10 year Anniversary

So this year my firm is celebrating it's 10 year anniversary.  I have to say, it has been quite the ride with ups and downs.  It is amazing to me how the economy has affected design industries and even more amazing to see those of us who remain standing after the fall. 

Designers, architects, tradesmen have to really love what they do in these times.  I mean it.  I'm not saying that we are always in it to make money--most of us do it because we truly love what we do.  We take pride in the design, built work, and changing peoples lives.  Residential work is the most challenging as it is improving such a private area of our lives.  Commercial work gets more exposure which obviously offers up it's own challenges too.  But at the end of the day, I love doing what I do and want to bring this passion to every job--no matter how big or small.

Memorial

On this anniversary of 9/11, I am reminded most of the Importance of being a community. Working together is what gets us through the rough times but also what builds the future.

I encourage you to consider what being getting involved in your community can mean for people. Coach a team, plant a tree, be a mentor--do what interests you and make a difference. After all, it truly takes a village.

Little T American Baker Project

Recently our bakery project in SE Portland, Little T American Baker, turned 4 years old.  What a great accomplishment for our client and we are very happy that it is also wearing well generally given the traffic that goes through the space every day.  This is a testament to good design, craftmenship, and maintenance which we emphasis in every project we pursue.

Nothing gives me more joy than seeing our spaces and designs being used.  Good design and programming makes for great entertaining.  But, it is the flexibility of the space for many purposes that shows design strength in the end.  Happy summer Portland!

Shiny Happy People

One of the joys of doing residential work is changing the way people live. I recently got an email from the new owner of a past project of ours. I have to say, it was quite out of the blue but such a welcome surprise. It said:

"I just wanted to send a quick note to you and your team. I recently purchased your work of art on NE 37th and just wanted to say how truly amazed I am each day at how beautiful it is. I saw what it was before and it took true artists and a bit of magic to turn it into what it is now. Thank you for creating such a wonderful home."

Design is a challenging avenue and everyday we try to create unique spaces that accommodate our clients. Thanks so much to all of you that have followed up on our creations!

With the air getting crisper and leaves falling we checked in on a past design project of ours. It brings me great pride to see my projects taken care of by the current homeowners and also to see them weathering well.
We designed and built the steel fence & porch column in the forefront which is now taking on a nice rusty tone that looks great with the plantings.

Updated Info

Well again some time has passed since I have written on here. The current economy has me working harder! However, I did want to get on here and write about the fact that my company has gone live with our new website. Check it out to see our updated portfolio and info.

www.constructarc.com

I hope to be back here blogging about modern architecture and design in the Northwest coming this fall.