Informed Foundations

by Pete Fala, AIA, LEED AP

We started STITCH in 2013 on the premise of “there has to be a better way,” and that means a better way in terms of design process and design philosophy. What we bring to the table that’s different than other architecture + interior design firms is that we understand projects holistically from both the design and construction perspective.

When we first began, we were mostly doing residential projects. Due to the costs of general contractors and working in neighborhoods with price ceilings, we decided to get our general contractor license and build the projects ourselves. While we do not do that anymore, the experience forced us to wrestle with questions like:

• How does the project position well?
• Is the project a good investment?
• Can we sell it?
• How long are we going to have to sit on it?
• How long are will we have to pay interest on our loans?
• What is the appraisal process?
• How do we manage costs and finish projects on time?

Having to consider and answer these questions gave us an understanding of all the intricacies, processes, and challenges of how to get a project completed from the construction point of view. Bringing this perspective to our clients’ projects makes us a great development partner because we understand the feasibility of various project aspects, such as materials and finishes, from their viewpoint.

We have built this expertise into our process, the STITCH Experience, where we start out by analyzing the parameters of a particular site and project. These include things like budgets, parking requirements, zoning ordinances, height restrictions, and more. By clarifying the boundaries of a project, we can iterate quickly and give options that are based in reality – saving money, time, and effort on all sides.

Through our team’s well-rounded project perspective, we can take a project from nothing to permit drawings in less than six months. We find that when we join our expertise with that of our partners, the result is a highly dynamic process that efficiently yields an authentic and gratifying project result.