Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Q I was very troubled to see this sight along southbound Interstate 880 after the Bay Bridge maze. On the curve before the first Oakland exit, there is a LAWN planted. Really? In a drought, Caltrans plants lawn? You've got to be kidding me. Can you find out the rationale for this? Absolutely shocking.

Rick Magarian

Alameda

A This is part of a stormwater management treatment plan to collect runoff from the freeway, and the area will not be watered. The road is slanted so that the all water runoff pollutants are collected into the approximately 1-mile-long treatment area. Caltrans has curbed water use by 30 percent _ its goal is 50 percent _ but will complete what it considers essential landscaping to prevent water pollution or erosion. They will use mulch or gravel, or drought-tolerant native or nonthirsty plants.

In addition, the California Transportation Commission has allocated $47 million in emergency funds to continue installing smart sprinklers on state property that automatically adjust to weather conditions, soil moisture or broken pipes. And 34 landscaping jobs have been postponed.

If you see any broken water pipes or leaking irrigation systems, go to http://www.dot.ca.gov/ and click the "Be a Water Watcher" icon to submit a maintenance service request.

Q Oh Gary, the irony! On a trip to Fresno I see the roadside message "SEVERE DROUGHT. LIMIT OUTDOOR WATERING," which I don't have a problem with, until I see the same message on Highway 152 nestled among acre after acre of almond trees. Might as well change it to read: "SAVE A NUT. DON'T FLUSH."

Jeff Adams

San Jose

A Almonds are thirsty. It takes 1.1 gallons to bring one almond to maturity.

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Roadshow: In a drought, Caltrans plants a lawn?

Q I was very troubled to see this sight along southbound Interstate 880 after the Bay Bridge maze. On the curve before the first Oakland exit, there is a LAWN planted. Really? In a drought, Caltrans plants lawn? You've got to be kidding me. Can you find out the rationale for this? Absolutely shocking.

Rick Magarian

Alameda

A This is part of a stormwater management treatment plan to collect runoff from the freeway, and the area will not be watered. The road is slanted so that the all water runoff pollutants are collected into the approximately 1-mile-long treatment area. Caltrans has curbed water use by 30 percent _ its goal is 50 percent _ but will complete what it considers essential landscaping to prevent water pollution or erosion. They will use mulch or gravel, or drought-tolerant native or nonthirsty plants.

In addition, the California Transportation Commission has allocated $47 million in emergency funds to continue installing smart sprinklers on state property that automatically adjust to weather conditions, soil moisture or broken pipes. And 34 landscaping jobs have been postponed.

If you see any broken water pipes or leaking irrigation systems, go to http://www.dot.ca.gov/ and click the "Be a Water Watcher" icon to submit a maintenance service request.

Q Oh Gary, the irony! On a trip to Fresno I see the roadside message "SEVERE DROUGHT. LIMIT OUTDOOR WATERING," which I don't have a problem with, until I see the same message on Highway 152 nestled among acre after acre of almond trees. Might as well change it to read: "SAVE A NUT. DON'T FLUSH."

Jeff Adams

San Jose

A Almonds are thirsty. It takes 1.1 gallons to bring one almond to maturity.

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Roadshow: Caltrans cuts water use by 30 percent

Bob Byers, associate executive director for Garvan Woodland Gardens, seems right at home at the botanical garden where he spent more than 20 years as resident landscape architect.

He and Susan Harper, the garden's visitors services director, sat outside the Pratt Welcome Center on Thursday with peacocks strolling and calling nearby. Harper pointed out how close the birds stay to Byers and called him the "peacock daddy," as he first proposed their presence some years back.

Byers became fully immersed in the 210-acre botanical offering of the University of Arkansas when he was named the full-time garden curator in September 1994. But now, Byers has decided to leave Hot Springs and become director of Texas' Fort Worth Botanical Garden beginning April 20.

His beginnings in landscape architecture go back to when he was a child, he said Thursday.

