→ Projects
→ Services
→ Philosophy
→ About
→ Contact
IF/THEN is a full-service design studio based in Berkeley, California. Our architecture and designs are beautiful, engaging, and joyful. Working across scales from renovations and ADUs, to exhibition and design research, to community collaborations and advocacy, we strive to create livable spaces and equitable, sustainable cities. We approach design with equal parts curiosity and practicality, seeing it as a way to prototype the future we want to inhabit.
Learn More
Architecture
The spaces we live in enable the lives we lead. We design housing, interior renovations, and commercial build-outs with a focus on livability and beauty. With an eye to the future, we build with accessibility and sustainability in mind.
Design
We design products that are practical, playful, and durable. Everything from beginning to end—from function, to materials, to your life with the piece—is considered part of the design of the pieces. This work includes furniture, household objects, and design R&D.
Public Engagement
Our public engagement work—practical and experimental—builds imagination and frames research and strategy with communities. This includes work with cities, organizations, and museums.
Our studio takes on projects in architecture, furniture, and public engagement. We take a limited number of custom jobs—home design, interior build-outs, or custom furniture development. We take the same care in function, materiality, and form with this work as we take with our pre-designed work. We make spaces that are efficient, livable, and enjoyable. If you have a residential, community, or speculative project that you’d like to discuss with us, please reach out to schedule a meeting.
IF/THEN designs architecture, products, and experiences that are
practical, playful, sustainable, and durable. Everything from beginning to end—from function, to materials, to integration with your life—is considered part of the design. We enjoy making standard materials beautiful and unexpected. Our work is highly functional and long-lasting, with an interest in growing with you over time. We are committed to using local fabricators and small-scale manufacturing whenever possible.
Our Team
Sara Dean is the founder of IF/THEN and an Associate Professor at California College of the Arts. As an architect, she focuses on livability and beauty, committed to a more resilient, inclusive future through design. Her work has been exhibited widely, including recently at Ars Electronica, Dutch Design Week, and Shenzhen Biennale. Past positions include Chief Designer of Modern Empathy, R&D Designer for BluHomes, and Direction of Research and Partnerships at Stamen Design. She has worked on global design projects with many organizations, including the World Health Organization, OpenStreetMaps, and the Red Cross. She is committed to structures of open-access data and public engagement.
Gibran Larquier is an architectural designer with IF/THEN Studio who previously worked as a designer at Modern Empathy in San Francisco. He specializes in creating detailed architectural designs and 3D models for new construction projects. Gibran holds a Master of Arts in Architecture from California College of the Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Texas Tech.
Andrea Steves manages strategy, operations, and research projects for IF/THEN Studio. Her international art and research practice tackles complex issues such as climate change, economics, and the environment through various mediums and forms. Trained as an engineer, Andrea has spent the last decade working on software + sustainability projects for various clients, from small nonprofits to large tech companies. She currently teaches at the Parsons School of Design Strategies at The New School.
Benner Boswell is a furniture designer and craftsman in Oakland, California, and a lecturer at California College of the Arts. His work explores materiality and fabrication techniques. He is an ongoing collaborator with IF/THEN Studio along with Rafi Ajl Studio, Future Farmers, and BERG.