built from reclaimed douglas fir 4x12 posts, this staircase is one of our favorite elements of the work we did on the decarli house in sonoma county.
using 1/4" fsc-certified birch plywood, custom cut into 6" widths, we also paneled the wall leading upstairs onto the second floor ceiling in order to visually connect both levels of the home.
the results are even more enhanced with the skylight we placed on the vaulted ceiling above. less need for illumination from an electric lighting source and an overall even, contemplative effect.
compliments on this particular design aspect of the house?
after meeting with alfred at black scale about the next phase of work, we found ourselves coming back from the city on an unbelievably warm evening with stunning light.
we created this design nearly two years ago for a couple high profile clients and it got a lot of attention, since it's debut was at the san francisco green festival. commissioned by good magazine for their main booth in the center of the convention hall, it's made from fsc-certified oak plywood and natural latex cushions with knoll fabric from their environmental series.
the online magazines, high snobiety, materialicious and tuhi international all posted on the design, giving it high marks. (even dwell gave us some love, albiet, 10 months later.)
it's one of our favorite designs we've produced and are proud to say we have the prototype sitting center in our own home.
not so long ago, we had multiple projects running simultaneously. we were designing a retail store in spain, completing a house in sonoma county and re-designing a home in the hills of los angeles.
we kept two construction coordinators busy with crews, working in napa, marin, mendocino and sonoma counties constantly. we were growing as a business at a rate that could only be hoped for. we were continually finding ourselves with more opportunity then we could have envisioned.
that was up through 2009.
this year began with strong momentum as we moved location, designed the benny gold store, worked heavily on the william tell saloon and had numerous furniture commissions in queue.
that was the spring.
the economic downturn has most definitely caught up with us. this summer everything has come to the point we do whatever work we can to maintain cash flow. we've been focusing on graphic design, small signage opportunities (see above) and remodels that we may have passed on only 10 short months ago.
we continue providing our clients, and the public in general, service with integrity, consistency and an original architectural design perspective.
plugging along, i think it's called.
we, as everyone affected by the current economic conditions, are certainly hoping to see things turn around, but for now? we'll continue doing whatever it takes to keep form3 on the map.
we've been plugging away, creating graphics for the low post news.
they've created a promotional opportunity for their readers to download franchise-specific poster art (created by form3) and place it in site- specific places around their community.
chris has been documenting the faces of the regulars at the william tell saloon, therefore documenting the social layers of the community of tomales itself.
the saloon plays a role similar to that of a town hall. discussions range from the weather and its concerns for ranchers to the local gossip of who's doing what to whom, where and how.
some things hashed out on the south side of the bar are important to maintaining the fabric of this small town, some things tear it apart. but with all said, everything that happens here is essential to the heartbeat of this sometimes crazy little place they call tomales.
the images in hans-christian schink's photographic series "traffic projects" depict the destruction of our landscape to give us a less traveled, more convenient route to the mall, to work, to the country, to nowhere.
after the post from last thursday, this seems like a well-timed book review from the new york times chronicling the history of the design and construction of the golden gate bridge.
an impressive engineering feat that's been called “perhaps the most successful combination of site and structure since the parthenon”, we admire the structure and site plan every time we cross.
the work we're doing with the low post keeps moving along nicely.
the site is going online with their new domain name as of tomorrow, so we've been designing a series of artwork they've decided to post around different web sites.
this, of course, is an image of tim duncan used without permission of the spurs, the nba or duncan himself.
james turrell is, by far, one of the most contemplative and thoughtful artists working today. (and one of our all-time favorites)
his work involves explorations in light and space that speak to viewers without words, impacting the eye, body, and mind with the force of a spiritual awakening.
true to his quaker roots, his art prompts self-awareness through silent contemplation, patience, and meditation and there's no better place to experience this than the live oak friends meeting house in houston he designed with architect leslie elkins.
we installed the new display unit for the benny gold retail space in the mission district yesterday and it looks great. not only does it allow benny the opportunity to show off his new fall line coming out next month, it actually has the effect of enlarging the feel of the interior space.
after rearranging a few elements on the wall as you enter 3171 21st street, you'll notice the latest addition from form3. thirty five extra square feet of retail display for all the killer designs benny has to offer.
what are you waiting for?
go.
tell gabriel form3 sent you. they LOVE us down there.
if you find yourself wandering about in west marincounty, there's no better place to stop and have a cold one with a burger and fries than the william tell saloon.
now you can buy your friends gift certificates in denominations of $20, $50 and $100 so they, too, can enjoy the splendors of the william tell.
with all the work we've been doing in the city of san francisco lately, we find ourselves crossing the golden gate bridge quite often. each time is as amazing as the last. not only is the bridge an inspiring feat of engineering that has held up remarkably well over its 73 years, it possesses a wonderful sense of mystery.
the weather changes that rush over, under or through the bridge from the pacific ocean into the san francisco bay are nothing less than spectacular. fog, in all its various forms, is the most-likely candidate to present some type of change, but mixed with the sun, pedestrian, and vehicular traffic, it provides the bridge with a sense of a living organism unto itself.
it is truly an inspiring experience as you navigate this magnificent structure while either heading north into the beauty of marin county or south into the city itself. it never gets old.
sometimes the simplest plan can go a little awry. what should have been an easy enough day got somewhat complicated as we began the work of installing the new shelving units at black scale.
two words: metal studs. thanks to both ryan and ron for helping out and keeping things in perspective. the final product will most definitely look sharp and be worth whatever extra effort was involved.
we just completed the new design for the low postmedia group's press badge. we're pretty sure they think highly of it, since we haven't heard anything less than, "awesome", "perfect" and "we love it".
this inspired minutemen recording has been repeating on the hi-fi as we've been working on a few different projects this week. one of my personal favorite songs of all time ishistory lesson, part 2.
never got a chance to see them, but did see firehose at first ave in minneapolis, then a few years later, mike watt at gabe's in iowa city.
what was cool about these guys went way beyond their music. keeping things honest was no effort at all, because they may have known no other way.
a work ethic that has inspired us to the core. no doubt.
we've completed the new shelving units for black scale this week and sent them over to our coating technicians to receive a fresh coat of NO VOC white latex enamel.
designed to resemble the benches we fabricated earlier this summer, the shelves compliment work already established in the minimalist interior. we continue to do our part in creating a new look in the downtown digs at 55 grant ave.
it's been a pleasure working with alfred and mega on this and we look forward to installation next week.
the northern california coastal influence is hard to ignore this time of year and offers some stunning visuals around the surrounding ranch land every day. the summer months provide much of the same weather routine: heavy morning fog burns off around 11am, then returns again around 4pm or so.
leaving the fog behind at the end of the day on the return drive to petaluma is like the start of a new day. it translates into another wave of energy that is most welcome.
these images are from yesterday's drive back in town.
almost every small town across america has a designated day of celebration to honor their history and heritage. the quaint town of tomales is no different. they call it founder's day.
we've been asked to help out by designing a logo that can be used for posters, t-shirts, hats, etc...
after doing a little research, we came up with a few variations on this basic idea. looks as if the committee has narrowed it down to these three. our favorite? the heavy equipment tow truck. it says it all.
with an emphasis on sustainable practices and formal elements of structure and material, we create distinctive, modern environments for clients on an individual basis.
Posts
