Kevin Hackett
kevin@siolstudios.com
Kevin is co-founder and Chairman of Síol. He was born in Limerick, Republic of Ireland. He received both his B.A. (Hons) and PG Dip. in Architecture from the University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. During this period, Kevin also returned to Ireland to work for the international award-winning firm of Murray O’Laoire Architects and was a founding member of Freeform, an innovative design group that focused on the evolution of ergonomic furniture. In 2000, Kevin relocated to Paris to work for esteemed French modernist architect Pierre Colboc and was lead architect for the firm’s museum and civic projects. Here Kevin honed his design skill set in the public arena of architecture and began developing his own language of design.
In search of a more sustainable practice, Kevin moved to San Francisco, California, to head the design office of Johnny Grey USA. In the role of Design Director for four years, Kevin tuned his mindset to residential design and worked on a multitude of custom homes across the country. It was at Johnny Grey where Kevin began to explore design processes, sustainable systems and experiment with an integrative, multi-disciplinary approach to both building and design.
Kevin is a devotee of integral theory and has seamlessly woven this philosophy into all levels of the practice. He has traveled extensively and has had the fortune of studying and working in remote destinations across the globe, including South Africa, Australia, Morocco, Dutch Guyana and more recently China, where he is currently designing several residences in Shanghai. Kevin frequently lectures in design and is on the faculty at CCA (California College of the Arts). Kevin is an avid reader, artist and local Ocean Beach surfer.
Jessica Weigley
jessica@siolstudios.com
Jessica Weigley graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters Degree in Education. While interested in design from an early age she did not begin formally designing for others until her time in the Peace Corps. While living in Namibia she redesigned the teacher resource center using the principles of sustainable design, human psychology, and democratic space planning. Throughout her extensive travels she has gained intimate knowledge of how structures support life.
Using her unconventional background Jessica bridges communication and understanding with her clients through out the design process. As Co-Owner and Founder of Síol she utilizes her talents in high-end customer relations, analytical thinking, the principles and practices of teaching, complex organizational structures, project management, event and conference planning. Her passion for nature and the contemplative arts inform her life and work.
Michael McFadden
michael@siolstudios.com
Michael McFadden is a licensed landscape architect and contractor with a hands-on approach to creating unique outdoor environments. For twenty-five years, Michael has studied and practiced design, while at the same time building and caring for gardens. It is Michael’s belief that part of maintaining design proficiency is keeping his hands in the dirt. Michael holds a BS in Environmental Planning from Rutgers University, and spent five formative years in Jackson, Wyoming, drawing inspiration from the surrounding wilderness of the Teton valley. Today he is the founder and owner of Planted Earth Design Build Company, a small collaborative group of craftspeople and designers. Planted Earth has been honored to showcase two gardens in the Secret Gardens of the East Bay Tour, one of which was the 2007 recipient of the Best Outdoor Living Space award from the city of Piedmont CA.
Joseph Monnet
joseph@siolstudios.com
Born in Switzerland, Joseph started his career with an apprenticeship program that led to a master's degree in woodworking. Since moving to the US, he has worked in some of the best woodworking shops in the Bay Area where he familiarized himself with the American standards while maintaining his meticulous attention to detail. While performing nearly every task in a millwork shop, from machine operation to project managing, Joseph has gained 25 years of experience. As the conduit between design and fabrication his refined eye for detail has assisted Síol in the seamless transition from off-site production to on-site installation.
Erik Tryde
erik@siolstudios.com
Erik is Síol’s in-house engineering consultant. He is a licensed civil and structural engineer in California; he received his degree in structural engineering from the University of Denmark in Copenhagen. Erik has an international resume that features work in Sweden, Iceland, Moscow, and Guam. Up until 1986, Erik was employed by Skidmore, Owens, & Merrill working in their Chicago, Okinawa, and San Francisco offices. His background in various scales of work allow him to consult on a diverse scope of work. From the onset of each project, Erik brings wisdom and experience to the integrated design approach.
