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.

Paradox House:
Both | And thinking and the paintings of Edward Hopper set the mood>

“How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.” ― Niels Bohr

It might have been tempting to gloss over the inherent tensions in the logically incompatible impulses of our two clients for the design of their new Sonoma home, and to deny the multitude of conflicting technical requirements for this complex site. Yet, the Paradox House attempts to find fodder in the creative power of paradoxical thinking.

Berkeley Home:
A remodel realigns the bones of a cottage home>

Sometimes we need a little radical surgery to save the patient. Here, a well-intentioned prior owner developed their attic with a new closed stair placed squarely in the middle of the home, like an immovable rock in the middle of a stream. Once demolished, we breathed new life into the space and created an open stair as the centerpiece to the home. The classic bones of this Craftsman cottage were there –just obscured by a series of unfortunate events.

Lichen Trellis:
The delicate shadows of lace lichen inform a sun shade>

Enamored by the atmospheric lace lichen shadows cast around this site’s mature oaks, we set out to evoke the essence of those spaces with aluminum and rivets. With help from our enthusiastic contractor, we used a series of metal fins strategically fixed with pop-rivets to create an undulating pattern. The proof of concept, however –even more than the form and beauty of the trellis itself– was in the delicacy of the shadows they cast.

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.

Thrilled to preview this new, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient home taking shape in Pacific Grove (Monterrey Bay) California. Formally inspired by the spatial qualities of diving in the nearby kelp forest, this project employs sustainable wood rain screen siding, wool insulation, passive-house certified windows/doors, and a top-of-the-line heat recovery ventilation system (among many other things) to achieve our clients’ footprint and energy goals. More soon! Architect - S^A | Schwartz and Architecture Contractor - @wayfinderdevelopment Structural: @framework.eng Energy - @lukemortongreenbuilding #modernhome #moderndesign #modernarchitecture #customhome #bayarea #bayareahomes #architecturedesign #modernhouses #architecturephotography #moodboard #photooftheday #design #designinspiration #view #design_only #architect #exterior #californiahomes #indooroutdoorliving #material #homedesign #homedesignideas #woodconstruction #underconstruction
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