"I was probably 5 or 6, and I talked my dad into giving me a row in the vegetable garden. I planted petunias and beets and Indian corn. The petunias didn't come up, the beets didn't do anything, but I made three little old ears of Indian corn, and I just thought it was the coolest thing in the whole world," he said.

Early work at the gardens included documenting what philanthropist and namesake Verna Cook Garvan had done in years before -- planting rare specimens on the property -- and developing a comprehensive topography plan.

In 1996, the first master plan was created, and for the next 10 years a large part of his job was to make sure personnel understood the vision of the garden and to oversee their actions, ensuring all were sympathetic to both the vision and plan.

"We actually made a lot more progress in the first 10 years than we expected," he said.

One person instrumental to that progress was David Slawson, who designed the garden's renowned Japanese style Garden of the Pine Wind. Byers said Slawson has been a great source of inspiration over the years.

"He's really intuitive and really in touch with the way people respond to landscapes emotionally, which was helpful to me and very formative in the way I thought about gardens," Byers said of his mentor.

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Garvan Gardens architect leaving post

Yountville, CA (PRWEB) April 07, 2015

The renderings are inand the design team chosenfor a historic renovation of The French Laundry, the first major overhaul of the landmark restaurant in 20 years. International design firm, Snhetta, is the lead design and landscape architect, working in collaboration with California-based firms Envelope A+D as executive architect and Tim Harrison of Harrison, Koellner, LLC as kitchen designer. The renovation will result in a new and expanded kitchen and courtyard, an auxiliary building to house a wine cellar and support offices, and a new arrival experience to enhance the approach to the iconic blue door.

While the historic restaurant will remain unaltered, all of the former kitchen structure and auxiliary buildings have been demolished to make way for the modernization. Wright Construction leads the construction.

The French Laundry is being redesigned to be a backdrop worthy of the restaurant's history, Thomas Keller said. With the Louvre Pyramid as my inspiration, we wanted to find a way to juxtapose the historic and the modern while maintaining the high quality cuisine and service our guests have come to expect from The French Laundry. The new design will be an innovative and functioning space that will allow us to continue to evolve as a restaurant and develop new standards.

Every element of the design strikes a thoughtful balance between form and function, beginning with the guests first step onto The French Laundry property. In preparation for the project, Snhettas Craig Dykers spent many hours in Chef Kellers kitchen, observing the rhythm and the culture of the restaurant. Snhettas design aims to create a meaningful environment for those who work there, recognizing Chef Kellers emphasis on efficiency and precision, along with his vision that the kitchen is the keystone of a world-class restaurant experience.

An experience at any of Chef Kellers restaurants transcends expectation. The kitchen is the starting point for an architecture of connection, energy and authenticity. As Chef Keller makes us aware, the kitchen is where all the senses are first ignited, said Craig Dykers, Founding Partner of Snhetta, and longtime friend of Chef Keller. The French Laundry kitchen is both primal and innovative, setting the stage for culinary magic.

The renovated kitchen will support the graceful choreography for which the restaurants culinary and service teams are known. The new custom vaulted ceilings, fabricated by local manufacturer Kreysler & Associates, will evoke a white linen table cloth being gently unfurled across a table, while also hiding the ceilings functional elements. The sweeping vaults create large skylights that will let in ample natural light and sound-dampening ceiling panels will reduce ambient noise. The new kitchen will also be equipped with customized ventilated ceiling systems by Halton Americas that use remote sensors to control air flow.

The renovation of The French Laundry kitchen is not simply a face-lift. It is a commitment by Chef Keller and his team to continually aim themselves toward the moving target of perfection, said Douglas Burnham, Principal/Founder, Envelope A+D.

In addition to expanding the kitchens size by 25 percent, the renovation will make for more efficient use of space, creating one contiguous room for the entire culinary team with a visual connection from station to station. With walls, flooring and work stations all fashioned out of anti-microbial Dekton Quartz by Cosentino of North America, the new kitchen will feature a white-on-white palettea nod to the sense of promise and potential of a fresh start. The kitchen equipment will feature two unique Moltini suites by Electrolux and commercial ranges by Hestan Commercial. The ground-up construction of a new Kitchen Annex will house The French Laundrys support functions including the prep kitchen, butchery, produce breakdown, and management offices. It is also home to The French Laundrys regarded wine collection, with the storage capacity to hold up to 14,000 bottles.

