Writing
Press
This modular building eases the transition for formerly homeless people—without sacrificing their comfort Fast Comapny, Nate Berg, May 15, 2024
“built with an innovative and replicable design approach”
“‘We set this up to be open-source design,’ he says, eager to share his knowledge and drawings with other architects. ‘So if you want to build one of these, call us up.’”
“There’s a ‘Goldilocks zone’ for converting office buildings to housing—and this architect found it.”
Charles F. Bloszies inserts glass addition into San Francisco Cathedral Complex Dezeen, Kate Mazade, February 8, 2023
"A contemporary metal and glass structure that fits comfortably among the venerated landmark buildings it connects, capturing previously unavailable views of the cathedral and the city beyond."
How to Expand Urban Schools Creatively and Efficiently. Buildings Magazine, Jenelle Penny, September 25, 2023
“School decision-makers need to find more space for students but may be trapped by physical constraints and public perceptions, especially in crowded urban areas.”
“Charles Bloszies, who together with his team has come up with a series of ideas to make use of the unlit spaces that remain in the core of buildings after placing the residential units.”
When can vacant office buildings be converted to residences? American Society of Civil Engineers, Jay Landers, April 12, 2023
“Against the backdrop of these higher vacancy rates, property owners and developers in San Francisco are asking the question, ‘How do we get more life into the buildings that have space available?’ Bloszies says. ‘Residential (use) is certainly an option.’”
Your next apartment could be someone's old cubicle as developers rush to convert empty offices Business Insider, Eliza Relman and Juliana Kaplan, August 23, 2023
“New York City has already had some success in converting office buildings to homes. In the financial district, conversions have helped transform the area from a nine-to-five neighborhood to a lively community.”
It will be the biggest navigation center in Northern California. Can it end homelessness in this Bay Area county?
San Francisco Chronicle, Kevin Fagan, December 23, 2022
“Built with modular housing units on a 2.5-acre plot in a light industrial area along the waterfront, the sleek, white-walled apartments with blue trim will rise to three stories in places.“
Post-Pandemic Commercial Real Estate: A New Era Facilitiesnet, Dave Lubach, October 2, 2023
“Some projects have been done in New York that have already transformed some big buildings that way, but it requires putting light wells in and tossing around ideas for what we call dark space...”
Cost of Ending California’s Homeless Crisis: $100B ALM. Globest, Jack Rodgers, December 22, 2022
“Architect Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, is designing a community encompassing 240 units of private, independent housing”
Blu Dot Flagship in San Francisco Debuts, Designed by the Office of Charles F. Bloszies FAIA with Brand's Leaders December 15, 2022
“Reimagining two vacant buildings at Missouri and 17th Streets, the new, neighborhood-friendly adaptation offers a simplified, soft-modern backdrop for the successful Minneapolis-based manufacturer and designer of modern furniture.”
Designers Select: Material Innovation Architect Magazine, December 9, 2022
“From photovoltaic flooring to hemp-powered concrete, Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, Ian Reves, AIA, and Mark Yoes, FAIA, share pioneering products that are changing the way we build.”
In Silicon Valley, a Successful Homeless Housing Solution Architects and Artisans, Mike Welton, October 14, 2022
“A cutting-edge modular housing solution for Silicon Valley’s homeless – designed by San Francisco architect Charles Bloszies – is not only a problem-solver, but an award-winner.”
Mountain View's New Homekey Site Serves as Temporary Refuge for City's Growing Homeless Population
KQED, Adhiti Bandlamudi, June 10, 2021
“‘Now I can just relax and be calm and see my next step,’ Julian said.”
San Francisco Opens its First Navigation Center for Homeless Young Adults KQED, Erin Baldessari, February 3, 2021
“‘Now I can just relax and be calm and see my next step,’ Julian said.”
San Francisco Opens its First Navigation Center for Homeless Young Adults KQED, Erin Baldessari, February 3, 2021
Embarcadero’s new homeless Navigation Center a compassionate work of design San Francisco Chronicle, John King, January 10, 2020
“It’s a sad sign of the times that some of San Francisco’s most creative architectural energy is focused on bringing a spark of humanity to large-scale, short-term housing for homeless people”
Luminous Revivals Architectural Record, Lydia Lee, February 1, 2016
“The prosaic city garage at 690 Folsom Street in downtown San Francisco had been neglected for decades, but a recent makeover is attracting attention.”
