Photograph

C.E.S. Office – Martinez House: Fireplace – Photographs

01/01/1981

Work in Progress

Two photographs of the poured in place, monolithic concrete Count Rumford type fireplace, being the first element built above ground .

Photographer:

Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Martinez, CA, U.S.A.

Source:

Print, Negative

Characteristics:

8"x10", 4"x5", B&W

Content of

Construction Innovation

C.E.S. Office - Martinez House: Fireplace 1981

Work of Art for Project, All Concrete Fireplace

Created by:

Christopher Alexander, Jonathan Fefferman

Count Rumford all concrete fireplace, has a flat and broad fire chamber, a very wide opening and a curved fire back; the flatness results form the exceptionally narrow hearth, which is the cause for the high heat effectiveness.

Contents

Photographs

References

Scientific Research

Innovative Construction Systems, Techniques and Materials

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Construction Innovation

One of the main topics of research, included in every building project, was to identify, early on in the design process, the material and techniques of construction. This would re-establish building as an art, and allow rapid shaping and adaptation, ...

Projects

C.E.S. Office - Martinez House 1977 to 1984

4207 Arthur Road, 94553, Martinez, CA, U.S.A.

Residential, Realized , Construction completed in 1984

Client:

Center for Environmetal Structure - C.E.S. Directors

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Jonathan Fefferman, Harissos Tsiringas, Gary Black, David Dacus, Olasheni Agbabiaka

Contractor:

Center for Environmetal Structure

Project cost:

$120,000

Project stages:

Layout on the site by C.E.S. Design Development and Building Permit drawings done after layout Direct construction management and on-site design decisions Users involved in the construction Innovative construction methods

The second building completed on the Martinez site, was a 2,000 square feet house. A gunite all-concrete building as well, it was the first sizable and fully functional project in which C.E.S. used gunite, while applying all permit and specification ...