Baran Studio Architecture

🚨 Breaking ground in Venice (CA not Italy 🇮🇹 but we do have the canals here!). SFD in completely psychotic NIMBY neighborhood, plus Coastal Commission. Not for the faint of heart. No opposition, no appeals, no lawsuits. Full approval in ~8 months. LFG!

Site visit! Out here getting sh!t done.

How can new CA law like SB 1116 make housing more affordable by building density in places like the wealthy and secluded enclave of Atherton?💰 Wealthy people moving to Atherton vacate homes for the missing middle, who vacate homes for people who can barely afford housing. 🏘️ And I’m here to help cities do their part to make more housing available 🙏

Entitlement risk is real. SHRA can help. Back when this project was completed there was much less certainty around the time and money it would take to complete. And uncertainty does not encourage investment. Back then, no matter how considerate we tried to be or how willing we were to listen, the neighbors almost always opposed new construction. Delays were inevitable, but also unpredictable. Additionally, the city pushed back based on subjective requirements (like ‘style’). The developer believed there would be a greater return with our design. More compromise. More delay. More money. Thankfully, under SHRA, the project would qualify for ministerial approval with no public notice and a 60-day shot clock. These issues virtually disappear. More predictability means more confidence the proforma will hold up throughout the project. This encourages development, which will add meaningful housing supply to the market, which ultimately brings down the cost of housing.

This is still a good workaround for the 1750 square foot limitation on SHRA starter homes, even after SB-1116 eliminates minimum density. It also provides some flexibility in how the end product is used. Thanks to Kent He (find him on Insta, LinkedIn and YouTube) for the podcast interview!

AIA East Bay Design Tour on Bikes! this Saturday. Come see California’s first (or second, depending on who you ask 😃) SB-684 project by Baran Studio! We’ll be there with the developer, and the project will be open to walk through. There’ll also be some other great architecture like Julia Morgan’s Chapel of the Chimes and SOM’s Cathedral of the Light. See comments for full itinerary and signup link.

Parts of Oakland still at about break even, but neighborhoods like Rockridge and Temescal are booming. I have a feeling that’s about to spread (again). The AI overflow from San Francisco is about to hit, and due to SHRA, small lot subdivision projects like this ⬇️ Baran Studio development will have ministerial approvals on a 60 day shot clock. 🏘️ Repeated subjective design revisions can’t slow us down. 🏘️ Multiple public hearings can’t slow us down. 🏘️ Neighbor with the tin foil hat can’t slow us down. It’s time to build. Today’s ~numbers (per 3br/3ba 2k sf unit @ 6 units): Basis ~100k Soft ~100k Hard ~800k Misc ~100k All in ~1.1mm Sale: ~1.8mm More on the project (and SHRA) in comments.

This is the nightmare I feared and it isn’t just happening in Los Angeles. Sadly new laws like SB-1123 had to be passed to combat excessive bureaucracy. Ironically it’s bureaucracy to fight bureaucracy (which unfortunately adds complexity and risk to building). And the response from local agencies is to create MORE bureaucracy. They cannot be cured of their addiction to government control. They will continue to use new layers of regulations to find a way to no. A solution will require a shift in the way we think. We need less regulation and more flexibility, even if it results in ‘ugly’ buildings. Supporting diversity means accepting ideas that you don’t necessarily agree with. It requires stepping back from the black and white thinking that permeates our entire society today. Doing my best to remain hopeful.

Yesterday I did a 4 hour walk through Little Italy to tour projects by San Diego architect developers. This small group has had an outsized impact on the landscape of San Diego. They show what can be done when thought and care is given to designing outside the ordinary. Some of these pioneers went on to start an early (the first?) school of design and development. You can see some of the spaces used in the images below. For me, Lloyd Russell was the highlight. Not only an architect developer but involved heavily in constructing his own projects. His process reminded me of the stories I’ve heard about Rudolf Schindler. Very hands on. Super cool and inspiring work. – at San Diego, CA

Photos of our recently completed project at 10th & W in Sacramento. We started with an L-shaped lot wrapped around a corner condition. We subdivided it into two lots and designed two duplexes. One included ground-floor commercial space. To make the site work, we developed a series of interlocking units that maximize efficiency and functionality on a challenging footprint. Sacramento was refreshingly flexible. We didn't have to debate architectural style or fight parking minimums. We started with three parking stalls and ended with none. Every parking space was replaced with bike parking. Turns out you can build housing without relitigating 1958. *sketch made with pencil *images made with a camera *building made with wood, cement, concrete, glass, metal, vinyl and other various materials.

New project in Kensington. Renderings using ChatGPT. Come at me. (Revit output ⬇️)

Testing a series of ideas for a small lot subdivision on a single family lot in Southern California using SHRA (SB-1123). ➡️ Under new state law, most properties in California are eligible for additional density, even if they already have an existing home. 😃 This project would implement the remainder lot provision for the existing single family house, creating 4 to 5 units total. 🏘️

What is a a bay window? When we started this project the neighbors were watching very closely. They told us they weren’t concerned with what we did so long as we followed the rules. I don’t think I’ll ever understand a world view that values obedience over actual thinking but ok, let’s do that. The rules allowed existing square footage to remain, and allowed certain shape and size limits on bay windows. The new design fit into the existing footprint, and added a new, connected bay window, inscribed in the limits (see drawing below). The result was a form that turned the corner to focus the space onto the view of the skyline. In the end I love that it looks as through the architecture is its turning its head toward the view…

We now officially have the ‼️ FIRST ‼️ project to use SHRA (SB 684 / 1123) in Emeryville. This makes a total of 6 cities. 🏘️ Being first can be a challenge, but we’ve been fortunate enough to have done hundreds of small lot units before the current law was passed. So far city staff has been willing to learn from our previous experience. Procedure (ministerial approval) and turnaround time (60 day shot clock) is being met. ⏰ 💵 – at Emeryville, CA

It’s ‼️ MAKEOVER MONDAY ‼️ again!!! What would you do to max out return? (Or win an AIA Award, either way.)

And just for fun, animated views.

Very excited to share progress on a new project in So Cal. ☀️☀️☀️ 16 units in a complex combination of ADU law and SHRA (SB 684 & 1123). ✍️ Breakdown is 2 rehabbed existing units, 4 new ADUs (3 detatched, 1 attached) with a 10 unit subdivision. 🏘️🏘️ More updates coming soon!