All Blog Entries by Bill Hansell 
Bill Hansell, Architect
Bill Hansell has more than twenty years experience in architectural and interior design and planning. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and studied Architecture and English Literature there as an undergraduate. A Pennsylvania native, Bill’s professional experience began in the highly regarded Washington, DC offices of Shalom Baranes Associates. There he worked on a variety of commercial, institutional, and residential projects. Following his interest in contemporary American design, he relocated to California in 1990. He joined the award-winning firm of Keating Mann Jernigan Rottet in 1991 to work on office tower projects in California and Texas, including the renovation of 707 Wilshire Blvd (a 262 meter office tower) and 10960 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, International Place in Dallas, and Houston’s BMC Headquarters. While in Los Angeles, he also worked with Wolf + Partners and Ellerbe Becket on the Flower Street Office Tower and the RTD Headquarters Competition, respectively.
Bill earned his California Architect License in 1993 while at the offices of Skidmore Owings and Merrill. At SOM Los Angeles, Bill worked on renovations of the landmark Hollywood Bowl and other entertainment industry projects. With SOM, he gained international experience on the Tipco Headquarters Office Tower in Taiwan and HP Offices in La Gobba, Italy. He moved to the SOM San Francisco office as one of the lead designers of San Francisco Airport’s International Terminal. His San Francisco experience also includes retail, education, and multi-family residential projects.
Bill opened the office of Hansell Design in 1996. The firm has completed projects throughout the Bay Area and in Ireland, where Bill is also a citizen. In 2006, Bill completed work as Project Designer for a new showpiece Mercedes-Benz of San Francisco location. Bill is active in Bay Area architecture schools. He has taught at UC Berkeley and the Academy of Art University, and has been a guest critic at CCAC and his alma mater, UVA. He has been active in his community of Lucas Valley in Marin County, CA, as an elected official on the Marinwood Community Services District Board and as a Board Director on the San Francisco and Marin Food Bank. He promotes music, dance, and independent artists via his community events group, FUSE, and its events component, Appleberry Jam (click for info).
Learn more online at www.hanselldesign.com or email info@hanselldesign.com .
There are currently 4 blog entries published by Bill Hansell.
Part One: Overhaulin' (The Home Edition)
By: Bill Hansell Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 4:37am. 2599 Views, 2 Comments.
Overhaulin' your modern house? Unlike the popular TV show's seven day makeovers of forlorn cars, you'll be lucky if you can crank out a house renovation in seven months. That said, your newly overhauled house can turn a generic developer's box into a personalized home that will last a lifetime. When properly done, your investment can substantially increase the value and your family's enjoyment of your property. Believe me, it beats the time and money pit of rebuilding that '72 VW Karmann Ghia convertible you bought in college (as I painfully realized years ago.)
There are some analogies between car and house projects, though. The big one is that it's all in the details. Since Architecture is better described in images rather than…
Part Two: Remodel War Stories: Are they Avoidable?
By: Bill Hansell Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 8:51pm. 942 Views, 0 Comments.
Continued from Part One...
So if you have the trust thing down with an Architect and have started to weigh options, what should you expect in terms of construction budgets? The first thing is to know the difference between a "budget price" and a "bid". I'm constantly asking clients not to use the term "bid" unless they know that it is a fixed cost and the scope for that cost is well defined and agreed upon. Unless you have a completely finished set of plans and details, including every single light fixture, cabinet handle, tile spec, paint color, door hardware list, written QC specifications that outline reference standards of care, procedures, and general conditions, along with a planning and building permit, asbestos report, and…
Part One: Remodel War Stories: Are they Avoidable?
By: Bill Hansell Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 7:54pm. 896 Views, 0 Comments.
Long before they've hired me for a remodel project, my clients have heard horror stories about construction. Projects go over-budget or over-schedule. General Contractors flake out and have to be replaced once, maybe twice, or, as I unfortunately saw on a project years ago, three times! Sub-contractors whom the Owner hasn't even met aren't paid and file liens. Material suppliers deliver something that looks completely different than what was specified. Shall I go on or have I already scared you off? Why the abundance of these stories? Are there so many lackluster individuals and companies in the field? As I've heard clients say to me at an interview, "I'm going to do this right and avoid all of that!" I just smile.
It's…
Marin Remodels: Do I need an Architect (and what do they do anyway?)
By: Bill Hansell Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 5:31pm. 2462 Views, 0 Comments.
"I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to build or renovate a house. Why do I need an architect? What's the difference between a designer, an architect, and an engineer? What's the line between an architect's work and a general contractor's?" Having practiced architecture for over twenty years now, I have answered these and similar questions many, many times.
A few years ago, when my son was in pre-school, I gave a little talk to his class about my job and was relieved at the simplicity of defining an architect's work compared to, say, a financial analyst's. Try telling 4 year olds about "limited inter-bond pari passu clauses" (no, I don't know what it means either). Yet, despite the simple definition of "a person who designs…