in.site:architecture

Rick and his team at in.site: architecture nailed it! My wife and I could not be happier with results of their work. Having never built a home before, we were slightly apprehensive about the process and of course the end product. RIck and his group worked with us every step of the way. They took time to listen and incorporate our “wants” into a beautiful, functional design. Not only did they understand the style and flow we wanted to achieve but made sure all environmental factors were also considered; siting for best views, concern for privacy, along with respect for our neighbors’ were all taken into account. Rick also did a good job managing our financial and time expectations. His estimate of building cost and time to complete was very accurate. It was not one of those horror stories of twice the money and twice the time to finish the job. Credit for this must also be shared with our terrific builder, Danrich Homes, Inc. (Rochester, NY). We cannot say enough good things about in.site: architecture. We. recommend them highly.

The team at in.site:architecture provided design services for our home build project from 2016-2017, including schematic design, design development, and construction documents. We worked with the entire I.S:A team throughout all phases of our project, however spent the most time with partner, Rick Hauser. Rick helped us find the perfect spot for our would-be home on our land, spent lots of time with us, discussed our goals for the house and property, listened to us, read our detailed emails, and responded with professional care and consideration. Rick and team were well prepared to design our littleHouse, knowledgeable in nearly every aspect of energy efficient buildings. When our builder or my spouse or I suggested a detail, vendor, or product, they researched and contributed their opinions at every step of the way. We built our home to Passive House standards and with the innovative design Rick and team provided, we were able to merge passive solar heating with limited fenestration points to achieve a house that requires less than a cord of wood for heating in the long winter months of western New York state. Working with I.S:A was a collaborative experience that in the end, produced a simple, beautiful, functional home that my family and I enjoy living in every day.

We have collaborated with I.S:A on a number of projects, from the renovation of our existing historic home, to the construction of a new modern pool house, to landscape design, to construction of a major research facility in Madagascar. Not only does I.S:A produce fabulous designs (each one developed for the unique space and needs of the project), but their precision in overseeing the execution of their work cannot be surpassed. In addition, they are truly fun to work with. Both Rick and Ali encourage a collaborative design process, and they are always happy to get tons of feedback from the client. I could not recommend them more highly.

My wife Mary Conable and I hired in.site:architecture to design a 'Granny Cottage' for her mother, on property across the street from our 1820-era farmhouse. We had used in.site to design significant renovations in our home eleven years ago. As part of the new project, we wanted to create a living space that would challenge traditional ideas of home possibilities in our community. Ryan Fitzsimmons, our designing architect, along with Rick Hauser, held many design sessions with us and Mary's mother to make sure that the cottage would address all of her design needs. The cottage is beautiful, blending into the existing built and natural environment; it features the first domestic 'green' roof in our area; it has pleased us all, and we will continue to bring fresh projects to the professionals at this company.

In.Site:Architecture did an commendable job with a complex and challenging re-imainging of a former cottage into a highly functional and delightful year-round home. Rick and his colleagues worked very effectively with us on both the macro scale (e.g., clarification of our initial desiderata and conceiving the massing and eventual sightlines) and the micro scale (e.g., revision and re-enforcement of existing foundations). What impressed us most was their level of collaboration with us, within the team, and with the general contractor, without which the project would have suffered, given its complexity. They were always there when we needed them throughout the construction (there being numerous emergent circumstances as the existing structure was revealed), and, equally importantly, unobtrusive when things were proceeding well. We are very proud of our unique home in its current incarnation, and in.site deserves lots of credit for its livability and esthetic success.

Rick and Ali and In.site:Architecture made the potentially daunting process of planning, designing, and building our home a truly enjoyable experience. Their professionalism and expertise are matched by their creativity, innovation, and dedication to creating beautiful structures. From our very first meeting with them, they invested the time and attention necessary to discern what was important to us, and to frame our needs and priorities in terms of what best fit the land we built on. For us, the result has been this remarkable place we are so fortunate to call home!

In.Site:Architecture designed a house for us on a canal nestled into a slope that leads down to wetlands along the shore. The house harmonizes with this beautiful natural habitat. From the outside, the house has a low profile that blends into the environment. From the inside, the house opens up to and embraces its natural setting by creating a dynamic connection with the outside. First, ample windows bring the outside in; second , the house, modest in size, augments its own space by using the outside as an extension of the interior: an outdoor shower that we use from April to November and a courtyard patio which looks out on the wetlands and canal. I.S:A took the time and made the effort to figure out what we wanted and gave it to us, adding their own special touches: a curved interior wall, berms along the exterior uphill walls, and an entry way with an open circle built into the wall facing the canal. We love our house.

Rick Hauser and his staff were a pleasure to work with. We found In.Site:Architecture online when we were looking for architects in our area. Even though our home is a few hours away from their office we had excellent communication and collaboration throughout the design phase. They were very knowledgeable about materials and systems while keeping us mindful of the budget. We were particularly impressed by their enthusiasm for our project. We were fully engaged throughout the whole process and the result is the perfect home for us.