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Architecture studios Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo and Atelier TBD have created a cultural space that preserves the “self-built essence” of San Miguel de Allende.

Created in collaboration with interior studio Maye Colab, Santa Tere Espacio is a cultural space and office that will primarily serve to foster reading in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

“Santa Tere Espacio emerged from the idea of creating architecture through renovation, reuse, repair, and repurposing,” said the team.

“Based on the self-built essence of the neighbourhood, Office of Collaborative Design, TBD Atelier, and Maye Colab joined forces with a shared vision to propose a project that engages with the site’s legacy.”

A blue door open to red-tiled kitchen — Located in San Miguel de Allende, the team sought to preserve the “self-built” nature of the city

According to the team, self-construction is a “common building practice in Latin America”, a technique they sought to preserve by repurposing both the existing architecture and materials from the site, which was a former six-room, single-story dwelling.

For Santa Tere Espacio, the team distributed several meeting rooms, a kitchenette, a bathroom and a central courtyard along the structure’s lateral plan with a second, detached bathroom tucked into a corner of the site.

yellow chairs in front of a blue door — The site was a former single-story residence

A long alleyway, marked with a curving concrete path, runs along the length of the exterior and provides access to each space.

“The intervention primarily involved demolitions to bring in light and allow ventilation of the spaces, and the incorporation of new elements such as doors, windows, and tile finishes that contrast with the pre-existing structure,” said the team.

Yellow walls facing a blue colored door — The team preserved much of the existing architecture and repurposed material found on-site

“Openings were created in the form of doors, windows, and domes, and some walls were demolished to make way for the central courtyard.”

Colab worked with a palette of red, yellow and pink on the interior, based on hues found during construction.

primary colored office — The interior palette was informed by colours found during the construction

“The idea of capturing the site’s essence is also reflected in the project’s colour palette, designed based on the colours found in the construction, with a contrasting colour being the blue of the ironwork.”

Bright blue windows and doors were distributed across the space and finished with geometric handles.

A red table and office chair — Red was primarily used for furnishings

Interior furnishings were finished primarily in red, with the kitchenette covered in bright red tile and desks throughout the space trimmed in the same shade.

In a desk at the front of the building, the stalk of a plant grows through an opening carved in its surface, while a silver of a triangular skylight sits above.

The project’s landscape design incorporates both native plants and others commonly found around the neighbourhood’s rooftops, patios and facades.

A spindly palo verde plant was planted in the courtyard to provide shade, a species considered sacred to the Aztecs and associated with the feathered serpent god, according to the team.

Santa Tere Espacio will act as a co-working and cultural space and will host OCD, Maye Colab and the bookstore Una Boutique de Libros.

Programming will focus on “reading, feminism, design and diversity”.

Blue metal door — Blue ironwork was used for windows and doors

Founded by Nadyeli Quiroz Radaelli, OCD and Maye Colab are design studios based in Mexico, while Atelier TBD, founded by Victor Wu, is an architecture office based between Brooklyn, Taipei and San Miguel.

Elsewhere in San Miguel de Allende, design studio Mestiz opened a studio to showcase its collaborations with local craftspeople.

The photography is by Leandro Bulzzano.

Project credits:

Architecture: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD
Interior design: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD, Maye Colab
Furniture and colorimetry: Maye Colab
Landscape architecture: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD
Principals: Maye Ruiz, Nadyeli Quiroz, Victor Wu
Design team: Alejandra Skinfield, Paola Bravo, Sara Lopez Farias
Structural consultant: Formula+, Yoyo Wu
Sources:
Steelwork: Crónica Estudio

Reference

Architecture

Mork-Ulnes creates house in San Francisco that “breaks from tradition”

By Zarkon Group,20/09/2023

Mork-Ulnes Architects has completed the Silver Lining House, a crisp, gabled home clad in black-stained cedar that was designed for an architectural photographer and interior designer.

