Posts tagged ‘Member Profile’

Rebecca Ivans Amato: Living and Designing With Purpose

A Member Profile

Her first foray into design began in her childhood bedroom in Lakewood, Colorado. Rebecca Amato spent hours rearranging the furniture in the room she shared with her two sisters, attempting to realize a version of the modernist home she admired on The Brady Bunch.

Fast forward a few decades and Rebecca Amato is still rearranging–and creating. Her visionary designs have reimagined historic San Francisco Victorians, Berkeley bungalows, and turn-of-the-last-century industrial warehouses into vibrant and distinctive spaces. Now principal architect and owner of Amato Architecture, a company she started in 2002, Amato employs a team of five designers who help her turn every project into a unique environment configured for the way people want to enjoy life.

After graduating from the Environmental Design program in 1988 from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Rebecca’s career almost immediately took on a cosmopolitan flair. She moved to San Francisco where she worked for Huntsman Associates on commercial interiors. Then, after obtaining her architecture license in 1995, she pursued an opportunity to work in the Chitwan jungle in Nepal for 3 months. An 18-month exploration of Southeast Asia followed, including a design stint for Bangkok-based Woods Bagot.

Her next job at HOK in San Francisco sent her to Beijing and Hong Kong to work on large hotel projects. Desiring to work outside the corporate environment, Rebecca next joined IN:SITE Design Build Association to gain project management skills and lead large design projects in a smaller team environment.

After starting a family in 2003 and then designing a 1,200 square foot addition to her own residence, Rebecca gained insight into the needs and unique tribulations of a family attempting to overhaul their home. Her residential work often includes repurposed space and multi-use options (such as a residential conversion of a storage room into a laundry/music/guest room) or imaginative build-outs like a children’s play-loft above adjacent bedroom closets. A redesigned, unique kitchen with inside/outside bar access will be on display September 23-24, 2017 during the Rockridge neighborhood Kitchen Tour.

One outstanding example of Amato’s commercial work is The Pearl, a recently completed, exclusive event space in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco. A steel crane system across the ceiling of the former boiler factory was fixed in place to structurally support a new rooftop deck, then utilized below to house event lighting while also functioning as a decorative planter. A spin-off of that project is a marquee event space (now under construction) in Oakland’s Jack London Square featuring the United Beerworks brewery, also designed by Amato Architecture.

A favorite of Rebecca’s projects that is also currently under construction is a new two-level, modern vacation home on the beach in Maui, outside of Lahaina. “It doesn’t get much better when you get to travel to Hawaii with your family to see one of your projects under construction,” Rebecca said. “I really do feel I am living the life I dreamed where travel, family and my design passion all come together!”

Member Profile: Juta Cinco, Assoc. AIA

In 2006 I moved to the Northeast for the first time, to attend Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I graduated with an MArch I degree in 2010. The intense demands of school were alleviated by the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series in 2007 and the Boston Celtics the NBA championship in 2008. What luck, right?

I moved to San Francisco shortly after graduating and lived in the city from 2010-2014. Although it was the tail end of the recession, I was fortunate to find not only jobs but great mentors along the way. The late Ken Kao, from Kao Design Group, was the first. His thoughtfulness and intelligence guided my path into the professional world of architecture. Following KDG, steps of growth involved working with Byron Kuth and Elizabeth Ranieri at Kuth/Ranieri Architects. I learned a tremendous amount from them, especially about the rigor involved in creating solutions to design problems. I tested this rigor at Studios Architecture with a team led by Tom Yee and Jerry Griffin (and Justin Glover later). Our four-year collaboration resulted in the recently opened Shanghai International Dance Center. This was my first lead design work, focusing on the main building’s lobby and auditorium. Also a first, since 1954, was the San Francisco Giants winning the World Series in 2010. They followed with two more championships during the time I lived in the city, one in 2012 and another in 2014. Is this really happening?

Capping the decade have been two more career opportunities. First, a BIM consulting
company called Modulus Consulting, led by Peter Michealson, provided an opportunity for me to
explore BIM management using the most up-to-date technology. They think a couple of steps
ahead. The second opportunity is my current job with Mark Cavagnero Associates. I have held
their work up on a pedestal since moving to the Bay Area.

