Vision
A home should reflect the soul of its resident.
At AURAX, residential design goes beyond function and form. It is an intimate process of listening, understanding, and crafting spaces that resonate deeply.
Maryam approaches each project as a quiet dialogue between what already exists and what can be.
Guided by deep listening, sensitivity, and a thoughtful understanding of both place and people, she shapes spaces that feel grounded, balanced, and filled with light. Each home carries an aura as unique as those who call it home.
With degrees in architecture and interior design, Maryam brings a holistic perspective to how spaces are experienced, harmonizing form and feeling to create homes that reflect both their surroundings and the lives within them. Her passion for architecture began in fine art, and she still views art as a fundamental component of her work. She has focused her practice on places of dwelling because she believes architecture can heal and can inspire.
Credentials
- Education
- Master of Architecture, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, 2015; Thesis Grant Award
BFA in Interior Design, American University in Dubai, 2010; APID–Dornbracht Competition Award - Practice
- Founder and Principal, AURAX, San Francisco, since 2022
Consulting alongside AURAX: Five Design, project manager and design consultant (since 2022); Mahya Salehi Studio, managing East Bay projects (current); Dumican Mosey Architects (2025–2026)
Senior Designer, Sutro Architects, San Francisco, 2020–2022
Senior Designer, William Duff Architects, San Francisco, 2018–2020
Designer, Rossington Architecture, Sausalito, 2015–2018; also design consultant with Studio BANA, 2017
Interior Architect, Tarh-o-Sazeh Architecture, Tehran, 2010–2012, including the Kourosh Shopping Center: the faceted triangular atrium ceiling, interior design, storefront design and visualization - Recognition
- With Sutro Architects, as a member of the design teamWashington Street V, San Francisco: featured in Architectural Digest, September 2023; cover feature, Homes & Gardens (UK), January 2024With Rossington Architecture, as a member of the design teamRobinhood, San Francisco: featured in Dwell; Houzee Awards 2024, Platinum; International Architecture & Design Awards 2026, Silver
Molino, Mill Valley: Houzee Awards 2023, Gold (Modernizing Space)
Meadow, Mill Valley: Master Design Awards, Silver, Exterior Facelift
Valencia, San Francisco: Qualified Remodeler Master Design Awards, Silver
The AURAX story
Where the name comes from
AURAX began with a single word: aura. We use it for people and for places, and a home is where the two meet. Your home should carry your aura, and the X stands for amplifying it: a home that fits you so well it becomes part of who you are and how you live.
Where the thinking began
Between inside and out
Maryam's master's thesis at California College of the Arts, Intermediaries, looked at the space between inside and out. In Dubai, sealed, over-cooled interiors had cut people off from the city around them, so she designed a system of in-between spaces tuned by light, air and humidity, and tested it on physical models with an infrared camera. The question still shapes every home she designs: how a house meets the light and air around it, and how it feels to move from outside in.
The AURAX journey
Five steps from a wish to a finished home
The order matters: each phase ends with a decision you make before the next begins.
Envision
It begins with a desire. For more light, more space, and a home that reflects your way of living.
Discover
We study the property's potential, document what exists, and listen deeply to understand your needs, rhythms, and aspirations.
Design
We translate insights into form, exploring layouts, refining ideas, and shaping a vision that feels both grounded and inspiring.
Develop
We prepare permit drawings, guide interior material selections, and align with contractors to bring clarity to the process.
Build
We stay involved through construction, ensuring the built home carries the same intention and feeling as the design.
How we charge
Fees by phase
Fees are proposed in writing after the first site visit, broken down by phase so you always know what is included. Depending on the project, the fee is either fixed or hourly with a cap, so you always have a clear sense of the cost from the start.