--- title: "S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/s-squared-architecture-interiors-landscape-pfvwus-pf~721513198 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~721513198.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/f3f3f21f0d15c088_2146-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "1000 South Winchester Blvd., San Jose, California 95128, United States" latitude: 37.3163 longitude: -121.9356 phone: "(831) 292-3471" website: "https://www.s-squared.com/approach?utm_source=HOUZZ&utm_medium=HOUZZ+BIO+LINK&utm_campaign=HOUZZ+UTM" rating: 5 review_count: 114 license_verified: true best_of_houzz_awards: 23 followers: 4343 last_updated: 2026-09-02 --- # S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape > Bay Area's Premier Architecture Firm / Interior Design Firm Original Houzz profile: [S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/s-squared-architecture-interiors-landscape-pfvwus-pf~721513198) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** San Jose, CA - **Serves:** San Jose, Fremont, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Ramon, Redwood City, Mountain View, Pleasanton, Dublin, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, Cupertino, Morgan Hill, Campbell, Danville, Menlo Park, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Saratoga, Burlingame, San Carlos, Monterey, Orinda, Hillsborough, Pebble Beach, Los Altos Hills, Aptos, Woodside, Portola Valley, Carmel Valley, Monte Sereno, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel By The Sea, Emerald Hills, Monterey County, New Almaden - **Verified License:** Yes - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (114 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 23 awards (2012–2026), for Service, Design. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Pro Software User - Star Houzzer - 5 Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 100,000 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Eco-friendly - Online consultation - Verified Hires - Hired on Houzz - Provides 3D Visualization ### Business highlights - Best of Houzz winner - Eco-friendly - Online consultation - 4 Hires on Houzz - Provides 3D Visualization - 2 Verified Hires 25x "BEST OF HOUZZ" Winner! At S-Squared, we know that designing a home is much more than building a house—and we are here to guide you at every step of this unforgettable journey. S-Squared was founded in 1999 on the belief that client service and enduring relationships are the keys to any successful business. We are committed to a collaborative, team-oriented approach throughout the design process. From start to finish, our architects, interior designers, and landscape architects work together to create holistic designs with consultants, contractors, and–most importantly–our clients. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Home Remodeling - Architectural Drawings - Custom Homes - House Plans - New Home Construction - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Kitchen Design - Kitchen Remodeling - Sustainable Design - Energy-Efficient Homes - Floor Plans - 3D Rendering - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Bathroom Design - Green Building - Space Planning - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Universal Design - Multigenerational Homes - Pool House Design & Construction - Drafting - Home Restoration - Historic Building Conservation - Project Management - Handicap-Accessible Design - Outdoor Kitchen Design - Basement Remodeling - Barn Design & Construction - Mudroom Design - Attic Conversion - Basement Design - Staircase Design - Deck Design - Garage Design - Landscape Plans - Laundry Room Design - Home Gym Design & Construction - Prefab Houses - Custom Home - Furniture Selection - Interior Design ### Areas Served - San Jose - Fremont - Sunnyvale - Santa Clara - San Mateo - San Ramon - Redwood City - Mountain View - Pleasanton - Dublin - Palo Alto - Santa Cruz - Cupertino - Morgan Hill - Campbell - Danville - Menlo Park - Los Gatos - Los Altos - Saratoga - Burlingame - San Carlos - Monterey - Orinda - Hillsborough - Pebble Beach - Los Altos Hills - Aptos - Woodside - Portola Valley - Carmel Valley - Monte Sereno - Carmel-by-the-Sea - Carmel By The Sea - Emerald Hills - Monterey County - New Almaden ### Typical Job Cost $1 million - 10 million COST FACTORS AS OF JUNE 2025 Based on recent bids on our projects, to achieve results similar to those seen in our portfolio, your “hard cost” construction budget (labor and materials) would realistically need to be in the $650-900/sf range for the finished building only, including garage area and covered patios but exclusive of landscaping, furniture, and soft costs (plans and permits). ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape | | Address | 1000 South Winchester Blvd., San Jose, California 95128, United States | | Phone | (831) 292-3471 | | Website | https://www.s-squared.com/approach?utm\_source=HOUZZ&utm\_medium=HOUZZ+BIO+LINK&utm\_campaign=HOUZZ+UTM | | License Number | C27,719 | | Followers on Houzz | 4343 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577916688884 - LinkedIn — http://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenesakai - Blog — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbVl\_PHsTdxVBtzZBhHbFBQ - Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/studiossquared/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/s-squared-architecture-interiors-landscape-pfvwus-pf~721513198) - **Website:** https://www.s-squared.com/approach?utm_source=HOUZZ&utm_medium=HOUZZ+BIO+LINK&utm_campaign=HOUZZ+UTM - **Phone:** (831) 292-3471 ## Credentials **Verified License** - Number: C 27719 - Type: Architect - Issued by: California Architects Board **Certifications & Awards** - American Institute of Architects (AIA), State of CA Licensed Architect, LEED Accredited Professional - BEST OF HOUZZ (CUSTOMER SERVICE): 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 - BEST OF HOUZZ (DESIGN): 2021, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 - HOUZZ ADVICE GURU: 2016 - **Best of Houzz:** 23 awards (2012–2026), for Service, Design. **Affiliations** - [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 114 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 48.0 - Communication: 48.0 - Value: 49.0 ### Featured Review **★★★★★ — Alex, March 2021** > We first reached out to Studio S Squared in 2016. We were drawn initially by the sample projects and designs we'd seen on Houzz, and their willingness to lean into contemporary aesthetics - something that was very core to our vision. Through the initial stages of our partnership, we discovered that S2 was very attentive. The broader construction industry feels like an anachronistic element of a bygone era. In this sense, S2 was definitely the most "modern" of the firms I worked with through the course of the project. Email, electronic communications, and modern collaboration tools were a key highlight of the experience, along with their responsiveness and ease of access. > > More importantly, from a collaboration standpoint, they were not going to overly defer to us (the clients) on unreasonable or uninformed ideas; but they were also not overbearing in terms of trying to ship their own ideas or stomp over ours. Like any good project in the real world, it was their approach to treating us as partners with an open mind, with empathy, and with a willingness to collaborate to ensure long term success. We built on each others' ideas, provided each other new inspirations, all of which resulted in a better end product. Looking back at the last few years, this has been a monster project in terms of design and logistics (tear-down, design, rebuild); and they've been helpful and supportive all along the way. > > I think this framing is incredibly important for all you prospective clients out there - you are choosing a partner that brings something to the table that you do not. And together that makes a better project team. What you are not is acquiring "services" and a team that you should expect to boss around with minor details or make demands of. I think a lot of folks assume a specific power dynamic getting into these projects - I would strongly advise that you reconsider because that would likely be the downfall of your project no matter who you are working with. > > Any project will have hiccups though, and in the spirit of transparency we had a few along the way. In the grand scheme of things, these were minor and didn't put the project, relationships, or trust at risk. I think what is key is that when we disagreed or we had a mismatch in expectations, they were always open to feedback and were willing to self-reflect on how to improve the next time around. This creates and engenders trust that they're looking out for you (and the project). I've worked with various "construction-related contractors" over the course of this project; you can believe I would not say the same for many of those outfits! > > I don't plan to embark on another project of this magnitude anytime soon - but if somehow that unplanned future came to be, you can expect I'll be showing up at S2's door again. Thanks Eugene and Jose, and the various other folks that helped along the way! ### All 114 reviews **★★★★★ — occidental2013, March 2026** > I recently had my yard redone by Seafield Landscape, and I’m very happy with the results. My property is on a steep hill, and they did a great job making the space functional and accessible. > > They extended the deck, added stairs down to the bottom of the yard, installed gravel deck areas, and put in new grass. Everything came together really nicely and completely transformed the space. > > I’d definitely recommend them for anyone looking to improve a challenging yard. **★★★★★ — nhuq1, Sept. 2025** > We worked with S2 on our modern style custom home project and are absolutely delighted with the results. > > From the start, the three-stage design process (floor plan, exterior, 3D) made what initially felt overwhelming so much more approachable. The team brought creativity and vision, proposing thoughtful design ideas that truly elevated our home beyond what we had imagined. Their ability to combine practicality with innovative touches gave us confidence we were in the right hands. > > Another major advantage of working with S2 was their full-service approach to permitting and consultant coordination. This saved us enormous time and effort and gave us peace of mind knowing everything was being handled professionally behind the scenes. > > The interior design process was also a highlight — well structured and supportive, with curated options that made decision-making enjoyable instead of stressful. Even with the natural challenges that come with a long build, their guidance ensured everything stayed cohesive and in line with our vision. > > While construction always has its bumps, S2’s role in guiding us through the process and keeping everything on track was invaluable. Their expertise and oversight gave us confidence throughout the journey. > > Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the design, support, and professionalism S2 brought to our project. We would gladly recommend them to anyone and are happy to serve as a reference. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Hi Najma: > > Thanks so much for the kind review! It was great working with you throughout the process, it was truly a collaborative effort between us and you both. > > I hope you continue enjoying life in your home, working with you was truly a highlight that we will always remember fondly! > > Warmly, > > Your Friends at S-Squared **★★★★★ — Victory Construction, Inc, Aug. 2025** > As a general contractor, I’ve worked with many architectural firms over the years, and S-Squared architectural firm stands out as one of the best. Their plans are consistently clear, detailed, and buildable—which makes our job easier and leads to smoother, more efficient construction timelines. > > What really sets them apart is their willingness to work as true partners throughout the project. They’re responsive to questions, open to input from the field, and always focused on finding practical solutions without compromising design integrity. > > Their team is professional, organized, and great to work with—whether it’s during pre-construction meetings, value engineering discussions, or onsite coordination. If you’re looking for an architectural firm that designs with both beauty and constructability in mind, S-Squared architectural firm is the one to call. > > Looking forward to many more successful builds together. > > Victor Zvarich General Contractor at Victory construction, Inc. **★★★★★ — Arnie, July 2025** > Working with S-Squared on our custom home was an exceptional experience. What truly set them apart was Eugene's personal dedication throughout the entire process. > > Eugene guided us through every step with genuine care and expertise. When we faced city permit hearings, he was right there supporting us and made design adjustments to ensure we met all city requirements while still achieving everything we envisioned for our home. > > The collaborative design process was outstanding. Eugene listened to our needs and translated them into creative solutions that resulted in a home that feels uniquely ours. Communication was excellent—he was always responsive, clear, and professional. > > The final result is a house we absolutely love that matches everything we wanted. We constantly receive compliments from friends and family on the thoughtful design. > > Eugene's personal investment in our project went well beyond typical client service. We couldn't be more grateful and highly recommend S-Squared to anyone looking for a team that truly listens and delivers exceptional results. **★★★★★ — Hummel Custom Construction Inc, July 2025** > We’ve worked with S-Squared for over 20 years, and they remain one of our most trusted architectural partners. Eugene, Jose, and their talented team consistently deliver creative, client-driven designs that are both visually striking and highly practical. Their construction drawings are clear, detailed, and buildable, which helps minimize delays and confusion on-site. Their interior design team brings each home to life in a way that feels unique to the client, with every detail thoughtfully tailored. S-Squared consistently delivers luxury homes that are both elevated and highly personalized. > > One of the things we value most about S-Squared is their collaborative mindset. They treat contractors as true partners, welcome input, and communicate proactively throughout every phase of the project. When challenges arise, they respond quickly with smart, effective solutions, always keeping the client’s best interests in mind. Professional, dependable, and a pleasure to work with - S-Squared is a team we’re always proud to partner with. **★★★★★ — Mario Azevedo, July 2025** > As a general contractor with over 10 years of experience in the construction industry, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide range of architecture firms. Among them, S-Squared stands out as one of the most professional, organized, and collaborative teams I’ve partnered with to date. > From the very beginning, their team brought a high level of clarity, structure, and design intelligence to the table. Their drawings were not only visually compelling but also well-coordinated, precise, and highly buildable—greatly reducing ambiguity and saving our team valuable time during construction. > Communication with S-Squared has been consistently responsive and proactive. They are quick to engage in dialogue, address questions thoughtfully, and prioritize coordination across disciplines. Their collaborative mindset has helped foster a smooth, solution-oriented process that benefits both the construction team and the client. > What truly distinguishes S-Squared is their ability to align design excellence with practical execution. They maintain a strong design vision while staying mindful of schedule, budget constraints, and constructability—making our role more efficient and ultimately delivering a better result for the client. > I look forward to continuing our partnership on future projects and I consider myself and our company fortunate to work the S-Squared team. S-Squared is a valuable asset to any residential build team, and I recommend them without hesitation. > Best Regards, > Mario R. Azevedo > Maverick Building Group Inc. > 785 Cordova Ct., > Morgan Hill, CA 95037 > License \# 1015394 > Main Office Phone: 408-238-1244 > Cell: 408-690-4230 > www.maverickbuildinggroup.com **★★★★★ — HU-349224607, July 2025** > I have had the distinct pleasure of working with S-Squared Architecture on multiple projects, and I can attest to the firm’s exceptional design acumen and unwavering professionalism. > > S-Squared consistently delivers thoughtful, creative solutions that balance striking aesthetics with practical feasibility — an approach that results in designs which are not only visually compelling but also efficient to build. Their construction documents are thorough, clear, and well-coordinated, which has significantly minimized RFIs and on-site confusion, ultimately streamlining the construction process. > > Equally commendable is their collaborative spirit. The S-Squared team communicates proactively, remains receptive to contractor input, and treats all project partners with respect. When unforeseen issues arise, they respond promptly and offer solutions that keep the project on track without compromising quality. > > In every engagement, S-Squared demonstrates an unwavering commitment to advocating for the client’s vision while maintaining realistic timelines and budgets. