Staff Picks

Schemata Summer Reads

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Summer is the time of sitting back with a wonderfully icy margarita and a good book in hand, letting our minds wander off to far off places, meet new characters or learn something new.   Or maybe with the weather we've been having, we can just stick   with our quintessential Seattle mug of coffee.  Here's a round up of the diverse books our staff have been reading this summer.  From memoirs to thrillers to cookbooks and everything in between... maybe it'll inspire you to add something to your reading list?

Christopher's Pick
Midnight at the Pera Palace by Charles King

Mira's Pick
3 Fois par Jour by Marilou 

"Happy City covers a lot of livability issues around not only urban design and resiliency, but goes beyond a typical architectural scope and into supportive social networks and community"

"Happy City covers a lot of livability issues around not only urban design and resiliency, but goes beyond a typical architectural scope and into supportive social networks and community"

"My suggested read out of the 8 books I'm currently reading: Midnight at the Pera Palace is a book about the history of modern Istanbul."

"My suggested read out of the 8 books I'm currently reading: Midnight at the Pera Palace is a book about the history of modern Istanbul."

"A beautifully photographed book of recipes that take a fresh look on Quebec (my home!)'s local cuisine. I follow her food blog and all her recipes are oh-so tasty"

"A beautifully photographed book of recipes that take a fresh look on Quebec (my home!)'s local cuisine. I follow her food blog and all her recipes are oh-so tasty"

Terri's Pick
Dry Bones: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson
 

Brian's Pick
Designing Design by Kenya Hara

Erik's Pick
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxa

 "The landscape of the West and modern Native-American culture are included as important aspects of each story.  I started reading the books after getting hooked on the show Longmire now on Netflix.  The writing has kept me reading th…

 "The landscape of the West and modern Native-American culture are included as important aspects of each story.  I started reading the books after getting hooked on the show Longmire now on Netflix.  The writing has kept me reading the books."

"Been slowly working my way through this one. Kenya Hara is the art director for MUJI. I like it so far because it’s not just a monograph with nice photos of his work, but includes a lot of writing that gives more insight into his design thinking."&…

"Been slowly working my way through this one. Kenya Hara is the art director for MUJI. I like it so far because it’s not just a monograph with nice photos of his work, but includes a lot of writing that gives more insight into his design thinking." 

"Just getting into this, but it’s a biography on a German citizen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler."

"Just getting into this, but it’s a biography on a German citizen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler."

Margaret K's Pick
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Joann's Pick
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

"A Virginia Woolf classic about a day in the life of a woman living in post-WWI England. I’m only a few pages in but am curious to see how I end up liking it – so far it hasn’t been the easiest read!"

"A Virginia Woolf classic about a day in the life of a woman living in post-WWI England. I’m only a few pages in but am curious to see how I end up liking it – so far it hasn’t been the easiest read!"

"The story traces the journey of a Hebrew manuscript, called the Sarajevo Haggadah, through time. Through a series of short stories, the reader gets glimpses into the lives of the people who helped create, transform and protect the important manuscr…

"The story traces the journey of a Hebrew manuscript, called the Sarajevo Haggadah, through time. Through a series of short stories, the reader gets glimpses into the lives of the people who helped create, transform and protect the important manuscript. I enjoyed learning about historical events and periods through these stories."  

"It's currently doing its premier run at London's West End, but the script will be available on July 31 (Harry's Birthday) for those of us unable to make it across the pond for a live performance. I reread the HP series almost every summer and am so…

"It's currently doing its premier run at London's West End, but the script will be available on July 31 (Harry's Birthday) for those of us unable to make it across the pond for a live performance. I reread the HP series almost every summer and am so pleased to have some new material to supplement that journey!"

Guy's Pick
The Fateful Lightning by Jeff Shaara
 

Sarah's Pick
Black Flags: The Rise of Isis by Joby Warrick

"It’s the author’s fourth book in his Civil War series, and describes William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea.  It details Sherman’s decisions, the battles as his troops cut through the heart of the South, and explains the important role th…

"It’s the author’s fourth book in his Civil War series, and describes William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea.  It details Sherman’s decisions, the battles as his troops cut through the heart of the South, and explains the important role this march played in bringing an end to the war. An excellent read for history buffs."

"A bit of  "light" reading about the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and terrorism in recent times."

"A bit of  "light" reading about the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and terrorism in recent times."

"Ella was reading a kid-friendly version of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in her Cricket magazine and I was compelled to revisit the rest of these tales of far-off places."

