ABOUT
Syncopated Architecture was founded in 2009 by architect, Serina Calhoun. Since then, we have worked on over 350 buildings in the Bay Area. Our projects include single family homes, commercial improvements, ADA upgrades, new multi-family buildings, legalizations, and ADU projects.
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All of the work we have done has been true to our founding principles:
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To only work with people we like
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To make great buildings and quality spaces
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To foster a healthy working environment for our team
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To produce extremely high-quality, detailed drawings
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To make sure nothing leaves our office without a thorough quality control review
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To know the codes better than anyone, even the building officials in some cases
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To FIGHT for our clients against bureaucratic red tape
OUR TEAM
We have an incredible team, with decades of experience, who will advocate for your project at every step of the way. We keep our team small because maintaining a personal connection to each of our projects and each of our clients is so important to us. When you work with us, you become part of our family and your project becomes one of our children.
Our clients entrust us with their most private space, their home and sanctuary; the place where their children will grow up or they will age into. And we take that trust very seriously. That's why we're so proud that over 85% of our work comes from repeat clients who come back to work with us again and again.
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When you work with us, our Principal, Serina, is involved in every single project in the office. You'll also be partnered with a highly experienced project manager and a junior associate.
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Serina Calhoun
Principal Architect
Juan Cerda
Senior Associate
Bethany Diehl
Office
Manager
Jason Gates
Senior Associate
Keegan Clark
Junior Associate
WHAT SETS US APART
We pride ourselves on our "out-of-the-box" style and our problem solving skills. In the design phases, our clients are often surprised with the creative solutions we come up with for their projects. Many clients come to us thinking they know exactly what they want, but when we deliver the first round of design sketches, we blow them away with creative solutions they had never considered.
Not only that, but we leverage our extensive knowledge of the code and all its exceptions to gain the maximum value for our clients. San Francisco has a very complex set of codes, but within all that complexity lies opportunities that we bring to each and every project we work on.
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In the permitting phases, we have a hands-on approach. Our team takes care of all the permitting for our clients, unlike many other design professionals. We've developed a strong reputation for our knowledge among the city staff. When we receive comments that don't align with the code, we are not afraid to push back and question those comments. And, if it's serious enough, we have no problem going up the chain of command to a more senior staff member to help our clients achieve the results they deserve.
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Thanks to our subscription to Property Atlas, our clients don't lose a single day in the plancheck process. Our team is alerted as soon as your permit status changes so we can stay on top of responding and keeping your project moving forward.
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Unlike many other firms, we operate our practice on a fixed-fee service for almost every phase of the project, rather than a percentage of construction costs or time/materials billing. We find our approach makes for a more harmonious relationship.
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Contact us about your next project!
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