TC Studio is a collaborative platform for an architectural practice where design and project execution are exercised and tested in parallel. Co-founded with my partner, Charles Chan, in 2012, we handled architectural design projects from small size restaurant build outs to single family remodels, to now a 28-unit condominium building in a short span of 5 years. Tse leads the design vision with conceptual development while Chan formalizes such vision with permitting and construction experiences.
The firm’s philosophy focuses on Design with Adaptiveness. Parameters are the rules of the game for us to resolve, and they are usually the ignitors for design inspirations. Programmatic constraints force us to think about relationship between functions, sometimes challenge such relationships. Physical limitations allow us to both create and generate spaces within. Budget constraints encourage creativity and think outside of our comfort zone. City’s design criteria puts our design capabilities to a test, allowing us to self-evaluate. Scheduling issues allow us to evaluate priorities and practice our problem solving abilities. Constructibility forces us to edit our design proposal more thoroughly and responsibly.
Charles Chanmoved to San Francisco in 1990, later studied architecture at the College of San Mateo, Virginia Technical University extension in Washington DC, and he earned his Bachelor of Science degree of Architecture at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 2001. He continued his architectural study at the Beaux Art School in Fontainebleau, France. Working over 10 years with Kotas / Pantaleoni Architects in San Francisco, Charles developed his ability to understand each project as a whole, and to master the complexity of its details. This expertise allows him to find optimal design solutions to meet his clients’ objectives.
Alan Tsewas born in Hong Kong, China in 1980. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003. After joining Stanley Saitowitz I Natoma Architects Inc. in 2003, he has launched a series of award-winning commercial projects in the Bay Area. He furthered his education in Architecture through the M. Arch program at University of California, Berkeley after receiving the departmental scholarship, and has earned the M. Arch degree in 2009. He taught at both University of California, Berkeley and California College of the Arts undergraduate design studios on building design and interior design. He co-founded TC Studio in 2011 with Charles Chan, a San Francisco based design practice specializing in custom residential design, interior renovations, restaurant design, bar + lounges, and various hospitality projects. He also founded Alan Tse Design in 2011, a design practice that operates with design directorships for clients where the architectural visions are being developed with other design disciplines and conceptual thinking beyond the realm of architecture - developments, branding strategies & materials, interior design, and graphic design. The practice collaborates with Architects, Developers, Engineers, and Design consultants towards a design direction for each project, while providing design work for Architectural, Interior, and Graphic design.
