Project Approach

Design Associates has been providing comprehensive architectural services for new construction, restoration and renovation projects throughout New England since 1879. We strive to provide architectural design solutions that are in response to our clients needs and requirements. Our projects are conceived and designed in a restorative manner using siting, massing and period details to create buildings and homes that are evocative of another time. We strive to balance present day lifestyle and technological requirements with American architectural styles and details of the past two hundred plus years. Having provided architectural and design consulting services for twelve of WGBH-TV’s This Old House projects, we bring a traditional, history-based approach to our architectural projects. Our over thirty years of experience with historic buildings gives us a broad understanding of the massings, details and moldings of many architectural styles. We seek the full participation of our clients in all phases of the design, resulting in a completed project that bears the distinct signature of our clients. Typically, we encourage our clients to provide us with magazine articles, photos of other residences, etc., to assist in defining their distinct requirements, for the inside as well as the outside. This exercise often results in the creation of a storybook of architectural and aesthetic preferences, which enables us to advocate certain design solutions on behalf of our clients and provide a clear and direct design direction. We strive to develop a keen understanding of our client’s wish list prior to putting “pen to paper,” including the research of architectural pattern books for developing architectural design solutions which are sympathetic to your existing home or your stylistic preferences. This is consistent with our process of developing an architectural design, regardless of whether it is Colonial, Georgian, Colonial Adam, Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Shingle, Stick, English Arts and Crafts or the Colonial Revival style. We seek to prepare several different design options in the schematic design process to permit our clients to more easily participate with the design process and to allow them to make the informed choices about the scope and direction of your renovations. We ultimately believe that it is our role to present our clients with a creative range of options and opportunities for their program requirements so that they can make the thousands of decisions inherent with any residential design project. We assist our clients with our professional assessment each and every step of the way and act as their advocates throughout the process from design through to the completion of construction.