WHY “LONGHOUSE”?

For centuries the longhouse was the housing typology of choice for many different indigenous cultures all around the world. These long, thin structures were made from locally sourced materials such as saplings and tree bark for the native American longhouses or stone and thatch in the case of England’s Dartmoor longhouses. These structures epitomize our ideals that good buildings can foster community, be responsive to the land, and be responsible to the environment.

WHY choose LONGHOUSE architects?

At Longhouse Architects we approach each design project with the desire to knit together the needs and means of the client, the parameters of the building site, and respect for our environment into a cohesive architectural design. We believe that good buildings can enrich lives, build community, and create strong connections between inhabitants and the land they inhabit. We believe in the power of Architecture. 

working with longhouse architects

All projects vary in size, scope, and aspiration, so our workflow may look a bit different depending on the goals of our clients. For a residential project, that process might look something like this:

When Longhouse Architects begin a project, we start by doing a lot of listening. In every architecture project there is a chorus  of competing concerns we need to listen to and navigate. In no particular order these include: client needs and desires, environmental/sustainability concerns, budget responsibilities, site parameters (sun path, dominant views, prevailing winds, etc), community context, and planning and zoning restrictions. During the programming phase we open our ears and eyes and take in all this information.

During the next phase, schematic design, we start to put pencil to paper and  begin giving form to the competing demands of the project. As the design begins to develop, we keep in close contact with the client and other members of the design team to make sure we’re moving the project forward with a close eye on the parameters described during the programming phase.  At the end of the schematic design phase we arrive at a basic design with which we can move the project to the next phase of development.

In the design development phase we begin to flesh-out the basic design and make more detailed decisions. The idea in this phase is to create a set of drawings that can be given to the builder in order to arrive at a realistic preliminary construction budget.  If the estimate is workable for the goals of the project then the work of finishing the drawings can begin. If the estimate comes back too high we work with the client/builder team to make smart decisions to reduce costs without sacrificing the original intent of the project.

In the construction documents phase we complete the bulk of the drawings the builder will need to successfully construct the project. In this phase we work closely with consultants to integrate structural and civil engineering into the project as required.

During the construction phase, the project begins construction! Longhouse Architects can be on site to observe construction and work with the general contractor to resolve any questions that arise. We can be fully involved with every aspect of construction or we can be “on call” to help on an as-needed basis depending on the needs of the client.

Who is Longhouse?