Journal

Take 10sAugust 2026

Light and Shade: Jessie Brady and Shona Taylor

At Amplified, Lighting Software Specialist Jessie Brady and Shading System Designer Shona Taylor have spent more than a decade working in tandem to create elegantly integrated environments where natural light and layered technology work in perfect harmony. Collaborating closely with architects, builders, interior designers, and homeowners, they help deliver a seamless experience from concept to…

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HistoricMay 2026

Joseph Esherick: Proportion, Material, Light, and Landscape

Joseph Esherick ( 1914 – 1998) is one of Amplified’s favorite Bay Area architects, celebrated for incorporating technology in a restrained, human-centered way. Rather than treating technology as spectacle, Esherick used it to improve climate responsiveness, construction quality, durability, and everyday living while keeping his buildings visually calm and deeply connected to the landscape. The…

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Collaborator ProfileMay 2026

Collaborator Profile: Bryan Murphy of Peninsula Custom Homes

Irish immigrants have played a foundational role in shaping the San Francisco Bay Area's building and construction industry since the 1850s, evolving from skilled carpenters to leaders in contracting and development. Dublin native Bryan Murphy proudly continues that tradition as CEO of Peninsula Custom Homes. With a degree in Architectural Technology, Bryan brings together design…

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HistoricFebruary 2026

William Wurster: Livable Modernism

When San Francisco architect Stephen Sutro was asked to name his favorite legendary Bay Area architect, he didn’t hesitate: William Wurster. Born in Stockton in 1895, Wurster helped define the Bay Region Style rather than replicate the International Style emerging from Europe. He championed a distinctly Californian modernism defined by climate and lifestyle — emphasizing…

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Collaborator ProfileFebruary 2026

Collaborator Profile: Interior Designer Mead Quin

Amplified Lifestyles welcomes Bay Area interior designer Mead Quin to our Collaborator Profile series. After working for Martha Angus and Grant K. Gibson, Mead opened her eponymous company in 2013. She and her team craft poetic interiors reflecting her artistic background and a nomadic childhood that ranged from the American South to France and North…

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