Atelier Ma is an architectural design studio with offices in the Bay Area & Santa Barbara

Ma is a spatial Japanese concept. It emphasizes negative space or the "space between", the space around. The shadows that determine the light’s quality and form. It speaks of silence as opposed to sound, of lack as opposed to excess. The space between the edges, between the beginning and the end. The space and time in which we experience life. It is the momentary pause in speech needed to convey meaningful words. We want to create spaces that allow contemplation and thoughtfulness. We purposely create moments in the architectural space that will allow the human experience to be more meaningful. We believe That our environment impacts how we feel, how we interact with our family and loved ones, and is the canvas with which we play out our lives. Our goal is to create unique spaces for each project that respond to the inhabitants values, aesthetics and lifestyle. Materials should be inspiring, and timeliness and considerations for light and space paramount in the design. Our spaces are tactile experiences and work bring the outdoors in and expand the homes into the land and gardens that they sit within. We collaborate with a close network of talented builders, tile setters, cabinet makers, landscape and lighting designers. Our projects are varied in size in scope. No project is to big or to small, it’s just a question if it the client shares our desire for a creating a unique and beautiful space.