Located on a sloped site in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighbourhood, the house sits among Victorian and Edwardian homes that line the area’s hilly streets.

The project was designed for architectural photographer Bruce Damonte and interior designer Alison Damonte, who have long been friends with architect Casper Mork-Ulnes, founder of Mork-Ulnes Architects.

The couple, who are avid collectors, desired a home that showcased their treasured belongings and supported their creative work.

Gabled home by Mork-Ulnes — Mork-Ulnes Architects designed the home with a gabled roof

“We knew from the outset that this project would be an interesting collaboration, balancing our reductive tendencies with the more exuberant and maximalist impulses of our client/friends, whose style we had always admired and wanted to celebrate,” said Casper Mork-Ulnes.

The architect and his team at Mork-Ulnes Architects – which has offices in San Francisco and Oslo – conceived a home for the Damontes that “conceptually functions as a container for their furniture and art collections and a laboratory for their work”.

Penthouse-style white kitchen with gabled roof — The top level was envisioned as a penthouse-type space

Rectangular in plan, the home rises three levels and features a crisp, gabled form. Facades are clad in strips of black-stained cedar and are punctured with openings of varying sizes.

The architects took cues from the surrounding context when deciding on key design elements such as scale, massing and cladding – but they also strayed from the norm.

Living room interior design in San Francisco home by Mork-Ulnes — It feature a living space

“While replicating the roof forms, entry portal/stoop and massing of the Victorian homes, the new house also breaks from tradition with a black-painted facade and ribbon windows that visually connect the interior of the house to the neighbourhood,” the team said.

“Tradition is reinterpreted here with a decidedly contemporary perspective, where formal research and construction techniques are integral to creating an original and innovative outcome that engages its surroundings while also prompting further inquiry,” the team added.

Totalling 2,818 square feet (261 square metres), the home has a “flipped floor plan”, in which private quarters are found on lower levels and communal spaces are placed up high.

The ground level holds a garage, primary bedroom suite, laundry room and sunken garden. The main entrance is found on the first floor, where the team placed a guest suite, a home office, two bathrooms and intimate spaces for relaxing and entertaining.

Rooftop terrace — A terrace offers sweeping views of the city

The top level – envisioned as a penthouse-type space – encompasses a kitchen, dining area, living room and powder room. A terrace offers sweeping views of the city.

Floors are linked by a curved staircase topped with a skylight. Half-polished chrome slats bounce reflections around the stairwell, an effect meant to “mimic the experience of walking through a disco ball”.

Mirrored surfaces are found in other parts of the house, lending a feeling of playfulness while also producing spacial and light-generating effects, the team said.

Overall, the home’s interior design – overseen by Alison Damonte – offers a mix of colours, textures and patterns that “reflect the owners’ collective creative spirit”, the team said.

Sustainability was in mind throughout the project, leading to the inclusion of elements such as high-performance windows, exterior solar shading and energy-efficient appliances.

Rooftop solar panels generate electricity that can be stored in a Powerwall battery system, and unused electricity is sent back to the power grid.

Interior design by Alison Damonte — The home’s interior design was overseen by Alison Damonte

The home’s completion marks the end of a journey spanning more than a decade.

In 2010, the Damontes purchased a modest residence in Bernal Heights dating to the early 1900s.

Colourful table inside Silver Lining House by Mork-Ulnes Architects — Silver Lining House includes various colourful accents

Several years later, they enlisted Mork-Ulnes to renovate the house, and just when plans were being finalized in 2017, the house caught fire and was partly destroyed.

The team salvaged what they could and reworked the design.

Silver Lining House by Mork-Ulnes Architects — The home’s completion marks the end of a journey spanning more than a decade

“While the incident forced a reevaluation of scope and scale of the redesign, the couple’s goal remained the same – to create a home that acted as a capsule of art and inspiration,” the team said.

Other projects by Mork-Ulnes include an eight-sided house in Oregon that was built using cross-laminated timber and a California residence clad in Corten steel to protect the building from wildfire.

