About Dahlin

1976
Doug Dahlin & Company

After the move from Marin County's small coastal community Bolinas, Doug Dahlin & Company built its California East Bay legacy starting in Round Hill with a project for G.L. Lewis.

1979
The Blackhawk Experience

Spanning nearly a decade, Blackhawk is the firm's first significant legacy project. The company was involved in every facet of the community's design from the planning to the design of its award-winning recreation facilities.

1989
Behring Residence

Inspired by the modernism of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Behring Residence is a show-and-tell staple in the firm's vast portfolio rooted in residential architecture, and one of many custom residences.

1991
"Hello" Pacific Northwest

Our work at Issaquah Highlands and Blakely Ridge grounded DAHLIN's presence in the Pacific Northwest, and expanded opportunities in community planning and residential architecture throughout the Seattle region.

1991
Solana Beach Office Opens

DAHLIN opens shop in coastal town Solana Beach, and expands its recognition for award-winning community architecture, residential design, and municipal facilities in the greater San Diego market.

1999
Sun City Anthem

Sun City Anthem by Del Webb was the new model of active adult communities in the late 90s. The firm's expertise in recreation facilities expanded into senior living as buyers favored Anthem's world-class amenities.

1999
Rivermark & Silicon Valley

Rivermark positioned DAHLIN as a leader in architectural design and planning throughout California, and earned several national design awards for various facets of this infill community in a flourishing Silicon Valley.

1999
California's MCAS Bases

By early 2000, transition planning of closed Marine Corps Air Stations are underway all throughout California. DAHLIN served as planner and architect for these decommissioned bases in Alameda, Tustin, and Fort Ord.

2001
Luxe Hills in China

What was once rolling hills and rice paddies, Luxe Hills quickly became one of the most successful golf course communities in all of China. The project unfolded a decade of work during the country's boom.

2002
Beijing Dahlin Group

Recognizing growing opportunities in China, DAHLIN opened its first China office and headquarters in Beijing's China World Trade Center under the leadership of Zhang Xiaohong.

2003
Smart Growth Meets Coyote Valley

Responding to the City of San Jose's mandate to provide a minimum of 25,000 new housing units and 50,000 industry-driving new jobs, Coyote Valley was a blueprint for smart growth. It is one of DAHLIN's largest efforts to date.

2004
Irvine Office Opens

Upon winning the Tustin Legacy master plan project, DAHLIN responded with an office in Irvine and added the new project to its base reuse portfolio with other notable efforts such as Alameda Point and Hamilton Field.

2005
Going Vertical in China

DAHLIN completed design work for its first high-rise project in China—Jinshan Town Center. The experience introduced a new building type to the firm's portfolio and expanded its work into higher urban densities.

2006
5865 Owens Earns LEED Silver

Remodeling this run-of-the-mill 80s insurance building into DAHLIN's transit-oriented headquarters in Pleasanton, demonstrated the commitment to a sustainable workplace and the future of green building and design.

2009
Global Arena Opens with Dubai

After establishing a substantial body of work in China, the global arena opens up to work in Dubai, Russia, South Africa, Libya, and other parts of the Middle East.

2011
In the Business of ClubSport

With over a dozen ClubSports in DAHLIN's portfolio, Renaissance ClubSport Aliso Viejo was a new brand concept launched by Marriott Hotels and Leisure Sports combining hospitality with recreation and wellness.

2011
New Towns at Rising Urban Scales

After a decade in China, DAHLIN is recognized for achievements in virtually every type of real estate development, and working at unimaginable scales to create new sustainable and livable places like Luzhou's Longan Woods.

2011
Shanghai Office Opens

With over a decade of success in China, a Shanghai office is opened. Design teams at home and abroad, successfully collaborate with developers on multiple projects recognized on China's "Top 10 Luxury House of the Year" lists.

2012
35 Years of Leadership Later...

Reinventing the firm's brand in 2012, the vision and breadth of knowledge of 12 key leaders supported the strategic growth and planning that have led to DAHLIN's maturity and success today.

2014
Shaping the Next Generation

Nancy Keenan is announced President of DAHLIN and charged with shaping the next generation of leaders—steering the course of growth, adaptation and innovation in design, technology and sustainability.

