Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects

Mark Cavagnero, FAIA, founded Mark Cavagnero Associates in 1988, and has guided its growth into a design-centered practice serving clients internationally. His work embodies a timeless quality, visible in a broad range of renovation and new construction work. Mark is focused on creating tangible spaces that encourage the ephemeral aspects of human interactions.
As the founding principal of the firm, Mark provides leadership over the design of all projects within the office. He brings over three decades of expertise in the planning, design and construction and has been recognized for seamlessly integrating environmental, cultural and contextual strategies to curate a holistic design approach, through various building types from education, museums, civic buildings, theaters, and residential buildings. 

His projects are known for careful attention to balanced natural light through all parts of the building, in support of activities and wellness of the occupants. Mark Cavagnero Associates’ approach in design has garnered the firm more than 100 awards from international, national, state, and local organizations.
Mark has personally been recognized with the AIACC 2010 Distinguished Practice Award and the AIACC 2015 Maybeck Award for outstanding lifetime achievement, among many other accolades. He is currently engaged on projects throughout North America, including the new San Francisco Moscone Center Expansion; San Francisco Conservatory of Music; the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Quest Diagnostics headquarters in New York; as well as projects for Salesforce spanning across Asia, North America and Europe.

As Managing Principal at Mark Cavagnero Associates, Kang Kiang, FAIA is responsible for direct oversight for several market sectors, overall office management, marketing, business development, PR, and implementations of firm wide goals and objectives. Kang oversees and control operations and activities to promote achievement of the firm’s design oriented objective. In this capacity, he has been leading and positioning the firm to take on innovative design, supported by research and collaboration on projects worldwide. He assists with design presentations, monitor project development and provides direction and support to ensure consistent and high quality firm wide output.

Kang has led numerous sustainable design projects, including the California Academy of Sciences (LEED Platinum), 555 Howard Street (LEED Platinum) and the San Francisco Airport Consolidated Administrative Campus (Zero Net Energy/WELL) among others.

 

A thoughtful advocate for client-centered design in both the institutional and educational realms for more than 20 years, John brings a unique balance of technical expertise and design insight to our practice. As the office leader in evolving trends for learning environments, John’s expertise crosses formal and informal learning environments in working closely with our higher education clients. He recognizes and solves technical problems as they arise with a sense of clarity and creativity, while keeping an eye on the cohesive design behind the project. John ensures that the original design intent is met and the architecture and engineering disciplines are well-documented and coordinated.  John is a true asset to our clients, our firm, and the many award-winning projects that he manages.

John has directed numerous award winning projects in the office including Oakland Museum of California, Creative Arts Building at SF State University, Burbank Auditorium at Santa Rosa Junior College, Saint Mary’s Student Chapel, and College of Marin Academic Center.

As a Principal with over 20 years of experience in the field and 18 years at Mark Cavagnero Associates, Brandon has a diverse portfolio of public and private sector projects. He has worked on several award-winning projects including the Clovis Memorial District Conference Center, Marin Horizon School, Park City Museum, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, and The Terrace at the California Academy of Sciences.

More recently he worked on the design of the Moscone Center Expansion - a complex, multi-phased convention facility project executed together with SOM.

Brandon has a wealth of experience managing complex projects of varying scale and typology throughout all phases of design and construction. As a generalist, he collaborates closely with clients to achieve their goals while carefully balancing design clarity, thorough technical execution, and nimble management. His current efforts focus on the corporate and hospitality realm as he directs the global design of Salesforce’s unique workplace and specialty event spaces stretching across the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Mandy has more than 15 years of experience in financial accounting for architectural and engineering firms. She started her career at RIM Architects in Anchorage, Alaska and later relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2011. She joined Mark Cavagnero Associates in 2019 as the firm's Controller and was promoted to Associate Principal in 2023. She currently oversees the accounting department, business operations, human resources, and manages the admin staff. Throughout her career, she has also implemented firm-wide software conversions and established organizational policies and procedures.

Outside of the office, Mandy believes in the impact of giving her time to nonprofit community groups. She enjoys volunteering her time with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Marine Mammal Center, CANstruction, and LEAP Sandcastle.

Felicia is an Associate Principal and joined the firm in 2008. She has over 30 years of experience on public and private sector work and oversaw the completion of several of the firm's award-winning projects such as The Hamlin School, Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera, Whole Foods Market, Oklahoma City, and all 4 phases of Oakland Museum of California's renovation and additions. Prior to joining Mark Cavagnero Associates, she worked on the design and construction of the iconic California Academy of Sciences. She is adept at managing big, complex projects which often includes getting consensus with large client and community groups. She is highly sensitive when integrating historic and new building elements and values the importance of placemaking for communities, particularly in the Bay Area. She currently manages several key San Francisco projects for the firm including Congregation Emanu-El, Gene Friend Recreation Center, and SF Public Utilities Commission's New CDD Campus.

