By doubling the size of a low-rise building without also doubling the costs for land, permits, fees, and so on, these projects will be much more financially feasible for small local developers, who don’t have access to the type or scale of capital typically available to large national firms.

In addition, these now double-sized low-rise buildings can still utilize less expensive construction types–wood vs. steel or concrete–and are not required by state code to include many of the costly elements mandatory in mid- and high-rise buildings, such as elevators or additional stairs and circulation.

In short, small local developers will be better able to recoup their investments and make a profit, which in turn will encourage them to build more housing. This could lead to thousands of additional units coming onto the market each year.

We expect that communities across the state will see numerous variants and flavors of development in this new type of “opportunity zone.” While AB1287 may not be the magic bullet to solve the state’s housing crisis, given the relatively inexpensive cost of construction of low-rise housing, the sheer potential number of such projects could make a real dent.

The post The New California Housing Law with Surprise Benefits appeared first on StudioKDA.

The solution to the challenge afforded by the site lay in creating a series of L-shaped units. While the slender building runs through the block (from Bancroft to Durant), the L-shaped units create “notches” in the long building mass. Each of the notches allowed us to provide a series of mini-courtyard balconies surrounded by windows that bathe the apartments in natural light.

We’re pleased to report that the building is now complete and leasing has begun. www.ursaberkeley.com

A few images from the help of a drone (and photographer Ken Gutmaker) tell the story.

The post Modern Infill Multi-family Housing on an Impossibly Narrow Lot appeared first on StudioKDA.

Keith Morris was LIVE on Australian Morning Radio!

LISTEN HERE

Air Date: Tuesday September 8, 2020 8:40am (Australian time)

Network: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Channel) News Radio

Program: RN Breakfast with Fran Kelly

Producer: Linda Lopresti

The post Keith Morris discusses Outdoor Dining on ABC Australian Radio appeared first on StudioKDA.

PCBC’s Gold Nugget Awards are presented annually to the top innovators in design, planning and development. The competition is open to builders, developers, architects, and land planners with communities and projects across the United States and internationally.

The owners of Bar Shiru, the first Bay Area, Hi-Fi listening bar, looked at several potential sites before deciding on the rough concrete, 1500 SF space inside the 1928 historic “Latham Square Building” in Oakland’s Uptown district at 1611 Telegraph Avenue. Unlike other sites, this space had a variety of small personal zones that connected to a larger communal area, offering inclusivity and openness. But, could  the raw industrial double-height space, with its exposed concrete beams and column grid and steel decking be turned into a serene, jazz-focused bar and lounge?

Surrounded by Oakland’s bustling bar and nightlife scene (and a stone’s throw from the historic Fox Theater), Bar Shiru provides a sharp contrast to the loud, overflowing bars on the same block.  Conceived as an analog-only,  vinyl record bar, the owners imagined an audiophile quality , mostly- jazz music experience that encouraged intimate conversations while drinking Japanese whiskey and  craft cocktails. Groups larger than 6 would be discouraged and seating space  would be limited.

After the owners Shirin Raza and Daniel Gahr sourced the high-end audio equipment, the design highlighted the glass tube amps and vintage-look wood speakers, while simultaneously providing background sound attenuation . The ceilings are covered in 2” thick acoustic sound panels, the jazz photos above the bar are also sound panels and the decorative wood screens diffract sound waves, as does the 15 foot high “record wall”, the feature of the main space.

That record wall presented a structural complication. Loaded up, each compartment holds 50 albums or 38 lbs. With 100 cubes, the potential weight would be 3,800 lbs. Luckily the owner’s record collection was just a 1/3 of that capacity, and there was an existing structural floor beam that was able to carry the load.

Rather than concealing it, the designers chose to highlight the raw columns and beams with warm uplighting, providing a moody contrast to the refined mid-century modern lounge furniture and elegant backlit bar.

The post BAR SHIRU wins a Gold Nugget Award Grand Prize 2020 appeared first on StudioKDA.

BY ADAM ROGERS

Wired Magazine

06 • 17 • 2020

The post WIRED MAGAZINE: The Design and Science of Patio Dining during a Pandemic appeared first on StudioKDA.

From Berkeley-based Meyer Sound: This unprecedented ability to dynamically control the sonic ambience of the space has garnered the attention of publications like San Francisco Chronicle and Fast Company. With a touch on an iPad screen, Comal’s management can maintain the desired level of energized “buzz” throughout the space while still allowing intimate conversations, all regardless of occupancy levels. Constellation picks up a room’s ambient sound and, after applying a patented algorithm, regenerates an enhanced wash of sound throughout the space at the optimum levels. Three presets, adjustable via an iPad, are provided to adjust for changing occupancy levels. The restaurant can also heighten the “buzz” around the bar and lower it for the guests in the dining areas.

Meyer Sound created a short video describing the system in detail. Owners John Paluska, GM Andrew Hoffman  and Studio KDA’s Marites Abueg appear as well!

The post How DOES the high tech Sound System at Comal really work? appeared first on StudioKDA.

by Jen Woo, Architectural Digest, April 25, 2019

“We wanted to create a space that is warm and welcoming for diverse women from this city and its surroundings; a place where we can come together and feel inspired to work, work out, grow, and replenish, all under one roof,” says cofounder Signy Judd. To get there, Judd and cofounders Gina Tega and Marielle Lorenz collaborated with friends Keith Morris and Marites Abueg of Studio KDA, the team behind Comal and Tender Greens. They sought to combine high and low elements and embraced finding good value in furniture and finishes…Soft grays, greens, plums, and blues permeate Sphere, along with an array of different lighting designs—though there is no shortage of natural light, as two entire walls of the floor have large, operable windows. It also inherited five large living walls from the previous tenant that form the reception area.

Read the full article here. 

The post Sphere Opens Co-Working Space for Women in Oakland appeared first on StudioKDA.

“One Solution to the Housing Crunch: Giving Millennials the Community they Crave”

by Alexandra Mar, Bisnow SF, February 19, 2019

New research indicates California could be short as many as 3.5 million homes by 2025. The demand for housing is enormous, and the current pace of new project development and construction isn’t keeping up. That might be because developers are looking at multifamily housing opportunities all wrong.  The answer to the affordability dilemma may not be just about lowering the cost of construction. Charles Kahn, managing principal at architecture and design firm Studio KDA, believes it is about evolving the concept.

In Kahn’s school of thought, the ideal co-living arrangement is one that takes into account an urban, active lifestyle and proximity to a like-minded community. But this isn’t just dorm living. Each bedroom has its own kitchenette and bathroom attached — essentially, a private micro-studio, branching out from an appealing and accessible, beautifully furnished central shared space. Housemates find each other via the same tech that powers dating apps. 

Read the entire article here

El Cerrito Multi-Family Project, by Studio KDA

The post Charles Kahn discusses Co-Living appeared first on StudioKDA.

“The End of the Ear-Splitting Dining Room”

 by Esra Erol  ,  Eater National, April 19, 2019

“John Paluska, founder and co-owner of Comal in Berkeley, says he and his business partner Andrew Hoffman thought about potential acoustic treatments for the restaurant during the pre-construction planning stage. At the time, their designer, Marites Abueg, introduced them to Meyer Sound, a Berkeley-based audio manufacturer. Their conversation quickly turned into Comal becoming a “test case” for the Constellation System, which allows users to optimize the acoustics in a space by using a careful combination of loudspeakers, microphones, and digital processing. The system allows any workers in the space to make adjustments depending on how busy the restaurant is.”

Read the entire article here. 

The post Comal Restaurant in Eater National appeared first on StudioKDA.