Residential Design

These are published Residential projects we have worked on, in reverse chronological order from most recent to earliest. Click on the photo to visit the Project Page.

	DANS GREENHAUS Quick, one day design. The entrance features a distinctive gate set into garden walls and extra layers of shading on the portal to encourage summer dining on the patio. The vertical-wall greenhouse DOES NOT OPEN TO THE HOUSE! Instead, it has a black hot water wall between the house and the the greenhouse (not visible from the living area) with windows above. We bermed the north side 4' to bury water catchments, and built what appears to be a sunken patio (but is in fact on the same level plane as the rest of the house) on the north. Here we framed views with a built-in bench and fireplace.The living room is entirely open with a fireplace. The bedroom on the east has its own patio. An open shower in the northeastern bath allows this space to connect to the outdoors, and since it is in the northeast with the graywater, catchment and cistern systems (below), minimizes plumbing. The house has a green roof planted with desert plants and seamless with the ground at the north, hopefully encouraging natural use of the structure by animals and insects, and the intermingling of plants as they seed. It is entirely feasible to add a earth-cooled ductwork system for natural cooling here.
	DAN'S KINS DOMAIN Preliminary sketch for this Kin Domain for a friend. This is an example of how the thought process of designing a site works, before we get into the design of the structure itself. This site is just under an acre and a half in size and located in Taos, New Mexico, US. Note that in this plan, the berry hedges are kept inside the fenceline by 5'. Many people miss in the books that Anastasia told us to set the berry fence inside the actual line of the property so that natural circulation paths could be provided between domains. This also helps in harvesting both sides of the bushes (of course, the birds and critters won't mind either! *smile* The southwest side of the property is left open as it bounds an existing acequia (irrigation ditch) and the vegetation provides a habitat for nesting and migratory birds. The suggestions for the building materials echo those of the Southwest Architectural Vernacular as well and those for the Arid Climate Region. The suggested plantings respond to plants that grow well in USDA Climate Zone 5, and are proven in New Mexico's arid conditions.
	GARDEN CASITA, TAOS, NM Original design for a small courtyard house with passive solar and gardens in Northern New Mexico vernacular style, with stucco exterior and exposed wood beams. The roof design and courtyard plan allow for extensive vegetable gardens and greywater harvesting.
	DESERT PUEBLITO, TAOS, NM Original design for a shared living residential facility, with separate master bedrooms and baths mirrored on either side of a shared living and kitchen space, and shared yoga/sacred gathering space above the living areas.
	DOC'S RESIDENCE 4500SF Craftsman style home in Vail, Colorado. This project honors both sustainable and vernacular design – it is designed to fit seamlessly into it’s mountain atmosphere, with the minimal use of mechanical and electrical heating systems. Greywater systems and mounded septic allow for unusual, natural landscaping. The home is partially timber-framed, and uses extensive daylighting, especially into closets and bathrooms. One of the most unique features of the home are tube skylights that provide daylighting to the first level via stained class columns at the entrance hall.
	CONCEPT HOUSE, CHICAGO, IL Napkin Sketch of a modern Italianate house design for a friend in Chicago.
	ADA BATHROOM DESIGN, CHEYENNE, WY Our clients, both elderly and with failing vision, wanted a new bathroom the met their physical needs. A passionate advocate of Universal Design principles, my firm knew that I would rise to the challenge of such a project. This was the result. The clients reported a very satisfactory result with the finished product.
	AMBERGRAY RESIDENCE, BELIZE This 7,100SF vacation residence is located in Belize. The reflection of local architecture was an important consideration in its design, and includes details such as an observation tower, wind generator and rainwater collection system. Responsible for the completion of construction documents.
	NEWMAN RESIDENCE, CHEYENNE, WY Simple home designed for the Newman family. The budget and the owner's desire to have a "flow" in which they could change materials and details dictated we develop only a builder's set of plans and elevations.
	PEERSON RESIDENCE, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA Hand Drafting completed for award-winning Charlottesville design architect. She did all the design work, I hand drafted the construction drawings and tweaked details to obtain compliance with building regulations for the historic district.
	RUDOLPH HOUSE II, CT Hand-drawings of Charles Moores' Rudolph House II.