@parachute.bakery has been open for seven months! We visited the Ferry Building on a recent teambuilding trip, snagged some pastries, and snapped a few pics of the space.
Our design for Parachute Bakery is an extension of sister restaurant Arquet, which opened in December. What used to be two divided spaces for The Slanted Door/ Out the Door has now been opened up into one cohesive space. Curved microcement plaster arches and ceiling insets with “wood-look” felt acoustic panels give it a warm, minimalistic feel. The arched window between Parachute and Arquet mirrors the arch in the Ferry Building storefront. Through it, customers have a fantastic view of the Bay.
Favorites from our pastry selection include the passionfruit-custard filled croissant cube and the Everything Kouign Amann with scallion cream cheese mousse. Fun fact: Parachute is named from the characteristic “puff up” that a croissant gets during the baking process!
Happy Earth Day! This year, we’re celebrating the way architecture can honor the past while building a more sustainable future through adaptive reuse.
Adaptive reuse is one of the most powerful tools in sustainable design. Reusing a building’s existing structure can reduce carbon emissions and minimize waste while preserving history.
These examples from our portfolio show how two shuttered theaters, a warehouse and an auto garage can be reimagined as vibrant spaces serving the needs of contemporary communities.
The Advocate — a restaurant in a building that dates back to 1918. Formerly an auto garage, it’s a snapshot of Berkeley in transition from the time that the automobile displaced the streetcar.
Center Street — the site of a new development that has lived many lives: as a furniture store, a restaurant, and a cinema. Following historical research, careful intervention transformed it into a 3-story mixed use building.
Metro Theater — originally a 1924 Spanish Colonial Revival-style movie theater. We worked with the SF Historic Preservation Commission, the SF Neighborhood Theater Foundation, and community groups to provide a seismic retrofit and preserve historical features in transforming this space into a modern fitness center with street level retail.
Temescal Works Coworking - was built to house a creamery in 1924 and sat neglected for many years. Due to the combined efforts of residents who pooled their resources, the building was restored and serves as a thriving co-working space.
This Earth Day, we’re grateful for every client who chose to invest in what already exists — and for every community that welcomed these transformations.
We’re excited to welcome Keyla Vega and Eva Shaw to the Studio KDA team. Keyla joins us from Napa Valley, where she contributed to a range of memorable restaurant and hospitality projects. Eva holds degrees in both interior design and architecture and brings experience across student housing, multifamily, and single-family residential work.
Welcome, Keyla and Eva! We’re thrilled to have you on board.
It’s been 10 remarkable years since Kahn Design Associates and Abueg Morris Architect joined to become Studio KDA.
To celebrate this milestone as a team, we spent a day hopping around San Francisco. Our morning started at @sfmoma , then we went to the @ferrybuilding for lunch at all of our favorite spots: @arquetrestaurant , @lunette_cambodia , @cholita_linda and @a16lapala . In the afternoon we fired up our creative juices 😊for a fused glass workshop at @publicglass (a truly special experience - big shout out to their staff for facilitating,) and rounded out the day with a team dinner at @somaeats .
We look forward to celebrating our 10th anniversary with friends and colleagues throughout the spring, but this was a fantastic kickoff - and a great way to bond together.
Outdoor dining on north Shattuck is back! 🥂☀️
Enjoying the warm weather with the patio doors open is a time-honored tradition in the space next door to Chez Panisse. We are so glad that @barpanisse is bringing back that convivial community vibe.
The front of the new Bar Panisse opens up onto the sidewalk, allowing people and air to flow freely. And according to this week’s review in @sfchronicle_food , the menu lives up to the legacy of Chez Panisse with simple and delicious dishes in a more informal setting. Bar Panisse will be open 7 days a week starting March 24th, so there will be even more opportunity to enjoy! (and pro tip - get there just before they open, or go late - post 8pm!)
Celebrating women in construction today and every day! 🏗️👷♀️
Last week was #womeninconstruction week, so it’s the perfect time to acknowledge the contributions of women working to enhance the built environment. We are so grateful to all of the women we partner with to bring each of our designs to fruition.
