"Shell, Sweet Shell" : Mies Van Der Rohe

"Home, sweet home"--or better yet, "Shell, sweet shell".  I am obsessed with the idea, lately, of living space that is open and sparse.  I have always appreciated the architecture of masters like Mies and the like (see earlier post:  Philip Johnson's Glass House).  I love the tranquility that the clean lines and open space creates, not to mention the incredible connection to the environment these houses allow.  And, isn't this really what architecture is all about?  I also like the idea that houses like these are "shells", that could accommodate dwellers that have different tastes.  After so many years of working with clients to renovate and re-decorate homes they purchase, and after doing it myself several times--it hit me.  You don't ever really get to build or buy the house you truly want.  There is always that "RESALE" word in the back of your head.  You are outfitting the house with the finishes that the next buyer will want.  (Of course, there are exceptions to this idea) What if the market was flooded with homes that were simple open structures with tons of light that allowed the buyer to just "move in".  No worries about not enough closet space, I don't like that wall, there's not enough light, the kitchen's too closed in....., etc...I may not ever get to experience this type of living (since my wife has very traditional housing ideas), but every time I gaze out of the window at sunrise (while in the country), I try to imagine myself standing inside an I-beam structure surrounded by glass and nature, and I always say, "maybe, some day..."