Architecture and Design for Hospitality, Housing & Community-Focused Projects in the Bay Area

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Creates Cool

Creates Cool is a San Francisco–based architecture and design studio delivering hospitality, retail, housing, and community-focused projects across California and throughout the United States. Our work spans restaurant renovations, retail build-outs, ADUs, multi-unit housing, and complex permitting in diverse regulatory environments.

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Who We Work With

  • Small & Growing Businesses

  • Developers & Property Owners

  • Nonprofits & Community Organizations

  • Homeowners & Housing Clients

  • Public & Institutional Clients

What We Design

  • Design and permitting for cafés, bars, bakeries, and food + beverage environments.

  • Strategic build-outs for storefronts, offices, and commercial interiors.

  • Accessory dwelling units, expansions, and property value upgrades.

  • From duplex conversions to larger-scale residential developments.

  • New construction and transformative redevelopment across project types.

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Navigating Complex Permitting Across the Bay Area and Beyond

From San Francisco to surrounding Bay Area jurisdictions, permitting can be one of the most challenging phases of any project. Our in-house team manages feasibility research, agency coordination, documentation review, and active follow-up to help projects move efficiently through planning and building review.

We work regularly with city, county, and state agencies throughout California and bring that experience to projects nationwide.

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General FAQ

  • Creates Cool designs hospitality, retail, residential, and multi-unit projects across a wide range of scales. Our work includes restaurant renovations, commercial tenant improvements, ADUs, residential additions, mixed-use housing, and ground-up construction. We guide projects from feasibility and design through permitting and construction coordination.

  • We are based in San Francisco and work throughout the Bay Area and across California. Our team has experience navigating complex permitting environments in multiple jurisdictions, and we are open to projects nationwide.

  • Permitting timelines vary depending on project scope, zoning, and required agency reviews. In San Francisco, smaller residential projects may take a few months, while commercial or change-of-use projects can take longer due to planning review and interdepartmental coordination. We proactively manage submissions and agency communication to help keep projects moving efficiently.

  • Creates Cool supports mission-driven and community-focused work. While our primary focus is delivering high-quality architectural services across all project types, we continue to engage in community initiatives and partnerships through evolving programs and future nonprofit efforts.

  • We combine thoughtful design with deep permitting and regulatory navigation experience. Our in-house team actively manages agency coordination, documentation review, and communication to help reduce delays and create smoother project transitions. We focus on clarity, transparency, and collaborative problem-solving from feasibility through construction.

  • The best way to begin is by scheduling an initial consultation. During this conversation, we review your goals, site conditions, timeline, and project scope to determine next steps. From there, we can guide you through feasibility, budgeting, and permitting strategy to set your project up for success.

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