Inhabitants
Clean air, quiet electrical environments, natural light and materials that are safe to touch and breathe.
Three Circles Building
For inhabitantsFor the communityFor the world
Design, consulting and project management for healthier, ecological buildings.
Begin a conversationOne simple test for every choice
A building shapes the body, the neighborhood and the land it draws from. Each material, system and detail is weighed against three questions, and a choice goes into the building only when it serves all three.
The Community
Local materials and trades, safe job sites, and buildings that fit their place and their neighbors.
The World
Low embodied carbon, efficient design and materials that can one day return to the earth.
Where the work goes deepest
IAQ
Indoor air quality
We spend most of our lives indoors, so the air inside matters. Good indoor air starts with what goes into the walls and finishes, and is kept healthy with thoughtful ventilation and moisture control.
- Non-toxic, low-VOC materials
- Fresh-air ventilation
- Humidity and mold prevention
- Air testing and review
EMF
Low-EMF design
Electrical and wireless systems can be planned to keep exposure low where people rest and spend the most time. Most of it is simple and inexpensive.
- Wiring layout and bedroom planning
- Hardwired networking options
- Shielded cable where it helps
- On-site measurement
ALT
Alternative building methods
Natural and low-impact building systems that breathe, store warmth, and are made from abundant materials, matched to the climate, the site and the budget.
- Straw bale
- Hempcrete
- Rammed earth and cob
- Timber frame
- Clay and lime plasters
SUN
Solar and energy efficiency
The cleanest energy is the energy a building never needs. Careful orientation, insulation and airtightness come first, then solar to cover what remains.
- Passive solar design
- High-performance envelopes
- Solar electric and solar hot water
- Battery storage
VASTU
Vastu
Vastu Shastra is the traditional Indian science of placement. It aligns rooms, entries and proportions with the directions, sun and elements so a home feels balanced and supports those who live in it.
- Site and orientation
- Room placement
- Entries and proportions
- Vastu reviews of existing plans
From first sketch to move-in
Design
Homes and small buildings designed around natural materials, passive comfort and healthy indoor environments.
Consulting
Healthy-building reviews, material selection and EMF and air-quality guidance for owners, architects and builders, on site or remotely.
Project management
Budgets, schedules, permits and trades, with the healthy-building goals carried all the way to the finished building.
Work in place
A selection of homes and buildings we have designed, advised on or managed. Click any photo to see it full size.
Mendocino Residence
A timber-framed house set among coastal trees. Heavy fir posts and angled struts, joined with exposed steel connectors, carry deep metal roofs over walls of glass. The house rests on a board-formed concrete base, and the same concrete forms a massive hearth inside.
Natural wood throughout, native planting, and terraces that step down to the land.
Berkeley Hills Residence
A hillside home built with my own building system: standard fir beams joined into exposed K-trusses with water-jet-cut steel connectors. It works like mass timber at a small-building scale. The trusses carry the roof over open, light-filled rooms and stay in view as the main design feature.
The house is set into the tree canopy, with decks, a vine-covered stone courtyard and natural wood throughout.
West B Condos
Compact, wood-clad condominiums under curved metal roofs. Each home has a vaulted living space with wide views, a loft, and its own deck, with a planted garden path at the entry.
Pacific Heights Residence
A city townhouse renewed from facade to finishes. Steel-framed windows and doors open the front, tall windows fill the living room with light, and a calm palette of plaster, stone and painted millwork carries through the kitchen and study.
Channing Condos
A row of three-story townhomes around a shared courtyard. The live/work units facing the street are clad in corten steel, and the residential units are clad in stucco and shiplap. Planted strips line the sidewalk and courtyard.
Tools for a healthier home
Meters, shielding and air-quality products I use and recommend in my own work.
EMF meter
A handheld meter for checking electric, magnetic and radio-frequency fields at home.
[Price]Ask to order
Shielded cable
Metal-clad and shielded wiring that keeps electric fields inside the walls.
[Price]Ask to order
Shielding paint
Carbon-based paint that blocks radio-frequency signals from outside, grounded to earth.
[Price]Ask to order
Bed canopy
A shielding fabric canopy for a low-exposure place to sleep.
[Price]Ask to order
Wired network kit
Cables, switch and adapters to replace Wi-Fi where you spend the most time.
[Price]Ask to order
Air quality monitor
Tracks CO2, particulates, VOCs and humidity so you can see what the air is doing.
[Price]Ask to order
HEPA air purifier
A quiet true-HEPA and carbon filter for bedrooms and living spaces.
[Price]Ask to order
Clay plaster
Natural clay finish plaster that balances humidity and has no VOCs.
[Price]Ask to order
About David Bass
I am a designer, builder and consultant who has spent my career pursuing mastery of the whole process, from first sketch to finished building. I believe a building should be a space where the inhabitants can thrive on every level.
Tell me about your project
Share a little about your site, your timeline and what you hope to build. Consulting is available wherever you are.
Phone(510) 219-8086