projects Current Page: studio contact studio Gutierrez / Associates architects established in 1976 in Oakland CA Is a multidisciplinary architecture firm that spans the fields of architecture, urban design and planning. With each project the studio designs, the focus is a thoughtful minimalism, craft and quality of design and materials. Efren Gutierrezprincipal and founder Efren started the practice in 1976 with an offer to develop multi family housing in the Central Valley of California. This project led to a myriad of other large scale commercial projects from schools, fire stations, city planning, housing and museums. One of his most notable projects include SANCST Student Center in Saudi Arabia. Today, Efren’s breath of experience is used to manage and coordinate projects. Also, he spends time cultivating new projects and interacting with potential clients. Mara Gutierrezdesigner and associate With a diverse educational background, undergraduate Political Science from UC Berkeley and graduate training at California College of the Arts in Architecture, Mara find inspirations from many places. All forms of design from fashion, art, pop culture inform her architectural vernacular. Mara aims to imbue an aesthetic that is simple with great attention to detail and quality materiality. Her focus in design varies from residential to commercial, with a emphasis on the smaller more human scaled interaction with design projects. She also pays great focus to maintaining client relationships so as to bring her projects to their fullest potential. Efren Gutierrezdesigner and associate Efren A started his career in Urban design with a focus on Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation from Cal Poly. His design intent is to enrich the existing environment through the adaptation of existing architecture. As part of all his projects he aims to create a design that integrates the built environment with the natural environment. From a young age, Efren has been involved in the making of things. This education has informed his thorough understanding of the technical aspect of building systems, resulting in a creative integration of building materials and structural systems. Efren A. draws inspiration from his everyday life through activities that challenge him mentally and physically. From renovating 1930’s buildings, motorcycle racing, fly-fishing, backpacking, skiing, scuba diving, traveling, to organic gardening, all of these aspects make him an informed member of the G/A team. select clients UC Santa Barbara UC Berkeley UC Davis Oakland Unified School District San Francisco Unified School District City of Tracy City of Turlock City of Firebaugh City of Sacramento City of San Diego PG+E Sandia National Laboratories UC Berkeley Laboratories Hayward Recreational District Fair Oaks Water District Cadillac Infiniti Gensler Volkswagen Mercedes Benz © Gutierrez / Associates architects