Outlier
Architects

Architecture is not just something you see—it’s something you feel. Each space is an opportunity to shape experience, to create environments that resonate on a personal and human level. Thoughtful design brings together light, material, proportion, and context to form places that are not only functional, but deeply meaningful—spaces that reflect who you are and quietly enhance how you live, work, and connect.

Parisian
01 — Residence
Parisian
San Francisco, CA
Mission Cafe
02 — Hospitality
Mission Cafe
San Francisco, CA
Marina
03 — Residence
Marina
San Francisco, CA
Coastal
04 — Residence
Coastal
Santa Cruz, CA
Board Room
05 — Workplace
Board Room
San Francisco, CA
Barton outline
06 — Residence
Barton
Austin, TX
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Parisian

San Francisco, California
Private Residence
McGriff Architects
About the project

This Parisian-style home is the result of a thoughtful gut renovation that reimagines traditional living through a contemporary lens. Original classical elements are carefully preserved, while the interior is opened up to create fluid, light-filled living spaces that better support modern ways of living. The result is a home that feels both rooted in history and fully responsive to present-day life.

Within this refined framework, spaces for rest, work, and play are seamlessly integrated, each given its own character while remaining part of a cohesive whole. Subtle transitions between old and new allow the architecture to feel effortless, elevating the transitional style without losing its elegance. The home becomes a quiet balance of heritage and modernity—layered, livable, and enduring.

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Mission Cafe

San Francisco, California
Restaurant · Hospitality
McGriff Architects
About the project

Manny’s Café in San Francisco’s Mission District is a warm, inviting space known for its cozy atmosphere and comfortable setting. With its relaxed interiors and welcoming energy, it functions as more than just a café—it’s a neighborhood anchor where people come to slow down, connect, and spend time in a thoughtfully designed environment.

Beyond its role as a café, Manny’s also operates as a dynamic community hub, hosting talks, workshops, and gatherings featuring inspirational speakers and local voices. It’s a place where ideas are shared as easily as coffee, fostering dialogue, civic engagement, and a sense of belonging within the Mission community.

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Marina

San Francisco, California
Private Residence
McGriff Architects
About the project

This Marina home is a fully realized renovation that honors its original character while reinterpreting it for contemporary living. The bold geometry and refined detailing of the Deco language are carefully preserved, then clarified and elevated through a modern sensibility. What once was segmented is thoughtfully opened up, allowing light, flow, and connection to define the new spatial experience.

At its core, the renovation is about creating calm—balancing the expressive heritage of the architecture with a sense of restraint and ease. Living spaces are expanded and unified, fostering openness without losing intimacy, while material choices and detailing soften and ground the interiors. The result is a home that feels both iconic and serene, where the spirit of the original is not only maintained but quietly reawakened for modern life.

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Coastal

Santa Cruz, California
Private Residence
McGriff Architects
About the project

This coastal home began as a simple, modest structure, rooted in traditional proportions and familiar forms. Through a careful reimagining, it is elevated into a modern interpretation of the classic cottage—refined in silhouette, restrained in detail, yet still deeply connected to its coastal context. The result is an exterior that feels both familiar and newly considered, balancing charm with a quiet contemporary clarity.

Inside, bespoke woodworking and custom cabinetry define the character of the home, bringing warmth, precision, and craft to every space. These tailored elements are not just decorative, but integral—shaping how the home is lived in and experienced day to day. Built upon the historical bones of the original structure, the design thoughtfully adapts the house for modern living, creating a cohesive environment that honors its past while fully embracing the present.

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Board Room

San Francisco, California
Workplace · Interior
McGriff Architects
About the project

This office space is conceived as an incubation hub where ideas are actively shaped through collaboration and exchange. Open, flexible environments encourage spontaneous interaction, shared problem-solving, and the cross-pollination of disciplines, creating a setting where innovation can emerge naturally from everyday work.

At the same time, the space balances this energy with areas designed for quiet reflection and focused thought. These more intimate zones offer moments of pause within the larger ecosystem, allowing individuals to step back, refine ideas, and work with clarity. Together, the environment supports both collective momentum and personal depth.

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Barton

Austin, Texas
Private Residence
McGriff Architects
About the project

The Barton home begins with modest proportions and an understated presence, offering a quiet foundation with untapped potential. Through a light and intentional architectural touch, the renovation carefully reframes the home rather than overwriting it, allowing its original character to remain while gently expanding its possibilities.

A newly introduced primary bedroom retreat becomes a defining moment in the transformation, offering privacy, calm, and a sense of retreat within the broader home. This addition, along with a reimagined open living layout, elevates the way the house is experienced—creating a more fluid connection between spaces and a renewed sense of openness that supports both everyday living and moments of pause.

Billy
Gargroetzi
Washington University in St. Louis
M.Arch · B.S. Civil Engineering
Adjunct Professor
University of Texas at Austin
New York (#042073)
Texas (#30244)
AIA · NCARB

With a practice grounded in clarity and craft, Billy Gargroetzi approaches architecture as both a technical discipline and a human-centered art. His work spans residential, commercial, and institutional projects, each guided by a careful reading of context, material, and use. From early concept through construction, he leads projects with a steady attention to detail, ensuring that design intent is carried through every phase to a built result that is both precise and expressive.

Billy brings extensive experience navigating permitting processes across New York, California, and Texas, from straightforward approvals to highly complex regulatory conditions. He understands how to translate design ambitions into buildable realities, coordinating with agencies, consultants, and contractors to move projects forward efficiently. This fluency allows him to maintain momentum while safeguarding the integrity of the design.

