Welcome. We are an architecture and interiors studio that believes in the power of thoughtful design to better connect us to the built environment, the landscape, and each other. Our process is equal parts creativity and pragmatism –so that our work draws out the strongest potential of any site, the resources at hand, and ultimately, the experience of our clients. Design is both a process and an adventure; we see ourselves as both your partner and guide. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Meander:
Like water finding its path while eroding a zigzagging valley through rock, this home gently meanders across its ridgetop site>

Meandering rivers carved the coastal valleys surrounding this ridgetop home over millennia, forming zig-zagging interlocking crevices that draw our eye into the distance as they recede from view. This sense of movement inspired the staggered forms of this home as it tucks into the natural landscape. Elements of the surroundings–reservoir, grassland, and rocky outcropping –inspires the roof of each wing of the home.

Work ^ In The Landscape
Green House

The original home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s protégé, Aaron Green and built by Echler Homes in 1966, is a modern masterwork in Palo Alto, California. Remaining preserved in time by its original owner until 2019, its new owners, a young couple with two young children and one on the way, needed additional space and amenities. But how to update and extend Green’s low-slung complete thought for a new era and new growing family?

Work ^ In The Grid
Twist and Turn Screen:
Leaning into a material’s latent desire to twist and turn yields unexpected beauty>

We love it when a client asks, “Have you done this before?” and then trusts us to keep going when we say, “Never!” After fretting over how to keep this wood screen ‘perfect,’ we finally leaned into the potential beauty of the imperfect. Instead of fighting nature’s latent desires, we gave into the screen’s impulse to crook, cup, bow, and twist.

Work ^ In The Studio
Neal J. Z. Schwartz, FAIA:
Founder + Principal

Neal completed Master of Architecture and Master of Public Policy dual degrees at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and Kennedy School of Government. He graduated with Distinction in Architecture, received the Thayer Award for Meritorious Scholarship, the Sheldon Traveling Fellowship, as well as national awards from the Urban Land Institute and American Planning Association. His capstone work included a critical look at the design of juvenile detention facilities –“Points are Earned; You Start the Day at Zero”– and a policy manual for a non-profit advocating for affordable housing for people with disabilities in Massachusetts. This unique combination of design and policy is the foundation of Neal’s practice –a commitment to creative excellence combined with a devotion to rigorous management of the entire process through construction.

Practice ^ Team
We can’t help but be excited for this one… more to come in April👀 #customhomes #bayareadesigner #architecture #homeinspiration #bayhouse Architect - @schwartzandarchitecture Contractor - @fairweather_associates Structural - @mkmengineering Civil - @hoganlandservicesca Carpentry shoutout - @gabecheesecarpentry
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