aitan mizrahi design + build
PORTFOLIO
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES & BIO.................................. 5 RESUME.................................................................. 7 DESIGN PLAYSCAPE DESIGN: ILLUSTREET....................... 10 PLAYSCAPE DESIGN: CULTURAL CHAOS............ 11 PLANNING & DESIGN: URBAN.............................. 12 PLANNING & DESIGN: GIS..................................... 14 PLANNING & DESIGN: RESIDENTIAL................... 16 BUILD PROJECT MANAGMENT........................................ 20 WOOD FRAMING.................................................... 22 NATURAL BUILDING.............................................. 24 ANIMAL HUSBANDRY............................................ 26
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES & BIO
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G U I DING PRINC I P L ES I want to be known by the quality of my work. I pay attention to the details. I am dedicated to process. I work in whole systems, harnessing the power of intersections, and supporting the strength of diversity. I use my hands to create, my mind to design, and my soul to guide. I laugh and I fail and I start over. A small change may have a large impact. Maybe I’m a small stone in a large pond. I believe in the iterative nature of design and aim to create spaces that foster community, laughter, and environmental stewardship. I believe in the resiliency of humility. I believe in the power of play to heal and create. I work in simplicity helping to understand the complexity of what is. I ask questions. I wonder if, and why not.
BIO I was born in the small town of San Francisco. Twelve years ago I moved to rural northwest Connecticut to try my hand at farming. I was trained by the rolling Litchfield Hills, domesticated goats, and my neighbors. In 2006 I bought my first three goats (Carina, Katherine, and Ilex). In 2009 I started a small-scale kosher organic grade A goat dairy. The dairy was affiliated with the Adamah Fellowship at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center. In 2012, after dairy farming for six years, I embarked on a sabbatical. This departure led me to Vermont to study natural building at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. After completing my studies I designed, built, and managed a natural build project at The Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, Maryland. After eighteen months my team and I completed the construction of a two-story 1,200-square-foot, four-season, clay-plaster-walled, denim-insulated, super-efficient lodge for farm apprentices and retreat guests. In 2015 I graduated from a master’s program in ecological design at the Conway School in Conway, Massachusetts. Currently, I am working on developing urban playscapes that foster community-building, stacking of ecological functions, and laughter. 5
D R A F T
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St.
Pine Brook Reservoir
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Winthrop St
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Cranberry Watershed Preserve
Blackwater Swamp Sanctuary
Grove St.
Kingston Bay
Bay Farm
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ce B
Sampson Park
. k Ave
Town Landing Ah-de-nah
y Noo
Landin
Town Green
Rock
Riv erC o rridor
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Bay Farm Rd. River St.
Calista Field
Gray’s Beach Pawtuxet Park
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Pon ian Ind
Jone s
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Silver Lake
Camp Nekon
Monks Hill Muddy Pond
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RESUME
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Educ a t ion Conway School
Yestermorrow Design/Build School
Intensive program uses small-and large-scale client-based planning and design projects to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability. Emphasis on graphic communication and public presentation.
Hands on program integrates the strengths of participating in both the designing and building of a project to facilitate the understanding of the whole system.
Master of Science in Ecological Design Conway, MA • June 2015
Natural Building Certificate & Certificate in Sustainable Building and Design Warren, VT • August 2012
San Francisco State University Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies San Francisco, CA • June 2001
A broad exploration of the humanities and social sciences. Concentration on the modern human experience.
Work Design
Build
Conway School • Keene, NH • Spring 2015 • As part of a two-person team, developed a sustainable
Cultural Chaos • Easthampton, MA • June 2015 • Designed, constructed, and managed a one-day pop-up park for
Carpenter Street Field Landscape Master Plan
•
Pop-up Park Lead Designer/Builder
landscape master plan for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cemeteries’ five-acre athletic field and park in downtown Keene, addressing a range of social and environmental issues in an urban setting. Conducted public meetings to gather input on present site analyses and alternatives.
