One of the most common questions I am asked is about what material to use for kitchen counters. The current (July 2014) issue of Consumer Reports magazine has a nice article about this question. Much of this issue of the magazine is dedicated to kitchen design, materials and appliances. It […]
The whole house remodel project in Oakland is well underway. The house is 104 years old. All the exterior doors and windows have been replaced and some relocated. The old chimney has been removed. Just get a look at interior: All the interior plaster has been removed, some existing walls […]
My May newsletter, Making Places, went out today. Have you subscribed yet? Join the growing list of people who subscribe to Making Places. The newsletter comes out every two months, because you don’t have time to be bothered with constant emails. If you subscribe through this link, you will receive: […]
The story of the North Carolina couple who may be forced to tear down their new home because the neighbors don’t like how it looks has recently been in the news. In a nut shell, the couple built a home in a designated “historic district” of home built primarily between […]
Every project has it’s own life. Some go down the road you expect for them. Some take a turn and you have to follow them in the direction they need to go. This project took a turn shortly after we started. The owner’s circumstances took a turn and we had […]
With my nose to the grindstone, I recently looked up – and out onto the internet – only to discover that this is National Architecture Week! (April 6 -12) Who knew? Apparently a lot of people did. Some how I missed the memo. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate […]
One of the most common questions I get asked as an architect is a variation on “how much does it cost to remodel my kitchen?” Or, bathroom, or living room, or – well, you get the idea. The answer I have to give is necessarily vague. It depends on how […]
This week I kicked off a new project. My client has purchased an Oakland home that dates from 1910. It was listed as a “Craftsman”, but it has very few Craftsman features. It actually has much more in common with the Edwardian style. Just a quick glance down the street […]
Architects are funny creatures. We love buildings. When we travel, generally, we don’t want to go to the beach or resorts. No. We want to go look at buildings! This post is the first in an intermittent series of posts intended to share those buildings, and maybe other designed objects, […]
Not all of my projects are residential. I have extensive experience in lab planning, retail, and commercial offices. Last week I got a phone call from an old client of mine. Her business has grown and she has an associate who now needs a private office. She had already purchased […]
This is a wonderful summary of what “Basic Services” might be. I find that what a “Basic Service” is will depend on the project, the client and the governing jurisdiction. But this summary is a very good starting place. The graphic was created by and is copyright Marica McKeel, an […]
I recently had to explain to somebody from the South East that construction costs in the San Francisco Bay Area are much higher. For similar scopes of work a project that costs $150 per square foot in the South East will cost $450 per square foot in the Bay Area. […]
I recently happened on this post about Michelangelo’s grocery list. Please go read it. It is short, very interesting, with a lovely image of the grocery list in question. Besides appealing to my interest in history, to do lists, and sketching, Michelangelo’s illustrated grocery list raises the issue, in my […]
2013 is winding down and at the same time I’m gearing up for 2014. At this time of year we tend to look simultaneously backward and forward as we review what was and plan what will be. 2013 was an exciting year, what with launching David Locicero | architect and […]
Back in the Spring of this year, I did a fun little project for friends of mine. They live in a condominium that, while it has lots of closet space, the simple developer rod and shelf in each closet just wasn’t what they needed. I was called in to help […]
Because there just aren’t enough ways for me to be enthusiastic about architecture and design and engage in some BSP (Blatant Self Promotion), I have started both a FaceBook Page and a Twitter account. Woo Hoo! These two platforms will allow us to engage with one another in more direct […]
Apple’s new headquarters building is approved by Palo Alto. The $5 billion, yes with a “B”, project will occupy a 176 acre site and provide office space for 13,000 employees. Note in the article the mention of evaluating a $30 million “mock up”. Holy mother of money! $30 million on […]
Fastcompany.com recently posted about the Gethsemane Church in Seattle by the architects Olson Kundig. It is a thoroughly Modern building. For many, if you say “modern architecture”, the images in their minds are of cold, sterile and emotionless buildings. Yet this Modern church feels warm and comfortable. One of the […]
Recently the website Inthralld.com posted this feature about displaying your wine collection. I have already written about it at my wine website. The Inthralled.com post features pictures of 10 pretty impressive architectural installations for displaying wine collections. Personally, I don’t agree with wine “collecting” per se. I believe that wine […]
Bob Borson over at Lifeofanarchitect.com recently wrote an excellent post about the benefits of Deconstruction versus Demolition. In it he talks about the environmental and financial benefits of deconstruction instead of demolition. The post can be boiled down to the following: demolition is quick demolition puts everything into the landfill […]