Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 23 February 2025, 2:52pm
Receipt number 69
Related form version 15
Name Yingxi Chen
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident? Yes
Address
City Palo Alto
Postal Code 94303
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices
No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural Review Board?
Email from the City
Other: Current sitting Vice Chair - reapplying for position Personal Information
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Read the code, and check only ONE option below: I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website Occupation Architect
Please list your relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
If describing work experience, please include
company/employer name and occupation.
Licensed Architect in the State of California
LEED Accredited Professional
Work Experience:
Y. Chen Architect, Principal, 2017 - present
Williams + Paddon Architects + Planners, Job Captain, 2011- 2017 Collaborative Design Studio, Architectural Intern, 2008- 2011 CHORA Architecture and Urbanism, Researcher and Designer, 2007 Education:
Master of Architecture, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 2008
Study Abroad Program - Henry Van de Velde Institute in Antwerp, Belgium, 2007
Bachelor of Architecture, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China, 2006
Please describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any offices held.
Currently Vice Chair on the Palo Alto Architecture Review Board Committee member, AIA (American Institute of Architects) Silicon Valley 2018 Design Awards
Committee member, AIA Silicon Valley 2018 and 2019 Home Tour Please select all that apply to you. Architect, landscape architect, building designer, other design professional
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural Review Board and what experience would you bring to the position?
To me, buildings represent a lasting commitment. As architects, we bear the responsibility of designing quality spaces where people live, work, and thrive. The role of the ARB is even more significant in this context, and I am eager to contribute to shaping a better community.
Before starting my own practice, I gained valuable experience working with two architectural firms, where I had the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of projects—from schools to hotel resorts, from ski lodges to car dealerships. With this experience, I hope to continue making a meaningful impact and help create environments that enrich our community.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you are interested in it.
Given the housing crisis we are facing, I am especially interested in finding a balance between supporting a healthy, growing city and preserving its unique character. One of the key challenges is addressing onsite circulation issues while also alleviating the pressure on road traffic across the city.
Application Questions
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3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would you help in the process?
I would like to see the ARB take an active role in reviewing large-scale urban planning for specific areas. Providing coordinated plans and guidelines before the start of projects would be highly beneficial.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Our city is home to many quality buildings, and one of my favorites is the Junior Museum and Zoo. It serves as a great example of an inspiring and interactive space for children. Architecturally, the gable roof and clean forms offer a contemporary interpretation of the surrounding neighborhood.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these documents is not required for selection, but will help you better understand the work of the board.
I have reviewed all of these documents during my time on ARB If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Yingxi Chen
Date Completed 02/23/2025
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Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 4 February 2025, 9:52pm
Receipt number 72
Related form version 15
Name David Hirsch
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident? Yes
Address
City Palo Alto
Postal Code 94301
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices
No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural Review Board?
Community Group
Email from the City
Personal Information
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Palo Alto Weekly
City Website
Read the code, and check only ONE option below: I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo Alto City Clerk.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website Occupation Retired Architect
Please list your relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
If describing work experience, please include
company/employer name and occupation.
Harvard College BA- Philosophy; The Cooper Union- Architecture-- non degree; Harvard Grad. School of Design - M Arch.
Registered Architect; New York State and Connecticut; Senior Urban Designer; NYC Mayor's Office of Development (MOD)
Partner in several NYC Architectural Firms and founding partner of Urban Architectural Initiatives (UAI) from 1997 to 2016 responsible for many, varied residential projects, educational facilities, community facilities, and commercial street improvements.
Please describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any offices held.
Pre- Palo Alto: Renovated Brownstone in Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY.; Active in block association, then Park Slope Civic Council for various
neighborhood improvements; board member Prospect Park Environment Center including overseeing renovation of historic tennis house;; participant in application to Landmarks Commission to qualify Park Slope as first NYC designated historic neighborhood. Palo Alto: Assistant to consultants during community involving study of Cubberley to create a coordinated new community facility and (future) school; ARB member for two 3-year periods.
Please select all that apply to you. Architect, landscape architect, building designer, other design professional
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural Review Board and what experience would you bring to the position?
I request the opportunity to serve a final term on the ARB. I believe my experience as the founder of an architectural firm in New York, responsible for numerous significant housing projects (mostly for affordable tenants), civic buildings, educational facilities, historic structures, small commercial buildings, street improvements has provided me with a deep understanding of the design and construction process. The two terms on the ARB have broadened this experience, through the addition of group consensus.
