Alexandra Saikley

Alexandra enjoys practicing architecture for the opportunity to explore detailed design, solve complex problems, and develop a personal connection with clients. She has well-developed skills in consensus-building with user groups and neighborhood groups, which especially benefits the firm’s larger work. Alexandra also has an in-depth knowledge of historic preservation, and expertise in adapting historic structures to current use while maintaining their integrity.  She is committed to mentoring upcoming architects, and is on the Board of Advisors for the Diablo Valley College Architecture Design and Technology Program and the Build Beauty Program, Sant’Anna Institute, Italy.

Prior to founding Saikley Architects in 2003, Alexandra spent 10 years working on a broad range and scale of project types, including single-family homes, live-work spaces, multi-unit housing, mixed-use developments, childcare centers, schools, social service centers, churches, civic buildings, commercial spaces, restaurants, and hospitals. Design for children—architecture, interiors, and custom children’s furniture—has been a particular area of focus. 

Her hands-on understanding of building comes from working on the renovation of two of her own Craftsman homes. Alexandra also teaches Qigong and Breema, practices which bring a balance to her life and, in turn, support her architectural practice. She lives in Alameda with her husband and two sons. 

Masters in Architecture, UC Berkeley 

BA in Architecture, M.I.T. / Wellesley College 

Andrea is a licensed architect with 20 years’ experience in architecture. She does high-end residential and commercial work in her own firm, Andrea Cernusak Architect, and she works part-time with Saikley Architects as a project architect on many of our projects. Andrea loves delving into the details and figuring out how the various aspects of a project come together. She brings her fine eye for design, rigorous attention to detail, thorough follow-through, and consistent cheerfulness to all of her work. Andrea earned an MArch from the University of Idaho. When not working, she enjoys bicycle commuting and spending time with her family outdoors.

Angie is a highly experienced and skilled project manager and project architect. While she has worked on a large range of building types, her focus for the past 15 years has been on custom homes. She enjoys collaborating with all members of the team with her easy-going yet detailed personality. Her goal is always to achieve the client’s desires and to do it in the most cost effective, efficient, and appropriate way possible. Angie enjoys traveling around the world with her teenage daughter, outdoor activities like hiking, camping and paddleboarding and going out to hear djs and live music with friends. She earned her BArch from University of Cincinnati.

Dan is a licensed architect in California with 20 years’ experience in residential, commercial and education projects. He runs his own firm, Studio Converge in San Francisco, and has been consulting with Saikley Architects since 2017. Dan brings a high level of technical expertise to our projects, following every detail through to its logical conclusion and incorporating other disciplines’ needs into the design without compromise. Dan is skilled in project management, construction detailing, code analysis and BIM (Building Information Modeling). He holds a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley and MArch from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Marc has over 20 years’ experience. He runs his own firm based in Oakland, Marc Newman Architect, and collaborates on projects as lead architect with Saikley Architects. Marc brings a high level of technical expertise and design sensitivity to his work with our firm. He has worked on a diverse range of project types, including many award winning and nationally recognized projects that have been noted for exceptional design and sustainable strategies. Marc currently focuses on single-family residences, and he appreciates the one-on-one interaction with clients that these projects allow. Sustainability is a fundamental component of Marc’s design. He believes that if we are going to build, we should build with care and intention. Marc received his BA from Calvin College and MArch from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. When not working he enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports and brewing beer.

Esther has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of architecture, interiors and urban design. She runs her own firm, OpenBay Design, and has been consulting with Saikley Architects as a project architect since 2013. Esther values building a close network and collaborating with non-profit organizations on community-focused projects regionally and internationally. Esther earned her BA in Architecture and MArch from UC Berkeley. She is a California licensed architect and LEED AP (Accredited Professional Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Miki has always loved beautiful architecture as long as she can remember. Her passion for architecture led he to travel to see some of the world’s great historical buildings such as Sagrada Familia and the Eiffel Tower before settling down in the Bay Area. After graduating from California College of the Arts, she has gained experience in high-end residential projects, developing her skills in both architecture and interior design. Miki spends time working remotely in her home country, Japan, and visiting the many historical places there.

With 20 years’ experience in interior design, Kate O’Rourke has worked on both residential and commercial projects ranging from newly constructed custom homes to restaurants and corporate offices. After spending the better part of her adolescence living abroad soaking up art and architecture, Kate returned to the US to study interior design at university. Out of school she worked at some of the best firms in Sacramento and the Bay Area. She is a multi-faceted designer with an attention to detail in taking a space from conception to drawings to a built and fully curated interior. Kate earned her BA in Interior Architecture from California State University, Sacramento.

Nick has been working professionally in design since he was 13 years old. He consults with Saikley Architects for environmental graphic design, interior design, custom wallpaper and fabric design with our clients, and he also provides us marketing envisioning and support. Nick is based in Los Angeles where he works as a graphic designer, art director, and storyteller, on branding, marketing, and social media work and other creative projects for sports, music, fashion, retail, and architectural clients. He is endlessly inspired by film, music, nature, fashion and architecture, and draws from these elements to create designs that are not only visually captivating but also meaningful. He earned his BFA in Graphic Design from Chapman University. www.nicksaikley.com/about   www.baddaystudios.com

Abraham provides photography, copywriting and marketing support for Saikley Architects. He is a mountaineer, photographer, teacher, writer and editor, and has conducted neuroscience research at Stanford and UCSF. He earned his BA in Neuroscience and Philosophy at Claremont McKenna College. www.abrahamsaikley.com

Joe wears many hats in our office. He supports our architectural staff with office management, business administration, and some hands-on construction tasks to keep everything running smoothly. Joe has been an employee with Saikley Architects since 2015. His background is in business administration as well as fitness and outdoor recreation services. In addition to his job with Saikley Architects, Joe runs his own business, Stacked Adventures, which provides outdoor recreation services and rentals.