Putting square pegs into round holes since 2006
PROTOinc is an architecture and planning practice founded by Alan Cross and Hugh Hynes, and based in San Francisco’s Mission District. Our work celebrates the transformation of the everyday built environment into the remarkable, operating at the intersection between art and industry. Drawing inspiration from the rapid pace of change in our clients’ lives and the dynamic conditions they face, our nimble approach to architecture balances the stability of tried-and-true methods with the inventiveness of cutting-edge techniques. While these changing circumstances test the built environment’s resilience, for PROTOinc this becomes rich fodder for design, favoring the unconventional use of conventional materials.

Our clients bring us their toughest problems
At the same time, such volatility can create project challenges -- for budgets, schedules, programs -- and test the design team’s resourcefulness. The firm prides itself on its bedside manner, with a track record proven by a long list of repeat clients who bring us their toughest problems. This manifests in both slow, methodical public projects that require stamina and organization, as well as fast, messy private commissions that demand nimbleness and flexibility: we thrive in both circumstances by being the most organized people in the room. Bring us your most tangled ball of yarn: we love a good puzzle.

Versatility is the mother of invention
At PROTOinc we speak many languages, and are most comfortable when wearing a wide variety of hats. We’re agile, generalist architects, combining broad skills with deep expertise to craft diverse/unexpected/fresh design solutions. We draw upon our full experience from a broad spectrum of project types to inform innovative design solutions and a fresh perspective. Having honed our craft working on large and complex buildings across the world, we bring big-time organizational and technical skills to even the smallest of projects.

Great architecture can arise in the most unexpected of places
With the triple pressures of climate change, resource scarcity, and economic uncertainty, we believe it is just as important to consider the influence of obsolescence, lifespan, and repurposing on decarbonization, as it is to specify renewable materials and energy efficient systems. This is a critical and overlooked strategy for a sustainable future, in order to generate new utility and value for the existing unremarkable spaces that comprise the bulk of our built environment. This objective fundamentally motivates our firm: making the most of our available resources to build intelligently.