Architecture
Approach
Architecture is the key building block of our everyday environment. We believe in creating enduring, functional and beautiful buildings meant to inspire and give life. Our approach is rooted in the principles of classical architecture while accommodating the needs of our modern-day lifestyles. We include in our designs the full integration of all smart technologies.
Regarding classical principles that guide our design, we believe in creating human-scaled buildings that display craftsmanship throughout and especially at the eye level, showing people that they are important. Our buildings have a base, middle and top, corresponding to the human body which also has a base (feet), middle (body), and top (head). We make our windows and doors vertical as humans too are proportioned vertically. We acknowledge nature by giving our buildings sloped roofs to shed the rain and solid walls to protect inhabitants. We design for the local climate and are inspired by the local character, seeking to fit in with our context. These concepts are among the many principles of classical architecture we embrace.
We design and build many building types, including civic, commercial, mixed-use and residential. We are happy to discuss any and all building types with clients.
Types of Buildings We Design
I. Civic / Commercial
We design civic, commercial and mixed-use buildings, primarily for urban settings, but also in academic and other rural settings. Charles Beck helped create the above church at Thomas Aquinas College with Duncan Stroik, Architect. It is an example of the beauty and solidity of our civic architecture. We believe places of worship, town halls, and other important public buildings ought to appear noble, lifting the aspirations of the community.
The below interior view of the church shows a grand and beautiful nave, whose upward movement lifts up the heart and whose stone construction gives a sense of stability, permanence and commitment.
Our commercial architecture embodies classical principles of design, pointing upwards, aspiring to something greater than the hum drum of daily life. The below country club is less formal that our typical civic buildings but it maintains a beautiful and dignified appearance. We desire to acknowledge the human scale, establish a sense of stability and be inspired by historical precedent in all our commercial work.
Addition to Greenville Country Club, designed by a team including Charles Beck with Mark Hewitt, Architects. The gabled projection is a new bar while the portion to its left is a new dining room.
II. Residential
We design multi-family, townhouses, single-family houses and apartments. The above single-family house was designed and built in Long Island by a team including Charles Beck at Moran Hook, Architecture. It is an example of the beauty, durability and usefulness of our residential structures. We desire to please our clients, designing for their specific needs and desires, whether they be for a place to entertain, a family home or a peaceful retreat.
The below view shows the living room of the house. We created a classic living environment with wood rafters, an antique fireplace and traditional wood windows. The wall-hung TV adds to the comfort of the space.
Our multi-family, town houses and mixed-use buildings display a beautiful and dignified appearance. These types of buildings are usually low-rise, ideally five stories or less, helping residents to feel connected to other people and their surroundings. In urban areas, we tend to place residential over retail, creating an engaging pedestrian environment on the street. In all our residential work, we create beauty and comfort.
Flex buildings in Baldwin Park, Florida, whose facades were designed by Charles Beck with Torti Gallas & Partners. These buildings were created to be townhouses with the intention of converting them at some point to be mixed-use with retail on the ground floor.