who we are / what we believe

Rick O’Donnell Architect is an architectural firm known for the quality and uniqueness of its design work and its ability to truly listen and understand the needs of our clients. We are not a “plan factory” and our goal is quality, not quantity or volume. We firmly believe that good design evolves over time through a thoughtful, communicative program and purpose and an exploration of options between owner/client and architect to achieve the perfect solution for each individual client. Our goal is to create an end product that is unique to the client and their specific needs, goals and desires. If at the end of the day all we are going to stylistically create through our efforts is what your neighbor already has, we have all lost an opportunity.

We believe in an architecture that is thoughtful, straightforward and purposeful, while incorporating natural materials and interesting details to create wonderful, livable, functional and aesthetically pleasing environments for our clients.

We seek an architecture that extracts the emotions of those that view it – architecture that is full of vigor, sometimes daring, playful and full of life, while at the same time graceful in proportion, scale and detail.

Our architecture embodies and expresses the simplicity of natural, basic materials, involves the strength and openness of nature, flowing movement between and through spaces, the inspiration of the site and environment and the quality of light coming into the home, building or space.

We believe that good design of any space, building or home is driven by a close working relationship between owner/client and architect. As a result, we focus our attention on the needs and desires important in the lives, lifestyles and varied interests of our clients.

We view each potential project as both a challenge and an opportunity and we recognize the unique possibilities presented by both project and client. Each project is a reflection of us and of our client and is designed to accommodate the client’s physical, functional, special and aesthetic needs, budget, schedule and the site’s specific features.

We design places that are based on our client’s vision and we think this is reflected in the diverse architectural expressions of our product. As a result, we seek clients with various interests and different needs which in turn makes the design process both exciting and inspiring for us and our client.

Our commitment begins, as it must, at the site. A home or building is an extension of the landscape and environment that surrounds it and it should draw upon the natural condition of the topography, using sunlight, views, orientation and energy to create memorable sensory impressions. We believe that good design must connect people to the environment by minimizing the line between inside and out. The spaces around and between buildings and portions of buildings are as important as the buildings themselves.

Each of our projects seeks to cultivate its own unique identity while sharing an underlying element of appropriate proportions, functionality and simplicity. The basis for our homes and buildings is formed by priorities about visual comfort, calmness, definable connections to the site and outdoor spaces, natural materials, interesting and appropriate detailing and movement of natural light throughout spaces during the day and throughout the seasons.