SAN FRANCISCO DAVID RIO CHAI BAR SAN FRANCISCO David Rio’s brand is embodied by the tiger in their logo — fearless, bold and confident — and instilled with the ideals of peaceful energy, fine craftsmanship and a love of what they do. A café, beer/wine bar and experimental lab in one, Chai Bar San Francisco is the company’s first brick-and-mortar. Studio BBA’s design for this high profile, Market Street flagship translates the brand into visually rich spatial elements that evoke the sensory, rejuvenating nature of making, serving and enjoying teas. David Rio teas originate from environments around the globe, inspiring our bold use of color, lighting and materials. Custom built-ins and interactive niches for product discovery offer variations in shape and scale throughout the cafe’s interior. At the center of the space, patrons gather round to watch the tea-crafting process. A welcoming, upholstered banquette runs the entire length of one wall, drawing you to the back of the space and the Chai Lab, where staff and patrons collaborate with the products—creating new mixes on the spot, getting feedback on trial concoctions, and creating personalized tea blends. Back to Projects page Client David Rio BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Stephanie Griffith Size 2,600 SF Contractor Terra Nova Industries Collaborators Photography Nicholas V. Ruiz Back to top

UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO LITTLE GEM ON UNION UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO Building on the success of their flagship on Grove Street, Little Gem came back to Studio BBA to design their second location on Union Street. Unlike a formulaic roll out, we guided the owners and chefs through a new process that allows for authentic character in Cow Hollow to emerge while staying true to the core design values we developed in Hayes Valley. The design goal was to transform the former burger restaurant from a dark cave to a light-filled, comfortable places that reflects Little Gem’s core values: natural, reliable, comfortable, with a focus on quality ingredients. Immediately we began to carve out opportunities for light and life to flood into the space; riffing off the iconic green plaster “volume” in Hayes Valley, we located an anchoring full-height tile wall, washed with daylight, between the main bar and the rear dining room. This separation allows for intimidate dining in a fast-casual setting, and artfully obscures a required structural element in the building. This powerful gesture inferred the spatial program: an efficient kitchen with a variety of welcoming dining experiences. The front dining room is bustling and active, with custom furniture and a wall sculpture made by the chef himself! The bar is refined, offering an elegant moment to engage with a bartender across marble and doug fir. The rear dining room is reserved for conversations, bookended by light-washed tile, a custom banquette with the perfect lumbar cushion in leather. The collaborative process is featured through custom art and steel plant shelves. It’s a gem of a restaurant, focusing on the pleasures of dining and the use of quality, local materials – a direct reflection of Little Gem’s ethos. Back to Projects page Client Little Gem BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Megan McGuinn Size 3,000 SF Contractor Upcycle Builders Collaborators MEP: MHC Engineers KEC: Trimark / Design West Partnership Photography Eric Rorer Photography Back to top

SAN FRANCISCO TARTINE INNER SUNSET SAN FRANCISCO Tartine Inner Sunset was instantly inspired by The Park, we have occupied the gardens ourselves for many years in many ways. This restaurant serves as the perfect post-park picnic – a hospitable extension of the constructed natural resource that anchors the neighborhood. The entry sequence is purely romantic – like entering Golden Gate Park, it’s the way “in” that sets the tone for your journey. Patrons enter through an existing roll-up door (relic) into an open-air walled garden with an aperture through the ceiling (surprise). Indoor vs. outdoor is a construct we don’t need – so we use every visual and tactile clue to blur the boundary: high ceilings and various skylights add loftiness to the greenhouse and are grounded by exterior tongue-and-groove siding and polished concrete floors. Studio BBA was engaged to design Tartine’s fourth Bay Area restaurant while we were constructing The Manufactory LA , allowing for the emergent process of design to shape this new space (a former roofing warehouse with a rich history ). We are continuing to iterate these ideas within their next location in Berkeley, in construction now. There is nothing to “roll out” and no mandates on continuity, only the desire to approach our circumstances with strategy and authenticity. New custom elements relate via a play on white, with accenting materials pulled from The Sunset District. White factory-sash storefronts, sliding doors and the one-off pastry case evoke a greenhouse’s utility, and subtly nod to the custom details we developed for the Manufactory LA. Black & white terrazzo is ubiquitous in the neighborhood, used on stoops and window sills all over, and now used in the restaurant as counters and custom furniture. The back of house is as important; the intricately dialed-in details are flooded with natural light. Vibrant poppy-colored tile is installed to reference terracotta planters filled with California’s flora. Back to Projects page Client Tartine Bakery BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Megan McGuinn Size 2,958 SF Contractor Echo Summit Construction Collaborators MEP: Acies Engineering Structural: Degenkolb KEC: Myers Rest. Supply, Inc. Photography Eric Rorer Photography Back to top

