Stockholm, Sweden has developed a masterplan for a new neighborhood that will consist of all wood buildings! A few weeks ago, many architectural journals and magazines were publishing articles about this effort that is being undertaken. Stockholm has an area of vacant...
Accessory Dwelling units, or ADU’s, are a growing building type in America. Wander through the neighborhoods of most West Coast cities and you will begin to spot them. This primer will outline some of the reasons that ADU’s are beneficial for homeowners, communities,...
AKA the benefits of slow design. Spend any time at a modern architecture firm, and you'll quickly realize just how integral computer aided design (CAD) systems are to the process of creating and documenting any new project. From the earliest days of their integration,...
Innovation is a near-constant in the materials industry, with novel products popping up on a regular basis. That said, the typical direction of said innovation is toward a more technologically-heavy built world, with highly processed assemblies eclipsing the more...
At this point, just about everybody in the building industry is on board with the idea that sustainable practices are critical to ensuring a better future for our world. However, achieving a built environment that is good for both the environment, the inhabitants, and...
This will be the first in a series of thoughts on the state of serviceability and repair in the products we consume. If it feels like the thing you bought last week is appreciably worse than the same product was 10 years ago, you’re probably right. Whether it’s...
Bringing the outdoors in Our client wanted a modern home in a forested property that would allow an open view of the outdoors with a large patio for entertaining.
Birch Bay Modern Having waterfront property can be an ideal place to live. It can also provide some challenges in the building process, which was the case for this home. With required setbacks from the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM), steep slope, property lines, and...
Step One: Budget No matter the size of the project, an appropriate budget should be the first thing you establish, for all projects you can do this yourself. During this preliminary stage, through careful research you can establish an initial project budget, then once...
Sean & Jaimi Hegstad’s new home The 33-panel system installed on Sean & Jaimi’s house will create an average of 25 kWh every day. With electric appliances and heat, it’s not clear how much energy the Hegstad family will use annually. But with rebates currently...