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Last chance to register for the @bisnow Northern California Student Housing & Higher Education Summit this Wednesday!

Charles will be speaking on a panel detailing how to address the student housing shortage and the future of on-campus and off-campus housing.

Tickets are still available at https://www.bisnow.com/events/preview/8075!

#studenthousing #bisnow #campushousing #studioKDA

We’ve been working on a lot of student housing recently!

This project, dubbed “The Edge” is just steps away from campus and the Telegraph Shopping district. 🏢🎓🛍️

The Edge is an 8-story building offering a mix of unit types from three to six-bedroom layouts and amenities tailored to address students’ needs. Large outdoor balconies overlook campus and Bancroft Avenue, and the building also features a convenient restaurant/café/bar space on the ground floor. We’re still in the entitlements/ planning approval phase, but will share more updates soon!

You can also join us at the Northern California Student Housing & Higher Education summit next week to learn more about the process of designing student housing. Register at https://www.bisnow.com/events/preview/8075

#buildingdesign #apartmentdesign #studenthousing #UCBerkeley

Have you ever stopped to admire the intricate details of a space? 🔍🏛️

We do it all the time. As architects, we’re constantly thinking about the little things that make the built environment special. These photos, compiled from our 2022 holiday card, represent some of the materials that have inspired us recently - swipe through for some inspiration of your own!

#designdaily #designdetails #interiordesign #buildingdetails

In honor of the last week of Earth Month, we wanted to revisit this conceptual design for Ploughshares Nursery. These renderings were completed ages ago, but are still so relevant today! 🌎🌱

Designed to house a retail nursery, an education center, and staff offices, this project features straw bale and earth bag construction, a living roof, rainwater catchment and reuse, and photo voltaic power. While the project never came to fruition, these sketches are a testament to the fact that sustainable design can be beautiful (and efficiently deployed for spaces of all sizes!) Swipe to see a detailed diagram of the building’s features.

#earthday #sustainabledesign #sustainablearchitecture

We love the opportunity to help our clients envision new community places! We worked with a local family to conceptualize “Green Valley Farm Preserve”, a model agrarian community center that includes a farm-to-table restaurant and bar, a market and all-day cafe, an event space, and a farmers’ market - all in a single site to create a “heart” of activity for a community that lacked a local gathering spot. We designed the Farm Preserve to emphasize the idyllic outdoor setting with farm and field views, porches, and semi covered dining, borrowing inspiration from nearby agrarian buildings.

#agritourism #conceptualdesign #designprocess #rendering

Project update alert! ✅

We’re excited to share new renderings of Berkeley Moshav, a Jewish co-housing project. This 39-unit building will facilitate an intentional Jewish community living space, developed by and for the occupants. We worked closely with Moshav community members during the design process in order to facilitate the kind of social, intergenerational living that facilitates Jewish rituals and traditions.

Chag sameach to all who are celebrating Passover this week!

#cohousing #berkeleymoshav #jewishcommunity #architecture #buildingdesign

Studio KDA is delighted to welcome Interior Designer Brenda Cousin to our staff! Brenda spent the last five years providing interior design services for multifamily projects and we’re looking forward to her insight and contributions to both the Housing and Food & Beverage studios. Brenda holds a BS in Interior Design from The Art Institute of California at San Diego. Welcome, Brenda!

#studioKDA #interiordesign #interiordesigner #lovewhereyouwork

The beauty of working on a co-working space is that we have the great fortune to foster community through our design. All three of the projects pictured (@theofficeberkeley, Sphere Co-Working and @temescalworks) have very different aesthetics and amenities, but each one wanted its design to convey a friendly, welcoming environment in which to work.

📸: @kengutmaker & @eurydice.photo

#coworking #coworkingspace #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #architecture #architect #designdaily

One of our favorite things about living in the Bay Area is being able to visit a farmer’s market in February (even with all this crazy cold weather we’ve been having)! We provided a detailed conceptual design for the Marin Farmer’s Market, inspired by the beautiful agrarian building forms of West Marin County and featuring simple elegant forms and rustic finishes of wood, steel and glass. You can visit the Marin Farmer’s Market at its current location on Thursdays and Sundays. @aim_farmers_markets

#farmersmarket #marketdesign #marinfarmersmarket #marineats #rendering #conceptualdesign #instadesign #designprocess #studioKDA

Planning a Spring getaway, retreat, or event? Our client @bellvalleyretreat has you covered.

