01/13/2016
Areas Served: San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose
Form Architect's Company Profile:
Sean S. Laal is the architect at Form Architect who understands the issues of building from the architectural design in a way few other architects do, he is a licensed Architect and a General Contractor. He has lived in San Francisco Bay Area for 32 years and has helped many of his clients achieve their goals in new construction, remodeling and redesigning their properties. As an Architect, he can offer his clients Good Design and as a Contractor, he can help realize their goals and make it happen within a reasonable budget.
Architecture school has given him a solid background in designing and building at University of Michigan. He received his Master's Degree which is a consistent emphasis on intelligent design and environmental consciousness created an excellent beginning. Following his graduation, he worked at several large offices (SOM and HOK) and several small offices (Donald McMullan Associates, Ratcliff Architects). At each location, he was gaining valuable experience in design, space planning, construction management and general management of an Architectural office.
Architect's statement:
"When you hire an architect who is educated and experienced in good design, and works with you one-on-one, you will end up with a better product which represents your own lifestyle and expectations from your living environment. Short-cutting the design process won't always save you money. Instead, you will be happier with the results and possibly save money by going to an architect first who can provide skilled design and careful space planning."
Space Planning
Space planning is much more than just sketching out plans. Some clients may say "I need more space" but what they really need is a better way to use the space that they already have. Sometimes adding or removing walls may solve a space planning issue with a fraction of the cost of new construction.
Clients must find the most economical solutions to their space problems. The key is to take a step back and look at their property and incorporate their current needs into it. As a result, a minor change may achieve those goals or in fact a major renovation may be necessary.
Clients in the Bay Area love the added value of working with a cost-conscious architect. And you can be sure that Form Architects will find a solution that works for you. We can be sure that we never dictate how clients should use their space because our job is to understand our clients, how they use their space and what will be the most benefit to them.
Design
What sets Mr. Laal apart from other architects is the way he involves his clients in the planning process.
"I include my clients in the design phase, so when the project is done, they have ownership of the project. Other architects might just tell clients to tear down a wall or add a room, but clients should understand why that use of space is important. I will sketch designs for my clients as they work though a range of possibilities for a space. Other architects work alone in their office to sketch. For me, I want my clients to understand and get involve in the process and work through it with me. I want them to be part of the design process. I enjoy working with people and find that personally connecting with my clients makes every job better. My purpose is to give my clients what they want. Fulfilling their needs and serving them is the most important part of what I do."
-Sean Laal
Community
Sean has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. As a member of this community, he has helped many clients through property development and land use issues. He lives in this community and like anyone who loves where they live, he wants to be a part of improving the community for everyone.
At Form Architects, we encourage recycling, the reuse of materials, implementation of energy efficient design and methods, we also work to better the environment with an emphasis on green building that limits environmental impact and also keeps building costs fair. There's no doubt that saving money is possible if you work with a skilled Architect.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or projects.