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and integrity make them a valued partner throughout all phases of a project. > > I recommend S-Squared Architecture without reservation to any client or contractor seeking a design partner who prioritizes quality, buildability, and true collaboration. **★★★★★ — Brian Sa, July 2025** > My wife and I had a vision for a dream house as we were having another kid and were thinking about how to begin the next part of our family journey. We wanted a home that spoke our values, was warm and bright, allowed us to host but didn't compromise everyday living, and was elegant but didn't feel overly grand. As we talked to different architects and looked at their portfolios, we quickly found Eugene and Studio S were a great match. Eugene immediately understood what we wanted and was able to find the right ways to express this as a vision for our home. > The design process was very collaborative and fun. It was amazing to see the possibilities for what our home could look like, and to have Eugene help ground us in the constraints and practicalities that would make the home very livable (and pass review). A couple of Eugene's past projects were sources of inspiration and gave us confidence that they could execute on our vision, and we added our own ideas and direction. > We engaged Eugene's team on the architecture plans, interior design, and furniture selection. Eugene himself led the initial part, then we worked with one of his talented architects (now partner in the firm), Jose, and his design director Sierra for the interior design. They were utmost professionals, were excellent in their craft and extremely easy to communicate with to collaborate. > The project was delayed due to a zoning administrator's ruling on our project, but Eugene's team quickly found a solution and made the process smooth (cost was unchanged). Luckily we weren't under time pressure to complete the project and our main goal was to build a quality home for the long term. Eugene's team delivered extremely detailed plans, got the project completely reviewed, and was an excellent partner to my GC for the interior design as we built the home. Finally the furniture selection was also smooth and we were able to arrive to a beautiful house. > Studio S stood out to us as a perfect match of the values we wanted to portray, their extremely high level of craft, the great value for the quality of design, and how easy it was to work with them. We would highly recommend Studio S to others looking to build their dream home. **★★★★★ — Caesarine Ruiz, June 2025** > As a general contractor with over 30 years in the industry, I’ve worked with many architecture firms—and I can confidently say that working with S-Squared has been one of the most seamless and rewarding experiences to date. > > \*S-Squared’s work is both visually stunning and functionally practical > \*S-Squared’s plans are detailed, clear, and well-documented, reducing confusion and delays on-site > \*Minimal RFIs (Requests for Information) were needed due to the thoroughness of the construction documents > \*The S-Squared team is responsive, professional, and easy to work with > \*The S-Squared team is quick to respond to field issues or unexpected conditions > \*The S-Squared team helps maintain project timelines and budgets without compromising quality > \*The S-Squared team contributes to a smooth and enjoyable experience for all stakeholders > > I look forward to many more projects with S-Squared in the future. They’re a true asset to any residential build team. > > — Art Ruiz > Art Luxury Home Builder Inc. > General Contractor **★★★★★ — Meg Burton, June 2025** > I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Studio S Squared for a project in Willow Glen, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! Their innovative approach to architecture and design truly sets them apart in the Bay Area. From the initial consultation to the completion of the project, the team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and creativity. We worked mostly with Gloria, who was a great listener, and always addressed any questions, concerns, change requests, and also gave great design feedback. Communication with everyone on the team has been generally efficient too, which helped us avoid any major delays waiting for information. > Their ability to blend functionality with aesthetic appeal is remarkable. It's awesome to see spaces come to life that are not only beautiful, but practical too! The final result exceeded our expectations, and we are very happy with the outcome. We absolutely recommend them for your next big build, remodel, or renovation too! **★★★★★ — Manjeera Patnaikuni, June 2024** > I recently had the pleasure of working with Eugene and team to design my new home from scratch, and I am thrilled with the results. The open floor layout seamlessly integrates the great room, living room, and kitchen, creating a cohesive and inviting space perfect for family gatherings and entertaining. > > The innovative doors that close into the walls truly bring the outside in, enhancing the sense of openness and providing stunning views. Additionally, the high ceilings add a sense of spaciousness and elegance, improving air circulation and natural light. > > Studio S Squared's attention to detail and creativity have exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to bring their dream home to life. **★★★★★ — Sam Jones, Oct. 2023** > Great company!! I would highly recommend to anyone who is thinking about working with these guys!! They renovated my kitchen in a timely manner **★★★★★ — Jiang Mingwei, Sept. 2023** > The reason I chose Studio S2 was their process and the detailed plan, which really benefited my house construction. Just to highlight a few things that I think is the most important. 1) The detailed plan helped getting a fair and pretty accurate bid from contractors, my house construction cost was pretty much inline with what's estimated for. 2) The design process was laid out to me upfront, what to expect and there was no surprises, my wife and I enjoyed reviewing and discussing the design from Studio S2, meeting with the team and the revisions were to our satisfaction. 3) Last but not the least, the design is indeed beautiful. "Wow" is the first reaction for our friends and everyone we invited to our house. For us, definitely love it! > > In the future, if there's another opportunity, I will definitely go with Studio S2 again! **★★★★★ — Jayu Mahajan, Sept. 2023** > We hired Eugene and his team to design our house in California while we were still living in Florida. Most of the design work was done over Zoom meetings. The design team at Studio S Squared were able to include all our requirements into a well designed home and with their methodical design process we have a beautiful bungalow home. Since all the process was during the pandemic we truly > valued all the input from the design team. The whole process was enjoyable and I would recommend this group for someone seeking full architectural and design services. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Jayu, we could not have asked for a better cross-country client during a worldwide pandemic than you and Suneel! ;) > > It was a true pleasure collaborating with you both, despite the obstacles of distance and contagion. The house turned out beautifully, and it warmed our hearts to see how your artwork and artifacts have truly personalized the house to your exact style. > > We look forward to the next time we cross paths; until then, take good care and enjoy your new home! > > --Your Friends at Studio S Squared **★★★★ — Tim J, Dec. 2022** > We worked with Eugene, Jose, and the team to architect our 3200 sq. ft. modern dream home in Redwood City. We couldn't be happier with the end results and the contractor they referred to us (Greenberg Construction). The design of the house, permitting process, and transition into construction was seamless. The exterior architecture of the home was absolutely stunning - Jose is a visionary. Although we loved the interior design in SketchUp, many of the elements weren't reflected in the construction documents (sunken living room, recessed blinds) and the finishes came in well over the budget we specified, so we had to redo the interior design during construction. However, with that one caveat, we are very happy with the end result! **★★★★★ — Jo, May 2021** > Eugene at Studio S Squared is knowledgable, down-to-earth, professional, and truly went above and beyond for me. He was just a pleasure to work with and thanks to the great contacts he had, I was able to get complete information on a parcel of land that I'd made an offer on (with a very short contingency period in which to do research). I was struggling to get information about the mitigation requirements, costs, and viability of building on this land, but through Eugene's contacts (and contacts at the equally excellent Romig Engineering), I quickly learned that the parcel of land would not be suitable (information that may not otherwise have been available to me before the contingency period ran out). Basically, Studio S Squared saved me about $200k, and spared me from buying a piece of land that would have been unusable. I'd recommend them \*highly\* to anyone looking to build in the Bay Area and if/when I find a parcel of land, I'll be back and looking forward to working with them again! **★★★★★ — Raymond Babaoghli, May 2021** > In my opinion, Studio S Squared Architecture is one of the best Architecture firms in Bay Area, We have been working with Eugene and his staff for some time and I am pleased to say that they are pleasure to work with. I found them to be extremely professional, goal oriented with great sense of urgency and an outmost attention to details. Utilizing their own design prowess, the design team develops a one of kind and astonishing architectural plan utilizing Client's Initial Ideas and Concepts. They also have an interior design group that works closely with the Architecture team. > I look forward working with Eugene and his team and I highly recommend them to anyone that wants to hire a professional team to design their Dream Home. **★★★★★ — Jonathan Wu, May 2021** > Eugene and team are amazing. I'd focus my feedback on 3 aspects, design, communication, and commitment to excellence. > For design, not only did Eugene's team help us realize our vision, from initial sharing of ideas and our preferences using Houzz, the multiple iterations of refinement, to the final rendering of the design using Sketchup. but also the team did it in the most effective way by keeping the majority of the existing house in tact and allocating budget in a way that maximized the wow factor and met our need of expanding the living space. SSS' portfolio on Houzz speaks for themselves. For my design specifically we just love the clean, modern, and expansive look and the mixed use of different materials makes it stand out from other similar designs. I have countless neighbors and random people that drive by knocking on our doors asking who the architect is. The comment and feedback on the design have been overwhelmingly positive. > For communication, the worst fear when taking on a home remodeling project is lack of clarity and detail, which eventually leads to overrun budget and schedule, and frustration and confusion on all parties. The use of Sketchup tool eliminates most of the ambiguities for all parties and became the means of communication on any changes to SSS and GC. The packet that was used to solicit GC bids and for permit submission is the most comprehensive and clear amongst the samples that I have seen from many architects. Finally throughout the project I was always kept informed of who is working on what and when the due dates are. > Finally for commitment to excellence, Eugene and team hold themselves to a high standard which extends to engineering services firm the he outsourced elements of the projects to, including the GC that Eugene helped me qualified as well as the landscape designer. My feedback to Eugene and team on the design and various design-cost tradeoffs were carefully evaluated and discussed and I feel like I am in complete control in the decision-making process with his thorough analysis. Post completion of the project Eugene continued to seek feedback from his clients and look into areas where he could improve to meet his client's objectives. This effort included use of professional consultants to conduct surveys and sending his people onsite to QC the GC's work and how it's aligned to the design intent. > Overall I'm very pleased with the result of SSS and the extended team and will not hesitate to work with them for my next project. **★★★★★ — DeLeon Realty, July 2020** > Eugene & his team are the absolute best. I feel confident that any client I refer to Studio S Squared Architecture will be in the best hands and ultimately turn their dream home into a reality. Eugene is my top architect of choice. **★★★★★ — Jordan Denio, June 2020** > Studio S Squared create incredible house designs of varying styles, that adapt to client needs and fit the property. We worked with them the structural engineer on numerous projects, and it is a pleasure to work with them, as we work as a team to help their design creations become a reality. **★★★★★ — California Home Builders & Design inc., June 2020** > We are general contractors building custom luxury new homes in the Bay Area and have worked with Studio S Squared for a couple of years now. Currently we are building two new homes designed by Studio S Squared, both of which are over 7,000 square feet with basements. > > All our construction staff enjoys working with this firm and their staff as they are very professional and helpful through every project we work together on. Problem solve during projects is always extremely easy and efficient, and we always receive immediate feedback when reaching out with questions. Their designs are also very accurate and beautifully done which is incredibly important when working with an architectural firm. > > We will continue to partner with Studio S Squared and highly recommend them as your go-to single family home architects. > > Simon Krek > (Sensitive Information Hidden) **★★★★★ — Greenberg Construction, June 2020** > We have worked with Studio S Team over the past 5 years on several successful residential projects. We appreciate there Honesty and enjoying working on there projects as they are all unique and beautiful. > > As a GC we have enjoyed working with a real "Team Player", Talented design team with great communication!. > > They really do make there clients dreams come true. Highly recommended. **★★★★★ — Jeff Aalfs, June 2020** > I have collaborated with Studio S Squared on dozens of projects, and have been impressed by their professionalism and dedication to client service. They work hard to make sure each project is what the client wants and needs, and that their design team partners have what they need to complete their portions of the project. Eugene and his team are talented and a pleasure to work with. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Jeff, the feeling is mutual and well earned after those dozens of > Projects! Thanks for providing such exemplary Green building services to our clients over the years! **★★★★★ — Silicon Valley Builder, June 2020** > We have been working with Studio S Squared Architecture as a general contracting company on 12 projects for more than 5 years. > > Their plans are very thorough with adequate details, which helps the construction moving faster with less room for errors. > > The houses designed by Studio S Squared Architecture always stand out on the entire block. It was such an achievement and rewarding experience to build those beautiful houses. The owners love the exterior bold design. They also find the interior floor plan very functional. > > When I built my own house in Menlo Park, I chose Studio S Squared Architecture as the architecture firm. Their design and services absolutely exceed our expectation. **★★★★★ — Ed Wu, May 2020** > It has been a pleasure working with Studio S Squared over the past 16 years. Under the leadership of Eugene Sakai, the firm provides high quality architectural design services for many high-end residential homes, with a focus on streamlined design process, customer satisfaction and value engineering. We highly recommend Studio S Squared to home owners and we truly believe the dedicated design team will make your dream home come true. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Ed, thanks a lot for the review. After having done 100+ projects together, I think we're only now hitting our stride! Here's to a very bright future together. Thank you for being such a great professional partner over the years! **★★★★★ — Design Focus International, May 2020** > Eugene Sakai and his team do an amazing job from design to execution. They really listen to and coloaborate with their clients and create designs that reflecting the client's wishes and dreams. As a firm they are versitale working on anything from a historic property to contemporary design which I find unique. As a Landscape Architect who works with many different teams I really appreciate the communication they share with the team and how they listen to everyone's input and perspective. They are also organized and able to work effficiently from start to finsh. