Adaptive reuse is the ultimate urban (or suburban) recycling project. Adapted buildings are terrific for their communities from a social, economic and environmental standpoint, and they offer business owners unique spaces to conduct and showcase their work. In many areas, industrial and manufacturing buildings that have historically been cornerstones of their communities are in danger
Lessons in History, the Phoenix and Circular Architecture History repeats itself, with lessons for all of us. A recent exhibit in Warsaw, Poland, reminds us of the legend of the phoenix. The tale reveals that this immortal bird died by fire, only to be reborn again out of the ashes. After World War II, Warsaw
In any bathroom retrofit for aging in place, the bathtub and shower are likely to be key considerations. Getting into and out of the tub or shower presents challenges and risks for those with limited mobility or vision, so selecting the right product for your abilities and lifestyle is important. General Safety Recommendations Regardless of
Neighbors and trees How controversial do those words, neighbors and trees, sound to you? If you enter them into your browser, you might be surprised at the variety of sources that populate the search results. Many of them pointing to areas of contention when to comes to neighbors and trees. Nextdoor.com brings the controversies into
Kitchen remodeling continues to be one of the hottest trends in home renovation, and kitchen islands are more popular than ever. Why? Older kitchen layouts may not fit the way we live and work today. Creating a space that is beautiful and functional is high on the list of needs when renovating a kitchen. How
Designing with the environment in mind is a concept that goes back centuries. In fact, many ancient civilizations and indigenous cultures worldwide exhibited a deep connection to their natural surroundings through their architecture. Indigenous architecture often integrated design elements with local materials and construction techniques that were in harmony with the environment. During the Renaissance,
Let's talk about housewide retrofits for aging in place – those items you’ll want to take care of around your entire home to make it ready for a time when you or a family member may have physical disabilities associated with aging. This week, we’ll cover a few simple items that can be accomplished in
If you’ve done any house-hunting in the Bay Area, you might have heard the terms Art Deco, Arts and Crafts Style, Bungalow, Modern, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Cape Cod Style, Colonial and Victorian – to name a few of the architectural styles. The problem is, some of these terms are used interchangeably, when they are distinct.
As a professional architect, I wear many hats. Designer, artist, draftsperson, construction manager, client advocate … It takes years of training to develop the skills an architect needs and years of experience to hone them. For me, it started in childhood, as I learned to really look at the structures around me and ask myself
There was a time when Marin County was made synonymous with hot tubs. The NBC documentary I Want it All Now caused quite the stir. We’ve come a long way since then, but the allure of owning a hot tub is still a great idea. Perhaps you've contemplated finding the hot tub that is just
