A Day in the Life of This Builder

What’s a typical day for Jeff? There is no typical day. That’s because every construction project phase and progression vary and are unique to each property. And when Jeff starts his day at 5:15 a.m., he knows his day will be full. “I have a mile-long list of what needs to get done each day to stay on schedule and keep things moving, all while making sure the quality of work is up to the SK level of standards,” says the Construction Partner of SweisKloss.

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“The What’s Possible”

Embarking on a new design + construct project can be overwhelming for a property owner. And agreeing to a proposal for a large-scale build or renovation is a major commitment, especially if the client is not entirely sure what they want to do with their property. Do they want to build up, do they want to build out, do they want to remodel, or tear down and build new?!

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Living and Creating in a Material World

Anyone who has been to the SweisKloss office in downtown Santa Monica knows that we have a materials library filled with a wide array of samples from manufacturers who strive to have their product at the forefront of what we select for design + construct projects. We often receive various materials that range from the most innovative and creative to the simply exquisite. 

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SK Staff: A Few of Our Favorite Things

I liked learning about our staffs’ favorite moments of holidays past and traditions they do to this day. Allow me to share; reading them will make you smile. We’d love to hear from you! Tell us one of your favorite things in the blog comment section below.

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A Tribute to Martin

I lost a great friend and teacher.

Some people we meet in life touch us in immeasurable ways; Martin Gelber was one of these people. He was my first architecture teacher, my mentor and my friend for 30 years. He will always be a part of who I am.

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The DeCANstruction of CANstruction

The inaugural Santa Monica CANstruction wrapped up right before Thanksgiving, and what a whirlwind it was. SweisKloss hosted this friendly competition where participating teams HGA, BuroHappold, and SweisKloss were set to “out-creative” one another for a good cause.

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Thanksgiving Then and Now

I was 10 years old when our family moved from Jordan to Los Angeles, and everything was new and exciting. The different types of homes and architecture, the seemingly endless beaches, the people… and a few new holidays.

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5 Important Questions You Should Ask Before You Hire Your Architect.

Having practiced for over 23 years in the Los Angeles area, I have been asked tons of really good questions about my design + construct process. For those of you who are considering a home renovation or a new home, allow me to share 5 of those really good questions to ask your design professional:

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Show-stopping Architecture

As the holidays approach, I think about how much I will cherish this time with my family and friends. Going to parties. Cooking festive food. Planning special outings. I particularly like to set aside time to take in a show, and our entertainment-centric city has an abundance of incredible shows and architecturally significant theatres to choose from.

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Canstruction Santa Monica Opens to the Public

We are so excited to be presenting the first Canstruction Santa Monica; it starts this weekend and you are invited! Teams have been designing for months, and this Friday night all their planning will be tested as they affix thousands of cans together to form really cool sculptures. All of the sculptures are designed to the theme "it's all fun and games at the beach", so you can only imagine what these creative folks will come up with.

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Designing + Constructing Unique…Jack-O-Lanterns?

We strive to make every design meet our high standards. The planning stage is key, relying on drawings and years of experience to perfect the details. We know the gut job will be messy, but it comes with the territory. And of course, constructing comes with challenges so must be done with the proper tools and resources.

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Showering Your Dog with Love

At SweisKloss we love dogs and know our clients do as well. Dogs are undoubtedly considered part of the family; I often refer to my dog as my third baby, since she came after my two children. Driving around LA, one could easily spot dogs in strollers, backpacks, and custom bike baskets.

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How sausages are made.

Otto von Bismarck is most often credited with saying, “if you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.” Although I think that I do not particularly want to see how sausages are made, I think it is extremely important that we all are aware of how laws are made. And that we have the opportunity to participate in how they are made is one of the benefits of this great democracy. With that said… the Santa Monica City Council will be considering proposed amendments to the ordinance for R1 neighborhood zoning at their October 22 meeting. If you have any interest in remodeling your home in Santa Monica in the near future, you made want to exercise your right to speak up.

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Our next project will be built of… cans?!

We are really excited to announce that we are presenting the inaugural Canstruction Santa Monica competition!

Canstruction is an international design competition, held locally, between architects, engineers and design teams, who build inventive sculptures out of non-perishable food items. It is a festive affair that challenges these teams to “out creative” each other, involves the community in judging and participation, and benefits the local food banks.

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Panama: A Personal Photo Journal

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Panama for professional and personal fulfillment; it was an unforgettable experience. Everywhere we looked we were surrounded by ocean and lush mountains, although as a designer my eye kept returning to the built environment. In Panama City, the built environment is a mixture of old and new, often right next to each other, often backdropping one another. It was difficult to take a snapshot without the mixture in the viewfinder.

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The Back to School Issue

At SweisKloss we understand the importance of designing for children’s needs. And having school-aged children reminds me of this importance every day. Simply put, kids need a place to focus, a place to unwind, a place for storage and a place to sleep.

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Scarcity

I have been listening to a great NPR podcast series lately, Hidden Brain with Shankar Vedantam, and the latest episode really struck a cord with me. The “You 2.0: Tunnel Vision” episode about the psychological phenomenon of scarcity is about how our brains react to scarcity. The examples in the episode center around poverty and the scarcity of money, hunger due to a scarcity of food, and loneliness. My thoughts went to a recent temporary experience of scarcity in which my brain behaved just as the podcast had illustrated.

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5 Great Lounge Chairs

During the dog days of summer, nothing sounds better than relaxing with a good book and a cold drink. So we thought we’d show you 5 great lounge chairs to unwind in at the end of the day.

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