The photography is by Bruce Damonte.

Project credits:

Architect: Mork-Ulnes Architects
Project design team: Casper Mork-Ulnes, Lexie Mork-Ulnes, Phi Van Phan, Gregoriy Ladigin
Interior designer: Alison Damonte
Construction manager: Raffi Nazarian
Landscape architect: Terremoto
Structural engineer: Santos & Urritia
Lighting design: PritchardPeck
General contractor: Rico’s General Construction, Inc
Cabinetmaker: Hopebuilt

Reference

Architecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Unlike many cities, San Francisco’s most iconic structure is not a building but a bridge. While the Golden Gate looms large in popular culture, it casts a shadow over some of the hilly city’s more iconic buildings. Likewise, although bay windows may rival the bridge’s iconic status, the city’s eclectic mix of Queen Anne and Victorian homes with modern architecture is less often remarked upon as noteworthy in and of itself. Yet, designing and building with heritage in mind is just one of many challenges that the city’s architects rise to in any design (steep hills and a meandering waterfront representing other prominent hurdles).

As Silicon Valley has grown, making property prices skyrocket, architects are increasingly pressed to address rising inequality and the affordable housing crisis. At the same time, they have responded to the growth of wealth and business by designing campuses, offices, masterplans and the like. The urban issues that San Francisco faces are both daunting and complex, but the high caliber of local firms makes the city well-suited to rise to the occasion.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in San Francisco based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of San Francisco architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 20 best architecture firms in San Francisco:

20. Fougeron Architecture

Fougeron Architecture is a nationally recognized design firm whose work exhibits a strong commitment to clarity of thought, design integrity, and quality of architectural detail. The firm’s decidedly modernist attitude is the result of founder Anne Fougeron’s vision to create a practice dedicated to finding the perfect alignment between architectural idea and built form. Her work can be defined by three basic tenets:

Architectural space is modulated by the quality and character of natural light,
Innovative use of structure becomes the architectural ornament, and
Exploration into the visual and tactile nature of materials enhances how people engage a building.

Ms. Fougeron’s keen interest in crossing disciplinary boundaries has led the firm to develop a collaborative design process that capitalizes on her relationships with craftsmen and artists who are experts in their fields.

Some of Fougeron Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Fougeron Architecture achieve 20th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	39

19. MWA Architects

At MWA Architects, we approach each project with a holistic design vision because we know that our work can create a positive and lasting impact for both people and the environment. Our primary markets focus on humanity’s essential needs — housing to support our well-being and access to healthy infrastructure – however, we pursue various project types all integral to a thriving community. The common thread in all of our work is that we deliberately take on challenging projects with complex and diverse stakeholder needs as these opportunities can often inspire meaningful change. A West-Coast-based firm, founded in 1988, we strive to create a legacy of beautiful and sustainable architecture that positively impacts the world.

Some of MWA Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Brooklyn Basin Township Commons, Oakland, California
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 2, San Francisco, California
Renaissance Commons, Portland, Oregon
Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility & Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor, Washington
Palo Alto Dewatering & Loadout Facility, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped MWA Architects achieve 19th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	17

18. STUDIOS Architecture

STUDIOS believes in the transformative power of design to lift the trajectories of individual lives and entire communities. We’ve seen it happen again and again since our founding, back when the first tech boom was just a spark. As those early innovators changed the way we all live, learn and work, we changed the way they thought about space — as a strategic resource for expressing their unique vision and fueling extraordinary success.
While our impact and expertise have expanded, our flexible approach to design remains fundamentally the same. We push boundaries, guided by the wisdom of close client partnerships and the confidence needed to take big and small steps forward together.

