The Human House - Live simply and grow tall

It is a great privilege to grow up in a simple New Zealand House. A New Zealander who does not begin life immersed in the special experiences of New Zealand will always in some way be a stranger in their own land. There is time enough in life to acquire technical skills, but once childhood has been left behind the opportunity to grow up with a deep love of your own place has gone forever.
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Tony Watkins

~ Vernacular Design