--- title: "DSA Architects — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/dsa-architects-pfvwus-pf~1955253749 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1955253749.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "DSA Architects" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/cea3da2e046fc340_0625-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "1107 Virginia St., Berkeley, California 94702, United States" latitude: 37.8656 longitude: -122.2851 phone: "(510) 526-1935" website: http://www.dsaarch.com rating: 5 review_count: 1 followers: 73 last_updated: 2026-09-22 --- # DSA Architects Original Houzz profile: [DSA Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/dsa-architects-pfvwus-pf~1955253749) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Berkeley, CA - **Serves:** San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, San Leandro, Alameda, Martinez, San Pablo, Hercules, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Albany, Orinda, Pinole, Moraga, Emeryville, El Sobrante, Piedmont, Sonoma, Tiburon, Tara Hills, North Richmond, Rollingwood, East Richmond Heights, Bayview, Montalvin, Belvedere, Belvedere Tiburon, Canyon - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (1 review) ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - 500 Ideabook Saves Daniel Smith and Associates Architects (DSA) in Berkeley, CA is an award-winning green design firm in Berkeley, California. Our mission at DSA architects is to create environmentally friendly buildings that are durable, healthy and beautiful. Many of our projects are net-zero or net-positive energy designs and received LEED awards for innovative and sustainable architecture. DSA Architects creates innovative design of houses, schools, churches, multifamily housing, as well as retail, office and mixed-use buildings. We have provided site planning for retreat centers, monasteries, co-housing communities, camps, and businesses. DSA Architects offers a wide range of architectural services, from consulting to comprehensive design. We work closely with our clients to develop their vision and bring it to life, meeting needs and budgets with outstanding solutions. To that end, we look at life-cycle assessment, building in phases, and alternate scenarios. We approach a remodel or renovation with as much interest and creativity as a custom home. Our focus is on sustainable design and the development of new strategies to reduce the environmental impact of our built environment. Experience with alternative technologies such as grey water systems and geothermal heating has contributed to our resource efficient approach to design. Recently, innovation with passive and active design strategies and collaboration with leaders in emerging building science technology have enabled DSA to bring Zero Energy buildings into reality. We apply integrated sustainable design principles not only because of the ecological benefits, but as a means of creating healthy and beautiful environments. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Home Remodeling - Architectural Drawings - New Home Construction - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Kitchen Design - Sustainable Design - Energy-Efficient Homes - 3D Rendering - Green Building - Bathroom Design - Space Planning - Historic Building Conservation - Custom Homes ### Areas Served - San Francisco - Oakland - Berkeley - Richmond - San Leandro - Alameda - Martinez - San Pablo - Hercules - El Cerrito - Lafayette - Albany - Orinda - Pinole - Moraga - Emeryville - El Sobrante - Piedmont - Sonoma - Tiburon - Tara Hills - North Richmond - Rollingwood - East Richmond Heights - Bayview - Montalvin - Belvedere - Belvedere Tiburon - Canyon ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | DSA Architects | | Address | 1107 Virginia St., Berkeley, California 94702, United States | | Phone | (510) 526-1935 | | Website | http://www.dsaarch.com | | License Number | BL-022287 | | Followers on Houzz | 73 | **Social profiles:** - Blog — www.dsaarch.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [DSA Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/dsa-architects-pfvwus-pf~1955253749) - **Website:** http://www.dsaarch.com - **Phone:** (510) 526-1935 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - LEED for Homes Platinum Rating - AIA SF Design Award for Energy & Sustainability - Green Builder Magazine, 2010 Home of the Year - AIA SF Design Award for Energy & Sustainability, 2007 - Sustainable Industries Overview “Top 50 LEED Certified Buildings on the West Coast” **Affiliations** - [American Institute of Architects, San Francisco](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/american-institute-of-architects-san-francisco-pfvwus-pf~788533068) - [Architecture For Humanity](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/architecture-for-humanity-pfvwus-pf~344158813) - [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471) - [Public Architecture](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/public-architecture-pfvwus-pf~1703615405) - [AIA East Bay](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/aia-east-bay-pfvwus-pf~789616700) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 1 review** ### All 1 review **★★★★★ — Hammond & Company, Inc., March 2016** > My company worked with DSA Architects for several years on a large and complex, multi phased construction project in Sonoma and I highly recommend them. They are a diligent and methodical work group who understand the demands of fast paced design decision making and bring deep technical expertise to passive solar and ecological design requirements. The project was awarded a LEED Platinum Certification and won a "Home of the Year" award from Green Builder Magazine in 2013. Dan and Dietmar are each personable and warm and bring varied and lively contributions to the work of a design and construction team. They are passionate about their work and the designs show it.You will be glad that you have them working to fulfill your project requirements. > > Bruce Hammond -LEED AP, CEO