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Rebecca, many thanks! > > It was great working with you on the Los Gatos project, and the beachfront Santa Cruz home is going to be amazing! Here's to many more projects together in the future. **★★★★★ — Dennis Taniguchi, May 2020** > As a landscape architect I’m almost always part of a larger design and engineering team. With Studios Squared Architects I appreciate the working environment they create. Our meetings and collaborative design efforts are always efficient and productive. The staff are both enthusiastic and pleasant to work with. Important attributes during those times when there are tough design issues to resolve. There is always good communication and Studios Squared is always responsive to consultant needs and questions. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > thanks Dennis, the feeling is mutual! You will undoubtedly continue to be a valuable member of our extended team for many years to come! **★★★★★ — Sean Misskelley, May 2020** > We at Conrado Home Builders have done multiple projects with Eugene and his team at Studio S Squared. > > I can say with great enthusiasm that we really enjoy working with Studio S Squared! They are a very professional, collaborative and responsive team! > > As a builder, we need information and decisions fast. Eugene and his team deliver! > > Having Architecture, planning and interior design under one roof makes our job more efficient and manageable. > > Studio S Squared is a great firm to work with! **★★★★★ — Shannon Lacey, May 2020** > 5-stars for Studio S Squared Architecture! I’ve worked with S2 for over 5 years collaborating on the best material to fit their vision within their clients' budget. Sometimes the best material for a project is not the most expensive one! Eugene and his team are wonderful to work with because of their attention to detail. With their dedicated staff of interior designers, they really help their clients achieve a level of finish where the interior and exterior work together. They even take care to ensure the material is installed properly so their clients achieve the look they want. I’ve witnessed their ability to really listen to their clients wishes and translate that into beautiful projects. S2 is an A-team! **★★★★★ — Lucas Ottoboni, May 2020** > Studio S 2 is an architect we would follow anywhere to work with, because even if the client, constraints, obstacles, distance is different on each job, there is a consistency with the Studio S 2 team that we don't find with others (firms or people). > > We are a sub-consultant (engineer) who has worked on many project teams with Studio S Squared over the course of 7 to 10 years. I feel compelled to write this review based on last year, 2019, which brought us a whole lot of challenging and successful projects. Shelter in place has given me the chance to reflect on this working relationship and I'd like to share a few things from my angle. > > They make their team want to fight the same fight they are fighting - whether that be meeting submittal deadlines, or working through the inevitable unexpected problem or last minute design change. They are tough but fair on us, i.e. they set deadlines that are sometimes tough but while also being extremely communicative, supportive and providing us what we need to help meet those deadlines. In all, their communication, efficiency, and forward-moving/thinking attitude is what I believe makes them a success amidst their always healthy/heavy work load. > > Projects get approvals, problems get resolved, and clients seem to be happy! I can't comment on their design process from a client angle, but that's what all the other reviews are for :) **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Lucas, thank you for taking the time to share your point of view. Our partner firms such as yours (Romig Engineers) are so crucial to our success, and the longer our relationships endure, the more true that becomes! > > Thank you for being such a great resource over the many years of collaboration, and looking forward to continued success together! **★★★★ — krogiani, April 2020** > Am impressed with the breathtaking designs. Fantastic ideas. Great selection of colors and tremendous attitude towards building. Would high recommend **★★★★★ — Venki Seshaadri, Feb. 2020** > We started researching ideas and designs for our traditional home remodel on houzz. My wife and I realized a few must have's - open, airy, light, modern, straight lines.. We found Studio S Squared on Houzz and really liked their designs -also realized they worked on our friends house nearby that we liked as well. We engaged Eugene and Sean for the work, that started with partial remodel and soon became a full house remodel and addition project. They quickly came up architecture concepts to meet our very unique needs and advised on managing to the size and budget expectations. At the end, we went with full redesign of the house that we love. thank you team Studio S Squared! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Venki: > > Thanks a lot for the review! It was a true pleasure working for you, Amritha, and your girls. Hope you enjoy the home for many years to come! > > Eugene **★★★★★ — Chris Prestige Remodeling Inc, Jan. 2020** > It was a real pleasure working again with Eugene and his team. After 40 years of construction, I have learned to appreciate what he has to offer the clients and to the contractors. It makes my job a lot easier and more enjoyable when working with a competent team and the fact this I love his unique style of architecture that showcases our craftsmanship. > His attention to detail, access and availability allowed us to complete our work without delays. That is a big deal for me and we enjoyed that same level of service for all the projects we have worked on together. > All the clients loved him and his team. > Great job Eugene! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Chris: > > I'm very grateful that you took the time to write us a review, we feel the same way about your work and look forward to collaborating together on many more projects in the future! > > Regards, > > Eugene **★★★★★ — Alice Yu, Oct. 2019** > We hired Eugene and his team for our house project in Sunnyvale. We have moved into our new home, and we are so pleased with the result! There are so many wonderful features of the home that Studio S put in the design that we would never have thought of ourselves. Also, it was amazing how quickly the construction work was able to be done. Our contractor often commented how impressed he was by the level of detail in the plans put together by Studio S. Their detailed plans and professionalism enabled the construction work to go relatively smoothly. Eugene's team created a beautiful interior and exterior design for our house. We get many many compliments from neighbors and people walking by. We are so glad that we decided to hire Studio S to design our house! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Alice, so kind of you to write a review. We are glad that we got the chance to work with you. We will always be grateful to you and Harold for being one of the first clients to go with our interior design service. > > It's great that the build went smoothly as well, as you know we are strong believers in detailed plans being the key to a smooth bidding and construction process, and that the extra time spent in creating those plans pays off manifold in time (and stress!) savings during construction! > > We'll hopefully see you again soon! **★★★★★ — C W, April 2019** > Eugene and team are amazing. My wife and I were days always from closing on a expensive parcel of land when we met Eugene. He offered having us talk to his geo service rep who told us how the property was on a high risk geological area. We were able to pull out of the deal and likely saved at best a lot of pain and at worse a lot of money. Eugene offered this support and help at no cost and after only knowing us for 30 mins. Although we didn’t work with him as an architect (yet, still looking), if his work is even just half as good as his service, it’s beyond amazing **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Thanks Chris! > > Sorry it didn't work out on that parcel, but I'm glad we were able to help alert you to the potential challenges you might be facing as an owner there. I do hope we get to work with you in the future, best of luck with the land search and let us know if we can help in any way. > > Warm regards, > > Eugene **★★★★★ — skippy p, Sept. 2018** > We hired Studio S Squared to design a remodel an addition for our old 1950’s ranch style home. Eugene personally came out before we purchased the home to give us an opinion on whether or not a remodel was even feasible/advisable since we wanted a modern open floor plan with high ceilings. From that point on we knew we wanted them to design our project. They are extremely talented and have great aesthetic vision. They are extremely accessible and helpful, with no desire to nickel and dime clients. I’m so glad we decided to work with them and I would use them again in a heart beat (I’ve referred then to several friends already). We are lucky to have worked with Eugene, Jose and Sean and their incredible team on this project. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Supna, thanks so much for tthis thoughtful review! It was truly a pleasure working with you both, and I am so glad you are enjoying your new home! > > Hope to see you soon! **★★★★★ — S Lo, March 2018** > Eugene and his team were fantastic to work with as we went through a whole house renovation. We had a limited footprint as well as square footage - but his plans helped us maximize the space as much as possible! Our original 2br/2ba fixer upper turned into a 4/3.5ba by adding ~500sq ft. > > I have to say, after working with a variety of folks in the home renovation process, Eugene by far had the best communication out of everyone! He clearly walked us through the process, answered questions in a timely way, and proactively brought up things for us to consider. He also made the permitting process and dealing with the city as painless as possible for us as homeowners. > > It was a pleasure working with Eugene and his team and would highly recommend him for future renovation projects. **★★★★★ — kimpan, Feb. 2018** > I contacted Studio S Squared because my husband and I were looking for an architect to help us with our remodel. Eugene responded back immediately. Responsiveness is a quality I look for in a company. This will tell you a lot about someone and their work ethic. In every contact I had with Eugene, he was always very responsive and I really appreciated this. Eugene came out to meet my husband and I to discuss our project. He was very helpful and pleasant to talk with. This review is based solely on our first interactions and not the work itself as we did not get to that point. He was very helpful and provided resources to us even though we had not hired him yet. I can tell he is very committed to his work and has a very strong work ethic. I’m sure you will not be disappointed in hiring Eugene and his company! **★★★★★ — Rob Yau, Feb. 2018** > Eugene and Sean helped us built our beautiful home in Menlo Park. We interviewed about 5 architects but as soon as we met Eugene during the initial interview, we knew he was the one. We immediately felt that he deeply understood our vision for our home. He wasn't trying to impose his vision on us, but rather teased out what is that we wanted. When the design came out, we couldn't be more excited. It was like someone took what we expressed in words and feelings, and made it into architecture form. Eugene and Sean came up with the most beautiful, elegant and functional design we could have imagined. We are literally living in our dreams now **★★★★★ — Rustic Elegance, Oct. 2017** > Being a manufacture in this business requires us to speak to design and construction professionals on a daily basis. Having operated in this space for over twenty years, one will develop an innate ability to deduce how a firm operates. Eugene and his team have, on every occasion, have set themselves away from the rest. They are, unequivocally, one of the best architectural firms we collaborate with. Their vision is always clear, communication is transparent and they are always available to answer questions. In our opinion, Studio S Squared is a true representation of how a professional architectural firm should operate. **★★★★★ — Emily L, July 2017** > We worked with Eugene and the Studio S team for our new home build in Mountain View. We were first-timers to home remodeling and appreciated Eugene's patience and guidance as we explored numerous design options. The Studio S team was both professional and personable and translated our desires into an amazing design. They guided us through permitting and contractor selection, and produced plans that many stated were the most detailed they had ever seen. During construction , Eugene and team provided responsive support and valuable vendor recommendations, leading us to comment regularly that "Eugene has never steered us wrong." > > Choosing to work with Studio S was hands-down the single best decision we made for our project. We'd recommend them to anyone, and look forward to an opportunity to work with them again. **★★★★★ — Karyn Marxmiller, June 2017** > We have lived in our home for 38 years and were considering a major renovation and planning for retirement. After researching multiple options, we decided to retire in place and remodel our existing home. When searching for a local architect with a more contemporary edge, we found Studio S Squared Architecture through the Houzz website. What impressed us about Eugene Sakai and his team was the attitude of transparency. > > Our initial consultation was to determine the scope of the project with consideration for accessibility, functionality, and upgrading. It quickly became apparent, rather than an extensive remodel of most areas, it was more cost effective to take the house down to the foundation, expand and rebuild with new construction. > > Eugene was able to interpret our vision and create a cohesive overall design that is extremely functional, yet beautiful in its simplicity. Throughout the iterative process Eugene and other team members were open, resourceful and respectful. They were responsive to our inquiries and teamed with us to provide workable solutions to challenges. > > The use of 3D modeling was extremely helpful in planning and designing the rooms and floorplan. We thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative process of discovery and design. Eugene fosters a creative office atmosphere which made it a delight to work on our project. They strive for the best design results and customer satisfaction. > > Eugene Sakai and the Studio S Squared team provide full service from initial design concepts to fully completed plans. They assist in navigating the maze of the permit processing and contractor selection. We consider Studio S Squared Architecture to be experienced, highly skilled and professional. > > We are excited to live in our new contemporary space and are pleased with the results. The well defined exterior elevations of our residence establish it as being unique and distinctive. Yet the simplicity of design blends in with the surrounding homes which have a diversity of styles. We count ourselves among the grateful clients who have had the good fortune to work with this talented and innovative team. We highly value the service Studio S Squared Architecture provides and recommend them without reservation to anyone searching for an excellent architectural team. **★★★★★ — Catherine Krawczeski, March 2017** > Eugene and his colleagues designed our complete renovation (San Carlos) which was craftsman style. They were incredible to work with, listening to our desires and modifying the design based on our feedback (although to be honest, we did very little modification, since he captured our wishes spot on!). When we interviewed contractors, every one of them commented on the thoroughness of his work and I have no doubt that his attention to detail helped the process go smoothly. I would highly recommend him. Totally worth the investment! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Catherine: > > Thanks a lot for your glowing review! > > To be honest, you were one of the easiest clients to work with that we have ever had. Not only were you clear in your goals for the project, you were willing to listen to suggestions throughout the process. This not only expedited things, it encouraged us to be more creative for you! > > We are very pleased with your how project turned out, but even more elated that good folks like you and Rick were pleased with the service we provided. We hope you enjoy the house for many years to come! **★★★★★ — JPM Construction, Jan. 2017** > I worked with Studio S Squared architecture on a full-home remodel in the San Carlos hills. Eugene and his team were very easy to work with and the home turned out to be beautiful. I would highly recommend working with Studio S Squared on your home remodel or new home. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Matt, it is very nice of you to take the time to review us. It is very rare that a builder does such a great job on our first project together that we feel compelled to add them to our referral list, but in your case we had no hesitation in so doing. It is great to see that you've landed a few other projects by way of our referral, and I know they'll turn out great in your capable hands! **★★★★★ — Francis Ho, Jan. 2017** > We are general contractors that work mainly in the peninsula and we've built plenty of homes from many different architects. Many of these homes were designed by Studio S Squared. Their plans definitely stand out amongst the rest as they take a very thorough and detailed approach to the design of their projects. Their homes also tend to have its own charm and characteristics that break away from the cookie cutter norm that many architects get too comfortable with. They definitely make our job fun, interesting, and unique. Go with them! