HKS designers from the Palo Alto and San Francisco offices raised $23,000 for charity when their life-size children’s playhouse was auctioned as part of Dreams Happen. The HKS playhouse design drew inspiration from the architectural style of Greene and Greene, sustainability concepts, and the Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are,” all of which contributed to the house’s entry name—Greene and Greene and Green and Wild. Children can perch in a tree’s gnarled trunk, climb a cargo net up to the sleeping porch, hide in a secret cave, or curl up next to a “Wild Thing” slumbering in the corner. Low-watt LED lights throughout the house and working exterior fixtures allow play after dusk. In addition, the playhouse is constructed from reclaimed and sustainable materials and uses low-emitting sealants and paint. All proceeds from the auction benefitted Rebuilding Together Peninsula, an organization that builds volunteer partnerships to rehabilitate homes and community facilities for low-income, elderly and/or disabled homeowners to help them live in warmth, safety and independence.
