THINK OUTSIDE THE BLOC

UrbanBloc is a full-service design and build firm that creates custom shipping container kitchens, restaurants, coffee shops, and retail spaces. With over a decade of industry experience under our belt, our team is revolutionizing the way commercial spaces are designed, built, and utilized.

We created UrbanBloc to empower people to activate their local spaces, open new businesses, and develop communities sustainably. From the first day that we started sharing our vision, the amazing response has given us the energy and enthusiasm we need to make that vision a reality. 

Ultimately, we believe what we're doing transcends shipping containers and has the power to transform the way people work, play, and connect with one another.  

MEET THE TEAM

UrbanBloc is led by individuals who are driven by shared values — innovation, sustainability, creativity — and a belief that elegant, yet functional, modular design can be a source of community revitalization. Our team brings strategic thinking and deep expertise to the table when crafting solutions for our clients.

Martha Trela headshot

  • CEO + President

    Martha co-founded UrbanBloc in 2014 after a 25-year career in the Life Sciences. She was drawn to using shipping containers as modular buildings because of the creativity, sustainability, and opportunity to help make social change by transforming vacant lots into vibrant social spaces.  Since founding UrbanBloc with her business partner, Jerry Jameson, UrbanBloc has become a leading commercial design/build firm in the modular industry, has completed over 80 projects, and has won many awards for design, sustainability, and innovation.

    Martha is on the Board of Directors for the Modular Building Institute, was a former board member of the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, and is an active volunteer for the Urban Land Institute's Urban Plan program.  She is also a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences and events targeted at the modular industry.

    Martha has a B.S. from Stanford University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Jerry Jameson headshot

  • CTO

    Jerry co-founded UrbanBloc in 2014 after a long career in architecture, branding, and construction. Driven by the belief in the creativity of an energized and dynamic city environment and attracted by the potential of modular construction, Jerry set out to design and manufacture a tailor-made, elegant, and functional modular system. To date, Urban Bloc has become a leading commercial design/build firm, has completed over 80 projects, and has won many awards for design, sustainability, and innovation.

    Jerry’s professional expertise ranges from traditional architectural practice — both residential and commercial — to set design, product design, and more. Prior to UrbanBloc, Jerry founded Shape Design, a design-build company based in New York City. He also served as a principal and design director for Crome Architecture, a San Francisco-based architecture and branding practice.

    Jerry has a Masters in Architecture from The University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Shawn Wienckowski headshot


  • VP of Operations

    Since joining UrbanBloc in 2016, Shawn has led all aspects of production operations, including manufacturing, material management, logistics, safety, and post-delivery client support. With over 30 years of experience in operational and program management, he ensures each project meets or exceeds client expectations in terms of cost, quality, and schedule. Shawn's diverse background in the aviation and hospitality industries has shaped him into a dynamic leader who is passionate about modular construction as a sustainable alternative to traditional building methods and as a powerful tool for revitalizing urban spaces and fostering community connections.

    Beyond his role at UrbanBloc, Shawn is a dedicated leader of his local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and actively participates in disaster preparedness exercises and activations at the city, county, and state levels.

    Prior to UrbanBloc, Shawn successfully built and managed high-performing engineering, program management, and technology teams at United Airlines and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. He studied Architecture at the Arizona Architecture Institute.

It takes a community to build and transform communities. Our people are the foundation upon which UrbanBloc’s success is built, bringing collaboration, expertise, and passion to every project.

Two UrbanBloc team members smiling at each other
Two UrbanBloc team members at worktable discussing project
Two UrbanBloc team members discussing measurements
UrbanBloc team member cutting wood at a saw
UrbanBloc team member at work table with another team member looking on in the background
Image of a worktable with a grid of holes for anchoring instruments. In the foreground are four raised metal holes.

CONTACT US

We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note and let us know how UrbanBloc can help your next project come to life.