Unfortunately I couldn't watch the film clips on my computer, it seems my browser doesn't support them. However, your mentioning that plants continue to grow under them makes me wonder about the potential uses for the space? It is after all a giant greenhouse, thus, depending on temperature a number of plants/crops could thrive in there. This space under the glass may prove a very interesting advantage to the design. What caught my attention was also the simplicity, I can see it working in a number of locations. Power plants have allready become something of a mass produced item with various companies selling gas/coal and even nuclear plants that are simply assembled on site. I don't see why a solar chimney couldn't be made and sold in a similar way. As for the chimney height, it's going to rival quite a few skyscrapers... To take a wild and uneducated guess, they may construct it with something lightweight like metal framing covered in sheet metal, as no doubt masonry will be too heavy and dense for that height. Cylinders are allready quite aerodynamic, so wind loads would be reduced, but it could be further supported with steel wires, like those used on bridges. Well, that's my best guess of how something of that height could be built.

Yes, CA is a different world. We like it that way [smile]. >>Freeway too close?>> Actually that's an advantage here. You DO NOT WANT to be way across town from the major freeways (been there, done that). I live across the Bay Bridge. In non-commute hours I can travel that 18 miles (my home, just off Hwy 580, to the SF base of the Bay Bridge, Fremont St. exit) in 15-20 min. Late at night I can do it in 11 min. flat. But to get off the freeway and travel 5.5 miles thru the streets to the edge of the Richmond district, where we used to live - that's a full 20 min non-commute or more than 40-50 minutes during rush hours (which is six hours per day, btw: 3 hrs in a.m. and 3 more in the p.m.)! My in-laws lived in the West Portal neighborhood, on the other side of Golden Gate Park, thru flatlands. A mere 4.4 miles - and on a GOOD day it took 20 min or more, at non-commute times! BTW, the whole noise thing? This is urban life, everybody. We have lots of city/county/state parks in addition to the water, so buildable land is scarce. I live in the Oakland hills and yes, I hear the freeway traffic. My double-paned windows make it a soft swishing sound, no big deal. >>earthquakes>> Yeah, don't live in CA if you're scared of earthquakes. But don't live near the New Madrid earthquake fault either, which has shifted the course of the Mississippi River several times. As the USGS states: "The New Madrid Seismic Zone is at Significant Risk for Damaging Earthquakes" (from its website). One result of our awareness that we live in earthquake country is that our building codes became strict and continue to get progressively stricter (mandated timetable by the Legislature). Compare that to the Pacific NW, where only recently have they begun to take earthquake proofing and building code modifications seriously. >>there was a shirtless homeless man shouting obscenities, throwing things into the street and banging a large plastic barrel against the front entrance.>> Well, that's SF for you. Local color! The more sane and polite homeless have moved elsewhere, like the Oakland/Berkeley hills and into Marin county (local joke; don't get offended). No, SF is not quite as charming as it used to be. But maybe it never was, to begin with, if you look back at its very colorful history. What it has and will always have, until we all fall into the sea, is an incredibly gorgeous location, a great mix of people and wildly different cultures, all the services one could possibly want at the drop of an app, and a lifestyle that mixes the "wildly busy" with the "totally mellow". My DH and I like all of that, especially the last. That said, I still wouldn't buy the ClockTower unit, though. For an urban pied-à-terre I'd probably stick myself on the waitlist at the Four Seasons Private Residences. (Despite the opening photo, there is no view of the Bay. Just quiet luxury and full concierge services.) http://www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco/photo_and_video/?c=t&_s_icmp=mmenu

There's still some wackiness, but mainly from phones. Pics take time, but I've determined that sometimes the file is too big so if I adjust for that it fast. It's not a problem too much, just not in the title section of a post. I don't have many issues honestly.... only typing from my phone, so I use voice recognition. I must have a strange accent or talk too fast because it records funny things! I hope you'll visit both sites.... I personally miss your infectious spirit and know many northerners have questions about keeping their pots over the winter and I'm always scrounging up your old posts. MUCH BETTER to have you sharing your hard-earned wisdom! : ))

Sounds like a very odd and impractical concept to me. Is this tiny apartment to be used for rental income? To house an adult friend/family member that won’t live in the main house? To serve as a temporary Away Space for a resident of the main house? Regardless of who lives there, they would presumably be willing to (for example) cook and eat on floor #1, go outside up the steps to relax in a living room on floor #2, and later go outside up more steps to bed on floor #3? Then, after they’re in bed, curse because they can’t remember if they turned off the oven.