•
Natural Designer/Builder/Project Manager
Pearlstone Center • Reisterstown, MD • December 2012 – March 2014 • Designed, built, and project managed the construction of an
Open Space and Recreation Plan
Conway School • Kingston, MA • Winter 2014/15 • As part of a three-person team, wrote an open space and • •
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recreation plan for the Town of Kingston, to help clarify planning priorities. Developed GIS maps to graphically communicate vital information. Conducted public meetings to gather input on present site analyses and alternatives.
energy-efficient, clay-plastered, recycled denim-insulated lodge. Organized and facilitated natural build workshops (earthen plasters).
Dairy Manager at the Adamah Farm and Fellowship Isabella Freedman Retreat Center • Falls Village, CT • February 2006 - March 2012 • Created and managed a small-scale, kosher, organic goat
An Ecologically Minded Homestead Plan
Conway School • Conway, MA • Fall 2014 • Surveyed six-acre residential property; hand drafted a base map; •
Easthampton’s annual Cultural Chaos festival. Acquired donations and supplies for the park, including 600 sf of sod, plants, kiddie pools, and lawn games.
• •
conducted analyses of the site’s slopes, drainage, soils, sun and shade, access and circulation patterns, and legal restrictions. Developed a final design maximizing the productive agricultural use of the land while increasing the ecological diversity and resiliency of the property.
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dairy enterprise to drive revenue and increase educational opportunities. Managed a herd of 30+ dairy goats, overseeing animal health, rotational grazing practices, breeding, and kidding schedules. Crafted high quality cheeses: feta, chevre, and yogurt for regional markets ranging from New York City to Boston; customers included Community Support Agriculture (CSA) members, restaurants, and local food shops. Maintained dairy infrastructure: milking parlor, sleeping barn, cheese room, workshop, storage sheds, and fencing.
Sk ills & Intere s t s Design
Surveying Land assessment Auto CAD Hand drafting SketchUp ARC GIS Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) Public speaking Community meeting facilitation Project management Critical thinking Laughing Creative problem solving
Build
Natural building Carpentry Electrical Plumbing
Agriculture
Animal husbandry Cheesemaking Sales, budget, and marketing
Fun
Tinkering Playing games Listening to podcasts Observing patterns Asking questions Helping others Eating burritos Dancing ‘til I need a new shirt
Me on t he We b portfolio: www.issuu.com/aitanmizrahi resume: linkedin pinterest: @8nmizrahi
facebook: illustreet twitter: @illustreet website: www.illustreet.design
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DESIGN
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PLAYSCAPE DESIGN I LLU S TREE T
Exploring the intersection of play, community building, and social justice. Illustreet brings the board game outside—and stands it up. Illustreet is an interactive picture game that encourages play, laughter, and fun on the streets of your community. Gather with friends and neighbors around a free-standing, full-sized chalkboard and draw pictures of words for others to guess. Adding to the time-tested success of outdoor board games (e.g., chess, checkers, and backgammon) in public parks around the world, Illustreet offers a new play experience for the brave and bold park user.
facebook: illustreet twitter: @illustreet
Current Locations: Urban Adamah - Berkeley, CA Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center - Falls Village, CT
Past Locations: Come Out and Play SF 2015 - San Francisco, CA Figment Oakland - Oakland, CA 10
P O P-UP PA RK Bringing fun and green space to an urban hardscape. Designed and constructed a pop-up park on behalf of the Conway School for Easthampton’s 2nd annual Cultural Chaos Festival. Elements included: kiddie pools, random patterning of sod, pop-up tents, ping-pong, straw bale seats, lawn chairs, Illustreet, arts & craft tables. It was the only place in the festival with green space. It was a blast for all ages.
