Bio:
The great architect, Silvia Kuhle, a licensed architect and principal of Standard, received her Diploma from the Technische University in Darmstadt, Germany and her MArch from Columbia University. Ms. Kuhle was previously Principal at Morphosis Architects, where she led many award winning projects. Ms. Kuhle work has been published in A+U, Architectural Record, SOMA, Columbia University Abstract, and SD.   Ms. Kuhle taught design at UCLA, lectured and juried reviews at SciArc, UCLA, USC and Cornell University. 

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I decided to be an architect when I was in high school in Germany.  Living in an an apartment in Frankfurt, riding the tram to school, I was immersed in this dense urban environment.  I was curious about what it takes to make the urban environment.

What do you do?
I lead an architecture and interior design firm of 20 people in Los Angeles.  Days are spent working with design teams, meeting clients, and visiting projects under construction.  We design retail, commercial and residential projects.

What excites you in the work you do?
The opportunity to meet a diverse group of people, and to work on a variety of project types.  Every year, the challenges are different.  I’m excited to take on new challenges with each project and with each client.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
I’m inspired to have ambitious and talented younger people to work with.  They’re motivated by an interest in design, and they’re able to employ their skills to realize the concepts we propose.  Our staff brings a positive energy to the process.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
Creating the studio that we have today.  It has taken years to build the clientele and the studio to what it is today.  Right now there is an optimism and a level of forward thinking that didn’t seem possible in the past.  

Featured Project Name: 
Modern Spanish House 
 
Featured Project Location: 
Los Angeles, California
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
2018

Role in Featured Project: 
Architect and Designer
 
Featured Project Description:
The 1930 Spanish by Roland Coate was redesigned and re-clad to give the home a lightness and openness that it lacked.  A 17-foot tall arched oak door was designed for the two-story foyer, and white arched openings were introduced as transitions between the main rooms.  Danby marble cover the long entry stair, the grand entry floor, and extend flush to the patios at the rear of the house.  The house retains its original massing and character of the exterior, which belies the new airy interior. 

Photography Credit:
Benny Chan/fotoworks