ABOUT
Having worked his way through UC Berkeley as a carpenter, Eric Manou desired to merge his degree in the creative arts with the built environment. The joint skillset helped him go on to develop a broad range of aesthetically beautiful buildings while maintaining a solid understanding of the systems he was creating.
Today he has expanded his vision to encompasses advanced sustainable building practices. The incorporation of this element under the same umbrella of designer, builder and developer has helped him stay at the forefront of meaningful design.
"No one can undermine my passion for making a better product, a home, a community. The final decision stays with me and I am determined to contribute everything I have to improve this sector of life."
In the last three years, Manou has designed, built and developed what is believed to be the first Net-Zero community in the United States, Atomic City. A 15 home urban infill community in Oakland California which includes three live-work units, one of which is his base for future projects.
After Atomic City, Manou spent 18 months developing the concept for a farm inclusive sustainable community he dubbed Farmy. The design inspired his next project, an urban farm and housing community, Project Zero, which will boast a zero embodied and operational carbon footprint. Project Zero is slated to break ground in summer of 2022.