we believe architecture should transcend its physicality—leading us on a journey of wonder and discovery
For the past thirty years, we have worked with numerous families, businesses, and institutions to design spaces that evoke emotion, communicate soul, and excite the physical senses.
featured work
SUSTAINABLE LUXURY RESIDENTIAL TOWER // MIDDLE EAST
GRAVATT RESIDENCE // BERKELEY, CA
Grand Egyptian Museum // Giza, Egypt
DALIAN PRESCHOOL // DALIAN, CHINA
Contemplative Garden // Berkeley, CA
STANFORD ART SANCTUARY // PALO ALTO, CA
ECOVISTA HOMES // MESHREF, LEBANON
DAR AL-ULOUM LIBRARY // AL JOUF, SAUDI ARABIA
HAPPY CHILDHOOD VILLAGE // KISONGO, TANZANIA
CLAREMONT RESIDENCE // BERKELEY, CA
KINGSWOOD RESIDENCE // HILLSBOROUGH, CA
1750 BROADWAY // OAKLAND, CA
about us
THE FIRM — Established in 1989 in Berkeley, CA, by Charles Debbas, we are an award winning design firm with projects spanning multiple countries and cultures. We pride ourselves in gathering the brightest and most talented architects around a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary design process that harnesses the specific expertise required for each project.
Over the past thirty years, we have had the great fortune of sharing our vision with incredible clients, resulting in genuinely creative journeys and timeless works. We encourage dialogue and the sharing of emotions as well as the incredible sense of pride and fulfillment that should always accompany them.
We adhere to the principle that design opens the path to an infinite realm of ideas and possibilities. Steering clear of trends or solidly anchored styles, we encourage every project to assume its own identity without resorting to the mimicking of past styles or existing trends.
CHARLES DEBBAS — is an award winning architect whose work has been described as fluid, environmentally sensible, well-proportioned, non-traditional, and adorned with a masterful use of natural light.Rooted in minimalism and sustainability, his work is regularly found adorning the pages of numerous publications and books nationally and internationally. Charles is also a world renowned industrial designer, whose collaborations with the likes of Sheaffer, Bic, Ferrari, Target and others have resulted in ground breaking and innovative designs ranging from pens to furniture, boats, electric bicycles, and solar carports among other products.
SUSTAINABILITY — We are committed to playing a pivotal role in the future of architecture, engaging in practices and solutions essential in facing the existential threat imposed on our world. We believe aiming for a carbon free approach is no longer a choice.
In every project, we strive to weave together architecture and sustainable design seamlessly through common sense and existential concerns. While we actively embrace new technologies and materials, our sustainable strategies and designs are always anchored in the tried and true wisdom and practices of past civilizations such as natural lighting, earth sheltering, renewable materials, and passive solar principles.
our services
We offer a full suite of services uniquely tailored to you and your prospective project. Regardless of scale, we treat every project as a collaboration to craft a masterpiece that captures the spirit, soul, and needs of you or your organization. Some of our services include:
community urban planning and development
architectural, interior and landscape design
custom furniture and product design
environmental and wayfinding graphics
branding and asset creation for fundraising and investor interest
recognition
PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS
2019 Wolf International Prize Nominee, Nominated by Stanford University, 2019
Asmaa min al Tarikh, LBC Live Television Interview, Feb 2018 [ watch on youtube ]
Beyond the Doors, SPACES Magazine [ read article ]
Earth Wind and Fire, Oakland Magazine [ read article ]
Gentry Home Design Excellence Awards, Gentry Home Magazine [ see project ]
AIA Top 5 Homes in the SF Bay Area, American Institute of Architects East Bay, Oct 2016 [ see project ]
AIA Top 5 Homes in the SF Bay Area, American Institute of Architects East Bay, Oct 2012 [ see project ]
TESTIMONIALS
I have had an opportunity to visit and enjoy Charles’ built work for extended periods of time. I am continually impressed by his mastery of natural light and the play of elegant materials and finishes. Everywhere you look there are visual surprises, yet all is comfortable and free from willful novelty. Charles Debbas is that rare creature, an artist-architect. His mastery of color, often neglected in buildings, is that of a skilled painter, while a joyful sculptural quality runs through all his work.
— JOHN K., ARCHITECTURE HISTORIAN AND CRITIC
His ongoing dialogue with the medium of architecture integrates a poetic spatial sensibility with an unyielding precision applied in the development of every construction detail. He has achieved a mastery of architectonic form, all the while coaxing, much like a sculptor might from stone, the inherent power of place.…
— DR ADI SHAMIR-BARON, NYC LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSIONER
…he is a master at manipulating natural light as well as wood, concrete, stone, steel, and glass. Charles’ approach is timeless and environmental. His work does what Paul Klee said art should do, that is, “not to render the visible but to render visible.”
— DANIEL G., ARCHITECTURE HISTORIAN AND MAGAZINE EDITOR
have an idea?
let’s collaborate!
For a free design consultation, media, press, or speaking inquiries please contact us below:
info@debbasarchitecture.com
+1 510 549 1497
2550 9th St
Suite #210B
Berkeley, CA 94710 [map]