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Hello Francis, thanks a lot for taking the time to write a review for us. I'm glad that we reconnected and have had a chance to work on so many recent projects together. Your team is great, and we look forward to collaborating with Atlanta Construction for many years to come! **★★★★★ — Sunil JIVAN, Dec. 2016** > I was amazed by the transformation of the house that was designed by these professionals. They maximized the available usage of the exterior and interior space of the house with exquisite details that complimented the remodel of the project. The drawings were detailed right down to the finish carpentry that hardly needed explanations in creating reality. I have used other architects, but Studio S Squared truly offer a unique talent that needs to be taken advantage of. I have attached a picture of pre-construction of the house and one after the remodel. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Sunil: > > It was truly a pleasure meeting you on Chris and Lisa's project. Your kind words about our design means the world to us, especially since we had never worked together before this! > > I look forward to the prospect of many more projects together in the future. > > Eugene Sakai **★★★★★ — Steve Herbert, Nov. 2016** > As a real estate developer, a great architect is a major part of a successful project and it gives me genuine pleasure in recommending one of the best I have worked with in my 20+ years of development experience. Eugene Sakai and his team at Studio S Squared Architecture have done an incredible job for my partners and I on our last couple of projects (on the Peninsula and in San Francisco) and we are looking forward to working with them once again on a project that will be starting very soon in another San Francisco location. > > Eugene has consistently shown a high degree of professionalism in all aspects of his business, from listening to our needs and requests on a new project, providing advice on the most efficient use of space, providing expertise in local building codes, working closely with various city and county agencies, being open to changes in his plans, being easily accessible via phone and e-mail and in showing a sincere passion in his work. > > It is truly a pleasure to take Eugene’s plans and ideas and turn them into reality. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Steve, thanks so much for your kind words and gracious review! A satisfied repeat client like yourself is our gold standard and we too look forward to helping in your ongoing success in future years! Thanks for allowing us the privilege of being part of your amazing team.... **★★★★★ — Candy Sohn, Nov. 2016** > We had a great experience working with Eugene and his team at Studio S Squared and can't imagine undertaking a whole house remodel without their expertise. > > From our first meeting, we felt completely at ease with Eugene. He's extremely knowledgeable while being endlessly patient and responsive with all of our questions. During the design process, his team took our wish list and created a home that was far beyond our expectations. They struck the perfect balance of listening to our requests while making suggestions that would enhance the beauty and balance of our dream home. Upon receiving our building plans, contractors often commented at the level of detail that went into these plans. This speaks volumes to how much pride and care they take in their work. In addition to the planning and designing, Eugene and his team were extremely helpful in helping us navigate city guidelines and also gave great recommendations in regards to contractors and vendors. > > We have come to appreciate both the art and craft of designing a home and were so grateful to have Studio S Squared navigate us through this endeavor. We are breaking ground in a week and are excited for what our home will be! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Hi Candy: > > Thanks so much for your review! It certainly has been a long lead up to construction so far, but I am finally glad it is here! Working with you and Tim was great as well and we in the office were all very motivated to do a great job for you. > > Your house is going to be amazing, especially since you selected such a trustworthy and talented builder. Looking forward to seeing you on the jobsite as the house takes shape! > > --Eugene **★★★★★ — Peter Tran, Aug. 2016** > My wife and I worked with Eugene and his fantastic team for several months to design our beautiful home. It's labeled 'Los Altos Modern Prairie II' on his project list. It's hard for us to imagine a more perfect design and floor plan for our family. The team worked very hard to accommodate our wishes while complying with strict city design and code requirements. Studio S Squared was very knowledgeable and helped us navigate countless number of details. The final design of the house is as pictured below. We broke ground on construction a little over a month ago and things are progressing smoothly (knock on wood). I hope to share final results in a few months. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Pete: > > Thanks a lot for taking the time to post a review. It was an enjoyable process working with you and Celia for us as well...we all enjoyed our interactions with you two, and can't wait to see your beautiful house take shape over these next few months! > > Eugene **★★★★★ — HU-845212, July 2016** > Eugene worked with my wife and I to do a remodel in Willow Glen, I can't say enough about the positive experience that I had with Eugene and his team. He engaged in the vision of our "home" and truly brought it to the next level. He showed creativity, integrity, and passion for his work and we truly enjoyed the experience of working with him. This is often hard to say when you go through a remodel! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Fred: > > I still feel very blessed that we crossed paths back in 2008 and you gave us the opportunity to work with you on your lovely home. You and Lori will always be one of the transformative clients for our firm. Thank you so much for being such a great advocate for us over the years! > > --Eugene **★★★★★ — Ravi Handyal, July 2016** > Working with Eugene and his entire team at Studio S Squared on our new construction in Willow Glen was an absolute pleasure. This was our first time undertaking a project of this magnitude and Eugene and his team were very understanding and helped guide us through every design phase of the project. > > From the very beginning Eugene and everyone at Studio S Squared made us an integral part of the team. They took the time to understand our vision for the project and we worked collaboratively to make that vision a reality. We iterated over the floor plans and the interior and exterior models until we landed on a design that we all absolutely loved. The entire team's attention to detail and the quality of design is impeccable. In addition, through the entire process the team was easy to communicate with, patient, and very approachable. > > After the design phase, Eugene and his team went above and beyond in guiding us through city permitting, picking a contractor, and all the other nuances of preparing to build a new house. They sought input from general contractors along the way to help us with budget, they co-ordinated all interactions with other vendors and city planners in obtaining building permits, and overall made things as smooth as possible for us. > > This project has been an incredible adventure, and thank you Eugene, Sean, Jose, Diana, Hari, and everyone at Studio S Squared for being a part of it and making it that much easier and enjoyable for us. You guys are a talented and professional group. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Ravi: > > Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to post a review. It was awesome working with you and your family; we all looked forward to showing you new stuff as your positive feedback and reactions always made our day! > > The project had its permitting challenges to be sure....but now that you are all approved I hope construction goes super smoothly! You did well in your builder selection so that should be fine. Looking forward to seeing you at the job site! > > --Eugene **★★★★★ — ivyknot, April 2016** > My husband and I had the good fortune to meet Eugene Sakai at Studio S Squared in 2009. Eugene and his talented staff designed our new home and we are so happy with the results. Eugene possessed the kind of flair for contemporary architecture that we were looking for; clean lines that blended aesthetics with functionality. We were impressed by how familiar he was with cutting edge design, modern techniques and green technology. > His methodical approach and artistic sensibilities resonated with us and his affable personality made it very easy to work with him. He was sensitive to our particular lifestyle and the details we desired but also helped us set realistic expectations. The attention to detail on the house really reflects how much he listened to our feedback, incorporated it into the design and even made suggestions to improve it further. > The team at Studio S Squared took into account many aspects which were so important to us such as daylight angles, neighborhood sight-lines, seasonal changes and the natural surroundings. Our property was quite challenging to work with but Eugene handled each would-be problem with creativity, innovation and aplomb. His pride in his work is evident and we greatly appreciated his patience, perseverance and flexibility. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Laini, thank you so much for the detailed review! Your project certainly presented many interesting challenges along the way, from permitting through construction, but I hope you and Rob are happy with the outcome. Can't wait for the first party at the new house! **★★★★★ — roadrunnerrita, March 2016** > Working with Eugene was great. He helped us put together complete plans for our home remodel and pick a general contractor (whom we also really liked). On top of that he was reasonably priced. > He is great with communication, especially over email, even after our project was pretty much completed. He also sent a professional photographer to take pictures at the end and shared those with us -- great perk. I would definitely hire Eugene again if we ever undertake another remodel or new build in the bay area. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Hi Michelle: > > Thanks so much for taking the time to write a review! Working with you and Justin was great, from end to end. > > I am glad that we were able to be involved from the purchase of your home all the way through completion of construction. Thank you for entrusting us and for being such dream clients. I do hope we get to work with you in some capacity in the future...but please enjoy your new home for a while first! :) **★★★★★ — Justin Wilson, Jan. 2016** > We worked with Studio S Squared for our whole house remodel in Mountain View. We originally learned of Studio S Squared because we toured a completely remodeled home of theirs before we bought our present home. We were such fans of the ways it looked that we research the architect and found Eugene. > > We worked with Eugene from the start of the project and he was even great enough to come out when we were buying our fixer-upper home to discuss some design elements and give us a preliminary high level budget. > > As we kicked things off Eugene, Sean and the rest of his team were a real pleasure to work with from the start. They were responsive throughout and came up with several smart floor plans and once we selected one, they nailed the design, working with us on several iterations to get it exactly perfect. The end product is absolutely beautiful, has some amazing spaces and features, and is functional for our growing family. > > They were real partners throughout and helped to make the process manageable and a absolutely positive experience. Eugene also worked with us to identify and select a contractor that ended up being an exceptional part of the team as well. > > Overall we could not be more happy with the outcome and overall experience! Would recommend Studio S Squared to anyone without reservation. We are absolutely in love with our remodeled home! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Justin, you are too kind! If there was a way to award a client a 5-star review, we would certainly reciprocate. > > Working with you and Michelle was extremely enjoyable for our team. You were receptive to our ideas, while continually challenging us to come up with something better and more creative, which we always welcome. Your organization skills were amazing as well. > > We also grew to appreciate your attention to detail. This particularly shows in your interior finishes selections, which are as well-chosen and refined as any professional could have done. > > Our only regret is that we don't have another project with you on the immediate horizon! > > Thanks again for everything, and for allowing to be of service to you and Michelle. > > Eugene Sakai > Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc. **★★★★★ — Hallmark Window and Door, Nov. 2015** > Studio S Squared Architecture is in my opinion the best choice for anyone who plans to build a new home or remodel an existing home in the greater bay area. > Over the past 20 years, we have supplied custom ordered window and door packages for many homes designed by Studio S Squared. They have vast design knowledge from old traditional designs to new contemporary. > As a material supplier I am always happy to see when a client has a set of plans from Studio S Squared, they always have a comprehensive window and door schedule that directly correlates to the floor plan and elevations with great detail. > Whenever we call with questions, we are greeted with professional enthusiasm and always get responses in a timely manner. > Every time I have mentioned the name Eugene Sakai or the name of any of his employees, when working with a Studio Squared client, I get a big smile ! > That is the best testament to to the relationships that they build and how hard they work to make the process a great experience ! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Steve, I feel the same way about you when it comes to the crucial task of supplying windows and doors. This is an area that has the potential for costly errors in both size and type, and I never feel as comfortable with a window order as when you have put one together for our clients. > > Salespeople, vendors, and even manufacturers come and go, but it has been great that our careers have paralleled each other since I first ordered windows from you for my first fixer upper in San Jose. Please don't retire before I do, as my firm and our clients need you! :o) **★★★★★ — User, Nov. 2015** > Eugene is a creative, organized, energetic, and focused individual who demands much of himself and works hard to get the most out of a project. His attention to details both large and small are what make him such a wonderful Architect and team leader. He takes the time to answer questions and problem solve and these qualities make the construction process workable for the builder and ultimately satisfying for the client. He has a keen sense of design and a commitment to finding solutions that are environmentally sound and technology up to date. I would highly recommend Eugene for any project. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Mark: > > Thanks for the review! > > I am very glad that you hung in there so long after being runner up in bidding on so many projects of ours over the last couple of years. The San Carlos project for Kate and Jeremy is going great, and I can't wait to see what you do with our "Japanese Ranch" in Saratoga for Bruce! > > Here's to many more projects together! **★★★★★ — Victor Zvarich, Oct. 2015** > I'm working with Eugene for over one year now. He is one of the best architect I worked with. His plans is very detailed and very easy to understand. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Victor--thanks! > > Of the three completed projects we have done together, you really made your mark with the Wilson Residence in Mountain View. It was great to see you take on the challenge of a demanding design and exacting client, and pass with flying colors. Seeing you step up like that has really given me confidence in your ability to handle our most complex projects. > > I can't wait to see how the San Mateo and Mountain View projects you are now working on turn out! **★★★★★ — juliedreid, Oct. 2015** > We couldn't have been more happy with Eugene and his colleagues. From the very beginning we were extremely impressed by his professionalism, the ease of communication, and his beautiful creative designs. Eugene was also very experienced with dealing with the city, and when an issue arose with the city during construction, he addressed it promptly and did everything he could to help us move things along. The design process was extremely collaborative, and we worked together closely to make our home exactly what we wanted. My husband loved that he could even get his hands on the CAD software that they use and make his own modifications as part of the collaborative process. Eugene helped transform our tiny, boring 1200 ft.