Studio

STUDIO

Cynthia Anne Hanley is a California-based architect and founder of Cynthia Anne Hanley Architect, Inc. (CAHA), a firm specializing in bespoke architectural and interior design solutions. She established her practice in 2010 under her maiden name, Cynthia Mabus, focusing on small-scale projects and emphasizing collaboration between clients, architects, and engineering teams. In 2016, the firm transitioned from sole proprietorship to incorporation, and in 2023 it adopted its current name.

Hanley is a registered architect in California and holds LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C) certification, reflecting her expertise in sustainable building design. She has over 30 years of experience in architecture, interior design, and planning, working through every phase of the building process—from concept development to construction—while ensuring projects align with client vision, functional needs, and budget.

Her professional focus spans health + wellness, higher education, workplace, retail, and residential sectors. She believes architectural design should reflect a community’s values and aims to create environments that enhance quality of life, particularly in workplace, educational, and healthcare settings. Her approach integrates architecture, building systems, interior finishes, and landscape design, with attention to detail and collaborative problem-solving.

Hanley has worked closely with regulatory agencies, including the State Fire Marshal and city building officials, to ensure smooth project approvals. Her firm’s work has been recognized for design excellence in industry publications and awards.

CAHA is incorporated in California (Entity ID 3859387, filed Jan 4, 2016) and is headquartered at 500 Kings Place, Newport Beach, CA 92663. Hanley serves as the firm’s Director, Secretary, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Executive Officer.

In summary, Cynthia Anne Hanley is a seasoned, award-winning architect whose career is defined by collaborative, client-focused design that enhances the built environment and enriches daily life.

PROCESS

The design process is a collaborative effort bringing together client goals and requirements with an architect and an engineering team. Each project represents a unique creative challenge. It is an exciting process that begins with the client’s future vision and results in a new environment reflecting the client’s requirements. Architectural design is a phased process with milestones developed based upon the specific project’s requirements, with checks and balances. It is an exciting and wonderful challenge for all participants.

FEASIBILITY COST ESTIMATING

Project feasibility studies include project programming, regulatory agency research, and budget development. CAHA works with the client’s representatives to develop a program that establishes project goals and scope, defines functions required and distills those functions into spatial requirements. A completed program allows CAHA to develop concept drawings depicting project requirements. With concept drawings developed, and the client’s consensus that the direction of the project is established, an outside cost estimating consultant is contracted to independently confirm a budget.

SCHEMATIC DESIGN
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

The schematic design process begins with the program and conceptual ideal of the project and synthesizes these requirements into a 2-D representation of the project. Floor plans, site plans, elevations, and sections are drawn and reviewed by stake holders. Key materials are selected.Possibly a 3-D sketch or rendering is created to help the team and client visualize the intended final project. Out of this process comes a drawing project that is reflects the program and the stake holder’s reviews. The schematic package is reviewed and approved by the client. After approval the project moves into phase 2, design development.

CAHA prepares computer drafted highly detailed plansthat become the foundation of the project during the design development phase. These drawings work out aesthetic and technical issues that are approved as a part of the schematic design. The team continues with the additional design detail, looking at different views of the space, appropriate materials and how all of the elements will come together. The client also reviews and approves these design development documents. The budget is checked by a cost estimator at client request. If all is looking good, the team is authorized by the client to complete the construction documents.

The third phase in the design process is the development of construction documents. CAHA develops documents that communicate detailed information to a contractor so that the project can be built. The detailed drawings are required to obtain permits and allow contractors to bid the project. Completed documents are submitted for review and permitting by jurisdictional authorities. Corrections are made as required and permits issued. The design team supports the client through the bidding process.

CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
RECORD DRAWINGS

Our design team is well versed in dealing with RFI’s, submittals and other related requests to help guide the construction process to completion. Record drawings are developed from the RFI and CO process and/or information from contractor/sub-contractor field mark-ups. As-builts are delivered to the client.

SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION

Cynthia Anne Hanley Architect, Inc. is a small business enterprise (SBE). An independently owned and operated concern certified as a small business by the California Department of General Services Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS). Certification number 2031197.

Cynthia Anne Hanley Architect, Inc. is a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). A business concern that is at least 51% owned by a woman or women who also control and operate it. “Control” in this context means exercising the power to make policy decisions. “Operate” in this context means actively involved in the day-to-day management.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT