Design is creative, complex and challenging...and we’re passionate about it. Whether architecture, interiors or planning, we are committed to a collaborative, communal and compassionate practice. Walking through our office on any given day you may encounter a project amidst a design excellence charrette, a “design café” presentation, one or more of our office dogs; the hum of our IT and maker spaces, designs on walls, screens and trace; a lively debate, laughter, and more.

Visible in our office, passion for our work also extends beyond our doors to the broader profession and community, and is manifest in our participation in AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE), NOMA and LiA. We are committed to leveraging design to make a difference in all communities and contexts, and through our ongoing engagement with partners such as Habitat for Humanity, reBuilding Together, Chairity, Park(ing) Day, LEAP, USGBC and more, we are helping make a difference.

Our environment is collegial and informal and we work from the perspective that great ideas can come from everywhere and everyone. Our various office groups are active labs for lively discussion, research, and moving BAR’s community of practice forward in pursuit of design excellence, business resilience, fun together, and a better world.

Check out a few of our groups:

The +FUTURE Group helps us develop our internal design processes and expertise to push our designs to achieve higher performance and create healthier spaces. A variety of programs including bi-monthly lunchtime presentations, project charrettes and targeted trainings are organized to inform and inspire our design ideas and decisions. One of our favorites is SEED Week, an annual signature event coinciding with Earth Day, which offers a series of talks, seminars, and activities featuring industry experts and a vibrant cross-section of our team. Decarbonization, Electrification, Health and Wellness were the focus topics in 2021. At BAR, sustainability is at the core of our commitment to design solutions that support human and environmental resilience. Learn more

Our Digital Design Group finds innovative ways to streamline the process of design and communication. Comprised of “super-users”, storytellers and creative problem solvers, these BARsters regularly assist, guide and mentor project teams through the various phases of design. Members are frequently called upon to advise on highly specialized tasks, deliver targeted solutions to unique project-related challenges and perform quick and effective training in the form of “guerrilla sessions” for the benefit of other staff.

reBAR develops and programs additional opportunities for creative expression and reinforces the superpowers of curiosity, collaboration and community that drive great design. One of reBAR’s feature programs is Presentuary, an annual internal presentation series by BARsters about their own design pursuits, research, travel or broader interests. These 20 minute presentations are always fascinating and fun. Sessions have included: Rules of Oil Painting; Modern Composite Materials; Architecture at the End of the World; Desert Roadtrip: 7 parks, 16 days, 3055 miles; Shaggy Dog Stories, and more.

The QA Group brings design excellence to life and passes out coveted awards too! Meeting bi-weekly, this group focuses on policies, best-practice guidelines and checklists to assure uniform standards and thorough documentation. The group arranges and conducts project reviews utilizing both internal and external resources, and provides training and knowledge-sharing designed to perpetuate our culture of quality design and service.

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Group came together in the summer of 2020 to raise awareness of intolerance, prejudice, and racism within our society and profession and to hold our BAR community of practice accountable. Focused on promoting opportunities, resources, feedback, and action items to advance a more just and inclusive future, efforts include a quarterly newsletter, monthly discussions with our leadership team, and office-wide forums. The Group’s mission is to dismantle prejudice and racism and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our firm, our profession and the communities we serve.

Our Social Impact Group is comprised of BARsters of all levels who help us focus our energy, enthusiasm and excitement about creating a more just and equitable future. We advocate for and engage in both pro bono design and community service for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is our goal of partnering for impact. Recent and ongoing opportunities have included volunteering with Uhuru Food & Pies, participating in the LA River Clean up, pro bono design services for Habitat for Humanity’s first multifamily housing project in the Bay Area and The Children's Academy in Haiti, and financial support for NOMA Project Pipeline summer programs.