WHY EAST SIDE?
Since moving back to New England from Arizona, where buildings were about escaping the searing heat and strong sunlight, I’ve worked for two decades in a beautiful studio on the east side of a historic brick building. The light pouring through the twelve-foot-high windows sparks early morning creativity. Morning has come to have fundamental meaning as I’ve considered the value this design work brings.
Clarity.
Evening brings obscurity; morning reveals the bare truth. A successful design process clarifies and crystalizes ideas. By carefully examining alternatives upfront and delineating plans down to the last detail, we avoid waste, lack of control, and untapped potential.
Regeneration.
A recurring theme in our work with historic buildings, more than preservation, (although we are award winning preservationists), a new birth purges and cleanses. From adaptive reuse (changing the purpose of a structure) to a new building on an empty site, a fresh, beautiful space can be a life-changer. It fosters creativity, unity, and enjoyment, increasing health and productivity.
Light.
Like sculptors and painters, architects study how light falls on three dimensional forms. Correct orientation for solar gain is the foundation of green building, reducing energy loads with thoughtful placement of windows. Natural light increases productivity and morale, and highlights beautiful architecture. Unlike the review of activities at dusk, morning sheds light on what lies ahead. We look at history in a fresh light, respecting context, holding on to what is good, but letting go of what no longer serves us.
Collaboration.
What no longer serves us is an eponymous architecture practice – one person’s name. We are a collaborative, multi-discipline studio involved in planning, design, and real estate development. We welcome clients, building users, and communities to contribute to the process from conception to completion and onward.