Futuristic S.F. cube building takes design risk in the right spot SF Gate, John King, December 16, 2014
“Besides drawing attention to a corner that until now has never caused anyone to look twice, 690 Folsom is the city’s locally generated, mainstream example of parametric design — an aspect of computer-aided design where programs apply algorithmic modeling to a building’s form or surface.”
500-foot-tall hotel-condo project proposed for Financial District San Francisco Chronicle, J.K. Dineen, September 8, 2016
“Bloszies, who designed additions for historic buildings at 1 Kearny St. and 690 Market St., said adding hotel rooms and residences to the block — the exact mix is undecided — would help pump new life into a part of town that has languished.”
35-Story Hotel and Residential Tower Proposed atop Historic SF Corner - San Francisco Business Times SF Business Times, Roland Li, August 22, 2016
“A 35-story hotel and residential tower has been proposed atop a historic building at One Montgomery St. in San Francisco, in one of the largest development plans proposed north of Market Street.”
Awards
Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Award
San Mateo County Navigation Center Fast Comapny, Nate Berg, May 15, 2024
Community Impact AwardSan Mateo County Navigation Center
2023 Silicon Valley Business Journal Structures Awards
Award of Merit: Government/Public BuildingSan Mateo County Navigation Center
2023 ENRCalifornia Regional Best Projects
Urban Land Institute Americas Award for ExcellenceHomekey Mountain View
2022 ULI Americas
Metal Architecture Design Awards Judges AwardBayview Navigation Center
2022 Metal Architecture
Urban Infill Design Specialists of the Year & Best Urban Design 2017 Build Architecture Awards
Grand Award and Metal Wall-Retrofit Award Winner690 Folsom
2015 Metal Construction News
Excellence in Architecture Citation AwardBlu Dot (Valencia Street)
2014 AIA San Francisco
Student Preservation Association Keyhole Award 2012 Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Kirby Ward Fitzpatrick Prize, Best New Building in SF by a Small FirmOne Kearny
2010 Architectural Foundation of San Francisco
Finalist, Real Estate Deal of the Year One Kearny
2010 SF Business Times
Best of 2009 Award of Merit for Renovation/Restoration One Kearny
2009 California Construction Magazine
Excellence in Structural Engineering Award One Kearny
2009 National Council of Structural Engineers Association (NCSEA)
Top Projects in Northern CaliforniaOne Kearny
2008 Real Estate Construction Review Magazine - Northern California Edition
Excellence in Engineering Award Ritz-Carlton Club & Residences
2006 Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC)
Reuse/Redevelopment Project of the Year2003 East Bay Business Times
Special Commendation for Leadership1998 AIA California Council Bay Bridge Coalition
Office
Like most architects, we are thoughtful, creative problem solvers. Unlike most architectural firms, our practice is a hybrid of architecture and engineering. The firm’s principal, Charles Bloszies, is both an architect and a structural engineer. We understand design theoretically, but execute our work in a practical, yet innovative manner.
For four decades, the firm has renovated, adapted, and modified old buildings and created new modern, contextually-sensitive urban infill structures. We are interested in how “new” meets ”old,” and how each can enhance the other. Our portfolio consists mostly of new interventions inside of, adjacent to, or on top of old buildings, some of which are recognized historic structures. The scale of the projects we have completed varies widely, as does the range of uses contained in the buildings we have designed. Most of our work is located in and around San Francisco.
For four decades, the firm has renovated, adapted, and modified old buildings and created new modern, contextually-sensitive urban infill structures. We are interested in how “new” meets ”old,” and how each can enhance the other. Our portfolio consists mostly of new interventions inside of, adjacent to, or on top of old buildings, some of which are recognized historic structures. The scale of the projects we have completed varies widely, as does the range of uses contained in the buildings we have designed. Most of our work is located in and around San Francisco.
