Our client Don came to us with an incredible story and equally incredible opportunity: After losing his sight as a young man due to bacterial meningitis, he had to relearn how to walk and navigate a completely different world. He trained as a sommelier, returned to California, bought his first home, and found a craft that allowed him to express his creativity through touch: ceramics. We undertook the design of a freestanding art studio and the master planning of his new property, which included a lap pool, native garden, and courtyard. In every element of the design his mobility and comfort were carefully considered. We eliminated lips and edges, consolidated stairs and created a system of navigational landmarks through which, by touch or sound, he is able to orient himself in his new space. The studio responds to Don’s 1928 Spanish Revival house in form and material but presents a contemporary and functional space for craft and companionship. #knowhow2102

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