# ALPA — alpa.llc
> Research, strategy, and technology for the built environment.

ALPA (Alpaca Labs LLC) is a design and technology studio focused on the built environment. We partner with architecture, construction, and product teams creating better ways to live, work, and play. Based in New York, we serve clients across the United States and Latin America.

Canonical homepage: https://alpa.llc/

## Developer resources

- ALPA Developer Resources: https://alpa.llc/developers/
- OpenAPI 3.1 specification: https://alpa.llc/openapi.json
- Public API index: https://alpa.llc/api
- Public site metadata: https://alpa.llc/api/site
- Concise agent index: https://alpa.llc/llms.txt
- XML sitemap: https://alpa.llc/sitemap-index.xml

The ALPA Public API is read-only and requires no authentication. Every `/api/` error is JSON with a stable `code`, a human-readable `message`, and a concrete `resolution` hint. Public editorial pages support Markdown content negotiation: send `Accept: text/markdown` to the canonical page URL. Negotiated responses include `Vary: Accept`, and HTML advertises its Markdown sibling with `Link: rel="alternate"; type="text/markdown"`.

alpa.llc does not currently expose a public MCP server or webhook API. Norma's product-specific MCP access is separate and documented at https://norma.llc.

## Founder

Federico Negro is an architect, designer, and toolmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. He holds an MArch from Parsons School of Design and has spent two decades at the intersection of architecture, technology, and business.

Previously, Federico co-founded CASE, a design-innovation and technology consultancy (acquired by WeWork in 2015). As Global Head of Design at WeWork, he led the scaling of their design and construction group to a 1,000+ person organization across 30+ countries. He then founded Canoa, a software platform connecting design and procurement processes. Named one of Business Insider's 15 People Shaping the Office.

## Services

### Strategy & Research
Market analysis, product definition, and organizational roadmaps for companies working in the built environment.

### Workflow Design
Product design, UX, and service design for tools and platforms used by architecture, construction, and real estate teams.

### Data & Analysis
Sensor integration, space utilization studies, and analytics pipelines that turn fragmented workplace data into clear decisions.

### AI & Automation
Document intelligence, data extraction, and workflow automation powered by large language models and custom tooling.

### Software Development
Custom platforms, internal tools, and web applications built end-to-end for architecture, construction, and product teams.

## Products

### Arch Studio — live
An open-source agent harness and institutional-memory system for architecture firms, organized in four layers: governance, knowledge, execution, memory. The same 61 AEC skills run in Codex and Claude Code, with portable studio and project records. The hosted MCP brings the same release, 61 skills and 8 agent roles, directly into your Claude or ChatGPT app, free for firms.
https://alpa.llc/products/architecture-studio/ · https://architecturestudio.ai

### Norma — beta
Norma is a governed materials library with a ready-to-use agent on top. It ingests messy product sources, extracts cited product data, stages review, and gives your team — or your own agents through MCP — structured access to sourced material knowledge.
https://alpa.llc/products/norma/ · https://norma.llc

### Mapa — beta
Interactive map of every urban and rural padrón in the Maldonado department with TONE zoning overlays, manzana price references, and one-click building-envelope analysis.
https://alpa.llc/products/mapa/ · https://estudio-local.com/mapa

### Canoa — deprecated
A deprecated design tool that combined a browser-based vector canvas with real FF&E product data. Canoa's core lesson was that product intelligence matters, but pre-ingesting the whole product universe into an app is unrealistic.
https://alpa.llc/products/canoa/

## Arch Studio plugin

### Architecture Studio
One cross-harness plugin for Codex, Claude Desktop, and Claude Code. Every host gets the Architecture Studio skill catalog for NYC due diligence, site planning, zoning, programming, specifications, sustainability, FF&E and materials research, firm operations, presentations, project records, and guided learning.
61 skills. https://alpa.llc/plugins/architecture-studio/ · https://github.com/AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects

## Arch Studio agents

Domain specialists that orchestrate skills end-to-end. Full index at https://alpa.llc/agents/

### Brand Manager
Turns content, data, and analysis from any other agent into client-ready presentations, color palettes, and visually consistent deliverables — with built-in QA for presentation readiness. Also prepares project photos for web, social, slides, and print.
Domain: Brand & Presentation. https://alpa.llc/agents/brand-manager/

