Curious Explorations

Our interest in materials, placemaking, and positively impacting the human experience through design led to the idea of curious explorations: our ventures into design/build, furniture design, and material research.

These explorations have taken many forms but they all start with the question, “What does this [space, material, object] want to be? Without preconceived notions or expectations, we allow the response to happen organically – on a sketchpad, in a maker lab, or as part of a charrette.

The materials we work with are familiar: steel, brick, wood, limestone, concrete, glass. However, our curiosity about these materials and their methods of assembly are not.

Material systems play a critical role throughout our design process and inform our thinking as we make places. In each of our projects, we choose to deploy honest and authentic materials harvested from the place where the building will exist. We are deeply influenced by place, so while this is a sustainable strategy,…

The materials we work with are familiar: steel, brick, wood, limestone, concrete, glass. However, our curiosity about these materials and their methods of assembly are not.

Material systems play a critical role throughout our design process and inform our thinking as we make places. In each of our projects, we choose to deploy honest and authentic materials harvested from the place where the building will exist. We are deeply influenced by place, so while this is a sustainable strategy, selecting these honest materials also serves to honor and resonate with its location, and show clear evidence of how and why it was made. In 100+ years, if our building is still standing (we hope it will be!), we want the community to be proud of it, and identify with it, as an example of vernacular architecture.

Testimonial

Name Christopher M. Clark, Ph.D.

Title President – Bryn Athyn College

“

The buildings you built are so solid, so stately. The landscaping so welcoming – it seems as if they date from when the College was founded, in 1877. The beauty of the buildings and the sense of timelessness of the campus environment testify to the untold thousands of hours of labor that you gave in making it so. We can never thank you enough. Your efforts, your sweat, your presence on the job day after day made all the difference. Our new image was fashioned by each of you. Your good work has enhanced our work.

”