We designed the Barn, Bell Valley’s event center, as a welcoming multipurpose space perfect for corporate events, weddings, or any other type of gathering. The space naturally welcomes guests to experience the beauty and serenity of nature with large doors and windows, plus a heated outdoor dining area and an outdoor catering kitchen.

Photos courtesy of Bell Valley Retreat

#bellvalley #andersonvalley #mendocinocounty #retreatcenter #ruralhospitality #hospitalitydesign #eventspacedesign #architecture #architect #studioKDA

As in-house architects for the SF Ferry Building, we are excited to be providing restaurant design and oversight to the enhancements coming to the Ferry Building. These updates will create more space for restaurants, lean in to an indoor-outdoor feel that will maximize natural light, fresh air, and repair and resurface the Ferry Plaza, making the connection to the Ferry Terminal more pedestrian-friendly with an enhanced walkway.

Renderings by @pageturnbull

#ferrybuilding #ferrybuildingsf #sfeats #interiorarchitecture #designprocess #rendering #sfbayarea #designdaily #instadesign #studioKDA

An update on our cannabis facility project: now open and growing plants of all kinds, the facility uses living soil cultivation techniques to promote a healthy microbial balance in the growing environment. Many cannabis producers use more industrial growing methods like hydroponics and aeroponics, but proponents of living soil believe that organic methods yield better results. That’s why this facility - the largest indoor living soil cultivation site in the U.S. - was built.

📸: @kengutmaker

#cannabisarchitect #livingsoil #cannabisdesign #cannabisfacility #architecture #interiorarchitecture #interiordesign #studioKDA

There’s a lot to love about Grand Lake Kitchen’s second location: a daytime deli & diner meets nighttime bar-lounge & bistro. This former project took over the space of a Chinese restaurant in Oakland’s up-and-coming Dimond district - swipe all the way to the end for a “before” pic. The expansive space contains a bar, private dining room, dog-friendly outdoor patio, and retail. We went back recently to get some photos of the space, and enjoyed the opportunity to revisit @grandlakekitchen!

Photos by @eurydice.photo

#restaurantdesign #bardesign #oaklandbars #grandlakekitchendimond #dimonddistrict #oaklandeats #bayareabrunch #interiorarchitecture #interiordesign #architecture #architect #studioKDA

We were delighted to learn that this historic retail building in West Berkeley is a recipient of a Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association award! When we began work on the project back in 2016, the building was dilapidated and the original clerestory windows had been removed. Using research from a similar set of historic shops down the street, we created a design that would reveal the clerestory windows and add a few other historical details as well - plus, repainting and repairing the original Bi-Rite sign.

#restoration #historicbuildings #architecturalrestoration #studioKDA #architecture #designprocess #buildingrestoration

According to the New York Times, 2023 will see many more restaurants adopting practices that create fun, experiential, community-oriented dining experiences. One of our favorite local examples is the margarita and appetizer cart at Comal’s back patio - a dining spot that is always delicious and on-trend.

#studioKDA #comalberkeley #restaurantdesign #mexicanrestaurant #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #2023foodtrends #architecture

Someone’s twinning with the building! We snapped this pic during a recent site visit to 2028 Bancroft Way, a 37-unit apartment building bringing much-needed housing to Downtown Berkeley, from studios to 3-bedroom units. This project will be completed in 2023.

#studioKDA #apartmentdesign #downtownberkeley #housingdesign #architecture #buildingdesign #designprocess #buildingprocess

This mixed-use development features two integrally connected structures. Each facade will have its own unique design and feel: weathered wood, ceramic tile, and stucco on 10th street, and California redwood contrasted with glass panels on San Pablo. Featuring both office space and residential, the project offers two outdoor deck spaces for tenants and ample bicycle parking.

#mixedusedevelopment #office #officedesign
#architecture #architect #buildingdesing #rendering #designdaily #studioKDA #designprocess

A holiday tribute to Berkeley’s 4th Street, a vibrant, festive shopping district in our own backyard. This time of year, with so much life on the streets, always inspires us to shop and dine locally. And we love that we’ve been able to contribute to this rich and vibrant scene!
@fourthstreetshops

#fourthstreetberkeley #studioKDA #architecture #instadesign #holidaylights

Housing that is energy-efficient, sustainable, and located near transit: these are a few of our favorite things. We designed this 41-unit property near the MacArthur BART station to promote environmental responsibility. The design features a large photovoltaic shade structure which will produce enough energy to power all of the apartments - with a series of community decks and courtyards underneath that provide dramatic views of the city.

