StudioVARA

Sister Lillian Murphy Community: 2025 ULI Americas Award for Excellence

We are honored to share that Sister Lillian Murphy Community, created in collaboration with Paulett Taggart Architects, has been selected as a 2025 ULI Americas Award for Excellence winner.

Modern Artifact: 2025 Residential Design Architecture Honor Award

Modern Artifact won a 2025 Residential Design Architecture Honor Award for Modern Artifact in the Architectural Details category.

Modern Artifact: Interior Design Magazine’s 2024 Best of Year Award Honoree

Modern Artifact has been selected by Interior Design Magazine as a 2024 Best of Year Award Honoree for the Large Residential Transformation category.

Wildfire Resilient Design discussion on September 26, 2024

2024 ARQA: Grand Coffee Too at El Taller

A coffee shop anchors a new storefront gathering space that rethinks the role of ground floor retail as social infrastructure for the post-pandemic streetscape.

2024 Urban Next Lexicon: Sister Lillian Murphy Community

With a thoughtfully designed façade and a vibrant palette of materials, this pedestrian-scaled, multifamily housing block was created to complement Studio VARA’s townhomes across a pedestrian mews.

2024 Home World Design: Sister Lillian Murphy Community

The Sister Lillian Murphy Community is a thoughtfully designed affordable housing project created by Paulett Taggart Architects in collaboration with Studio VARA.

2024 Amazing Architecture: Grand Coffee Too

In the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, a coffee shop with humble origins anchors a new storefront gathering space.

2024 The Radical Project: Fire Country Lookout

The clients: he’s a dreamer, she’s the grounded one with a passion for sustainability. The property: perfect.

2024 Global Design News: Sister Lillian Murphy Community

Designed in collaboration between Paulett Taggart Architects and Studio VARA this 152-unit affordable housing development for Mercy Housing California prioritizes the physical and social wellness of resident families.

2024 Amazing Architecture: Studio NeVARA opens office in Reno, Nevada

Studio NeVARA, an affiliate of award-winning architecture and landscape firm Studio VARA, opens office in Reno, Nevada.

2024 Toronto Star: Fire Country Lookout

It was all about the elements when creating Fire Country Lookout in the Sonoma County Hills in California.

2024 PLAIN: Fire Country Lookout

On an oak tree-dotted hilltop stands the residence Fire Country Lookout, crafted by San Francisco-based Studio VARA as an off-grid family retreat in California’s Sonoma County. Its tranquil location is reminiscent of the client’s childhood days in Johannesburg, South Africa, with abundant views of the surrounding hills and meadows.

2024 The Coolector: Fire Country Lookout

To help keep fires at bay, this impressive piece of modern architecture is wrapped in a protective shell made of standing-seam metal and is designed to operate off the grid.

2024 FRONTLINE Wildfire Defense: Fire Country Lookout

A case study in building a “post-climate change” home to be passed to future generations.

2024 dezeen: Fire Country Lookout

Studio VARA has completed Fire Country Lookout, a rural retreat in northern California that is wrapped in a protective shell made of standing-seam metal and is equipped to operate off the grid.

2024 New York Times: Fire Country Lookout

We’re thrilled to share that the Fire Country Lookout is featured in the New York Times. Located on an oak-studded hilltop west of Healdsburg, California, this multi-generational family retreat provides a prototype for sustainable dwelling and resilient development in the “post-climate-change” West.⁠ ⁠

2024 e-architect: Redwood Highway Offices in Mill Valley

The adaptive reuse Redwood Highway project transforms the most banal of commercial box buildings into a light-filled courtyard office space.

2024 Global Design News: Fire Country Lookout

Inspired by the hardened shell of an insect, Studio Vara has designed a family residence, with a rugged metal wrapper that envelops the simple elongated form of this structure.

2023 American Architecture Award: Sister Lilian Murphy Community

Studio VARA is thrilled to announce that Sister Lillian Murphy Community has received the 2023 American Architecture Award for Affordable Housing by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.

AIASF Design Award: Sister Lilllian Murphy Community

AIASF honors Paulett Taggart Architects (Prime Architect) and Studio VARA (Associate Architect) for their achievement in the Architecture category with a Merit Award.

