We start by learning about you and helping you identify your needs. During our first meeting, we ask what are your needs and how you came to have these goals, rather than ask what kind of new building, addition, or design you are looking for. By leading with these questions we are able to identify the true nature of the design problem in a way that creates a rich and focused response to your real needs. This approach often saves money, time, and permitting effort. In contrast, when one leads with a solution, it limits the possibilities to that one idea and often misses the opportunity to truly solve the underlying problem.

For example, in an initial interview, someone frequently states that they need a large building addition. By clearly identifying their underlying needs, we often discover together that what is actually needed is a very small addition along with some rearranging of existing space or redefining how that space is used. In some radical examples of this process we have been asked to design a large addition or renovation and instead solved the problem by simply renaming rooms or moving some furniture. In summary, we help you lead with the need, not the solution.