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PLAYSCAPE DESIGN
PLANNING & DESIGN UR BAN
Developing comprehensive, ecologically-resilient, and engaging designs for urban places. I collaborated on a comprehensive master plan for a downtown athletic field. The design focused on improving the quality of the adjacent brook, managing of flood waters, and creating safe and enjoyable active and passive recreational opportunities for park users. Skills employed: • layout (Adobe Creative Suite) • writing • community engagement • GIS
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AutoCad hand drafting & rendering public speaking land assessment
CARPENTER STREET FIELD LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN City of Keene, Department of Park & Rec Keene, New Hampshire The City of Keene envisions Carpenter Street Field (CSF) as an open space and recreational centerpiece for the redevelopment of the East Side Neighborhood. While there are many parks and open spaces on the west side of Keene, City officials and residents have expressed a desire for such public spaces on the east side. CSF is in a prime location, a quarter-mile from downtown, to help achieve the City’s goals. City officials believe that adding more features to the field will help to increase the variety of uses and users. Currently CSF is heavily used for active recreation (sports that require a large field such as rugby, lacrosse, flag football, and ultimate frisbee). The field is also used for dog walking, sunbathing, practicing baseball, meetings, and playing on the swings and natural playground. There are some uses, mainly isolated to the northwest corner, deemed unsafe and unwanted by community members. In addition to attracting and supporting a broad range of users, the City would like to see the field drain quicker in order to support regular use and reduce the degradation of the field. The City would also like to explore the potential for storing flood water at CSF.
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N EI G H B O R H O OD ANALYSIS: ACCESS, CIRCUL ATION, AND D EMOGRAPHICS
Carpenter Street Field is conveinently located in the downtown neighborhood of Keene, New Hampshire. Its location places it in close proximity to wide spectrum of users. Designing for the diverse population near-by may increse park usership. Special attention should be made to providing appropriate access and park features for both the younger and older populations that reside within walking distance of the park.
Senior Housing (former mill building)
Three senior housing centers (482 units) of various income levels are within a five-minute walk. New senior housing is to be completed late next summer (26 units). Flatter paths, frequent seating, and other active and passive recreational features on CSF could serve an elderly population.
Schools
Four schools are within a 15-minute walk. CSF could supplement play areas at schools and serve as an outdoor classroom for learning about brook hydrology, vegetation, and wildlife.
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Cheshire Rail Trail
Cheshire Rail Trail is an east-west multi-use path. Benches along the path close to senior housing have been removed. The trail comes close (500’) to CSF but does not directly connect to it. A connection to the trail can assist in providing non-motorized access to CSF from downtown, other city parks, and western city neighborhoods.
PLANNING & DESIGN: URBAN
PLANNING & DESIGN GI S
Simplifying complex information with maps. I produced numerous GIS maps for the Town of Kingston, Massachusetts’ Open Space & Recreation Plan Update. The maps identified parcels deemed a priority for the town to acquire and or preserve in order to maintain and increase the open spaces and recreational facilities in town. Maps were also created to show potential routes for both hiking and multiuse trails therefore connecting existing and potential future open spaces.
Environmental Justice Populations: 2010 Map 3C.1
Boston
20 Miles
Randolph Open Space Inventory Map 5.1
PEMBROKE
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0.25 Miles
DUXBURY
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1 0 m il e s
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HALIFAX
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KINGSTON
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PLYMPTON
Pembroke
Hanson Kingston, MA - Open Space Inventory Type of Ownership
PLYMOUTH
Level of Protection
Town
Protected
State Private
CARVER
0 0.25 0.5
1
1.5
2 Miles
±
Duxbury
East Bridgewater
Unprotected
Type of Restriction
NonProfit
Agriculture
School
Forestry Recreation
Halifax Bridgewater
Scenic Resources & Unique Features Map 4C.1
PEMBROKE DUXBURY
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Silver Lake
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Sampson Park
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KINGSTON
Kingston Bay
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Silver Lake Sanctuary
HALIFAX
Kingston
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Smelt Pond
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PLYMPTON
Camp Nekon Indian Pond
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Kingston, MA - Open Space Inventory
Miles
Muddy Pond
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Town Center e [
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Major John Bradford House
Town Green
Old Burying Ground
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Surprise Hose House
surpise_hose_house
HISTORIC_N John Holmes Shipyard
Town Hall
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PLYMOUTH
Frederic C. Adams Library
[ e e Civil War Memorial & [ CARVER
Town Training Green
0 0.25 0.5
1
1.5
2 Miles
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Civil War Monument & Town Training Green
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Joseph Holmes Ship Yard
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Major John Bradford House
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Old Burying Ground
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The Adams Center - Frederic C. Adams Public Library
0 0
SymbolID 0 Kingston_Center_NHR_District
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1.25 1.25
2.5 2.5
5 5
7.5 7.5
10 10 Miles Miles
±±
Legend: Trail Network Existing PEMBROKE
Bay Circuit Trail
DUXBURY
Cross-Town Bicycle Trail
Cross-Town Bicycle Trail (unfinished) Existing Multi-use Trails
Existing and Proposed Hiking Trails and Bike Corridors Map 9.2
Silver Lake Sanctuary
HALIFAX
Silver Lake
Pine Brook Reservoir
Proposed
Cranberry Watershed Preserve Blackwater Swamp
Proposed Multi-Use Trails
Kingston Bay
Bay
Proposed Bicycle Trails
Landmarks Open Space
Water Bodies
Train Station
Town Green
Hathaway Preserve
KINGSTON
Town Landing Ah-de-nah Calista Field
Sampson Park
Gray’s Beach
There are no Census Block Groups in Kingston that meet the criteria for designation as Environmental Justice Populations. In a ten- to thirty-mile radius outside of Kingston, however, there are Environmental Justice populations in other towns meeting the criteria of low-income category and ethnic minority & English isolation category.