One special additional professional experience in NYC was as a senior urban designer for the Mayor's Office of Development, which effectively created opportunities for the restoration of failing commercial areas of the city. Peter Baltay and I agree that a development office would benefit Palo Alto by coordinating the appropriate players to pro-actively encourage the potential, major housing opportunities and appropriate neighborhood needs in response to the Housing Element.
Application Questions
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2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you are interested in it.
A ten unit townhome development is proposed for a small section of the parking lot adjacent to Town and Country on Encina Avenue. A separately owned parcel including the remainder of the parking lot and the original T&C property is leased by the owners of T&C from a single land owner.. During a presentation of the townhomes I voiced my concern that this was too small a project given the large size of the entire parking lot; that there should be one project with many more units (especially considering the city's Housing Element requirements). The other board members disagreed and voted for the project. It is scheduled for this weeks meeting (Feb. 6, 2025). The owner of T&C wrote a letter reaffirming their interest in creating one unified project design. If Palo Alto had a development coordinator' perhaps this opportunity would have been feasible. Given the choice, I imagine that T&C would have preferred a less prominent design more appropriately integrated with its neighbor.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would you help in the process?
Our responsibility is often fairly simple, many quality architects are willing to suffer the complexity of the approval process to build here. But if we are conscientious and concerned about the RHNA numbers relative to their impact (25 buildings X 250 apartments = 6,250 total units x 2.3 av. family = 14,375 new Palo Alto'ans which equals about 22% increased population which means) we need to plan for more related parks, local commercial facilities, transportation, utilities etc. This is not a one-off, this requires major urban planning and the ARB ought to be part of the equation.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Stanford University - The original rusticated stone buildings and landscaping (Henry Hobson Richardson - Architect; Frederick Law Olmsted - Landscape Architect)
The Canter Art Museum - (Polshek and Partners - Architects) Ramona Street - Hamilton to University - Pedro de Lemas; Birge Clark and others -
Architects
Bio-X - Stanford - (Norman Foster - Architect)
Office Building - University at Alma - (Joseph Bellomo - Architect Hizashi - Multiple Housing Unit - (Architect unknown)
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these documents is not required for selection, but will help you better understand the work of the board.
The Comp Plan and Zoning Code are an integral part of our analysis and that of the Department of Planning prior to receiving packet. The zoning is provided in each architects submission as well. The Comp Plan is especially important to understand the quality of the Palo Alto community. The El Camino planning is in flux and the Design Guidelines are fairly dated. CEQA is normally carefully addressed by Planning, Density Bonus is critical now for the Housing Element. Downtown is the latest study along with El Camino and San Antonio Road. I am very familiar with the Historic regulations. Objective Standards and SB9 Standards are also important. I am fairly well informed about most of these.
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If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: David L Hirsch
Date Completed 02/05/2025
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Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 25 January 2025, 9:44am
Receipt number 71
Related form version 15
Name Sema Yavuz
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident? Yes
Address
City Palo Alto
Postal Code 94301
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices
No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural Review Board?
Palo Alto Weekly
Personal Information
1 of 3
Read the code, and check only ONE option below: I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website Occupation Architect and Urban designer
Please list your relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
If describing work experience, please include
company/employer name and occupation.
USGBC LEED certified
CA architectural license
20 year experience as an architect and urban planner
Worked for Hillier, EYP up at East coast and had my own architectural firm in San Diego 2007-2013
Designed cities, office campuses, schools, homes, tenant improvement projects in US and internationally
I have been focusing on affordable housing investment, development and operations in Indiana since 2012 to present
I am mostly concerned and pationate about about affordability of housing to the young generation all in all through out the country Please describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any offices held.
New to the community. Moved from San Diego end of December 2024 lived in Palo Alto 2018 to 2021
Please select all that apply to you. Architect, landscape architect, building designer, other design professional
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural Review Board and what experience would you bring to the position?
Advocating affordable home. Sustainable urban and building practices also working and enhancing the urban design guidelines for downtown
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you are interested in it.
Affordable housing homes for everyone, mitigation of wild fires
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would you help in the process?
Affordable housing, enhancing urban design guidelines with business success and affordability to all in mind. Promote diversity
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Affordable housing using Modular’s and prefabricated components projects with mixed use component that promotes revitalization with sustainability in mind
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of I have experience developing/ designing Design guidelines , master planning
Application Questions
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these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these documents is not required for selection, but will help you better understand the work of the board.
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Sema Yavuz
Date Completed 01/23/2025
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