Each year we get together at Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma for a 3-day retreat in the fall. Accommodations are shared rooms in rustic redwood cabins set among landscaped grounds including pool and hot tub. The towns of Sonoma and Glen Ellen are minutes away. Join us for a weekend of conversation, fun, exercise, hiking, swimming, hot tub, massage, music, art, and delicious food. Give everybody a chance to know you better, develop closer ties with friends and colleagues, and return home inspired by new ideas from our group.
The 2026 Program:
Keynote Speaker: Bronwyn H. Hall, Professor of Economics Emerita at the University of California at Berkeley – Economics of Innovation. Bronwyn H. Hall | UC Berkeley Economics
Topic: Understanding the Economics of Patents, Copyright, and Design Rights in Architecture
Architecture is an industry built on the shoulders of giants—but at what point does "building on" become "stealing from"? This session provides practicing architects with a foundational map of Intellectual Property law. We will move beyond basic definitions to explore the economic incentives and hurdles created by IP litigation. Featuring a breakdown of Shine v. Childs, this talk examines the high-stakes tension between the rights of the individual creator and the collective progress of the architectural field.
Art project: TBD
Music: Afro Brazilian music with Catia Machado from The Brazil/East Bay Ensemble (BEBE) Catia Machado & The Brazil/East Bay Ensemble (BEBE)
Movement: Luz Mena, Afro Cuban dance instructor will teach us dance moves for the performance Saturday night. https://luzmena.com and on Sunday, Qi Gong with Marianne Benforado, L.Ac.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND ACCOMODATIONS:
Financial assistance for scholarships is available for students and those without employment. We encourage participants to join OWA+DP. Contact retreat coordinator T. Rachel Slonicki with questions or request a scholarship.
Email trs@littleelephantarchitecture.com or call 510.704.0808.
If you need special accommodation in the only accessible cabin on site, the blue cabin, email, or call Rachel.
We have room for 50 guests for the weekend, but Saturday-only (no overnight) registrations are available as well. We encourage participants to join OWA+DP.