² Silicon Valley ranch home into a stunning, spacious dream home. We get compliments on our home daily basis, from friends, family, and even perfect strangers passing by. We are so happy with the results, and highly recommend Studio S Squared!! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Julie, thanks so much for this kind and gracious review! > > Our entire staff had such a great time working with you and Gavin, and we also deeply appreciate the referrals you have sent our way. Looking forward to getting your house photographed! **★★★★ — Kiran Prasad, Sept. 2015** > We did a complete remodel and extension of our home in Saratoga, Ca. We were very pleased with the end result. Eugene, Sean and team are highly knowledgeable about architectural details, specifications and codes in our area. They are very professional. They took extreme care in every decision and made sure we got exactly what we wanted. > > Eugene and Sean designed a beautiful 4200+ sq foot home for us filled with 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, an office, 13' high coffered ceilings, 7 skylights, huge casement and fixed windows and lots of other amenities. We have everything we could ever want and more because of Studio S Squared's capable and reliable hands. Thank you! **★★★★★ — japaek, Sept. 2015** > We loved working with Eugene and his team to finish our whole house project. In the overwhelming world of home construction, Eugene brought a refreshing sense of order, process and comfort. And beyond his process and business acumen, he has wonderful sense of aesthetics and design. We are thrilled with our new house. > > Here are the areas where Eugene really stood out from his peers. > > 1\. Efficiency of communication - always available, via email, phone, online video conferencing or onsite. > > 2\. Timely and responsive - delivered what he committed to when he said he would. He consistently met promised timelines. > > 3\. 3D models via SketchUp to help visualize the home from the inside and out. > > 4\. Provided complete finish specification template to outline every detail of home finishes; so critical to everyone's construction yet few architects provide. > > 5\. Management of the bid process to help us select the contractor and move the project onto the next phase. > > Thank you Eugene for providing us with a beautiful house. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Jane--thanks so much for taking the time to write a review for us. > > I am glad that you appreciated our process and were able to point out a few things that makes us unique amongst our peers. > > You too were unique amongst our clients, with your stunningly quick mastery of Sketchup. We always tout how Sketchup has become a great tool for collaborating with our clients, but you really took it to another level with your modeling of interior design ideas! When we speak of how we embrace a client-oriented approach to design, it is you and Stergios that established the benchmark. > > Your Prairie style house was incredibly rewarding to design, and it was even more exciting to see the house take shape throughout 2015. Looking forward to getting the house photographed for the world to see later in 2016! > > Thanks again Jane! **★★★★★ — especialk, Aug. 2015** > As you can see from the pictures (Monte Sereno remodel), Eugene and Sean at Studio S Squared did a phenomenal job designing our house. What you can’t tell from the pictures, is how functional and comfortable the house is to live in. The flow of the rooms makes it easy to sensible to entertain and carry out daily tasks. Even though I initially thought this house was too big for our family, we truly use each and every room. There is no wasted space and it still feels inviting and comfortable despite its large dimensions. > My husband and I had a lot of fun dreaming up our dreamhouse with Eugene and Sean making it a reality. They were enthusiastic about implementing green design and we learned a lot from our meetings. They really listened and applied what they heard to address our needs and desires. They worked with our contractor, Garth Nystrom, to deliver a top notch product. I know there are a lot of talented and passionate architects out there, but I cannot imagine our house coming out the way it did with any other firm. Thank you Studio S Squared! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Our firm was truly blessed to have the chance to work with Karen and Louis on their new home in Monte Sereno. Not only were their unwavering in their embrace of sustainable and contemporary design, they chose what was the boldest exterior design over several other less daring options we presented to them. Karen and Louis were always receptive to suggestions, and yet had clear and firm opinions on everything. > > Karen and Louis then selected a terrific builder, Garth Nystrom, who was not the least expensive of several contenders. During construction, Garth and the owners were completely committed to seeing the design through as envisioned on paper and in 3d, and the result is a true testimony to the value of collaboration and what can be accomplished when Owner, Architect, and Builder are all on the same page. > > I wish we had a chance to do other projects for Karen and Louis...alas the downside of designing a family dream home is that it is typically a one-shot deal! :o) **★★★★★ — Naya Chatterjee-Marathe, Aug. 2015** > It was a pleasure working with Eugene on our family home. He embraced my vision for the house and took great care to incorporate the classical features of symmetry, volume, and light and did so in a thoroughly modern way. Not only let me be a hands on participant, he listened and worked with me on every detail fine tuning my taste and style. When unforeseen circumstances prevented us from keeping the existing fireplace, Eugene and his team worked seamlessly and quickly with my contractor to redesign the building plans to make accommodations, which ultimately enabled our project to be completed on time and on budget. We are thrilled with the results. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Naya, thanks a lot! > > It means so much to us that you hired us not only for your project, but then came back to us later for your Mom's project as well. A referral to a friend or loved one is the sincerest form of flattery, and we are grateful to have earned your trust. > > You two ladies have been so fun to work with and your taste in design is impeccable. The apple never falls far from the tree! **★★★★★ — amyhsiao, Aug. 2015** > Throughout the long and trying process of a major remodel (second floor addition), Eugene and his team were the one reliable constant in the project. Currently we are half way through the building process. In the design phase, Eugene was attentive to our requests, understood our vision and respectful of our budget. We went back and forth many, many times over a year and never once did he make me feel that we were wasting his time. The end design was beautiful and included thoughtful transitions to the existing parts of the house. > > As I soon found out during the building phase, many things can go wrong. Eugene continued to respond very quickly by email and is usually the first to offer a solution or opinion. While some of the subcontractors be recommended left a bit to be desired, his own firm has always been excellent. Add to this, I found that the fees he charged were very fair and he did not bill us for extra time spent on certain things. Eugene has an excellent eye for design, is personally very agreeable and honest, and really knows his stuff. If he has the bandwidth to take on your project, you can't go wrong. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Amy, your kind words make me blush. :) > > You are right to point out that any construction project, large or small, is "long and trying." Having lived through many projects on personal houses of my own design, I have a great deal of empathy for what our courageous clients endure, most of whom have never undertaken such a project before. > > You certainly fall into the category of "courageous". Not only did you eagerly jump into what was probably the largest remodel+2nd story addition our firm has done, but your hands-on approach to the construction process set a new bar for future clients of ours. I especially loved your kitchen drawings, and the fact that you blithely took those plans into the City Building Department mid-construction to add that important piece to the scope! > > Amy, your charms and talents are many and myriad, and we were blessed to have you and Albert as clients of our firm. Thanks again for the opportunity! **★★★★★ — lmcmurtry, June 2015** > From our first meeting through the entire architectural design process, Eugene Sakai and the Studio S Squared team made us feel heard and part of a team that was collaborating to make our ‘dream home’ vision into a reality. Elements which proved invaluable were the excellent communication style, the ability to view a 3D model on our computer, the ability to see how sun patterns would impact the interior light, and the attention to detail Eugene’s team paid to our multiple emails. > > Visitors comment how integrated our remodel is in our 1930s neighborhood and how deceivingly spacious the interior space is in relation to the exterior footprint. Eugene's team mastered our desire to have our 2k+ square feet home feel like a 4k square foot home. The entire house has exceeded our expectations. We love the look and function of our home and are still amazed at how the vision turned into our reality that we hope to enjoy for decades. We couldn't be happier with every aspect; thank you. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Leah--we couldn't ask for better clients than you and Tom. The creative process was so much fun, owing to your vision, organization, and openness to different ideas. Your home is a perfect exemplar of how a great client-architect relationship can help create a design that exceeds what either party could have achieved without the other! > > Thanks so much for allowing us to be part of your project, and for the many kindnesses you have extended to our firm since we completed our services! **★★★★★ — Nash Design Group, April 2015** > I have really enjoyed working with Eugene and his knowledgeable staff. Their design concepts make it very easy for the client establish the scope of their project and therefore get quotes from builders and designers. As a designer, it is a pleasure to work with such an innovative and creative staff and see the architects vision through from start to finish. Whether it is a modern remodel or a traditional craftsman project, I would recommend Studio S Squared to produce fresh and original designs. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Thanks a lot Kendra. It has been great to work with you and your firm on the Menlo Park and San Carlos jobs as well. Looking forward many more projects together in the future! **★★★★★ — Michelle Peterson, April 2015** > We hired Studio S Squared to design a kitchen and bath remodel. We liked their ideas so much that we ended up doing a complete house remodel. Eugene and his team were wonderful to work with, they were professional, had great ideas and suggestions, truly listened to our requirements an ultimately helped us build the house of our dreams. In addition Eugene and his team helped walk us through the entire process, determining what we could do from the city perspective, completing the permit process (which had no revisions - truly remarkable), and ultimately helping us find our builder. The plans and information that the team provided were very detailed making it easier for both us and the builders to understand what was being built and how. As an owner builder, we couldn't not have done the project without the support and information that Studio S Squared provided. We are extremely happy with the services Studio S Squared provided and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an architect. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Michelle is not telling the whole story. She and her husband Scott not only were a joy to work with during design but also did nearly all of their own finish work! It was amazing to see pictures of these working parents up on ladders and scaffolding doing the painting and finishes of their entire house. > > Thanks a lot Michelle, it is clients like you and Scott that make it so much fun for us to work on residential projects! **★★★★★ — Chris Fenton, March 2015** > Did a wonderful job on our commercial buildout in Downtown San Jose. Eugene was very easy to work with, and extremely knowledgable. Very happy client. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Thanks for the kind words, Chris. In an era where restaurants come and go sometimes overnight, it is so great to see your business thriving in its original location! **★★★★★ — Param Jhatakia, March 2015** > Excellent service! Highest recommendation. We did not get a chance to hire them for our project this year, but will defiantly consider them next year. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Param: > > Thank you for taking the time to post this review. I do hope that we get the opportunity to work with you in the near future! > > Eugene **★★★★★ — Silicon Valley Builder, Dec. 2014** > We are a general contractor company, building high-quality residential houses in the bay area. We have been working on a few projects with Studio S Squared Architecture. > > Their plans are well designed with complete architectural and interior details, which shows the architects' talents, experience and thoroughness. Building houses designed by Studio S Squared Architecture is really a joyful experience with a great sense of achievement. > > The architects from Studio S Squared Architecture have a good understanding in the planning and building codes of the cities like Palo Alto, Atherton, Los Altos, Mountain View, Saratoga, etc. This really helps to reduce the permit approval time with fewer revision iterations. > > They are also very responsive and accessible to the customers' inquiries. They go the extra mile to ensure the best design results and 100 percent customer satisfaction. As far as we see, their customers are very happy with the designs and services delivered by Studio S Squared Architecture. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Qiming--really appreciate you taking the time to write a few words about our firm, I know how incredibly busy you are! > > So glad that you have been able to land a few projects of our design, it is very reassuring to us to have a builder team of your quality working with our clients. Looking forward to building our relationship as time goes by. :o) **★★★★★ — sunzeri Construction, Dec. 2014** > We build custom homes throughout the greater bay area and have had the privilege to work with Studio S Squared, specifically Eugene and Sean, on a number of projects to date. We work closely with our project owners and hear nothing but excellent feedback about the service provided by S Squared. Furthermore, our experience has been that the attention to detail Eugene and Sean put into the plans greatly limits confusion, and change orders, that occur due to incompletion, or inconsistencies in the final plan. I cannot emphasize enough how much hiring an architect like Studio S Squared helps not only the overall look of the finished product, but the progression as well, and is truly beneficial to the builder, owner, and all parties involved. > > \- Sunzeri Construction Inc. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Sam--thanks very much for the kind words! It has been great having you work on our designs, your team brings a ton of value to our clients and we hope to keep collaborating with you for many years to come! **★★★★★ — soonheebuchholz, Dec. 2014** > I found Eugene through Houzz. I worked very closely with he and Sean on every detail of our architectural plans. They were extremely creative, helpful, and good to work with. Best of all, I love my new home and never imagined that it would turn out so beautiful! **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Thanks so much Catherine. You were AWESOME to work with as well and we are very happy with how your design turned out as well. The real credit goes to you and the rest of your stellar team in how beautifully it all came together! **★★★★★ — jschibler, Oct. 2014** > Studio S Squared designed a major remodel for our house that doubled its size, added a second story, and completely renovated the living spaces. We chose Eugene because of his LEED certification and his efforts to understand our needs and priorities. As we worked through concepts (settling on \#7), Eugene continued to prove that he truly understood our functional needs, and knew how to meet those in an aesthetically pleasing design that would also meet building code and city requirements. He even invited us to visit his home so that we could experience the radiant heating and see some of his design work. His service was prompt, courteous, professional, accommodating, and reasonably priced -- I can't think of any way he could have improved it. We now enjoy a beautiful, open, naturally lit, energy-efficient house that fits our lifestyle perfectly and is a continuous source of pride and pleasure. Five stars. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Jim, I am so thrilled that we were able to meet your and Laura's expectations! I knew when we signed on with you that you were going to test our abilities and challenge our skills. To this day, we use your design process as an examplar for prospective clients to see how we take inspiration from our clients and strive for a truly "custom" design with each of our homes. The design we developed with you is uniquely yours, while still having broad appeal and resale value. You and Laura were 'five star' clients! **★★★★★ — jendevins, Sept. 2014** > I highly recommend Studio S Squared. We used them for our home remodel during which we were faced with many challenges due to our small lot size, strange positioning of the house, and city restrictions. Eugene and his team were extremely flexible and innovative on how to navigate these obstacles and still come up with a very elegant and efficient design. Not only did they provide superior architectural designs, they also provided detailed interior design recommendations and helped us really visualize the end result. Their level of detail is superb and our contractor even commented on how amazed he was at the amount of care and time that went into the plans and bid package. In addition, they were a friendly team that was very patient with us while we had to shift our agenda based on city restrictions and they helped us understand the ins and outs of the remodeling process which can be very overwhelming. **Comment from S-Squared // Architecture + Interiors + Landscape:** > Jen: > > I am very grateful for your kind review. > > You and Sam showed the patience of saints, especially when it came to the initial challenges posed by the misinformation we received from the city about where your garage could be located. It is remarkable to me that a house that we designed and permitted through all proper channels a couple of years earlier be deemed as "invalid precedent" when it came to your nearly identical situation. > > Even more remarkable to me is how you both coped with that initial frustration and disappointment, and came back to us a few months later willing to give the project another shot. > > I am glad that despite the (unfair) restrictions imposed on your lot simply because your project came later rather than sooner, we were able to craft a design that works for you and your lovely family. > > I like to remind myself and my staff that there is something to be learned from every project and every client; in your case, we learned how pleasant persistence and a can-do attitude can overcome even the most dispiriting of bureaucratic setbacks. :o) > > Thanks again for being such wonderful clients! > > --Eugene **★★★★★ — Michael Paige, Aug. 2014** > Working with Studio S2 and Eugene Sakai for our residential rebuild has been a wonderful experience. Their iterative design process allowed us to fully explore our ideas/needs to come up with a perfect scheme. Their communication/listening skills are exemplary, and their work product is innovative and exciting. We found the value unmatched. It is a true joy to work with this team. **★★★★★ — Brian Roberts, June 2014** > My wife and I could not be more thrilled with the work that Studio S Squared performed. Eugene and Sean at Studio S Squared were diligent and thoughtful with the design of our family home and we are now enjoying the beauty and functionality of that effort. > > This was the first time we have gone through a significant home renovation and we feel lucky to have found Studio S Squared. They are not only extremely talented, but have embraced design technology to help illustrate and communicate our shared vision throughout the process. > > The 'oohs' and 'aahs' when people walk into our main room are very satisfying knowing the work that went into its design. The kids and I have (quite literally) been skipping through the house. **★★★★★ — Chapman Construction, June 2014** > I am a general contractor who has worked on many of Eugene's projects. The projects are beautifully designed and very impressive. Each design has had great thought put into the construction of the build, which leads to projects that are completed quickly, on time and on budget. I highly recommend Studios S Squared Architecture. Eugene is talented, professional and easy to work with. **★★★★★ — glendagarcia, May 2014** > We have worked with Studio s Squared for over five years and recommend them highly. We return with new projects because: > Professional Team > Listen's to the client > Leads client in the right direction > Works with the client's budget > > that to me describes a great Architect. **★★★★★ — Doug Traina, May 2014** > After interviewing other architects, and also based on a referral from an acquaintance of ours, we contracted Studio S Squared Architecture for our major remodel project. Eugene and his team listened very carefully to our goals for the remodel, and provided us with multiple design options that nicely met our requirements. The initial designs met our objectives so well that few subsequent modifications were required, and Studio S Squared was always very responsive to any requests and/or inquiries. They also recommended several general contractors that they felt would be best suited to both the project and to ourselves. We selected one of these, and have been very pleased with that recommendation, as well. Although we had various occasions to "second guess" our plans over the course of the project, every time we looked carefully at such issues, we concluded that Studio S Squared's design was the optimum solution. We have been extremely pleased with Studio S Squared's support of our entire project, and recommend them without hesitation for any architectural needs. **★★★★★ — tammyq, March 2014** > Eugene and the Studio S Squared team did an amazing design for our house addition. Eugene designed a beautiful new master bedroom, study, bathroom and walk in closet for us, which took our small track home in Sunnyvale and turned it into a perfect home for our growing family. It is the small details that Eugene thought of that really made the difference--the raised tray ceiling in the master, the awesome layout of our giant bathroom (which is like a spa retreat), the skylights that bring in light in just the right places. Eugene was really great to work with and really listened to what we wanted. I would definitely work with him again! **★★★★★ — Element Structural Engineers, Inc., Jan. 2014** > We have had the pleasure of working with the team at Studio S Squared since 2012. They are a great team to work with. As structural engineers, it has always been our goal to engineer the architect’s intent. But as with any project, there is discordance between budget and dreams. Studio S Squared has been able to accommodate the structural need without compromising their original intent. When an architect can be flexible with their design intent instead of having an “It’s my way or the highway” attitude, they help streamline the engineering process. They pay great attention to detail and provide good insight of structural knowledge that helps the collaborative effort run smoothly. They listen to ideas, and most of all, put their clients’ need first. I see great effort in their work to involve and listen to the needs of their clients from inception to culmination of the project. **★★★★★ — Sullivan Design Studio, Jan. 2014** > We have collaborated with Eugene Sakai of Studio S Squared on several projects. Eugene and his staff are extremely nice and easy to work with! They always are open to collaborative ideas, and always have the client's best interest in mind. Eugene and his staff are creative, calm, organized, and friendly. They make the stressful process of building a new home a very smooth one. We highly recommend Eugene and his staff. **★★★★★ — bchiocchi, Oct. 2013** > Worked with Eugene and his company with clients on multiple custom homes. The team was creative, flexible, responsive and listened to the owners. Construction costs for both projects were $3.0 million and $2.0 million respectively. **★★★★★ — West Coast Building & Development, Oct. 2013** > Studio S Squared has to be one of the most professional Architecture Firms my Company has worked for. I personally have worked with Mr. Eugene Sakai on several projects. The attention to detail is impeccable and his design speaks for itself. > > I highly recommend Mr. Sakai and his team and look forward to continuing our working relationship. **★★★★★ — Cameron Ring, Oct. 2013** > We bought a 1950s ranch house and needed an architect to help us design a full remodel. We found Studio S Squared on Houzz and, after conducting numerous interviews with architects, we were impressed with their designs and great communication style. Their rating on Houzz is well deserved! Now that our project is getting close to the start of construction, we are so happy that we worked with them. > > Eugene and Sean are amazing to work with. They have a strong sense of design but were also very responsive to our ideas and questions. Eugene gave us a few options for initial design concepts that helped us shape how and where we wanted to go with the remodel. From there, we worked closely together to shape the design to be exactly what we had hoped the house could be. They were extremely patient with our many many questions/ideas, and the iterative process with them was actually smooth and fun. > > We were able to do much of the coordination over email and they were fast and clear with their responses. They shared all of their design files with us, which was great. We were able to learn and dabble with the design software ourselves (SketchUp), which allowed us to play with concepts at home. They were always transparent and upfront with time/cost expectations. > > We are just about to submit for permits and we can't imagine having gone through the challenging remodel process with anyone else. They are awesome to work with and we couldn't recommend them more highly! **★★★★★ — greggwhited, Sept. 2013** > Overall great experience that will be with us for a long time. We wanted to remodel a non-descript ranch house built in the mid ‘50s that we had lived in for 20yrs. We have always liked Arts and Crafts and wanted to remodel to that style. When we first started talking to Eugene (and his colleague, Sean Rinde) we showed him some pictures of what we wanted and discussed a lot about what we found wrong with the existing house. In the mix of the pictures we showed him was a couple of contemporary/modern houses. Eugene brought back some Arts and Crafts sketches but also some wild, but cool, modern designs that we were not comfortable with for the neighborhood. We warmed up pretty quickly to the contemporary designs and in the end ended up with a cross of a modern style crossed with a FLW Prairie House on the outside. This came via a lot of debate and redrawing sketches. Some pain on both sides, but it went really well in the end. > On the inside of the house Eugene incorporated most all of our wishes; open format, lots of windows, kitchen as the gathering place, several balconies, and used the existing house footprint to conform to a “California remodel”. He figured a design that allowed us to use the exiting split level (the house is on a grade) and efficiently connect swhat amounts to 4 levels smoothly and stylishly. The multilevel allows the incorporation of a number of different roof lines to complement the Prairie House style. The construction is now finished, we are back in the house, and love living there. It’s just a great design. > Eugene worked with us in accordance to his advertised procedure. He has materials that spell out what will happen and what it will cost. When we would have complex questions, he didn’t always get back to us the next day (my expectation) but when he did, it was a complete answer with information from the city, the costs, and the time involved. Overall, this was efficient and useful. He went with us to the planning review and to the city for (and with) us several times. His estimates of how much different permits and trades would be were also pretty close to the end amount. He worked with us on getting contractor bids and working through the selection process. When he needed to make things happen fast, he did. > The house plans were extremely detailed and more than one of the bidders on the house commented that “these are the most complete plans I’ve ever seen. I wish they all looked like this”. > So a high recommendation from us for Studio S Squared. **★★★★★ — vgeorgieva, June 2013** > We didn't know Eugene when we hired him to draw the plans for our additional room to the house. We were pleasant surprised of his correctness and punctuality in our initial conversations. For us this was a big project- 320 sqf. He considered this a small project, but he did a very professional work no matter how big was the project. He did it with full respect and understanding of our needs as clients. He offered us a very interesting decision about making the ceiling a little higher by using trusses. We really loved it. He also helped us in the process of picking up the contractor. Now we are at the end of our project. The new leaving room with big windows facing the garden looks very bright and vast. It was worth it to do it and thank you for the support that we received from our architect Eugene and the contractor Joseph Rocha during these few months. I will recommend them to all my friends that need such kind of work. They are professionals and very reliable people and did excellent job turning our dream for having a cozy family room into reality. **★★★★★ — veenasj, June 2013** > Eugene has done a tremendous job for us. Both Eugene and Sean were great to work with, on time and did an amazing job for us. I got more than I dreamed of. Eugene was patient, kind, and understanding. He gave life to our dream house. I absolutely recommend him. (Besides he was the most reasonable about the cost structure and payments!) **★★★★★ — Harmoni Designs + Build, June 2013** > I had the pleasure of working with Studio S Squared on their Fairgrounds Senior Apartments project a few years back. I was very impressed with Eugene's design, planning, and interpersonal skills. I have enjoyed following his well designed projects from afar since and hope to be able to collaborate with him and his team again in the future. **★★★★★ — Luciano Ercolini, June 2013** > I had the pleasure of listing an exquisite home in Los Altos designed by Eugene Sakai. It featured an open floor plan suitable for any occasion...formal events, casual family gatherings, indoor/outdoor parties, and all requirements of today’s multi-faceted family life. A wood burning pizza oven, butler’s pantry, a gourmet kitchen and great room opening to covered patio and backyard were but a few of the unique features. All who viewed the property were delighted with the home’s design. Eugene is a talented architect. > > Luciano Ercolini > Dalmatian Realty **★★★★★ — Amanda Jones, June 2013** > Eugene has several key qualities that make him a great architect: he's resourceful, direct, client focused, collaborative, open- willing to try new things, respectful of my budget and respectful of my time and feelings. > > I think that he is the ultimate professional's architect, you can leave your project with him and not worry about it. He's going to let you know about the key milestones and keep you on track. **★★★★★ — Arnab Bhaduri, June 2013** > Eugene and his team designed our home remodel. We were very impressed with the quality of the service that he provided. He was meticulous in capturing our requirements and provided us with various options that fit in our fairly restrictive scope and budget. I have purposely chosen the top three attributes from our point of view: > > \- Good value : we were on a pretty tight budget, but Eugene helped us make the best use of it, He had also worked with our contractor before, and made use of that knowledge to tailor various options to fit the contractor's work style and skill set. > > \- On time : even though our project was delayed multiple times (due to our own issues) Eugene and his team always delivered on time. This was a great help to us as it allowed us to spend our (limited) time on other aspects of the remodel. > > \- Integrity : we relied upon Eugene to understand our objectives and create something that worked for us, and he delivered. At no time did we feel uncomfortable working with him. **★★★★★ — rdlehman, June 2013** > I have had the privilege of working with Eugene for several years as project manager, energy consultant, Green Point Rater, and Hers Rater for developments ranging from large scale new publicly funded apartments to new single family custom homes, commercial tenant improvements, and existing home alterations/additions. Eugene and his staff at Studio S Squared Architecture are dedicated professionals I am proud to associate with. His technical and practical knowledge about rapidly changing building and energy codes as well as green building products and methods confidently and consistently guide all involved toward excellent solutions, and make my job easier. I have met the general contractors and sub contractors who have built his projects, developers that have financed his projects, and most importantly the homeowners and business owners who have hired his services, and I can honestly say we all highly recommend him as a very excellent choice for architectural services. > > Rob Lehman > Green Building Consultant > LEED AP, Green Point Rater, Hers Rater, CEPE > GREEN SCORE SOLUTIONS, Inc. > 19184 Mallory Canyon Road > Prunedale, CA 93907 **★★★★★ — Nicole Fuselier, April 2013** > Eugene did an amazing job on the Kirkland property. He provided us with three potential options that fit within our budget and explained the pros and cons of each option to us. From what I have experienced, its rare to have an architect take the time to really help the client understand the options and pros and cons, but Eugene really does care that his work and ideas meet the needs of his clients. > > Not only did our chosen solution meet our needs, he helped us through the entire process and was very nice to answer all our one off questions with professionalism and charm. > > I would hire Eugene whenever i have any residential or non residential architectural design needs. And I have no issue recommending him to everyone one I know. **★★★★★ — lmfuselier, April 2013** > We had the good fortune to hire Eugene Saki and Studio S Squared Architecture to design the complete renovation of our 87 year-old mother's home. Purchased in 1953, the small (1,200 sq ft) rambler had 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths was located in San Jose. Our goal was to give our mother a modern, safe and comfortable home to better serve her needs and to allow her to remain in her home. > > Design challenges: While keeping the footprint of the house, we needed to improve the layout of the rooms, including adding an en suite master bed and bath; upgrading the door and corridor widths; fitting the new baths with grab-bars and "easy twist" handles and faucets, accessible bathtubs and showers; increasing the lighting in all rooms and corridors; and providing ramp access at the front door and easy access stairs for the side entrance. > > Systems upgrades: The house had all original plumbing and electrical which were replaced. New gas heating and A/C, an on-demand water heater, and all new energy efficient windows were added. > > Coordination challenges: During demolition and construction, our mother would have to relocate to a hotel, so we were anxious to choose a contractor who could expedite the construction process and would commit to an exact completion date (just over 100 days). Mr. Saki helped us review proposals, gave us clear guidance on the cost implications of design and materials changes and also met regularly with the contractor to ensure that there were no permit, design or materials issues that would delay construction. > > We had excellent communication with Mr Saki during the entire process. He didn't just provide the design and the blue-prints - he was our partner for the entire project. Our mother's home benefitted from his talent, professional, and commitment to quality. > > We can honestly saw that working with Studio S Squared was a wonderful experience. We highly recommend the firm. > > Before photos: > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829ext2.