Border Studios
About us
Mike Hamberg and Martin Tarafdar, who have collaborated on numerous projects since the early 1980’s, formed Border Studios in 1994. We have offices in Aspen, Colorado and Newcastle/Tahoe, California and we serve the greater Sacramento Area. The firm is conceived as a collective of talent that works beyond ‘borders'. That is to say, we work beyond physical and geographic constraints and do not bind ourselves to notions of architectural style or movements, but rather approach each project on its own merit. The design is allowed to evolve through an investigation and understanding of the site and its context, the budget and program objectives, while responding to the history and culture of the place. It is this connection to place that binds our work together and is the driving force of our design process. Creating and enhancing a sense of place through planning and architecture is the philosophical basis for our work. We believe our philosophy allows us to bring a much wider spectrum of resources to each project than is possible with a more traditional approach to design. Our work has focused primarily in the vernacular of high country mountain environments in the Western United States. We have been associated with creating a number of projects recognized by award in these regions. Please do not hesitate to contact our office for any additional information. We will be happy to assist in any way possible and if we are not a good fit we will endeavor to help you find a better match for your project. Thank you for visiting our page. We hope to be able to be of service.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Full service architectural firm. I work with outside engineers / surveyors / consultants, to offer full service but my work is limited to architectural design. I do not add a consultation fee for my interaction with outside professionals. Because my work is limited to design I typically work for an hourly fee. Billing is incremental and should you become dissatisfied for any reason, you can terminate my services at any stage and keep the work I have performed to that point.
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As an owner-builder it took me nearly a year just to settle with the insurance company and take care of all the Placer County and TRPA permit requirements including establishing a site plan for a required site assessment, calculating coverage changes and soil infiltration rates to comply with the strict Tahoe BMPs. I needed to be able to complete construction before the following winter so I was very pleased that Border Studios focused on my project and provided an excellent set of plans without any more delays. What sets them apart is the extra attention to a very functional and detailed custom design that considers the complete environment of the project.
The existing structure had to be upgraded to comply with current county building codes and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency requirements. The engineering incorporated the heavy snow and wind load requirements of Tahoe. Martin Tarafdar also took into account my preferences and kept me informed of options to improve the outcome and maintain control over costs. After the plans were completed and I got the permit process underway, I had several contractors provide estimates and settled on a contractor Martin had recommended. The county building engineer approved the plans with only a minor annotation edit. I was very happy with the construction work as well and the contractor was able to compile the lumber and supplies needed without any difficulty. I don't recall that they ever had to consult with Border Studios over the plans so I take that as sign that the plans were complete, explicit, and easy to follow. It was a real pleasure to get a product that didn't require numerous revisions and more delays. I can highly recommend Border Studios particularly if you have unusual needs.
Licensing
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