A seed of an idea took root in 2005 as architects Clay Aurell and Josh Blumer had conversations about how architecture and community could make a difference in the world. A partnership was born. Today, Santa Barbara–based AB Design Studio is a multidisciplinary firm with broad expertise in architecture, interior design, and urban planning.
Amid the coronavirus lockdown, we caught up with Aurell to cover his early inspirations, a 1963 couch on wheels, and how he keeps calm during a global pandemic.
What drew you to architecture? My father was a contractor. When I was 12, I studied a set of plans before going [with him] to the job site. The home was in the rough-framing stage, but I knew where every room, bathroom, and closet was located. My dad was a bit dumbfounded. He looked at me funny, shrugged his shoulders, and went to tell some carpenters what to do next.