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829ext3.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829ext1.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829int1.JPG > > After photos: > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829ext4.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/829ext5.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/photo-4.JPG > /Users/lindafuselier/Desktop/photo5.JPG **★★★★★ — Katie Heredia, Feb. 2013** > We hired Eugene and Studio S Squared to help us design/plan an addition to our home. Their design was not what we were expecting at all but it was exactly what we wanted a d better than anything we could have imagined. **★★★★★ — saratogaremodel, Feb. 2013** > Studio S Squared Architecture provided the architectural design for our family's home remodel. Our 2000 square foot 1950's ranch style home was transformed into a 3000 square foot open concept home while still retaining an exterior design consistent with our neighborhood. > > Studio S Squared: > Demonstrates excellent attention to details and follow up. > Provided fast response to our questions and requests during all phases of the design. > Maintained extreme patience and performed multiple revisions at the fixed price contract. Architecture design contract was competitive with other architectural firms. > Ensured the design was consistent with our family's casual lifestyle. > Our home's new architectural design/drawings passed our city's planning commission's standards on the first submission. > Helped us to screen and select a suitable general contractor for the construction work. > Provided interior design ideas. > Ensured the design provided did not exceed our construction budget. > Architechural drawings were detailed and were easy for the general contractor to understand, enabling project to be completed on-time. > Visited construction site to ensure construction was compliant to design specification. > > We have been in our remodeled home for over two years and continue to enjoy the design elements and the improved functionality of the layout and space for our family and our guests. **★★★★★ — kds design group, Jan. 2013** > I have known Eugene for 20 years professionally, and I adore working with him! I am an interior designer with kds design and Eugene's architectural designs are unique, modern, without being "edgy" and can compliement virtually any style of design for the interior. Eugene's architectural knowledge and specific requirements for each city is impressive. Studio S Squared is very open to suggestions on issues that come up in the process and they encourage collaboration with the "team" - it is never "my way or the highway." This professional quality is so vital, as there will always be issues that come up and problems to solve along the way! To have the aesthetic talent and to communicate effectively with others is a rare combination that Studio S Squared excells at! I am elated at every opportunity to work with Eugene! **★★★★★ — mark pinkerton - vi360 photography, Nov. 2012** > Eugene Sakai is a total professional and great to work with. I am impressed by his diversity in design and admire his attention to detail, superb craftsmanship, and livable spaces. **★★★★★ — mrarde, Oct. 2012** > Great to work with Eugene and his team, we are pleased with the knowledge, and creative aspects of his work. We also like the familiarity of interacting with a small firm. **★★★★★ — davehouzz, Oct. 2012** > I used Studio S Squared for a full remodel of a 3300+ sq ft home. This team was ideal for us for several reasons. > > 1\. Not only did we have a good working rapport, Studio S Squared was also very responsive and had quick turns on design feedback from concept to Construction docs to Construction visits. Looking back, it's clear that others do not follow this approach, and there was a lot of time saved. > 2\. Studio S Squared fair flat fee structure allows for maximum creativity in the design phase. This approach is fairly unique and keeps the focus on good design rather than concerning their clients with add-on hrly fee's. > 3\. Transparency. In another unique approach, Studio S Squared simply uses their complete client list as their referral list. That means that they simply have a philosophy of transparency and a confidence in their work. Of course, I still followed up. > > Most importantly, my family is very happy with our design. This team always made well informed design decisions and we felt we were in good hands based on their services as well as their partners (GC's, ect). Highly recommended. No reservations. **★★★★★ — newhousehunter, Oct. 2012** > Eugene from Studio S Squared Architecture designed our whole house renovation project. He was very creative in his design and paid close attention to details. Our house looks beautiful now. He was also very pleasant to work it. We had a great experience and will not hesitate to work with him again in the feature. **★★★★★ — C W Wright Construction Co., Inc., Oct. 2012** > We have been working with Eugene Sakai at Studio S Squared Architecture for a number of years. He and his staff are so professional and a joy to work with. They are always easy to reach and quick to respond to our emails. We highly recommend them. > > C. W Wright Construction Company Inc. **★★★★★ — mruffy, Oct. 2012** > We have hired Eugene (president of Studio S Squared Architecture) to help with a home remodel in Los Gatos, CA. Our realtor convinced us to purchase a fixer upper that would require some remodeling work to address some of the functional deficiencies of the home. While we were in contract, we interviewed about 5 designers/contractors to get their recommendations and possible budget before we actually purchased the home. > > Eugene was the only architect who came and brought one of his builders, C.W. Wright Construction to discuss options as well as to verify the costs of each one. During our discussion, he was mindful to listen to the functional problems which we wanted to address and he agreed to come up with a proposal. > > The next day, we received a very detailed spreadsheet outlining the costs of everything and it all seemed to fall into our budget. Based on their recommendations, we decided to proceed with the purchase the home. > > The design process was a very fun and enjoyable experience. Both Eugene and his junior associate, Catherine listened to our "wish list" and presented a final design that we absolutely loved. We appreciated their "vision" to see the possible options that lay before us that were not so readily seen by us or other architects. > > Studio S Squared Architecture's flat fee system also encouraged a lot of back and forth dialogue with the revisions. We never had to worry about costs or expenses as it was all included. He has a rapid response time via phone and email and because everything is done in CAD, we had design revisions waiting in our email inboxes almost with a same day turn-around. > > We are currently in the middle of building our home, but we could not speak any more highly of the professionalism, attention to detail and breadth of knowledge of Studio S. Squared Architecture during the design process. Because of this, we trust wholeheartedly that he will deliver a wonderful home for us. **★★★★★ — ASP Construction& Development Inc,, Oct. 2012** > I’m a General Contractor in Bay Area, and I've had the opportunity of working with multiple of Architectural firms for more than 10 years. > > Since, I had the privilege to work on one of the well-designed projects of Mr. Eugene Sakai, I have found the Studio S Squared Architecture Inc. a best-in-class Architectural firms in bay area. > > Their integrity, commitment to high standards in design and attention to details are unique among their competitors, which makes Studio S Squared the first choice for many experienced General Contractors. Simply, one cannot ask for anything more thorough and precise than the work delivered by Mr. Eugene. > > I strongly recommend Mr. Eugene Sakai and his highly committed associates to those seeking a professional and dedicated Architectural firm. **★★★★ — hansel\_lynn, Oct. 2012** > Very good experience, excellent design, very good detail in the plans. Schedule moved seamlessly as well, total time of about 7 months from start to receiving a permit for a new construction - pretty quick. First draft of design was great (he stayed up to 1am to do it!), wife and I barely made any changes to the first draft. > > Very good with communication and email/call responses as well. Definitely recommended! **★★★★★ — kenmanrubia, Oct. 2012** > Eugene and I have had a working relationship for the past 14 years. He recently designed a major remodel to our home which we are about a month from completion. He truly understood our desires and have transformed our shack into a home we are excited to live in for a long time to come. **★★★★★ — eunicerich, Oct. 2012** > We hired Studio S2 Architecture to design a remodel for our newly purchased 1920's craftsman home. We had a good idea of what we wanted to do design-wise, but needed the input and expertise of an architect. Eugene and his firm took our general ideas and refined the details, supplied the specifics and suggested alternatives until we had a great design. > > When we purchased our home, we had two levels that were completely separate from one another. All of the living space was upstairs and the downstairs space was essentially a large, unfinished room. We wanted to utilize this empty space and double the square footage of our home. Our remodel included knocking down a wall between the kitchen and dining room upstairs, complete remodel of the existing kitchen, creation of a staircase leading downstairs, and creating a finished family room, bath, new laundry area and playroom in the downstairs space. > > Per Eugene's suggestion during the planning part of this project, we made several changes to our original plan that really made a significant impact on the outcome of the remodel. These included his recommendations to push out the envelope of the house, a structural change that would significantly increase the square footage of our relatively small kitchen. He suggested low-walls surrounding the staircase to more cohesively connect the upper and lower levels of the home, which made the home feel much more intimate. He took into account our desire to allow as much light as possible into the home, improve functionality of the kitchen unit and allow for possible second phase future addition of a master bedroom suite. > > Unlike many other firms where you only have the opportunity to meet with the principle architect once before your job is passed onto someone else to complete, Eugene spent the time at each step of the project to discuss the plans, explain changes, provide suggestions, ideas and alternatives. Eugene and Studio S2 provided high caliber, expert and meticulous designs with creative design solutions to incorporate our desires and viewpoints. Very professional, responsive and excellent customer service from a very experienced architect. Eugene was also available during the construction phase of the project to answer questions from our contractor. > > We love our remodel and marvel over and over again about how functional, bright and warm our home is now. We would highly recommend Studio S2 Architecture, Inc. **★★★★★ — fishbuildersinc, Oct. 2012** > We at Fish Builders Inc. have used Studio S Squared Architectures multiple times in the past 8 years. Me and my team love all the projects we have done together. Their plans are allways very detailed and easy to read, which makes the bidding process and building process go much smoother. Because of their attention to detail, change orders are almost obsolete. As far as design goes, I feel they are the best around. We always get a lot of compliments from neighbors and onlookers on the homes we build designed by Eugene and his team. Another fundamental part is happiness of the clients. All my clients that have used Studio S Squared Architectures are very happy with the outcome of their new homes and talk about the good experiences they have had. On a personal note Eugene and his team are very easy to talk to and always seem very happy to work on all of my clients projects. > Mica Sinko > Fish Builders Inc. **★★★★★ — Kitchens Galore, Oct. 2012** > Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc. is such a great resource for my business. Eugene and his staff show attention to detail and beauty in their designs that stand out from the rest. I highly recommend them to anyone thinking about doing a project! > > Laura Moloney Grelli > > Kitchens Galore, Owner **★★★★★ — kenwright, Oct. 2012** > We hired Eugene to architect our home remodel in Willow Glen. He did an outstanding job and we would recommend him without hesitation. Eugene listens to what his clients want and turns that in to a workable architecture. He made many excellent recommendations along the way and always kept the budget in mind. He also did a fantastic job of making the new house fit in with the neighborhood, something that was important to us. We will definitely hire Eugene again next time we do any type of remodel or new construction! **★★★★★ — Smedge, Oct. 2012** > I am working with Eugene Sakai and his team at Studio S Squared Architecture on our remodel project. Our project is now under construction and not yet completed yet. At our first meeting, Eugene has already done his research on our local building code and requirements. He shared with us many valuable materials on design process. He also released the whole list of his clients so that we can contact any of them for references. These up front disclosures of information made us feel more comfortable with him. > Eugene is a good listener. This is one of the most important factors we decided to hire him. During the design process, he has the ability understand what we need and he is very responsive. He also encouraged us to use Houzz to share ideas. We created a few ideabooks to show Eugene the styles we’d like and he also collected a few photos to give us ideas of different options in design. > Eugene has a great sense of space, light and general flow. He is a nice and inspiring person to work with. **★★★★★ — Jennifer Roberts, Oct. 2012** > Eugene and Sean have been fantastic to work with on our remodel project. This is our first major remodel and they have helped step us through the process and make what can be a hectic process go smoothly. They have a lot of talent and are very easy to work with. We are glad we selected them! **★★★★★ — wfeejr, Oct. 2012** > Eugene Sakai stood out far above the pack of the 5 Architectural firms that we investigated to do our total house construction. He was simply the best to deal with, very professional, on time, and took a personal interest in the project, and within budget. We moved in 2 years ago and still love him and the contractor, C.W. Wright in San Carlos. We are pleased to show the house through Eugene Sakai at any time. ## Selected projects - [Pebble Beach Contemporary](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pebble-beach-contemporary-pj-vj~7447931) - Location: Del Monte Forest, CA - Photos: 24 - Description: Our first home in Monterey County is an ambitious renovation that leverages the footprint of a 50 year old ranch