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About Us |  |
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Who We AreLiving Shelter Design is a small, woman-owned architectural firm that specializes in custom home and community design. We take time to listen intently, and translate your thoughts and ideas into a wonderful personal place that fits the site and reflects a timeless beauty. Living Shelter Design heartily promotes the use of environmentally sound building practices. This can be as simple as increasing the energy efficiency of your current home in a remodel, or as complex as creating something entirely new with minimal impact on the earth. We love to integrate appropriate alternative materials and methods into the energy efficient design concepts and traditional forms that we have been collectively working with for over 50 years. We even offer hands-on educational workshops in natural construction methods throughout the year.
What does EcoLogical design and building mean? It has many facets, from natural lighting and heating from the sun, to non-conventional building methods, and using only healthful adhesives and finishes. Think of Eco as ecology and economy - and Logical as what makes sense. However you decide to implement it, we have found it can make a real difference in your personal comfort on many levels. One of the most effective ways to build EcoLogically is to build smaller, smarter homes. Just as Sarah Susanka outlines in her popular Not So Big House philosophy, we feel the best way to make less of an impact on the environment is to use less material. The wise use of space can also translate into less space to heat - another EcoLogical objective. You make so many choices when you decide to build or remodel. Spending a little extra time thinking about these choices can save you money now and in the future, and be kinder to the environment. For example, the choice to use local materials can benefit your local economy, help curb the cost of shipment, use fewer resources and create less pollution. And, you can choose to purchase your power up-front and design for “zero net energy” – supplying the grid with electricity part of the year, and being supported by it at other times.
Living Shelter Design was founded in 1992 when Terry, our owner, found herself suddenly out on her own after the architectural firm she had been working for downsized. Truly a blessing in disguise! While Living Shelter began as a one-person home design firm run out of Terry's home, it has grown to become a creative and skilled team with various backgrounds, located in Issaquah, Washington. We continue to refine our skills to provide the most responsive architectural design service in the area.
Terry Phelan is our Founder and Ring Master. A self taught architect, she has been in the home design and building industry since 1976. Never being one to take the most traveled path, she apprenticed for many years with several architectural firms, rather than going the college route, before taking the Washington State exams to become a licensed architect. Terry has earned awards for Street of Dreams homes and in Green Design competitions. Her greatest passion is to incorporate earth friendly practices and sculptural elements into a dance of personal spaces our clients love to live in. She always seems to educate people about sustainable choices in building along the way, reflected in her activity in the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment.Staff
Geoff's goal is to leave the world better than he found it. He is involved with the community through many different volunteering activities, the most prevalent being 'PAWS with a CAUSE'. His service dog in training goes everywhere with him - even the office, which we all get to enjoy!
Kathy enjoys experimenting with natural building at her own house with small projects such as building a cob oven, irrigating with rain water, landscaping with native plants and permaculture guilds, and redecorating with low-VOC paints and recycled materials.
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History of the firm Terry Phelan Our staff
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About Us · Process · Portfolio · Events & Workshops · Resources · Contact Us · Home © 2006, Living Shelter Design Architects, P.L.L.C. |
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Geoff
Gamsby was drawn to Living Shelter from the far away land of Michigan by our
dedication to sustainability. Prior to moving west, Geoff earned a
Bachelor of Architecture at Lawrence Technological University and worked
a plethora of jobs, including a house framer and collaborator in several
community design studios. Geoff loves working with people to help them
realize their dreams, and always has great ideas to bring to the table.
To quote Emily: "To Geoff a stranger is just a friend he hasn't met, and
a problem is just something he hasn't thought about yet." 
Kathy
Zeim came to us through a mutual affiliation with the Northwest
EcoBuilding Guild. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a
Bachelor of Architecture in 1996 and worked on a variety of multi-family
residential projects for five years in Pittsburgh. She obtained her
professional license in Pennsylvania and then moved to Seattle. After
honing her project management skills on commercial projects, she was
ready to experience the more personal nature of residential design. 
Marty
Bryant is our Office Pilot and keeps us running on course financially. She
has nearly 30 years experience managing office accounting, technology, human
and physical resources, presentation design, space planning,
newsletters, and other
miscellaneous stuff. Her corporate and small business background
helps her keep the office organized and focused, and she is also a
notary public.