Utilize the Surroundings when designing
When I was in Architecture school at Woodbury, I remember one of the Critics that changed my thinking. One of the Professors asked why my building was situated in its orientation and I answered that it was done according to the Sun. Context he said, Knowing your Surroundings is the best for placement as you want your building to associate with the buildings around it. It was a great point and it is something that I keep in my mind when designing, and when I have a client that gets this and they are willing to explore this idea, we get a great union of Designer and Client. One of my favorite projects and clients. Here's a link to the Tour that it was in. Ken Shallcross sent me an email invite to the tour and it was a great opportunity to show the Northwest what I can create in a Modern Northwest style, the way to the truth as Rain is an element to the design and the home shall let that element flow off of the roof.