People
Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, SE, LEEDAP
Principal, Founder
College of Fellows, AIA
LEED AP
BA (Philosophy), University of Colorado, 1972
MArch, University of Pennsylvania, 1978
MSE (Structures), University of Pennsylvania, 1978
Architect: California
Civil Engineer: California
Structural Engineer: California, Pennsylvania
SPUR, USGBC, SFHAC, SEAONC, EERI
Michael Bullman, AIA, LEEDAP (BD+C)
Senior AssociateBA (Architecture), University of California, Berkeley, 2004
MArch, University of Washington, 2008
Architect: California
NCARB
Mark Warren, AIA
AssociateAB (History of Art and Architecture), Harvard University, 2013
MArch, University of California, Berkeley, 2018
Architect: California
NCARB
My-Linh Pham
DesignerBArch, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2016
Aidan Atman
DesignerBArch, California College of the Arts, 2020
Suejean Kim
Office ManagerClients
Millennium Partners
One Kearny LLC
Sierra Maestra Properties
Breevast US
Vornado Realty Trust
601 West Companies
Prado Group
City Center Retail
Big Rock Partners
Peebles Corporation
Clear Channel
Empire Group
Harrigan, Weidenmuller Company
Lennar Mare Island
New Urban Properties
Polatnick Properties
Rabin Worldwide
WorldCo
Hunter Group (Verde Pacific)Martin Building Company
Redwood Mortgage
Blu Dot Design and Manufacturing
Esprit de Corp.
New Balance Athletic Shoe Company
Crabtree & Evelyn
Crepe Café
Trish’s Dishes
DiPietro Todd Salon
Camper USA
California College of the Arts
Friends of Cal Crew
Golden Gate National Park Conservancy
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
SFMOMA
Compass Community Services
Edgewood Children’s Center
All Saints Episcopal Church
First Church, Christ Scientist
Saint Mary’s Preschool
Bentley School
Hosteling International
Sandpaths Academy
Keker, Van Nest & Peters
Santos & Prescott
Simon Blattner
StoragePro
Contact
Address 633 Battery Street, Suite 119
San Francisco, CA 94111
Email inquiries@archengine.com
Phone (415) 834-9002
Socials LinkedIn
Jobs
The
Office of Charles F. Bloszies is seeking technically minded, detail-oriented
individuals to join our team. Urban infill projects currently “on the boards”
include new construction and renovation of existing buildings, ranging in use
from office and retail to multifamily housing and education. We are a small
firm where everyone is exposed to all phases of design and construction,
providing opportunities for growth and mentorship while working on challenging
projects in highly visible locations.
Current open positions and qualifications:
- Project Architect
7+ years of experience in an architectural office
Architectural license (California) or on track to
become licensed
BArch or more advanced degree(s)
Fluency in AutoCAD
Extensive construction documents experience
Interest in the crafting of working drawings
Engineering consultant coordination experience
Knowledge of San Francisco building codes and
permitting process
- Junior Designer
3+ years of experience in an architectural office
BArch or more advanced degree(s)
Competence in AutoCAD
Passion for good design
To apply, please email resume and work samples (max. 20MB) to hr@archengine.com. Include a brief cover letter indicating your level of interest in urban infill architecture and repurposing existing buildings. Incomplete applications or links to your portfolio/website will not be considered. No drop-ins or phone calls, please.
Current open positions and qualifications:
- Project Architect
7+ years of experience in an architectural office
Architectural license (California) or on track to
become licensed
BArch or more advanced degree(s)
Fluency in AutoCAD
Extensive construction documents experience
Interest in the crafting of working drawings
Engineering consultant coordination experience
Knowledge of San Francisco building codes and
permitting process
- Junior Designer
3+ years of experience in an architectural office
BArch or more advanced degree(s)
Competence in AutoCAD
Passion for good design
To apply, please email resume and work samples (max. 20MB) to hr@archengine.com. Include a brief cover letter indicating your level of interest in urban infill architecture and repurposing existing buildings. Incomplete applications or links to your portfolio/website will not be considered. No drop-ins or phone calls, please.