MILL VALLEY MAMAHUHU MILL VALLEY MILL VALLEY Mill Valley is the second location we’ve created with the Mamahuhu team. In addition to designing each individual location, we have been working with the talented Mamahuhu team on their spatial brand experience: the storefront vibe, customer and staff feel and flow, front and back of house standards (POS, water and bussing stations, pick up racks) and color and material design standards (brand colors, brand tile, booths, and other repeatable standards). Clement was the first location and carried with it a bit of Mister Jiu’s fine dining vibe (as Brandon Jew is a partner). Upon reflection, the MMHH team recognized that it did not align with their target clientele—a family friendly high-quality fast casual dining experience. Mill Valley captures the team and client feedback received from the original location. In this project, we developed a design that would trend more family friendly while maintaining a sophisticated playfulness. The long narrow space is lined with booths and tables crafted around the design standards we worked together to define(wood bar, maple plywood booths, and playful wall sconces). Working to highlight some of the space’s original charm, Ron champ-inspired windows run through the dining area with on-brand accent colors diffuse warm playful light into the space. Back to Projects page Client Mamahuhu BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Megan McGuinn Vishnu Balunsat Size 1,270 SF Contractor Cookline Collaborators MEP Engineering: Acies Art: Casey Gray Brand Styling: Whisk Photography Kristen Loken Back to top

POINT REYES POINT REYES POINT REYES More details coming soon on this two-home complex in Point Reyes. The project is currently under construction and broke ground in late Fall of 2024. Back to Projects page Client Kristina & Ido, Taylor & Jay BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Stephanie Griffith Size Contractor Collaborators Photography Back to top

MARKET, SAN FRANCISCO THUMBTACK HQ MARKET STREET MARKET, SAN FRANCISCO Well-organized, open, food centric and friendly. These attributes—based on Thumbtack’s office culture—shape all the workplace environments we create for the company. Our brand-infused design approach is adapted for each new location, using curated moments specific to the built context and region. We have worked as part of the same architecture and construction team on all three of Thumbtack’s build-outs, now a well-oiled machine: the previous HQ, Utah Campus and this HQ . Thumbtack’s rapid growth and expansion plans instigated their move to this much larger space—the entire 6th floor of 1355 Market in SF’s Mid-Market tech district. Meeting the aggressive 5-month timeline and limited budget for this space demanded a massive undertaking by everyone involved. The previous tenant left a well-appointed build-out, which enabled us to re-purpose some elements and focus the budget on a few strategic moves. But it also posed challenges—mainly how to shift the vibe from an existing starkness to the casual, tactile, familial atmosphere that would feel like home to Thumbtack. Focusing on flow and finishes for the public areas, we sourced new furniture and lighting throughout. In the employee dining area we enlivened and warmed up the mood by adding a strong geometric tile face to the main food service station, maple butcher block as the food prep surfaces, and wood enclosures to hide the kitchen equipment. In the work areas we developed seven neighborhoods of 30-50 workstations in relation to the company’s seven core markets: events, home, lessons, wellness, business, crafts, design and web. Thresholds and furnishings were placed to delineate and abstractly reflect these sectors. Strong trust and complimentary roles are the foundation of our great, collaborative relationship with Thumbtack—addressing the owners’ needs with Studio BBA’s vision and design objectives. Back to Projects page Client Thumbtack BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Anand Sheth Size 80,000 SF Contractor Principal Builders Collaborators Project Manager: CRE Group Furniture: Inside Source Photography Jasper Sanidad Back to top

SAN FRANCISCO AMES SAN FRANCISCO Small never lived so large as in this 840 sq. ft. luxury cottage. Tucked away mid-block on an alley bordering San Francisco’s Mission and Noe Valley neighborhoods, this project was commissioned by Flora Grubb to be near her original garden nursery. An adaptive reuse remodel, the choice to work with the existing modest structure was intentional—even though zoning allowed for much more—to minimize waste and explore a creative opportunity for smart, small-scale design. Every square inch of Ames was designed to be a peaceful, elegant and purposeful urban sanctuary. The super efficient living spaces have an indoor/outdoor feel with copious natural light from new windows and skylights, while ensuring privacy and retaining the open feel from the building’s original use as Betty Mae's School of Tap in the 1940's. The home’s open interior is anchored by a full-height partition wall clad with re-purposed Douglas fir—with flush-mounted fireplace and skylight on the living room side, and built-in cabinetry and closet on the master bedroom side. The simple kitchen and bath feature FSC-certified cherry cabinetry with flush doors, and plaster walls that run uninterrupted out to the patio with its espalier garden and custom cast-in-place, concrete soaking tub. A redwood-trimmed, wall-mounted ladder leads from the patio to the roof deck and its container garden oasis. This project offered the opportunity to experiment with new and re-imagined materials, collaborating with the builder as he crafted everything by hand. It became the foundation for two our longest relationships—with Flora Grubb, leading to our design of Flora Grubb Gardens, and with Kevin Smith, with whom we’ve built a number of projects including three Sightglass cafés. Back to Projects page Client Flora Grubb BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Seth Boor Size 840 SF Contractor Kevin Smith Collaborators Plants: Flora Grubb Gardens Photography Studio BBA Back to top

