MATTHEW BARAN, ARCHITECT
Matthew Baran is a licensed architect that has been practicing in Northern and Southern California for over 15 years. His work ranges from the design and construction of residential and commercial structures to experiments in adaptive prototypes. He has won design awards from the AIA San Francisco Chapter, ULI, MIPM and The University of California at Berkeley. His projects have appeared in various media, including GA Houses, California Home and Design, European Art Magazine, Apartment Therapy, AM Journal, and the book ‘Digital Architectures’. His work has been exhibited in the San Francisco Ferry Building, the Museo Comunale D’Arte Contemporanea, and the University of Florence.
Matthew has taught courses at UC Berkeley and the Academy of Art University, and has been invited to critique at schools that include Stanford and the California College of the Arts. His research and teaching work focuses on the use of broadly defined machines to analyze, extend, and respond to existing site conditions. These mechanisms include GIS and other digital mapping methods, scripting and diagramming, as well as CNC fabrication and robotics.
Matthew received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California, and his Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
Licenses & Certification
California Architects Board:
License No. 28926, 2001
United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
Accredited Version 2.1, completed 2002
Education
University of California Berkeley
Master of Architecture, 2008
Programs and Research:
Thesis: The Space of Erasure: Extraction, Adaptation and the Zero Street
University of Southern California
Bachelor of Architecture, 1996, Cum Laude
Programs and Research:
Thesis: Digital Analog Intersections: Overlapping Spaces of Real and Virtual Worlds
V.R. Research: Development of coding software for virtual reality experimentation
Shelters: Construction and deployment of portable homeless shelters
Selected Project chronology
DWELLING
Cache House.
Oakland, CA. 2009. Development design build rennovation for an affordable, 1300 SF home. All phases including property acquisition, project funding, design and construction. Completed 2010.
Graft House.
Oakland, CA. 2007. Development prototype for an affordable, 1500 SF home. All phases including property acquisition, project funding, design and construction. Completed 2009.
Red Star Housing.
Oakland, CA. 2005. Project lead on concept design to construction documents for a $27M, 119 unit, 121,000 SF affordable multifamily housing project. Scheduled completion 2007. With Philip Banta Associates Architecture.
Desert House.
Anza, CA. 2001. Design of a development prototype for an small artist’s home and studio. Unbuilt. Exhibited, University of Florence. Published in ‘Intimacy’
Manhattan Beach House.
Manhattan Beach, CA. 1999. Concept design to construction documents for a small, low budget single family home. Completed 2000.
Canyon House.
Los Angeles, CA. 1994. Project team design and construction. Completed 2005. With The Angelil Graham.
WORKING
Mobile Architecture Sustainable System.
Various Locations 2006. Prototype for a job training center that adapts to environmental conditions. AIA award for Unbuilt Architecture, 2006
Pacific Athletic Club.
San Diego, CA. 2000. Production for schematics to construction observation for a $26M 87,000 S.F. athletic club. Completed 2002. With Form 4 Architecture
Roppongi.
Tokyo, Japan 1997. Project team for master plan, schematics, design development for plaza and subway station. Completed 2004. With The Jerde Partnership.
LEARNING
UC Riverside Student Center.
Riverside, CA. 2004. Production team for concept to design development for $42M 120,000 SF student center. Scheduled completion 2007. With Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz
TEACHING
Critic. Various Locations
Invited critic final and miscellaneous reviews, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, California College of the Arts, Academy of Art College. 2005-2008
Architecture 101. University of California, Berkeley
Lecturer for upper division design studio. Focused primarily on the use of digital tools to analyze site and project concepts, resulting in an emergent form. Spring Semester 2010
Architecture 608. Academy of Art University, San Francisco
Lecturer for graduate division design studio. Site studio, rendering understandings of site through machines and digital tools. Fall Semester 2009, Spring Semester 2010
Architecture 100b. University of California, Berkeley
Lecturer for upper division design studio. Educational goals included understanding conceptual and analytical design tools and methodology. Summer Semester 2009
Environmental Design 11b. University of California, Berkeley
Lecturer for second year introductory design studio. Educational goals included understanding formal and spatial concepts, and various modes of design representation. Summer Semester 2008
‘Urban Plan’. Lowell High School, San Francisco, CA.
Volunteer for Urban Land Institute program to educate high school students about real estate development from various design and financial perspectives, 2007
Professional Affiliations
Urban Land Institute (ULI) Member
San Francisco Planning & Urban Research Association (SPUR) Member
United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Member
Other Activity
Apollo Alliance
Assisted in the establishment of a West Oakland Apollo Alliance through the development of an Apollo Green Building pilot project
Habitat For Humanity: Site Selection Volunteer
Assisted in the initial stages of the selection of possible project sites and contributed to the development of materials for the promotion of Habitat to potential donors
