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Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture

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B3017 CLARA Midtown, E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing

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The expansion of residential suburbs in the 1960&#8217;s and 1970&#8217;s left our central city with stately but underutilized school facilities. Fremont School is one of 10 examples in the area that was designed by Dean &amp; Dean. It is a beautiful brick and terracotta building in the Spanish Revival style on a quiet Midtown street. It had a second life as an adult education center, which was shuttered in 2012.
After much discussion and negotiation, Fremont School now is the new creative home for Sacramento’s performing arts community, complete with outdoor performance space. The high ceilings and large classrooms perfectly suit rehearsal and teaching needs for <a href="https://www.sacballet.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sacramento Ballet</a>, <a href="https://www.mckeeverdance.com/#index" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">McKeever School of Irish Dance</a>, <a href="https://sacprepmusic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy</a>, and several others.
There are many technical challenges to adapting an early 20th century non-reinforced masonry building to the needs of 21st century performing arts. For one, the west wing of the school needed a truly creative structural solution to make the former classrooms and hallways open up for ballet studios. With <a href="https://buehlerengineering.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Buehler Engineering</a>, an innovative solution of 36 post-tension cables made this need a reality. The red cables, typically buried within new concrete, are intentionally left visible and are viewable from the first floor School of the Sacramento Ballet studios. The structural system was more complex than other concepts but once optimized, it was the lightest and least costly solution for the budget.
On March 17, 2015, the Sacramento City Council approved spending to renovate the building for the performing arts community in Sacramento. On May 11, 2015, <a href="https://www.rsconstruction.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudolph &amp; Sletten</a> started construction on the project. On March 9, 2016 the project &#8211; which was renamed <a href="https://www.claramidtown.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLARA</a> &#8211; officially opened.
CLARA received the 2017 Rehabilitation Design Award from the California Preservation Foundation; and Honor Award from the AIA Central Valley as well as the Divine Detail Award for the innovative structural solution. In 2017, the project also received an Award of Excellence in Historic Preservation from SEAOCC.
Photos by Chip Allen; historic photos courtesy of Center for Sacramento History.

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A new ferry terminal on the western shore of Treasure Island will provide easy access to San Francisco’s Financial District. An important link between the rapidly developing community of historic Treasure Island and San Francisco’s bustling downtown, the terminal was completed just in time for regular ferry service to begin in January 2022. The trip from the island to San Francisco’s Ferry Building takes only five minutes.
As an important part of the island, the pier is part of an assemblage that will ultimately include a 7,000 SF Ferry Shelter to accommodate residents waiting for the next ferry or other modes of transit that will be served by this intramodal hub, three Bus Shelters for SF MUNI and AC Transit riders, bus lanes and parking, as well as restroom facilities set within this waterfront plaza designed by AECOM.
The design of the Ferry Terminal pier tilts down subtly on the northern side of the pier to protect ferry users from the winds coming in through the Golden Gate, the roof becomes a lean, yet taut signature form that celebrates the island’s unique identity and introduces visitors to its blend of urbanity and powerful natural context.

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Treasure Island Ferry Terminal, 2019

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B9011 Solano County Child Support Services, 2019

Solano County’s Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) works together with the public to solve financial, legal and the emotional challenges that come with co-parenting. As a department with a difficult task, creating an environment with a positive workplace strategy helped improve their image and reinvigorated the work culture while delivering a welcoming and comfortable space for their clients.
DCSS’s new location, on the 5th floor of the County Administration Building, introduces an improved workflow for staff including a complete open office floor plan with access to natural daylight and integrated technology designed to enable staff to work from any of the collaborative areas. A training room and various sized meeting rooms provide staff dedicated spaces to collaborate and provide continuous staff training. Private interview rooms deliver space for DCSS to consult with clients on sensitive matters. The waiting room incorporates a large wall-length graphic wallcovering representing a “new horizon” emulating a more sophisticated version of a child’s painting. To help further reinforce the mission of the department and carry the design concept throughout, each of the conference spaces have large photographic wall coverings incorporating images of children and parents. The new DCSS environment gives a “fresh start” for both the DCSS staff and the clients they serve.