Energy conservation and efficiencies are also critical components of the renovation. Renewable energy solar panels by NRG will be installed and the kitchen will feature a power generation system utilizing new fuel cell technology by Bloom Energy. An expansion of the existing unique geothermal loop is planned as well to further improve overall sustainability.

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The French Laundrys Plans Revealed

Its time for the 1957 Royal Poinciana Plaza to have a wow moment again, Samantha David told residents and others Tuesday at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.

For six months, Smith and Moore Architects and Nievera Williams Landscape Architecture have worked with David, of Up Markets, to make that moment possible. Up Markets took a controlling leasehold interest in the John Volk-designed commercial plaza last August through a $22.5 million deal.

We very deliberately chose residential landscape and building architects with the hope that, (when) you drive up to this building, it feels like you are approaching the most beautiful home, David said. When you go on to the gardens, its someones garden and its cozy and its intimate and special.

The team showed its plan to revitalize the Regency-style plaza to the public for the first time Tuesday.

The keys, they said, are a major boost in landscaping to increase shade and visual appeal, a change in traffic flow and the restoring architectural elements lost over the years in piecemeal changes.

Windows and storefronts need to be restored to Volks original design and awnings should be the same style and color, according to Daniel Kahan, an architect with Smith and Moore.

What we are trying to do is strip away all of the unfortunate things that have happened to a great building since it was constructed. In a vacuum, each decision that has been made may have not been so terrible, but they werent made holistically and over the years they have amassed to something that really does a disservice to a great building, Kahan said.

Landscape architect Keith Williams said the plan would improve traffic flow by eliminating the entrance/exit on Cocoanut Row, adding a curb cut for an entrance/exit at the northeast corner of the property and a cut for two exit lanes on the southeast corner.

To reduce the asphalt on the massive property, those spots and the existing north-side entrance/exit would be paved with cast stone.

Sidewalks would shrink from 12.6 feet to 5 feet in width to provide room for palm trees and shrubs, and to increase the distance between parallel parking spaces next to the buildings and the first row of angled spaces, according to Williams.

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Team reveals plan for intimate redo of Royal Poinciana Plaza

SAN LORENZO -- Catherine Kavasch knew she wanted to get rid of her lawn, she just wasn't sure what to grow in her yard instead.

But now she has four templates to guide her in what and where to plant, created by UC Berkeley landscape architecture students specifically for San Lorenzo yards. The four designs are the result of a partnership of the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association, StopWaste and the university.

"I'm excited," said Kavasch, whose plans to convert her yard into an herb garden are undergoing approval.

"The house came with the lawn; it's pretty common in San Lorenzo. It's not what we should be doing; watering lawns is one of the biggest waste of water there is. I'm trying to do my little part," said the homes association's former president.

Catherine Kavasch displays a drought-tolerant garden design from a UC Berkeley landscape architecture book in San Lorenzo on April 3, 2015. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Her actions are even more timely after Gov. Jerry Brown ordered mandatory water restrictions Wednesday as the state's drought worsens.

The UC Berkeley students compiled the four garden designs in a 134-page book containing color photographs, watercolor paintings and illustrations. The book has planting designs for sunny and shade lots, estimates of plant cost, expected water savings and detailed descriptions of the plants and their eventual size.

The four plans will be displayed April 25 at a landscape expo where StopWaste also will lead a "garden party" to convert a portion of the association office's yard into a California native garden. The association is holding an essay contest for San Lorenzo Village residents to win free installation of one of the four drought-tolerant yards.

"We have homeowners who want to convert their yards, and now we are giving them the tools," said Susan Kleebauer, homes association administrator.

