Additional Sustainable Links, credit due to the USGBC for assembling this exhaustive, continuously updated resource: www.USGBC.org Life Cycle Analysis & Costing ATHENA Sustainable Materials Institute BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) [NIST] BuildingGreen.com – Life Cycle Assessment California Life Cycle Cost Assessment Model ENVEST (environmental impact estimating design software) [UK BRE] LCA Center Life [...] Read More

This contemporary home was built in rural Idaho, to a couple interested in passive solar, and eclectic materials.  The use of corrugated aluminum, raw concrete, and bountiful sunshine, fulfilled their desires, as well as ours. –Rendering– –Video– Floor Plan —To download information about the Gallatin, or Gravitas, click on the boxes above— Technorati Tags: Stock [...] Read More

As promised some follow up photos to the last Modernism in the Northwest post. A few images from a tour of Mid-Century Modern examples in Boise.   A Boise Troutner Home:       Also on tour was the Charles Hummel Residence: Pietro Belluschi in Boise. The original Idaho Statesman Building was designed by Pietro [...] Read More

Last year Boise was host to a great symposium called Modernism in the Northwest.  I was fortunate enough to be a part of this sold out event. Hopefully it will happen again so more people can take part. I’m going to sum it up here and tell you some of the highlights. In depth information [...] Read More

The Escalante Gravitas is proud to announce being awarded Timber Home Living’s 4th Annual Top 5 Floor Plans Design Award. Our model, “The Escalante” is appearing in the March issue of Timber Home Living, which will be on newsstands February 10th. The original home is to be built in Snowmass, Colorado, using the latest in [...] Read More

I am very excited to be working with a young couple in Boise on the design of their home using the Not So Big tenants of Design. This will be an urban infill project in the North End of Boise (our original residential district just North of Downtown). We have been touting Sarah Susanka’s books [...] Read More

Recently we created a gem of a home with Hand-Crafted Log Homes from Dublin, Virginia.  It holds 3,760 SF of traditional log home appeal, with 4 bedrooms, and 4 1/2 baths. The Madison is the quintessential log home plan with a few features that you don’t always see. A large Grand Entry with a double [...] Read More

The Fraser was designed for a dramatic site outside of Breckenridge, Colorado for Atrium Log Homes.  This design utilizes logs milled in Finland by Honka.  It contains 2306 SF on three levels, with 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, and a 2 car garage. Honka’s unique milling capabilities, and Atrium Log Homes building expertise were leveraged [...] Read More

Since Gravitas started over 7 years ago, we have worked with many clients located throughout North America as you can see by the map below.  Being located a continent away from many of our clients, site visits are often out of the question.  Typically, we only get to walk the site on less than 10% [...] Read More

This is an article our favorite engineer wrote about the importance of engineering your residential project. Professional engineering is recommended on all projects and more and more it is being required by many local jurisdictions or on the state level. All of our projects in California, Colorado, New Mexico, New York require the project be [...] Read More

There are quite a few myths about log homes that are circulating among folks who are already having enough problems with sorting log facts from fiction.  Here’s my take on one of the biggest myths in the log home industry – How to get the “final“  total price of a log home from a manufacturer.  Time [...] Read More

With my last post, I wanted to give you some background on myself and my experience in the Log Home Industry.  I hope that if you have any questions at any time during this series, you’ll either leave comment or contact me. First things first – one of the most important things during the whole [...] Read More

  The following is a list of typical steps that owners go through when building their new home. This is also related to remodel projects. You may be able to skip or combine a step, but we have found these to be fairly standard. 1. What are you going to build So you have decided [...] Read More

I thought I’d take a few minutes and give you some idea as to how the log home industry works, from a couple of different “inside” industry positions.  First, a little background on myself.  I’ve got a B.S. in Forest Products – Wood Construction & Design from the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!).  After graduation, I [...] Read More

The Escalante was designed for the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado.  It contains 4514 SF of mountain living in three levels, with 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms, a 2 car garage, and enlarged shop area. Capturing the amazing valley views was of prime importance with this home. Outdoor living was maximized with a large terrace [...] Read More

Here are a few homes located in Boise's North end built by Hale Development of Boise, Idaho. Read More

Boise may be popular in the financial, and lifestyle magazines, but in regards to contemporary architecture, we are not trendsetters. While I greatly admire a lot of what the city has done, moving the ball forward in regards to design has not been a priority. This is a conservative city, and it is definitely a [...] Read More

This resource is a collection of our Plans of the Month.  At Gravitas, our plans have been developed for individual people with unique design requirements.  We have designed from the Eastern Seaboard, to the Olympic Peninsula, and points in between. What this section is intended to do, is to highlight individual "plan book" projects, helping [...] Read More

The following post offers a few points to think about if you’re considering building a log home.  A lot of people get overwhelmed with information at the beginning of this process.  I wrote this a few years ago to help break down the nuts and bolts of log homes.    When a family has decided [...] Read More

The Sages is one of our most popular plans to start sketching from.  It has many unique design elements, that lend themselves to living, entertaining, and enjoying the natural beauty of its surroundings.  This plan was honored by the 2007 Timber Home Living Floor Plan contest with a top floor plan nomination.  The variation rendered [...] Read More