Santa Rosa, Calif., Aug. 11, 2021 – Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), a leading planning and design firm serving Northern California’s education industry, is celebrating its 35th anniversary.
Headquartered in Santa Rosa and operating a second office in Oakland, the 68-person firm has made a commitment to reviewing and improving its social justice and equity policies and practices through participation in the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) JUST 2.0 Program.
Last year, QKA employees founded the firm's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council to spearhead social justice initiatives within the firm, including submission for its JUST 2.0 label.
WHAT THE JUST LABEL MEANS TO QKA
ILFI’s JUST Program is a voluntary disclosure tool for all organizations seeking to become just and equitable. Different than a traditional verification or certification program, JUST provides a transparency platform where policy statements on a number of human resource and community stewardship practices are disclosed.
An organization’s resulting JUST “nutrition label” is outlined by 22 specific social and equity indicators that are housed within six general categories: diversity + inclusion, equity, employee health, employee benefit, stewardship and purchasing.
Throughout the JUST submission process, QKA’s DEI Council worked to revise and add many firm policies to ensure all are equitable and inclusive. In addition, the Council is currently developing a strategic plan for more inclusive hiring practices, working to set up community outreach to schools to expose underrepresented students to careers in architecture, and has focused on firmwide trainings on topics including diversity and allyship.
“Participating in ILFI’s JUST Program has allowed us to take a truthful and transparent look at how we can best support our employees, clients and community and also do our part to create social change in the industry,” said QKA Principal Aaron Jobson, AIA, ALEP. “We certainly recognize there are areas in which we can greatly improve, as well as those we have already made significant strides in, and we have made a commitment to dedicating time and resources in pursuit of social justice and equity in all facets of our operation. As we celebrate 35 years, we know that success in this endeavor is synonymous to the future success of QKA.”
PASSION FOR DESIGNING EDUCATION FACILITIES
QKA’s 35-year history has been marked by a passion for designing superior education spaces. The firm has continually been at the forefront of embracing innovations in design and sustainability, including modern learning environments that adapt to different styles of learning and teaching. Its robust portfolio of award-winning projects include the highly sustainable Americ
In 2015, QKA co-developed its own school building alternative, Folia. Folia’s pre-engineered buildings are durable, high-quality and flexible, while providing the cost and schedule efficiencies of modular construction. To date, 11 Folia-based buildings have been completed and seven more are currently in the design phase, ultimately saving several Bay Area school districts up to a year per project and millions of dollars.
“QKA has truly always been focused on people, collaboration, and innovation, and delivering great work,” said QKA Founding Principal Mark Quattrocchi, FAIA. “My partner Steve Kwok and I have long believed that investing in our staff and the culture here will result in partnerships and projects that we can be immensely proud of. This could not be truer today as we look to the future, continuing to grow, improve and learn. I am in awe of QKA’s next generation of leaders as they take us down this path, including the work to obtain and respond to our JUST 2.0 label.”
At the outset of 2020, the firm became majority employee-owned through the adoption of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Fremont High School, Oakland, Calif., is a recent example of Quattrocchi Kwok's K-12 portfolio. Photo: Tim Maloney
RECENT QKA WORK: FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL, OAKLAND
QKA and LCA Architects recently completed for Fremont High School in the Oakland Unified School District.
The project has reinvigorated a campus that serves 1,200 students, including a new parking lot and administration entrance; a new modular 12-classroom building; modernization of an existing classroom building providing specialty CTE classrooms for Digital Media (including Audio/Video Recording Studio) and Architecture and Engineering (drafting lab and maker space), as well as upgrades to general classrooms and science labs; a new gym, wellness center, and a stadium.
New construction totaled 45,000 sf; the modernization portion totaled 40,000 sf.
The Digital Media studio at Fremont HS provides career training. Photo: Tim Maloney
ABOUT QUATTROCCHI KWOK ARCHITECTS
QKA provides comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education, historic renovation and community facilities in Northern California. With more than $2.5 billion in projects completed in its 35-year history, QKA’s award-winning portfolio reflects a commitment to design that emphasizes environmental sustainability and community impact. Building Design + Construction has recognized QKA as one of the nation’s top K-12 and BIM (building information modeling) architecture firms. Engineering News-Record has called it one of America’s top design firms. Majority employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), QKA continually lands on the North Bay Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” list. Visit qka.com to learn more.
Related Stories
Airports | Aug 31, 2016
Aircraft manufacturing facility innovation from The Austin Company
Austin’s many innovations contributed to the success of our clients by enabling them to operate in more efficient environments, optimize the flexibility of their operations, and meet aggressive schedules.
| Aug 30, 2016
CONVENTION CENTER GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top convention center sector design and construction firms
Gensler, LMN Architects, AECOM, Turner Construction Co., and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest convention center sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 30, 2016
BIM GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top BIM design and construction firms
HOK, Perkins+Will, Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Jacobs, and Thornton Tomasetti top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest BIM AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Building Tech | Aug 26, 2016
NBBJ’s Goldilocks sensor technology can help employees find a workspace that is just right
The technology measures light levels, humidity and temperature, motion, and sound.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
11 great solutions for the commercial construction market
A roll-up emergency department, next-gen telemedicine center, and biophilic cooling pods are among the AEC industry’s clever ideas and novel innovations for 2016.
| Aug 19, 2016
RECONSTRUCTION GIANTS: Facelifts give buildings new identities, even as they keep a few wrinkles
Reconstruction is always a balancing act between the client’s pro forma and what the building needs to be vibrant again.
| Aug 19, 2016
Top 130 Reconstruction Architecture Firms
The Beck Group, Stantec, and IMC Consruction top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest reconstruction sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 18, 2016
LOCAL GOVERNMENT GIANTS: A ranking of the nation’s top design and construction firms in local sector work
HOK, Stantec, Turner Construction Co.,Clark Group, AECOM and STV top Building Design+Construction’s annual rankings of the nation’s largest local government sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 18, 2016
STATE GOVERNMENT GIANTS: A ranking of the nation’s top design and construction firms in state sector work
CannonDesign, Stantec, Turner Construction Co.,Mortensen Construction, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff and AECOM top Building Design+Construction’s annual rankings of the nation’s largest state government sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Hotel Facilities | Aug 17, 2016
First of its kind tri-branded Marriott hotel under construction in downtown Nashville
The hotel will combine the AC Hotels, Residence Inn, and SpringHill Suites brands.