Residential Building History in Bakersfield

Before I get too much into how to choose a great architect I want to talk a little about the history and landscape of the Bakersfield area. Bakersfield was founded by Colonel Thomas Baker in 1869. Bakersfield is at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, with the Sierra Nevada’s to the East. The cites boundaries extend to the Sequoia National Forest, at the edge of the Greenhorn Mountain Range also near the entrance to the Kern Canyon. The famous Tejon Ranch is just south by the Tehachapi Mountains. To the west is the Temblor Range, behind which is the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the San Andreas Fault. The Temblor Range is approximately 35 miles from Bakersfield across the valley floor. These are all things any good Architect in Bakersfield should know about the geography. Knowing the soil, the history, the ins and outs of the area is essential.

The reason I want to talk about the landscape and History when this post is all about choosing an architect is because one of the first steps to choosing an architect is to choose someone who is familiar with the area they are designing for. If they are familiar with the area and all the regulations etc then you should have a more efficient and pleasant experience with getting your plans drawn up. The next major thing you want to look for is what is the Architects building style? If you are looking for a Spanish colonial and you go to an architect that has built mostly modern contemporary homes you probably will not see eye to eye. Some architects are just not for you, and some clients are just not for the architect. The Client/Architect relationship and communication is so important to designing something efficient and that everybody likes.