Awards & Press
2023
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - Market Research2021
CATT Award - New Commercial ConstructionCATT Award - Residential Remodel
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - A Fresh Approach to Traditional Tahoe
2020
CATT Award - New CommercialCATT Award - New Residential
Houzz - “Best of Service” and "Best of Design" awards
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Merit Award: Outdoor Space - "Soaking in Serenity"
2019
CATT Award - Residential Remodel Project of the YearHouzz - “Best of Service” award
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Craftsmanship - "Art and Architecture"
2018
“Curve Appeal” – Tahoe Quarterly - Spring 2018CATT Award - New Commercial
CATT Award - Sustainable Building Methods
Houzz - “Best of Design” award
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Merit Award: “Timeless”
2017
Houzz - “Best of Customer Service” awardMartis Camp Residence - featured in a sales video (July 15th)
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National Association of Home Builders - Best in American Living Award (BALA): One-of-a-Kind Custom or Spec Home 6,001 – 8,000 sq. ft
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - – Merit Award: Remodel – “Resplendent Remodel”
2016
BuildDirect - "The 15 Best Architects in Reno and Tahoe"CATT Award - Residential Project of the Year
CATT Award - Residential Remodel Project of the Year
CATT Award - Professional of the Year
Houzz - "Best of Design" and "Best of Service" awards
Schaffer's Mill Residence - featured in an episode of TAHOMES Remodeled & Custom Homes (March 30th)
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Lakefront Award - "Off the Hizzle"
Truckee Residence - featured in an episode of TAHOMES Remodeled & Custom Homes (March 7th)
2015
CATT Award - Sustainable Building Methods Project of the YearCertificate of Special Congressional - Recognition of 2015 Sustainable Building Methods Project of the Year
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Eco-Friendly Award - "Eco Estate"
2013
CATT Award - Sustainable Building Methods Project of the YearTahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Legacy Award - "All In The Family"
2012
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Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Historic Remodel - "Riverfront Red"
2011
"Design is in the Details," - Mountain Living - Nov/Dec 2011"Mountain Surf and Valley" - Marin Magazine - OCT 2011 - Featuring the residence at Martis Camp lot 176
"Valhalla Masterpiece," - Reno Magazine - Aug. 2011 - Martis Camp Lot 29
Lahontan - Lot 110
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Runner Up - Martis Camp Lot 77/78
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Merit Award-Unique Vision - "Bringing the Alps Home" - Martis Camp Lot 29
2010
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Commercial Project-The RockTahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Merit Award - 968 Park Hotel
Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards Grand Design - Martis Camp 113
2009
Professional of the Year by Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe (CATT) - read bioTRPA "Best in the Basin" Commercial Re-Build - Ski Run Center
2008
"Best Large Home Theater Overall" CEDIA Electronic Lifestyle AwardsCATT Award - Commercial Project of the Year: "The Rock"
Tahoe Quarterly Magazine readership: People's Choice - Architectural Firm
2007
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Public Works Project of the Year "Round-a-Bout" at Brockway Road and Martis Drive by CATT
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Perfect Process"
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Best Commercial"
2006
"Gold Award" in "Best Homes of the Year" - Electronic House magazine"Ski's Mountain Home Trophy" - Ski Magazine
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Mountain Modern" award
2005
"The Rock in Truckee A SD Case Study" is profiled in Building Vibrant Communities: - A Commercial and Mixed Use Handbook by Sierra Business CouncilTahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Outstanding"
Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Outdoor Spaces"
2004-1995
1995 People's Favorite - Town of Truckee Visual Preference Survey Porter Simon Building in historic downtown.2000 "Best Custom Home" - The Builders Association of Northern Nevada
2001 “House of Wine” - Ski Magazine Oct. 2001
2002 Peoples Choice Truckee Tahoe Airport Terminal Building Competition
2004 Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards - "Best Great Room" Merit Award
I just wanted to tell you how much Roz and I love the home you designed for us at Northstar. This was a project we’ve been thinking about for a very long time, and the results -- 18 months after completion -- are everything we could have hoped for.
As you know, we bought the Big Springs lot in 1995, at the first auction of lots for Northstar homeowners. We had owned a house at Northstar since 1989, and planned to build the “dream house” as an important part of our eventual retirement plan. We were not ready to build at that time, but we often visited the lot to look at what the future might bring. On one of those visits, we happened to run into you -- you were then designing a home a few doors away. You asked us to keep you in mind when we were ready to start our project. We are so glad we ran into you that day.
The lot we purchased was one of the choice view lots at the end of the Grouse Ridge cul-de-sac, looking out at the western sunsets above Castle Peak. It had terrific view exposure, but also had major exposure to the weather. In the Summer of 2004, we were ready to move ahead. We interviewed several local architects. You stood out immediately. You had wonderful ideas on the design for the house. You also had a terrific practical sense for the site -- how to use overhangs to address the weather concerns with the winds and snow dumps; how the views would play out depending on exactly where we sited the house; and where to place large windows for maximum dramatic effect without bathing the interior in constant sunlight. As our contractor, Jeff Cotton, later said, “Kurt sees though walls and can visualize the sight line 20 or 30 feet in the air while standing at ground level.”
