Our Services
We provide design services that are of the highest quality based on experienced, honesty, and detailed communication with our clients. This transparent approach with our clients, contractors, and employees establishes trust and respect amongst everyone involved. We strive to provide the best value for our clients in their quest for their custom building by using our expertise in traditional methods and materials. These systems are generally not prone to supply and demand swings common with mass produced building products and can often be less toxic and more organic than conventional building materials. With adobe bricks, rammed earth walls, and wood beams we deal with a lot of locally sourced materials, reducing transportation costs and increasing longevity. This strategy allows our clients to build on an affordable budget that still invests in the finished product to provide for a lifetime of value and comfort.
All of these values contribute to what we believe; that we can build a better building using earthen materials and live more balanced lives, promoting happier healthier families and working environments. From first concept meeting to the front door to your custom building, we will be with you every step of the way!
Dream it.
Site Analysis & Pre-Design services will explore, not only your building site, but your lifestyle as well through a Programming phase of study. Architectural Programing is the process of identifying and defining the types of spaces and functions that are to occur within any particular project. The value of this exercise is twofold:
It helps you clarify and refine your spatial needs relative to your lifestyle.
The program statements serve as criteria for evaluating design decisions.
This is also where any visual images the Owners have collected will be shared and incorporated into the Pre-Design thinking.
We will then meet to discuss specific requirements of the project, site, and building. Upon studying your responses and the building site, we will create a Site Analysis drawing to show how the environment, topography, circulation patterns, sun angles, direction of views, and vegetation will affect the development of the building and the property.
Design it.
The Schematic Design and Design Development services recognize the need for design options to be explored between the Owner and the Architect based on the Owner provided Programming results, initial on-site meetings, the Site Analysis drawing, and preliminary design sketches. Activity use and spatial relationship sketches, known as ‘bubble diagrams’ are created here. This technique allow us to quickly evaluate alternative concepts for organizing the building without having to make hard, dimensional decisions. The Owner and the Architect may often ‘bubble diagram’ in person at meetings to review progress and further develop the plans.
Building performance goals are brought to the table at this point to determine Energy Use Intensity (EUI). EUI expresses a building's energy use as a function of its size or other characteristics (kBtus/s.f./year). Maximizing natural daylighting and ventilation, indoor air quality, acoustic performance, passive solar comfort. and thermal mass allow for an optimal living or working environment to be created.
Build it.
Construction Documents (CD’s) consist of a set of plans often called ‘Prints’ and frequently accompanied by written specifications, or ‘Specs’. Together they form the basis of your contract with any general or sub contractor. These documents are created for the purpose of securing bids to build the project, as well as obtaining a building permit from the local jurisdiction. The Architect shall prepare a set of CD’s and coordinate with all the necessary engineers required on the project to produce the full set of drawings.
Contract Administration occurs during construction as we hold weekly job-site meetings, respond to all requests by the general contractor for information and Applications for Payment. During filed observation visits, we give the project a detailed review to ensure the construction is in conformance with the drawings and of the quality level expected. We will also meet with you to review progress, assess finish material and color selections, walk through the building for an electrical rough-in review, etc.
