In this business, we talk a lot about whether or not something has been “built to code”, or that we must do something because it is “required by the code”. In this post, I want to step back a little bit and examine this issue of code compliance. The building […]
What are the steps you need to take when starting an architecture project? Building in the Bay Area is an expensive and time consuming process. You don’t want to just jump into something without laying the proper groundwork first. Whether you are thinking about a house remodel, addition, new house, […]
October is National Architecture Month, also referred to as “Archtober”. Last year, to commemorate the month, I posted something about architecture every single day of the month. It was not easy to keep up a daily posting schedule. This month, I intend to maintain my mostly weekly posting schedule. This […]
The question is often asked, if not out loud, at least in people’s minds, “what does an architect do?” Most of us don’t have any experience dealing with architects. Sometimes we see them on TV or in the movies. The work in barns and talk to horses (Mr. Ed), or […]
What do architects do when they travel? Mostly we look at buildings. We want to see something wonderful, beautiful, different. We want to see how problems were solved in elegant ways, or how materials were detailed. We want to be inspired. I was in Boston for a day recently. I […]
A couple of years ago friends hired me to help them bring their 1930, vaguely Craftsman style bungalow into the 21st century. Among other things, they wanted a new kitchen. They wanted the kitchen opened up to the dining room. It was a fun project. They were very hands on […]
One of the projects in my studio has hit a road block. The minor variance we applied for has been denied. We had the backing of the planning staff. All we wanted to do was extend an existing non-conforming condition upwards. The existing garage is built right up to the […]
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You have been thinking about remodeling or adding on to your house. You called you’re local building department and described what you wanted to do. They said, “You’ll need plans prepared by an architect for that in order to get a permit.” You had a contractor come over to discuss […]
This week I visited this project in Oakland which converted an existing detached garage into a studio cottage. We started this project a little more than a year ago and now it is very near complete. The owners are waiting on the Murphy bed to arrive, and they want to […]
Recently AlamedaMagazine.com published a great story about how Accessory Dwelling Units are allowing families to accommodate extended, intergenerational, living. This is a fancy way of saying, you can live with your adult children, or your parents, but with each of you having a private living space. Which is pretty cool, […]
I was flipping through my sketch books looking for something, and found this page. I paused to look at it. I don’t recall sketching these ideas out. Given the title of the page, I was clearly just getting an idea out of my head and on to paper. Some times […]
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, so when prospective clients come to me with hopes of starting construction in only a matter of 2 or 3 months, I always feel a bit of pain. For those of you who don’t work in or around architecture, engineering, or […]
The American Institute of Architects (AIA), one of the professional organizations for architects, has a program they call “look up” to encourage non-architects to look up at the buildings around them to see what architects do. I recently had reason to visit the San Francisco City Hall, to record a […]
I recently took on a project helping a client who had started work without a permit and was consequently sighted by the local jurisdiction. It turned out that the scope of work he was performing did not require a full set of drawings, just a site plan. Easy-peasy, I thought. […]
I have shared images of this project before. We are wrapping up schematic design right now. The design we came up with worked very well, but came in over budget. Working with the Church to set and determine their priorities, they determined that the new structure that will define the […]
People have preconceptions about what architects do. Some people think we are “diva designers” who swoop in and impose our personal style on others. Some people think that all we do is draw, making pretty pictures of buildings. Some people think we work in barns and talk to horses (Mr. […]
The San Francisco Building Department sponsors an event called the San Francisco Seismic Safety Fair. This year the fair will be held this Wednesday, June 13. It is being held at the Bill Graham Auditorium at the Civic Center from 10am until 4pm. The fair will have exhibitors from various […]
The process of getting a permit for construction in the Bay Area can be onerous, lengthy, and seemingly expensive. Believe me: I know. Helping people get permits is part of what architects do. The degree of onerousness, how long it can take, and how expensive it will be will vary […]