What Paulett Taggart Architects does

Paulett Taggart Architects is a privately held, community-centered architecture firm founded in 1986 by Paulett Taggart, FAIA, and headquartered at 725 Greenwich Street in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. The firm organizes its practice around three core service areas: Housing (affordable family housing, multifamily residential, SRO rehabilitation, mixed-income developments, and senior housing), Civic (libraries, transit facilities, government offices, and civic plazas), and Community (recreation centers, pools, child development and behavioral health facilities, and community hubs). The firm explicitly positions architecture as a tool for social good, with deep involvement in programs such as HOPE SF, Mercy Housing developments, and city-led civic projects across the Bay Area.

The firm operates a project-based professional services model in which fees are derived from architectural design, renovation, and construction administration commissions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured as a percentage of construction cost or negotiated fixed/hourly fees, with projects secured through direct relationships with government agencies (BART, SFO, SF Public Library, SF Recreation & Parks, SF Mayor's Office on Housing & Community Development) and non-profit developers (Mercy Housing, TNDC, La Cocina, Third Baptist Church / Beacon Development Group). Notable project scale includes the 250,000-square-foot BART Headquarters renovation, the 152-unit Sister Lillian Murphy Community, the $100M Frederick Douglas Haynes Gardens Apartments (104 units), and a 70,000-square-foot Treasure Island Behavioral Health Building. The firm frequently operates as lead or joint-venture architect with peer firms such as TEF Design, Mark Cavagnero Associates, David Baker Architects, StudioVARA, Gensler, RIM Architects, and Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects.

The firm maintains 11-50 employees, led by founder Paulett Taggart and principals Roselie Enriquez Ledda (since 2003) and Eric Robinson (since 2010), supported by senior associates, project architects, designers, and office management. The portfolio is credentialed through LEED Gold (BART HQ, Star View Court, Hunters View Block 10, Golden Gate Valley Branch Library), GreenPoint Rated Platinum (Sister Lillian Murphy Community), LEED for Neighborhood Development (Hunters View Blocks 5 & 6), and an unusually dense stack of design awards spanning AIA National, AIA California, ULI Americas, American Architecture Awards, ASLA, ARCHITECT Magazine, ENR Best of the Best, and the 2024 Maybeck Award to the founder. Marketing and business development are driven by portfolio website, awards visibility, AIA participation, and direct community engagement rather than paid channels.

Name

Paulett Taggart Architects

Legal name

Paulett Taggart Architects

Website

https://ptarc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paulett Taggart Architects is a San Francisco architecture firm founded in 1986, specializing in affordable housing, civic, and community-centered design for government agencies and non-profit developers across the Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Residential Building Construction (2361)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing design
• Civic architecture services
• Community-centered design
• Historic building renovation
• Sustainable architectural design

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue from architectural design, renovation, and redevelopment projects across housing, civic, and community sectors. Revenue is generated through commissions on design and construction administration for government agencies, non-profit developers, and institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Paulett Taggart Architects is a San Francisco-based architecture firm that provides architectural design services for affordable housing, civic, and community-oriented projects. The firm specializes in community-centered design for new construction and rehabilitation/renovation of housing, civic, and community buildings, working with public-sector and non-profit clients.

