Siegel & Strain Architects

Libraries serve as our community's living room where stories are shared and everyone belongs—more than just a place for books, they're vital hubs for education, culture, health resources, and even emergency services during crises. We love our local libraries! #NationalLibraryWeek #CommunitySpaces #CommunityResouces #PublicLibraries #Library Photos - 1 & 2 : Brisbane Library 3: Portola Valley Library 4 : Yountville Library 5: Berkeley Hillel Library

Susi Marzuola and Amanda Knowles AIA are heading to the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Pacific Regional Conference next week at California State University, Monterey Bay! The theme “Buoyancy in Higher Education,” has us excited to explore innovative approaches to resilience and adaptability in campus planning and design. See you in Monterey! #SCUPPacific #HigherEdDesign #CampusPlanning #SustainableDesign #SiegelStrainArchitects

The City of Berkeley's new 24-hour “Portland Loo” at Telegraph and Channing is now open! An ADA-accessible, solar-powered public restroom designed with both privacy and security in mind, this innovative facility features a handwashing station, graffiti-resistant materials, and a beautiful art wrap by Forest Wolf Kell that was sponsored by the Telegraph Business Improvement District with support from the UC Berkeley Chancellors Community Partnership Fund. As an on-call architect for the City of Berkeley, we support the city in their effort to enhance public infrastructure. In this case we helped with a fun, easy-to-maintain, stand-alone restroom structure in one of Berkeley’s busiest commercial districts. We joined city leaders, the Telegraph Business Improvement District, and UC Berkeley representatives for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on 2/11/25 captured by ABC7 News: Watch the News Clip: https://lnkd.in/g-qkNVqK Client: City of Berkeley Architect: Siegel & Strain Architects  Construction: Grade Tech, Inc Civil: CSWST2 Artist: Forest Wolf Kell - Forest Wolf Kell Bathroom Structure : Portland Loo - Why the loo - The Portland Loo Photography: Susi Marzuola :)

We're thrilled to announce that First Congregational Church of Berkeley's new Community Building is nearing completion, thanks to the exceptional collaboration between First Church, Siegel & Strain and Taizan Builders. Taizan, a family-run, Antioch-based general contractor, has masterfully stepped into commercial construction with this project as their first large-scale endeavor. What sets Taizan apart is their remarkable attention to detail and commitment to craftsmanship. They've beautifully celebrated the church’s history by reclaiming and refinishing Douglas fir framing from the original building's charred remains. The site-built trusses in the assembly room showcase their skill, while their careful woodwork and integration of building systems demonstrate their technical expertise. Special thanks to Morris (Moe) Wright for his mentorship of Taizan during their transition to larger-scale projects. This collaboration exemplifies the power of established firms working together to support emerging talent in our construction community.     #CommunityBuildingBerkeley #FirstCongregationalChurch #TaizanBuilders #SiegelAndStrain #Architecture #CraftsmanshipInConstruction #HistoricPreservation #BuildingTheFuture #CollaborativeConstruction #SustainableDesign #WoodworkExcellence #ChurchRenovation #NewBeginnings #Berkeley

Siegel & Strain Architects stands in solidarity with National Park Service employees who preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources for future generations. In a powerful demonstration at Yosemite National Park over the weekend, these dedicated professionals protested sweeping federal job cuts on the new public plaza in front of the recently renovated Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. While we're proud of all the work we've done to improve facilities in our national parks, we're even prouder to see a space our team designed supporting free speech. SF Chronicle Article : https://lnkd.in/gzhS2AV7 #StandWithNPS #SupportPublicLands #YosemiteForFutureGenerations #PreserveAndProtect #NationalParkService #DesignForChange #YosemiteSolidarity #ProtectOurParks #NPSWorkersMatter #ArchitectsForChange #NationalParkPreservation

Short days, long nights, crazy times – wishing you a winter filled with warmth, comfort and moments of reflection, relaxation and regeneration. We are deeply grateful for the strong relationships we have with our clients, and for the opportunity to collaboratively design spaces that promote community and a sense of belonging. Project Features & Photographers: 1 & 2: Green Gulch Farm, SF Zen Center - Hanh Nguyen + David Wakely 3 & 4: Portola Valley Town Center - Cesar Rubio 5 & 6: Berkeley Hillel - David Wakely 7 & 8: Brisbane Library - Cesar Rubio 9: City of Brisbane's first Public Art installation, a kaleidoscope of glass butterflies in the evening at the Brisbane Library 🦋

Siegel & Strain Architects is proud to have contributed to this win for net zero at University of California, Davis. The Jess Jackson Winery building demonstrates how highly collaborative design-build delivery can push the envelope on low carbon design.

Exciting news! On November 6th, Amanda Knowles AIA and Laura Levenberg will be at the @APWA NorCal Conference! Amanda, along with Eleanor Hollander, AICP from the City of Berkeley, will share insights from the Berkeley Civic Center revitalization, a project that brings community-focused uses back to an important historic district. Learn how they guided the project from robust community input to Council approval of a resilient and future-focused plan. If you’ll be there, let’s connect! #SiegelStrainArchitects #APWANorCal2024 #SustainableDesign #PublicWorks #CommunitySpaces #ResilientDesign #ArchitectureForCommunities #BuildingABetterFuture

Exciting news to share! Our Brisbane Library project has been shortlisted for the AIA East Bay 2024 Design Awards! Big thanks to AIA East Bay for the recognition—it’s great to see this community-focused project get some love. Looking forward to catching up with the AIAEB community at the Gala on 11/14 and celebrating some incredible work! Check out more about the project at https://lnkd.in/gAzArYN5  #AIAEastBay #DesignAwards #BrisbanePublicLibrary #CityofBrisbaneCA #SiegelStrainArchitects #KarinPayson_AD #Architecture #CommunityDesign

Susi Marzuola and Colin Searles are off to the California Library Association Annual Conference in Pasadena! This year’s theme, "Balancing Act: Self Care & Shelf Care," is all about finding harmony between personal well-being and creating spaces that serve the community—something we’re also passionate about. Hope to see you there! #SiegelStrainArchitects #CLA2024 #CLAConference2024 #CaliforniaLibraries #LibraryLove #LibraryArchitecture #SustainableDesign #CommunitySpaces