#sustainabledesign #greendesign #apartmentdesign #housingdesign #architecture #buildingdesign #designprocess #rendering #designdaily #instadesign #studioKDA

Congratulations to the Chef Anthony Secviar-led team at @protegepaloalto for once again receiving a coveted Michelin star! Our bar design includes a bespoke glowing backlit bottle wall and fabric-wrapped ceilings for acoustic comfort. And the dreamy wine cellar highlights owner and master sommelier Dennis Kelly’s impressive 2200+ bottle collection. Next time you’re in Palo Alto, stop by for a unique dining experience (and, of course, Michelin star-worthy cuisine) from these French Laundry alums!

Construction @cooklinesf
Collab with @delagrammar
Custom lighting by @windychien
GC @cooklinesf
📸 by Douglas Friedman

#restaurantdesign #bardesign #southbayeats #paloaltoeats #interiorarchitecture #interiordesign #architecture #architect #studioKDA

A true labor of love, working on Acopio restaurant was an 8-year journey of rebuilding after a fire destroyed the family-owned restaurant. They persevered through insurance claims, zoning code changes, unforeseen construction woes and a pandemic. All the while, they trusted us to bring their vision of an elevated modern Mexican restaurant to life. And their innovative cuisine was worth the wait! Don’t miss this gem dining experience next time you’re in San Jose. @acopiosj

Custom decorative screens by @locallanguage
📸 by @kengutmaker

#AcopioSJ #mexicanfood #bayareaeats #sanjoseeats #southbayeats #studioKDA #restaurantdesign #bardesign #interiorarchitecture #architecture #architect #interiordesign

This new 41,000 square foot building is designed to house a variety of life sciences startups in Berkeley’s expanding biotech landscape. With the MEP systems designed to support a flexible and scalable lab research environment, and a VC-A (very low) vibration standard, the building provides state-of-the-art space for multiple different laboratory types. Ground floor retail and cafe spaces, a sunny south/west facing terrace, and proximity to Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district are just the cherry on top for tenants.

#labdesign #lifesciences #futurelab #sciencedesign #scienceandtechnology #architecture #buildingdesign #designprocess #rendering #designdaily #instadesign #studioKDA

Did you know that several of the buildings at @apricotlanefarms were designed by Studio KDA senior architect Buddy Williams? Here’s the tea: these agricultural buildings house vermicompost and “tea,” a biodynamic preparation that is injected into the 234-acre farm’s irrigation system to create healthy, thriving soil. Apricot Lane Farms was featured in the documentary, @thebiggestlittlefarm, which brought their unique approach to ecologically regenerative farming methods to the masses. Buddy is currently leading a team to develop a second tea barn for the site.

#farmdesign #farmarchitecture #agriculture #permaculture #sustainablefarming #sustainabledesign #biggestlittlefarm #instadesign #facades #studioKDA

Thanksgiving is almost here, and @thelocalbutchershop has all your locally-sourced, sustainably-raised, fresh meat needs covered. We designed the space in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto to highlight their one-on-one customer service model, creating a bright and airy space where the customer has a full view of their meat being cut. Be sure to order your Thanksgiving meats by November 17th!

📸: @kengutmaker

#butcher #berkeleyeats #eastbayeats #berkeleyfood #ethicalfood #butcherdesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #retailarchitecture #retaildesign #studioKDA

#TransformationTuesday! What was once a derelict industrial building is now a thriving coworking space and community hub - @temescalworks! We’re delighted to see the space used for special events, meetings, mail center and venue for film and photo shoots.

#StudioKDA #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #coworkingspace #temescal #temescalworks #architecture #architect #oakland #designdaily #beforeandafter

October is Latinx heritage month - the perfect time to celebrate all the fabulous Mexican restaurants we’ve worked on over the years, including Nopalito, Acopio, and Comal! Each restaurant design is completely unique (and, each has a distinct perspective on Mexican food as well!) @comalrestaurants @acopiosj @nopalitosf
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#latinxheritagemonth #studioKDA #mexicanfood #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #bardesign #restaurantdesign #sfeats #bayareaeats