PLAIN Magazine: A Compact Palo Alto Home with a Large Presence

Studio VARA faced the challenge of making the most of the small corner lot in Old Palo Alto while maintaining a generous program.

archiScene: Redwood Highway by Studio VARA

A commercial building transformed into a light-filled courtyard office space in Mill Valley, California

Amazing Architecture: Redwood Highway by Studio VARA

Redwood Highway by Studio VARA was a banal commercial building that is now transformed into a light-filled courtyard office space in Mill Valley, California. This adaptive reuse project transforms the most banal of commercial box buildings into a light-filled courtyard office space specifically outfitted for a discerning, high-end residential builder with an exclusive clientele.

Amazing Architecture: A new home in Old Palo Alto inspired by the Rubik’s Cube

Studio VARA designs the Palo Alto Residence, a new home in Old Palo Alto inspired by the Rubik’s Cube

Home World Design: Redwood Highway Office / Studio VARA

Design for the Redwood Highway Office was driven by four main objectives: to embody the client’s enigmatic brand, to embrace the industrial

ArchiDiaries: Redwood Highway

Redwood Highway by Studio VARA is an architecture project that turns a mundane container building into a light-filled courtyard office space.

AIA National Housing Award: Sister Lilian Murphy Community

“In this project, solutions to the Framework for Design Excellence principles are so thoughtfully and graciously integrated into the building design that it should be recognized for quality instead of quantity,”  – Jury comment

G&G magazine: Fine textures

Studio VARA unveiled its latest project in California: the Palo Alto Residence, a new ground-up house for a young couple on a prominent yet petite corner lot.

Sister Lilian Murphy Community

Studio VARA and Paulett Taggart Architects selected as an Honor winner in the 2022 Residential Architect Design Awards, Affordable Housing category.

San Francisco Chronicle

Mission Bay affordable housing complex a tribute to S.F. nun who helped find people homes

Five takeaways from San Francisco’s annual housing report

San Francisco’s annual housing report: Five takeaways. The Sister Lillian Murphy Community, a 152-unit affordable housing development in San Francisco, opened in March.

Architecture Bois

Studio VARA is delighted to be featured in the December issue of Architecture Bois.

Hovering House

Studio VARA’s family home appears to hover over its Palo Alto Plot.    

Layers of Landscaping Soften This Modern California House

Studio VARA has designed a new modern residence in Palo Alto, California.

A New Ground-Up Residence for a Young Couple

Studio VARA recently completed a new ground-up residence for a young couple located on a petit corner lot in Palo Alto.

On a Sixth of an Acre, Studio VARA Ekes Out an Elaborate Palo Alto Home

An Edward Lutyens-inspired home undergoes a contemporary redesign

From an Uninspired White Box to a Warm Two-Level Loft

A 1970’s Ranch Home Gets a Transformation

A Revitalized Spacious Loft

The loft, which looks out to the Bay Bridge, features ample exposed concrete, white oak accents, and a luxe travertine bathroom.

Best Affordable Housing Deal of the Year

626 Mission Bay gets awarded, “Best Affordable Housing Deal of the Year” by the San Francisco Business Times.

Affordable Housing in Hayes Valley

SoMA Loft – IIDA Award Finalist

Affordable Housing Project in Mission Bay

Studio VARA teams up Paulett Taggart Architects to design an affordable housing complex in San Francisco’s Mission Bay.

Redwood Highway AIASF Merit Award

Redwood Highway wins a 2015 American Institute of Architecture San Francisco Merit Award.

Redwood Highway Athenaeum Award

Redwood Highway project wins a 2016 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.

1060 Redwood Hwy

Adaptive reuse project transforms banal commercial box into elegant industrial office space.

Office Building Transformation

Refined renovation transforms former retail space for a discerning client.  

A San Francisco remodel opens to the outdoors

An old Noe Valley cottage is transformed into a modern urban retreat with a massive wine cellar to boot.  

Noe Valley Cottage Gets An Upgrade

A discriminating client’s home is transformed by restrained but luxurious details.

A graceful and expansive San Francisco renovation

Practical problems in an old cottage lead to elegant solutions in this extensive San Francisco remodel.  

A new 3-level house in San Francisco

A disciplined and delicate design create a fluid and luxurious space for a family of four.

San Francisco Architect Poll

Chris makes the cut as a finalist for Best Architect in San Francisco.