T ¤ n
Train Station
Even though the state does not mandate any protection for populations in Kingston from environmental injustice, the Town should prioritize providing all citizens with universal access to open spaces and recreational facilities.
Smelt Pond
PLYMPTON
Indian Pond
To Be the P ac h B lymo icy uth cle Pa th
Patuxet Park
Camp Nekon
Kingston State Forest
K
Muddy Pond
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PLYMOUTH
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CARVER
0 0.25 0.5
1
1.5
2 Miles
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Improving Kingston’s current bicycle and hiking trails and adding to the trail network would likely increase safety, improve health, raise property values, and increase tourism. Environmental EnvironmentalJustice JusticePopulations: Populations:2010 2010 EJ EJCriteria, Criteria,by byCensus CensusBlock BlockGroup Group Ethnic EthnicMinority Minority Low-Income Low-Income
English EnglishIsolation Isolation Environmental Justice Criteria,and by Census Block Group Ethnic Minority Low-Income Ethnic Minority and Low-Income Ethnic Minority and English Isolation Ethnic Minority, Low-Income, and and English Isolation Ethnic Minority and Low-Income Ethnic Minority Ethnic Minority English Isolation Low-Income and English Isolation Low-Income and English Isolation Ethnic Minority, Low-Income andIsolation English Isolation Ethnic Minority and English Low-Income Ethnic Minority, Low-Income and English Isolation Pond, Lake, Ocean Pond, Lake, Ocean English Isolation Low-Income and English Isolation Reservoir Reservoir Tidal Flat Tidal Flat
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PLANNING & D E S I G N : G I S
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PLANNING & DESIGN R E SID ENT IA L
Creating landscapes that promote environmental stewardship, efficiency of use, and aesthetic beauty. At Leaping Frog Farm in Conway, Massachusetts I offered my client a landscape design to help him better access his land as a source of food, income, and leisure. The design accommodates both residential and commercial use of the property. The process included a full assessment and analysis of the property prior to the design development. Skills employed: • land surveying • layout (Adobe Creative Suite) • writing
• • •
AutoCad SketchUp hand drafting & rendering
Leaping Frog Farm An Ecologically Minded Homestead Conway, Massachusetts EXISTING CONDITIONS
Neighbor’s Hay Fields
Apples Shagbark Hickory
Japanese Knotweed Pears
Septic System Apple
Home Pine Apple
Shallow well
Barn
Neighbor’s Manicured Lawn
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Shelburne Falls Road
Spruce
Birch
FINAL DESIGN
Coppice Forest Annual Beds Edible Forest Garden
Meadow
House
Wetland Meadow Hoop Houses
Barn
Shelburne Falls Road
Ritual Space
Berry Patch
COPPICE FOREST RECOMMENDATIONS
Common Name
Scientific Name
Function
Red Alder
Alnus rubra
medicinal, fencing
North American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
lumber, firewood, edible nuts
Willow
Salix spp.
wattle for fencing, smaller in diameter
Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericea
wattle for fencing, smaller in diameter
American Hophornbeam
Ostrya virginiana
tool handles, firewood
Chinese Chestnut
Castanea mollissima
fencing, edible nuts
Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos
fencing, fodder
Oak
Quercus spp.
firewood, posts, edible nuts
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
firewood
Coppicing is an ancient technique for forest management.
