There are so many inspiring architectural works in our community being crafted by forward-thinking architects. Just as these incredible works have galvanized us, our hard-working architects, Brion Jeannette, Jessica Hutchison-Rough, Stratton Andrews and Anders Lasater have muses of their own, other architects that have long inspired them and influenced their work style. Get to know them and the motivation behind their awe-inspiring residential designs.
Stratton Andrews, Stratton Architects
Stratton Andrews is an Arizona-based architect most known for his sleek, modern architectural style. Creating stunning, light-filled residences across the Valley, Andrew’s design philosophy is rooted in sensitivity to form and function. His firm, Stratton Architects, has earned numerous industry accolades and awards, including ICONIC Design Awards.
Photo by Andrew Peterson, Peterson Creative LLC.
Andrews’ motivation to become an architect can partly be attributed to the work of Roger Ferris + Partners. “Every project is unique and inspiring,” Andrews says of Roger Ferris + Partners’ work, which he also describes as “clean modern forms that relate to their surroundings [using] natural, well-balanced materials and details.”
Roger Ferris + Partners is a Connecticut-based architectural firm that produces innovative, modern projects across all scopes, from single-family residences to commercial mixed-use buildings to high-rises, in contexts ranging from rural towns to suburban campuses to dense urban centers.
The firm’s smaller projects allow it to experiment with innovative methods and materials, pushing the envelope of creativity. Roger Ferris + Partners’ work speaks for itself, earning critical acclaim from many highly respected design and architectural organizations. “They helped form some of our early design inspiration,” Stratton says of the firm. “Analyzing form, scale, materials and the environment the project resides in to create a successful, beautiful project.”
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Jessica Hutchison-Rough, Urban Design Associates
For the owner and principal architect of Urban Design Associates, Jessica Hutchison-Rough, architectural design and the environment should coexist in perfect harmony. “Nature is our greatest teacher, and that architecture must honor its context,” she says. This philosophy grounds their work, creating homes that seamlessly blend with the landscape.
This design ethos was heavily influenced by the work of the ICONIC Frank Lloyd Wright. “Wright taught me that architecture is inseparable from its environment—that buildings should rise from their sites with a sense of inevitability,” Hutchison-Rough explains. “Growing up in the Sonoran Desert, seeing Wright’s ability to harmonize structure, landscape, light and material, left an imprint that never left me.”
Photo by Kevin Brost.
Hutchison-Rough’s father played an integral role in exposing her to Wright’s work. “My father took me on architectural pilgrimages across the country—from Fallingwater to Hollyhock House—long before I fully understood what I was looking at,” she says. These early-day adventures sparked design inspiration long before she committed to developing her illustrious career as an award-winning architect.
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“Ultimately, this architect taught me that great design is not a style—it is a way of seeing,” Hutchison-Rough says. “It is the responsibility to listen to the land, to respect legacy, and to create spaces that hold meaning for generations.”
Brion Jeannette, Brion Jeannette Architecture
Brion Jeannette, founder of Brion Jeannette Architecture, is known for creating world-famous private homes and estates. The California-based architect has been designing beautiful homes for clients for more than 50 years. Jeannette’s scope of work is wide, ranging from contemporary projects to European-inspired homes.
Photo by Chipper Hatter.
While each client’s needs are the architect’s source of inspiration, two other great architects have been major sources of design inspiration: Antoni Gaudí and Frank Gehry. Jeannette is drawn to the fluidity of form in their work. “I am influenced by these two great architects . . . both of these architects use organic forms and are particularly fond of the emotional impact of curves,” Jeannette says.
Curved rooflines, archways and organic forms are seen throughout many of Jeannette’s projects. The influence of both Gaudí and Gehry is evident. “I have traveled extensively since the early 1970s to study architecture throughout the world, but when I encountered Gaudí’s incredible sense of wonder in Barcelona, I knew I was forever changed,” Jeannette says. “His understanding of light, scale, color and form, so abundant in his work, has influenced many of my homes.”
Jeannette first encountered Gehry’s work in the 80s, when Gehry began experimenting with ‘deconstructive architecture.’ “I am inspired by Gehry’s art in architecture, which has changed modern architecture in ways no other architect has garnered influence in the last 75+ years. I have had the joy of experiencing firsthand many of his museums, theaters and public spaces. I find each uniquely exciting for the ways in which he uses materials to express the excitement that lies within and without,” Jeannette says.
Anders Lasater, Anders Lasater Architects
Exceptional architecture is a combination of creativity and great execution of the fundamentals. When both of these elements are done well, it can turn a good home into a great one. For Anders Lasater, founder of Anders Lasater Architects—an award-winning architectural firm most known for its modern, dynamic homes—fundamentals are everything, and it’s famous architect Carlo Scarpa’s mastery of the crucial elements that sparks inspiration in Lasater’s work.
Photo by Sam Frost Studio.
“For me, he was the absolute master of the fundamentals,” Lasater says. “What I love is how subtle and intentional he was. He didn’t need to show off; he could manipulate scale so that even his small projects felt immense just through thoughtful control of proportion. Crucially, he treated light as a building material, just like concrete or steel, and used it to animate his simple palette. It’s that focus on relationships and contrast—dark against light, old against new—that makes the architecture resonate.”
Lasater encountered Scarpa’s work while studying architecture. His keen understanding of balance and contrast drew him in.
“His profoundly contemplative Brion Family Tomb, for example, wove together life, death and nature into this meditative journey. And then there was his design for the Museo Canova, which showed me how light is literally captured and controlled as art itself. That commitment to creating a rich tapestry of texture and detail, even when installing modern architectural interventions inside a medieval structure like the Castelvecchio Museum, was instantly influential,” he says.
Scarpa’s influence is evident in Lasater’s work, which showcases Space, Proportion, Light and Material in ways that elevate a home, adding interest and character and reflecting the client’s unique rhythm and life. Lasater’s homes are masterfully executed with thoughtful intention.
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