Candace Gossen : Photographs

  
Visions of the Maya Mesoamerica

Candace Gossen is a principal and designer of the recently formed Solar 7.83 Design Studio, which specializes in passive solar architecture, alternative building materials, and energy-based environmental analysis. She is also an environmental studies instructor at Portland Community College, a position she's held since moving to Portland, Oregon, in August 1996. Ms. Gossen's background, both academically and professionally, begins with a strong creative design ability—including graphic design, photography and a technical understanding of structures—which evolved into a more applied science while she was in New York City working as an Architectural Lighting Designer.

Desiring to further increase her knowledge of sustainability and building materials, she resumed her academic studies at Arizona State University and received a Master of Science in Building Design.  She also studied archaeology while in graduate school. Ms. Gossen studied thermal mass in the Arizona desert for six years, a pursuit which has stemmed her current areas of interest in rammed earth, earth shelters and human comfort. She has strong conceptions about sustainability, and strives to study the unlimited alternatives for providing people the knowledge to empower themselves with the idea of the Master Builder.  So empowered, all people can have the basic necessity of comfortable, resource-efficient shelter.

For more information, visit www.solar783.com.