analyze
We start the process by taking the time to listen and understand your concerns and aspirations for the project. During this phase, we analyze your property's site conditions and zoning in order to determine what is possible for your property. You can kickstart this process by having us do a Development Potential Analysis (DPA), click here for more information.
At the start of a project, it is important to meet at the project site and review your ideas and requirements. We prepare initial design solutions, typically in the form of sketches. These initial proposals often also incorporate feasibility information and preliminary site studies. As the project progresses, we work with you, developing plan options, elevations, details, specifications, budgets, and schedules, providing progress reports, and arranging meetings to answer questions as they arise throughout the design and construction phases.
Santa Barbara neighborhoods benefit from having a variety of building uses close to one another. Mixed-use buildings with stores, restaurants, and other businesses on the ground floor and live-work apartments above, are active in some way at all times of the day. People who live in these apartments can walk in their neighborhood for shopping, dining, work, school, services, and recreation. This reduces traffic and parking congestion on our streets and enriches life in the community.
If you’re thinking about a construction or renovation project in the Santa Barbara area, please reach out. We are glad to meet you at the site, hear your ideas, and offer some initial strategies and ideas on how best to achieve your goals with timing, budget, and great design in mind. We are familiar with the many local building codes, design review requirements, and structural and energy considerations; expertise in these areas streamlines the design and permitting process of your project. Our approach gets things correct from the start to save significant time and expense during construction. For a well-designed, permitted building that maximizes your investment, contact us to lead your design and construction team.
design
We work using a variety of tools and software to help you understand and visualize design ideas for your project. From pens and paper to interactive virtual models of your project, Bildsten Architecture and Planning will work with you every step of the way, and we are constantly exploring new ways to visualize ideas. Two interesting tools we rely on frequently are TwinMotion and BIMx.
Firm members are actively engaged in the profession, currently participating in AIA Santa Barbara and Coastal Housing Coalition initiatives, including advocacy for local zoning, housing policy and building permit improvements. The firm has professional architectural design, drafting and project management staff. Our firm’s architectural design process incorporates listening carefully to the client’s budget and project goals while collaborating with the engineering and construction team for well-considered design solutions. Translating the client’s goals into architecture that improves functionality and increases integration with outdoor spaces is a key aspect of our design approach.
Environmental and efficiency considerations are an integral aspect of how we develop our projects. When designing a project we utilize a number of tools to maximize environmental efficiency in our buildings - from climate data to solar modeling. Other advantages of the BIM methodology we use include simulation tools to visualize sunlight during different seasons and to calculate building energy performance. As such, the firm's capable use of the software helps with analysis and modeling to achieve peak performance of the structure.
While residential architecture sets the essential decisions about orientation, space, and light, interior design plays a huge role in the human experience of the space. Space planning considers efficiency and movement, while interior design provides the color, texture, material, comfort, and feel. Interior design then interfaces with space planning to enhance pathways of movement and light and to elicit an emotional reaction to the qualities of the space.
permit
We enjoy working with all aspects of architecture, from small renovations that have a significant impact, to large commercial projects, multifamily housing, and new homes that realize a lifetime's dream. We provide a full range of architectural services, including planning, conceptual design, interior design, construction documents, permitting, bidding, project management and construction administration services on projects of all types and sizes.
BIM technology allows our firm to create 3D views, walkthrough videos, and construction documents all in the same program. This is especially helpful for sharing design ideas with clients in a straightforward way that updates with new ideas automatically.
The completed 3D model is the ultimate communication tool to convey the project scope, steps, and appearance. Impressive views and fly-throughs communicate the qualities of the project for the owner to fully understand the design proposal and to gain necessary regulatory approvals, such as design review. Our firm is at the forefront of presentation with experience in all aspects of the visualization process. Having the model connected to a database is an added benefit of BIM during construction, offering great intelligence in the field. Combining this capability with the cloud allows the construction team to access the model and project details from anywhere, on any device.
BIM project modeling is how our firm develops all projects, large and small. Pulling all of a project’s elements into a single file, BIM enables our team to collaborate and communicate effectively. For an example of the type of interactive project visualization BIM can provide, please see the video on the right.
TwinMotion is also a tool that we frequently utilize which allows is to create hyper-realistic renderings of a project based on the 3D model we create with BIM software. Users can walk through the model as if it was a video game, exploring all of the rooms and spaces and viewing the project from all angles. See the video on the right for an example of a project modeled with TwinMotion.
build
Depending on the complexity of the project, it may be necessary to consult with outside experts such as structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing engineers, lighting designers, kitchen consultants, and energy code specialists, who prepare detailed drawings, specifications, and recommendations. In collaboration with the consultants, we coordinate the design with all building, fire, health, and safety codes and work with the building department to obtain a building permit. The approved drawings and specifications form the basis for obtaining estimates from contractors.
A recent survey conducted by the SB Coastal Housing Coalition shows that people hired for skilled jobs in the last 15 years in Santa Barbara struggle to find affordable and desirable housing. Many either leave our community for more affordable areas or live far away and commute into Santa Barbara on our congested freeways. It’s time for a more sustainable solution. As residents of the Santa Barbara area, our team has strong local ties and passion for projects that strengthen our community. We recognize the need for inclusive housing for a wide variety of people who are working hard to afford to live and work in our community - these people range from recent college graduates to single parents with children to people with special needs to active older adults. People in these groups would likely benefit from affordable co-living where talents, time and resources can be shared. Our team’s ability to listen and collaborate closely with our clients empowers our design approach which focuses on creating varied indoor/ outdoor community spaces. With close attention to design and awareness of how to weave together public and private spaces, we have each demonstrated through our comparable projects and qualifications that transformative results are attainable within a limited budget.