Design Goals

While each project tends to offer its own set of design cues, the following are some goals that we try to achieve in each project:

Connect House to Site. How the interior of a house connects to the surrounding landscape with views, natural light, and direct access to habitable outdoor transition spaces helps connect us to the larger natural world and to the dynamic nature of the environment in which we dwell, such as changes in weather, the seasons, life on the street, the passage of time.

Use Each Square Foot. Efficiently-designed smaller houses are likely to meet a household’s needs better than loosely designed larger homes, while being more cost- and energy-efficient. We consider the importance of the quality of space, pay attention to the importance of scale, and try to make the best use of existing space when we consider adding to or enlarging a house.

Conserve Energy. Building or renovating a house is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address energy-efficiency in a comprehensive and cost-effective way. Whether your goals for reducing energy consumption are radical or modest, we will work to guide you to the most appropriate choices for your program.

Create Healthy Indoor Environments. As we make houses tighter and more energy-efficient, it becomes even more important to pay attention to indoor air-quality, providing adequate ventilation, while minimizing the use of building materials that release toxic compounds into the home environment.