​ERIC SAIJO, Architect Partner

Career Profile
Eric Saijo jointly formed the architectural partnership, Okamoto Saijo Architecture 1991.  He currently heads their Oakland office. His work has consistently revolved around urban architecture, starting with his undergraduate thesis on urban mixed-use housing and continuing in his current work and activities. He was a founder of APEN, a nonprofit organization seeking to develop leadership around environmental justice issues. He was on the Board of Directors for the East Bay Housing Organization (EBHO) for six years ending in 2009.Eric Saijo has managed many of the firm’s publicly funded affordable housing and community-based projects. Of particular note was Crescent Park Apartments where he spearheaded design for photovoltaics on 22 of 26 buildings,for a total of 906KW.  This was published in Solar Today, in an article titled“Living Green Affordable Housing”. Some of the other projects he has led for OSA include University Avenue Cooperative Homes(Berkeley), Drasnin Manor(Oakland),Positive MATCH (Western Addition–SF), Cochrane Village (Morgan Hill) and Alameda Point Housing (Alameda).  He designed the current offices in San Francisco for the Asian Law Caucus and the renovation of Buena Vista United Methodist Church (Alameda).  Eric has also enjoyed working on a number of custom residential projects throughout the Bay Area.Before establishing Okamoto Saijo Architecture, Eric designed and managed projects for Mahoney Architects including the Tiburon Headquarters Fire Station,Padmasambhava Monument-Vajra Temple (Tibetan Buddhist) and Belvedere School Townhouses. He also worked at the award-winning San Francisco firm of Kotas/Pantaleoni Architects and in Milan, Italy for TeamTen architect Giancarlo De Carlo.
 
Education:
Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 1982.
 
Professional Registration & Affiliations
California Licensed Architect–C-22,916, 1991
Certified - National Council of Architects Registration Board, 1993
APEN Board of Directors, 1992 - 2001
EBHO Board of Directors, 2003–2009

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