At this Office Building in Oakland, the Walls Are Alive
In the Bay Area city, local company Habitat Horticulture installed a rich, tapestry-like living wall titled Urban Ecotones.
Author: Lydia Lee
A Fresh Take on Chinese-American Cuisine in San Francisco
Studio BBA designed the first outpost of fast-casual brand Mamahuhu around its delivery- and takeout-reliant business model.
How Architects Are Making It Work from Home During COVID-19
Architects and designers in U.S. cities under siege talk about how they are running their practices from a distance.
A 1959 Modernist Office in Sacramento Shines Again
The building’s midcentury architecture was historically significant, so architecture firm Dreyfuss + Blackford’s upgrades had to be thoughtful and subtle.
In the SF Bay Area, David Baker Architects Bucks the Trend of Dull Modular Housing
Individual units were shipped from Idaho to the Union Flats development, which features a central amenity-filled courtyard and plenty of greenery.
Workplace Trends Are Well Represented in This San Francisco Warehouse Overhaul
Wooden bleachers, colorful ceiling panels, open desking—this office has it all.
San Francisco's 181 Fremont Combines Stability and Sustainability
The city's sleek new high-rise pulls off technical feats while offering of-the-moment residential interiors.
SFMOMA Ventures Into Outer Space With Its Latest Design Exhibit
Far Out: Suits, Habs, and Labs for Outer Space showcases visionary concepts by the likes of Raymond Loewy, Foster + Partners, Neri Oxman, and more.
Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects Designs a Resilient Beachfront House in Malibu
Dubbed House Noir, the house balances the desire for beachfront living with the modern realities of higher seas and bigger waves.
Facing a Tight Budget, a California School Transformed Its Architecture With Color
The 800-student Caliber ChangeMakers Academy, built for $144 per square foot, saw architects, a nonprofit, and students collaborate on a vibrant color palette.
David Baker Architects Designs San Francisco's First Market-Rate Micro-Unit Condo Development
388 Fulton, located just west of the city’s Civic Center, lives up to its small-living promise. All its 35 units sold before the building’s completion.
Lessons on Participatory Design from San Francisco
At the San Francisco offices of Perkins Eastman, designers and policy wonks discussed their experiences with participatory design in a panel led by Metropolis's Susan Szenasy.
Tackling Affordable Housing and Transit in the Bay Area
In January, a panel discussion hosted at the San Francisco office of Perkins+Will addressed the Bay Area's region-wide cautionary tale.
The 2018 Equity in Architecture Survey Encourages Industry Soul-Searching
Responses from 14,360 architecture graduates signaled modest equity gains, though major gender- and race-based professional gaps remain.
An Original 1973 Sea Ranch Retreat Gets a Rejuvenating Refresh
Architect Malcolm Davis updated the 1,400-square-foot house to highlight its ocean vista while staying true to Sea Ranch's architecture.
A New Fashion Exhibition in San Francisco Shows That Modest Can Mean Radical
With curving vignettes designed by Hariri & Hariri, Contemporary Muslim Fashion at the de Young Museum aims to upend stereotypes that come with modest dress.
Studio O+A Is Putting a Mobile Design Studio in a Repurposed Food Truck
The studio's Food for Thought Truck will travel the country this summer to provide free design services for rural communities.
How Design Can Create Authentic Connections in a Digital Workplace
As part of Metropolis's Think Tank series, San Francisco design firm Rapt Studio hosted a discussion on technology's role in the office.
Apple's New Union Square Flagship Store Emphasizes Community
Fifteen years after opening its first store, Apple has once again revamped the retail typology, adding a slew of new gathering spaces.
Keeping It Real
The game developer Jonathan Blow turns to architects to make virtual worlds more believable.