2015
DAHLIN Announces ESOP

Committed to building upon its legacy and cultivating the next generation of leaders and new opportunities, DAHLIN transitions to an ESOP firm.

2016
Urban 'Detached' Dwelling

With higher density land prices on the rise, Classics at Centennial Place in downtown Redwood, is an unconventional housing solution that offers Silicon Valley's high-tech buyers unique single-family homes at 34 du/ac.

2016
Technology in Architecture

Emerald Glen Recreation & Aquatic Complex introduces a new ETFE roofing material technology to this state-of-the-art aquatic complex and recreation center in Dublin, only the third application of its kind in California.

2016
Flight Ventures in Museums

The Pacific Flyway Center is an interpretive and educational facility on the wonders of the Flyway, inspiring wildlife conservation and land stewardship. It is unique to the firm's breadth of institutional and municipal work.

2016
DAHLIN at 40: Passion for Place®

Celebrating 40 years of design excellence, our Passion for Place® continues to drive and inspire our work at all scales of development throughout our global community. DAHLIN celebrates its 40th birthday with clients and friends at San Francisco's South Beach Yacht Club.

2017
Bellevue Office Opens

After decades of service in the Pacific Northwest and across the Pacific Rim, DAHLIN opens shop in Bellevue, Washington to serve its expanding client and project base.

2017
A New Contemporary

Modern design reinvents residential architecture as lifestyle preferences and technology reinvent the contemporary style and design palette. Miraval wins big nationally and captures today's essence of Southern California lifestyle.

2018
Rodriguez Park Joins DAHLIN

Rodriguez Park Architecture Planning joins DAHLIN to their relocated downtown San Diego office location to create a synergy of resources, talent and exceptional service that benefits our clients and expands design expertise to include healthcare and education specialists.

2018
Rooting DAHLIN in Oakland

With an established East Bay presence for over 40 years, DAHLIN opens a downtown Oakland studio to collaborate more effectively with growing client focus on infill projects within the City of Oakland and East Bay communities, to address increasing affordable housing needs and supply.

2020
America at Home Study

Everything normal as we know it is turned upside down by a global pandemic, causing a shift in work, home and social life. Nancy Keenan leads DAHLIN's involvement in the creation of the America at Home Study, a nationally representative survey of the implications of COVID-19 on consumer wants and needs in new homes and communities.

2020
Kenmore Village

The last piece of the puzzle is delivered with The Flyway to complete a decade-long vision of creating a downtown for Kenmore, Washington. The successful public/private partnership between the City and MainStreet Property Group with DAHLIN as its architect, built over 500 residential units with commercial/retail/mixed-use space all within a span of five years.

2021
America at Home Study Concept Home

Born out of the behavior and perspective changes Americans experienced at home during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, DAHLIN designs a concept home delivered by homebuilder Garman Homes to inspire new ways builders and architects can think about designing homes in the post-pandemic world.

2021
DAHLIN Expands into New Markets

Following the opening of a Salt Lake City location, DAHLIN also establishes presence in the Tahoe/Reno region, Kalispell, Montana, and Austin, Texas, as the emergence of remote working fuels growth and new opportunities across the nation in these fast growing regions.

2022
DAHLIN Acquires Design Line Interiors

Expanding DAHLIN's interior design capabilities, the acquisition of Design Line Interiors offers a platform for growth in a broader spectrum of interior design, installation, and procurement services with design capabilities in model home, mid-rise, and high-rise residential to complement its commercial interiors portfolio.

2022
Inaugural DAHLIN Day of Service

Coinciding with Make a Difference Day, an internationally recognized day of volunteerism that is celebrated annually on the fourth Saturday of October, DAHLIN launches its inaugural Day of Service. Giving back and putting in the work for our local communities has always been part of DAHLIN culture. Great leadership is service.

2023
Hello Austin (and Texas)

Projects and growing opportunities in Texas warrant opening an office in the state, one of many burgeoning regions in the U.S. Kick-started by work and collaborations with Meristem Communities and agrihood-focused community development and innovation, DAHLIN establishes roots in Austin.