Houses + Origins: WA Design

This beautifully illustrated book takes the reader on a journey through a number of outstanding houses designed and built in the California landscape by Berkeley firm WA design. The firm’s founder David Stark Wilson cites his experiences in nature as the most profound influence on his architecture. In this volume he has chosen to pair images of his architecture beside the images from nature that inspired his designs. The origins of the firm’s work are also deeply rooted in the vernacular buildings of California and this influence is clearly illustrated in this impressive monograph. Although progressive, the firm’s designs draw heavily on the local vernacular. Ordering principles borrow from the building’s context and often relate metaphorically to the surrounding natural landscape, connecting the building to its site in a meaningful way. Sustainable and solar features are also a crucial component in the firm’s design objectives and are seamlessly integrated with the architecture.