“When I started this firm 25 years ago as a sole proprietor, I wore all the hats,” recalls our principal architect and studio namesake, Tim Barber.  As his work garnered attention and projects increased in number, scale, and scope, Tim’s team grew from himself to the 20 architects, designers, and administrative support staff that now buzz around our recently expanded Los Angeles studio.

“It’s hard to imagine that fifteen years ago, we filled only a third of this office, and that I used to do the designing, field work, training, management, and invoicing myself,” Tim reminisces.

In creative circles, some artists and particularly, authors categorize themselves into one of two schools of creative processes: “the architects” and “the gardeners”. 

 “The architects plan everything ahead of time,” novelist George R.R. Martin once explained. “They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they’re going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there’s going to be.  They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up.”  Conversely, Martin continued, “Gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of know what seed it is… But as the plant comes up and they water it, they don’t know how many branches it’s going to have; they find out as it grows.” 

We recently celebrated 24 years in business. Looking back, one sentiment perfectly defines our experience: gratitude. We’ve been blessed to collaborate with inspiring clients, consultants, contractors, artisans, and designers, many of whom we also call our “friends”; to practice our art in many of the world’s most beautiful communities; and to see our designs fully realized as beloved forever homes.