Some of STUDIOS Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Kearny Point Building 78 Annex, Kearny, New Jersey
Dow Jones, New York City, New York
IAC Building, Interiors, New York City, New York
200 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York
Nike – New York Headquarters, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped STUDIOS Architecture achieve 18th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	47

17. Studio O+A

At Studio O+A, our work process combines creativity and flexibility with the technical expertise to realize appropriate solutions for our client. Because our professionals are trained and experienced in all aspects of corporate planning and design, we exercise a degree of control that carries projects from concept to finish with consistency and economy.

Some of Studio O+A’s most prominent projects include:

adidas East Village Expansion, Portland, Oregon
Slack, San Francisco, California
Vara, San Francisco, California
McDonald’s Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois
Facebook HQ, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped Studio O+A achieve 17th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	11

16. OPA

Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects is a progressive San Francisco-based office that has been globally recognized for projects ranging in scale from institutions to private homes, as well as interior and object design. Founded in 2004, OPA is an idea-driven office committed to finding design solutions that both expand the possibilities inherent in architecture and resonate within their particular context.

While every project originates as a response to specific requirements of site, program and client, it evolves as an exploration of its own internal potential rather than reflecting a predetermined architectural style. In all the work, there is an emphasis on shaping and choreographing spatial experiences through the consideration of movement, perception and formal logic.

Some of OPA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OPA achieve 16th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	9

15. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

Motivated by a conviction that landscape design has the power to alter perception and ultimately initiate a deeper respect for the environment, ACLA designs spaces that offer opportunities for users to forge new relationships with their surroundings. Through an iterative process, we find simple responses to complex problems, and seek to elevate experiences through layering and choreography of movement. The trust we build with our clients through long-term partnerships is an important foundation of our work, as each new project expands our expression of design and craft.

Some of Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Windhover Contemplative Center, Stanford, California
Richardson Affordable Apartments, San Francisco, California
Los Altos Residence, Los Altos, California
Telegraph Hill Residence, San Francisco, California
Birmingham Residence, Detroit, Michigan

The following statistics helped Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture achieve 15th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	13

14. Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors

We believe that masterful design is unique, relevant and timeless. We really like iconic architecture that is conceptually interesting and also reveals an attention to detail, materiality and authenticity. We admire boldness balanced with simplicity, innovation balanced with functionality and power balanced with precision. We see ourselves as well-traveled creators with a conviction that a talented and experienced team that conscientiously listens is a valuable ally. We are professionally motivated to connect the aspects of artistic ambition, problem solving, environmental responsibility and style within demanding requirements.
‍
We are an award-winning multidisciplinary firm dedicated to design excellence. We were founded in 1992 by Architect Cass Calder Smith and are now comprised of four principals that include Barbara Vickroy, Taylor Lawson and Tim Quayle.

Some of Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors’s most prominent projects include:

Print Lounge, New York City, New York
Diane Middlebrook Studios, Woodside, California
Stairway to Heaven, San Francisco, California
Aptos Retreat, Aptos, California
Mill Valley Residence, Marin County, California

The following statistics helped Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors achieve 14th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	22

13. Rapt Studio

We’re into branding, design, and the spaces that bring them together.
We love connecting things. Sites, design, and strategy — we think it’s better when they all come together.
We’re a group of designers, builders, thinkers, and fans of culture who love creating inspiring spaces, digital places and everything in between. In short, we help companies stand out and stand for something.

Some of Rapt Studio’s most prominent projects include:

Vans Global HQ, Costa Mesa, California
Make, Carlsbad, California
Basalt, Napa, California
J Dawgs, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dropbox HQ, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Rapt Studio achieve 13th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	28

12. Mork Ulnes Architects

With offices in San Francisco and Oslo, Mork Ulnes Architects approaches projects with a combination of Scandinavian practicality and Northern California’s ‘can-do’ spirit of innovation.

