Designer Profile: San Francisco native Aleck Wilson continues family’s architectural legacy
A friend of Aleck Wilson recently dined with the architect and noted how his dining companion fixated on the restaurant’s various angles and finishes.
“You’re cursed,” he told Wilson, who runs an architectural firm bearing his name.
Wilson, who founded his firm in 1998 and is a certified green building professional with licenses in California, Nevada and Hawaii, knew he couldn’t offer a rebuttal.
Raised in Cole Valley, Wilson obviously grew up around architecture, but it wasn’t until after graduating high school that he discovered his passion for it.
“I didn’t realize how much my family’s architectural background informed how I look at the world — I honestly thought that’s how everyone saw it,” he said.
In this lightly edited interview with SFisHomes, Wilson talks about lessons learned from the Loma Prieta earthquake, timeless versus trendy finishes and never being able to shut off the analytical part of his brain.
What’s your favorite spot in the Bay Area to work?
There’s very little room for new construction in San Francisco, so you’re often only working with two facades.
When you’re building a new, detached home, you get all four (facades) to work with.
What’s most distinct about working in San Francisco versus other parts of the Bay Area?
[...] in places like Tiburon and Belvedere, privacy and views are sacrosanct.
San Francisco’s review process is strict, but other parts of the Bay Area have different, but equally rigid restrictions as well.
[...] generally, many abide by the philosophy that design should be in context of the lot and the neighborhood.
What is your family’s background with architecture?
The toll exchange building they constructed in Oakland was even recognized by the Architectural Institute of America.
Having a background in construction is incredibly beneficial.
San Francisco as a whole learned a great deal about the relationship of soil to stability, especially in the Marina District.
A lot of the homes in that area are soft story — their garage is the ground floor — and that often leads to an unstable base.
[...] brass that’s allowed to develop a patina should have some longevity.
A living finish will always age better than something artificial.
Outside California, I helped with the remodel of the clubhouse at the Edgewood at Tahoe golf resort.
Founded in 1998, the namesake firm is headed by third-generation architect and native San Franciscan Aleck Wilson.
Contact: 26 O’Farrell St., Suite 400, Union Square, San Francisco.