Who we are
PLUM is a small San Francisco-based architecture firm founded in 2004 well versed in educational, residential, historical, community and commercial programs. In pursuit of excellence PLUM approaches design by fostering a collaborative relationship with clients that is focused on the development of direct and buildable projects. We focus our investigations on the specifics of a site, the budget and schedule, and the client’s objectives. Our goal is to reveal a project’s singular nature and discover through design an identity that is individual and memorable. Our practice is purposeful; rooted in our passion for design, our proactive communication methods and our negotiating skills which carries through from sketch to finish nail.
Honor and Certifications
Coalition for Adequate School Housing Award of Merit 2009 – Filipino Education Center New Classroom Building
AIA Interior Architecture Citation Award 2007 –
Forestville School Adaptive Reuse Library
AIA Member, San Francisco & National Chapters
Certified San Francisco Local Woman-Owned Business Enterprise
Certified San Francisco Green Business
Current Team
Rebecca Guarda
Justine Hewitt
Richard Quelch
Melissa McKenzie
John Liang
Roberta Wahl
Frequent & Past Collaborators
Sameena Sitabkhan
Louisa Van Leer
Sid Conn
Tim Balon
Leslie Swaim
Sheri Schmieder
Martha Breed
Daimian Holiday Scott
Tammy Ho
Julia Nelson
Tod Curtis
Megan Conners
Huy Nguyen
Rafael Nelson
Allie Jarrett
Mark Cruz
Keith Wainschel
Janet MacKinnon
Shalini Vimal
Vira Kravtsova
David Seidel
Justine Hewitt has over twenty years of experience in architectural design and project management. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture at the New School of Architecture in San Diego. Her work has encompassed a broad range of building types including public schools, residential, hospitality, civic, and commercial projects and includes numerous publicly funded jobs.
Roberta Wahl is a graduate from Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She has decades of professional experience in the United States and Europe. She has been involved in a wide variety of institutional & commercial projects. Ms. Wahl founded Plum Architects in 2004 and has managed project teams through all phases of design and construction, with emphasis on educational projects, libraries, and restaurants. She earned an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales and loves to cook.
Rebecca Guarda has been working in the architectural field for over twenty years. She is a graduate from Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Her professional experience in three continents adds depth to her extensive experience in Project Management in publicly funded New Construction, Retrofits , Historic Preservation as well as commercial and residential work in the private sector.