Some of Mork Ulnes Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Skigard Hytte, Fåvang, Norway
Mylla Cabin, Oppland, Norway
MOOSE ROAD RESIDENCE, Ukiah, California
MEIER ROAD BARN, Sonoma, California
Troll Hus, Placer County, California

The following statistics helped Mork Ulnes Architects achieve 12th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

11. S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

S^A | Schwartz and Architecture is a modern architecture and interior design studio established by Founder + Principal Neal J. Z. Schwartz, FAIA in 1997. Our expertise is in guiding clients through a highly interactive design process tailored to their personalities, budgets and needs. Rather than imposing a pre-conceived aesthetic, we begin our work by thoughtfully analyzing the particular opportunities posed by any site and constraint. We remain involved at every stage of design and construction and thrive working with fixed schedules and resources.

Some of S^A | Schwartz and Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped S^A | Schwartz and Architecture achieve 11th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	23

10. Mark Cavagnero Associates

Mark Cavagnero Associates is a San Francisco-based architecture firm focused on cultural, commercial, education, and civic projects. Since its establishment in 1988, the firm has completed a wide range of architectural and master planning projects, including large and small scale institutional, non-profit, commercial, and residential projects. The firm provides a full range of services, from programming, master planning, site planning and conceptual design, through construction documents and administration.

Some of Mark Cavagnero Associates’s most prominent projects include:

UC San Francisco, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, California
Quest Diagnostics Next Generation Lab, Clifton, New Jersey
Confidential Investment Firm, California
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California
San Francisco Conservatory of Music – Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Mark Cavagnero Associates achieve 10th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

9. Klopf Architecture

Klopf Architecture brings the outside in. Our firm creates warm, modern designs that admit natural light and allow openness to nature. Our design approach weighs many factors to create custom designs with just the right level of connection to the outside world: clients’ goals and lifestyle, site orientation, views, climate and neighborhood context. Our primary goal is to create spaces people love to inhabit.

Specializing in new warm, modern net-zero energy houses, we are widely recognized for our work remodeling and adding to mid-century modern and Eichler homes. We believe in bringing these wonderful homes back to life for another generation to love, or creating new, green modern homes that provide the same level of warmth and connection to nature that follow a similar philosophy.

Some of Klopf Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Klopf Architecture achieve 9th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	47

8. Arterra Landscape Architects

Arterra is a full-service landscape architecture firm specializing in contemporary, sustainable design. We collaborate with our clients and their design team, providing imaginative solutions and clear communication. The Arterra Team is a diverse and slightly quirky group of creative and nerdy individuals. We are dedicated to the art and the craft of our profession. We consider it an honor and a privilege to do the work we do — and we do it well.

We share ideas and inspiration in our beautiful, open studio space, where design ideas come to life. We are dedicated to doing sustainable work and living sustainable lives. Our greatest achievement is creating a meaningful and sustainable landscape legacy.

Some of Arterra Landscape Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Dry Garden Poetry, Santa Cruz, California
The Painterly Approach, Belvedere Tiburon, California
Farm to Table, Woodside, California
Inspired by the Land, Healdsburg, California
Taronga, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Top image: Art House, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Arterra Landscape Architects achieve 8th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	3
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	15

7. Aidlin Darling Design

With a shared interest in exploring design across a wide range of scales, programs, and disciplines, partners Joshua Aidlin and David Darling started Aidlin Darling Design around a woodshop in 1998. With an emphasis on designing for all of the senses, they have cultivated a diverse and collaborative studio that acts as the creative hub for an extended network of builders, fabricators, artists, engineers, chefs and other collaborators. The firm’s work explores a closely held conviction that design can enlighten the human spirit by engaging all of the senses.

Some of Aidlin Darling Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aidlin Darling Design achieve 7th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	21

6. Jensen Architects

At JENSEN we are passionate about creating buildings and environments that enrich the experiences of organizations and individuals. Guided by a responsibility to achieve the most using the fewest resources and to engage a broader cultural perspective, we develop solutions that embody each client’s values and larger purpose.

