01 About
We do not have a house style.
What we have is a method. Survey the ground, test what it allows, then design the one house that belongs on it. Everything else follows from that.
02 The practice
Small on purpose.
Guzzo Architects is a private residential practice. We take on a small number of houses at a time, because the part clients say they value most, being able to reach the person who actually drew their house, is the first thing a busy studio loses.
We work on new houses, on renovations and extensions, and on the planning work that sits in front of both. Most of our projects begin with someone who owns a piece of land and is not yet sure what is possible on it.
If you can name our style, we have done it wrong.
03 Site first
What "site first" actually means on a Tuesday.
It is not a philosophy, it is an order of operations. These four things get settled before we show you a single elevation, because every one of them can change what the house wants to be.
Where the floors want to sit
A fall across the plot decides split levels, retaining, drainage and how much you will spend before anything is even above ground.
Where the glass goes
Which rooms get morning light and which get evening light is fixed by the site, not by taste. Getting it backwards is the most expensive thing to regret.
Where you will actually sit
The terrace everyone draws on the plan is often the one corner nobody uses. Prevailing wind tells us which side of the house the outdoor room belongs on.
What the ground will allow
Drainage, run-off and the water table set real limits on footprint and basement. Better to find them in week one than in month nine.
04 The studio
Who you will be working with.
Put your team here. Names, roles and a line each about what they actually do on a project. Clients read this section more carefully than any other.
Team 01Name, role, and one line on what they do.
Team 02Name, role, and one line on what they do.
Team 03Name, role, and one line on what they do.
05 Next
Start with the land.
Stage 01 is the cheapest honest answer to "is this even possible". Tell us where the site is and we will come back with what we think it will allow.