What is VARA? va·ra noun /˜vär’∂˜/ varas, plural 1. A Spanish, Portugese, and Latin-American unit of linear measure equal to about 33 inches (84 cm). 2. The basic module used to create the street grid of San Francisco; one city block is typically 100×150 vara.
+ABOUT US
Studio VARA designs integrated environments that elevate the experience of living.
Studio VARA is an interdisciplinary design studio committed to creating spaces that are meaningful, beautiful, and full of life, in buildings shaped for comfort and built for longevity. Our studio was founded in 2013 by principals Maura Fernández Abernethy and Christopher Roach, and offers a full range of services, with architecture, landscape, and interior design at the core of our practice. When these three disciplines are woven together seamlessly, our designs are generated from a shared vision for the interaction of light, material, movement, function, and land, so that each project reads as a single cohesive idea rather than a set of individual parts.
Our work is client-driven and grounded in the specific realities of site, climate, and environment. Each project is unique, shaped by its constraints and its opportunities. Design emerges through an open dialogue among our team and our collaborators, guided by a distinct point of view rather than a fixed style. Across all typologies and scales, we combine design ambition with attentive service and careful execution, practicing our craft with professionalism, curiosity, and kindness.
+HOW WE COLLABORATE
Our team thrives in creative tension; that’s where we find the magic. Our design framework is like a musical score, allowing us to accommodate many voices and improvisation without missing a beat.
While our work is interdisciplinary, we remain open-minded to each client’s needs so that their project can respond to the realities that emerge while making a place. Every space is shaped by a client’s priorities, budget, timeline, and the specific conditions of its site, and our team adapts with care as those inputs sharpen over time. Our integrated services provide our clients with a simple, seamless process, while we also have extensive experience successfully collaborating with external designers and consultants.
We think of our practice as a design project in itself. Our process is both creative and innovative, but also structured and reliable, creating clarity around decisions, milestones, and communication while leaving room for design solutions to arise from the unique ecology of each project. Clients and stakeholders stay engaged throughout design and construction in a collaborative environment that reflects their goals and keeps the work grounded and enjoyable. Together, we work closely with our collaborators to promote a truly team-oriented process and share the joy of our practice.
From the exterior form to interior furnishings, this flexible, collaborative design approach builds trust and yields spaces that profoundly shape our clients’ lives, bringing surprise and delight.