michelle kaufmann designs

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As part of an enhancement to it’s Net Energy Metering program, PG&E announced this week that a customer who produces more power than they use, referred to as a “net generator”, will be eligible for reimbursement. The program, part of Bill 920-Huffman- Solar and Wind Generation, approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzengger in late 2009, calls for a new option that would allow net generators to receive the once-per-year compensation.  This is good news for those of us producing energy (and can certainly help budgeting for our Glidehouse home this year).

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is still hammering out the details of the new strategy. Although a search of PG&E’s website revealed little about the initiative, it looks like the switch has been flipped and the light is finally on. Not that we minded doing our part to help cut green house gases (GHG) by pumping unused power from our PV system back into the grid. But considering that last year the amount of energy measured in dollars was equivalent to, say a one night’s stay at Post Ranch Inn, we will gladly take the cash. (Post Ranch Inn now boasts a 200KW  PV generating facility on site)

Congratulations to all you “Net Generators” out there for helping to keep California’s light on! Get ready to reap the reward$ in 2010.

While working for Frank Gehry, I would hear him say that his best projects were the ones with the most constraints. While it seems a bit counter-intuitive, it can be true that constraints can actually help sculpt good design. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not going to complain about a project with no building envelope, permitting or budget issues. But I, too, believe that wonderful design can come from projects with constraints as well.

For example, I love this project we designed and built as 2 modules in Aspen. The site had more constraints than any other I have worked on: overall maximum width of 28′, low maximum building height, and neighboring homes within feet of the sides of the property. Oh, and did I mention heaps of snow?

Even with the constraints on size, we wanted to make a comfortable house for this family to grow and designed an open floorplan. We used “flip up” roof monitors that washed in natural light to the center of the house and make it feel airy and larger than it is.

The snow can actually help bring light into the space by reflecting the sun, and mixed with a lot of wood (in this case, bamboo cabinets and flooring), the feel is cozy and warm even on a winter’s day.

Where the neighbor’s house was very close to this home, we used high windows as a way to bring in light and the outdoors, but maintain privacy and a sense of open-ness.

In the end, through creative, smart design, one can have a home that lives large even on a challenging site.

Photos by Jim Thompson of Destination Productions.

For all you Kindle users, our Prefab Green book is now available for the Kindle (as well as the hard cover physical versions too!)

www.amazon.com

It is hard not to fall in love with this super cute prefab guesthouse egg by DMVA.

It’s shell is designed with nooks that provide structural stability as well as storage and areas for sleeping, allowing the space inside to be kept clean and minimal.

www.dmva.com

I was recently able to visit the LumenHAUS (designed by talented students at Virginia Tech for the Solar Decathlon last fall) while it was in a resting stop in between travels. Apparently it is headed to Times Square next week, and other locations around the country after that.

I was very impressed. The design was lovely, innovative and it was executed beautifully. I was hard pressed to find any flaws. And that is rare for a design curmudgeon like me. I fell in love right away from - first from the outside with the layers of slide-away glass walls and metal panels with rotated disks that are set at different angles allowing light to come in, but views out only where you need it, but privacy where you want it. The effect was elegantly simple, yet extremely functional. By sliding away the sunshades and windows, inhabitants can do much to moderate the temperature without having to turn on the mechanical system.

Then, when I walked inside I was ready to move in.

The house is set up to produce more energy than it needs (which, like our Glidehouse,  means we are giving back to the environment even on lazy days).

Here is a lot more info on all the beautiful intelligence in the home design: www.solar.arch.vt.edu

I just saw this photo taken by AriaDenver Project Manager Kate Hilberg of the first phase of homes (Casa Chiara) recently in the snow. This almost makes me miss the winter snow.

more on this project
www.ariadenver.com

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. We had a fun few days with family and friends.  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, especially this year. I am thankful for so much including having so many talented, smart and inspiring friends: writers, designers, builders and artists.  One example are our friends Beth and Peter Whiteley who we spent Thanksgiving day with.

Beth and Peter both worked for Sunset Magazine for over 40 years combined. Visiting their house is like walking into the pages of Sunset: a treat for all the senses.  Here are just a few examples.

Beth’s centerpiece was made from vegetables like mushrooms and artichokes that she can then cook with the following day - so nothing goes to waste. The napkin wraps were bamboo tree ornaments that went home with each guest.

Each room of their house is filled with objects thoughtfully designed and built by Peter.  In the living room he has mirrors he bought in bulk and wrapped with different types of materials including leather, copper and palm husks from the garden.

Peter was trained as an architect, has been a builder and writer for Sunset, and is now doing a lot of beautiful garden designs for clients. His own garden is filled with unique and smart ideas such as this birdhouse made from wood shims and has a sound speaker inside. So it has double-function of housing birds and also providing music for the back courtyard.  He also used mirrors on the side fence walls that read more like windows than  mirrors, extending the sense of space.

And one of my favorite elements is this overhead trellis made from thin branches and twigs and wire. It hangs from cable over the outdoor dining table, and includes holiday lights below. It creates sunshading an intimate scale for dining, while using natural materials and feeling connected to the rest of the garden.

You can get one of these from Willow Farm in Pescadero (they have beautiful pieces), or you could make one yourself.

A similar trellis was integrated by a client in the middle of wine country in California on this Custom Sunset Breezehouse below. This provided sunshading for the glass wall and interior space behind,  but also helped to connect to the vines 20′ away, bringing the outdoors in.

One of my favorite part of the work I do is the relationships with clients. Kevin and I recently visited with a fabulous couple that started as clients, but have become dear friends.  As we spend time in their spectacular Glidehouse, and look at all the moments in the home that our similar to our own Glidehouse, as well as elements that they have added that make their house unique and special, I feel such a strong bond not only to the house itself, but also to our friends.  I imagine it is something like the bond people feel when they are in fraternities/sororities together, or have been in the same troup, or have shared in a significant life experience together. I cherish these bonds, and am now started to see how much this influences the work and my inspiration to do it.

This particular Glidehouse and site has lovely moves with the landscaping, the garage/carport, and the furnishings. All of which make this home completely unique to this client and this site. In this photo below, you can see the Glidehouse on the hilltop. Absolutely stunning.

Along the drive to the house, I love this “peekaboo” moment as the home greets the visitors by emerging from the grasses.

The furniture chosen for this house is perfect. Each piece has a story. Most of it came from local artisans, and many pieces made from recycled materials. One of the wonderful things about smaller homes is that you have to choose each piece that goes into them very carefully. This typically results in cherished pieces, each with meaning.