Our Values

Seeing possibility

Each project has the potential to be co-creative and transformative in both the process and the outcomes. How can we connect to that potential, to move beyond the conceptualization phase? How can we help create a project that resonates with you?
Drawing upon our experience and resources we aim to work with what could be possible.

Local resourcing

A sustainable community is best served by acting and trading locally. The cornerstone at ARC Design is to increase growth in the community by using local resources in our design projects. ARC is an acronym for Art, Resource and Craft. We have developed relationships with local artisans in a networked guild that encourages collaboration in the design and building process. The arts and crafts connect us to our cultural and regional diversity.

Sustainable solutions

We work to uncover and evolve the natural attributes of people and their environs to develop an expression of place to increase the vitality of any project. Our emphasis is utilize local networks, sources and resources whenever possible. We advocate efficient energy and technology solutions along with the use of reclaimed and recycled materials in building construction and furnishings. Some passive energy efficient techniques have been understood and practiced throughout the world for centuries. The nexus of sustainable solutions is bridging the past to the future.

How we work

Initial Meetings

Our initial meetings often start with a potpourri of ideas, memories and images of buildings, spaces, colors, textures, fabrics and furniture. These ideas inform the creative process, they are like seeds looking for fertile soil.

Architectural design

The architectural design process starts with a dialog to develop themes and project requirements that are followed with proposals, schematics and presentations. Our goal is to be pragmatic about costs and limitations. Working drawings and specifications are created for permitting and construction. We oversee implementation and final touches. The process is a continuous listen/feedback loop.

Furnishing

The process begins by developing a design vernacular which integrates the home’s architecture and the surrounding landscape and expresses the client’s vision. We source and present possibilities for furnishings and color palettes and facilitate the purchase and installation of the furnishings, accessories and art work.

Communication techniques

In our building and design projects we advocate a clear communication and decision making process. We share our digital information in cloud storage and use various project management and communication tools to keep the client and team informed and up to date.

Green resources

Our goal is to emphasize local resources, energy efficiency and recycled materials. In our projects, a slab from a fallen tree becomes a piece of locally made furniture and old barns have their siding recycled for new floors. Energy efficient, super insulated solar homes we design tend towards net zero energy use while staying cool in extreme heat without the need for air conditioning. Sustainable energy technology is rapidly changing, we are constantly adapting and reinventing our relationship with current trends. Yet, for millennium, builders and architects have been aware of designing buildings that were resourceful and energy efficient. Local materials, part of the eco system, often hold the solution to appropriate building techniques. Building in the right place, understanding sun cycles, natural systems, waters flows and micro climates all impact future building choices. We work to uncover and evolve the natural attributes of people and their environs to develop a transformative expression of place.

Gratitude

The work we do at ARC Design is collaborative and co-creative. The design world is based on trusted relationships and historical precedent. No one person or company can take credit for the designs they do. The great artists, designers and innovators of the past opened the doors and we stepped inside.

So thank you to all those, too plentiful to name, for the delightful journey into the creative human spirit.