Modular housing, characterized by prefabricated sections constructed off-site and assembled on location, offers innovative solutions to housing shortages, cost overruns, and environmental concerns.

Understanding affordable housing can be complex, as it encompasses various definitions and criteria depending on the region and economic conditions.

Urban planning is taking a data-driven approach to improve walkability and bikeability in several cities. Tools like close.city help visualize which areas are most walkable or bikeable, highlighting where new housing developments should be prioritized to encourage walking and cycling. This is vital for reducing carbon emissions, as transportation contributes significantly to local and national emissions.

Gone are the days of imagining 3D models through flat screens or printed blueprints. With VR goggles, our clients can step directly into their designs. This immersive experience allows for a true sense of scale, proportion, and spatial relationships, making it easier to identify potential design issues and make real-time adjustments.

The 2024 Southern California Multifamily Forum will be held at the Hilton LAX on June 6, 2024. First held in 2012, the conference consistently brings together 600+ multifamily executives from across California, as well as national multifamily owners, investors and developers active in California markets.

Across the country, neighborhood groups are uniting to fund mixed-use developments that meet housing and business demands, giving locals a place to live, work and learn new skills.

AIASB is hosting its 14th annual ArchitecTours on October 7th. One of our projects, Mid Century Modern, located on the Mesa will be featured on the tour.

Every eight years, the state of California determines the RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) number of housing units each jurisdiction is expected to produce locally to collectively address the statewide lack of housing.

This year’s Santa Barbara AIA ArchitecTours will take place on October 1st, 2022. Bildsten Architecture and Planning is proud to have one of our projects, Modern Farmhouse Renovation, featured on the tour.

The Monterey Design conference is a biennial conference for architects and designers hosted by the California AIA. Our team always looks forward to it, and three of us will be attending this year.

In this week’s Radio Real Estate, Ellen talks with Mark Schneidman and Tom Oschner about the upcoming AIA ArchitecTours, Santa Barbara’s plans for State Street, and more. Bildsten Architecture and Planning will have a project, Modern Farmhouse Remodel, featured in this year’s tour which takes place on October 1st, 2022.

We were asked to contribute a tip to Redfin’s article 14 Expert Tips to Consider Before You Build an ADU. The article is full of interesting insights from other professionals who work regularly with ADU design and construction. See our tip below, or click here to read the whole article.

By signing Senate Bill 9 into law, Newsom opened the door for the development of up to four residential units on single-family lots across California.

The American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara is proud to announce its 12th annual ArchitecTours event. This year’s tour will celebrate “Design Excellence” and will highlight projects that demonstrate green building, small efficient spaces, are built in harmony with nature, demonstrate live/workspaces that meet the needs of a 21st-century workforce…

The Santa Barbara City Council has voted 7-0 to create a master plan for State Street and established a committee to oversee it. State Street, a hallmark of downtown Santa Barbara, has undergone many changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the question of where it will head next is on many people’s minds.

The Santa Barbara chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIASB) just concluded its 2020 Design Charrette where members of the design professions and the community at large gathered virtually over the past six weeks to consider this year’s theme to "re-invigorate, re-invent, re-imagine, and re-purpose downtown Santa Barbara for the future".

Santa Barbara City Council adopted the following amendments to the AUD Multi-family Housing Program in the Central Business District (CBD) effective September 3, 2020

In 2020, it became easier than ever to build Accessory Dwelling Units in California, thanks to changes in state ADU law.

We have compiled a comprehensive set of information that may be helpful to you if you are looking to rebuild after losing your home in the Thomas Fire. See below for links to city resources, planning information, required documents, helpful websites, and more.

In collaboration with the AIA of Santa Barbra, Ellen Bildsten, Brian Cearnal, and Detty Peikert organized “Making State Street Work”, a design charrette and day of urban planning and architecture.