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When you look at Sacramento’s skyline, what do you want to see there? When you drive into Downtown, along the riverfront, and through the various neighborhoods, what buildings resonate with you, and what should be added to the landscape?

These questions constantly go through the minds of Kristopher Barkley and Nikky Mohanna, two people who are literally changing the shape of Sacramento’s skyline. They’re designing and constructing buildings that aim to show off the Capitol City at its best, and they’re striving to innovate the places in which we live, work and play.

Barkley, who has just hit the 30-year mark at Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture (which is about to celebrate its 70th birthday), has designed or contributed to nearly all of the firm’s projects, including remodeling of the CalPERS headquarters, renovation of SMUD’s headquarters, and the new Powerhouse Science Center on the riverfront.

At age 29, Mohanna has quickly gained the reputation as one of Sacramento’s most innovative homebuilders, with her about-to-open Midtown “microunits” apartment building, 19J, and her about-to-break-ground 10K, a mixed-use building in Downtown that combines a hotel with studios and co-living spaces.

Listen to this great conversation with a “young whippersnapper” and a “seasoned veteran” as they talk about their groundbreaking projects in Sacramento, and find out how their views compare and contrast on architecture, design, urban planning, and the future of live/work/mixed-use living in California.

PANELISTS

• Kristopher Barkley, partner and design director at Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture

• Nikky Mohanna, principal at Mohanna Development