Designing new homes, restoring and renovating classic homes

About Peter Sachs

Our focus is on custom residential renovation, historic restoration, additions and new homes.

about_picture-halfsizeI live in Newton in an 1860’s house with my wife, 3 kids and a dog. I have worked as a principal in my own firm for 30 years. We are a small office and focus on custom residential renovation, historic restoration, additions and new homes. Currently, we have a majority of our projects in Newton, Wellesley and Brookline as well as projects in Medfield, Dover, Weston and Needham. Having worked in all of these communities, we have developed strong relationships with all of the local planning and building departments.

While in college, I studied European History as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a framing carpenter during the summers. I found something I loved in carpentry and the building trades and realized that Architecture was a career worth exploring. After my undergraduate studies, I attended the Masters program at University of Pennsylvania. Architecture resonated for me and I continue to happily and passionately explore the world of Architecture.

Project planning, zoning law and construction experience are strong sub specialties of mine that ensure adherence to budgets, schedules and above all, the successful expression of aesthetic goals as well as financial goals.


Philosophy

My objective is to blend contemporary and eclectic design sensibilities in order to express the unique quality of each design situation. Much of my work has centered on understanding older homes and designing seamless looking additions. This work has lead us to designing “new old” homes with the same charm and detail as their ancestors. I love to integrate the interior spaces with the outdoors as well as pay special attention to the direction of natural light. Of particular interest to me is Landscape Design and the integration of the interior design with planting, patios, decks and outside spaces that unify whole project.

Residential design is special to me because of the close and collaborative nature of the relationship that needs to be fostered with my clients. I consider it a privileged to be asked to work on a home. It is an opportunity to establish the trust required to promote a great design that enhances and broadens the experience of one’s home.

House 2_C-big-02For me, no project is successful unless it has achieved a client’s design expectations as well as their financial planning. As a teenager, I worked on framing crews and later as a carpenter, so I have always maintained a strong connection to the construction process. This has enabled me to practice Architecture with an instinct for financial planning that has served both my clients and their builders as they formulate budgets and build projects.

My commitment to adhering to budgets is as strong as my dedication to great design. It is for this reason that I believe our projects express equally my client’s financial and aesthetic goals.


20HunterStreet-010-605pxwidthAwards and Publications

2010 Newton Historic Preservation Award, Dales European Travelling Fellowship ~ U of Penn, Paul Cret Medal for design excellence ~ Masters U of Penn, finalist in The Marshall Fellowship ~ U of Penn. Published in the New York Times Magazine, Boston Design Guide, House and Garden Magazine, Boston Magazine Homes and Gardens.

Civic Activities

Quaker Friends Building Committee, 2007 Newton Zoning Reform Task force, 2012 FAR Zoning Task Force City of Newton and Planning Department, Historic Society of Newton Jackson Homestead, Newton Museum Council, Loon Freestyle Skiing Board

Licenses

Member of the A.I.A and Boston Society of Architects; Registered nationally by N.C.A.R.B (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Washington, D.C.); Registered in the following States- Massachusetts; Vermont; New Hampshire; Virginia and New York.


About Architect Fees

I am aware that there are a broad range of price structure for designers and Architects. Our model is to provide a thorough level of service: written specifications, complete working drawings, construction inspection throughout the project and negotiating zoning with the city of Boston. The foundation of our design work is construction documents and specifications which are essential to forming the basis of a contract between you and the builder: the insurance of a clear contract to build.

We are committed to designing a number of schemes in order to get the right solution. I have attached a link to a Boston Society of Architects web site and to Houzz in order to provide you with more information about fees and service. I have always felt that the better informed you are about my practice, the easier it is to choose a professional.