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C1012 Alchemist Public Market, 2021

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Alchemist Community Development Corporation connects communities to land, food, and opportunities toward a vision in which all Sacramento neighborhoods are vibrant, equitable, healthy, and diverse.
Through an entirely pro bono effort, Dreyfuss + Blackford has developed design concepts for the new Alchemist Public Market facility.  This project will provide an affordable production kitchen for start-up food businesses, a retail store for sales of locally produced products, a café that specializes in coffee and beer from local producers, and a co-working space for food entrepreneurs. An outdoor food court with covered seating and eight permanent “food pods” will create an incubator hub for mobile food truck entrepreneurs while providing a local source for quality food options. A weekly public farmers market will also take place on-site, utilizing built-in infrastructure designed for flexibility.
Located along North 10th Street and adjacent to the planned River District Park, the project will have true connectivity with the neighborhood and downtown Sacramento while creating an amenity for the local community.
Designed with a high level of sustainability, the project has entirely electric kitchen facilities and a significant amount of on-site power production through use of solar arrays on the roof and site shade structures.
Alchemist Public Market will provide underserved entrepreneurs with unique opportunities to launch their businesses, create an attractive and energetic community gathering space, and empower low-income neighbors to access quality food and produce from local sellers.

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C1012, Alchemist Public Market, 2021

Old Sacramento is the last remaining area in the city with direct access to the Sacramento river. Although the historic buildings in the district have been preserved, the vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian pathways throughout are confusing and disjointed. With previous installations of the Transcontinental Railroad’s western terminus, river levees to prevent flooding, and a major freeway bypassing the district, access has been blocked long-term to this jewel of the city.
Working in close coordination with a multidisciplinary team led by Atlas Lab, our solution proposes to restore waterfront access between Front Street and the river through creation of a signature park honoring Sacramento’s history, complete with narratives and native riparian vegetation. Creation of a separated pedestrian walkway and dedicated bike path along the embarcadero will also greatly improve access for all. The new dedicated bike path also provides a missing link in the regional trail system along the river. Additions of a performance space for outdoor concerts near the Tower Bridge, water splash pad with beach area for volleyball, and sheltered depot structure will encourage family and community engagement.
Team: 
ATLAS Lab, Inc. 
Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture 
Agency L+P 
Fehr+Peers 
Rana Creek Ecological Design 
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. 
Buehler Engineering

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Sacramento Waterfront Idea Makers Competition, 2019

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B6021 CLARA Signage &amp; Wayfinding

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An abandoned 1920s brick and terracotta school in Sacramento is now home to several arts groups in the region. To identify the various organizations within, the client wanted new wayfinding and easily changeable tenant- and donor-specific signage inside, with additional ADA, building address, and etiquette signage outside. The project scope included donor signage, gallery blades, tenant-specific signs, directories, courtesy and code required signage, all consistent with the building’s existing code signage and CLARA’s brand, developed after opening.

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B7005 Mansion Inn Revitalization, 2017

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Concept renderings created for local developer with plans to revitalize the Mansion Inn at 700 16th Street in Sacramento, a project we designed in 1958.
In its heyday (which lasted almost 30 years), the Mansion Inn was the place to stay and be seen. Politicians, celebrities, performing artists, all stayed here while in town. Frequent events, local art, quality food and garden lounges created the perfect place to retreat. Read more about the history of this unique Sacramento gathering spot on our blog post &#8220;Ronald Reagan Slept Here&#8221;.

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Railroad Technology Museum, 2005

