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NEWS


Can “Glamping” Offer an Alternative to Napa Hotels?
Chris d CraikerALA In my earlier days, an Airstream trailer was looked upon as a cheap throwback to another era. The Mid-Century design...

CRAIKER
Apr 175 min read


Budgeting for Homes Improvements or Additions… Open your wallet and say, Help yourself!
Chris d Craiker AIA/NCARB A recent study by Qualified Remodeler magazine concluded that three out of four homeowners have gone into...

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Apr 174 min read


Making Concrete Lighter and Less Carbon Dependent
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB Concrete is among the most energy consuming products on Earth. Concrete consists of water, aggregates, binders,...

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Apr 173 min read


The Back Story of Habitat for Humanity
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB The recent passing of President Jimmy Carter has noted his participation and advocating for Habitat for...

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Apr 173 min read


New State Laws for Producing More Housing... And Headaches
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB California has never abandoned its commitment to produce more housing throughout the State. 2024 saw less new...

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Apr 174 min read


Are Our Bridges Safe to Drive Over?
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB One year ago, the Francis Scott Key Bridge across the Patapsco River at Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed as a...

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Apr 173 min read


Kitchens vs. Dining Rooms: Who’s on First?
Kitchens and Dining Rooms have always had a complicated relationship. Like two battling siblings, the Kitchen has been boxed up for years...

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Apr 174 min read


A White House Call About Greenland… & New Fed Design Standards
Chris d Craiker It was an unexpected afternoon call from the White House. The attendant asked me to hold on for a few minutes while I...

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Apr 173 min read


Santa’s House Burns Down and What a Mess!
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB When Santa’s House Burndown, The County Asked him to move in with the Reindeer That July Sunday morning, the...

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Jan 23 min read


What To Do with Porch Columns from Ancient Times
I was recently requested to work on a winery that had a multitude of huge front portico columns that were failing from dry rot and age....

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Jan 22 min read


France Goes Backwards to Grasp its Future
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB All around the world, eyes have been focused on the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The...

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Jan 23 min read


Napa Lost a Wine and Architecture Pioneer
Jan Shrem, founder of Clos Pegase and The UC Davis Manetti Shrem Museum of Art passes at 94 Jan Shrem has contributed more to making Napa...

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Jan 23 min read


Veterans in Construction and AI: 2024
Chris d Craiker AIA On November 11th , Veteran's Day, we are reminded of those that have fought bravely for our Country. Both men and...

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Jan 24 min read


All About Your Gutters
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB I’m sure you’ve been receiving thousands of notices this Fall, creating fear and anxiety about what to expect,...

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Jan 23 min read


The Future of Drawing Reproduction
What’s a blueprint? A few weeks ago, I published an article called, “A blueprint for Napa ….Downtowns”. In our office staff meeting, one...

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Jan 23 min read


How Garages Could Help Our Voting Improved
Chris d Craiker ALA/NCARB With the pending election, I thought an update of a 2020 Architex Angle article would be appropriate. This is...

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Jan 23 min read


Bay Windows: Lost In Time or Timeless?
Chris d Craiker Some architectural elements are fixed in a time capsule: distinct to an era or style. For example, round top windows...

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Aug 21, 20242 min read


Dealing with Springtime Water Leaks
Chris d Craiker Now that spring has arrived, everybody is turning on their irrigation systems and many are discovering leaks that...

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Aug 21, 20243 min read


The World’s Smallest Winery & Vineyard Isn’t in Napa
Chris d Craiker As I drive around Napa, it’s hard to ignore all the “Vanity Vineyards” in front yards. Sometimes 20 vines are jammed...

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Aug 21, 20243 min read


Roofing Robots and Drones Are Up in the Air
Chris d Craiker I was recently surprised when I received two emails asking about robotic roofing installation. My article about AI in the...

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Aug 21, 20244 min read
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