### FF&E Designer
Takes product selections — from research, spreadsheets, or rep data — and formats them into structured FF&E schedules, including quality review, room packaging, and dealer-ready export.
Domain: FF&E Specification. https://alpa.llc/agents/ffe-designer/

### NYC Zoning Expert
Pulls property records, due diligence data, and zoning regulations from every relevant NYC database, then synthesizes them into a development analysis with an interactive 3D envelope visualization.
Domain: Zoning & Entitlements. https://alpa.llc/agents/nyc-zoning-expert/

### Product & Materials Researcher
Finds, extracts, and organizes product information from manufacturer sites, dealer platforms, PDFs, and spec sheets — returning a shortlist of tagged, structured candidates ready for designer review.
Domain: Products & Materials. https://alpa.llc/agents/product-and-materials-researcher/

### Site Planner
Researches and synthesizes climate, environment, transit, demographics, and neighborhood context into a unified site brief — the foundation every project needs before zoning, programming, or design begins.
Domain: Site Analysis. https://alpa.llc/agents/site-planner/

### Sustainability Specialist
Evaluates materials and products against environmental performance criteria — embodied carbon, EPD data, life cycle impact, and requested certification criteria such as LEED or LBC, retrieved from the original program.
Domain: Sustainability. https://alpa.llc/agents/sustainability-specialist/

### Workplace Strategist
Translates business requirements — headcount, growth plans, work style, culture — into a complete space program with zone allocations, room schedules, occupancy compliance, and clear recommendations.
Domain: Workplace Strategy. https://alpa.llc/agents/workplace-strategist/

## Arch Studio skills

Skills with a page on alpa.llc, grouped by family. Full index at https://alpa.llc/skills/

### Dispatcher
- [Architecture Studio Workspace](https://alpa.llc/skills/studio/): Set up a studio workspace and register projects
- [Tool Catalog](https://alpa.llc/skills/tool-catalog/): Show all available skills, agents, and their commands
- [Studio Feedback](https://alpa.llc/skills/studio-feedback/): Draft a bug report or feature request — you press submit
- [Skill Maker](https://alpa.llc/skills/skill-maker/): Scaffold new skills that follow the house patterns

### Due Diligence
- [NYC Landmarks](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-landmarks/): LPC landmark and historic district check for NYC buildings
- [NYC DOB Permits](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-dob-permits/): DOB permit and filing history for NYC buildings
- [NYC DOB Violations](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-dob-violations/): DOB and ECB violations for NYC buildings
- [NYC ACRIS](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-acris/): ACRIS property transaction records — deeds, mortgages, liens
- [NYC HPD](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-hpd/): HPD violations, complaints, and registration for residential buildings
- [NYC BSA](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-bsa/): BSA variances and special permits for NYC properties
- [NYC Property Report](https://alpa.llc/skills/nyc-property-report/): Combined NYC property due diligence report

### Learn
- [Learn](https://alpa.llc/skills/learn/): A guided course that teaches architects Claude Code itself

### Presentations
- [Slide Deck Generator](https://alpa.llc/skills/slide-deck-generator/): HTML slide decks from a prompt — no PowerPoint, no dependencies
- [Color Palette Generator](https://alpa.llc/skills/color-palette-generator/): Harmonious color palettes from a description, image, or hex code
- [Resize Images](https://alpa.llc/skills/resize-images/): Batch-resize photos for web and print in one command

### Product & Materials Research
- [Master Schedule](https://alpa.llc/skills/master-schedule/): Adopt and revise project FF&E schedules with permanent records
- [Product Research](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-research/): Brief-based FF&E product research — describe what you need, get curated candidates
- [Product Spec Bulk Fetch](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-spec-bulk-fetch/): Extract FF&E specs from product URLs at scale
- [Product Data Cleanup](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-data-cleanup/): Normalize messy product data into spec-ready data
- [Product Spec PDF Parser](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-spec-pdf-parser/): Extract FF&E specs from product PDFs at scale
- [Product Data Import](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-data-import/): Normalize raw product data from any format into a reviewable schedule
- [Product Image Processor](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-image-processor/): Download, resize, and remove backgrounds from product images at scale
- [Product Enrich](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-enrich/): Auto-tag FF&E products with categories, colors, materials, and style tags
- [Product Match](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-match/): Find similar products from an image, name, or description
- [Product Pair](https://alpa.llc/skills/product-pair/): Suggest complementary products — side tables for sofas, lamps for desks
- [CSV to SIF](https://alpa.llc/skills/csv-to-sif/): Convert FF&E product lists to SIF format for dealer procurement systems
- [SIF to CSV](https://alpa.llc/skills/sif-to-csv/): Convert SIF files from dealers into readable spreadsheets

### Programming
- [Occupancy Calculator](https://alpa.llc/skills/occupancy-calculator/): IBC occupancy load calculator for Claude Code
- [Workplace Programmer](https://alpa.llc/skills/workplace-programmer/): AI space programming consultant for Claude Code

### Project Records
- [Project](https://alpa.llc/skills/project/): One interface for project facts and decisions
- [Work Plan](https://alpa.llc/skills/workplan/): Turn a request into a traceable, execution-ready plan
- [Meeting Minutes](https://alpa.llc/skills/meeting-minutes/): Transcript or notes into collision-safe, source-linked minutes
- [Site Visit Report](https://alpa.llc/skills/site-visit-report/): Field notes into a typed report that separates what you saw from what you were told
- [Task List](https://alpa.llc/skills/tasklist/): Permanent task IDs, ownership, and lifecycle history
- [Time Tracker](https://alpa.llc/skills/timetracker/): Reconstruct what you worked on, confirm the hours yourself

### Site Planning
- [Environmental Analysis](https://alpa.llc/skills/environmental-analysis/): Climate and environmental site analysis from an address
- [Mobility Analysis](https://alpa.llc/skills/mobility-analysis/): Transit and mobility site analysis from an address
- [Demographics Analysis](https://alpa.llc/skills/demographics-analysis/): Demographics and market site analysis from an address
- [Site History](https://alpa.llc/skills/site-history/): Neighborhood context and history from an address

### Specifications
- [Spec Writer](https://alpa.llc/skills/spec-writer/): CSI outline specifications from a materials list

### Sustainability
- [EPD Parser](https://alpa.llc/skills/epd-parser/): Extract structured environmental impact data from EPD PDFs
- [EPD Research](https://alpa.llc/skills/epd-research/): Search registries and manufacturer sites for Environmental Product Declarations
- [EPD Compare](https://alpa.llc/skills/epd-compare/): Side-by-side environmental impact comparison with comparability checks
- [EPD to Spec](https://alpa.llc/skills/epd-to-spec/): CSI specification sections with EPD requirements and proposed GWP limits

### Zoning Analysis
- [Zoning Analysis: New York City, NY](https://alpa.llc/skills/zoning-analysis-nyc/): Buildable envelope analysis for lots in New York City
- [3D Zoning Envelope Generator](https://alpa.llc/skills/zoning-envelope/): Generate interactive 3D zoning envelopes from analysis reports

## Docs

- [Installing Architecture Studio](https://alpa.llc/docs/installing-architecture-studio/) (2026-08-12): Step-by-step guide to installing Architecture Studio in Codex, Claude Desktop, and Claude Code.
- [Deploying Architecture Studio on Eve](https://alpa.llc/docs/deploying-architecture-studio-on-eve/) (2026-06-28): Deploy Architecture Studio on Eve as a durable AI agent harness for architecture firms, with Vercel hosting, authentication, sandboxing, subagents, skills, and Norma integration.
- [Distributing Skills to Teams](https://alpa.llc/docs/distributing-skills-to-teams/) (2026-03): How to install and distribute Claude skills and the Architecture Studio plugin through Claude Desktop, Claude Code, project settings, managed settings, and team marketplaces.

