OpenScope Studio is a full-service architectural practice specializing in smart solutions to complex design problems.
Our passion for creating better experiences for people through architecture is matched by our expertise in the practices, regulations, and economics of development and construction. From urban infill development and transitional housing to park pavilions, commercial interiors, and custom homes—design, craft, functionality and feasibility are the guiding measures of our work. Across projects of every scale and typology, our approach remains the same—by first understanding the technical challenges of a site or program, we uncover opportunities and possibilities.
THINKING
From Offices to Apartments: How San Francisco’s New Guidelines Simplify Adaptive Reuse
San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection (DBI) has released a detailed set of adaptive reuse guidelines designed to streamline the conversion of office spaces into multi-family residential buildings.
Leveraging SB 1211: Adding 8 Detached ADUs to Multifamily Lots
The passage of Senate Bill 1211 (SB 1211) allows multifamily properties to add up to eight detached accessory dwelling unites (ADUs).
Single Stair Buildings for San Francisco: The Key to Building Small Scale Infill Housing
Single stair buildings are a valuable housing type that is common in cities across the world and they are the best way to add density on small lots
Affordable Housing in Los Angeles: Mayor Karen Bass’ 3rd Revision to Executive Directive 1 (ED1)
In an effort to address the housing crisis in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass has revised Executive Directive 1 (ED1) to expedite affordable housing development and provide shelter for the unhoused, addressing previous criticisms of tenant protections and design standards.