Since the Jewish festival of Sukkot is this week, we thought it would be the perfect time to share about the Berkeley Moshav co-housing project. The Berkeley Moshav is a new intentional community that supports and facilitates Jewish life using the principles of co-living combined with Jewish traditions. The building program was developed in a series of workshops with the Moshav members, resulting in a design that promotes personal interaction through a series of casual and formal gathering areas, supports inter-generational living with playrooms and enhanced accessibility, and recognizes the importance of Jewish ritual with a Havdalah Terrace and both standard and kosher kitchen facilities.
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#studioKDA #cohousing #berkeleymoshav #architecture #architect #buildingdesign #bayareadesign #cohousingspace #jewishcommunity

This state-of-the-art cannabis facility - now 99% complete - will support full lifecycle production from seed to store. Here, soil preparation is currently in progress. The space includes custom systems to ensure quality, productivity, operational expense management, and ease of use include reverse osmosis water filtration system for irrigation, automatic condensate reclamation system, CO2 injection system integrated with HVAC ductwork, prevention of air stratification, and (of course) an environmental control system to monitor and adjust soil moisture and nutrients, air humidity and temperature, light and CO2 levels.
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#cannabisarchitect #cannabisdesign #cannabisfacility #architecture #interiorarchitecture #studioKDA

We were delighted to assist with this year’s SFNOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) Project Pipeline Camp, a four day intensive program that introduces middle school students to the profession of architecture. The students used their creative skills to develop an architectural design for a real site, acquiring skills in model making, architectural drawing, sketching, critical thinking and public speaking. Thank you to Studio KDA team members Angela Kim, Sasha Paul, and Brian Carter for your design mentoring time and commitment!
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#NOMANational #Minorityarchitects #architecture #mentorship #studioKDA

After a two year break, our company retreat to the Russian River is back! The games, wine tasting, boating, swimming and movie night were all excellent - but having everyone together again was the best part of the trip.
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#studiokda #architecture #bayareaarchitecture #architectureculture #riverqueenmonterio #russianriver

It’s that time of year again! Students are returning to Berkeley, and we thought this was the perfect opportunity to share one of our student apartment projects, the Ursa! This innovative project fit 50 compact student apartments onto a narrow lot, each unit designed to maximize natural light and privacy. A range of unit types, plus a common courtyard, bike parking, and rooftop deck make The Ursa a welcoming space with student life in mind.
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #multifamilydesign #apartmenttour #downtownberkeley #ucberkeley #studenthousing

Whenever we ask the Studio KDA team about favorite projects, the Fourth & Spenger’s project always comes up. When it was constructed, the development brought 55,000 new square feet of retail and restaurant space to Berkeley’s popular Fourth Street area, and has since provided a well-loved outdoor social space with the public plaza, outdoor dining, and small “maker’s row” that house small start-up shops. It is so rewarding to have one of our projects right around the corner from our offices and to be able to see people interact with the built environment day-to-day. @fourthstreetshops @fourthstmakersrow
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📸: @kengutmaker
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #plazadesign #outdoordesign #instadesign #fourthstreetberkeley #fourthstreetshops #berkeley

A big thank you to our summer intern Kames Mattheson as he heads back to Wentworth Institute of Technology today. Kames proudly displays a recent project, mapping all of the Studio KDA Multifamily projects in Berkeley. We will miss you!
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#studioKDA #architect #architecture #workplaceculture #lovewhereyouwork #companyculture

This project is one of our favorite summer workout spots. At 37,000 SF, the flagship Fitness SF in the Transbay Terminal is the largest fitness facility in San Francisco, taking up an entire floor. The facility has many different tailored spaces - including a yoga studio, athletic training center, immersive spin studio, and outdoor class area - and was designed with the management of sound, light, and airflow in mind to enhance the separation of each of these different spaces. @fitnesssf
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #fitnesscenter #gymdesign

We couldn’t be happier for our clients, @barshiruoakland! A hi-fi jazz bar, Bar Shiru was featured on the front page of the @sfchronicle yesterday! Inspired by Tokyo’s hi-fi bars, Bar Shiru is the perfect quiet spot to listen to jazz on a vinyl-centric sound system. We designed the space with acoustics front-and-center, and it is so exciting to see its unique design and purpose touted by the Chronicle as part of a movement of Japanese-style bars becoming the height of cool.
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📸: @maritesabueg
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #bardesign #hifibars #oakland #cocktailbar #vinylcommunity

