PRESS
On a narrow lot in Capitola, Calif., stands a modest and inviting craftsman-style home. This not-so-big house fits into the quiet neighborhood, yet it is anything but ordinary. Its energy-efficient design features and solar technologies make this home a cutting-edge model of sustainability.
Mother Earth News June/July 2005
Herb and Ellie Foster's comfy old farmhouse in Santa Cruz was, in many ways, the heart of the neighborhood, and over the years it probably hosted more potlucks, community meetings, and teenagers hanging out than all the other houses on the block combined. So when their kids moved out and the stairs became too much for the couple to navigate, Herb and Ellie's first instinct was to figure out how to stay in the community they had lived since 1958.
In-laws, Outlaws, and Granny Flats, Publication: March 15, 2011
Luscious, hand-applied earthen plasters of naturally occurring micaceous clay from New Mexico adorn the interior bale walls. Ferrous sulfate, a benign and inexpensive agricultural fertilizer, was used to stain the exterior lime/cement stucco. Other handcrafted details include built-in window seats, a recycled tile mosaic and the requisite truth window.
The New Strawbale Home, Publication: September 1, 2009
Peek through the recycled glass, and you will see the pale golden rice straw used in constructing the Sullivan's energy-efficient home. It is the first straw-bale house to be constructed in Capitola. Designed and built by general contractors Michele Landegger and Debrae Lopes of Boa Constructor Building and Design... it fits into the neighborhood beautifully.
Santa Cruz Magazine Spring 2009
Just blocks from a sandy beach, they deconstructed a run-down cottage on a narrow lot to build an inviting Craftsman-style home. Passive energy efficiency is concealed within the attractive design. Siting the house at the minimum five-foot setback along the north side of the narrow 45 x 100 foot lot allows more living space on the south for maximum daylight and solar heat in the winter.
The Hybrid House, Publication: May 1, 2010
When first planning to build a straw bale house in Santa Cruz, Michele and Debrae enlisted the help of their architect friend Kelly Lerner to conduct a workshop in order to build a simple structure so they could learn the basics. They continued by creating a design for a larger living space with help from Kelly and another friend, Blythe Campbell.