Tolbert Design Architects: Firm Profile
- How did your firm get its name? It’s my last name, I design and I’m an architect. Tolbert Design Architects.
- How large is the firm? Me Myself and I
- Where are you located? San Jose and Oakland office locations
- How did the firm get its start? The economy tanked 10 years ago, I got laid off and no one was hiring. One of my clients asked me to continue to work with him and the rest is history.
- What is the firm personality? Warm, personable and extremely thoughtful.
- What’s the firm’s focus? Because I’m blessed enough to have access to many different project types, I think the focus is simply to do great designs whatever the project type. Mainly I do commercial (new construction and T.I.), custom homes (new construction, addition and remodels) and educational projects.
- How might the focus of your practice change? I was thinking of doing more educational projects
- What’s the most unusual project your firm has done? Either a custom tree house or indoor shooting range.
- When was the firm established? 2009 but officially 2010
- What’s your favorite local building? I like the little flat iron Haley Law Office building at San Pablo, 14th and Clay Street. I would love to have that little building be TDA’s Oakland Headquarters.
- What is the makeup of your firm and do you have other disciplines? The makeup of the firm is heavily architecture designed focused but I do some CM work, landscape design, and as of late been dabbling in development
- How is your firm structured? Everything runs through me whether I like it or not.
- Do you have any office pets? No
- Which method of marketing has been the most successful for the firm? Word of mouth! I don’t advertise.
- How would you describe your firm’s culture? All the most attractive cultural things condensed into a handsome 6’-2” frame of awesomeness!
- What team-building activities happen within your firm? We all work out together and always eat together.
- What’s your firm’s favorite lunch spot? Belly Uptown
- What type of client has been the best to work with? Residential clients because people’s homes are an intimate part of their lives.
- How has the practice changed since the beginning? I started off as just a residential firm and then I got my first civic building. I kept telling myself “It’s just a big house…all the same design principals [in terms of layout proximities, flow, etc.] apply.” Once I understood that I’ve designed pretty much everything save an OSHPD project.
- What does the future hold for the firm? Hiring and development
