MORE THAN 35 YEARS have passed since the fi rst Earth

Day. As young designers of that era, we thought our warnings about

the environment and our ideas for change would reach mainstream

America quickly, but we were wrong. We can only hope now that

changes in attitude and behavior will be comprehensive, and not just

narrow, technological fi xes. “Change” is the slogan of the current

presidential campaigns, but the environmental movement knows

how long attitudes and policies take to really change.

Lest we forget, global warming is as much the result of peo-

ple exploiting people as it is of exploiting resources. Thoughtless

consumption by the ‘Golden Billion’ has long created desperation

among the other fi ve billion. Poverty in America continues to grow;

the average CEO earns 300 times what the average worker earns;

15% of Americans own 85% of the wealth; and once again, the

global economy is in chaos because of the greed of a few on Wall

Street — who this time exploited the housing dreams of modest

Americans. These same American workers are inextricably linked

to the global workforce, for if workers in the Philippines aren’t paid

livable wages, don’t get health care and decent housing, then US

workers have a harder time getting these, for capital seems always

ready to chase after cheaper labor.

In recent years, Pyatok Architects has developed award-winning affordable, market rate, and student housing; multi-use facilities; preservation projects; and TODs.

International ImpactSocial justice means designing for the most vulnerable, with respect and skill.

People Designing PlacesWhen local residents participate in the process, the results refl ect local values.

CHANGE BY DESIGNPYATOK ARCHITECTS ::: SPRING 20 08

Going GreenSmart building envelopes and a weighted matrix promote sustainability.

In 2007 the U.N. reported that

more than three billion people

live on less than two dollars a

day. While the majority of Pyatok

Architects’ work is in the western

US, the fi rm’s commitment — to

high quality, sustainable, cultur-

ally- and climatically-sensitive

designs that serve the working

poor and those in extreme pov-

erty — has attracted the attention

of developers and governments in

the Philipines, Malaysia, Russia,

and Dubai. The fi rm is committed

to social justice, recognizing that

the most vulnerable suffer under

the strains of a warming planet and

a cold, global economy.

International Impact

With global warming now a fact,

North Americans are slowly

agreeing to ‘cozy up’ to each other

in sustainable, compact commu-

nities. For more than 20 years,

Pyatok Architects’ work has been

used across the US, Canada, and

Mexico to change public opinion

about affordable housing and the

value of high-density living —

demonstrating the ways this work

can be a model of sensible living

for all people. In 2007 alone, the

fi rm was invited to present more

than 50 times in 35 cities. A broad

cultural change is in the air and

Pyatok, together with their non-

profi t clients, are leading the way.

Cozy Communities

Cozy CommunitiesAffordable housing has led the way to promote high-density communities.

NAHRO AwardLion Creek CrossingMaster Plan, Mixed Use415 units

Seven DirectionsOakland, CA Affordable Family Housing and Health Clinic, 36 units

Palamanui Kona, HIMarket Rate and Affordable Housing, 200 units

Wood Street Multifamily Market Rate Housing301 units

CA Preservation FoundationAltenheim Senior Housing93 units (rehabilitation)

Orchards on Foothill Senior Housing65 units

SO WHAT CAN ARCHITECTS DO in this global web

of interdependence and injustice? In our modest way, we can work

with clients who develop affordable, sustainable communities in the

US and abroad. But we need to understand that until policies and

funding priorities change, we will not make substantial change. The

most we can expect is that our talents will create environments that

consume less and inspire others to view them as successful models.

As poets, we can present models of what the world could be like,

helping others imagine a better future. After all, imagination and

hope are the foundations for long-term change.

While Pyatok Architects is best known for its work in the

greater Bay Area, we are working in neighboring states and Hawaii,

and in several developing countries. We have designed and proudly

watched the development of more than 35,000 units of affordable

housing. Individually and collectively, staff has advocated for hous-

ing reform, volunteered on community boards, and renovated deteri-

orated homes. We donate a sizable percentage of our modest profi ts

to the nonprofi t developers and housing advocacy organizations. We

promote the incorporation of locally created art into our projects.

And, we continue to do what we can to lighten the carbon footprint

of our offi ce and of the buildings we design.

It has taken all these years for warnings about the environ-

ment and youthful optimism about alternative lifestyles aided by

new technologies to reach the mainstream. Now we need to ensure

the changes will be comprehensive. Photovoltaic cells, green roofs,

and ‘sustainable’ fads applied to buildings will not produce real

change unless economic and social equity are also our goals.

Continuing its history of incor-

porating lay people in the design

process, Pyatok Architects worked

with neighbors and residents

of Nystrom Village last year to

transform a 1940s public hous-

ing project in Richmond, CA into

an affordable neighborhood with

400 rental and ownership oppor-

tunities. Pyatok Architects, with

the California Local Government

Commission, also helped residents

of Salinas, CA resolve issues result-

ing from years of disinvestment in

their local Chinatown, once made

famous by writer John Steinbeck.

A 7-day charette produced a plan

that preserved the area’s history

while adding housing, retail, and

offi ce space.

Since its founding, Pyatok

Architects has practiced sustain-

able design through the promo-

tion, design, and development of

high-density, urban infi ll commu-

nities. By designing in ways that

discourage reliance on automo-

biles, by creating smart building

envelopes that maximize natural

light and ventilation, and by using

green materials, the fi rm’s work

emphasizes the usefulness of infi ll

locations. Recently staff at Pyatok

Architects developed a weighted

sustainable measures matrix,

focused on affordable housing,

helping developers to set early

goals for sustainability.

People Designing Places Going Green

Recent projects are located in communities throughout the Bay Area, Southern CA, the Central Valley; Washington, Arizona, Hawaii; the Philipines and Malaysia.

Some Recent Awards Samples on the Boards Two of Many in Construction

PYATOK ARCHITECTS 1611 Telegraph Avenue Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94612 P. 510.465.7010 F. 510.465.8575