## Articles

All writing at https://alpa.llc/articles/

- [One Wall, Five Ways to Build It](https://alpa.llc/articles/rhino-agents-five-build-methods/) (2026-10-07): We tested five ways for agents to build a brick wall in Rhino. Larger operations reduced exchanges; direct Python was cheapest with Sonnet in these runs.
- [Arch Studio 1.5 Improved Cold-Start Project Records](https://alpa.llc/articles/evaluating-arch-studio-1-5/) (2026-09-30): In 27 cold-start runs per arm, Arch Studio produced valid project records 55.6% of the time against vanilla Claude's 14.8%.
- [Arch Studio 1.5: The Four Layers a Firm Builds On](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-1-5/) (2026-09-20): Arch Studio 1.5 is one release on two channels: the open-source plugin for Codex and Claude Code, and the hosted MCP inside Claude or ChatGPT. Four layers, 61 skills, Norma, and nothing to run but your assistant.
- [Architecture Studio Now Runs on Codex](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-on-codex/) (2026-08-12): Architecture Studio v1.4.2 brings all 46 open-source AEC skills to Codex, with native plugin packaging, portable workspaces, and the same project memory used in Claude Code.
- [AEC Magazine on the Judgement Stack](https://alpa.llc/articles/aec-magazine-on-the-judgement-stack/) (2026-07-22): Martyn Day dedicated a feature in AEC Magazine to Skills for Architects, using it as the public reference architecture for what he calls the judgement stack — the layer a practice owns above the model.
- [Can Your Firm Train Its Own AI Model? Pre-Training, Fine-Tuning, and RAG, Explained](https://alpa.llc/articles/training-vs-fine-tuning/) (2026-07-04): Pre-training and fine-tuning are both called training — one takes a frontier lab, the other runs on a Mac mini. Firms announcing they'll train their own model are usually describing the one they can't afford.
- [Architecture Studio 1.4: The Skills You Write Yourself](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-1-4/) (2026-07): 283 stars, 46 skills, and a breaking migration — v1.4 turns the plugin into a framework your firm extends, with a studio workspace, firm-owned skills, and project records that outlive every update.
- [Architecture Studio 1.3: A Course in the Terminal](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-1-3/) (2026-07): 255 stars, 40 skills, and a new kind of skill entirely — v1.3 ships /learn, a six-module hands-on course that teaches architects Claude Code itself, on a fictional Brooklyn art museum project.
- [Architecture Firms Need an Agent Harness](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-firms-need-an-agent-harness/) (2026-06-28): AI agents for architecture firms need more than a chat window. Vercel's eve gives teams a durable runtime for tools, subagents, approvals, channels, and memory, with Architecture Studio and Norma as the domain and material layers.
- [Introducing Norma](https://alpa.llc/articles/introducing-norma/) (2026-06): Norma is an AI material library and product-memory layer for architecture and design studios, turning messy schedules, quotes, specs, and product research into private, cited, reusable studio memory.
- [Architecture Studio at Three Months: Your Project Gets a Memory](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-at-three-months/) (2026-06): 179 stars, 39 skills, seven releases — and the biggest change isn't a skill at all. Architecture Studio v1.2 gives every project a dossier and a decision log, as plain files in the project folder.
- [How Architecture Firms Should Build Their AI Stack](https://alpa.llc/articles/how-architecture-firms-should-build-their-ai-stack/) (2026-05-22): A practical framework for architecture firms building an AI stack: model access, agent harnesses, domain agents, project memory, material libraries, governance, and review.
- [Agentic AI in AEC: What Actually Changes for Practice](https://alpa.llc/articles/agentic-ai-in-aec/) (2026-05-08): A practical view of agentic AI in AEC: what changes inside architecture firms, what should stay human-led, and how agent harnesses, project memory, and material libraries fit together.
- [Architecture Studio's First Month: 100+ Stars on GitHub](https://alpa.llc/articles/architecture-studio-first-month/) (2026-04): Architecture Studio hit 100 GitHub stars in its first month. Here's what the numbers say about how architects are adopting AI tools — and what surprised us.
- [Introducing Architecture Studio](https://alpa.llc/articles/introducing-architecture-studio/) (2026-03): Architecture Studio is an open-source AI agent system for architects and interior designers — Claude workflows for site research, zoning, specifications, product research, FF&E schedules, and sustainability.
- [Most AEC AI Apps Are Just Claude Wrappers](https://alpa.llc/articles/evaluating-ai-tools-for-architecture/) (2026-03): A practical test for firms evaluating AI tools: what proprietary data does it hold, what does it actually compute, and what would it cost to build yourself?
- [Claude Code Cheat Sheet for Architects and Designers](https://alpa.llc/articles/claude-code-cheat-sheet/) (2026-03): A practical Claude Code cheat sheet for architects: installation, essential commands, project setup, skills, and architecture workflow examples.

## Contact
- Website: https://alpa.llc
- Email: hi@alpacalabs.co
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/alpa-design-lab
- Substack: https://alpacalabs.substack.com