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Barnes Coy Architects
NEW YORK, NY
A
rt and architecture are a way of exploring the world and expressing
yourself," says Christopher Coy of Barnes Coy Architects, who
joined fellow architect Robert Barnes to establish the firm in the late 1980s.
The two met in boarding school and were both influenced by the school's
modern architecture. They enjoy the stimulation of working directly with
homeowners, and they take inspiration from the endless variation and
complexities of residential projects. The firm also has a commercial portfolio
that includes the 550,000-square-foot Solaris development in Vail, Colorado.
Maintaining a modestly sized firm allows the principals to stay involved
in every step of the process. During its first several years, Barnes Coy
maintained a construction management division in order to ensure
correct execution of designs. Today the firm considers a continued strong
on-site presence necessary in order to monitor the builder's progress and
guarantee detail adherence.
The property owner's desires and requirements—the program—together
with the site context help to generate an original design response. This
method results in projects true to the firm's core belief that architecture
begins with the site and is further informed by the end user's program.