Product overview

Paulett Taggart Architects is an architecture firm offering a unified set of architectural design services organized around three core practice areas: Housing (affordable and multifamily residential), Civic (public libraries, transit facilities, government buildings), and Community (recreation centers, pools, child development centers, healthcare facilities). The firm also presents selected projects as Case Studies. All work follows a community-centered design philosophy focused on collaboration, social equity, and thoughtful architecture. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco and has been in operation since 1986.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Architecture Services
• Civic Architecture Services
• Community-Centered Design Services Holistic architectural design services centered on community engagement and end-user needs, applied across housing, civic, and community projects.
• Historic Building Renovation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Sister Lillian Murphy Community achieved GreenPoint Rated Platinum certification, exceeding California's stringent energy standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TEF DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for Golden Gate Valley Branch Library renovation. TEF Design collaborated on this full renovation of the nearly 100-year-old historic library, including seismic, life safety, MEP, and accessibility upgrades.
• Mark Cavagnero AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for Sava Pool project. Mark Cavagnero Associates collaborated on this recreation and competitive-use indoor pool that responds to its unique location in Larsen Park.
• David Baker ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for Hunters View Blocks 7 & 11. David Baker Architects collaborated on these housing blocks as part of the second phase of the Hunters View HOPE SF redevelopment.
• RIM ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for BART Headquarters renovation. RIM Architects teamed with PTA and Turner Construction on this design-build renovation of the 10-story, 250,000-square-foot headquarters in downtown Oakland.
• Mar Jang ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner architect for Harvey Milk Plaza reimagining. Mar Jang Architects worked with PTA as Architect of Record in partnership with SWA, The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza, SFMTA, and San Francisco Public Works.
• SWAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture partner for Harvey Milk Plaza. SWA collaborated on developing a vision for the new plaza that builds on the neighborhood's identity and the legacy of Harvey Milk.
• San Francisco Public WorkscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment partner for Harvey Milk Plaza project. SFMTA and San Francisco Public Works collaborated with PTA and Mar Jang Architects on the reimagining of Harvey Milk Plaza.
• StudioVARAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate Architect for Sister Lillian Murphy Community. StudioVARA collaborated with PTA on this 152-unit, GreenPoint Rated Platinum affordable family development in San Francisco's Mission Bay.
• GenslercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign association partner for Treasure Island Behavioral Health Building. Gensler collaborated on this 70,000-square-foot facility providing step-down care and transitional housing.
• Y.A. StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate Architect for 1939 Market Street project. Y.A. Studio served as associate architect for this 15-story LGBTQ+ affirming senior housing development.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partner for Plaza Apartments. PTA/LMS In Association designed this permanent supportive housing combining retail, theater, support services, and 106 affordable mini-studio apartments.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: A global architecture and design firm operating across commercial, civic, healthcare, and aviation. PTA partnered with Gensler on Treasure Island Behavioral Health; the firm overlaps with PTA in civic/healthcare typologies but at vastly broader scale and commercial orientation.

Direct peers

• Mithun: An integrated design firm with a strong affordable housing, civic, and community practice including Bay Area work (e.g., Mission Rock). Comparable to PTA in community-centered affordable housing and civic typologies, though at significantly larger scale.
• David Baker Architects: A Bay Area architecture firm specializing in affordable and supportive housing, mixed-use developments, and sustainable community design. Directly comparable to PTA in client base (non-profit developers, public agencies), affordable housing focus, and Bay Area geography; the two firms have actually JV'd on Hunters View Blocks 7 & 11.
• Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP: A Berkeley-based architecture firm designing multi-family housing, mixed-use, and community projects, with a strong affordable-housing portfolio in the Bay Area. Comparable to PTA in housing typology, regional geography, and non-profit/public client segments.
• PYATOK | architecture + urban design: An Oakland-based architecture and urban design firm focused on affordable housing and equitable community development. Highly comparable to PTA in mission, affordable-housing specialization, and Bay Area public/non-profit client base.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects: A San Francisco architecture firm recognized for affordable housing, supportive housing, civic, and adaptive reuse projects. PTA partnered with LMS on Plaza Apartments; both firms share an affordable-housing/community-centered design philosophy and Bay Area client base.
• Saiki Design / Saiki Architecture: A San Francisco architecture firm with a notable affordable-housing and supportive-housing portfolio in the Bay Area. Comparable to PTA in housing typology, regional focus, and non-profit developer clients.
• StudioVARA: A San Francisco architecture practice focused on housing, community, and civic projects, with deep affordable housing expertise. StudioVARA partnered with PTA on Sister Lillian Murphy Community and is comparable in scale, typology mix, and mission-driven client base.

Emerging players

• SWA Group: A landscape architecture and urban design firm with significant Bay Area civic and plaza work (e.g., Harvey Milk Plaza with PTA). Comparable as a design collaborator on PTA's civic/community projects, but landscape-focused rather than building-focused.

Others

• KAVA Mass Timber Studio: A Bay Area mass timber / structural engineered wood architecture practice serving residential and commercial clients. Listed as adjacent because PTA does extensive renovation work touching structural/wood systems, though KAVA's mass-timber specialization is not PTA's primary offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ptarcsf

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paulett Taggart Architects