A version of this post first ran in 2016. Using greywater (sometimes spelled graywater) to irrigate your landscaping is an excellent way to reduce your water use in California's drought-prone climate. What Is Greywater? Greywater is water generated from household use that would otherwise go to waste. Water from bathroom sinks, laundry, shower, bath and
Updates to shelter-in-place orders in Marin and Sonoma Counties now allow construction and building projects to proceed, which means that new projects that were previously prohibited can now go forward. The state of California has issued general guidance for safely conducting construction projects, and Marin has created safey protocols for both small and large construction
This post first ran in 2018. Many people think of an architect as someone who designs large, important buildings – a visionary who dreams up new and bold designs, like New York’s Guggenheim Museum (Frank Lloyd Wright) or Chicago’s Aqua tower (Jeanne Gang). And, of course, architects do that. But an architect does much more
This post first ran in 2017. Several times a month, I find myself in some variation of a phone or email conversation with a prospective client that starts like this: Client: Hi. My contractor suggested I contact you. Me: How can I help you? Client: We’re doing a [describes project] and we thought it would
This post first ran in 2016. With summer just around the corner, it’s an excellent time to think about remodeling your outdoor living spaces. One excellent, eco-friendly upgrade to consider is replacing patios and walkways made from impermeable paving materials—such as traditional concrete or stone, asphalt, or plastic—with permeable paving. Why Use Permeable Paving Materials?
This post first ran in 2019. Wildfire season is in full swing here in California, and it’s a sad fact of life that we all need to be prepared in case we get the unwelcome message that a fire is heading our way. As an architect helping rebuild after 2017’s Tubbs Fire, I’ve gotten a
This post first ran in 2016. With summer just around the corner, this is an ideal time to think about installing a solar energy system to take advantage of the abundance of sun we get in Marin and to increase the eco-friendliness of your home or business while potentially lowering your energy costs. So where
This post first ran in 2018. Summer is almost here, and while many of us are looking forward to lazy days by the pool with a good book (and lots of sunscreen), we’re also thinking about how we’re going to keep cool without breaking the bank or destroying the earth. Cooling a mid-century
This post first ran in 2018. As an architect, I’ve long been drawn to modern design, both in my work and my personal life. Modern design is more than an aesthetic, it’s a way of approaching design from the standpoint of how we live now. Clean, Simple, Elegant Technically speaking, modern design is
This post first ran in 2019. These homes represent California architecture at its best. Each takes a different path to harmonizing with the environment, but each respects its natural surroundings and uses the landscape as an essential part of its structure – in the case of Frey House II, quite literally.