My wife, daughter and I now reside in Oakland. We settled here in late 2014. We love
the city and are proud to call it home. The city returned the favor when the Golden State
Warriors won the NBA Championships in 2015. And, as we all know, they just recently claimed
another one. This is really happening.

I am looking forward to the next decade. I am excited to see what I can learn from and
contribute to the Mark Cavagnero team. And, now that Oakland is home, I root for the yellow
and green to clinch a major league title.

Matthew Cortez, Assoc. AIA: Member Profile

Matthew Cortez, Assoc. AIA grew up in California’s Central Coast and its natural beauty gave him an appreciation for harmony and design. His mother, a seamstress by trade, instilled in Matthew and his siblings the value of using your own hands to create. This started Matthew’s desire to achieve a career in a creative field. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s of Architecture in 2009.  Since then his career has been anything but traditional.

After he graduated, Matthew began his post-university career working in real estate, coordinating the preparation and sale of residential property.  In 2012, Matthew began working in the construction industry as an estimator and project control manager.  His experience in this part of the building process has given him valuable insight into bidding and budgeting processes as well as project management and tracking. This experience in construction management allows Matthew to quickly understand impacts to overall project cost and completion time.

Although the positions Matthew held early in his career were disconnected from the design process and focused on the business side of construction, he has always found a way to express his creativity.  While Matthew was in high school, he developed a passion for woodworking. In his spare time, he can be found in his woodshop designing and producing small furniture items and other home decor for a small business he owns and manages.  Matthew has developed and fostered a keen ability to visualize the end design, and develop a creative approach to produce outstanding results.

Matthew is currently pursuing his architectural license. He works with Past the Gate, a general builder and design/build firm, specializing in landscape construction and associated small remodels.   The firm’s design team combines expertise in landscape architecture, architecture and technical construction methodology to ensure each design meets the client’s specific spatial and budgetary needs.

Member Profile: Nicole Stine, Assoc. AIA

Nicole Stine, Assoc. AIA

My journey into architecture began in my hometown of Yakima, Washington. My father, who is an accountant by trade, showed me the drawing board he had used to draft our house. He told me stories of setting up the board on the plane tray tables to pass time while traveling for business. Seeing and feeling the hatch-pattern of lines engraved into the wood gave my lifelong habit of doodling a purpose. This introduction gave me insight into design and opened my eyes to a potential career in architecture. Following high school graduation, I pursued my bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Idaho. I took a detour the summer before graduation and studied abroad in Rome. I then completed my education at Montana State University, where I received my master’s degree.

During my time in academia, I realized that my love for architecture runs deeper than just design. It is instead rooted in a desire to problem solve. As a big sister, I have been solving my brother’s problems since he was born. He may refer to my problem solving as “Nicole, my bossy older sister,” but deep down I am sure he considers it helpful. As a Girl Scout through elementary, middle and high school I helped come up with solutions to sell the most boxes of Girl Scout cookies, being named top salesman multiple years in a row. As a college student I juggled school assignments, campus participation and managed a group of 96 women as chapter president of my sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta.

As a post grad, thirsty for professional experience, I jumped into a summer internship with The KPA Group in Oakland. I spent the summer with other interns, working alongside architects and structural engineers, giving me a taste of the design challenges and engineering of solutions that lay in my future. My success that summer led to a job offer, giving me the opportunity to call the Bay Area home. The KPA Group has relocated to Pleasanton where I now manage the production of marketing materials, collaborate with fellow designers to produce construction documents and handle critical client design problems on a daily basis.

Outside of the office I am in pursuit of my license. I am constantly in search of the next best coffee shop to spend my day working through flash cards and practice tests.  I am fortunate to have found a career that allows me to practice my love for problem solving, but still tests my knowledge of design. Architecture is a lifelong passion, one to which I have just opened the door.

Member Profile: Rex Crabb, Assoc. AIA

Rex Crabb, Assoc. AIA

Rex Crabb is a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley’s M.Arch program who now works at Woods Bagot. His experiences so far have led him to seek to bridge the worlds of architecture as art and construction. After Rex graduated from Reed College in 2012 with a B.A. in Chinese Literature, he worked at Hammer and Hand, Inc., a high-end residential passive house contractor based in Portland and Seattle. At first he worked in the field reclaiming and recycling demolished materials. Then he worked in the contractor’s office, helping to manage the documentation of projects and request bids from subcontractors.

