Sustainable Lakefront Home
2015 CATT Award - Sustainable Building Methods Project of the Year read more | ||||||
It is a pleasure to recommend MWA Architecture, Engineering, and Interiors for any
design project, large or small, you may have. Our home in Truckee, California was
originally designed more than 40 years ago by a well-known local architect, and because
of its unique layout—with the Tahoe National Forest just beyond our front door—we
needed a highly creative and professional team to design a new, expanded living room
and a new garage that would both function well and complement the home’s original
character.
After speaking with several design firms in the Truckee–Tahoe area, Kristi Thompson,
Principal Architect and COO & CFO of MWA, came highly recommended by close
friends who own a major construction firm in Truckee and have worked with Kristi on
numerous projects. From our first meeting, we were impressed by her professionalism,
expertise, and thoughtful approach. Over the following months, Kristi and her team
provided multiple design options for our new garage. Because of the size constraints of
our primary lot, this was no small challenge. We also own the adjacent lot, and MWA
explored several iterations of a potential lot line adjustment to allow for a larger garage
footprint. Ultimately, we chose to keep the lots separate, and MWA designed a spacious
two-car garage within the existing boundaries. The result exceeded our expectations—the
garage is both highly functional and beautifully aligned with the home’s exterior design.
MWA faced similar constraints with the living room project. They transformed a square,
relatively dark, windowless room with built-in bench seating into a modern, light-filled
space featuring large north-facing windows. Their team also assisted with the design of
the TV, bookshelf, and fireplace wall. The room—and that entire side of the house—is
now completely reimagined. As with the garage, we could not be happier with the
outcome.
Throughout the project, Kristi and her team were exceptionally patient, flexible, and
professional, even as we encountered several delays on our end. Their communication,
creativity, and attention to detail made the entire experience extremely positive.
In short, we recommend MWA without reservation for any project you may be
considering. We are confident you will be as pleased with their work, their team, and
their final product as we have been.
-- Doug Jones
design project, large or small, you may have. Our home in Truckee, California was
originally designed more than 40 years ago by a well-known local architect, and because
of its unique layout—with the Tahoe National Forest just beyond our front door—we
needed a highly creative and professional team to design a new, expanded living room
and a new garage that would both function well and complement the home’s original
character.
After speaking with several design firms in the Truckee–Tahoe area, Kristi Thompson,
Principal Architect and COO & CFO of MWA, came highly recommended by close
friends who own a major construction firm in Truckee and have worked with Kristi on
numerous projects. From our first meeting, we were impressed by her professionalism,
expertise, and thoughtful approach. Over the following months, Kristi and her team
provided multiple design options for our new garage. Because of the size constraints of
our primary lot, this was no small challenge. We also own the adjacent lot, and MWA
explored several iterations of a potential lot line adjustment to allow for a larger garage
footprint. Ultimately, we chose to keep the lots separate, and MWA designed a spacious
two-car garage within the existing boundaries. The result exceeded our expectations—the
garage is both highly functional and beautifully aligned with the home’s exterior design.
MWA faced similar constraints with the living room project. They transformed a square,
relatively dark, windowless room with built-in bench seating into a modern, light-filled
space featuring large north-facing windows. Their team also assisted with the design of
the TV, bookshelf, and fireplace wall. The room—and that entire side of the house—is
now completely reimagined. As with the garage, we could not be happier with the
outcome.
Throughout the project, Kristi and her team were exceptionally patient, flexible, and
professional, even as we encountered several delays on our end. Their communication,
creativity, and attention to detail made the entire experience extremely positive.
In short, we recommend MWA without reservation for any project you may be
considering. We are confident you will be as pleased with their work, their team, and
their final product as we have been.
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