New Space is 50 Percent Larger and Conveniently-Located for Clients and Employees

Oakland / Santa Rosa, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 – Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), a leading planning and design firm serving Northern California’s education industry, has signed a lease for a new office space in the heart of Oakland’s Jack London Square. The move relocates the firm’s current East Bay office from Pleasanton with 50 percent additional capacity. Poised for future growth, QKA recently brought on two new project architects in the East Bay, Henrik Malinowski and Manuel Ordonez. Project Manager and Studio Lead Joel Williams heads the office.  

Headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., the North Bay Area’s largest architecture firm opened a dedicated East Bay office in 2017 to better serve its many clients in the region. The current move to Oakland builds on this, while also providing a more central and easily-accessible location for employees, including those commuting from headquarters for project work. QKA is currently working on significant projects for Oakland Unified School District and has long-enjoyed a relationship with Alameda Unified School District, including serving as lead architect for Historic Alameda High School’s seismic retrofit and restoration. 

“Having built my career in the East Bay, I am thrilled we’ve chosen to make the move to Oakland,” said Williams. “QKA has fostered deep relationships with school districts and administrators in this region over many years and being centrally-located will allow us to be even more present and increase collaboration on critical school projects. Not to mention, the space and surrounding amenities are beautiful. We are all looking forward to working in-person together again when possible.” 

The 3,000 square-foot office space will eventually house 15 QKA employees. The firm anticipates employees will be in-person in the bright, open and move-in ready space this summer, or when it is deemed safe to do so. Situated along an estuary with views of San Francisco and the Bay, 55 Harrison Street is certified LEED Silver and provides quick access to major public transportation hubs, including a free shuttle to BART. QKA employees will be able to enjoy miles of waterfront trails and parks directly from the building, as well as the many nearby restaurants and shops that vibrant Jack London Square has to offer. 

“I have personally had the pleasure of working on many projects with our greater Bay Area clients and know that this move will make it much less burdensome for project team members to commute between our offices,” said QKA Principal John Dybzcak. “It’s a win-win for our clients and employees, alike. We feel fortunate to already be growing in the East Bay and look forward to continuing to do so.”

QKA’s move to Oakland builds on its adoption of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at the outset of 2020. Both represent its core values encompassing employee satisfaction, engagement and culture. 

About Quattrocchi Kwok Architects

QKA provides comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education, historic renovation and community facilities in Northern California. With more than $2 billion in projects completed in its 34-year history, QKA’s award-winning portfolio reflects a commitment to design that emphasizes environmental sustainability and community impact. Building Design + Construction has recognized QKA as one of the nation’s top K-12 and BIM (building information modeling) architecture firms. Engineering News-Record has called it one of America’s top design firms. Majority employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), QKA continually lands on the North Bay Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” list. Visit qka.com to learn more.

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