Noll & Tam Architects

We're thrilled and honored to announce that the Hayward Library and Community Learning Center has won an AIA COTE Top Ten Award for sustainable design excellence! 🌟🏆

The Hayward Library and Community Learning Center showcases the city's vision for a Zero Net Energy, highly sustainable community library. Now embodying the notion of “The Heart of the City,” the library has become the centerpiece of social infrastructure, revitalizing their downtown and a cornerstone for Hayward’s climate action plan. It has been a great pleasure to work with Hayward and their Librarians to create an array of multigenerational learning spaces, enhancing the lives of Hayward’s residents. In addition to its LEED platinum certification, it has also been verified as one of the largest Zero Net Energy libraries in the nation. We thank everyone for their contributions.
&
&
&

Join our Noll & Tam team as we seek a Marketing Director!

We offer competitive salary and benefits, a hybrid/remote work model, a pet-friendly environment, and a team of fun professionals that make for a truly enjoyable workplace.

https://aiaeb.org/jobs/noll-tam-architects-berkeley-ca-full-time-marketing-director/
&
&
&

Come and listen to our amazing Jessica Jobe Sea on June 11 as she takes part in the AIA East Bay's discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion!
You'll have the opportunity to learn strategies from industry leaders who have successfully created diverse and inclusive teams in the East Bay.
Sign up via the AIA East Bay website.
&
&
&

What better place to enjoy brain-shaped cookies than at Berkeley Neuroscience!

Last week, we celebrated the grand opening of the UC Berkeley Warren Hall 2nd Floor Renovation with Neuroscience faculty, staff, and students, UC Capital Projects and JRG Construction staff, and campus luminaries. This project designed by Noll & Tam converted a previous IT space into dry labs, collaborative spaces, conference rooms, patient testing rooms, and a shop room. The ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting by Professor Ehud Isacoff and PhD student Alexis Pracar, and then we all enjoyed a marvelous buffet of neuroscience-themed snacks!
&
&
&

Chris Noll and Trina Goodwin had a great time at the Library Journal Design Institute event in Spokane this week, sharing their expertise in constructing, renovating, and retrofitting libraries.
&
&
&

Taking a 'paws' from the office grind for our spring office retreat at the Oakland Zoo!
From making engaging pecha-kucha presentations to touring the veterinary hospital we designed in 2012 and sketching adorable Panamanian golden frogs, the day was an absolute blast. Huge thanks to the amazing staff at the Oakland Zoo for taking such great care of their animals and for giving us such an awesome day.
&
&
&

A day filled with golden shovels and delicious cake! On Friday, May 3, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the new North Coast County Water District Headquarters building in Pacifica. We are excited to see construction of this project get underway!

Grillin and chillin
We're kicking off the barbecue season with a yummy lunch at our Noll & Tam office!
&
&
&

Einstein said it best: "The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library."

Libraries -- or as we like to say, the community's living room -- aren't just spots for snagging books. They offer loads of great services, resources, and programs. In honor of , we thank library staff and libraries for their essential services and resources! Be sure to check out the amazing libraries California has to offer. Here are a few we know and love.
1. Half Moon Bay Library
2. Los Gatos Library
3. Felton Library
4. Capitola Library
&
&
&

Urban Tilth Topping-Out Ceremony

Great progress is being made on Urban Tilth’s North Richmond Farm! The white oak trusses, crafted by the Timber Framers Guild, were just installed, and the Noll & Tam design team participated in the topping-out ceremony on March 27 for the watershed workshop building, writing our wishes on the trusses and observing the traditional placement of the whetting bush on the highest point of the timber frame. We’re so excited to see this fabulous urban farm complex take shape.
&
&
&

Exciting news!
The Hayward Library & Community Learning Center has achieved Net Zero verification! The building is the largest public library on the New Buildings Institute national database.
Check it out: https://newbuildings.org/resource/getting-to-zero-database/
&
&
&

Happy National Wildlife Day to our furry, feathered, and finned friends!

We're proud to have designed animal care facilities that promote the health and happiness of animals. The Oakland Zoo's California Trail is home to native species such as condors, eagles, wolves, grizzly bears, bison, and mountain lions, and the Marine Mammal Center has rescued and rehabilitated more than 24,000 sea lions, elephant seals, harbor seals, fur seals, and other marine mammals.

We thank all the animal heroes - veterinarians, keepers, and helpers - for every fin and tail they protect.

Featured works: The Oakland Zoo California Trail, Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital, and the Marine Mammal Center.

A community hub for all ages.

