Kelly counts among her inspirations pioneering women such as urban planner Jane Jacobs and architect Zaha Hadid, who both challenged prevalent assumptions at the intersection of theory, practice, and social impact. Following George Elliot’s encouragement that “It’s never too late to be what you might’ve been,” Kelly strives to challenges assumptions of her own by perpetually looking for new opportunities to learn and further develop her design skills. Sustainability is a particular focus for her work as a designer. Her commitment to this critical field of practice began with her studies at Cal Poly SLO, where she minored in Sustainable Environments and was an Edward Allen Student Award nominee for a thesis project exploring approaches to creating sustainable middle schools that nurture physical and psychological wellness in children.
To celebrate the firm's 40th anniversary, staff were challenged to share their imagination and design thinking by creating a row house concept. Here is Kelly's.
Statement:
The vision for my home arose from a deep desire to better connect the built and natural environment using passive and active strategies to create a socially and ecologically friendly row house. I chose to prioritize daylighting by including large expanses of glazing, while maintaining privacy through the incorporation of a frit pattern. The addition of a green roof helps to lower the temperature of the homes as well, reducing energy consumption. Along a similar train of thought, I have incorporated solar panel cladding into my home as well, imagining the street facing west to assist with solar gain.By bringing my solar panel clad trellis to the streetscape, I not only shade the units and the pedestrians, but also provide a learning opportunity for anyone passing by. Finally, as California seems to be going through a never-ending drought, I have incorporated a rudimentary rainwater collection system into the building through the shape of the roof shading system. I chose to create a collage to represent my row house, layering textures from nature, such as clouds, the ocean, and dappled sunlight.
