Written for everyone who dreams of building a house, Essence of Home provides a step-by-step look at the planning process. Author and architect Liesl Geiger presents seven elements that are crucial to the success and livability of residential structures: design origins, site and scale, language and style, openings and light, spheres of living, flow of space, and sustainability. Twenty of today's leading architects--Richard Gluckman, Deborah Berke, Ted Flato, Peggy Deamer, Turner Brooks, William McDonough, and others--offer practical advice and experience.