Common Sense Design is a small architecural design firm located in Sonoma County, California. We work collaboratively to create innovative, non-generic buildings and places which are respectful of the local built traditions, thoughtfully integrated into the natural landscape, designed in consonance with the local climate, built with honest materials, and which evoke a sense of playfulness.
In addition to offering the full soup-to-nuts architectural services for small projects, we offer smaller bundles of practical, no-nonsense advice and design ideas in the form of design consultations as well as green building consultations.
In addition to offering the full soup-to-nuts architectural services for small projects, we offer smaller bundles of practical, no-nonsense advice and design ideas in the form of design consultations as well as green building consultations.
Services
Common Sense Design has completed several hundred residential and small commercial projects since its inception in 1990.
Since we are a small firm, we are able to maintain the close personal involvement which smaller projects demand.
We delight in working collaboratively on our projects with our clients, builders, other professionals, tradespeople, artists, and craftspeople.
A 1980 graduate of MIT (in Architecture), I am one of a small number of architects who has years of experience in the trenches as a hands-on licensed general building contractor (Common Sense Construction, 1986 through 1990) -- as well as years in other architecture firms prior to 1985.
Since we are a small firm, we are able to maintain the close personal involvement which smaller projects demand.
We delight in working collaboratively on our projects with our clients, builders, other professionals, tradespeople, artists, and craftspeople.
A 1980 graduate of MIT (in Architecture), I am one of a small number of architects who has years of experience in the trenches as a hands-on licensed general building contractor (Common Sense Construction, 1986 through 1990) -- as well as years in other architecture firms prior to 1985.
At the heart of our outlookis the observation that much of what gets built these days is clumsily designed, carelessly built, enormously wasteful of energy and resources, sterile, inhuman, unhealthy, and just plain ugly.
One great source of inspiration is the other track of architectural history, the one that gets slight mention in most studies of architectural history: that of folk building, or vernacular building.
Before the Industrial Age, most dwellings and many other buildings were built without the "benefit" of architects, engineers, contractors, codes, permits, regulations, Design Review Boards, lenders, or any of the other features which characterize the building process today.
One great source of inspiration is the other track of architectural history, the one that gets slight mention in most studies of architectural history: that of folk building, or vernacular building.
Before the Industrial Age, most dwellings and many other buildings were built without the "benefit" of architects, engineers, contractors, codes, permits, regulations, Design Review Boards, lenders, or any of the other features which characterize the building process today.
Our favorite past projects - some built, some unbuilt - are the ones that put it all together: well-sited, zero net energy, minimal environmental footprint, honest materials, cool design, and fun to look at.
Our favorite clients are the ones who are willing to venture beyond the bounds of convention.
Our favorite clients are the ones who are willing to venture beyond the bounds of convention.
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