The Slow Home

I know I'm a big nerd but... what can I say... floor plans (especially residential floor plans) get me excited. When I would be working with students at the University who felt that that facades and green technologies (there... I said it) are more important than floorplans, circulation and living spaces, I had to really fight the urge to roll my eyes at them. What is more important than the spaces in which we live and spend the majority of our free time? (Just my $0.02)

Anyway... not only do I appreciate the principles that those behind this page embrace, I also apprecaite that the active forum and educational approach they are taking to spreading their message. Clearly they aren't only interested in selling their latest book or creating a larger client base. They seem truly dedicated to their careers and their craft. Bravo!

2009: The missing year

Where did it all go?

Actually, 2009 was never here. For me I mean that almost literally... it was a blur... but as for my blog...

2009 was one of the most difficult years of my adult life. Accepting my first post-school job right out of the gate was a real treat. I was thrilled to be starting my internship at the largest, and arguably most successful, Architecture firm in Eugene. However, this was also the busiest year for said business and, with a recession looming, it seemed wise to not hire too many more individuals to take up the slack. Weekend work, a baby on the way, and long nights resulted in a very demanding year. On top of that, I had already accepted 12 wedding shoots with the expectation that I wouldn't be able to find architecture work just out of school.

So no posts in 2009.

I'm back to "photographying" and being a stay-at-home, searching-for-work, Dad while weathering the recession. More posts in 2010!

Three Talented Designers

With these three we have an artist, a photographer and a digital craftsman. And of course budding young almost-architects. Kate Beckley, Erik Bishoff and Paul Harman bring exciting new skills and passions to our growing staff.

Click here for more on me, Kate, Paul and my new home-away-from-home, PIVOT Architecture.

Second Glass LLC

These folks make office partitions, shower stalls, doors and windows out of recycled auto glass. It is beautiful stuff from a local (PDX) vendor. I have to question the amount of "product" it takes to treat and secure this saftey glass. Regardless, the resulting effect is gorgeous and quite innovative.

It does seem that they, at least, ascribe to LEED standards:

From our office and converting facility in Portland we recover damaged and junk windshields and remanufacture them into a range of high quality uses. Windshields take a lot of landfill space. And new glass manufacturing contributes to global warming. Second Glass is a good example of the classic goals in waste elimination - reduce, reuse, recycle.

We are proud to ascribe to The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encouraging and accelerating global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

Fore more information visit:

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Second Glass Online - Official Website
Second Glass Video - Avery J. Productions Blog
Special Feature: Best Prodcuts of 2007 - Builder News Magazine

Ecology of Absence

Full of thoughtful commentary and images of beautiful and unusual abandoned buildings. It was fun to peruse! I've always been drawn to empty buildings. Each one is a mystery, full of stories, waiting to be discovered.

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Ecology of Absence