Here We Are

…in the present, where it may appear the past is behind us and the future ahead, but at Knapp Architects, we see the present as an opportunity to bind the past and future together into a cohesive continuum—and that is our vision of historic preservation. We are fascinated by the places created by the people who came before us and inspired to transform these built environments and further the development of communities and culture through the vision and collaboration of the client and an informed, proactive, and responsive professional team of architects, consultants, and contractors.

Explore what we are made of—our leadership, team, projects and clients—to get a sense of our knowledge base, skills, and the services we provide. We would be delighted to discuss your vision and how we can contribute our knowledge and project experience to make the next step.

About Knapp Architects

Historic preservation is more than retaining old buildings, it is about engaging in a spectrum that reflects generations, economies, and the ebb and flow of embedded culture that bring architecture and the designed environment forward. It is also about finding new uses and collaborating on workable solutions to extend the life and continuity of historic buildings—and setting buildings in their full physical, cultural, and historical context. Knapp Architects brings to its work broad knowledge and experience of historic architectural styles, construction techniques, and details from vernacular to Classical to Midcentury Modern. Our work encompasses a variety of building types from small structures and houses to larger commercial, institutional, and civic buildings as well as large tracts of land—districts, neighborhoods, campuses, military bases, farms, estates, and open spaces.

Knapp Architects provides full architectural services, including drawings in AutoCAD, written specifications, and construction-phase services and specializes in historic preservation and related architectural rehabilitation. In addition, we research and document the history and significance of properties; we provide documentation of existing conditions, conditions assessments, feasibility studies, and compliance consultations for proposed projects and federal tax credit documentation. The firm benefits from ongoing collaboration with allied professionals experienced in architecture, landscape architecture, structural engineering, infrastructure engineering, architectural history, and landscape history.

Based in San Francisco, the firm has practiced in the Bay Area and California since its founding by Frederic Knapp in 2006. The firm is a San Francisco Contract-Monitoring-Division-certified Local Business Enterprise and a California corporation.