We're a proud partner of COTS (Committee on the Shelterless) who continues to put forth innovative solutions to meet the needs of homeless individuals and families in our North Bay community. Recently, COTS showed its support for local business partners through a series of profile pieces and was gracious enough to cover our firm alongside many other wonderful local businesses.

We are thrilled to announce our director of practice, Debra McGuire, has received a 2020 Women in Business Award from the North Bay Business Journal. Debra has been an invaluable asset in pursuing our vision to pioneer innovative and sustainable design solutions for our district clients through her deep technical knowledge and mentorship. We couldn't think of a more deserving candidate for this honor. Congratulations Debra!

Cardinal Newman celebrated the groundbreaking of its largest campus improvement to date following the Tubbs Fire's devastation. Despite pandemic-related setbacks, a small group of administrators, bishops, and project team representatives gathered (safely!) to commemorate the groundbreaking of the learning complex which will boast 18 classrooms and two outdoor learning areas joined around a central courtyard. The momentous step for the Catholic prep school was covered by American School & University.

Santa Rosa, Calif., June 22, 2020 – Today Cardinal Newman High School broke ground on a new two-story classroom building, marking the Catholic preparatory school’s second and most significant campus addition following the severe damage caused by the Tubbs Fire in 2017. With nearly 24,000 sq.ft. of new construction, students will enjoy increased modern classroom and outdoor learning space made possible by generous community support.

We are honored to have been named, for the fifth year in a row, the #1 Architecture Firm in the North Bay by the North Bay Business Journal. In such uncertain times, we are thankful to be reminded that steadfast commitment to design excellence keeps our firm at the top of our game.

This past month, we have been truly fortunate to continue working on our education design projects – and all the while, we have been aware that our schools, educators and students need additional help with resources for distance learning. This is why in our overall pursuit to support districts through this pandemic, we set aside funding to donate crucial resources to local schools in dire need – Wi-Fi hotspots, Chromebook laptops, copy paper for at-home learning packets and funding for food relief to support those families struggling to put food on the table. Thank you to our local paper, the Press Democrat, as well as Bay Area broadcast station KRON 4, for covering our efforts. We hope that the coverage inspires others to affect bold change in their own communities.

Bridging the Gap: Addressing Equity with Distance Learning
Mark Quattrocchi, FAIA

Lately, I’m reminded of Columbian author Gabriel García Márquez’s novel, Love in the Time of Cholera, where protagonists Fermina and Florentino are left forever adrift on the Magdalena River, confined to a ship bearing the Cholera flag. Similarly, COVID-19 has left us all a bit adrift in our shelter-in-place realities, awaiting the rescue of a yet-to-be-developed vaccine or at least an N95 mask. 

Pleasanton / Santa Rosa, Calif., April 28, 2020– Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), a leading planning and design firm serving Northern California’s education sector, has named Joel Williams to head its Pleasanton office as project manager and studio lead.

Santa Rosa, Calif., Mar. 11, 2020 – Quattrocchi Kwok Architects’ (QKA) Founding Principal Mark Quattrocchi has been elevated to the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) College of Fellows, earning the prestigious FAIA designation. Fellowship is the AIA’s highest membership honor, reserved for those who have made significant contributions to the profession and society and who exemplify architectural excellence.

Principal Mark Quattrocchi offered his insights to leading industry outlet School Construction News, joining voices with esteemed architects from across the nation to weigh in on the evolution of education design and the biggest influences on today's design trends. In the Architect Roundtable, Mark shares his thoughts on topics from green design to campus safety and Career Technical Education spaces, as well as the importance of district-specific communications planning throughout the design process. We love hearing Mark's perspective on all things K-12 design!