Our wide-ranging portfolio — encompassing arts, education, residential, workplace and retail — is underpinned by an abiding interest in how we live and work today, and the pleasure we take in collectively solving design challenges through research, unconventional thinking and a focus on craft. The economy and directness in our work reflects not only a clear concern for ecological sustainability but also a deep appreciation of the inherent beauty that emerges when functional, experiential and environmental goals are efficiently and gracefully resolved. We are recognized for innovative applications of proven building systems and materials and valued for our collaborative approach to design and construction.

Some of Jensen Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Stanford Residence, Stanford, California
The Shed Healdsburg, Healdsburg, California
Blue Bottle Morse Building, Oakland, California
Turner Residence, Larkspur, California
SFMOMA Rooftop Sculpture Garden, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Jensen Architects achieve 6th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	25

5. Form4 Architecture

Form4 Architecture believes in returning a sense of humanity to Modernism through emotional meaning and poetic design. The San Francisco-based award‐winning firm measures success by our contributions to society through a 2nd Century Modernist approach that balances expressive design, rigor, empathy and sustainability to create captivating buildings and spaces that resonate with people and enhance their lives.

Some of Form4 Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Form4 Architecture achieve 5th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	12
Total Projects	26

4. Feldman Architecture

Feldman Architecture is an innovative residential and commercial studio known for creating buildings that sit lightly on the earth: beautiful, healthful, and soulful spaces that enhance our clients’ lives, our communities and the environment.

Some of Feldman Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Mill Valley Cabins, Mill Valley, California
Slot House, Los Altos, California
The Sanctuary, Palo Alto, California
Sunrise, Healdsburg, California
Surf House, Santa Cruz, California

The following statistics helped Feldman Architecture achieve 4th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	20
Total Projects	37

3. IwamotoScott Architecture

IwamotoScott Architecture is an award winning architecture and design firm established by Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott. Based in San Francisco, the firm has gained national and international recognition for innovative design with projects around the country and overseas. Committed to pursuing architecture as a form of applied design research, IwamotoScott proceeds from the belief that each project can achieve a unique design synthesis.

IwamotoScott’s client list includes arts organizations, educational institutions, media firms, commercial developers and private clients. Our projects consist of work at all scales including urban design, buildings, interiors, full-scale fabrications, museum installations and exhibitions and theoretical proposals. IwamotoScott has received over eighty design awards and honors.

Some of IwamotoScott Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Pinterest HQ, San Francisco, California
Pinterest HQ2, San Francisco, California
Heavybit Industries, 325, 9th Street, San Francisco, California
City View Garage, Miami Design District, Miami, Florida
Pinterest NY – Scissor Stair, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped IwamotoScott Architecture achieve 3rd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	5
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	13
Total Projects	39

2. Salter

Salter consults on over 900 worldwide projects each year with headquarters in San Francisco and branch offices in San Jose, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Seattle. In 1975, Charles Salter founded the company on principles of sound engineering, scientific process, inquisitive problem solving, and personal integrity. His motto was simple: to be better every day. Having grown from 1 engineer to a team of 50 that includes acoustical, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security experts, that commitment remains the same.

At Salter, our legacy is 45 years of award-winning projects. We are a team of Professional Engineers, LEED Accredited Professionals, Certified Technology Specialists, Registered Communications Distribution Designers, Fellows of the Audio Engineering Society and Fellows of the Acoustical Society of America.

Some of Salter’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Salter achieve 2nd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	4
A+Awards Finalist	10
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	42

1. Gensler

Gensler is a global architecture, design and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 7,000 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the Americas. Founded in San Francisco in 1965, the firm serves more than 4,000 clients across more than 29 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community and health sectors. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work and play more inspiring, more resilient and more impactful.

Some of Gensler’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gensler achieve 1st place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	8
A+Awards Finalist	28
Featured Projects	49
Total Projects	163

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

Project completed within the last 3 years
A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
High quality, in focus photographs
At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

Architecture

Ryan Leidner adds bridge to geometric San Francisco house

By Zarkon Group,23/02/2023

Local studio Ryan Leidner Architecture renovated a 1940s home in the Bernal Heights neighbourhood of San Francisco, resolving entry access with a bridge over the front garden.

