Our Approach
Whether you’re looking for a home that has an eye for efficiency or you want to go net-zero—we understand how to craft a design within your context and crucially, while balancing your vision and your budget.
Together, we’ll craft a design that unites your goals with your home’s environment and context, balancing aesthetics, performance, sustainability, and liveability.
Whether you’re looking for a home that has an eye for efficiency or you want to go net-zero—we understand how to craft a design within your context and crucially, while balancing your vision and your budget.
Our first steps will be getting to know each other and the project site. We begin to craft our understanding of the space you want, and how you want to live in it. We will focus on the “big ideas” that will guide the rest of our process. It’s not just about how many bedrooms you want, but how you want them to flow, what feelings they evoke, and how the space integrates into your life. From how your space will interact with its environment to the nuances of efficient heating and cooling, we’ll consider everything before beginning.
Through Schematic Design we begin to deepen our collaboration. We offer multiple design options and talk through them with each member of the family. It’s like crafting a puzzle together–we’ll learn how to balance everyone’s needs and dreams to create a plan that works for everyone. There is a lot of back and forth during this phase as we look at the components of the design from the inside, out. Your home becomes a series of interconnected working spaces, and the outside starts to take shape. Even though it’s an early stage, schematic design becomes the basis of our design—taking it from a concept and turning it into your home.
This is where your space begins to come to life. We will decide on materials, systems, and equipment, and the design will begin to represent the completed building. You’ll finish this step with a detailed Design Development Set, a series of drawings that map out the complexities of the build and offer a final chance to tweak and refine. Materials, ventilation, efficiency, and character–we dig into it all as we begin to craft your custom space.
Once the design is completed, we’ll proceed with all the necessary documents to get the project constructed with detailed drawings and specifications. These drawings include everything from detailed foundation and floor plans to structural and electrical layouts. We make sure the documentation meets the local building codes and ensure we are fully prepared to collaborate with the contractor to get all necessary permits.
Finding the right team is critical to the success of the project. Whether you decide to bring a contractor in during the design phase or go out to bid as the construction document process is completed, we can help you through the process —vetting and reviewing estimates for construction. Although the choice of a contractor is ultimately your decision, we can help you navigate the process. Once the contractor is on board, we will proceed with project approvals.
Our collaboration doesn’t end once you’ve selected a contractor and construction is underway. We stay involved to oversee the project and observe the site, ensuring everything we know about your needs, style, and goals are incorporated every step of the way.
Architects aren’t just big picture thinkers–we tend to also be detail-driven perfectionists. Some clients opt to have an architectural eye on the finer design. We offer our expertise down to the smallest details—including custom millwork, selection of hardware and accessories, finish selections, and lighting.
After a large-scale renovation, those final touches can often be the most confusing. That’s why we’re invested in the process from the moment the first wall comes down to the second you stroll back into the finished space.
“The new layout of the house is incredible. It is very functional and was well thought out with future projects in mind.”
—Jonathan / Rowhome Gut Renovation in Jersey City