The Los Altos Community Center was envisioned as a sustainable community resource that would serve individuals of all ages. The 25,000 SF facility offers a diverse range of amenities including a large community room, several multi-purpose rooms and small meeting spaces, a catering kitchen, senior center, central courtyard and city-run preschool. Within this inclusive space, community movie nights, chamber orchestras, arts and crafts, and game nights have found a welcoming home.

Photography: Ethan Kapan
&
&
&

What if Kermit was wrong, and it actually *is* easy being green! Communities deserve easy access to quality parks and green spaces, and what better way to foster a life-long love for nature than providing vibrant, nature-filled outdoor space in the schoolyard.

Noll & Tam partnered with BASE Landscape Architecture (prime consultant) on the complete redesign of the Bridges Academy schoolyard, a Spanish-English dual language school in East Oakland. We worked in tandem with BASE and the Trust for Public Land (client), an organization committed to ensuring that everyone has easy access to a green and enriching outdoor experience.

Previously a mostly asphalt expanse with minimal shade options, the former outdoor space left little room for imagination. The new redesign offers a more integrated, natural experience which includes vegetable gardens, trees, native plants, shaded eating areas, and play spaces for basketball and foursquare. We were tasked with obtaining State approval for accessibility and to ensure that new equipment and shade canopies met stringent structural requirements. The new design makes a space for integrated learning, play, and exploration for all students, teachers, and staff.
&
&
&

How did we reach 30 years of Noll & Tam already – nearly 31!

We sat down earlier this week to discuss how our company has grown and evolved over the last 30 years, observing what has changed and what has stayed the same, and how we got here thanks to the inspiration and dedication of Chris and Janet.

“It all comes back to the relationships we build. We truly couldn’t be where we are now without the advice we’ve received from our consultants. There’s something about service that is the throughline within the firm. We’re building relationships that are in service to communities!”

Visit our website to read the full interview – from study sessions at Strada Cafe between classes to contemplating a succession plan.

https://www.nollandtam.com/30-years-noll-tam-conversation-chris-noll-and-janet-tam
&
&
&

How idyllic is this Felton Library interior!

We worked as Associate Architect to Teall Messer Architect to provide the interior design and FF&E for this 9,650-square-foot branch that will offer modern library services, along with a larger collection, group study space, areas for teens and children, and a courtyard. The rustic-industrial design character reflects Felton’s history as a logging community. Whimsical wall-mounted and suspended butterfly sculptures, designed by local artist Lea de Wit, flutter throughout the interior, emulating the natural wildlife surroundings of the Santa Cruz mountains.

Come hear our talented Dora and Gavin lead a panel discussion with key personnel involved in the design and development of the Los Altos Community Center! There will be a series of small group tours through the community center after the discussion.

For more information on ticket prices and the speakers, see the info in the link below:

https://aiasiliconvalley.org/event/save-the-date-chapter-meeting-los-altos-community-center/

Noll & Tam was featured in a Library Journal article discussing modern libraries and community building. We discussed our design for the Hayward Library and Community Learning Center and our collaborative approach to community process, hosting public meetings, and engaging community members of all ages.

We are honored to be in the company of fellow architects Group 4 Architecture, HMB Architects, and LLB Architects, who are all making waves in the library design community and expanding the idea of what it means to design a flexible, adaptable 21st-Century library.

https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/community-building-for-modern-libraries-bringing-people-together-is-fundamental-lj231017

We made a pilgrimage to Gualala this past weekend for the annual Noll & Tam Office Retreat

We camped, we ate, we explored, we swam, we played, we marveled at huge bubbles, we got attacked by some waves, we accidentally set up tents on wasp nests, we chopped some logs for firewood, we showed off our talents around the campfire, and we even found some time to do a little relaxing!

Noll & Tam & You?

We are currently hiring at all levels, but specifically looking for a Junior Designer, Intermediate Architect, and Healthcare Project Manager/Project Architect.

We provide competitive salary and benefits, a hybrid/remote work model, and a fabulous mix of fun professionals that make for a truly enjoyable workplace!

Send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to [email protected] today to apply

Imagine a day packed with expert panel discussions and hands-on breakout sessions held by talented architects. This dream materialized last week at the Library Journal's Design Institute event, hosted at our beautifully designed Hayward Public Library—a Zero Net Energy building and leader in sustainable and 21st Century Library design.

Huge thanks to the Hayward Library staff for helping pull off this amazing event and to our attendees for their participation!

Swipe to catch a glimpse of our action-packed day!