At the core of his work is a commitment to the people who inhabit the spaces he creates. Each project is an opportunity to craft an environment that not only meets expectations, but exceeds them—where thoughtful design reveals moments of surprise and delight. The goal is always to deliver spaces that feel intuitive, enduring, and deeply satisfying to live, work, and gather in.

Other Work

Billy collaborated on these projects. Clicking will open the respective firms' site.

Billy Gargroetzi

AIA · NCARB · RA
Austin, Texas · billy@outlierarch.com · 512.200.4460
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Practice

2016 — Now
Outlier Architects · Austin, Texas
Principal
  • 2024 · Spicewood Residence · Spicewood, Texas
  • 2023 · Barton Hills Residence · Austin, Texas
  • 2023 · Laguna Resort · Los Baños, Philippines
  • 2022 · East Village Brownstone · New York, New York
In Collaboration With Mgriff Architects
  • 2022 · West Cliff Residence · Santa Cruz
  • 2021 · Jackson Street Residence · San Francisco
  • 2021 · Quarters 4 Residence · San Francisco
  • 2020 · Tennessee Residence · San Francisco
  • 2019 · Spring Born Automated Lettuce Farming Facility · Silt, Colorado
  • 2019 · The Production Board Office · San Francisco
  • 2019 · Broadway Residence · San Francisco
  • 2018 · Spruce Residence · San Francisco
  • 2018 · Pacific Residence · San Francisco
  • 2018 · Manny's Social Club · San Francisco
  • 2018 · Bar Crenn · San Francisco
  • 2017 · Broderick Residence · San Francisco
  • 2017 · Proposition Chicken · Oakland
  • 2017 · Oregon Mixed-Use · Bend, Oregon
  • 2016 · Helix Office · San Carlos, California
2015 — 2016
Chua Group · New York, New York
Senior Designer
  • 2016 · Watermill Residence · Bridgehampton, NY
2010 — 2015
Kohn Pedersen Fox · New York, New York
Associate Principal
  • 2015 · Echelon Seaport · Boston, Massachusetts
  • 2015 · University of Michigan Ross School of Business Phase II · Ann Arbor
  • 2015 · Morgan State University Earl G. Graves School of Business & Management · Baltimore
  • 2014 · Boston University Computational Sciences Competition (2nd place) · Boston
  • 2013 · Incheon Airport Competition (2nd place) · Incheon, Korea
  • 2011 · Four Seasons Hotel Chengdu Union Sun · Chengdu
  • 2010 · Aerospace City · Doha, Qatar
Awards AIA New York State Honor Award (2018)
Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award (2018)
A+ Awards: Higher Education & Research — Special Mention (2018)
Engineering Society of Detroit Construction & Design Award (2017)
AIA Maryland Excellence in Design — Citation for Institutional Architecture (2019)
AIA Baltimore Excellence in Design Grand Design Award (2018)
2008 — 2009
Asymptote Architecture · New York, New York
Architectural Designer
  • 2009 · Yas Marina Hotel · Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • 2009 · The Circle at Zurich Airport · Zurich, Switzerland
  • 2008 · Strata Tower · Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • 2008 · The Ark · Oslo National Heritage Museum Competition
Awards AL Lighting Design Award for Outstanding Achievement (2010)
IES Lumen Awards: Citation for Achievement in Technical Artistry (2010)
2007 — 2008
Rice + Lipka Architects · New York, New York
Architectural Designer
  • 2007 · Sheila Johnson Design Center, The New School · New York
  • 2007 · The New School Welcome Center · New York
  • 2007 · Joan Mitchell Foundation Office · New York
  • 2007 · Stockport Studio + Guesthouse · Stockport, NY
  • 2007 · Buro Happold Office Addition · New York
Awards International Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum / European Centre (2009)
National Society for College & University Planning Excellence Award (2008)
AIA New York State Award of Excellence (2008)
AIA NY / Boston Society of Architects Biennial Honor Award (2008)
AIA New York Merit Award (2009)
2005 — 2007
Ingo Maurer SOHO · New York, New York
Lighting Gallery Associate
2003 — 2005
AXI:OME LLC · St. Louis, Missouri
Architectural Designer
  • 2005 · Amonte House · St. Louis
  • 2005 · Olive Office · St. Louis
  • 2004 · Women's Shelter · St. Louis
2002 — 2005
Washington University · St. Louis, Missouri
Digital Fabrication Laboratory Technician

Teaching

2024 — 2025
University of Texas at Austin · Adjunct Professor
  • Vertical Studio (Graduate) · Fall 2024
  • Design Studio IV (Second Year UG) · Spring 2025
  • Advanced Studio (Upper Level UG & Graduate) · Fall 2025
2002 — 2005
Washington University School of Architecture · Adjunct Professor
  • Graphic Representation II (Graduate)
  • Mapping Soft Bodies (Graduate)
  • Shifting Lines to Surfaces (Graduate)
  • Architectural Design for non-Architects (UG)
2020
Guest Crit · New Jersey Institute of Technology
Open Studio · Rethinking High Rise + Timber in the City

Education

2000 — 2004
Master of Architecture
Washington University Sam Fox School of Design · St. Louis, MO
  • Shigeru Ban Workshop · Bamboo Canopy · 2004
  • Buenos Aires International Studio · 2003
1996 — 2001
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Washington University McKelvey School of Engineering · Specialization in Structures

Affiliations

Registration
Registered Architect · New York (License #042073)
Registered Architect · Texas (License #30244)
Membership
AIA Austin Chapter · Member (#39331952)
NCARB Certified for reciprocity (#104059)

Service & Exhibitions

2023 — 2024
AIA Austin Homes Tour Committee
2013
Practical Utopias · Center for Architecture, AIA-NY
2004
Central Library Projection · Krzysztof Wodiczko · St. Louis
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