Obata Noblin Office | Where Curiosity & Architecture Meet

The Niche Interiors team is privileged to be collaborating on our first project with Obata Noblin Office (ONO for short). It has been one of the most rewarding and harmonious collaborations with a modern architecture firm in my 20 years in the San Francisco interior design industry. Max leads with a deep curiosity for the client, not only about their daily lifestyle but what lights them up and brings them joy. Their design process draws inspiration from the art world and nature – all with a willingness to meet the client wherever they are. I’m excited to share my conversation with Max and look forward to highlighting our joint project next year.

Tell me about ONO — what drove you and Tyler to start your own San Francisco architecture firm?

Tyler and I met on our first day at Snøhetta’s San Francisco studio in 2014. We became friends quickly, mostly over beers after work. Not long after, we found ourselves working together on a competition for a new terminal at SFO, spending weeks in a trailer on the airport tarmac. The only nearby food was Costco pizza, and at one point a consultant borrowed my X-Acto knife so he could slice tomatoes for his sandwich. It was chaotic, but it was also where we realized we worked well together. Years later, when I came across an opportunity for a project, I called Tyler. What began as a single commission became the foundation of the practice. From the start, we were as focused on building a strong, collaborative studio as we were on the work itself.

Which past firms had the most influence on your design approach at ONO and why?

Snøhetta was formative, and it continues to serve as a shared reference point for both of us. What stayed with us most is the importance of a building engaging its landscape not sitting on it, but responding to it. Beyond that, the Northern California tradition has been a major influence. The use of local wood, the connection to agrarian building, that lineage feels alive to us. It comes up every time we call a local sawmill at the start of a project. It is not about nostalgia, but about extending a thread.

On the project we are collaborating on I have noticed your deep respect for process and curiosity throughout the stages of the project. Can you share how your design process works?

Our process is built around close collaboration and active dialogue rather than a fixed methodology. Tyler and I are both deeply involved in schematic design on every project, regardless of size. That is intentional. We do not want principal involvement to become a talking point. What sets us apart is how long we stay open during the design process. We resist resolving things too early. The model shop is central to that. It allows us to test ideas physically, hold multiple options at once, and respond to what we are actually seeing rather than what we imagine from a screen. Those sessions often become the most formative moments in a project. The whole office gathers, debates, and tests ideas by hand. It is our most defining studio ritual.

Model building is an integral part of your process. Tell me more about how this helps both internally and in shaping client decisions.

Early on, we made a deliberate decision to build a serious model shop and support it with full-time staff. We have two full-time modelmakers, which many architects probably see as excessive, but it has proven to be a strong investment. Models externalize ideas in a way drawings cannot. They create a shared language that everyone in the room can understand. A client can stand around an architectural model and immediately sense whether a space works. That shifts the conversation. Images tend to fragment attention, while models focus it. They also expose problems quickly. Something that feels resolved on screen often breaks down when you build it. Catching that early at 1/4” scale is invaluable.

Could you share a project or two that you are particularly proud of and why?

Our recently completed Sugar Bowl residence stands out. It is our first larger ground-up home, and it pushed us in ways we did not anticipate. The challenge was balancing durability for extreme alpine conditions with a warm, multigenerational living environment. At the same time, we were exploring how contemporary architecture can engage alpine precedent without becoming literal. The exterior siding reflects that effort. Board and battens shift in scale and proportion at each level. It reads as simple, but it required extensive refinement. That effort gives the facade its depth. Another project we are deeply engaged in is the ADU studio in Hillsborough, which we are working on with Niche. What makes it special is the client’s generosity. They are building this for their child, and that intention shapes every conversation. We are trying to match that level of care in the architecture. Having Jen and the Niche team involved from the beginning has made the collaboration feel seamless. The project is still in progress, but it is already taking on a level of detail and thoughtfulness that feels special.

In your opinion, what are the top three ingredients to a successful ground-up construction project?

First, a client who actively engages the process. Not passive trust, but thoughtful participation. Second, early clarity about what the project is really for beyond the program. What kind of life in the future does it support? Third, patience with materials. The right choice takes time, and the wrong one is something you live with every day.

Name three architects you admire who have shaped your point of view.

Louis Kahn, for his commitment to material honesty and his ability to use simple forms to shape light in a profound way. Feilden Fowles, for the clarity and quietness of their work, the way they have built their practice and because they have a little farm at their office in the center of London. Terunobu Fujimori, because his work is playful and surreal in a way that is very courageous.

You can follow along with ONO’s work on their Instagram or their website.