Culture
We are a tight-knit team with a common dedication to producing well-considered designs that positively impact the collective environment.
Each of our projects starts with basic assumptions:
ENGAGE THE CONTEXT
Our projects strive to engage both their social and physical context. We seek a meaningful understanding of culture and user groups. For example: how does philosophy shape design decisions; how do the occupants inhabit their surroundings; what building elements make users feel secure/happy/calm/inspired and help them interact as a group? A building must also respond to its physical and historical context: how can we use an understanding of architectural precedent to inform new building types and new uses? How can historical typologies inspire design that is relevant and responds to the needs of our clients?
CONNECT TO THE LANDSCAPE
We look for opportunities to extend building into the landscape, and bring the outdoors in. Even when a physical connection is not practical, a considered visual connection to the landscape is important in establishing a sense of place and reinforcing context.
DELIGHT THE SENSES
We use light, color, texture and sound as building tools. We engage the senses through a rich palate of materials that tap into the range of human experience.
LISTEN + RESPOND
Good design is built on an exchange of ideas. We listen to our client’s needs and concerns, and in return communicate design concepts so they can be easily understood in a process that is fundamentally interactive. Our projects aim to give expression to our client’s identity and aspirations while inherently considering their concerns, desires, and budget.
BALANCE + INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY
We seek a balance between the humanistic and the technological, both in the design process and in construction. We utilize state-of-the-art computerized documentation tools to bring rigor to the design process, in conjunction with more traditional drawing techniques. A balance of cutting edge technology with traditional means of drawing expression allows us to bring all participants into the process. We seek a similar balance in the application of building technologies. We are particularly interested in new technologies that conserve resources and reduce environmental degradation, and utilize innovative building technologies with a critical eye to issues of longevity, cost and maintenance.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
We approach the organization of a building or landscape as a choreography of spaces; an unfolding of experiences. A building should be more than a collection of rooms that define function; the way in which we pass through spaces is critical to our experience as a whole. Circulation spaces provide the background of the life for the building inhabitants, bringing opportunities for chance encounters and connections.
RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT
We have had a long-standing interest in sustainable building practices, and incorporate green design features at a fundamental level in all of our projects. Both principals are LEED accredited professionals, and many of our projects pursue LEED certification or equivalency.