Our expertise lies in creating spaces that foster joy and belonging. Whether it’s designing a welcoming hospitality space or delivering innovative housing solutions, we approach each project with the intention to elevate the experience of gathering. Our specialty extends to non-profit architecture, where we believe in making a positive impact through design.
As an intentionally compact, yet mighty design team, we prioritize quality over quantity. Our nimble size allows for more intimate involvement in every aspect of a project. We tackle large-scale ambitions with a human-centered approach, and craft spaces that inspire.
Team
NASTARAN MOUSAVI
COFOUNDER/
DESIGN DIRECTOR
DANE BUNTON
COFOUNDER/
MANAGING PRINCIPAL
LEEANNE BROWN
SENIOR Designer
sara duffin
project architect
alex fellous
intermediate designer
Nima mousavi
designer / visualization
Bella Bunton
Head of Security
The founders and our founding principles.
Studio BANAA was founded by Dane Bunton and Nastaran Mousavi, two architects who share a belief that design should be both purposeful and joyful. Together, they bring complementary strengths: Dane, a second-generation architect with a background in business and economics, leads the studio’s operations, business development, and construction oversight, ensuring every project moves seamlessly from concept to completion. Nastaran, the firm’s Design Director, pushes the creative vision forward, guiding teams to think beyond trends and uncover the deeper stories that make each project unique.
Both grew up immersed in architecture, Dane in a family practice in California, and Nastaran in northern Iran, surrounded by the mountains and the Caspian Sea, where her father worked as a master builder. These early experiences instilled in them not just a love of design, but an understanding of how architecture shapes lives and communities.
The studio’s work is possible because of a talented, close-knit team that shares the same curiosity and drive for craft. Each team member brings a unique perspective and skill set, whether it is refining the smallest design detail, solving a permitting challenge, or ensuring a construction set is perfect. At Studio BANAA, collaboration is not a buzzword; it is the foundation of how projects get built.
Together, Dane, Nastaran, and the team have built Studio BANAA on a few simple principles:
Enjoy the work. Joy is contagious and it shows in the spaces they create.
Design with meaning. Every project starts with listening, research, and curiosity.
Care about the process. From ideation and forming concepts to permitting and construction, good design is only as strong as the execution.
CLIENTS &
COLLABORATORS
Our Approach
A jack of all trades is a master of none. This is why we’ve cultivated a small yet masterful team, capable of delivering inspiring yet impressive projects.
Our structure allows us to be involved in every aspect of a project and its design, and we leverage our office’s cutting-edge architectural technology and design tools.
Yet our greatest resource is our people.
Being a small design team means we streamline decision-making and makes for a truly collaborative, personal relationship.
Our practice has considerable experience in architecture of varying scales and complexity, across cultural, commercial, housing, and institutional typologies.
We meet and exceed deadlines by setting realistic goals and expectations, upholding commitments, and regular communication. We truly enjoy sharing our ideas and perspectives and fostering an environment of trust, which we believe shows in our work.