Several years ago, a new residential project opened in Costa Mesa, California that surprised the market. Like many areas of Southern California, land costs were soaring and forcing developers to consider building more densely.  As neighborhood design became tighter and taller, there was less opportunity for nice ground level private yards.   Unlike many projects […]

I know what you are going to say, and I fully agree. The Tuscan style has been used in China a lot, maybe too much.  It doesn’t stand out and feel special in the market any more.  This is partly true, but I see it in a slightly different way.  Good design makes a difference […]

  I’ve always loved bricks. The textures, dark colors, and even the options to paint it for an even finish.  It is material proven over many centuries of construction and the benefits are well known in the building industry. Genuine clay bricks are made from natural materials. Brick buildings have a long life proven over […]

This post is for the designers out there and of course those of you who just love good design. Years ago, I was sent a few pages scanned from a book of black and white drawings.  Beautiful hand drawings of architecture of France and Spain. I’ve been searching for the actual books and recently I […]

Cold and unfeeling, no sign of life, and lack of security or familiarity can leave a person feeling lost in a new development. Though efficient and easy to construct, buildings without considering community and placemaking principles are unsuccessful at drawing in new inhabitants; they do not create that sense of belonging that make people want […]

I’m going to come straight out and say it.  I am very very tired of the typical plank style townhomes and apartments!  Sure, there are nice projects in the market but I am at a point where I know every project inside and out without seeing it.  As they say, “see one and you’ve seen […]

I frequently travel to China for projects.  Sometimes alone and other times with colleagues. During a recent trip, we were asked to study elevation options for a 4000m2 office building that also could be used for philanthropic events which means day and night are important. At the time I was hesitant since we were bouncing […]

  Understanding why the villa lifestyle is so attractive can be a major selling point. I am often asked about the detached villa lifestyle by clients in China.  What qualities are important? How can we give apartments or townhomes the villa lifestyle? What are the rules?   Surveys show again and again that 75%-80% of […]

Following our design work on the Dragon Palace resort, we were asked to design a series of palatial homes in the spectacular mountain landscape of Anji.  Let me start by explaining this is not a typical development. The developer saw this as part of his legacy so quality and timelessness was of prime importance, as […]