RESIDENTIAL BIO

BBA has an extensive portfolio of completed residential projects throughout Orange County which includes award winning oceanfront estates, custom hillside homes, cottages by the sea, Not So Big Houses, high-end multi-family housing, residential interiors, and single family remodels and additions.  BBA is recognized as one of the leading Architectural firms designing the custom home in Orange County.  Many of our estates and custom homes are located in private hillside or oceanfront communities including Monarch Bay, Three Arch Bay, Niguel Shores, Smith Cliffs, Emerald Bay, Sea Cliff, Pelican Hills, Ocean Ridge and Coto de Caza.  Several of these estates have been designed for notable leaders of industry and commerce, the motion picture industry and the practitioners of Law and Medicine and Professional Sports.

COMMERCIAL BIO

Between 1972-1974 under the direction and association with Christian Abel Architect, located in Laguna Beach, Blair Ballard, Founder and President of BB Architects produced, processed and administered his first commercial project, known as “The Lumberyard.” The Lumberyard is a multi-use, multi-level retail-restaurant complex, located in the historical downtown area of Laguna Beach which includes the downtown post office and 20,000 square foot parking structure.

Since then BBA has master planned and designed several notable commercial retail and entertainment centers in Southern California, Idaho and Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.  Notably, BBA master planned and designed the first major redevelopment project in the historic district of San Juan Capistrano, home o the Historic Mission San Juan Capistrano, known as the Franciscan Plaza consisting of the “Courtyard” a three tiered structure of specialty retail and dining overlooking an early California Landscape theme courtyard, a multi-screen cinema theater detailed in the turn of the century masonry façade, a 400 car four level parking structure and Amtrak railroad passenger loading dock, restoration of the historic landmark Avilla adobe, and the Promenade, a 20,000 square foot multi-level professional building designed in the Monterey style.  Other notable requests include the Ontario Mountain Village Entertainment Center, the Alhambra Renaissance redevelopment commercial entertainment center, the Midtown Market Place in Nampa Idaho, Teton Spectrum in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Kapolei Commons in West Oahu, Hawaii.

ENTERTAINMENT BIO

BBA is one of the leading Cinema Entertainment architectural firms in the United States.  BBA designed the first all- stadium multiplex for the Aliso Viejo Town Center Edwards 21 in Orange County California.  For over 20 Years our firm has designed cinema theaters in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Hawaii and Japan.  Most of our cinema theaters have been designed for the Regal Entertainment Group, the largest cinema theater operator in the United States with over 10,000 screens.  BBA has also designed multiplex theaters for other cinema operators including Edwards Cinema Circuit Inc, Cinemark, and Galaxy.  BBA cinema theaters are considered to be among the most innovative state-of-the-art theaters in the United States.

CIVIC/ARTS BIO

BBA is the consulting architect for the Pageant of the Masters, Festival of Arts, an international fine arts venue located in the Civic Arts district of Laguna Beach, California. BBA has been commissioned to master plan and design the gateway and exhibition grounds, and grounds facility including the renovation of the Irvine Bowl Amphitheater and Pageant of the Masters stage and proscenium the production arts facility where the Pageant of the Masters “live art” stage sets are made every year for the annual internationally renowned “live art” show that takes place during the Laguna Beach summer art festival season. 

In association with Christian Able Architect, Blair Ballard produced, processed and administered the design and construction documents and field administration for the Legendary School of Art (now known as the Laguna Beach Art Institute), a unique fine arts campus located in Laguna Canyon where seven art statues are carefully sited amongst the historic California Sycamores who were here decades before the site became the home of the Laguna Beach School of Art.

BBA was selected by the Laguna Beach City Council to be 1 of 4 design and planning teams to master plan and design the Gateway to Laguna Beach, an urban design competition encompassing the entire Civic Arts district and downtown business and commercial district of Laguna Beach.

BBA has designed 2 artist live work projects in the City of Laguna Beach; Canyon Acres Art Live Work located in the Laguna Canyon Area and the Glennyre Street Professional Arts and Live Work Project.  Each project is designed and tailored to fit the innovative housing concept where the artist (painter, ceramicist, sculpturist, photographers, etc) works and lives in the independent studio.  The Glennyre St project has below grade parking.

BBA won the City of Laguna Beach Glennyre St. Parking competition in 1986 which became an the first and to this date only city owned parking structure in Laguna Beach.