So, instead of shooing away the cute yet annoying little birdies who have been nesting in the eves and waking me up at the crack of dawn every morning (and for those of you who know me you know I am not a morning person!) I will save up my pennies and give them their very own house well away from the window over my bed. Stylish and sustainable houses = happy birds and happy people.

Off to nap...

via the Sustainable Style Foundation

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I have always been fond of Cameron Sinclair's motto, Design Like You Give a Damn, and I'm thrilled to see him honored by a TED prize. As the cofounder of Architecture for Humanity Cameron has been working tirelessly to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crises.

If you are not familiar with the TED prize, get ready to think big. This isn't a pretty statue and a pat on the back, recipients are granted a wish to change the world and the social and financial means to do so. Cameron will be revealing his wish at the February 2006 TED conference, I can't wait to hear what it is.

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Recently, a friend asked if I knew of any beautifully designed, ecologically conscious prefab homes. To be honest, I was completely stumped by the question. Like many people, I had a poorly conceived notion of what prefab housing can be. Think of prefab and what comes to mind? Cardboard like walls, mass produced chemically saturated building materials, forms devoid of personal character and quality sacrificed for quantity. While many prefab houses fit that description, there is a growing movement to develop affordable homes with style and conscience. Enter the new prefab, an elegant answer to the challenging market we live in.

Michelle Kaufman, designer of the Glidehouse as well as the Breezehouse (a joint venture with Sunset Magazine) is a pioneer in bringing affordable ecological design to the masses. What sets these two homes apart? The off site construction creates very little waste, takes less time and has a lower environmental impact on the home site. Both the Breezehouse and Glidehouse are built using sustainable materials including bamboo flooring, galvalume metal roof, on demand hot water, bio-radiant heating, and non toxic paints. Style and substance, good work Michelle!

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