About OOA
We are a nimble and multifaceted team of creatives who thrive on collaboration, working closely with our clients to craft spaces that reflect their unique vision and taste. Our office in Beacon Hill serves as a collaborative meeting place for our team of six.
Photos by Emily Keeney
SANDY WOLF
AIA, CPHC, LEED AP BD+C
FOUNDER
Sandy is a multifaceted architect who can be as excited about providing excellent customer service and efficient project management as she is about beautiful design. She founded Office of Ordinary Architecture to create a firm where these three elements converge. The name is a nod to her belief that great design can be found in any project and that the ordinary deserves celebrating.
Sandy is a licensed architect with ten years of experience in architecture and interiors. She earned her dual bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Interior Architecture from Auburn University, and spent her thesis year at the school’s prestigious Rural Studio. Through that design-build program based in rural Alabama, she learned to weld, pour concrete, and generally tolerate manual labor in the Alabama heat. Since moving to Seattle she has gained experience in a variety of project types. Her resume includes residential projects ranging from custom homes to multi-family apartment buildings and commercial interiors for numerous small businesses as well as a Fortune 500 Company.
Sandy has recently become a Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC) and is excited about expanding the OOA portfolio to contain more passive buildings.
The self-proclaimed foodie, recycling enthusiast, and reality television devotee lives with her husband, daughter, and pet hedgehog, Frenchy, in Seattle’s Mt. Baker Neighborhood. She can also be found volunteering with the Washington Women’s Foundation, the Auburn University Architecture Advisory Council, or working in her neighborhood P-Patch.
ciera shaver
ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE
Ciera lives at the intersection of explosive creativity and meticulous organization, making architecture a natural fit for her curious mind. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Architecture from the University of Idaho. When she wasn't working in the design studio, she was in the dance studio performing and teaching modern dance and ballet. Blending the connection between human movement and physical form culminated in her thesis, “Choreographed Architecture.” Her winding journeys through Idaho, Italy, New York, Seattle and beyond finally landed her at the Office of Ordinary Architecture.
For the past decade, Ciera has gained experience in low rise, multifamily, and single family architecture. With a special interest in residential design, she enjoys a collaborative and creative approach to the design process for a variety of project types.
Ciera is an avid sketcher and painter, with artwork published in “Cartographics: Designing the Modern Map,” and “Portfolio Design Fourth Edition.” When she's not working, you'll find her matching Pantone swatches to craft beers and flowers to document her backpacking and skiing adventures in the Cascades. Or maybe you'll find her with her husband and pups rooting around the vegetable garden of their century-old farmhouse in West Seattle. Wherever you find her, you'll find color, creativity, and a perfectly organized notebook.
daniel ash
ARCHITECT
Daniel Ash is a licensed architect with over a decade of experience in both small-space vernacular design/build and long-term large-scale design projects ranging from apartment buildings to high-rises. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Auburn University, and studied at the school’s prestigious Rural Studio. He brings an attention to detail and an ability to move from the big picture to small scale seamlessly. He has extensive experience in every project phase from the first meeting to the end of construction, and has delivered many projects including small scale hospitality, public projects, high end single family, and large scale multi-family projects in a wide variety of jurisdictions.
Daniel’s time in Seattle has spanned all scales as he started his career in large apartment buildings and high rise construction before moving to the other end of the spectrum and specializing in treehouses for both commercial and residential clients. He has collaborated with local companies including Microsoft and Princess Cruises to create unique treehouse structures for their properties. As a recent addition to OOA, Daniel is excited to do more work with the Seattle community while bringing his experience working across the country in a wide range of jurisdictions.
Daniel’s work has been published in Architectural Record, Metropolis, and Portfolio Design: Fourth Edition. His non-profit work includes tutoring youth in foster care with Treehouse and past design work for Habitat for Humanity.
patrick gurley
SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE
Patrick is an inquisitive designer who brings over a decade of experience to the OOA team. He brings a pedigree gained from his time working at award-winning design studios in Los Angeles. His range of experience spans three and a half of the four corners of the United States and a wide variety of project types including institutional, cultural/civic, mixed used, and high-end residential projects.
Patrick strives to think of space and place tectonically and poetically, with reason and logic, in order to heighten the human experience through means of craft. He understands that this lofty goal cannot be achieved alone and so enjoys building relationships with clients, contractors, and craftspeople to create beautiful ordinary architecture.
Always trying to find a reason to get his hands dirty and keep his mind busy, Patrick spends his time outside of the office in his wood shop building furniture and exploring ways to bring different materials together in harmony. He also finds time to study and write music and explore the connectedness between music, art, and architecture. If you’re looking for a story fully unrelated to architecture, ask him about his time spent in the green room and on the stage of the Whiskey A Go Go on the Sunset Strip.
TODD MARTELL
SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE
Todd Martell is a creative and highly organized architectural professional who thrives on meaningful design, community connection, and collaboration. Known for his ability to turn complex ideas into clear, actionable plans, Todd creates spaces that are both inspiring and functional, making sure every project reflects the needs and dreams of the people it’s designed for.
With years of experience managing projects of all sizes, Todd is a natural at bringing together teams and communities, uncovering new opportunities through design, and celebrating how architecture can truly improve everyday life. His approach combines creative vision with careful planning, making sure every detail is thoughtfully considered. Above all, Todd believes in clear and open communication, keeping everyone in the loop and at ease throughout the process.
When he's not working, Todd enjoys making wine with his husband and is transforming their early 1900s home in Tacoma into a space filled with PNW native and medicinal plants, herbs, and veggies that provide year-round harvests. His love of travel fuels his creativity, giving him a broader perspective and inspiring his work through experiences with diverse cultures. As a food and drink enthusiast, Todd is always excited to explore new cuisines and the stories behind the flavors, whether locally or abroad.
ketki bhaskar
ARCHITECTURAL INTERN
Ketki is completing her Master of Architecture degree at the University of Washington. She is a native of New Delhi, India, and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University School of Architecture and Planning, G.G.S.I.P.U. in New Delhi. In addition to studying architecture she has practiced Indian classical dance for over ten years, holds a master’s degree in that as well, and has danced in various stage performances over the years. She finds that the two seemingly disparate creative fields inform each other in surprising ways and allow her to refine her skills in each simultaneously.
She looks forward to completing her master’s degree with a concentration in Sustainable Systems and Design as well as a certificate in Urban Design and looks forward to connecting those interests in practice. After graduation she hopes to become a licensed architect in the United States and practice architecture stateside.
When she is not at school or working with OOA, she likes to travel and sketch scenic locations, go on hikes to discover the gorgeous corners of the Pacific Northwest, and find new dance forms to learn.