The association requires residents to maintain their yards, but does not tell people what to grow, said board member Steven Kirk.

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Drought: UC Berkeley students create low-water templates for San Lorenzo yards

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- California's historic drought is making it hard for many residents to maintain a nice yard.

Now, with new water restrictions in place, Governor Jerry Brown is calling on people to move away from grass and look for more drought-tolerant landscaping.

But that doesn't mean people are stuck living with a yard full of rocks and cacti.

Landscapers say there are a lot of drought-resistant flowers, shrubs and grasses out there, and putting these plants in your yard doesn't just save water -- it can also save homeowners money.

Landscape Designer Shayna Orr tells us just how much homeowner's can expect to save.

"We cut their water bill by $300. It looks like we're using more water and a lot more maintenance, but, in reality, it's about half," Orr says.

On Wednesday, California Governor Jerry Brown imposed mandatory water restrictions for the first time on residents, businesses, and farms.

He ordered cities and towns in the drought-ravaged state to reduce usage by 25-percent. Drought resistant landscaping could save water, money

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Drought resistant landscaping could save water, money

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Pacheco Landscape & Pool Construction

One Ocean Expeditions is offering 20% off an August photography expedition to see polar bears, walruses and whales as well as Inuit settlements in Canada's Arctic and Greenland.

"Arctic Cirle in Focus: Photo Symposium" sails Aug. 2 aboard an expedition ship called the Akademik Ioffe/One Ocean Navigator.

In addition to remarkable wildlife sightings, passengers will get a firsthand glimpse of the landscape of glaciers, fjords and icebergs.

The voyage begins in Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut, the northernmost territory in Canada, and takes 11 days to sail to Kangerlussuaq on the west coast of Greenland. It includes stops in places like Monumental Island, known for its walrus populations, Cape Mercy and Sondre Stromfjord, one of the longest fjords in the world.

While on board, experts on this cruise provide background information with lectures about the wildlife, history and geology of the Arctic. Professional photographers, including resident ship's photographer Daisy Gilardini, also will be making presentations and offering passengers one-on-one photographic tips.

The ship holds fewer than 100 passengers and was designed for polar research. It has a lobby, bar, small fitness center, dining room, library, a mud room (for drying and storing the gear you need for land excursions), sauna and saltwater plunge pool.

Prices start at $5,595 (with the discount) per person and includes the trip as well as all excursions. International airfare and transfers are extra.

Info: One Ocean Expeditions, (855) 416-2326

Link:
20% off Arctic Circle photo cruise from Canada to Greenland in August

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WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- The Azalea Festival home tour features a house that celebrates captains and seafaring.

The Smiths said they have owned the Greek-revival cottage at 321 S. 4th Street in Wilmington for 25 years. According to the Azalea Festival website, William Cooke, the captain of the original cutter Diligence, built it in 1844. It has the original fireplaces, wood floors and detached kitchen.Suzanne Smith said the detached kitchen is one of the only ones in southeastern North Carolina.

The Smiths restored the kitchen, shored up the foundation and replaced the old wiring. They said it's a lot of work, but worth it.

"Oh, it's completely worth it. I feel really happy. The only room we haven't done now is what I call the real kitchen, the one I cook in. But, we're out of energy right now," Suzanne Smith said while chuckling.

She went on to say that she and her husband, Herman, have added some nautical touches, like the bust of a Mermaid, to the home to honor the Captain Cooke.

The Historic Home Tour is Saturday, April 11 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are Tickets $25 in advance, and $30 on the day of the event. The ribbon cutting will be at the MacRae-Willard House at 520 Orange Street on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Click here for more information.

According to the Azalea Festival's website, the North Carolina Azalea Festival Home Tour is an annual event held by the Historic Wilmington Foundation. Proceeds from the Home Tour will advance the Historic Wilmington Foundations efforts to protect and preserve the irreplaceable historic resources of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear region. Since 1966, the foundation has successfully saved more than 200 historic properties from demolition.

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HISTORIC HOME TOUR: William Cooke House