Welcome to Skillful Means--Sustainable Design and Building. Designers and Builders of Straw bale, Rammed Earth.

Skillful Means

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Skillful Means combines decades of experience with straw-bale, rammed earth and conventional construction with a tradition of service to our clients.

We offer a wide range of services, from site planning to finish construction.

home/what's new

San Francisco Chronicle, Home Section, June 25, 2005 !
Small This lovely round retreat cabin, dubbed "The Pie", is featured in the book "Small Strawbale" by Bill and Athena Steen. Slide Show , with sound Slide show , no sound
House on a Creek This house on a creek behind the hills of Berkeley was built by the owners. Erica and David have just moved in, and the home was recently included in a major green homes tour.		Large This complex is being designed for a lakeside location in the Sierra foothills, and includes a barn/sports area, lakeside house, and accomodations for parents and guests. The complex will be powered and heated entirely by the sun and geothermal sources.
".....the Harrison retreat is so elegant and awe-inspiring that it's not unusual for first-time visitors to drop their voices to a whisper as they step through one of its many doors into the main hall." LA Times! San Francisco Chronicle Designed by Skillful Means for composer Lou Harrison, the vault is one of the most earthquake resistant--and really cool--buildings in San Bernardino County. Poster showing structural design.. Award The structural system, devised by David Mar, S.E., won the Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, 2002 by Structural Engineers Association of Northern California. The project also received an Award of Merit at the 2004 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Portland, Oregon.	Lake View House Skillful Means has begun design on a spiral/round house fit onto a steep mountainside overlooking Clear Lake. The great room will feature the inspiring lake views, and a cozy fireplace. The guest bedrooms and office will will enjoy privacy and unique views of the site. The master bedroom will open out into a shady courtyard.
	....features home built by Skillful Means!
Recycling Skillful Means is designing a home in Pennsylvania that will feature fine mahogany paneling, windows, doors, roofing and a pipe organ salvaged from this home near Boston.		Lakeport, CA Skillful Means began construction of a Morocan-influenced home on a ridge above Lakeport. The owners are completing the work, which is progressing soothly.
		Other Skillful Mean Projects.... The Greenfield house is nearing completion. An addition in Mt. Shasta is beginning construction. A strawbale room addition in Davis is underway. We've begun design for a house in the hills west of Napa and in Trinity County.
Bales in Bale Country This home near Chico is now finished. Watch for pictures of the completed building!	Skillful Means stacked and plastered over 1200 bales for this new conference center designed by DS&A.