Dreiling Terrones Architecture represents the accumulated experience of many individual careers, several notable firms of historic local significance and a wide range of project typologies from the smallest furniture design to several of the largest development projects in San Francisco.

Acquired in 1997, we have twenty five years of embedded experience that informs all of our current projects and shapes all of our current philosophy. We have over 70 years of combined experience among our Principals. And our firm history goes back to the 1920’s and includes some of the most beautiful buildings on the Peninsula.

CSS History

Founded in 1926, CSS had a long history of providing Architectural services in the San Francisco Bay Area:

Birge Clark, the ‘C’ in CSS, began practice in 1919 with his father .The Clark’s designed private residences, shops, and hotels in Palo Alto and its environs.

Notable civic projects included the Palo Alto Main Post Office, Lucie Stern Center and the original main library. Notable residential projects include the Hoover Residence on the Stanford Campus, and the Norris Residence.

CSS became active in designing schools early, working on existing facilities as well as new buildings. After World War II in response to the Baby Boom, CSS designed dozens of schools and school campuses throughout the Bay Area.

In the 60’s and 70’s CSS became an important participant in the design of high tech, aerospace and research facilities throughout the emerging Silicon Valley. Notable clients included Lockheed, NASA and Hewlett Packard, who commissioned CSS for most of their first generation plants.

In 1994, CSS began an association with Martin David Architecture in Burlingame, California. This collaborative effort resulted in Martin Dreiling’s acquisition of CSS in 1997 and the merging of the assets of the two firms.

Since that time the firm has seen notable growth in School Facilities projects, Neighborhood Planning and Design, Neighborhood Commercial and Retail Projects, Environmental Leadership and exceptional Residential Design and Construction.

In 2007 CSS Architecture updated its name to Dreiling Terrones Architecture Inc. to better acknowledge the leadership of the principals who guided the growth of the firm through the turn of the century and forward.