Lauri Puchall

Tomb with a View

Our columnist looks at the East Bay’s own “city of the dead”—Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland—and delves into architect Olmsted’s original spare vision for the land.

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Common Ground

The proposed North Shattuck Plaza, an open space for eating, shopping and socializing in the heart of North Berkeley, is stirring controversy, perhaps more because of the process than the plan. Shopkeepers, neighbors and designers debate parking, panhandling and a vision for the neighborhood.

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Looking Down on Creation

The Kaiser Building, a stunning edifice built on the shores of Oakland’s Lake Merritt, was ahead of its time in style and design—and as efficient and utilitarian as Henry J. Kaiser’s massive public works projects.

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Fault-Line Villa

Our newest column highlights some of the most notable buildings in the East Bay. This month we profile the Lawson House, an elegant Roman villa in the Berkeley Hills, designed by Bernard Maybeck for the geologist who discovered the San Andreas Fault. This stunning 1907 home, built from hand-mixed concrete, used mule trains to carry materials to the site.

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Faces of the East Bay

In the Philanthropic Swim

In the Philanthropic Swim

Rockridge residents John Bliss and Kim Thompson may live far removed the gritty flats of East and West Oakland. But this philanthropic couple see themselves as one with the citizens of Oakland, particularly those who are struggling financially, and they’re leading a campaign to get their “financially blessed” peers to invest in the community like they have by funding city programs to teach kids how to swim.