SBD Tell us about some of the architects who have influenced you.
SBD You've been called one of the earliest proponents of "green" architecture. What are your
thoughts on the evolution of environmentally friendly architecture over the past 30 years?
RK I don't think I was influenced by any one architect. When I attended Berkeley in the late
40s and began my architectural practice in the early 50s, you have to realize that the modern
RK Although I have always been conscious of climatic response in my design approach, the
masters were Wright, LeCorbusier, Mies, Gropius, Aalto and Mendelsohn.
1975 California prescriptive energy code made it necessary to reevaluate much of my earlier
work. Even though this work had been site-sensitive and oriented relative to the sun and wind,
Locally, there was Neutra and Schindler followed by Soriano, Ain and Harwell Harris.
the glass-to-floor ratios were well above the prescriptive standard of 20 percent. This caused
The language of architecture is learned by understanding the vocabulary of all of one's
me to research the actual energy used to heat these houses and compare them with houses
predecessors. I also had worked for Anshen + Allen producing Eichler Homes, and Carl Maston
in the same climate zones that met the prescriptive standard.
where I worked on housing, commercial and public work. The time with Carl was probably
the most influential upon me since it came just before I opened my own practice. Like any of
Most of my houses were more energy efficient than the conventional houses. I therefore
the arts, one evolves to one's own place in a profession through a process of building. I was
continued to design as I had before while meeting Title 24 requirements. I was able to convince
fortunate as a young architect to have a large amount of work, completing designs for 70
clients to incorporate many of my methods of reducing energy use as long as there were
projects in my first 10 years.
government subsidies. That was over 30 years ago.
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