Proper cutting technique. Stems should be cut near ground level and cut angled outwards to shed water.
Improper cutting technique.
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A coppiced stool with several years of regrowth.
PLANNING & D ESIGN: RES I DE N T I A L
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BUILD
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BUILD
P ROJECT M AN A GEM EN T Managing construction projects that push the green building envelope. From the winter of 2012 until the spring of 2014, I led a progressive, cutting-edge, naturally-built, new-construction project from the visioning to completion at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, Maryland. When I left, a new 1,200 sq.ft., two-story, four-bedroom, two-bath, clay-plastered walls, and recycled denim insulated cabin stood where a tent platform once stood, creating a unique and healthy home for guests. Skills employed: • initial design • design collaboration with architects and engineers • permitting • sourcing and purchasing materials • creating and maintaining a work schedule and budget
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monitoring work progress of sub-contractors facilitating work sessions with fellows and workshops with volunteers building/construction developing a care manual
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BUILD: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
B UI LD
W O OD FR A M IN G Constructing simple yet durable structures to help improve the efficacy of agricultural projects. Skills employed:
• farm design • budget managment
• sourcing local-lumber • animal husbandry
Farm Stand • New Lands Farm • Springfield, Massachusetts I designed and built a farm stand using locally-sourced lumber to provide a covered space for farmers at New Lands Farm in Springfield, Massachusetts to sell their produce. The mission of New Lands Farm is to provide agricultural and entrepreneurial opportunities for refugees and new immigrants.
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Barnyard Improvements • Pearlstone Center • Resiterstown, Maryland As the herd at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, Maryland grew the need for more covered space increased. In the summer of 2013 I extended the roof of the existing goat shed in order to provide shelter from the elements during milking time. It also created additional space to divide for goat housing and other uses. It is helpful in the raising of farm animals to clearly define their space and access points. In addition to extending the roof I designed and built a series of fences and gates to help create easier and more efficient movement in the barnyard.
Turkey Mobile • Robariah Farms • South Deerfield, Massachusetts Robariah Farms is a growing and successful small-scale poultry producer in the Pioneer Valley of Massachussetts. In the summer of 2015 Robariah Farms expanded the operation to include turkeys. Turkeys require ample room to roost at night and easy access to pasture. The turkey mobile met the criteria requested by the farmer and was built upon an old running board to allow for easy transport out in the fields to fresh grass.
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BUILD: WOOD FRAMING
BUILD
NATUR AL B U ILD IN G Using materials with low embodied energy to construct healthy and dynamic buildings. Yestermorrow’s courses are specifically designed to demystify the designing and building processes using hands-on, experiential learning to teach the art and wisdom of good design and the skill and savvy of enduring craftsmanship as a single, integrated process. Certificates:
• Natural Building • Ecological Design in the Built Environment
• Public Interest Design/Build
Skills employed: • straw bale construction • wood-chip & straw-clay wall assemblies • clay plasters • alis/clay paint • home & site design
• • • • •
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hand drafting tadelakt (waterproofing plaster technique) stone wall construction cob waddle and daub
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BUILD: NATURAL BUILDING
BUILD
AGRIC UL TU RE Designing and building healthy and sustainable food sysytems through community and agriculture. In 2004 my life shifted dramatically. I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to rural northwest Connecticut to try my hand out in agriculture. Within a short time I fell in love with the work, community, and landscape. For the next 8 years I spent my days developing and running an artisanal, kosher, and organic Grade-A goat dairy. My work at Adamah was the seed and early fruiting of my passion to design and create spaces for a diversity of uses. Working rurally I was introduced to the resiliency inherent in nature. This realization was powerful and became a lens in which I approached future projects. Skills employed: • animal husbandry • midwifery • grass farming • cheesemaking
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teaching entrepreneurship marketing management
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BUILD: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
aitan mizrahi design + build
PORTFOLIO
510-691-0290 . aitanmizrahi@gmail.com portfolio: www.issuu.com/aitanmizrahi resume: linkedin pinterest: @8nmizrahi