Backen & Backen Architecture Lifestyle Wellbeing

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Backen & Backen Architecture Lifestyle Wellbeing

Architecture | Lifestyle | Wellness The bestselling architecture and design book, From the Land, published by Rizzoli, illustrates many of the firm’s projects.

Backen & Backen (formerly known as Backen & Gillam Architects) is an internationally recognized design firm known for spaces such as Sundance Mountain Resort, Esperanza Resort, Promontory Winery, the Restoration Hardware Gallery stores (created within iconic buildings in Boston, Chicago, & New York City) and numerous celebrity and high-profile client residences (as recently featured in the June 20

21 issue of Architectural Digest.) B&B has offices in Sausalito, St. Helena, Los Angeles, and Montecito, California.

06/12/2026

Great design begins with great people. Backen & Backen is growing and we are hiring entry to mid level positions. We would love to connect with those who share our passion for thoughtful, collaborative design rooted in the land, human health, and the environment. Visit our Careers page on our website to learn more.

06/05/2026

As Backen & Backen celebrates 30 years in 2026, we are proud to share an important milestone in the firm’s history.

Longtime partners John Taft, Tom Spoja, and Tony Selko have assumed ownership of the firm, marking a generational transition grounded in stewardship, continuity, and a shared vision for the future.

For decades, , , and have helped shape the firm’s work, culture, and architectural vision. This announcement formalizes a leadership structure that has long been in place, ensuring the continued evolution of a practice rooted in thoughtful architecture, respect for the land, and enduring design.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to creating buildings that are deeply connected to place, lifestyle, and environmental stewardship. We will continue to advance regenerative design, fire-resilient architecture, and projects that respond thoughtfully to the communities and landscapes they serve.

Thank you to our clients, collaborators, and team for being part of this journey. We look forward to the next chapter.

06/02/2026

We’re honored to be featured in Sunset Magazine’s Summer Living issue. Designed for family gatherings, quiet retreats and year-round connection to the outdoors, this Sun Valley home balances durable materials with warmth and comfort. Reclaimed materials, framed views of Mount Baldy, and board form concrete base anchors the home to its sloping hillside while creating spaces meant to be lived in for generations.

Partner: Tony Selko -
Principal: Dusan Motolik
Interiors: Leslie Hemmings -
Contractor: Lee Gilman Builders -
Lighting Design: Vita Pehar -
Photographer: John Merkl -

05/26/2026

What was once an old barn and gravel parking lot in Carmel Valley is now an indoor-outdoor garden tasting experience that makes the most of every inch. No added square footage, just a beautifully designed garden that the existing structure was opened up to, and a material palette inside that makes you want to settle in and stay a while.

Partner: John Taft -
Interiors: Hawkins Interiors -
Contractor: McNickle Construction Inc. -
Landscape Designer: Seven Springs Studio
Photographer: Ryan Rosene

05/20/2026

One of Napa’s oldest family estates, and a site that already knew exactly what it was. A crisp white form in a field that does all the talking. Green in summer, gold and red in fall.

Partner: John Taft -
Photographer: Erhard Pfeiffer -

05/18/2026

Every opening is considered. Every threshold placed with intention. These are spaces designed to frame the world outside as thoughtfully as the rooms within.

Architect: Backen & Backen
Photographer: Erhard Pfeiffer -

04/14/2026

A tasting room that opens up, bringing the vineyard in from every angle. Find a seat anywhere, every spot in the house has a view.

Partner: John Taft -
Principal: Michael Boes Winery: Frank Family Vineyards -  Interiors: Julie Hawkins -  Doors & Windows: Jada Windows -  Photography: John Merkl -

04/02/2026

Continuum Winery, designed by our founder Howard Backen and partner John Taft, achieves its presence through simplicity. The dark steel facade, the gravel, and the glass create a restrained material palette that lets the scale of the building and the beauty of the surrounding landscape do the rest.

Architect: Howard Backen & John Taft -
Photographer: Olaf Beckman

03/31/2026

The Saskatchewan River Residence was shaped by the land it occupies. Anchored at the edge of a river valley, the house is clad in materials chosen to endure and age gracefully through the full measure of its northern climate.

Principal: Kevin Casey - .m.casey (earlier work) & Loren Kroeger (former Principal)
Interiors: Matthew Leverone -
General Contractor: Heredity Homes -
Landscape Designer: Dialog Design -
Photographer: Kevin Casey - .m.casey

03/26/2026

A St. Helena residence from the early 2000s, designed by our founding partner Howard Backen. The light filled interiors, open living spaces, and indoor outdoor connection you see here are design principles we still carry into every project today.

Architect: Backen & Backen
Photographer: Erhard Pfeiffer -

Address

1421 Main Street, St Helena
Saint Helena, CA
94574

Website

http://www.backenarch.com/

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