About | Light Space Architecture Office

Founded in 2019 by John Kleman and Mark Hoffman, Light Space Architecture Office is based in downtown San Francisco and works in the Bay Area and beyond. Our projects range from small residential renovations to large ground-up construction.

LSAO’s design process is intimate, direct, and personal. We believe that thoughtful architecture supports individual well-being, strengthens communities, and enhances both the built and natural environments.

Through careful listening and engaged collaboration, we develop designs that strike a balance: timeless yet contemporary, familiar yet innovative, and practical yet inspiring. Our work is exacting in detail and guided by a comprehensive vision. LSAO leverages decades of experience in design and construction, and we greatly value the beauty found in both the process and the outcome of creating unique places.

People

John Kleman

Partner

Mark Hoffman

Partner

Colin Searles

Associate

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John Kleman, Partner

Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, John is one of four architects in his immediate family, and has contributed to projects receiving over 60 awards and publications. After graduating with honors from Drury University in 2000, John co-founded a design-build firm with two classmates, where they experimented with reclaimed and alternative materials. In 2001, John moved to New Haven, CT, to join Gray Organschi Architecture, an award-winning firm known for its integrated approach to design and fabrication. At GOA, John helped establish their in-house metal fabrication shop and collaborated closely with the principals on a variety of remarkable buildings as both a designer and builder. Admiration for the groundbreaking Sea Ranch Condominium 1 by Moore, Lyndon, Turnbull, Whitaker led John to the Bay Area in 2005, where he joined MLTW’s successor firm, Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects (TGH). John spent over a decade at TGH, rising to the level of Associate, thoroughly embracing their enduring commitment to architectural quality and meticulous care. In 2015, John established Kleman Design as a sole proprietorship, and in 2019, he partnered with Mark Hoffman to form Light Space Architecture Office. John is a licensed architect in California, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and currently serves on The Sea Ranch Design Committee.

john@lightspacearch.com

Mark Hoffman, Partner

Mark, a licensed architect in California, was born in San Francisco and raised in Mill Valley, CA. He began his architectural studies at the College of Marin and later graduated from UC Berkeley in 2001. After gaining hands-on experience building houses for a small design-build firm in Berkeley, CA, Mark continued his education at Yale, earning a Master’s in Architecture in 2008. During his time at Yale, Mark completed advanced studio work under professors Tod Williams/Billie Tsien and Brigitte Shim and contributed to the construction of two houses with the Yale Building Project, first as a student and then as a teaching assistant. After working briefly in New York City, Mark returned to San Francisco in 2011 to start a family, joining Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects (TGH). Over seven years at TGH, first as a Project Architect and later as an Associate, Mark played a key role in several award-winning projects, including the Hupomone Ranch, Cloverdale, Sonoma, and South Bay houses. In early 2019, Mark co-founded Light Space Architecture Office with his friend and former TGH colleague, John Kleman.

mark@lightspacearch.com

Colin Searles, Associate

Colin grew up in an architect-designed home in Berkeley, California and received his Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 2017. During his studies, he took a two-year gap to gain field experience at Turnbull Griffin Haesloop (TGH), where he first met John and Mark. At TGH, Colin worked under Eric Haesloop and Mary Griffin on several award-winning residences across the greater Bay Area. Upon graduating, Colin joined Siegel & Strain Architects, a firm nationally recognized for its commitment to sustainable design. During his nearly decade-long tenure there, Colin acted as the Project Architect on various project types, ranging from National Park visitor centers to sensitive historic renovations. Most notably, Colin helped lead the post-fire rebuild of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp, completed for its centennial in 2022. In 2025, Colin joined LSAO, returning to the original catalyst for his interest in architecture: residential design. Colin is a licensed architect in California and a member of the American Institute of Architects.

colin@lightspacearch.com