design values
Top Five
Every site, every client, and every deliverable will require their own unique solutions. For this reason, we provide a thoughtful and customized approach to every project.
With that said, there are still a few design values (5 in fact!) that we aim to maintain in every project.
#1. Environmental Consciousness.
Our goal is to implement the passive design strategies whenever possible to create structures that are better for people and the planet. Our most important design decisions are driven by PHIUS Building Principles, opting for strategies such as:
Continuous insulation throughout the entire building enclosure helps to reduce a buildings heating and cooling needs and improves comfort.
Thermal bridge elimination minimizes "cold corners," reducing the risk of mold growth on the interior, and improves comfort.
Airtightness helps achieve durability of the enclosure as well as energy savings by minimizing infiltration of outside air and loss of conditioned air.
Balanced ventilation with heat & moisture recovery (often with an HRV!) is critical to indoor air quality (IAQ). Passive buildings continually exhaust air from bathrooms, kitchens and other areas with stale air and supply fresh air to living and working spaces.
High performance doors & windows (double- or triple-paned, depending on climate and building type) with proper solar heat gain and orientation in design help to control solar radiation.
Shading and daylighting strategies exploit the sun's energy in the heating season and minimize overheating during the cooling season.
Vapor control design requires attention to detail to maintain appropriate moisture levels in a space.
Mechanical system selection is critical to maintaining comfortable and consistent temperatures, as well as safe moisture levels inside passive buildings.
#2. significance of place.
A sense of place is created by considering how a space will resonate with the person experiencing it. This process, known as placemaking, requires a psychological approach to design - we love to put on the psychologist hat to develop designs that foster a deeper connection between spaces and the users experiencing them. It also directly relates to how Emerald got its name - read here!
#3. form + function are one.
As famously rephrased by the great Frank Lloyd Wright, we agree that “function and form are one.” While our architectural designs and interior space planning decisions are primarily driven by the practical factors related to user experience, we also believe in the magic of form to evoke special moments in design.
#4. timeless aesthetic.
These days, there are so many new names for design styles trending in the industry. While our team may be skilled and versatile, we’d rather just show you the various ways to achieve what we consider a “timeless” aesthetic in [primarily residential] design.
#5. collaborative process.
A truly collaborative process requires more than an architectural design team. We often work with a number of consultants to coordinate all of the work required on any given project. This could include surveyors/civil engineers; structural engineers; mechanical (HVAC), electrical, and plumbing engineers; code consultants; as well building envelope or building science specialists. We like to engage these consultants as early on in the process as possible to maximize the benefits of the team collaboration.
Last, but certainly not least, our team leans heavily into a design-build project delivery method. This facet of the collaborative process offers a number of benefits to our clients such as efficiency in project delivery, cost savings opportunity through value engineering and budget analysis, enhanced communication, and a single point of accountability from pre-design through project completion.