RHAA has been busy with number of projects currently in planning or construction. Even though we've become quite agile these past 13 months working form home, there nothing like getting out to a project site, being outside, and experiencing the sun, wind, sights, sounds and sounds, and the smells of a place. We hope everyone stays vigilant, safe, and healthy. (May 2021)

Tradition continues. Our annual pumpkin carving contest lives on in remote platform edition 1.0. While we may be missing the smell of 20+ pumpkin guts and pizza, the transformation and skill from our designers is always satisfying to see. Costumes are a bonus! (October 2020)

To borrow a line and song from Hamilton, we miss a lot of things. We obviously miss the great personalities, laughter, and creativity, But we also miss some of the things a home office can't replace: big pin up spaces, physical libraries, large work tables, and the open studio office we have that promotes interaction. But no time to reminisce. Onward and upward, and we will get through this together people! (September 2020)

We are staying connected with one another and sharing snapshots and moments from our lives during this time. Here are some random selections of submitted photos from our firm wide virtual meetings. It's so nice to get a glimpse of what everyone is up to. (August 2020)

3 months into this new world and we are continuing to support our clients and communities with collaboration, focus, curiosity, and follow through. Our offices were open for a short time but are now closed again. However we will remain agile and flex as needed to adhere to our project commitments. In the meantime our studio teams are engaged with both business and play, and our teams are creatively coming up with new ways to connect and share. (June 2020)

We started the new year with business as usual, but we sooned faced the Covid challenge and Bay Area shelter in place orders. We had monitored the situation carefully and with seriousness, and so we were ready for the shelter in place when it came. We also saw the need to do what we could to help our health care workers on the front line so we began printing and assembling face shields to donate to local Bay Area facillties. We hope everyone is safe and healthy - we will get through this together! (April 2020)

Rhaa designers have been pushing hard on deadlines, but we still made sure to celebrate the holidays with good cheer, tasty food and drinks, and a trip to see Hamilton. We also are excited to start our lobby remodel with some in house brainstorming. Looking forward to the new decade. (December 2019)

We've been playing with our new 3D printer located in our mezzanine maker space. We've found it invaluable in not only studying design forms, but also communicating these designs to our clients and design teams. Recently it's been put to good use on some bench studies for a current project. We also just purchased a new laser cutter for other in-house hands on projects! (October 2019)

RHAA was part of an international group of landscape architects invited to the Netherlands to speak about how our profession is responding to changes in the use of public domain. We led a presentation that focused on how technology, population growth and the emergence of generation z are affecting the design of our cities. (September 2019)

We took a break in our hectic schedule for Irrigation 101 with Rainbird as well as to check out the Tranbay Project and Park. We continue to plan in-house educational opportunities to further both our design and technical thinking in all aspects of the profession. Having well rounded designers is a value that is important to our studio. (August 2019)

We spent a day with Marion Brenner shooting a recently completed project. It's always such a valuable learning experience in working with a photographer. It's also an inspiring process, to collaborate with other creative professionals and to see our work through their eyes, and to document the story of a place together. (May 2019)

The new year got off to a great start with RHAA volunteers participating in a Martin Luthor King Day of Service in Richmond, helping to clean up the Greenway. More volunteers then moved to our coast to clean up Muir Beach. Kudos to all who gave up their time to be involved. (March 2019)

And we've been busy this fall with many projects in conceptual and schematic design. Playing with materials is part of the process and sometimes it leaves us with interesting piles around the office. (November 2018)

We've been cleaning up our office in preparation for a series of phased remodeling projects and found this gem. It's a drawing of our Mill Valley location from the early 1970s. Always exciting to find these documents from the past. (December 2018)

We had a great time as part of Woods Bagot team at the LEAP Sandcastle Classic. This non profit helps to raise funds for arts programs to Bay Area students.The weather was beautiful, we made new friends, and allowed our inner child to come out! And all for a great cause. (November 2018)

We were there at this years ASLA Conference in Philadelphia. It was as always inspring and fufilling to spend time with other collegues in our small but important profession. The various programming was awesome! Thank you ASLA and see you next year in San Diego. (October 2018)

San Francisco Parks Alliance held its annual benefit to support San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department in renovating playgrounds across the city. The event was held at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. A great time for a great cause to provide better play opportunities  for chilldren. (September 2018)

We continue our passion of helping our communities by volunteering for cleanup duties at Lobos Creek in the Presidio (among other endeavors). But we don't just work hard, we play hard and summer isn't summer without a beach BBQ and a visit to the ice cream museum.

