This is a glimpse into the life of architect Robert ‘Bob’ Swinburne – sorta. I don’t know Robert personally and since we have only recently begun to trade some emails, I know I am guilty of presenting a partial glimpse. It’s not worth explaining how I came to know about Bob and his life but I covet it … but from a safe distance mind you – nothing to worry about, but it has long been a dream of mine to own some land in a rural environment and live on it.
Basically, Bob Swinburne is a Vermont Architect who on the surface is living a life I don’t know or understand but wish I could.
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Back in the year 2000, Bob and his wife bought 50 acres of land in Rural Vermont with a small house (900 square feet), a kitchenette, and wood stove for heat. Bob is a sole-practioner architect who sets his own hours and can work from home when he wants. Don’t get me wrong, making a living with this bucolic lifestyle is hard work and it is easy to romanticize it into something more than what it may be. Although … when I asked him about running a project of his on my site he offered up how he was spending his Saturday –
Today, as part of my fascinating life, I have a small fire going and I’m out in the snow flurries making maple syrup – fun, other than the huge splinter I just got putting wood on the fire.
Yeah Bob, just rub it in…. If you want to know more about Bob’s story, he wrote a post here that explains his work/ live situation far better than I ever could. Be careful though, you might want to move up to rural Vermont.
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This is a small project that Bob Swinburne did for himself on his property without drawings. A screw gun, some 2×4’s and a good design created what Bob calls ‘The FernHouse’. Named for the ground ferns it hovers over during the summer months, it is at it’s essence a napping porch (something else that sounds good to me on most days.) I am drawn to small projects like this – something stripped down to it’s barest essentials – at it’s best for it’s lack of adornment and excess while performing it’s intended purpose.
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Yes – I’ll take one please. Particularly if it comes with 50 acres of remote Vermont countryside. Make sure you go by Bob’s website and look at some of the other buildings he has done – including the barn on his property.
Cheers
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