When a family builds a custom home, a compound, or a private retreat, they’re rarely just thinking about where they’ll spend next summer. They’re thinking about Thanksgiving twenty years from now, about which child might want to raise their own kids nearby, about what they want to leave behind. Real estate — and particularly residences designed for generations — has always carried emotional weight. But increasingly, it carries significant financial and legal weight too.
Read MoreAs proponents of more and better housing options, DA has been following the changes to formerly single family zoning closely. John recently met with J Irons of MRA Construction for a conversation about new “opportunities for homeowners to reimagine what's possible on their property.
Read MoreWhether you're envisioning a cozy mountain cabin or a modern custom home with panoramic views, designing and building in Leavenworth comes with exciting possibilities—and a few important considerations.
Read MoreIn this blog post, we’re thrilled to spotlight Andrea Lackie, a talented local from the Lake Tahoe area. Andrea brings a unique perspective to responsible design and thoughtful collaboration, and we’re excited to share her insights with you.
Read MoreNext up in our Design as a Verb video series: Lake Michigan Modern.
Read MorePalm Springs, California, has long been synonymous with cutting-edge residential design. From the 1940s through the 1960s, the city became a hub for mid-century modern architecture, a movement that emphasized clean lines, open floor plans, and a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living.
Read MoreFirst up in our Design as a Verb video series: the High Desert Modern project, aka “the Swiss Army Knife house”.
Read MoreMost magazines (and many architects) sell design-as-a-noun: a parade of glossy images, ready-made, neatly packaged, and seemingly effortless. At DeForest Architects, a Seattle architecture firm, we believe in something else entirely: Design as a verb.
Read MoreAptly named, this house for a landscape photographer and outdoor enthusiast challenged DA to make the most of its setting with a minimum of means. In this post, we share some of the high and low-tech tools we used to realize this vision.
Read MoreWhen designing a home for snow country, it's crucial to understand where snow comes from, how it collects on your site, and anticipate its moving, melting, and freezing. Asking the right questions can help avoid damage and danger.
Read MoreDA hosts workshops with activities that inspire attendees to explore new ways of living, working, and playing - values that would ultimately shape the built project.
Our clients often have questions about residential solar arrays. Since installing panels on my own house last year, I have a few insights to share.
Read MoreOver the years, we’ve helped hundreds of clients navigate the custom home design and construction process. Along the way, we’ve compiled some helpful tips and time-tested advice in a two-part handbook titled ‘Getting Started: An Informal Insider’s Guide to the Design and Construction Process’.
Read MoreEarly in my career, a friend asked me: "Don't all architects want to design skyscrapers?" The implication was that designing anything else wasn’t challenging, exciting, or important enough to be worthy.
Read MoreMany clients are building in small towns and rural areas where design-oriented firms are scarce and/or overbooked. Now they see that they can choose the architect that is just right for them, regardless of location.
Read MoreDesigning for flexibility has always played a part in our design process. Over the years, we have developed ways of accommodating extended family, friends, and corporate gatherings of all sizes.. Here are some examples.
Read MoreArchitect - “Do you know how to build a pyramid?” Contractor - “Well, err yeah, up to a point.”
Read More“Workiretirecation”, Anyone?--Ok, we’ll leave the branding to the pros, but we’ve observed a significant shift in how people are thinking about “home” in the last two years.
Read MorePart of the fun of being an architect is the wide variety of tools we use, from pencil sketches and cardboard models, to computer renderings that are so detailed they can be mistaken for a finished building.
Read MoreRight now seems like a perfect time to think about vacation. As luck would have it, it is always “right now!” In case you’ve been dreaming of your perfect vacation home, we’ve got some ideas and inspiration to share from our North Lake Wenatchee project.
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