3rd Location - Backyard Pizza Oven - January 2024

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Analysis causes paralysis is a trope that people say in business and life.  But, I'm NOW feeling that very thing HARD in regards to our backyard pizza oven planning.  It was just a week ago that I VERY CONFIDENTLY posted about how I was down to just two finalist locations for our oven.  But, today?  I'm not so sure any longer. 

What about a 3rd location, on the south side of the yard, about the same distance from the house.  But, tucked into a current bed where the Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas are planted?  See below for this 3rd location at the bottom of the drawing:



This 3rd location re-introduces one of the ORIGINAL sites that I contemplated as far back as 2017.   

What does this new site get us?  It certainly doesn't take advantage of the grade change, so that means that the full height and mass of the oven will be in-view.  That provides for a bit of screening.  But, it also means that the oven becomes a garden focal-point.  If site'd here, it would be the biggest draw of your eye in the back.  It also provides for a view directly from our kitchen windows.   This seems to be the biggest factor right now:  do we want to sort-of 'bury' the oven or 'sink' it down into the lowest spot in our yard to reduce the mass.   And/or, do we want any Miegakure (hide-and-reveal) going on? This 3rd location eliminates any notion of Miegakure; both *what* the oven is helping hide/reveal AND thinking about the oven being 'hidden' and 'revealed' down the grade.  The southside location is in plain sight.  There's no 'drawing' the visitor to this location.  They see it immediately.  Alternatively, the other two more 'sunken' locations allow for the oven to serve as a sort-of Walt-Disney-inspired Weenie:  to draw the visitor out from the patio.

If we went with this location, it also would have the oven be orientated TOWARDS the patio/view from inside.  It has made me think a bit about the opening/front of the oven being the 'most attractive' and how the view of the oven from the patio/house while isn't the 'end-all-be-all', certainly is important.  Do we want to be looking-at the opening/front-face of the oven or one of the sides and/or the back?  Either can work (I think), but it is an important consideration.  

Just like the other two spots, this 3rd spot certainly opens up the area for a newly, expanded patio.    But, this one wouldn't be 'sunken' like the other location.  Certainly...would think (right now) that's less 'interesting'.

I'm probably thinking too much about this, but I'm terrified of getting it wrong.  

The 'natural fit' is on the southside.  

The 'better fit' is likely in the sunken area on the northside. 

Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA

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