Officially operating out of MBH’s LEED Gold-certified Alameda headquarters, CJA has been folded into MBH Architects
MBH Architects, leaders in award-winning architecture for the retail, hospitality, commercial, and residential markets is excited to announce that San Francisco-based Christiani Johnson Architects (CJA) has been fully integrated under the MBH umbrella. CJA has earned a reputation for delivering excellent service through integrated design, technical knowledge, and project leadership.
Founded in 1994 by architects Richard Christiani and David Johnson, the full-service practice is focused on multi-family and mixed-use projects, with a portfolio that also includes a number of commercial, retail and office developments, as well as single-family residences—which will add to MBH’s diverse offerings. In addition to these projects, CJA has dedicated time to transforming abandoned and underutilized properties in the San Francisco Bay area, helping to rejuvenate the surrounding community.
“As I looked to the future of CJA, I became excited at the prospect of folding into a larger firm as it would offer distinct advantages for growth and opportunity in the coming years,” says CJA Founder Richard Christiani. “Having successfully collaborated on projects over the years, I had no doubt that MBH would be a natural home for CJA.”
MBH and CJA have each excelled in their respective fields and established themselves as top players in the Bay Area and beyond. This announcement comes at an auspicious time as MBH was recently awarded several large and prestigious new housing and mixed-use projects, creating a demand for additional tenured architects within the firm’s Housing Studio. The two companies are further unified through their shared commitment to sustainable design—as evidenced by the number of LEED-accredited professionals on staff, programs aimed at helping additional staff members become accredited, and award-winning LEED projects they have designed.
“We are pleased to be onboarding such a well-respected firm that has done exemplary work throughout the years,” says MBH Founding Principal John McNulty. “Our firms share similar values and a commitment to delivering high quality service. We believe this move will further strengthen our practice and create new opportunities for continued success.”
Founded in 1989, MBH Architects is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay with offices in New York and Mumbai. Adding CJA’s impressive talent and project roster to the MBH portfolio continues to build the company’s global reach and sector-specific expertise.
About MBH Architects Housing Studio: For more than 25 years, the Alameda, California-headquartered MBH Architects Housing Studio has worked on numerous multi-family housing and mixed-use projects for clients that include Gerding Edlen, AvalonBay Communities, and Emerald Fund. Through in-depth research and analysis, coupled with unmatched expertise in architecture and development, the Housing Studio heads projects that include residential complexes, mixed-use communities, and renovations in and around the Bay Area. MBH continues to add new and exciting projects to its diverse portfolio with high-profile constructions such as the LEED Silver certified Avalon Morrison Park in San Jose, Oakland’s 612-unit Town29 Apartments, and elevated graduate student living at the University of California, Davis.