History of Ken Linsteadt Architects
Ken Linsteadt Architects is a San Francisco-based architectural firm specializing in custom residential design. Founded in 1998 by Ken Linsteadt, the firm is renowned for creating beautiful spaces that reflect the context and spirit of the site, the dreams of the client, and the artistic overlay and passion of the architect.
The firm’s design philosophy involves infusing projects with the principles of form, harmony, and proportion found in both modern and classical architecture, often exploring the interplay between the two. Their portfolio includes a range of projects that showcase this blend, such as the renovation of a historic estate in Ross, California, and the transformation of a Palo Alto Victorian home, where they preserved the original façade while redesigning the rest of the house to accommodate modern living.
KLA continues to contribute to the architectural landscape with projects that honor both the past and present, creating spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
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Company Culture at Ken Linsteadt Architects
Ken Linsteadt Architects offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid holidays and personal time off; a 401(k) plan with employer contribution; and ARE reimbursement. The firm also promotes a sense of community through activities like all-staff design meetings, opening parties for their in-house art gallery, oil-painting classes in their back studio, and annual holiday gatherings.
Ken Linsteadt Architects has been creating memorable residential architecture for over twenty years, in an office where design always comes first. We are looking for creative, collaborative and hard-working individuals who are meticulous and passionate about crafting beautiful and unique homes.
The firm offers a work culture that values design integrity, artistic collaboration, and a balance between tradition and modernity.
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Architect-US is proud to work in close contact with Ken Linsteadt Architects and to be able to ensure the firm gets to know and work with amazing young architects like Carmela de la Hera and Alejandro Alonso, whom we helped get a job and process their Visas through our Job+J1 Visa Program!
Alejandro Alonso
Alejandro is a Spanish architect who graduated with his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Architecture from ETSAM (Univesidad Politécnicade Madrid). Before joining KLA, Alonso gained work experience and learned new skills at Demola and OMIO Architectural Studio.
Ken Linsteadt Architects’ Selected Projects
Palo Alto Victorian
Much like a successful remake of a classic film, this 1894 Palo Alto estate was primed for a revival. While the original façade was carefully restored, the rest of the home was completely reimagined. It was repositioned closer to the front of the lot to make space for a new pool, cabana, and an expanded garden. The exterior blends traditional details—like flared eaves and arched pediments—with modern touches, including a warm, monochromatic grey paint, setting the tone for the home’s clean and minimalist interior.
Photos by KLA
Ross Estate
This elegant home’s story began more than a hundred years ago, and our task was to reimagine it for a young family beginning a new chapter. While the renovation maintained the home’s generous square footage, the space was thoughtfully divided into two structures: a main residence and a versatile building serving as a pool house, guest suite, and gym. This approach not only enhanced livability but also allowed the architecture to better harmonize with the site’s grand, mature trees. Inside the main house, the layout was completely transformed—entrances were repositioned, rooms were moved, removed, or combined—replacing a series of dark, enclosed spaces with bright, open living areas.
Photos by KLA
Wine Country Lake House
This project started with an ideal foundation—a stunning lakeside property and a client willing to embrace a touch of whimsy. The result is a modern interpretation of a Victorian-era inn: a home designed for elegant entertaining that instantly transports guests upon entering the grand double-height reception foyer, accessible from a two-story wraparound porch. The estate also features a boathouse and a functional barn, complete with towering Douglas Fir beams and a terracotta roof.
Photos by KLA
We will be posting more projects by Ken Linsteadt Architects in the upcoming weeks and months, so keep an eye out for more of their incredible work! Every Friday we will be posting a new Featured Company, so join us again next week!
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