Koch Architects

Joanne is nothing short of amazing. She is first and foremost a brilliant architect who designs beautiful homes and remodels. I truly believe her work will have lasting and historical significance. In addition, she is the rare architect who is a master of all aspects. We did a very large whole-house remodel that took years to design and plan and then more years to execute. Joanne led us through the whole process from start to finish. First, she worked with us to define our style and uncover every aspect of what was important to both of us, and then blend that into a coherent design that was elegant and very contemporary and yet down to earth. She helped us find a top contractor, who was also extraordinary, and we all worked amazingly well as a team. The execution could not have been better. Modern design often requires complex and subtle engineering and Joanne is thoroughly competent with the engineering. She completely managed the interactions with the structural engineers who were critical to the construction. Joanne oversaw every aspect of the construction and the many, many issues that came up on the fly. Our house actually straddles the Berkeley-Oakland border, which made for some challenging permitting issues. Joanne handled all of these regulatory issues as well. Joanne also led the many efforts at “value engineering,” helping us to make cost trade-offs to keep the budget down. Between Joanne and the contractor, we often were able to find alternatives that saved significant costs with little loss to the concept. That said, we did, inevitably, go considerably over our original budget, but that was our choice. As you get into it, it is hard not to want everything to be perfect, even if it costs a bit more. This meant lots of changes as the project evolved. Joanne took it all in stride and worked overtime to make significant changes even as deadlines loomed. We loved Joanne’s aesthetic sense and completely trusted her total vision for the house. So much so that when it came time to do the interior design, we asked Joanne to do that as well! Again, she was brilliant and we loved working with her, choosing each piece, color, texture, etc. with care and love. Besides all of her wonderful professional qualities, Joanne is a wonderfully thoughtful person. She is interesting and interested in everything. She is well-rounded and well-grounded. She never seemed flustered or anxious, and would always help us when WE were (which is also inevitable when you’ve taken your whole house down to the studs!). In the end, we ended up with the house of our dreams. We love living in it every single day. It suits us perfectly, both aesthetically and functionally. We really couldn’t be happier with the results. We really can’t say enough good things about Joanne and her work. It was a privilege and an honor to get to work with her. Our remodel was a monumental experience that has transformed our lives. We are deeply grateful.

A 5 star rating doesn't do Joanne justice. She worked with us from concept to completion of a major remodel, helping transform our 1-story bungalow into a modern, spacious design that accommodates our family and brings us great joy. We couldn't be happier with the finished product. Joanne brought a rigorous attention to detail, articulating and overseeing the execution of a coherent and thoughtful design. She advocated for us throughout the project, talked us off of the ledge when we needed it, and guided us through countless difficult decisions, while always displaying extraordinary poise and professionalism. Along with her extraordinary aesthetic sensibility, she possesses a particular gift for remaining calm under pressure. We came into our project envisioning a remodel, and came away with our dream home. Literally, we use every inch of the space she designed for us, every day. Our home is functional, efficient, and beautiful.

If I could give Joanne 10 stars I would. She is not only an amazing architect, but also an amazing project guide, listener and friend. I am immensely lucky to have had the privilege of working with her. I first contacted Joanne when I was in contract for our house. As we toured the house together, it was clear she was able to take my garbled architectural expression to rearticulate it into a clear and cogent vision. It was an easy decision to hire her. As I worked with her, I quickly gained an appreciation for what a great architect she was. Her style is a perfect balance of listening and directing. She would listen to what my wife and I were looking for and then draw up three of four options. This was a very important part of the ideation process and enabled us to move forward with a lot of conviction. Not only was Joanne a great architect, but her transparency and integrity were incredible. Early on in the project, Joanne realized that what we wanted was significantly out of the project budget we had in mind. The easy thing would have been to brush this aside, however, she sat my wife and I down and gave us an honest talk about how our expectations might be unrealisitic. This initial conversation was really important and helped us pace our project appropriately and avoid nasty surprises further down the road. Joanne was also incredible in helping us find the right contractor. As a professional that deals with high stakes negotiations for a living, I thought that would be the easy part. However, Joanne proved invaluable in structuring the right contractual terms and getting everyone aligned from day one. Once the project started, she also did an outstanding job of working with our contractor. She knew just how to keep the team coordinated so that we never missed any important project deadlines. While a large scale remodel can be stressful, Joanne knew just when to push and just how to diffuse the tension when there were difficult conversations. I was very lucky to have her on my side. Professionally, I have the opportunity to work with some of the best lawyers, bankers and executives in the world. Joanne easily stands in that company in terms of professional caliber. Where she stands above in in her kindness and humility. Joanne has none of the ego that often comes with professionals at the top of their field. She was always a pleasure and joy to work with. Today I consider her a good friend. If you are as lucky as I am and have the opportunity to work with Joanne, I would strongly recommend you do so. You will be delighted by the choice.