"Ella was reading a kid-friendly version of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in her Cricket magazine and I was compelled to revisit the rest of these tales of far-off places."

Will's Pick
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words by Randall Munroe
 

Margaret T's Pick
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

What books are you looking forward to reading this summer? Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Cheers!

-The Froggers

Best Urban Gardens in Seattle

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Schemata Workshop will be hosting a model-building workshop for youth aged 11-16 on Saturday, March 26, in collaboration with the Seattle Architecture Foundation about the design of urban gardens (more information here).  We'll be exploring the issues we faced while designing the rooftop garden with Seattle Urban Farming Company at our new space and cohousing community. This got our froggers thinking about their favorite urban gardens in Seattle.  Here are some of our staff's well-loved lesser known parks in Seattle we hope you get to visit.  Happy exploring! 

Abigail's Pick:  Seven Hills Park (Capitol Hill)
1514 E Howell St, Seattle, WA 98122

"I feel like Seven Hills Park is a hidden gem, so I almost don’t want to share it, but it’s such a great spot. There’s a little community garden, some public grills and picnic tables, a few trees for shade, and an ample lawn perfect for laying out a…

"I feel like Seven Hills Park is a hidden gem, so I almost don’t want to share it, but it’s such a great spot. There’s a little community garden, some public grills and picnic tables, a few trees for shade, and an ample lawn perfect for laying out a blanket and sharing a picnic, readinga book, or just soaking up some late afternoon rays. It’s a little off the beaten path, and with Volunteer Park and Cal Anderson Park nearby, most of the visitors to Seven Hills Park live in the neighborhood, which makes for a cozy community feel even on the most crowded summer day.

Brian's Pick: Kubota Garden (Rainier Beach)
9817 55th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98178

Kubota Garden.jpg

Grace's Pick: Belltown Cottage Park and P-Patch (Belltown)
2512 Elliott Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

"I like that people hang out there. It can be quite lovely on summer evenings to walk through and see people picnic as well as working on the lots."

"I like that people hang out there. It can be quite lovely on summer evenings to walk through and see people picnic as well as working on the lots."

Margaret's Pick: Streissguth Gardens (Capitol Hill)
1640 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

"I love how tucked away this park is – if you’re coming from 10th it’s easy to miss the stairs that lead down to it.  The hillside gardens are really beautiful and have a wildness to them that I really like. There also is a pretty great view of…

"I love how tucked away this park is – if you’re coming from 10th it’s easy to miss the stairs that lead down to it.  The hillside gardens are really beautiful and have a wildness to them that I really like. There also is a pretty great view of Lake Union and the Olympic Mountains from the top."

Mike's Pick: Loveless Building Courtyard (Capitol Hill)
806 E Roy St, Seattle, WA 98102

"The Loveless Building scale is outstanding along the sidewalk, as is the material textures, and expression of uses. The glimpse of the courtyard seen passing by the gate is very compelling, followed by the traditional sequence of compression of vie…

"The Loveless Building scale is outstanding along the sidewalk, as is the material textures, and expression of uses. The glimpse of the courtyard seen passing by the gate is very compelling, followed by the traditional sequence of compression of view in the tunnel, and expansion into the garden, and the tree canopy overhead."

Mira's Pick: Waterfall Garden Park (Pioneer Square)
219 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

"Waterfall Garden Park is such a secret oasis in the middle of the of Pioneer Square.  I love taking visitors there when touring Pioneer Square since the waterfall and lushness makes for a nice break from the noise and harshness of the city."

"Waterfall Garden Park is such a secret oasis in the middle of the of Pioneer Square.  I love taking visitors there when touring Pioneer Square since the waterfall and lushness makes for a nice break from the noise and harshness of the city."

Roma's Pick: Federal Courthouse Plaza (Downtown)
700 Stewart St, Seattle, WA 98101

"While there is a lot of critique regarding the Federal Courthouse Plaza, and though some of it is valid, I just really love the space."

"While there is a lot of critique regarding the Federal Courthouse Plaza, and though some of it is valid, I just really love the space."

Will's Pick: Guerrila Gardens
Throughout Seattle

"Guerilla Gardening happens when people garden in places where they don't have a legal right to utilize the property, like these little traffic roundabouts that you find all over Seattle.  I find it so neat that people have taken it upon themse…

"Guerilla Gardening happens when people garden in places where they don't have a legal right to utilize the property, like these little traffic roundabouts that you find all over Seattle.  I find it so neat that people have taken it upon themselves to garden wherever they can and to beautify their environment. It really adds to the city."

Cheers!

-The Froggers

 

*All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Google Streetview.