Look out South Bay!! The newest location of @burmalove (from the @burmasuperstar family) has just started construction at @springline in Menlo Park. These renderings show off a bespoke interior for the 3700 SF restaurant and bar, complete with custom art murals by @lux_create depicting Burmese history. The space features a bar and seating area with curved natural ash wood ceilings, a custom glowing steel shelf wine display, and an emerald green/gray quartzite bartop, set against a roman clay wall finish. This will be Burma Inc’s fifth location - you can visit three in SF and two in the East Bay to get your Burmese food fix while the Menlo Park location is under construction!
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#burmesefood #burmalove #studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #restaurantdesign #bardesign #siliconvalleyfoodies #downtownmenlopark #siliconvalleylife #bayareaeats #hospitalitydesign

We are honored to announce that Studio KDA is a finalist for the East Bay Innovation Award in the Built Environment category for our work on Poet’s Place! It is such a privilege to be nominated alongside these fantastic artists, makers, and innovators, whose work makes our East Bay communities so vibrant and rich. We are particularly honored to be recognized for Poet’s Place, a new type of housing designed to help address the housing crisis. The innovative design provides independent and co-living options in stylishly furnished units for below standard rents. 40 new units coming to Berkeley in the Fall! @eastbayeda
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#studioKDA #EastBayEDA #EastBayiAwards #architecture #architect #buildingdesign #bayareadesign #affordablehousing #coliving #colivingspace #innovativehousing #EastBayEDA #EastBayiAwards

We’d like to take a moment to celebrate staff member Tiffany Amrit as she passes her 20 year anniversary (!!!) with Studio KDA. Tiffany has grown up with the firm (and we with her), moving from a project designer to the head of our interior design division. Tiffany loves to design homes, restaurants, and innovative office concepts, lending her mastery of detail, color, and texture to projects large and small. Congrats, Tiffany! We’re so lucky to have you on our team. 🎉🎉🎉
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#studioKDA #architecture #architect #workplaceculture #workanniversary #companyculture #lovewhereyouwork #interiordesign

New project just got approved! This mixed-use five-story building at Potrero & San Pablo in El Cerrito has space for a new brewery and restaurant with outdoor patio seating. Tenants get to enjoy a top floor lookout deck with views of the Bay and Mt. Tam as well as a private west-facing terrace on the second story. We’re really excited about the new life, much-needed housing, and public gathering space this modern building will bring to such an important crossroads in El Cerrito! Looking forward to starting construction in early 2023.
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#studioKDA #architecture #architect #buildingdesign #designprocess #bayareadesign #elcerrito #rendering #buildingsketch #designdaily #instadesign

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Summer is the perfect time to check out a show or enjoy a drink at @cornerstoneberkeley! This former pool hall is a 13,000 SF bar with over 42 beers on tap, an outdoor patio, and a state of the art performance space. One of our favorite details from this project is the custom light fixtures in the lounge area, made from thrifted brass cymbals.
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#CornerstoneBerkeley #studioKDA #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #restaurantdesign #bardesign #bayarearestaurants #eastbayeats #berkeleyeats #livemusic #bayareaevents

It’s been a while since we’ve touted our awesome team - which is a shame, because our talented, dedicated team has thrived and grown so much since the beginning of the pandemic! Today, we’re celebrating all our new hires - Angela Kim, Hannah Micallef, Vita Rey, Maria Reinstein, Austin Springer, Layla Tahani, and Brett Spencer!
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #workplaceculture #companyculture #lovewhereyouwork

Longport Fish Co. is open for business! We began work on this project during the pandemic, so it feels particularly sweet to see it come to completion. We brought all the coastal vibes to the design of this modern American fish house, named for the Jersey Shore borough where owner-chef Nicholas diArenzo spent his childhood summers. Next time you’re in Concord, stop in - it’s a great space to enjoy the beginning of summer. @longportfc
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📸 by @kengutmaker
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #instadesign #restaurantdesign #bardesign #bayarearestaurants #seafoodrestaurant #eastbayfood

We can hardly believe that Comal celebrated its 10th anniversary last week! Swipe through to view a brief snapshot of our history designing this space ➡️
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There’s so much to say about Comal. In the past ten years, this favorite local gathering spot for Oaxacan cuisine has completely revitalized its downtown Berkeley block. Comal was an absolute dream to work on: its multiple environments (bar, in-house seating, chef’s counter and lush rear patio) and @meyersoundlabs sound system make it such a unique and delightful space. Congratulations, Comal - and here’s to another decade of delicious food and vibrant community! @comalrestaurants
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#studiokda #architecture #architect #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #beforeandafter #instadesign #restaurantdesign #bardesign #bayarearestaurants #comalberkeley #mexicanfood #mexicanrestaurant

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