Paul is an Associate Principal and joined the firm in 2007. He has over 20 years of wide ranging experience in higher education, civic, lab, healthcare, and cultural projects delivered in a variety of procurement methods. As a generalist by nature, he strives to unite the design ambition and technical implementation on projects to create elegant, holistic solutions attuned with the client’s goals. He managed several of the firm's key projects such as the Joan & Sanford Weill Neurosciences Building at UCSF, Mammoth Lakes Courthouse, Palo Alto Arts Center, and Durant Hall at UC Berkeley. He is currently working on a complex conversion project of an office-to-biochemistry lab for the Arastradero Research Institute.

Chris brings over 20 years of professional experience in a range of projects in the US, Europe, and Asia/Pacific - including academic, cultural, workplace, and residential sectors. He led a number of the firm's key projects including numerous specialty projects for Salesforce worldwide, Salesforce Plaza, Lakeport Courthouse, and San Francisco School of the Arts. His keen design sensibilities are complemented by strong 3D and graphics skills, all the while anchored by his thorough understanding of construction and technical detailing. Through rational design and well-coordinated documentation, he strives to achieve design clarity and excellence for all of his projects. He currently oversees the design of the California State Capitol Visitor Center project in Sacramento.

Federica has nearly 20 years of experience in workplace programming, space planning, interior architecture, and furniture solutions. Working with clients to find innovative solutions to complex design problems, she always seeks to create elegant and progressive spaces that enrich the lives of the people who work and live in them. She is highly skilled at translating user needs into responsive places of beauty and high performance. With vast experience in design and client management from its onset to construction, including finish and furniture selections as well as branding design, she is able to ensure the efficiency of the entire design execution process. Federica currently oversees a number of interiors projects for the firm, including Treasure Island Parcel C3.4, Arastradero Research Institute, and several private residential projects in San Francisco.

Chris joined Mark Cavagnero Associates in 2016 and brings over 20 years of professional experience working on diverse projects in the U.S., Europe, and Asia - including workplace, cultural institutions, educational facilities, transit centers, and master planning. As a Senior Associate, he currently manages the design of hospitality spaces for Salesforce globally as well as New Embassy Compounds for the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations. His international body of work reinforces his collaborative approach to design and commitment to shepherding his client's visions. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Director at Bernard Tschumi Architects for over 10 years where he worked on a number or award-winning projects including Le Rosey Concert Hall, New Hague Passage, Flon Intermodal Transit Center, and the New Acropolis Museum. He also taught at Columbia University, University of Detroit Mercy, and served as an invited critic at the University of Michigan, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Georgia Tech, and the University of Maryland. Chris is an active board member of Design Corp - a public interest non-profit organization that uses design, advocacy, and education to shape the environments of undeserved communities.

Katy has been working in the AE field for over 20 years, including 4 years as a structural engineer earlier in her career prior to becoming an architect. This unique blend of design and technical skills combined with her experience on a wide variety of project types, enables her to work collaboratively with design, construction, and client teams. She is highly skilled at managing the design of complex projects. She builds consensus among groups of stakeholders to define and achieve project goals and leads projects through the design, entitlement, and construction phases. Prior to joining the office, her experience focused on commercial, adaptive-reuse projects in San Francisco. At Mark Cavagnero Associates, she has worked as a project manager for tenant improvement and new construction projects for nonprofit organizations such as the LightHouse for the Blind, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Currently she is overseeing a 175-unit, multi-family housing project on Treasure Island Parcel C2.2.

Grant is a Senior Associate with nearly 20 years of professional experience. As a project director and designer, he has led and collaborated on a wide range of design initiatives from museum and commercial interiors to mixed-use multi-family developments. These projects have required a thorough understanding of various construction types (I, III, V) and typologies (low, mid, high-rise), as well as efficient management of large consultant teams. With a passion for contextually sensitive design, he has spent the last decade leading a myriad of Bay Area projects through complex entitlement processes and overseeing their successful completion. He currently oversees several residential development projects throughout the Bay Area including Blithedale Terrace and The Seminary in Mill Valley and Parcel C2.2 and C3.4 in San Francisco's Treasure Island.

Since joining the firm in 2013, Ellen worked on a wide range of projects, with her most significant contributions focused on academic and civic buildings. Her prior experience includes residential, high-rise, and boutique sectors. She brings an energetic yet practical perspective to all of her projects, striving to unite the client’s goals with thoughtful, well-detailed design. She is adept at managing large stakeholder groups, particularly process-focused organizations like universities and city governments. As an Associate of the firm, she currently leads the West Valley College Learning Resources Center and SF Public Utilities Commission’s New CDD Campus projects.

Amy joined Mark Cavagnero Associates in 2017 and has nearly 15 years of professional experience. Prior to joining the firm, Amy worked in New York City on a diverse range of projects, including timber-framed construction, high-end residential, artist spaces, and commercial interiors. Her experience has included complex renovations, often of landmarked or historically sensitive sites, and she enjoys the process of reimagining and transforming spaces to bring them life, beauty, and utility. Through her high attention to detail and leadership in collaboratively solving design challenges, Amy strives for excellence in all her projects. She currently leads the renovation of Congregation Emanu-El, an iconic Arthur Brown Jr. building in San Francisco.

Christopher Agosta was born and raised in New York City and was educated and Wesleyan and Harvard Universities. He practiced architecture for 27 years and has broad experience in institutional and residential areas of practice.