Nothing says Summer more than the annual ASLA Northern California Chapter Giants game. Baseball, colleagues, hot dogs and beer. (July 2018)

RHAA held it's annual office wide show and tell. This event allows our 2 offices and multiple teams to cross pollinate and share projects in progress. We get to learn from each other and speak knowledgeably about the diverse breath of projects our office is engaged in. There's always a "wait you're working on that?" surprise moment at our event. (June 2018)

Principals know how to have fun too. (May 2018)

We field tripped to the Marin Headlands to check out the array of native plants flushing out for spring. After the walk we also made it down to Rodeo Beach to see the incredible progress of the meadow restoration project, which now handles stormwater from the surrounding hills prior to its reaching the beach and ocean. (April 2018)

Cleaning up our public green places at Mountain Lake Park. (March 2018)

No tees? No worries. We had a t-shirt design contest, and our in house jack of all trades Chelsea gave a lesson on screen printing. We think they turned out nice! (March 2018)

It's been a busy February here at rhaa. We hung out with our professional colleagues at UC Berkeley for a full weekend, being inspired by their planting design and conceptual approaches. We then hosted landscape architecture students from Japan’s Osaka Prefecture University in our office. (February 2018)

One of our studio teams visited Concreteworks in Alameda to figure out some design details for several of our projects. This was an opportunity to also see what else they are up to. It's exciting to see the progression of concrete fabrication these past 15 years, and the integration of technology and craft. (November 2017)

Summer is tour season and Turner Construction led a contingent of curious Roystonites in and around the Transbay Terminal under construction. The new building is impressive, and the immense scale of the structure cannot be fully appreciated from the exterior. Visiting construction sites is critical to our learning process in understanding how different systems are designed and constructed. (September 2017).

RHAA took a dive to the underground to check out the construction in progress. (July 2017)

Our office meets bi-monthly to share design topics and experiences, or to tackle questions regarding design, our profession, the environment, and the future of technology. These sessions have been inspiring, insightful, and sometimes amusing. (July 2017)

Summer is in full force, which means warm beautiful weather, BBQ, and Ping Pong tournaments on our patio. (June 2017)

RHAA visited one of our recently completed projects -- the Russell and Quimby at Bay Meadows in San Mateo. The multi-family housing project features two buildings that provide residential units a variety of amenities and garden spaces. The diverse amenities (pool, spa, outdoor BBQ area, fire features, garden rooms, and Petanque court) allowed our senior project managers to discuss the various design, detailing, and construction of the project in a hands on, visual way. During the site walk RHAA staff even took a minute to “test out” one of the fire feature seating areas. (April 2017)

RHAA visited the Autodesk Creative Workshops @ Pier 9 in San Francisco. This facility is home to a community of designers, engineers, artists, and product innovators. The labs here house state of the art production tools and machinery, as well as some very cool work environments. We learned about the latest in advanced and large scale 3D model production, artificial intelligence design, robotics, and the future that they call the augmented age. (February 2017)

RHAA spent a week collaborating with De Oliveria Castro Arquitectos on the Vitta Center project in Guatemala. We had some great charette sessions and even better discussions about planning and architecture in this country. Of course we managed to fit in some sightseeing and local eats. (November 2016)

RHAA travelled to Santiago, Chile, for a workshop with the developer of the Santa Elena mixed-use and residential development intended to house 60,000 people. Collaborating with local LA's, we developed park programming ideas, site plans and features to fit this majestic site surrounded by national parkland bluffs. (October 2016)

 

Fiercely competitive RHAA staff carve pumpkins in hopes to win Halloween prizes. Did you know it's possible to carve a teeny tiny pumpkin? Where there's a will (and skill), there's a way... (October 2016)

In response to a confidential design competition for a public memorial, RHAA staff visited our nations capitol to participate in a site review. Some work. Some play. And of course getting personal with Einstein. (April 2016)

RHAA was able to tour Arborica, the West Marin business of wood artisan Evan Shively. Near Tomales bay you'll find salvaged wood piled high in preparation to become beautiful wood furniture. (March 2016)