James Tanner is founding principal of TANNERHECHT Architecture, Inc. and has practiced architecture in California and the Bay Area since 1970. After receiving his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Houston in 1968, he began his career in San Francisco working with several prestigious firms. In 1976 he founded a sole practice that has transformed into what is now TANNERHECHT Architecture. With extensive design experience that ranges from adaptive re-use / historic renovation to leading-edge experimental design, Mr. Tanner's buildings have become a seminal part of California's landscape. Selected projects from his more than thirty years of practicing architecture include: the historic El Cortez, the San Diego Hall of Champions and Sports Museum, the 301 Bryant mixed-use residential condominium project, and the award-winning DataMart now the Dolby Laboratories headquarters building. His current projects include ICON, a new 24-story mixed use project adjacent to the San Diego Padres Ballpark and the Diegan Hotel, a high rise boutique hotel and night club complex. A consistent element of success for these projects is Mr. Tanner's ability to logically guide sensitive projects through various planning, building, environmental, and community agencies.
Mr. Tanner's experience and intuitive sense of design has earned him the respect of the design community worldwide, including a Hall of Fame honor from the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston. His works and lectures have been recognized by a wide-range of international awards and publications.

David Hecht has practiced architecture in California since 1987. Following his passion for design, Mr. Hecht earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University with honors. Since 1995, Mr. Hecht as worked with Jim Tanner as a collaborator on numerous project types, from rural cottages and high-tech offices to an urban high rise hotel. In 2000 Mr. Hecht founded HECHTWERKE Architecture as a sole practice before joining with Jim Tanner to form TANNERHECHT Architecture in 2001.
Mr. Hecht's design and building experience range from singly family homes, to religious, institutional, commercial, academic, hospitality, and multi-family buildings. His distinctive residential and commercial structures have received numerous design awards and have been published internationally. The recently completed Cannery Lofts, winner of an Orange County AIA 2004 Honor Award, consists of the architecture and urban design for an entire city block in Newport Beach, California. His work includes not only the design of the individual units, but also design of the streetscape and waterfront public access. The Approval for this project required extensive negotiations with neighborhood organizations, the Departments of Planning and Building, and the California Coastal Commission. Unanimous approval was received from each agency.
In addition to maintaining a daily architectural practice Mr. Hecht values the perspective that academia can offer and has taught design studios at the California College of the Arts, and the University of California Berkeley. He is fond of the Ruins of the Roman Empire, the work of Gordon Matta-Clarke and Jim Campilongo.