We are so happy we hired Koch architects for our major remodel of our mid century home. Joanne’s aesthetic and her creative ideas amounted to some beautiful structural details. But she was also very practical and worked well with the contractors to allow our project to be completed within our budget and on time! We feel like she understood us and helped build a beautiful home that was perfect for us.

Koch Architects contributed to our kitchen renovation project with outstanding results. Joanne has a highly considered and efficient approach, as well as an amazing (AMAZING!) eye for detail, which helped to transform our dated kitchen, into a remarkable modern space. She listened to us, and collaborated with our ideas, was responsive, and exceedingly helpful throughout the entire project. I can't imagine doing this renovation without Koch Architects on board. We've created a gorgeous kitchen and Koch Architects was indispensable to the process.

Joanne was a pleasure to work with! We bought a fixer-upper mid-century home and hired her to design extensive renovations. She had great ideas, was open to our ideas, and worked effectively with the general contractor and subs to resolve the issues that inevitably came up during our project. She called upon both her imagination and her experience. She was an effective project manager and used her staff -- especially the amazing Julia! -- to keep the project on track. The result is a house that is visually appealing, functional, and exactly the house we envisioned when we bought it. We could not be happier with our new home!

Koch Architects worked with us to design and execute the major remodel of our "new old" house in Berkeley. We were living on the East Coast during the remodel, so Joanne and Julia took the helm for the whole process: architectural work, selecting contractors and coordinating & overseeing their work, interior design, and countless other large and small activities needed to make the project a success. They transformed our 108 year old lady into a queen! Koch Architects made sure that the frustrations and agonies of long-distance work were minimized (for us, although maybe not for them ;) ) and that the excitement and delight of creating a new home were always on top. We will work with them again on our projects in the future.

We engaged Koch Architects to remodel and expand a mid-century modern home in the Berkeley Hills. The remodel involved all the interior spaces and included the addition of a bath and an expansion of the kitchen and living area. During the planning process, we decided to add a guest house on the site of a previous playhouse. We interviewed a number of architects, and selected Joanne based upon both her prior work and her very obvious communication skills. Her design process was clear, open, and creative. Her sense of space and harmony is highly developed, and her solutions to design issues still seem optimal, after some months in the home. We are particularly impressed with her sense of color and her ability to create calm and quiet spaces. The home had a small dark kitchen, which Joanne transformed into a wonderfully light and welcoming space. She also addressed the rather monolithic front elevation of the original home with the clever use of a new linear screen. Both the home and the guest house addition are unqualified successes. Joanne is an outstanding collaborator, with us as clients as well as with the various suppliers, contractors, governmental agencies, and sub-contractors. She was very effective at making certain that the quality of the work was excellent, and at least once, stepped in to rescue the project from the predations of a failing sub-contractor. Best of all, she is a joy to work with. Her warmth, humor, and kindness made the stress of the remodel much easier to bear. We always felt that Joanne was in every way a trusted agent throughout the entire process.

Joanne has been my architect on two very different projects ten years apart. The first was a 3-story, 1924 Craftsman in Berkeley; the second a mid-century modern in Oakland (see the photos at "Ranch House Renovation".) On both projects, Joanne helped select great general contractors and served as a respectful and constructive liaison with each. Joanne understands construction techniques, an invaluable skill that benefits client and contractor alike, and that contributes to a harmonious team. I'm a very hands-on client and took an active role in all phases of both projects. Joanne welcomes close collaboration and is an excellent listener. She heard what I was saying beyond and beneath my words, and created a space that reflects my deepest desires for my home. I appreciated that she pushed me to consider ideas outside my comfort zone, while respecting my ultimate decisions. This resulted in a home that is creative, inviting and perfectly suited to the way I live. In addition to her design skills, Joanne is a first-rate project manager, excellent at communication and follow-through. Her integrity is unrivaled in my experience. She also has a great sense of humor, which is extremely important to me. Renovations can be stressful experiences (!) and a good laugh helps keep the process fun.

As an interior designer, I was extremely selective when it came time to choose an architect for an extensive remodel of my own home. Joanne Koch came highly recommended and an overview of her projects confirmed my decision to go forward with her firm. After communicating our objectives, Joanne developed a beautiful set of plans perfectly in line with the original design of our 1925 house, and our intentions for each space. We worked together closely for more than a year and it could not have been a more pleasant or professional experience. I’d be more than happy to recommend her…she’s a gem!

Thanks to Joanne Koch we now have an open concept kitchen, dining room, living room and entryway that work wonderfully with our family. It was easy and fun to work with Joanne during the remodeling process. She carefully listened to what we wanted and then thoughtfully executed the design along with our contractor. Our vision became her vision and her vision became ours. Upon approaching our home, you can see Joanne's touch...wide walkway and open porch. The entry- way into our home is reflective of Joanne's style - simple, warm and inviting. Her unique design in our kitchen is showcased with open hanging bamboo shelving over a ten foot peninsula. Working with Joanne was a pleasure. We always felt secure in her decision making and in her ability to not only meet our expectations but to surpass our expectations.

As a painting contractor servicing the Bay Area, I know many architects but could only recommend Joanne Koch and her staff. Her knowledge and visions from blueprints to end product is simply amazing. She is a true professional ! Need further details? Do not hesitate to contact me directly at (415) 246-0776. Stephan Ligne Owner/ Tricolor Painting.

Joanne and I are working together on a project and I am really enjoying the process. She pays good attention to details while listening to our professional opinions about the constraints of any decision.

We engaged Joanne based on a home that she had designed. My husband and I just loved the feel of this home, the workmanship and the flow of the living spaces. With this in mind, we began our project with Joanne, to develop an architectural plan for a house which would suit our lifestyle and location, as we were moving to Idaho. Once the drawings were complete, Joanne helped us select the home site and hire a construction company with local ties and a solid reputation. I particularly like Joanne's creative use of previously used or recycled products. Case in point, our reclaimed hardwood pine floors which are throughout the house. There is a warmth from old wood that is quite unique. Light fixtures that were part of farm equipment, cleverly transformed into dining room lighting. See Koch Architects website for photos.

Joanne recently received the architect of the year award at Houzz and I have no doubts why. I have worked with her as a repeat client over a period of 8 years and she is a truly exceptional and inspired architect. I often tell people when recommending Joanne how well she works with her clients, empowering them to identify their needs so that the end product can be truly theirs. She brings her heart and soul to her work; she is very knowledgeable, has an exquisite eye for design and beauty, and is skillful working with contractors and sub-contractors. It is not often that you can find a professional who is a true renaissance man/woman of their trade - someone who really knows how to approach their work technically, psychologically, inter-personally, historically, aesthetically and practically. I could not recommend her highly enough!

Joanne was invaluable at every step of the way on our project -- from design to evaluating contractors' bids to advising during construction to working through the final punch lists. She examined the space we had to work with, took in the things we wanted to change and came up with a plan to transform our dark and dated house into a light and open space we love. She has an amazing eye for color and symmetry. Her ideas for adjusting the interior layout of the house (some big projects, some small) were excellent. She was cognizant of our budget concerns throughout the construction period. She returns calls and email promptly. We are very pleased with the finished product.

I just completed a complete remodel of my San Francisco Edwardian flat and build out my basement. Joanne and her staff did a fantastic job. It started out as a kitchen bath remodel, but once the design process started expanded to include every room as we discussed how different spaces would be used and what I didn't like about the current space after living with it for 20yrs. Might as well do it right! Joanne's attention to detail, listening, and high ethical standards are unmatched. She would listen in the meetings and ask questions then come back with some ideas and sketches to get my reaction. She knew what I wanted without me even knowing it. She was also sensitive to the project budget which was important. I was able to complete the project within my budget. She was also key to working with the general contractor. She brought with her experience in projects of my scope / scale and working with different contractors and even her own remodel. This helped immensely. I look forward to the opportunity to work with Koch Architects again.