Working in the Garden – a model project on a County Government campus creates a breath of fresh air in a daylit, garden setting. The L-shaped building shelters a courtyard from freeway noise, and fosters community within intimate protected landscape terraces.

A 400’ long, 30’ tall tensile structure & flowering vine trellis acts as a high-performance thermal and shading device – as well as the agency’s identity.  Elegant, comfortable office spaces encourage users to “tune their own environment” – with operable windows, and controllable shading.  

A simple, narrow building footprint maximizes access to natural light and ventilation, as well as access to verdant outdoor gathering spaces to work, meet and recreate. Tactile and sustainable materials, and amenities such as outdoor workstations, functional artwork, and native landscape define the intimate individual experience.

Highly visible on the sloping campus, tensile fabric roof screens define a dynamic terminus to the architecture, while lowering roof temperatures and cooling intake air for the mechanical system.

Built at extremely low cost, the sustainability tour de force solves campus-wide planning needs and serves as a model for all future County of Santa Barbara design and construction.  The subject of an Emmy Award-winning documentary on PBS, AIA California awarded it a rare “Award of High Honor” for its elegance, sustainability, and innovative simplicity.

In collaboration with artist Michael Singer and VAI  Van Atta Associates.