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This housing conceptual design is one of three that can be deployed at multiple identified sites in the City of Sacramento to help transition people from living on the streets to permanent housing.
The design is a kit of parts that can be deployed wherever necessary and then moved to the next area of the city that needs it. Our solution fits the operating model of local non-profits that will be operating the community sites and providing supportive services to the individuals.
Each housing unit begins with a solid floor base, built from common framing materials. A modular system, it is based on a 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood. Connection points are built in to join floor bases together creating three different sizes: single occupancy, double occupancy, or family units (for up to 4 people). These same connection points provide solid attachment for the tent frames. We minimized the length of the poles in the frame, and used standard connectors to simplify construction and repair of each housing unit or “tent cabin”.
Each tent cabin has an enclosed space for sleeping and storage, and an open porch for seating or storing large items such as bikes and carts. The tent cabins are organized into small villages, and have a large central gathering space with picnic tables and a large shade structure. The villages can have between 8-15 people and can also combine with adjacent villages to create a community of 30-40 people. Each identified site can accommodate a maximum of 110 people, utilizing a single administration tent and service personnel.
Our team includes Atlas Lab, Inc., and Buehler Engineering, Inc., and is part of a joint program of ULI Sacramento, AIA Central Valley, and Downtown Partnership, working directly with the City of Sacramento and the mayor to provide housing solutions that are easily deployable across the city while promoting dignity, security, and safety for the unhoused population and the surrounding communities. Our work was presented to Mayor Darrell Steinberg and included in his presentation for the 2021 Master Siting Plan to Address Homelessness, adopted by the City Council on August 10th, 2021.

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The Bookery is a solution designed to respond to an international ideas competition requesting portable reading room designs incorporating bicycle parking, book storage and seating. The solution represents a layering of opportunities and a multitude of possibilities; it caters to perusal, reading and appreciation of books and also encourages communal development and the exchange of ideas.
The design begins with the idea of a 96’ x 96’ plane divided into three equal pieces, and when extruded creates three equal volumes. These volumes then undergo strategic manipulation – subtraction – to lead to the final modules. The conceptual carving out of the volume accounts for each module’s intended function – a seat, a book storage space, and a bike parking stand. The same process, applied in a different manner, allows for three different uses.
The final modules would be constructed out of 8&#8242; x 4&#8242; standard prefabricated sheets of locally sourced wood allowing for efficiency and ease of fabrication. They are layered to create the final volume and are connected to each other to allow for a predetermined range of rotation which allows for varied configurations and spatial adjacencies. A combination and configuration of modules can be chosen depending on individual site constraints.
The act of reading a book has the potential of transporting its reader into an altogether different world through imagination, and the Bookery aims to provide its users with the flexibility to create their own site and usage specific context.

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The Bookery, Portable Reading Room Competition, 2019

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Bookery Configurations

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B8008 Wiin Park Revitalization, 2018

An important node of the City of Sacramento’s urban grid, Albert Winn Park has remained underutilized for decades. At the center of the park, built in 1937 under the WPA, is a two-story former Fire Alarm Station.
With a subtle Art Deco style and a commanding view of the park, the rehabilitation and activation of the space was a priority for the community. D+B teamed with Atlas Lab to develop a complete vision for the park’s future. After completing a visioning plan and City planning and entitlements review, the scope of the project’s first phase would include the rehabilitation and renovation of the existing structure and related site improvements. Updating the building’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing components, hazardous materials abatement, ensuring structural stability, and prepping the interior for the restaurant. The second phase would include the park itself: rehabilitating and replacing the playground structure and a full landscaping overhaul with addition of special gardens; and tenant improvement for the restaurant itself.

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B8008, Winn Park Revitalization, 2018

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Sacramento is known for trees. While a great beneﬁt for the hot climate and livability, the tree canopy unknowingly affects the future of the urban community. The detail of the tree obscures the forest’s horizon. River Lookout Towers seeks to engage local inhabitants with the natural landscape and increase spatial awareness of the Region. With a goal of multiple tower installations, a strong series of nodes are defined along the path of our most important natural resource landmark, the River. The towers allow public safe access to the changing river environment while protecting the natural habitat. Inside-looking-out, observers can see the broad region and their relationship to the other nodes, while those on the ground can use the lookout towers as landmarks, guiding residents and visitors to Sacramento’s most prominent feature.
The River Lookout Tower concept was proposed by design principal, Jason A. Silva at the 2010 Mayor&#8217;s State of Downtown address. It was then featured in Sactown Magazine in the December 2016/January 2017 issue.

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CLARA, E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts

Treasure Island Ferry Terminal

Solano County, Department of Child Support Services

Alchemist Public Market

Sacramento Waterfront Idea Makers Competition

CLARA, E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts Signage & Wayfinding

Mansion Inn Revitalization

City of Sacramento, Homeless Supportive Housing

The Bookery, Portable Reading Room Competition

Winn Park Revitalization

River Lookout Towers