On March 8, 2012, Ray Kappe, FAIA, presented an inspiring summary of his life work in Los Altos, CA. Speaking to a packed Hillview Community Center,he detailed his fascination with a building systems approach to architecture with seminal design ideas from 50 years ago coming to fruition in the LivingHomes prefabricated homes in Los Angeles and Los Altos. He called himself a pragmatist and an empiricist but many in the audience felt that he was a visionary well ahead of his time in terms of social, environmental, energy efficient and sustainable design concerns.

Breaking his career into ten-year increments he described his bridge houses that touched lightly on the landscape, his prefabricated schemes in both metal and wood and his solar-oriented houses.

Using examples from his large portfolio of built projects and prototype energy-use explorations, he explained the theme and variation of his rigorous design approach that resulted in poetic expressions of exposed structure, glass transparency, ever changing light and shadow play, visually stimulating reflections and exciting interior spaces.

All artists go through a process when creating their art. While some of these processes seem more random than others, the artistic product undergoes a beginning and an end. Architecture, like many traditional art forms, is not an exception to this rule. In fact, success is often predicated on the strength of this process, and often times, the methods used to begin a project can have profound effects on the way it is finished.

In Japanese Buddhism, Zen masters use the term kensho to describe true self, a moment of enlightenment, or pure mind. In the creative process, moments of kensho are perhaps the times of greatest inspiration and lucid thinking. For Kappe+Du, this is where our creative process begins.

Every design starts with an idea, a moment of inspiration that will then lay the foundation for the rest of the project.

Goldfish Salvation – Riusuke Fukahori – (Video, click to watch)

For Riuskue Fukahori, his moment of kensho came from his pet goldfish. Now his lifelong theme, Fukahori uses acrylic to paint on clear resin that is laid and set to dry at different stages. The end product is an incredibly lifelike and three-dimensional solid pool of painted fish.

Similar to the work of Fukahori, the Kappe+Du architectural design philosophy begins with a moment of kensho, and then moves through a distinct process that is made up of multiple phases. All the steps and stages of this design process require considerable time and concentration, but in the end, all the different layers come together to form an innovative and practical design.  By completion, we have been inclusive of stakeholders while providing strong leadership, brought diverse needs together into a unique solution for the site and community, and reflected the best of the neighborhood context while striving for a timeless grace.

Fukahori uses multiple layers of resin and acrylic paint to create his graceful final product. His art takes a considerable amount of time, and with each layer of resin added, he is closer to finishing. For Kappe+Du, our layers of resin and paint come in the form of blue prints, virtual images, and conversations with clients. While a painting of a goldfish and a custom designed building may seem like complete opposites, the methodologies for creating both are similar. Flowing from that single moment of kensho, the process of creation becomes an art form.

-Team K+D

 

When Kappe+Du Architects was founded in 1996, the practice of sustainable construction was just beginning. While architects have always been concerned with the impact of their designs, a new generation of design principles has ushered in an era of increased environmental awareness. Sixteen years after our founding, Kappe+Du Architects continues to create quality architecture centered on aesthetic and environmental values. We believe that sustainable architecture and design excellence go hand in hand, and are not separate matters to be reconciled.

Kappe+Du collaborates with the natural world, and makes design decisions that prioritize efficiency and moderation, without sacrificing aesthetic qualities. While some may see sustainable construction and green building design as a limiting process, we view this as a unique opportunity to think creatively about new ways to approach the design and construction process.

Today, promoting sustainability is now a goal for many companies and cities across the world. As plastic use continues to rise, we are beginning to understand the negative impacts that single-use plastic bags have on our ocean ecosystems. Thousands of people daily choose reusable cloth bags over plastic or paper bags in an effort to minimize our dependence on plastic. Additionally, cities across California are initiating local policies to ban plastic bags, while companies promptly begin rethinking what it means to carry groceries home from the store.

The reusable bag tells an important story — it shows that a paradigm shift has occurred in our thinking and attitude towards the environment. Recognizing the importance of this shift in thinking, we embrace a new generation of design principles that choose materials and designs that will support the environment.

As we embark on the new year, we reflect on our 2011 projects, as well as goals for the future. In 2011, we completed the first phase of the Town of Truckee Service Center and Animal Shelter to a standard of LEED Silver. This is a two-phase construction that, when fully built, will provide a campus of 95,000 S.F. of buildings for the Town of Truckee. Such sustainable features as roof mounted photovoltaic panels, a ground source heat pump system, rain water/snow melt capture and re-use, high efficiency HVAC systems, low VOC interior products to reduce off-gassing and site bioswales are an integral part of this project’s design.

Since the U.S. Green Building Council introduced the LEED certification process in 2000, nearly 9 billion square feet of building space have participated in the rating system. The future of architecture will be based around the creation of excellent and innovative sustainable facilities.

Everyday we are faced with decisions that impact our environment. In 2012, let us remember that sustainability can be both convenient and attractive. Like the reusable bag, we are rethinking conventional design methods.  In our architecture, we love fusing the indoors with the outdoors. We are inspired by nature and conservation efforts, and our designs reflect that thinking.

Here’s to a Greener 2012!

-Team K+D