Continuing my series of video posts about the architectural project process, I present to you, the third video in the series: What Is Schematic Design? After we have collected all the pertinent information required for a project during Pre-Design, we move on to Schematic Design. This is the phase when […]
What an Architect does
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Architects approach projects in a systematic way: we look for different pieces of information and input at different stages of design. This is because the project process moves from the most basic information and gets more detailed as the project moves forward. Pre-Design is the first phase of any architectural […]
When you embark on an architecture project, no matter if you are renovating a bathroom, or building a new house, you are setting off on an adventure! Think of it as your own person Lord of The Rings – without the orcs. But, instead of trying to get rid of […]
This is not a question I get asked often, but it is a question that most non-architects should ask. There is a process to an architectural project. I am making a series of videos that explain the process. This is the first video which outlines the process. I also describe […]
The answer is and emphatic “YES”! Check out the video below to learn why: Helping you navigate the weird ways of city bureaucracy is one of the many things architects do. Before you are even tempted to get started on your project, check out my Project Planning Cheat Sheet. You […]
I’ve dubbed this project Bay Vista Junior. It is an accessory dwelling unit – called a Secondary Dwelling Unit in Oakland – on a large hillside meadow. I’ve designed an extensive remodel and extension to the main house, which I dubbed Bay Vista because of the amazing view. The owners […]
Construction can be so stressfull. So many decisions! So many moving parts! How can you make it through the process without losing all your hair? Keep calm – and hire an architect! An architect is your guide through the tangled bureaucracy and insanity of the planning and building codes. It […]
In response to the current shelter-in-place orders in California and the San Francisco Bay Area, I am now offering a new architectural consulting service: Virtual Design Counseling. This is what an architect does to continue providing services to his clients during a pandemic. Check out this video, which tells you […]
The Costco shelves have been stripped of toilet paper and pasta. The Target is out of canned and frozen veggies. Schools are closed. You may have been asked to work from home. What is your architect doing? How is work getting done? I can’t speak for all architects, but this […]
Continuing the discussion of the design process for the custom home I am working on, in this post we’re going to look at how the Schematic Design process is developing. I worked on the design while the clients were away. When they returned, I showed it to them using both […]
There is a lot of chatter in architectural circles about VR – virtual reality. It is a technology that allows us to see the building much as we would in reality before we build it. It takes advantage of our ability to “build” a model of the building in the […]
Kicking off a new project is always fun. There is nothing but possibilities ahead of us! A blank piece of tracing paper and a hand full of pens and we’re ready to get started. I recently started working on a new house project with some old clients of mine. I […]
Henley Wood, the publishers of Remodeling Magazine, put out an annual report on the cost of remodeling construction. It is interesting in many ways, not the least in illustrating the wild variances in construction costs from region to region. The 2019 report is no different. Based on this year’s report, […]
I don’t often do commercial work. Most years there will only be one commercial project in the studio. So it can be both challenging and fun when the opportunity comes up to work on a commercial project. This was a very quick project for a client that wanted to see […]
I have a project in my studio at the moment where the design of a new master bathroom is a key aspect of the project. We are adding on a new family room and master bedroom, and converting one of the existing bedrooms into the master bathroom. The existing bedroom […]
There is beauty all around us, if we take the time to notice. Some times it is subtle. Other times it needs editing out the surroundings. But when we find it, it is worth the moment to stop and enjoy it. Taking that time to notice and enjoy is something […]
One of the things architect’s often hear is a variation on the idea that what we do is draw buildings. We do, of course, draw buildings. It is not, however, the only thing we do, and, probably is not the majority of what we do, if by drawing buildings the […]
It is a crazy thing, the relationship between an architect and his or her pens. We all have our favorites. We all have those we loath. This article from NY Magazine popped up on my news feed this week: 100 Best Pens Oh, the joy! I’m like a kid in […]
It is that time of year. The trees are dropping their leaves. There is a crispness in the air. Mountains of enormous turkeys have appeared in the grocery stores. Pumpkin spice has permeated almost every food group. Yup. It is Thanksgiving week! I want to take this opportunity to offer […]
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 […]