LIGHTEN THE EVENING SKY #10 / 13 photographs for a monograph publication

+DEAR PROF.  RENE PERALTA+

>(i was 28 yrs old when my<

>louisiana >office< opened)<

+BUILDING PROCESS is VITAL+

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>many practical considerations were vital<

>to my design process / as an architect w/<

+(I DREW ALL OF MY+

+OWN >DRAWINGS<+

+BUILT  ALL OF MY+

+OWN >BUILDINGS)+

>drafting all my construction drawings &<

>builder supervision i >studied all details<

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+COSMIC  CONSCIOUSNESS+

>(as a field construction<

>supervision architect<

>i >prized affordability)<

+FUELED >AFFORDABILITY+

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+MY GOAL WAS 1/2 COST+

>i built my louisiana<

>buildings for $7 1/2<

>per the square foot<

+OF >STANDARD DESIGN+ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>the secret was post & beam construction<

>which allowed the roof placed early and<

+(I PREFABRICATED THE+

+ROOF >PANEL SYSTEM)+

>avoided rain delays in very wet louisiana<

>(eliminated many >costly bearing walls)<

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

                                     
 +CALIFORNIA VILLA+
>although small adobe, rammed earth &<
>"kit of parts" economy housing was my<
+(BIOMORPHIC SHELLS+
+WAS MY MAIN GOAL)+
>main focus, the people who came to me<
>wanting houses wanted california villas<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +PICTORS RESTAURANT+
>the plant kingdom was vital to my design<
>at "pictors metamorphosis"  / >i filled the<
+(GOOGLE :> EUGENE RAY /+
+"PICTORS"" RESTAURANT)+
>planter across the front w/ philodendron<
>selloum" this great tropical / welcoming<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +RADIANT EXHIBITIONS+
>"environmental media" was one of 7 classes<
>i taught at SDSU and i invented several ways<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY /+
+COLOR XEROGRAPHY)+
>to improve design communication / >the new<
>color xerox machine< became >very valuable<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +K.O.P. BEACH BUNGALOW+
>why shouldn't sahdu wise men & the poets<
>have superior housing in the mountains and<
+(ERECT IT YOURSELF+
+ECONOMY HOUSING)+
>along the water / in this case, front & back<
>ends swing up to provide cross ventilation<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +K.O.P. ADD ON BUNGALOW+
>remember i wrote the >paper & made slide<
>presentations to save the 2 oldest california<
+(GOOGLE :>>> EUGENE RAY /+
+AERODYNE SPORTS HOUSE)+
>bungalows at the lajolla cove beach / i also<
>designed several versions of new bungalows<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +K.O.P. DOUBLE DOME RES.+
>this double dome residence raised w/ parking<
>underneath uses 2 prefab "hexadomes" made<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+> / DOUBLE DOME RES.)+
>in san diego by gene hopster, >my friend who<
>commissioned me / >sadly gene passed away<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+IRONICALLY+
>some san diego architects told SDSU deans<
>i was a communist because i was designing<
>affordable housing / fortunately "time " mag<
+(I AM ACCUSED OF BEING+
+COMMUNIST & ROYALIST+
+an ABSURD SUGGESTION)+ !
>stated less then 1% of americans afforded to<
>build their own home / >this was vital to me<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +WILTY RES. FRAMING+
>post and beam framing was lighter and<
>more affordable saving on foundations<
+(BUILT AT 1/2 AVERAGE+
+1960S DECADE >COST)<+
>plus the roof was >placed sooner< which<
>saved on construction time in storms etc.<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +MODERN PLANTATION+
>my >family as you remember was deeply<
>committed to the plant kingdom and it is<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>> / PLANT KINGDOM)+
>my belief that >"genetic memory" has been<
>a strong factor in the events of my lifetime<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +MODERN PLANTATION+
>three generations of louisiana plantation<
>family could share this prototype design<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY /+
+MODERN PLANTATION)+
>w/ its solar heating & wind energy design<
>this became my favorite prototype design<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >DOME K.O.P. RESIDENCE+
>saints, sahdus, artists, poets and >philosophers<
>all deserve an aerodyne hexadome sportshouse<
+(GARDEN CAN ENTER+
+the  "SPORTS HOUSE")+
>w/ an internal changeable "kit of parts" system<
>sleeping above living, dining & kitchen below<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+WILTY RES INOVATION+
>lateral tensile rods >act as support for<
>hanging solar awnings / these open &<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>> / WILTY RESIDENCE)+
>close by pulley / cord retractable link<
>works by hand from patio raised walk<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 +WILTY RES. SLIDING WALLS+
>other innovations include louvered sliding<
>walls separating secondary rooms from the<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>>WILTY RESIDENCE)
>central patio living room / >the entire house<
>can open up in a celebrative party gathering<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+SDSU AIR STRUCTURES+
>above all >science fact< (not fiction) inspires<
>california history / >the UFO-ET / aero space<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY /+
+SYNERGETIC ENVIRON)+
>fact history is powerful in california / cosmic<
>conscious synergy project in my SDSU class<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+DEAR PROF. PERALTA+
>you have sent a desire to develop a monograph<
>on my oeuvre. i am grateful for that BUT your<
>facebook publications are worrisome to me as<
+(COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS+
+FUELS  >"SCIENCE FACT" /<
+HADRON COLLIDER / UFO)+
>ref to "science fiction" atmosphere in USA &<
>unfair corbu postings / >we shall meet< again<
>soon / i hope i can be reassured of your intent<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+YOUR ORIGINAL MESSAGE+
>to me expressed admiration of my progressive<
+THIS IS VERY VITAL TO ME /+
+(RADIANT ARCHITECTURE)+
>design history / >it is this that won my liking !<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+"AT THE HIGHEST  LEVEL / ONLY+
>(no one loves the earth more<
>then i but the cosmos awaits<
>i pray for your sincere intent)<
+THE >FANTASTIC< IS POSSIBLE"+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>(ps google : eugene ray / rammed<
>earth / adobe / ferro cement shell)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu