San Francisco Architects: Rankings of the Best
Recently, I rewalked every street in San Francisco’s Richmond District, the neighborhood I grew up in. Going through those streets, we picked the recently built and renovated homes with the best design and craftsmanship. With that, we present here the selection of our favorite homes, along with the architects who designed them and the contractors who made them. The designs are sorted by the different streets in the neighborhood. Stay tuned for updates!
Just immediately east of the Presidio, the Marina District is one of the best-known neighborhoods of San Francisco. Particularly, the district was the site of 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition that celebrated the city’s resilience and resurgence after the devastating 1906 earthquake. Today, the Palace of Fine Arts is found here, the sole survivor of that era. The district is also notable for being virtually unchanged since the homes were first constructed in the 1920s. With outdoor access, shopping, dining and bay front views this neighborhood is wonderful. We decided to walk into the neighborhood to check-out the newly designed and remodeled homes, and select our bests and favorites. Here are our favorite homes in the neighborhood, together with the architects and contractors that (re)built them. Check them out below and stay tuned for more updates!
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Found immediately southwest of the Presidio, Seacliff sits on the cliffs between Baker Beach and Lands End. As a relatively late addition to San Francisco, the entire neighborhood was originally designed in a single master plan and has stone pillars at its entrances. With stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, some of the most well-known celebrities have lived in this northwestern neighborhood of the city. This area is home to some of the most premiere and exclusive pieces of real estate out there. We were really curious about what new designs were coming into the area. We present here our favorite newly-designed homes in Seacliff, along with the architects and contractors that made these homes top-notch. Stay tuned!
Presidio Heights has some of the nicest homes in all of San Francisco. It sits immediately south of the Presidio. Nestled between the Presidio, Pacific Heights and shopping on Sacramento St and in Laurel Village there’s no wonder that these homes are some of the nicest in San Francisco. Many of these homes have bay views and are walking distance from Julius Khan park for children to play. We wanted to see homes in Presidio Heights that are newly designed and who is designing them. To do so we looked at homes that, in the past 12 months, have completed major construction or remodeling. Below are the newly designed homes in Presidio Heights, along with the architects and contractors that made the designs possible. Take a peek!
It is no secret that San Francisco is becoming an ever more expensive city to live in. And while all major metropolitan areas struggle with how to provide affordable housing, this is an increasingly urgent task for the city of San Francisco, especially as people continue to flock to the coastal city. Designing affordable housing adds extra considerations and complications – such as restricted budgets and the necessity of proximity to transportation. And given the nature of the housing problem in San Francisco, many of those individuals and families eligible for affordable housing have experienced homelessness at some point. This makes the provision of community services in these developments all the more important. Over the last few decades, there has been a move away from the isolated and concentrated method of American public housing, typified by towering low-income housing buildings, often in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Rather, the trend is towards incorporating these units into mixed-income areas and integrating them into the communities. Included on this list are eight architects who have met the tough challenge of designing dignified and innovative affordable housing for the area.
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With a population growing as rapidly as that in San Francisco, building sufficient housing for the influx of residents is an important, but difficult, task. The crowded neighborhoods and natural geography of the city itself poses significant challenges. Add to that the need to consider how to design a building that matches the scale and architecture of its surrounding, adds to the urban community, contains sufficient amenities for its residents, and allows for future growth. Included in this list are architects who have accepted and excelled at overcoming these challenges. You will find beautiful up-scale townhomes, skyrises with luxury condominiums, community based housing for low-income families, student housing, and everything in between. Below are 11 of the best multi-family architecture practices in San Francisco.
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San Francisco has one of the country’s best food scenes. So it is only fitting that these restaurants have top-notch designs. Luckily, the city has a handful of architects who specialize in restaurant design, with portfolios of award-winning bars, lounges, and restaurants. In this list, you’ll find a little of everything: barbecue joints, exclusive wine tasting lounges, upscale French restaurants, and even what may be the most green cafe in the city. Included in this list are 3 James Beard award winners, many AIA recognized architects and the firm that designed what Thrillist named the best-designed restaurant in the country.