WEST SONOMA COUNTY SEBASTOPOL HOUSE WEST SONOMA COUNTY After a five year search up and down the bay, the clients purchased this "shack with a view" on 2.7 acres in West Sonoma County. The 1,300 SF 1978 Sea Ranch inspired existing house had not been touched and the steeply sloping site was an open canvas with the exception of 8 majestic redwoods. Working through a 'forever house' program required multiple schematic design options (including a tear down) and eventually landed on remoding the house and adding a 750 SF pool house with all the adjacent amenities: infinity pool, sauna, teak hot tub, large outdoor entertainment space, bocce court, ping pong and a mediterranean inspired, fire resilient garden to tie it all together. Sustainable features include a net zero house powered by a 22 KW solar array with battery back up (the house is in a WUI zone and power grid shut down is common), radiant heating, mini split air conditioning in key spaces, reclaimed redwood decking and vertical grain doug fir (from northern CA), hybrid pool heater (choose between electric and gas heating options). The project is WUI compliant. The client LOVES basalt rip-rap - which was used extensively throughout the site for both decorative and functional uses: swales, retaining walls, sculptural features. We worked closely with Daniel Nolan to weave a drought tolerant, sophisticated plant palette into a 1 acre garden paradise around the house. We worked with Saturn Construction to establish a Japandi Norcali vibe in the pool house (limestone and oak plank floors, rice hull plaster walls and reclaimed vertical grain doug fir cabinets and ceilings and extended that vibe into the main house while keeping the vintage spatial volumes. The project is in the last phase of construction (completion scheduled for summer 2025) and will include a music room, home office, and a Glenn Murcutt-inspired carport. Back to Projects page Client Confidential BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Samantha Buckley Stephanie Griffith Size 3,000 SF; 2.7 acre lot Contractor Saturn Construction Collaborators Furniture: Knoll Herman Miller Lighting Design: Pritchard Peck Structural: Semco Engineering Landscape Design: Daniel Nolan Design/Kalman Varga Design Photography Studio BBA Back to top

MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO EQUATOR MARKET STREET MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO Equator’s San Francisco debut—following two Marin cafés in Tam Valley and Mill Valley —is right next door to the historic Warfield Theater in the heart of the red hot Mid-Market rejuvenation. Guided by a neighborhood in transition and the urban elements of downtown’s ‘main drag,’ we kept the interior’s existing mottled concrete and added a new exterior-feeling brick wall. The café’s street cred is enhanced by a new, signature Mona Caron mural, whose work captures site-specific history and future, and a cat-walk-inspired, custom LED light fixture giving nod to neighboring theaters. The coffee roastery and retail displays are situated to take advantage of copious light from south-facing windows. A white stone and mahogany bar adds a touch of classy newness in contrast to the urban environs. And sunny sidewalk seating will soon be accompanied by a “Marklet ” with a rotating program of local art and events. Back to Projects page Client Equator Coffees BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Sarah Fucinaro Size 730 SF Contractor All Phase Construction Collaborators Custom Fixture: Malder Lighting Mural: Mona Caron Photography Nicholas V. Ruiz Back to top

SAN FRANCISCO THE MILL SAN FRANCISCO The Mill is a new joint venture café, from the hearts, minds and hands of Josey Baker Bread and Fourbarrel Coffee . In the collaborative spirit of much of Studio BBA’s work, the making of The Mill was a true collective design and construction process. The target inspiration for this design was “everyone’s first San Francisco kitchen” – that initial bright, messy, warm space that came with your first real apartment. It was probably at the very end of long Victorian, maybe in The Mission. It probably had good light even though the laundry porch was in the way. It was where all your friends crammed together during parties, and the place you probably spent the most time on weekend mornings. A mixed palette of woods—white oak, doug fir and ash—with white-on-white finishes is inspired by, and meant to inspire the feel of, the welcoming, homestyle kitchen. Natural light filters from the multiple skylights through the ceiling beams to the café tables, and is concentrated over the bakery and barista work area through a custom light soffit. Reclaimed douglas fir cabinetry and white wall tile both follow a herringbone pattern, subtly articulating the space. Back to Projects page Client The Mill BBA Team Bonnie Bridges Seth Boor Sarah Fucinaro Size 2,300 SF Contractor Roman Hunt, Jeremy Tooker & Crew Collaborators Millworker: Alex Palecko Photography Bruce Damonte Back to top