From 2013-2016, Rex attended the M.Arch program at Berkeley, with projects that combined conceptual speculation and intensive use of digital fabrication. In one project for a sustainable, low-carbon lamppost intended for rural communities in India, he developed a system of 3D printed joints for bending-active lattice bamboo structures that would support a solar panel and an LED light.

During a summer internship with McCall Design Group in San Francisco, Rex and his partners Kasra Yazdanbakhsh and Mariela Levy designed a chicken coop for the non-profit community resilience organization, the Sweetwater Foundation in Chicago. After graduating from Berkeley, Rex has launched his professional career at Woods Bagot. As his experience as a Graduate Student Instructor inspired him to continue teaching, he now works as an instructor at Berkeley as well.

Allied Member Profile: Scott Malloy of Dolan’s Lumber

Scott Malloy, Allied Member

Dolan’s Windows and Doors continues to emphasize its ability to serve architects and builders in the Bay Area with the addition of Scott Malloy. The new sales executive comes from Southern California with almost a decade of window and door experience and specializes in working with architects and builders focused on residential construction and remodels. The Walnut Creek Showroom is located at 2750 Camino Diablo, Walnut Creek 94597.

“I chose to become part of the knowledgeable Dolan’s team because they have the best of breed products,” said Malloy. “The company features more name brands from Andersen Windows & Doors and Marvin to Fleetwood, Milgard and TruStile. They have highly rated customer service and a factory authorized service department.”

Dolan’s Walnut Creek Window & Door Showroom is one of the largest in the Bay Area. Architects and builders are encouraged to bring their clients to the Showroom to explore a wide variety of window and door styles, colors, materials and other options.

The name Dolan’s has been associated with the building industry in the Bay Area since the early 1900’s. This family owned business is dedicated to providing the best possible products at affordable prices. Many employees have been with the company for years. Management emphasizes attention to detail and prompt response to the needs of both consumers and industry professionals.

Throughout the year, Dolan’s hosts several seminars for architects and builders. Many of the programs provide continuing education credits. The next program, The Future of Building, sponsored by Andersen Windows & Doors, Tyvek and Orepac is a breakfast meeting scheduled for January 26th. Interested building industry professionals can Sign up for e-mails and event news at dolanlumber.com.

Dolan’s has another Showroom in Burlingame and two full-service lumber yards and home improvement centers, one in Concord and one in Pinole. Showrooms are open Monday through Saturday. Home Improvement Centers are open seven days a week.

Member Profile: Zachary Wong Assoc. AIA

Zachary Wong, Assoc. AIA

Zachary Wong, Assoc. AIA is an East Bay native and was heavily influenced by the historic settings around him growing up in Alameda. To this day, he has maintained a lifelong interest in music, drafting and historic preservation by joining the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society and the Rally Committee and Straw Hat Band during his time at UC Berkeley. He later joined the Sigma Phi Society, which allowed him to live- in and help maintain and preserve the William R. Thorsen House, the last ultimate bungalow designed by the Pasadena firm of Greene & Greene in 1909. He would eventually serve as House Manager, President and a member-at-large of the alumni board.

During his last years at Berkeley, he worked closely with Landscape Architect Chip Sullivan on several side projects including a comic book about the history of typography and writing.

Zachary joined LDA Architects in San Francisco as an Architectural Designer where he interned in the winter of 2014, after receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkeley that following summer. He joined the staff full-time in the fall of 2015. He has gained a valuable amount of experience working in a diverse pool of projects ranging from support buildings at utility plants to amenities for San Francisco International Airport’s Interim Boarding Area B. At LDA, he has been engaged in all areas of the project planning aspect. He has recently finished a new master plan document for the San Francisco Department of Public Health for the re-purposing of the historic buildings at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital campus in the Mission District.

He previously worked as a designer for Biggs Group Architecture in Oakland, working mostly in housing and as a fine arts printer, having some of his work showcased at the Grey Loft Gallery in Oakland. Prior to working in the architectural field, he worked as a shipwright and in construction. Today Zachary still participates in music playing the bass clarinet with the Alameda Community Band and continues to draw and paint the natural and built environment. Under the guiding hand of the senior staff at LDA, Zachary continues his education and technical understandings of the architectural office as he works towards his professional licensure.