A recent article in The New York Times for dealing with rising sea levels: building homes on the water. Marin County is no stranger to that concept. An entire community exists in Sausalito. In fact, there are approximately 425 floating homes in Marin County, according to Marin County Residential Real Estate. Sausalito boasts the largest
After the kitchen, the bathroom retrofit is probably the most important and challenging modification you can make for safe aging in place. The potential for water on the floor, combined with the need to maneuover into and out of a shower or tub or onto a toilet, raises the risk of a serious fall among
Accessible design should be near the top of your list of things to consider when you’re remodeling or designing a new retail space. Given that the 2010 census found that 19 percent of the U.S. population lives with some form of disability, creating retail environments that are accessbile, safe and welcoming for all isn’t only
Many of us will need to consider making wheelchair retrofits to our homes if we plan to remain in them as we age. According to a 2014 U.S. Census Bureau report, about 10 million people – 66.5 percent of the country’s population over age 65 – have difficulty walking. The number climbs with age, and
Adaptive reuse has helped New York reclaim and transform one of its iconic buildings. Trans World Airlines (TWA) may be no more, but part of the terminal that superstar architect Eero Saarinen designed for the company remains a travel hub, now as a hotel. When the TWA Flight Center at New York’s John F. Kennedy
In other words, would you take one for the planet and go native? California horticulturalists have long touted the benefits of using native plants in our residential and commercial landscaping. You’ve probably seen the headlines about how much water could be saved by tearing out our lawns and replanting with a variety of drought-resistant, native
The Wonder Bread Factory building in Washington, D.C., where the eponymous sliced white bread and the parent company's sweet Hostess cake treats were made, is emblematic of how adaptive reuse can be an important part of revitalizing a neighborhood. The four-story building, with its brick-and-steel façade, is part of a group of buildings in northwest
Let’s face it, every profession creates jargon. Think of the secret handshake, only in terms of language. When conversing with each other, people in the same profession can understand words and expressions the rest of us would find bewildering. Architects are no different. If you’ve ever worked with an architect, some of the “jargon” they
In the past weeks, I’ve written about the environmental, economic, and social benefits of repurposing buildings – also known as adaptive reuse – and about some of the most popular types of buildings currently being adapted. Over the next few posts, I’d like to take a look at some of the other kinds of structures
That question became a mantra of sorts, to highlight the achievements of women architects. On October 1, 2023, we lost the pioneering woman behind that often-asked question, Beverly Willis. She became an architect, industrial designer and inclusion advocate at a time when women were effectively excluded from a myriad of professions. She passed away
