JOYCE PLATH: BUILDING DESIGNER
955 12th Street, Arcata, California, 95521
phone: 707 822-1860
fax: 707 822-8121
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

EDUCATION:
M. Arch. 1979. University of California at Berkeley
MFA 1966. University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
BA 1964, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Carnegie Foundation Grant, 1962-63. Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

TEACHING:
Aayojan School of Architecture, Jaipur, India, 2008-09
Humboldt State University, International Technology Program, Environmental Engineering, Arcata, Ca. 1991-92. Guest Lecturer in Sustainable Architecture
College of the Redwoods, Eureka Ca.1988-93. Vocational Technology, Associate Professor, Architecture and Drafting
Humboldt State University, Arcata, Ca. 1971-76 and 1979-80.Assistant Professor, Art and Architecture
UC Berkeley, extension, Berkeley, Ca. Indian art and mythology, l970
N.E.Technical Institute, Korat, Thailand, 1966-69. Assistant Professor, Painting, Drawing and Art History
Philippine Women's University, Manila, The Philippines, 1964-66, Assistant Professor, Painting, Drawing and Art History

ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE: 1979-2009

Current Projects:
Danco Communities, affordable housing projects featuring private back yards, raised beds in front of units for gardening, and substantial shared community and play areas. Eureka and Fortuna Ca.
Humboldt Bay Appropriate Technology Center, Eureka, steering committee and local design consultant to Sim VanderRyn (architect for Real Goods in Hopland.Ca.)

Completed projects:
Pantilocpom Retreat Center, 2001-2008, 1200 sq.ft. permitted papercrete lodge with spring fed gravity water system , photovoltaic electricity, satellite internet, composting toilets, grey water ponds, solar hot water, sustainably harvested wood, living roofs, and organic gardens, Most building materials were local, coming from with thirty miles of Big Bar, Ca. Forty acre site includes three sleeping structures and a solar storage shed. Tent sites near a year round creek, a regulation field for Ulitmate Frisbee, swimming pond with resident turtles, outdoor kitchen with giant barbeque, sleeping decks, and two large fire pits with star gazing are all ready for use. Retreat center in now open, for inquires contact anarchogeek@gmailcom. See www.livinginpaper.com for information on papercrete.
Marsh Commons CoHousing, Arcata, Ca. Twelve homes and a 7000 sq. ft. community building with guest facilities. 1992-99. For this project I functioned as a developer, site manager and designer. Marsh commons rehabilitated a truck shop building into a mixed use facility that includes a community room, kitchen, guest rooms, offices, workshops and meeting rooms that serve the resident community, guests who come from all over the world to study the Arcata Marsh and Water Treatment Facility, and local businesses. Great care was taken to incorporate recycled and sustainable materials. Solar water collectors, naturally cooled pantries, green house heat captured for heating northern offices, and a hydronic heading system, and a roof top garden were integrated into the common building. The gravel parking lot site was transformed into twelve homes with a shared common yard that includes a large organic garden. All the homes were designed to maximize natural lighting and provide privacy while encouraging the possibility of community. I was responsible for negotiations with financial institutions, appraisers, city planning and building departments, the DRE, Coastal Commission, Fish and Game, Humboldt County Health Department, Design Review, and building contractors, as well as coordination with the development group. The discovery of diesel fuel contaminated soil delayed the project for one year during which time I researched cleaning options and costs, worked closely with Water Quality Control and SHN engineering, and coordinated communication between the development group, attorneys, the City of Arcata and previous owners of the property. When construction did begin, I was the construction manager and liaison between the clients and contractors. For more on the Marsh Commons see www.MarshCommons.org.
Fourplex, Infill project with passive solar elements, alley between 5th and 4th Streets/ H Street, Arcata, Ca. 1983. Design Review Excellence Award
Alder Spring Planned Unit Development, LK Blvd. Arcata, Ca. a 52 unit town house, passive solar development, l982 Project manager, developer, and site and building designer on this project, 8 units were actually built. Design Review Excellence Award
Private Residences:
Over 50 new homes plus hundreds of remodels and additions. The bulk of my practice since 1979 has been in residential construction. I integrate buildings into their environment to maximize solar exposure, wind protection, views, and relationships between inside and outside areas. My reputation is based on the design of dwellings that creatively utilize natural light, are visually interesting, energy efficient, cost effective, and well suited to the clients’ present and future needs. People who live in my homes consistently report that spaces are well planned for comfort and delight.
Danco Communities, Courtyards affordable housing project, Arcata 2003-2006
Pacific Builders, 36 attached housing units, Cloverdale,Ca. 2004
Pacific Builders, Office building in Airport Business Park, McKinleyville, Ca, 2004
Stillman Buildings, Infill commercial buildings with residential units above on the plaza in Arcata, 2003. Winner of Arcata design review excellence award, 2006.
Headstart School, Smith River Rancheria, Smith River, Ca. 2001
Northcoast Inn, Trinidad Rancheria, remodel and addition, 1999 every effort was made to create an environment that reflected the north coast and the Yurok Tribe.
Babich and Tonini Realty, Addition to office building, 1999
Holiday Gardens Motel Conversion to Arcata Garden Apartments, 1999, with Humboldt Bay Housing Corp.
Lost Whale Inn, Trinidad Ca. twelve room bed and breakfast inn located of a cliff over looking the Pacific Ocean near Patrick's Point State Park. 1991
Multi Family Four fourplex rental units in existing historic neighborhoods Arcata, 1984-98. Units at 18th and H received an Arcata design review excellence reward in 1989.
Ten rental units on Janes Creek and K St. Arcata. 1986
Eight rental units off LK Wood, 1989.
Dental Offices, Conversion of historic home, Arcata, Ca. l983
Seely and Titlow remodel, Arcata, Ca. 1988
Daycare consultant to Humboldt Child Care Council for day care centers in five Northern California counties, summer 1980.

COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Virasat Gallery, Jaipur, India, painting exhibition, slide presentation on Thar Desert Architecture, 2009
University of the Republic of Uruguay Faculty of Architecture, Montevideo, Uruguay, talk on papercrete, 2008
Papercrete Builders Conference, Tuscon, AZ, presented paper, 2008
Big Brothers Big Sisters, serve as a big sister to nine year old Maria, 2006.
Living in Paper, Phoenix, AZ, design for demonstration papercrete building, 2005.
Ecomaterials Conference, Mexico City, presented paper on papercrete, 2005.
Humboldt State University, Guest lectures in sociology, natural resources, and engineering on assorted topics related to sustainable architecture and planning, average twice per year, 1979 -2006.
Historic Element, City of Arcata General Plan update, 2003.
Yurok Lodge Steering Committee, 2002.
Ecotourism consultant, City of Orick, 2001-2003.
Humboldt Educare, Arcata, proposal for new building, 2003.
Prairie Creek, National Watershed Center, 2002-2005.
Arcata House, design, 2000.
Design Review Commission, City of Arcata, l979-86 and l996-99.
Main Street Development Committee, City of Arcata, l999-2002.
Housing Element Review for the General Plan, City of Arcata, l988 and l998.
American Field Service, sending coordinator, l997-99 and host parent 1992,93,97.
Pacific Dunes High School, board chairperson, l992-95.
Gateway Community School, board chairperson, l984-86.
Humboldt Childcare Council, board member 1981-84.
Gateway School, building addition design, 1983.
Arcata Children’s Center, building and playground design, 1983.
Net Energy, board member, 1979-82.