It was fantastic to be present at the ribbon-cutting for site improvements at the @insighthousing Dwight Way Center earlier this week! We celebrated with Insight Housing leadership and City of Berkeley @mayoradenaishii . This new outdoor space will grow food for the Women’s Shelter and serve as a community hub, making the backyard feel like home.
Many thanks to 122 West Landscape Architecture for creating such a welcoming space and to Oliver & Company Builders for bringing the project to life! This was such a rewarding collaboration. 🏘️ 🌿🌻
For decades, Esther’s Orbit Room was a cornerstone of West Oakland’s jazz and blues scene. We are so proud to be on the team restoring this landmark, which will bring new art and wellness spaces, in addition to the new Esther’s jazz club, bar, and restaurant, to the historic 7th Street district.
Noni Session, Executive Director of @eb.prec , is the visionary behind the authentic reconstruction of Esther’s Orbit Room. The revitalization of Esther’s represents a big step towards preserving and stewarding the legacy of West Oakland’s historically Black community spaces.
In December, our team attended the “rock breaking” ceremony as the existing rock facade was carefully dismantled. It will be reconstructed, and many of the building’s original architectural elements and historical artifacts will be integrated into the design. We’re still in the site visit stage, but work is progressing joyfully, as you can see from these pictures!
A valentine to a first restaurant design ❤️
For Marites Abueg, co-leader of our Food and Beverage Studio, @acoterestaurant in Oakland was her first-ever restaurant design project. Designed in collaboration with design-build firm Mark Becker, Inc. À Côté opened in 2001, bringing old world wines and Mediterranean cuisine to the heart of Rockridge. 25 years later, they’re still going strong!
These snapshots capture the warmth of the space and unique features by some of our favorite collaborators, including custom lights by @metrolightingca .
Cheers to 25 years, À Côté – like a fine wine, this restaurant continues to delight. It’s also a great intimate spot for a Valentine’s Day dinner in the East Bay! 🥂
Photos by @kengutmaker
Happy opening to @thepropaloalto ! 🏈🥂
For 58 years, The Old Pro was a gathering spot for locals, students, and athletes. After a thorough revitalization, The Pro has emerged, keeping the heart of the Old Pro alive with homages to its history. The iconic “Bucky,” the mechanical bull, presides over the kitchen in a place of honor.
Now, The Pro is a destination where the community can “come for the food and stay for the game.” The menu features classic bar fare and elevated options like pork ribs and a banh mi french dip. The space also features a private events space upstairs and a podcast studio!
Many thanks to @aci.generalcontractor , the builder on this project, and @metrolighting.ca for the custom, handpainted wall sconces.
With the Big Game on Saturday and the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics, this is a big weekend for sports. It’s all happening at The Pro - we hope you’ll stop by!
This 8,905 SF auditorium, designed in collaboration with Lillian Mitchell of Mitchell Holladay Architects, will be a true campus hub for St. Patrick Parish School in Rodeo, CA. Both a dedicated performance venue and flexible gathering space, the auditorium will host theater productions, assemblies, and special events.
Built at $330/SF, the project demonstrates how thoughtful design and construction decisions can deliver serious value. A prefabricated structural steel frame and durable metal panel cladding keep costs efficient while maintaining long-term resilience. The glazed entry lobby brings lots of natural light to the building, while the nearby covered outdoor space allows events to extend outside. New concrete walkways and landscaping create a welcoming outdoor atmosphere for the whole school community to enjoy.
These renderings were developed using a combination of SketchUp and AI tools.
It’s our pleasure to welcome Bay Area native Dylan Moredock-Ting to the Studio KDA team!
A graduate of Pratt Institute, Dylan brings both an artist eye and technical expertise to the firm. In addition to his design skills, Dylan has hands-on construction experience working on building renovations and new ADUs. Dylan also expresses his love of fabrication with his affinity for balanced and elegant forms through his textural and refined ceramic pieces.
Welcome, Dylan! 🎉
