In the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, a coffee shop with humble origins anchors a new storefront gathering space that rethinks the role of ground floor retail as social infrastructure for the post-pandemic streetscape.
Project name
Grand Coffee Too at El Taller
Architecture firm
Studio VARA
Location
San Francisco, California, USA
Collaborators
Architect of Record: Brereton; Branding & Identity: Tina Hardison Studio
Interior design
Studio VARA
Typology
Hospitality › Coffee Shop
With an articulated façade and vibrant material palette, this pedestrian-scaled, multifamily housing block was designed to complement Studio VARA’s townhomes on the other side of a pedestrian mews in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood. Designed in collaboration with Paulett Taggart Architects, as part of a 152-unit affordable hou...
Project name
Sister Lillian Murphy Community
Architecture firm
Studio VARA, Paulett Taggart Architects
Location
San Francisco, California, USA
Photography
Bruce Damonte
Principal architect
Paulett Taggart Architects
Design team
Studio VARA design team: Christopher Roach, Principal. Maura Abernethy, Principal. Jackie Fung, Studio Director. Nick Brown, Project Manager. Mikki Okamoto, Designer. Jacqueline Lytle, Interior Designer. Ellyn Korn, Interior Designe. Paulett Taggart Architects design team: Paulett Taggert, Principal. Roselie Ledda, Project Manager. Karl Vinge, Job Captain
Civil engineer
Luk & Associates
Structural engineer
KPFF Consulting Engineers
Environmental & MEP
Emerald City Engineers, Inc
Landscape
GLS Landscape Architecture
Construction
Construction: Cahill Contractors, Inc. Project/Constuction Manager: Regent CM, LLC
Client
Mercy Housing Development
Typology
Residential › Apartments
Studio VARA is excited to further the reach of the studio's services beyond the Bay Area to the greater Tahoe region through their affiliation with Studio NeVARA, a Reno-based practice.
Studio VARA teamed with Mithun and TNDC to develop the winning design for this 100% affordable housing project on one of the last residential sites in Mission Bay.
Project name
626 Mission Bay Boulevard
Architecture firm
Studio VARA (Associate Architect, townhomes), Mithun Solomon (Architect of Record, main building)
Location
San Francisco, California, USA
Photography
Bruce Damonte
Design team
Chris Roach, John Springer, Nick Brown, Claudia Merzario, Jared Clifton, Jakcie Fung
Interior design
AEW Engineering, Inc.
Collaborators
Project / Construction Management: Regent Construction Management; Acoustical Engineer: Pappidimos Group
Civil engineer
Urban Design Consulting Engineers
Structural engineer
KPFF Consulting Engineers
Environmental & MEP
Engineering 360
Landscape
Surface Design, Inc.
Lighting
Weller Design Architectural Lighting
Construction
Nibbi Brothers, Inc.
Client
Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp
Typology
Residential › Housing
A young couple approached Studio VARA to design a new ground-up residence for their busy family of five on a prominent yet petite corner lot in Old Palo Alto. With a generous program and a limited allowable footprint, they challenged the firm to create a small, flexible home with a large presence.
Project name
Palo Alto Residence
Architecture firm
Studio VARA
Location
Palo Alto, California, USA
Photography
Matthew Millman
Design team
Maura Fernández Abernethy, Christopher Roach, Rebal Knayzeh, Graham Quinn, Jacqueline Lytle, Zoe Hsu, John Springer
Collaborators
Audio / Visual: Adaptive System
Interior design
Studio VARA
Structural engineer
FTF Engineering
Construction
Von Clemm Construction
Material
Concrete, Wood, Glass, Steel
Typology
Residential › House
This adaptive reuse project transforms the most banal of commercial box buildings into a light-filled courtyard office space specifically outfitted for a discerning, high-end residential builder with an exclusive clientele.
Project name
Redwood Highway
Architecture firm
Studio VARA
Location
Mill Valley, California, USA
Photography
Bruce Damonte
Design team
Christopher Roach, Maura Fernández Abernethy, Jackie Fung
Interior design
Studio VARA
Civil engineer
CSW/ Stuber-Stroeh Engineers
Structural engineer
GFDS Engineers
Environmental & MEP
Axiom Engineers
Construction
Van Acker Associates
Typology
Commercial › Office Building