Ryan Leidner Architecture completed the 2,500-square-foot (230-square metre) Hosono House in 2021, cladding the house in charcoal-stained cedar siding with a copper, standing seam roof.

The original structure was built at the rear of a steeply sloped 2750-square-foot (255-square-metre) lot, “giving the home a unique sense of privacy and a feeling of being a true retreat,” the studio said.

However, the setback challenged the home’s circulation, causing people to cross the yard, descend a long staircase, and climb back up three flights to access the primary living space.

Ryan Leidner Architecture house in San Francisco — The bridge is arranged over the front garden

During an initial walkthrough with the clients, founding principal Ryan Leidner threw out a “crazy idea” – to redirect access from the street to a new front door with a bridge.

The bridge would span the lush front garden and connect to the house between the top and middle stories.

“The front entrance sequence was totally reimagined,” Leidner told Dezeen.

Blackened facade featuring a circular pivot window — A circular pivot window marks the front facade

The studio rebuilt the front facade – now marked by a circular pivot window that replaced a leaking solarium – gutted the interior and rearranged spaces.

“Wanting to preserve the historic character of the house, the existing wood beams and ceiling were refinished and left exposed while all of the original windows, floors and finishes were replaced, creating a greater sense of material continuity throughout the house,” Leidner said.

Wood-toned interior within Hosono House with skylights — Natural wood tones and white surfaces characterise the interior

The subtle palette of natural wood tones and white surfaces allows the interior spaces to serve as a canvas for the owners’ affinity for design.

“The interior spaces are filled with a mix of vintage Italian furnishings and custom pieces, while the overall sensibility of the space was inspired by trips to Norway and Japan, and the ethos of Californian hippie modernism,” Leidner noted.

Nobuto Suga dining table within Hosono House by Ryan Leidner — A custom Nobuto Suga dining table is framed by statement chairs

The top-floor kitchen, living and dining areas enjoy sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline through a variety of window shapes.

Plant-filled niches that reference 1960s and 70s Italian projects surround a space that holds accent furniture including a custom Nobuto Suga dining table, vintage Guido Faleschini chairs and a Gae Aulenti armchair.

Bedroom by Ryan Leidner — Two bedrooms are on the second floor

The second floor contains two bedrooms, a Venetian-plastered primary bathroom and a lounge space inspired by a Tokyo whiskey bar with warm wide-plank white oak and a custom velvet daybed.

A large opening in the lounge leads to the lower courtyard, which was reimagined by landscape architect Stephen Design Studio.

The lowest level boasts one of the home’s most unique spaces: the guest bedroom.

“A textured hemp-plaster was used on the walls and ceiling, and a custom tiled bed frame and furnishings give a nod to the history of Italian modernism,” the studio said.

Ryan Leidner interiors — Ryan Leidner added luxurious touches throughout the home

Throughout the home, custom fabricated brass details – like countertops, sinks and CNC Dieter Rams-inspired exhaust covers – add a luxurious touch that will patina over time.

Ryan Leidner Architecture had previously collaborated with Stephen Design Studio to remodel a midcentury Eichler home, complete with twin gables and a lush central courtyard.

The photography is by Joe Fletcher.

Project credits:

Architects: Ryan Leidner Architecture
Landscape Design: Stephens Design Studio
General Contractor: DKG Construction
Landscape Contractor: Ground Cover Landscaping

Reference

Sustainable News

Three Swiss design brands present sustainable products in San Francisco

By Zarkon Group,24/11/2022

Promotion: a fashion label, packaging designer and coffee roastery are three brands from Switzerland taking part in the Swiss Design Accelerator Program in San Francisco, USA.

The three studios – YVY, Paula Cermeño León and Mikafi – represent innovative design practices emerging from Switzerland.