Hammond & Company ## Selected projects - [Pt Richmond Waterfront](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pt-richmond-waterfront-pj-vj~6751632) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Berkeley Hills ADU](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/berkeley-hills-adu-pj-vj~6722701) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 10 - [Full Belly Farm](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/full-belly-farm-pj-vj~844510) - Location: Guinda, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: This upright two-story farmhouse provides housing and a community kitchen for the well-known organic farm in Yolo County. The 200-acre farm sells produce to local restaurants, at farmer's markets, and through its Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA). - [Gottfried Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/gottfried-renovation-pj-vj~844584) - Location: Oakland, CA - Photos: 5 - Description: This "deep-green" renovation of a 1915 Craftsman bungalow located in the Rockridge area of Oakland belongs to USGBC founder David Gottfried and his family. The home received LEED for Homes Platinum certification, the highest scoring project of its kind. This was achieved in part through water and energy efficiency measures, materials reuse, and the use of FSC, recycled content, low VOC and locally sourced products. - [Gallery House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/gallery-house-pj-vj~804845) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - Description: Designed for a family of five, this 3500 sq.ft. straw bale home in the Santa Cruz Mountains is centered around a courtyard that opens up to the distant view of Monterey Bay. The two-story entrance hall doubles as a gallery for the client who is a painter and art collector. The super insulated building keeps very balanced indoor temperatures all year round. - [Net- Zero Energy Addition - Berkeley](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/net-zero-energy-addition-berkeley-pj-vj~914618) - Location: Berkeley, CA - Photos: 17 - Description: A 600 sq.ft. second floor addition and complete remodel of the 1000 sq.ft. first floor make this 1940s house fit for its next 75 years. The deep energy retrofit was designed for net-zero energy performance, whereby the power needs of this all-electric house can be met with the 5KW PV system on the roof. - [Solar Mid-Century](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/solar-mid-century-pj-vj~2977810) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 13 - [Zeta Prefab](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/zeta-prefab-pj-vj~798456) - Location: Oakland, CA - Photos: 19 - Description: This 1776 sq. ft. zero-energy live-work townhome was designed by DSA and completed in Oakland in July of 2009. It is LEED Platinum certified and serves as a prototype unit for future zero-energy, prefabricated, multi-family, affordable housing developments from Zeta Communities. Innovative passive design strategies and prefabricated construction methods allow for the minimization of resources, waste, and CO2 emissions. - [Berkeley Cottage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/berkeley-cottage-pj-vj~844467) - Location: Berkeley, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: This compact cottage in Berkeley was designed for an owner-builder couple and completed in 2001. While it is tucked away in the backyard of an existing house, the surrounding homes and apartments buildings create a relatively dense context, which is one of the reasons our clients opted for thick walls to instill a strong sense of privacy. Upon completion, the cottage became Berkeley’s first straw bale building. With roughly 1,000 sq.ft., the one-bedroom home feels spacious, thanks to good indoor… - [Sonoma Family Residence & Organic Farm](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sonoma-family-residence-and-organic-farm-pj-vj~802898) - Location: Sonoma, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: This Sonoma Valley homestead with two wings, a flanking pool area, and a detached guest cabin were created with passive solar design. Straw bale walls supplemented with solar collectors, mass storage and a variety of energy and water efficient measures are integral to the design, including a living roof, greywater and rain water harvesting. This house achieved LEED for Homes Platinum certification, a result of integrated team effort & idealistic client vision. DSA Architects, Architecture & mast… - [Berkeley Duplex](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/berkeley-duplex-pj-vj~841522) - Location: Berkeley, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: This owner-built urban infill duplex holds its ground towards the adjacent apartment building while stepping down towards the smaller neighboring residences, creating a pleasant driveway-courtyard. The 1925 sq.ft. main unit spans both levels, the 970 sq.ft. 2-bedroom unit expands over the two-car garage and workshop. - [Mid-Century Modern Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mid-century-modern-remodel-pj-vj~856137) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - Description: This extensive remodel of a mid-century modern home involved major structural and seismic upgrades as well as re-configuring the main circulation spaces for the house. - [Amador Solar House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/amador-solar-house-pj-vj~804827) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 - Description: Nestled in the hills of the Gold Country near Sutter Creek, this 2200 s.f. residence was designed from the ground up to be energy independent. Starting with proper siting and solar orientation, the house also utilizes PV, solar thermal hot water collectors, and a ground source heat pump. The clients purposefully sought to achieve an annual "Net-Zero" electricity balance. [See all 13 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/dsa-architects-pfvwus-pf~1955253749) --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-22.*