home to reduce site impacts and expedite permit approvals. The final design features a triad of butterfly roofs that create a compelling silhouette from the interior and soaring, vaulted spaces on the interior. The primary living spaces and sleeping area all feature panoramic ocean views. S-Squared provided architecture, interior, furniture, and landscape design for this project. SCOP… - [Los Altos Spanish Style](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-spanish-style-pj-vj~1221813) - Location: Los Altos, CA - Photos: 12 - Description: Reema and Pramod hired us to design their new home on a large lot in Los Altos. The biggest design driver was their desire to live in a Spanish style house with highly authentic detailing. Our architecture and interior design team worked closely with our clients to develop a gracious single story plan with high ceilings and abundant natural light throughout, and a lower level basement with bonus space and 2 below grade outdoor patios to bring in natural light. The happy homeowners are pleased to… - [San Jose Contemporary II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/san-jose-contemporary-ii-pj-vj~5812865) - Location: San Jose, CA - Photos: 28 - Description: Set amongst its neighbors of mostly one story 1950's ranch homes, this contemporary single story design blends into its context with its modest scale and understated front elevation. A skylit foyer leads past 2 bedrooms and into the home’s raison d'être, a spectacular great room with an inverted barrel vaulted ceiling and four-sided clerestory windows of frameless glass. The arc of the ceiling creates a unique lens-shaped form that rests delicately on slender steel posts, drawing the eye over th… - [Los Altos Hills Prefab Modular Contemporary](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-hills-prefab-modular-contemporary-pj-vj~5298284) - Location: Los Altos Hills, CA - Photos: 45 - Description: Our client came to us by way of a modular home builder who felt that the project wish list was stretching the capabilities of his factory and reluctantly recommended a custom site built home instead. We gladly took the project on. After working on a few floor plan options and establishing a preferred direction, we decided to revisit the idea of modular construction in the interest of time savings. After investigating a few reputable factories, Method Homes from Washington state rose to the top o… - [Los Altos Contemporary Ranch IV](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-contemporary-ranch-iv-pj-vj~5812929) - Location: Los Altos, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: We love the challenge of odd-shaped lots, as they are often the driver of interesting forms and spaces that we would never try on a standard rectangular lot. This cul-de-sac 1/3 acre lot in Los Altos has five property lines, none of which are parallel or orthogonal to each other! The resultant form is a house with two wings set at 47 degrees to each other, wrapping around a front entry courtyard which buffers the front door from the street, and a triangular below grade rear patio, which brings l… - [Portola Valley Modern Farmhouse](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/portola-valley-modern-farmhouse-pj-vj~6177408) - Location: Portola Valley, CA - Photos: 18 - Description: Overlooking the bucolic rolling foothills of Stanford University's pasture land, this project afforded a unique design opportunity in terms of views and architectural character. The relatively demure front facade fits in well with the traditional mid-century neighborhood of Ladera, an unincorporated section of Portola Valley. The rear facade shows no such restraint, organizing about a 1.5 story great room and kitchen whose 15' tall windows and reverse shed roof capture the verdant greenery beyon… - [Mountain View Contemporary Asian Prairie](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountain-view-contemporary-asian-prairie-pj-vj~6364808) - Location: Mountain View, CA - Photos: 19 - Description: With our firm's fundamental commitment to holistic interior design + architecture, our projects are able to realize a unity of exterior and interior form that is not only pleasing to the eye, but all of the other senses as well. Lightly finished cedar warms the palette, marks the passage of time through natural weathering, and even offers a light aroma of incense. Organic materials throughout feel comforting to the touch and pleasing to the eye. Strategically placed skylights and roof openings a… - [Monte Sereno French Country](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/monte-sereno-french-country-pj-vj~6492280) - Location: Monte Sereno, CA - Photos: 10 - Description: Designed for a retired Florida couple relocating to the Bay Area to be closer to their daughters and young grandchildren, this cottage-style charmer was designed for a family-friendly, indoor/outdoor lifestyle. The single story massing and traditional design nestles comfortably amid the established neighborhood of diverse homes. Warm colors and materials, including integral color stucco, weathered brick, and custom color clad wood windows create a friendly yet upscale ambiance. The rear of the h… - [San Jose Craftsman](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/san-jose-craftsman-pj-vj~5969117) - Location: San Jose, CA - Photos: 10 - Description: This new, two-story, Craftsman home located in the Cambrian neighborhood of San Jose features a two-car garage with a porch-style front patio. Tapered columns with a stone base establish a consistent rhythm between the garage and porch. At the rear of the home, a south facing second floor balcony orients towards a view of the Santa Cruz mountains and sits atop a spacious and inviting patio below, perfect for hosting and entertaining. This design features an abundance of natural light throughout… - [Los Altos Modern Prairie II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-modern-prairie-ii-pj-vj~1354641) - Location: Los Altos, CA - Photos: 100 - Description: In some jurisdictions, the zoning regulations are often written such that they unintentionally encourage the use and reuse of certain architectural styles. Los Altos is one of those cities. With its larger (typically 1/4 acre+) lot sizes, low height limits, and low-slope daylight plane all governing building form, one of the more appropriate styles for Los Altos two story homes happens to be one of our favorites, the Prairie style originally conceived by American master architect Frank Lloyd Wri… - [Atherton Colonial](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/atherton-colonial-pj-vj~610552) - Location: Atherton, CA - Photos: 124 - Description: Many of the Bay Area's nicest homes are located in the exclusive, small town of Atherton. Certainly, the large lots (generally 1 acre+) and high net-worth residents have a lot do with this, but in our experience, the creative freedom allotted by the local zoning ordinance is also a contributor to the town's architectural quality. Unlike nearly every other nearby jurisdiction, Atherton's municipal code does not mandate design review for any new homes, provided they adhere to the town's relatively… - [Menlo Oaks Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/menlo-oaks-modern-pj-vj~211651) - Location: Menlo Park, CA - Photos: 192 - Description: Program: 1653 s.f. addition to 2140 s.f. one story ranch house, with whole house remodel and conversion of exterior style. 5 BR/4.5 BA, with central covered rear patio, master plan for new pool and detached poolhouse. Description: Our clients loved their ½ acre + parcel of land, but not their dated ranch style house. They were undecided on whether new construction or a major remodel would yield the best end result. After visiting the site, we determined that the existing house was well-sited and… - [Menlo Park Contemporary](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/menlo-park-contemporary-pj-vj~6421493) - Location: Menlo Park, CA - Photos: 55 - Description: Set on a lot of more than .27 acres in Central Menlo a short stroll from downtown, this beautiful custom home will offer timeless luxury blended with the best of modern sustainability. With an anticipated construction start of Spring 2021, this luxury residence is nearly entirely energy self-sustainable, and features solar panels, a circulating hot water system, 13 separate heating/cooling zones, air filtration, and highly insulated walls for year-round temperature control. Designed by Studio S… - [Stanford Traditional](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stanford-traditional-pj-vj~2686984) - Location: Stanford, CA - Photos: 44 - Description: SCOPE OF WORK: DEMOLISH AN EXISTING ONE STORY RESIDENCE ON DEVELOPED SITE. NEW HOUSE TO BE A TWO STORY RESIDENCE WITH 5 BEDROOMS AND 4.5 BATHROOMS WITH 4,058.4 S.F. LIVING AREA, AND 456.5 S.F. GARAGE TOTALING 4,514.8 S.F. ON A ±13,425 S.F. LOT. - [Redwood City Contemporary](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/redwood-city-contemporary-pj-vj~5815358) - Location: Redwood City, CA - Photos: 16 - Description: Situated on a corner lot on the southern border of Redwood City adjacent to Atherton, we designed this striking contemporary to be appreciated from multiple angles and viewpoints, but especially by the kind young couple who commissioned the home for their growing family. Locating the garage on the corner nearest the intersection at our clients' request helps create privacy for the house, but also creates the need to make the garage an architectural feature due to its prominent location. Our resp… - [Saratoga Modern Ranch (Japanese style)](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/saratoga-modern-ranch-japanese-style-pj-vj~314744) - Location: Saratoga, CA - Photos: 74 - Description: This project was envisioned from the start as a complementary piece to an existing ranch style home, custom built by our client's parents in the 1960's. The existing and new houses are intended to work as a family compound. Unlike the existing home, whose south elevation faces a busy street, our design opens up the south facade and all rooms to a peaceful landscaped courtyard featuring a pool and traditional Japanese garden design. The main house features 3BR, 2.5BA, and a separate office. A sec… - [Mountain View Craftsman](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountain-view-craftsman-pj-vj~5969382) - Location: Mountain View, CA - Photos: 43 - Description: We love when we are granted the opportunity to work on corner-lot homes because the design opportunity becomes much more three dimensional. Deciding how to design and orient the streetside corner of the house becomes crucial. Do we add a wrap-around porch? What room do we place on the corner? In this instance, we decided to locate the living-room there and surround it with windows to provide an exterior focal point and expansive views from within. These clients sought us out after having toured… - [Palo Alto Contemporary Ranch II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/palo-alto-contemporary-ranch-ii-pj-vj~7507112) - Location: Palo Alto, CA - Photos: 142 - Description: Having purchased a corner lot in the family-friendly Leland Manor neighborhood of Palo Alto, our young clients came to us seeking a home that would blend into the neighborhood while accommodating their growing family and needs as an active working couple. His and hers offices were a non-negotiable in the design, which proved prescient when the pandemic struck during construction, and remote working became the norm not the exception. With one office located off the foyer and the other in the priv… - [Los Altos Craftsman](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-craftsman-pj-vj~5969337) - Location: Los Altos, CA - Photos: 78 - Description: This grand craftsman is a new, three level residence with three-car garage on a gently upsloping corner site in unincorporated Los Altos. Studio S Squared provided architecture and full interior design services for this project (furniture and decor by others). Homes sitting on a corner lot can be a challenge to design, with multiple sides of the building visible from the street versus just one side, as is the case with an interior lot. Set about 10' above street level, this house has a commandin… - [Palo Alto Traditional IV](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/palo-alto-traditional-iv-pj-vj~2687054) - Location: Palo Alto, CA - Photos: 13 - Description: SCOPE OF WORK: DEMO OF EXISTING HOUSE ON DEVELOPED SITE. NEW CONSTRUCTION TO BE TWO STORY HOUSE, 6 BEDROOMS, 5.5 BATHROOMS OF 2,506 S.F. ABOVE GRADE LIVING AREA, 223.1 S.F. GARAGE TOTALING 2,729.1 S.F. WITH A BASEMENT OF 2,052.6 S.F. [See all 226 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/s-squared-architecture-interiors-landscape-pfvwus-pf~721513198) ## Video - [Company video](https://player.vimeo.com/external/1097213433.m3u8?s=348b43d4fd3c4271d3cfc75c581382da3a347f32&oauth2_token_id=1384357804) ## Ideabooks - [1956 Great Highway](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/185488711/list/1956-great-highway) — 17 ideas - [3076 23rd Interior](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/182274520/list/3076-23rd-interior) — 20 ideas - [0-basement](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/108409576/list/0-basement) — 6 ideas - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/76933201/list/wish-list) — 2 ideas - [20003--S2D--basement](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/153702468/list/20003-s2d-basement) — 20 ideas - [1783 8th avenue](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/146009718/list/1783-8th-avenue) — 9 ideas - [20010 S2D Residence--Truckee--13921 Copenhagen](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/140281127/list/20010-s2d-residence-truckee-13921-copenhagen) — 53 ideas - [19011 San Francisco, 2775 40th Avenue](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/124242658/list/19011-san-francisco-2775-40th-avenue) — 26 ideas - [17008 - Cao - S2 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/108836254/list/17008-cao-s2-ideabooks) — 15 ideas - [Holly Lighting and Furniture](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/90861859/list/holly-lighting-and-furniture) — 41 ideas - [Exterior--Contemporary](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/504018/list/exterior-contemporary) — 23 ideas - [Stairs](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/317774/list/stairs) — 11 ideas - [Bathroom](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/588816/list/bathroom) — 6 ideas - [Wainscot Paneling](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/756953/list/wainscot-paneling) — 12 ideas - [Powder Room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/321990/list/powder-room) — 4 ideas - [Courtyard](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/395611/list/courtyard) — 9 ideas - [Interior Doors](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/347510/list/interior-doors) — 4 ideas - [Corner Windows](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/334448/list/corner-windows) — 11 ideas - [Bookcases](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/334445/list/bookcases) — 3 ideas - [Master Suite](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/321985/list/master-suite) — 6 ideas [See all 22 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/eugenesakai) ## Community Q&A **Q: Are there plans for using Black framed glass panels to enclose an entr** *(in Photo Questions)* I have this idea that the entrance to a small guest house being enclosed with glass panels framed in black to tie in with the the black Pella windows used for the house and garage. The house plans included a small cement stoop with cement steps up the entrance door. Limited space, zero lot line, but with enhanced landscaping along with a gate entrance to the house entrance. If the stoop and steps leading to the entrance door, you are faced with adding. some type of railing to finis the porch stoop. The stoop has a gable above so the stoop is covered but very plain without any architectural “pop”, to it? I have seen this done for a commercial buildings being a enclosed glass foyer. I was hoping there might be something out there in print or software that gives a look of something new and different in the design world? Any chance of finding something to jolt the mind outside of the box? building entrance. A: not sure if I understand your comment Roberta, but feel free to email me a sketch @ esakai@studios2arch.com and I will give you a quick review. **Q: Is this a composite garage door?** *(in Photo Questions)* If this is composite (or steel) please share color and manufacturer. Nice house! A: Hi--I believe that was a composite door, likely from Clopay. **Q: what are the exterior paint colors used on this house. love the look!** *(in Photo Questions)* What are exterior paint colors on the is house. Love the look with the bronze roof. Also what is the exterior door color? A: sorry, we don't have that information! Glad you like the project. **Q: please tell me what you used for your flat roofing?** *(in Photo Questions)* Please tell me what you used for your flat roofing. A: Hi, we normally specify TPO roofing for our low-slope areas. **Q: Wine Rack - Custom or pre fab** *(in Photo Questions)* Is this wine rack pre-fab or custom? Could provide information on where to purchase? Thank you A: this was custom built. **Q: Love the siding color!** *(in Photo Questions)* Hi. What is the color of the siding? A: Sorry, we don't have this spec as the Owner selected their own paint colors in this case. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-02.*