Charlie Barnett AIA, Principal

Charlie Barnett was raised on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, surrounded by unique homes in beautiful natural settings and became interested in residential architecture at an early age. His first project, while an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, was the renovation of a 1920’s Farm House where he gained an appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of vernacular buildings. Upon entering UC Berkeley he bought and restored a Bear Boat, a classic San Francisco Bay wooden sail boat built in 1945, allowing hands on experience in detailed wood working and restoration.

Upon graduation, he spent several years in commercial real estate before embarking on another project. He designed and built a small house in the woods of Marin County. The project, featured in Sunset Magazine, allowed him his choice of Master of Architecture programs in the country.

After graduating from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1991 he returned to California to open Charlie Barnett and Associates. With his knowledge of construction and a contractor’s license, he began building many of his designs until 1999 when he decided to limit his practice to Residential Architecture. After living in Hillsborough for eight years and serving on its design review board, he returned to San Francisco where he resides with his partner of 30 years and their dog Enzo. Charlie is Build-It Green certified.