About
Linea Studio is a contemporary architectural practice based in San Francisco, California, built on the belief that architecture is a creative discipline grounded in clear ideas, careful material choices, and craft. Our work is driven by clear ideas, careful research, and close collaboration with clients. Each project begins with understanding context, constraints, and intent—then translating them into spaces that are thoughtful, functional, and distinct.
What We Create
Rather than defining our work by specific building types, we focus on how each project is approached—developing a clear architectural concept and translating it into spaces that are thoughtful, functional, and buildable. Each project is shaped by its context, constraints, and goals, and designed to communicate something specific and intentional
through space and volumes.
Museums & Cultural Institutions
Spaces where architecture enhances storytelling, visitor experience, and cultural identity.
Flagship Retail & Brand Environments
Physical environments that communicate brand identity through spatial design and material strategy.
Private Residences & Art Houses
Homes for clients who see architecture as creative collaboration, who want something iconic and personal.
Hospitality & Experiential Spaces
Restaurants, concept cafés, boutique hotels—places where atmosphere is architecture.
Innovation Centers & Creative Workspaces
Environments for companies and institutions that value design as part of their identity.
Who We Work With
We work with private clients, founders, developers, and cultural
institutions who value architecture as part of how a project isexperienced and understood. Our clients are engaged in the process, appreciate clear design thinking, and seek work that is thoughtful rather than generic. We work best with those who see architecture as a collaborative effort and are interested in creating something specific and well
considered.
Our Philosophy
Linea Studio approaches architecture as both a problem-solving discipline and a
cultural act.
Each project begins with a clear architectural idea that responds to context, constraints,
and ambition. Rather than applying fixed styles or repeated solutions, we treat every commission as a unique inquiry—balancing spatial clarity, material presence, and technical rigor.
Our work is concept-driven and execution-focused. Design decisions are developed with an understanding of how buildings are permitted, coordinated, and constructed, ensuring ideas carry through to built reality.
Our Tech and Process
We use AI and computational design as creative tools—not to replace intuition, but to expand it. Machine learning allows us to explore hundreds of formal and material variations rapidly, test structural and environmental scenarios, and visualize spatial concepts with precision. This compresses timelines and multiplies possibilities, but the creative direction, conceptual clarity, and design judgment remain fundamentally human. Technology serves vision, not the other way around.
Our process is experimental and iterative. We sketch, build physical models, render, prototype, test. We move between analog and digital methods, using whichever approach best serves the idea. We embrace complexity when it creates richer spatial experiences and strip things back when clarity is needed. Read more here.
Our Approach
We guide projects from early feasibility through construction with clear milestones and focused collaboration.
Our role is to translate architectural intent into coherent, buildable work—coordinating structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting, and specialty systems so all elements work together in
service of the architecture.
Meet the Founder
Ellina Poltavtseva is a California-licensed architect with over seven years of international professional experience across cultural, commercial, and residential projects. She founded Studio Linea to practice architecture that combines strong conceptual thinking with precise execution.
Her background includes work with MAD Architects in Beijing and professional practice in San Francisco. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the Moscow Architectural Institute and a Master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Awards and Honors
AIA East Bay Design Award (2022)
Recipient for the project "Biotic Air Unit 2071," a research-based design focused on environmental resilience and bio-integrated systems.
DETAIL Students Award
Awarded for the "Biotic Air Unit 2071" project during graduate studies at UC Berkeley.
Urban Land Institute (ULI) Recognition
Featured in ULI San Francisco "Market Street Reimagined" competition, addressing urban revitalization through public space design.
Riyadh Dream Villas Competition (2022) — Finalist
Project "NB" recognized for innovative desert dwelling design at the edge of Riyadh.
Team: Shida Wang, Wentao Zeng, Ellina Poltavtseva, Zhang Zeming.
California Senate Certificate of Recognition (2025)
Awarded by Senator Scott Wiener, 11th District, for commitment and service as part of the International Parklet Symposium Organizing Committee, contributing to making San Francisco communities more dynamic and desirable places to live.
I worked with Ellina on numerous development projects in the Pacific Northwest and the Mountain Region. Her work was essential for city hearings and pre-sales presentations—the visualizations communicated the design intent clearly and professionally, which helped move the projects forward. She was responsive, understood what we needed to convey to local commissioners and buyers, and delivered high-quality work that represented the projects accurately. I'd recommend Ellina for any developer who needs strong visual representation and design support for their projects."
John Stricklin, Developer