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A2 StudiosGLOBAL COLL ABOR ATION Three friends from architecture school reunited to form a bicoastal firm with an emphasis on col-laborative design, eco-friendly building practices and international outreach.

ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY

Founded in FriendshipFor college friends Tony Garcia, Jessie Whitesides and Vince Stroop, opening collaborative design studio A2 Studios has been a dream come true. by Marylyn Simpson

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Tony Garcia, Jessie Whitesides and Vince Stroop were fellow architecture majors at Arizona State University where they bonded over a shared passion for art and design -- creating a lasting friendship that would eventually lead to their bicoastal design studio collaboration.

After graduating, each went on to pursue different design opportunities, and it was almost 10 years later, in 2004, that the friends found themselves working together again.

They opened a design studio with a global presence, a concept that would allow each principal to remain in their current location; yet, empower them to work collaboratively with remarkable opportunities for future growth.

“We really wanted to grow into a practice rooted in the notion of a globalized environment rather than a local environment,” Garcia said.

“During our initial few years, Vince and I were living in San Diego and Jessie was in Santa Rosa. Before truly launching our studio, the concept of a global environment made us think, ‘Does it really matter where we are living?’ It expanded from there over the last few years with Vince relocating to open a new location in New York. With projects abroad and on a national level, we began to see the expansion of our ‘globalized’ studio.”

Currently, Garcia manages the San Diego studio while Whitesides is in Santa Rosa and Stroop is in New York City.

While establishing A2 Studios as a bicoastal architecture studio, Garcia, Whitesides and Stroop

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Shores House, La Jolla, Calif. Nestled into the La Jolla hillside, this home underwent a complete remodel. To mitigate coastal requirements, the existing footprint remained the same, but the interior and exterior spaces were reconfigured with all new finishes and modern conveniences such as whole-house radiant floor heating. Limestone pavers surrounding the pool and a Meranti wood deck with an adja-cent cast-in-place fire feature provide an excellent area from which to admire the stunning coastal view.

ABOVE, LEFT: The kitchen was reconfigured as the core of the home with direct access to all lower level spaces. Designed around a central island that functions as the main cooking space, it divides the informal beverage station from the rest of the kitchen. The Miele induction cooktop, steam oven and built-in refrigerator add to the sleek and efficient layout. Light colored surfaces, dark bluestone tile and the warmth of the walnut cabinets create a unique blend with the perfect amount of contrast. Seen here, beyond the kitchen, is the family room.

ABOVE, RIGHT: The view from the entry provides a glimpse of what’s beyond while still allowing the spaces to unfold as you circulate through the home. The dark bluestone tile provides a high level of contrast and refinement against the rich woods and neutral wall colors.

PHILCO WOODWORKINGPhilco Woodworking Inc. specializes in bringing architects' visions

and designs to life through the custom fabrication and installation of doors, windows, beams, ceilings, architectural millwork and custom cabinets. Philco’s innovative approach to achieving a high level of detail allows them to excel at specialty work. They are always finding ways to achieve the toughest designs no matter the challenge. In working with clients, they understand the importance of cooperating as a team to complete quality work on time.

Additionally, they have worked with A2 Studios on a variety of projects in Southern California, providing custom woodworking pieces and millwork. Philco’s quality work covers a broad range of eye-catching pieces that have caught the attention of design authorities nationwide. An accredited BBB member with honesty, Philco Woodworking stands behind their products and the craftsmanship and quality that goes into each piece. For more information, please visit www.philcowoodworking.com. See ad on page 99.

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developed a philosophy that would guide them through the evolution of their future design efforts. Their belief in the high quality of service they provide to their clients has been the team’s number one motivator. They are focused on a principal-led delivery system where each of the three is directly involved in all phases of a project.

“Our clients respond very well knowing that a principal of the firm knows their project inside-and-out,” Garcia said. “Our work does not represent a dictated style or aesthetic for which we want to be known, but rather a feeling or experience for which we want to be remembered.”

Unlike other firms that have established themselves based on a certain aesthetic their clients must prescribe to, A2 Studios interprets each client’s personality and aesthetic preferences into a cohesive design concept.

“At the end of the day, we don’t own the project when it’s finished. The client is ultimately the one who has to occupy our creation.” Whitesides said.

Using a client-friendly approach has proven to be advantageous throughout the recession for this boutique-sized studio. Each principal’s unique skill set allows the team to take on almost any project. This has produced a diverse portfolio, including commercial, mixed-use, custom residential, winery, hospitality, ecclesiastical and public works, and has created job opportunities that would otherwise not exist.

They continue to re-evaluate their business methods, implementing new approaches such as col-laborating with other design firms to take on new sectors, or teaming up with general contractors to form design/build teams. Marketing themselves towards recession-friendly niches like hospitality and small renovation projects has also proven beneficial.

STAN JOHNSON POOL CONSTRUCTION

In Windsor, Calif., specialty swimming pool design, construction and maintenance isn’t handled by a large corporation or an unqualified opportunist. All aspects are under the vision one man, Stan Johnson, and his company, Stan Johnson Pool Construction.

Since the late 1980’s, Johnson has been working in the design and construction of complex, custom pool systems in the nearby area. With every single project, each client works directly with Johnson to achieve their dream pool system. Much more than just a passive owner, Johnson is on-site with the client every step of the way, helping to see the client’s vision come to fruition and to ensure that his top-quality standards of design and construction are met. Their vast range of design, supplies and services extend into the frequent maintenance, renovation and remodeling of the client’s pool system. With a focus on durability and aesthetics, Stan Johnson has maintained the experience, the portfolio and the dedication to quality service in order to stand proud as the premier local pool contractor. See ad on page 98.

ABOVE: Healdsburg House. This Mid-Century Modern remodel captures the essence of its design era. The footprint of the house creates a courtyard to the interior that elevates the importance of the landscaping and the pool. The original pool was demolished and rebuilt by Stan Johnson Pool Construction and Renovation. A deep-blue plaster was selected to bring the water to life. The custom coping is a pre-fabricated black concrete tile designed to be flush with the surrounding grass landscape. The automatic cover was installed to be completely concealed when open, and travels over the integrated hot tub near the entry stair at one end of the pool. Photo by Jack Journey.

ABOVE: Healdsburg House. As with any Mid-Century modern home, great importance is placed on bringing the outdoors in. Here the interior space is focused on the courtyard through long expanses of sliding doors and fixed glass panels. All door and window systems by Milgard, offered an affordable system with a slim design profile, mimicking the original design intent from the 1950’s.

While architecture is the studio’s main focus, this creative trio decided to incorporate their other love into the business -- art. Infusing graphic design and photography into their repertoire gives them an added edge not commonly found in other firms. When asked about their decision to incorporate photography into the firm, Whitesides said that like architecture, photography is meant to evoke emo-tion, whether clients realize that or not. In addition, the trio has found that graphic design provides a creative outlet that has played an important role in the studio’s development.

Having discovered her passion for prints, textures and design at a young age, Whitesides said that being able to fuse those skills in the practical application of graphic design has not only benefited A2 Studios but also their fellow contractors to whom they often market these services.

“Even though contractors may be able to construct a high level of finish and design, they often do not have the ability to present and market their services with an identity that matches the quality of their practical skill set.” Garcia said. “Graphic design and photography follow many of the same design principles as architecture and the three of us are able to integrate all of our skills and strengths to broaden the type of projects we take on.”

Continuing to branch out from commercial ventures, A2 Studios also gives back to the community. As students at ASU, Garcia, Stroop and Whitesides worked with Habitat for Humanity. In 2007 Stroop traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to build homes for Habitat’s Global Village Program. As part of her graduate architecture degree, Whitesides and the University of Washington’s design/build team built an elementary school and a womens’ clinic for a squatter community in Mexico.

Most recently, the studio has donated design services to be auctioned off. Both past and current philanthropic experiences have allowed each partner to form personal connections with people and

MILGARDWhen the Healdsburg community

decided to go green for its latest affordable housing project, the design team led by BAR Architects in San Francisco made windows and doors a priority—and energy efficiency was just one reason why.

Tasked with developing a total of 64 affordable family apartments in one of the area’s busier neighborhoods, the challenge became how to make them both sustainable and peaceful. For this, BAR turned to Milgard’s Montecito and QuietLine vinyl windows, which provided the perfect complement of style, noise reduction, weather protection and energy efficiency. Javco Windows & Glass Contractors of Napa did the installation, which also included Milgard’s efficient and low maintenance Ultra fiberglass patio doors. For more information about Milgard please visit www.milgard.com. See ad on page 98.

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ABOVE: Lasseter Family Winery. Custom detailing to scallop the catwalk around the tanks dismisses the need for guardrails and brings the winemaker closer to their creations.

LEFT: Principals Vince Stroop, Jessie Whitesides and Tony Garcia.

OPPOSITE: The winery’s custom built barn slider doors, by Portal Architectural Openings, are a signature statement for the Lasseter Family Winery. The barn style doors allow the fermenta-tion and barrel rooms at the winery to be open to the covered crushpad without interference of a swinging door leaf. The doors are designed using fully insulated door panels to maintain the critical temperatures inside the building. They are clad with a stained Western Red Cedar on the exterior to express a traditional Northern California barn aesthetic, while the interior finish is a custom color metal panel detailed to match the interior building walls. The black iron metal strapping and decorative cla-vos by Rocky Mountain Hardware, give the door an authentic look.

PORTAL ARCHITECTURAL OPENINGS

Since 1996, Portal Openings has provided consulting, sales and installation of exceptional doors, hardware and windows to the Napa area. Portal’s own proprietary designs for oversized doors for the wine and high-end residential industries draw leading architects in Calif. These architects rely on Portal Openings’ extensive experience to solve their challenging door projects. For more information, visit www.portalopenings.com. See ad on page 97.

organizations that have helped them grow. These relationships have led the studio to places like Moscow, Russia, where Stroop designed the public spaces for a 40-story office and high-end retail complex.

A2 Studios strives to implement eco-friendly design methods with all projects. Whitesides said she and the team educate clients about the benefits of eco-friendly products.

“I have completed numerous projects with prefabricated steel structures where the structural steel is made from recycled material,” Whitesides said. “The erection time is a lot faster than traditional building methods, and the exterior materials used with these types of buildings is much more energy-efficient than those with regular batt insulation and siding.”

Beginning as a team of architects, designers, collaborators and friends, A2 Studios continues to stay at the front of the industry. Looking to the future and continually developing their brand of client-friendly architecture, A2 Studios will grow its influence on the very industry that inspired this team to become what they are today- artists, architects and philanthropists. ALT

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A2 Studioswww.asquaredstudios.com

asquared@asquaredstudios.com

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Photo by Jack Journey