Construction at Avis Granary Retreat: Update No.4

First views of the near-complete Cookhouse interior--just in time for the holidays!








Photos courtesy of North Fork Builders, Inc.

Laura Hartman to speak at AIASF Panel Discussion on Collaboration with Landscape Architects

Laura Hartman will be at the San Francisco AIA offices at 6pm on January 17th as part of an AIA Panel discussion. The panel will focus on the dynamics of architect / landscape architect collaborations and is lead by Charlotte Frieze, author of Private Paradise: Contemporary American Gardens. Fernau & Hartman’s work with SCAPE Landscape on the Amtrak House is featured in the book.


The garden at F&H's Amtrak House, also known as the Barnacle House, from Charlotte Frieze's Private Paradise. (photo courtesy of SCAPE)

Leftover Table II Update No. 5

See all posts on the Leftover Table II.

Leftover Table II Update No. 4

See all posts on the Leftover Table II.

Construction at Avis Granary Retreat: Update No. 3

Construction updates from November and December.

See all posts on updates at the Granary Retreat.

In Cookhouse stair, looking towards Sleeping Nook.


Cookhouse upstairs, looking towards cooling chimney.


Equipment Barn taking shape.


Progress on the pedestrian bridge that will connect the new Cookhouse to the rest of the Compound--Granary House and Granary in background.

Leftover Table II Update No. 3: Base Struts and Supports

Fabrication of parts for the table base--connectors for the struts at the top of the base that allow the adjustable tabletop to slide smoothly--is happening at Swerve Co; at Berkeley Mills, the tabletop is coming together!

See all posts on the Leftover Table II.

Leftover Table II Update No. 2: Base Struts and Supports

See our progress below on the "Leftover" Table II's moveable, adjustable base back at Swerve Co. furniture manufactory.

See previous posts on the Leftover Table II and its progress.

The new base design has cherry struts with aluminum alloy connections on rubber casters.

Polypropylene sliding supports that hold the tabletop and removable center leaves.

Leftover Table II Update No. 1: Crafting the tabletop

Unlike its predecessor, the tabletop for "Leftover" Table II has more subtly contrasting pieces composed from the colors and grains of walnut, cherry, and wenge wood. See F&H's continuing production in collaboration with Berkeley Mills.

Creating custom notched wood connections for center leaves and end pieces.

Happy MiesGivings

We hope you don’t have any misgivings about MiesGivings. This year Fernau & Hartman and friends celebrated a Mies-themed Thanksgiving at the F&H office, featuring Mies van der Rohe’s IIT Campus Pastelon and glimpses of Modernism in Jacques Tati’s 1958 “Mon Oncle”—although with F&H’s Holiday Sangria, we’d say "more is more."

The Leftover Table II

Fernau & Hartman has designed custom furniture for a number of residential projects in the past and is pleased to enter production of a current project, the "Leftover" Table II. In collaboration with Berkeley-based Swerve Co., F&H revisits our earlier "Leftover" Table design, which repurposed unused "Finply" wood pieces to create contrasting adjustable leaves. Beginnings of the project below:

The original "Leftover" Table.


Mockup of the base at Swerve Co.


Selecting woods at Berkeley Mills.

Construction at Avis Granary Retreat: Update No. 2

We hope you enjoy these Fall views as much as we do, from F&H's visit to the Avis Granary Retreat last month.

See all posts on updates at the Granary Retreat.