Studio VARA is a San Francisco-based design practice driven by a deep commitment to architecture as a material craft and a discipline grounded in ideas. With the city as reference point and inspiration for our work, we create holistic, well-considered design solutions and human-centered experiences at many scales.
We believe that our practice is a design project. We have developed a process-oriented approach that allows design solutions to arise organically from the unique ecology of each project. Clients are engaged throughout the design and construction process in a working environment attuned to their aspirations and infused with ease and clarity. Together, we work side-by-side with our contractors and consultants to foster a truly team-oriented process. From the exterior form to the interior furnishings, this flexible, collaborative design approach builds trust and yields spaces that profoundly shape our client’s lives.
LOCATION: San Francisco, California
LEARN MORE: studiovara.com
In San Francisco’s bustling Mission District, a unique coffee shop, Grand Coffee Too, stands as a testament to the evolving concept of ground floor retail spaces. It transforms from a commercial entity into vital social infrastructure.
The Sister Lillian Murphy Community, located in San Francisco’s Mission Bay, is a thoughtfully designed affordable housing project created by Paulett Taggart Architects in collaboration with Studio VARA. The project addresses the increasing demand for inclusive housing…
Perched atop an oak-studded hill west of Healdsburg, California, the Fire Country Lookout by Studio VARA serves as a multi-generational family retreat and a forward-thinking prototype for sustainable living in the “post-climate-change” West.
This adaptive reuse project transforms the most banal of commercial box buildings into a light-filled courtyard office space specifically outfitted for a discerning, high-end residential builder with an exclusive clientele.
A young couple approached Studio VARA to design a new ground-up residence for their busy family of five on a prominent yet petite corner lot in Old Palo Alto.
Offering spectacular Bay Bridge views, this two-level loft was an uninspired white box chopped up into many small rooms. Having worked with the owners on another home in the Carmel Valley, the designers wanted to bring a…
When the owners purchased this 1970’s ranch home in Kentfield, Marin County, it was dark, dank, and in danger of sliding down a hill. The interior was dated and needed to be updated to modern standards.
A research scientist with an eye for detail approached us with a modest vision and a couple of basic practical needs: First, transform a 1908 Noe Valley cottage– with a history of subpar alterations – into a…