Recognised at the international event for their pioneering attitude to the design, the three brands aim to have sustainability and circular economic values at the forefront of their creative processes.

YVY is a fashion label founded by designer Yvonne Reichmuth in 2015, which designs and manufactures leather goods in Zurich.

The brand produces ready-to-wear accessories such as wallets, belts, jewellery and hats in addition to bespoke harnesses and clothing, which are predominantly made from leather.

A designer wearing suit and leather harness — YVY designs and manufactures leather goods

The brand has clothed notable celebrities such as Kristen Stewart, Billie Eilish, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Troye Sivan, Taylor Swift and Camila Cabello among others.

YVY does not release seasonal collections, instead it creates carry-over pieces that aim to reduce material waste and allow designs to be continuously refined.

Two people with coffee machine — Mikafi designs pioneering the coffee roasting process

The leather is sourced from byproducts of the food industry, with the brand also offering non-animal alternatives on a case-by-case basis to cater to all client requirements.

The leather follows traditional processing techniques and uses vegetable tanning methods to make the material safe for both those handling it during the manufacturing process and for the planet.

Person wearing leather harness — The brand uses traditional leather treatment methods

Mikafi designs fully automated coffee roasting systems that are made up of both hardware and software that work in tandem to reduce the impact of coffee making on the environment.

The brand’s tabletop mini roasting appliance called MCR 1 allows coffee beans to be roasted on demand, which reduces overproduction and waste, and being electrically powered makes the machine more environmentally viable than traditional gas-powered roasters.

MCR 1 is still in its testing phase, and has been designed for use in commercial hospitality settings such as bakeries, cafes and restaurants.

It is made up of a chamber containing coffee beans on the top, with a large circular window below that shows the roasting process happening inside.

Coffee machine with large circular window on worktop — MCR 1 is still in its testing phase, and has been designed for use in commercial hospitality settings such as bakeries, cafes and restaurants.

It is made up of a chamber containing coffee beans on the top, with a large circular window below that shows the roasting process happening inside.

Mikafi’s digital platform manages the process of the coffee beans from farm to cup, and aims to open up channels of communication between farmers, hospitality venues and consumers.

“The concept is thought to foster a fairer and more direct trade between the coffee farmer and the consumer, and most of all to strengthen the taste experience of the latter,” said Mikafi.

Paula Cermeño León is a designer who specialises in creating sustainable packaging as well as personal care products informed by the importance of circularity and the benefits of working with plants.

She combines her design skills, which she developed during her studies at ECAL in Switzerland, with expertise from professionals who work closely with plants, including botanists, biologists, artists and engineers.

Photograph of product wrapped in dried leaves — Paula Cermeño León used natural waste material for packaging incense

Among León’s designs is a proposed alternative to conventional packaging for Peruvian brand Misha Rastrera, which makes Palo Santo incense.

As opposed to using conventional plastic film packaging, León chose to use surplus corn husks produced during farming to make packaging that is sustainable and compostable.

Photograph of neutral coloured skincare items on white background — The face mask must be wetted before use

Other eco-based products by León include self-care items, such as the face mask set from her Herbier Project, which is made from plant fibres that can be distributed dry and rehydrated when ready to use.

Her Refined Remedies collection of medicinal products for minor wounds and menstrual pain are also infused with plant extracts and present a contemporary take on herbal remedies.

Hand smoothing patch onto arm on yellow background — Remedies are used for minor ailments

The Swiss Design Accelerator program is the result of collaboration between Swiss Art Council, Pro Helvetia, under the label Design Switzerland, and Swissnex in San Francisco, an initiative by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, connecting “Switzerland, North America and the world in science, education, innovation and the arts”.

The program aims to build connections and international visibility for emerging Swiss designers and brands in the design industries.

The program ran from 7 November to 13 November 2022 and was held at Swissnex’s space at Pier 17 in San Francisco.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Swissnex as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

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Three Swiss design brands present sustainable products in San Francisco

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