Our own Christopher Noll and Trina Goodwin are featured panelists at the Mechanics' Institute this Thursday, September 14 for the Annual Architecture + the City Festival, presented by AIA SF and the Center for Architecture & Design. The discussion will be moderated by John King, Urban Design Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, and center around democracy and designing libraries for the future. Chris and Trina will be joined by architects from WRNS Studio.

https://www.milibrary.org/events/future-libraries-opening-doors-democracy-sep-14-2023

Noll & Tam recently completed our new design and tenant improvement efforts to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Administrative Headquarters in Los Altos. We might be a bit biased, but we think it turned out beautifully!

Our team worked closely with staff, gathering feedback and suggesting layout options to improve the design of flexible spaces, balancing open, collaborative workspaces with private rooms for meetings. The real charm of this space, however, is all about the details. We included images throughout that act like easter eggs, highlighting native flora and fauna, elevation of local hiking trails on the stair risers, and etchings in the concrete both interior and exterior, placed by our contractor partners BHM Construction, that are meant to emulate topographical maps. Visitors will be happy to know that Reggie, the District's beloved mountain lion, still has a special place guarding the entrance desk and stairwell.
&
&
&

Join us and Design Tours Committee for a tour of !

Located on an urban site adjacent to the City’s main downtown park, this three-story library is an innovative resource for Hayward’s diverse community. The library includes expanded classrooms and educational spaces for an adult learning center and a homework center. It is one of the largest Zero Net Energy public libraries in the country and includes a rainwater catchment system that will save and recycle 500,000 gallons of water per year. In terms of design, sustainability, and service delivery, this is truly a 21st Century Library.
&
&
&

Noll & Tam is a Just 2.0 organization (again)!

Ushering in a new era of corporate transparency, we chose to reevaluate our business with Just 2.0 through the lens of social justice and equity. We're proud to continue our commitment to , and to be included on this updated list. We're inspired to continue working towards a more just future for our team!
&
&
&
Justice

Come join our team!

We're looking to hire a and an
Some info about us: We provide competitive salary and benefits, a hybrid remote work model, and a fabulous mix of goofy professionals that make for a truly enjoyable workplace!

Do you like writing proposals or designing spaces that facilitate community interconnection? Do you care about designing spaces focused on sustainability? Check out the job posts on our LinkedIn account and send us your info!

Links in bio
&
&
&

We love visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium and learning about all the marine life, but have you ever considered how much water the aquarium deals with on a daily basis? Nearly 1 billion gallons of seawater flows through the aquarium from the Bay annually, and it all has to be treated to ensure safe conditions.

When working with the Aquarium, a "functional and intuitive water science lab" was the brief we had to meet in designing the new back-of-house water lab. We also wanted to provide the aquarium with ample storage and natural flow through the space to accommodate for high volumes with ease.
&
&
&

Scott Salge, AIA - Principal

"I’m kind of jazzed by our return to the office, actually. It’s exciting to me that everyone is coming back with renewed energy. I guess I feel like our thoughts on returning reinforces the Noll & Tam ethos and culture. Everybody has lives and families that have become more complicated in this moment than they’ve ever been, and it’s funny because now work has become this sort of respite from this pandemic fever dream!

We have all office lunches and little check-in chats, and just have more capacity to remember what it’s like to enjoy each other’s company - hopefully that’s something that extends to all the communities we work with.

I’ve also been thinking about water a lot in our oscillation between extreme rain and flooding and continued drought. I've been watching movies like ‘Chinatown,’ noticing the sort of water soap opera moving from one extreme to another. Maybe that is the parallel, the fluidity of working alone at home versus working as a group as analogous to the California drought and rehydration of working together again? Wading through the waters? But hopefully adaptation to a hybrid work model is more manageable and not as extreme…"

Phan Dung - Senior Associate Architect

"I guess I’m sort of inspired by my kids on a daily basis. They’re always writing their parents love letters or drawing stuff to share with me – their pictures are always very cute and their designs for monsters or princesses are fascinating.

I also enjoy browsing magazines or watching YouTube, browsing articles and videos to find ideas, resources, and inspiration. I’m specifically inspired by videos of people who work in a profession they pursue for a long time – like interviews with mom-and-pop restaurants who have worked for the last 30+ years doing the same thing every day, perfecting and fine-tuning a specific dish that might have been brought down through generations. Watching how people perfect their craft over long periods of time is so inspirational to me.

If you try to tie that back to Noll & Tam, we’ve been around for 30 years, and I think it takes a specific vision and group of people to be able to achieve that longevity, and weather the various storms we’ve encountered. It’s definitely something to be proud of!"