Our Process
Thoughtful, fresh and creative DESIGN is the foundation of any successful practice. Our design approach is like that of a tailor, uniquely fitting each design to its site and client. We begin the process from the ‘outside’ looking in, evaluating zoning, environmental and contextual factors. We then overlay the client’s program, building from the ‘inside’ looking out, forming spaces and their relationships to each other with circulation, function, furnishings, views, daylight and such.
A few design fundamentals are constants. We think beyond the structure as an object, to the layers of movement, use and environment—seeing the design as a dynamic experience, as a unified creation of PLACE. We strive to be sympathetic to the character and nature of the SITE, seeking to weave the built environment into the landscape. Daylight can be a transformative tool, bringing the extraordinary to an otherwise ordinary space.
Dogmatic and fastidious ATTENTION to details and systems is an essential aspect of what makes any project ultimately successful. It is about proper, smart detailing for wind-driven rain or wet basements; about understanding materials and their maintenance cycles. We stay with an issue till it is ‘right’; minding the details is a hallmark of our practice.
We find great joy in this CRAFT of ours: working with ideas, paper, computers, our hands – collaborating with clients, builders, trades, and craftspeople – creating special places and things, large and small.
