About Studio-AMA
Firm Values
Beauty
Architecture is the art of building. When designing a new building or remodel, we go beyond mere utility to create spaces that inspire and lift the spirit. We believe in the importance of classical architectural principles like scale, proportion, symmetry, balance and hierarchy. These universal principles transcend style and apply to all project types.
Economy
Studio-AMA understands that the practice of architecture does not exist in a vacuum but operates in the real world with rules and constraints (including project budgets). Rather than see these as impediments to the creative process, we aim to understand them fully and leverage this knowledge to our advantage. We keep building form simple yet add visual intrigue through layering and depth of materials and finishes. Maintaining a commitment to straightforward but elegant design also promotes flexibility and anticipates future use, thus preserving long-term value.
Context
We believe that great architecture is a product of its time and place. Whether it is an empty piece of land or a dated structure in need of an update, understanding the characteristics of your property is key to designing a successful project. Our design process always starts with a thorough analysis of the existing site conditions and considers factors like local climate, lot size/shape, building orientation, topography, access, and relationship to the surrounding neighborhood.
Comfort
While context is the primary genesis of architectural form, we believe that it is the little details that make a space pleasant and comfortable to be in. Interior finishes, lighting, plumbing fixtures and hardware are not afterthoughts but critical pieces of the overall design. Color, texture and patterns are all factors we consider when designing your project.
Adam Mayer, Architect
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Founder Bio
Adam Mayer is a Silicon Valley-based architect with over a decade of experience working in international design firms. He founded Studio-AMA in 2022 to bring his tailored approach to clients seeking design rooted in beauty, collaboration, and human wellness.
Before founding Studio-AMA, Adam worked at the San Francisco office of green building pioneer William McDonough, where he helped lead sustainable facilities planning initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies and San Francisco's waste management company.
Following his stint with William McDonough + Partners, Adam worked at Handel Architects in San Francisco, where he was Project Architect for 950 Gough Street, a 95-unit residential development in Hayes Valley. While at Handel, Adam also spearheaded the design and coordination of 50,000 square feet of social amenity space for Winthrop Center, a new 52-story mixed-use tower in downtown Boston.
In San Francisco, he sat on several local neighborhood planning committees, including as a Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit Community Advisory Committee member, an Urban Design Advisory Team member for the Port of San Francisco's Waterfront Plan Update, and a Board Member of the neighborhood organization Polk Street Neighbors. He currently sits on the Town of Los Gatos Planning Commission.
A Bay Area native, Adam is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Architecture in Los Angeles and a registered architect in the State of California. Adam lives with his wife in the Silicon Valley.