Philosophy

I believe that architecture has the power to change our lives. Our world is undergoing monumental shifts in climate due to natural evolution as well as the I am committed to the goal of utilizing environmentally sound materials, systems, design, and construction methods in the creation of our built environment, in order to reduce the impact of buildings on our environment.

The creation of sustainable buildings requires intense cooperation between the architect and construction team. Over the past 10 years,I have become much more heavily involved in the actual construction of the buildings I design, and after several years of deliberation, I transitioned my practice to a design-build firm and formed a sister company, SAGE Homes LLC, which oversees the construction process. This transition has allowed for greater control over material selection and building methods, which in turn creates a more seamless and economic construction process.

There are maxims which help guide us. Two that guide our approach to architecture are William Morris’s advice to, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful“; and Virge’s former University of Illinois professor Robert Riley’s proclamation that, “Architecture is the backdrop to life.”

I have long been drawn to the beauty and challenge of small homes and commercial buildings. Me early experiences in residential design taught me that by strategically economizing space, the result is more interesting, more unique, and more in tune with human scale. There is little waste, and the clean, straightforward lines that come from this approach form a simple beauty that is often lost on grander scales. From a purely practical standpoint, designing buildings in this spatially economic manner provides a larger portion of the budget for the special details that personalize the space, and for quality materials that create enduring beauty and grace.

My early approach to design could best be described as a study in psychology: helping my clients identify the patterns and nuances of their lives in order to create for them a harmonious backdrop.

Over time I have come to realize that once internal harmony is attained, it is equally important to focus on the external. In 1992 I had my first opportunity to work with a mixed-discipline team of design professionals to create a sustainable neighborhood. From that beginning, my desire to develop buildings that are in harmony with the environment has grown.

The Logo

The longer I practice and commit myself to the environment the more I understand and appreciate the interconnection of trees and rivers with all of life. They provide the two natural ingredients without which we cannot exist: healthy air and water. In turn we must provide protection for them so they can thrive. That sense of protection produced the last of the three elements of the logo: the circle. It symbolizes our atmosphere, our world, and a sense of stewardship for all that is contained within.

It is an unwavering reminder to me of what’s most important in all that I do in my practice and my life. It is simply the expression of these three elements: “Woods… Water… World.”