As we went through the planning process with you, we couldn’t have been more pleased. It really was effortless on our part. You listened to what we wanted, showed us we could do even more than that and came up with a beautiful plan. Many homes in Big Springs are enormous. We told you we did not want a gigantic house, and you designed a spectacular one within our size requirements. At the same time it had everything we wanted, especially a dramatic great room with stone columns, huge wood beams and beautiful lighting, and a master bedroom suite on the top floor with a 270-degree view of the mountains from Castle Peak to Mt. Rose, the treetops and the sunsets and sunrises (one of our guests described it as “like living in a tree
house”).
We actually found the process of the design to be an enormous amount of fun -- something which is very unusual when considering the typical stress involved in the largest new construction project we’ll ever undertake. It was also right on time. We wanted to have the design completed and approved by the County by early Spring so we could start construction as soon as the snows melted and you did just that.
When we were nearing design completion, we asked for your recommendation for builders. You gave us a couple of suggestions, we interviewed them, and then picked Jeff Cotton, who you have worked with for years (including on your office). We couldn’t have done better. Jeff is a gem, and we cannot thank you enough for your recommendation. Between the two of you, no problem could not be solved. You both had excellent ideas on how to turn the design plan into a construction reality. There were no surprises, and again a flawless process.
The house was completed in May 2006. We’ve now lived in it for it for 18 months. You always wonder when doing a project like this what you’ll say after the fact you wished you’d done differently. But I can’t think of anything. We enjoy being in the house every time we’re there. From the grand design to the smallest practical detail -- from the visual impact of the stonework and sweeping views from the living room to the dog shower on the deck -- we wouldn’t change a thing.
Thank you so much for turning our dream into a reality. We could not be more pleased.
-- Michael Plishner
As you know, we bought the Big Springs lot in 1995, at the first auction of lots for Northstar homeowners. We had owned a house at Northstar since 1989, and planned to build the “dream house” as an important part of our eventual retirement plan. We were not ready to build at that time, but we often visited the lot to look at what the future might bring. On one of those visits, we happened to run into you -- you were then designing a home a few doors away. You asked us to keep you in mind when we were ready to start our project. We are so glad we ran into you that day.
The lot we purchased was one of the choice view lots at the end of the Grouse Ridge cul-de-sac, looking out at the western sunsets above Castle Peak. It had terrific view exposure, but also had major exposure to the weather. In the Summer of 2004, we were ready to move ahead. We interviewed several local architects. You stood out immediately. You had wonderful ideas on the design for the house. You also had a terrific practical sense for the site -- how to use overhangs to address the weather concerns with the winds and snow dumps; how the views would play out depending on exactly where we sited the house; and where to place large windows for maximum dramatic effect without bathing the interior in constant sunlight. As our contractor, Jeff Cotton, later said, “Kurt sees though walls and can visualize the sight line 20 or 30 feet in the air while standing at ground level.”
As we went through the planning process with you, we couldn’t have been more pleased. It really was effortless on our part. You listened to what we wanted, showed us we could do even more than that and came up with a beautiful plan. Many homes in Big Springs are enormous. We told you we did not want a gigantic house, and you designed a spectacular one within our size requirements. At the same time it had everything we wanted, especially a dramatic great room with stone columns, huge wood beams and beautiful lighting, and a master bedroom suite on the top floor with a 270-degree view of the mountains from Castle Peak to Mt. Rose, the treetops and the sunsets and sunrises (one of our guests described it as “like living in a tree
house”).
We actually found the process of the design to be an enormous amount of fun -- something which is very unusual when considering the typical stress involved in the largest new construction project we’ll ever undertake. It was also right on time. We wanted to have the design completed and approved by the County by early Spring so we could start construction as soon as the snows melted and you did just that.
When we were nearing design completion, we asked for your recommendation for builders. You gave us a couple of suggestions, we interviewed them, and then picked Jeff Cotton, who you have worked with for years (including on your office). We couldn’t have done better. Jeff is a gem, and we cannot thank you enough for your recommendation. Between the two of you, no problem could not be solved. You both had excellent ideas on how to turn the design plan into a construction reality. There were no surprises, and again a flawless process.
The house was completed in May 2006. We’ve now lived in it for it for 18 months. You always wonder when doing a project like this what you’ll say after the fact you wished you’d done differently. But I can’t think of anything. We enjoy being in the house every time we’re there. From the grand design to the smallest practical detail -- from the visual impact of the stonework and sweeping views from the living room to the dog shower on the deck -- we wouldn’t change a thing.
Thank you so much for turning our dream into a reality. We could not be more pleased.
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