ALL-INCLUSIVE FIRM CREATES ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGNS, NO MATTER THE LOCATION

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2 architects Martin Architects PC ALL-INCLUSIVE FIRM CREATES ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGNS, NO MATTER THE LOCATION by Amy Meadows When Martin Architects PC recently began designing a 17,000-square-foot green home in Houston, Texas, it might have seemed like a long way to travel to people familiar with the award-winning Sagaponack, New York-based firm, which is widely known for its outstanding high-end residential work in New York City, the Hamptons, Connecticut, New Jersey, and surrounding areas. But for Nick Martin, AIA, founder and principal architect, it made complete sense to accept a commissioned project nearly 1,500 miles away. When the client, for whom Martin Architects had already completed a 13,500-square-foot eco-friendly residence in East Hampton, asked the firm to deliver a comparable second home in Houston, there was absolutely no question about moving forward. It s really not about the location it s about servicing relationships with clients, says Martin, who received his education through Harvard s undergraduate Architecture Discovery program and Pratt Institute s undergraduate architecture school and founded Martin Architects in 1998 after working with such prestigious firms as Gabellini Shepard Associates LLP, Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, and Wood and Zapata, among others. Our clients are the most important piece of the puzzle in any project. So for us, it s not just about the architecture. We want to build trust as we provide the highest quality possible, and we will follow clients as those relationships form. Clients have total confidence in Martin Architects because the company is renowned for offering the personalized service of a boutique firm while also providing the comprehensive scope of a large firm. It does everything from architectural design and engineering to furniture and interior design all of it backed by the methodical building practices of the company s award-winning associated building firm, 4MA Builders. So, when a project calls for a design-build approach, the highly experienced staff of Martin Architects can collaborate with the skilled teams of its sister companies Martin-Armus Engineering, Martin Interiors, and the aforementioned 4MA Builders to take a project from conception to completion. This all-inclusive service, which also is provided with Martin Architects retail and commercial work, has been highly successful, a majority of the firm s business coming from repeat clients and well-earned referrals. A few projects the firm has been referred for are the Northwest Harbor residence one of the company s first all-encompassing design-build projects, a renovation of a 1970s modern structure and the Harbor View residence another renovation incorporating an addition that doubled the home s modest square footage without increasing its carbon or physical footprint by more than five percent. For a third renovation project, the Gansett Lane residence, Martin Architects infused the home with natural materials such as reclaimed cedar and antique white oak. A fundamental hallmark that draws clients to Martin Architects is its long-time emphasis on environmentally respectful design and building practices. We focus on the concepts of efficiency and reuse, incorporating both passive and active sustainable features into our designs, says Martin, who attributes the firm s ecological 122 luxury home quarterly august 2011 luxuryhomequarterly.com

3 Gansett Lane Residence The original 2,300-square-foot home was a crumbling, dark 1970s kit house. Martin Architects used as many elements from the structure as possible while introducing five natural materials: poured-in-place concrete; steel; glass; stained-reclaimed cedar; and antique white oak. By incorporating sustainable features and modernizing the residence while maintaining its historical sensibilities, the firm, collaborating with the renowned builders of Bulgin & Associates, Inc. (bulgininc.com), was able to turn the home into a sophisticated beach house, complete with Asian-inspired, light-filled interiors and exterior spaces that offer both style and refuge.

4 Your imagination, our expertise. Bring your project to life with Northwest Harbor Residence One of Martin Architect s first all-encompassing design-build projects, the Northwest Harbor residence, located on a three-acre waterfront peninsula in East Hampton, involved the complete rebuild of an existing home that featured drab 1970s modern architecture. The firm and 4MA Builders replaced a nonworking trombe wall system and added an 8,500-square-foot addition with a low carbon footprint. The home now boasts a blend of its original Hampton Cape Shingle style and a clean, modern beach aesthetic and is a candidate for LEED Bronze certification. HAMPTON GLASS & MIRROR Offi ce (631) Fax (631) Let our wide range of knowledge in the custom glass industry ease the transition from concept to reality.

5 ideals to his own lifelong interest in the environment and socially conscious community involvement. From reducing a home s carbon footprint by efficiently using square footage to including components such as geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar elements, and an array of reused and energy-efficient materials, the firm a member of the US Green Building Council has used a variety of innovative tactics to elevate many of its projects to LEED certification. You can work towards the future, or you can avoid it, and we have made a conscious decision to work towards it, Martin says. We believe in thoughtful, fresh, and smart design, and we want to help our clients achieve an efficient and elegant way of living. For Martin, achieving this goal comes down to allowing a project site to unveil itself to him and his team as they strive to understand and embrace its essence. By recognizing a property s intrinsic qualities, Martin Architects can stay true to its inherent aesthetic while still meeting clients wishes and needs. It is a delicate balance the firm has perfected one that is valued by the clients who return time after time to work with the firm. We want to retain our clients and work with them in the future, Martin says. We always want to work on that next project with our clients, and we never lose sight of that relationship. Harbor View This home is situated on a steep, sloping pitch in East Hampton with a view of Three Mile Harbor. Because the client who resides here loves to entertain, the 2,500-square-foot, 1970s-era residence needed additional space to accommodate guests. Martin Architects and 4MA Builders doubled the residence s modest square footage without increasing its carbon or physical footprint by more than five percent. The design-build team turned the once-unusable basement into a bright, airy space that leads to an open, modern first-floor plan and an entirely new second-floor bedroom level. The result is a spacious home with LEED Silver candidacy. A MESSAGE FROM POOLS BY GUILLO Pools By Paul Guillo is number one in quality, integrity, and expertise. We are a year-round multifaceted corporation which offers all phases of landscape and masonry construction, including swimming pools, spas, decking, retaining walls, pond construction, fountains, and magnificent patio retreats. Our highly skilled construction crew is ready for any job big or small, and of course client satisfaction is our main concern. As evident in our recent collaboration with Martin Architects, who expects nothing less than exceptional results, we are committed to working with our clientele from concept to completion of their backyard masterpiece. Custom Swimming Pools & Spas Garden & Meditation Ponds Water Walls & Natural Stone Water Features Complete Masonry Division Pool & Spa Renovations Marbledusting & Liner Replacements Leak Detection Salt Water Chlorination Solar Heating & Gas Heaters Automated Control Systems Family Owned and Operated For Over 38 years Phone: (631) Guillopools.com