Making the world a better place. One house at a time.
Designing and building new houses and renovations from Duxbury to Hingham, Cape Cod and beyond.
I believe that a good house should have the qualities of a good friend, offering support, hospitality, intelligence, and good humor to the people who live in them. I listen carefully to my clients and pay close attention to the building site to design houses and additions that fit both the people and the place they have chosen to live. I hope that the projects you see here won¹t just show you the quality of my work, but will also give you an idea of why I do it.
I started out as a carpenter and cabinetmaker, and I take great pride and pleasure in building things well. In my early years of woodworking, I learned that there can be much more to building well than sound construction and that good design involves more than making things look nice.
Studying architecture, I learned how buildings work, and how space, light, scale, proportion and materials can work together to create places that make people comfortable and happy.
My goal is not just to build beautiful houses, but to make them beautiful places to live. If you are thinking of building or renovating, please
CLIENT FEEDBACK
Before I met Joe Lanza, I had repeat consultations with more than half a dozen architects / designers / design-builders. I paid for preliminary work from two of them. But each of them in their own way wanted to impose their vision on my property.
Joe was different, right from the start. He was far more interested in hearing what I wanted than in showing off what he’s done elsewhere and what he thought should be done at my property. He never tried to impose any particular style or taste on me. His goal, he said, was to give me what I wanted. He did exactly that, and more.
We and our children (and their children) have loved this place since you did such a fantastic job with your renovation. However, being here much longer than our usual summer period as well as so much time alone through the fall, we just feel so appreciative with the work you did here. Your design has provided us with such views in every direction. It begins with the sunrise in the morning and continues through out the day. It is magical. Also the thoughtful details through out are appreciated even more the older we get. Thank you again for the great job you did here!
Joe was a terrific listener, patient explainer, and careful planner during all phases of the project. He was notably even-tempered, unflappable, resourceful and effective in dealing with planning issues (regulations & permitting!) and the inevitable construction bumps in the road. During construction, he had fine stereoscopic vision: he managed the big-picture process smoothly while remaining incredibly attentive to details and monitoring his contractors very, very closely. He was consistently responsible and reliable, and always available and communicative.
We were fortunate in finding an architect who listened to his clients and respected their vision. Additionally, having the architect also be the builder meant that, even from a distance, we were getting a quality products he was truly invested in the final results.
Living in the house is a pleasure. Looking at it is a delight!
I found Joe Lanza by surfing the internet and called because I liked the look of his work -- the best impulse call I ever made! He designed & ultimately built my 'dream house' with all the talent, skill & integrity that a homeowner could ever want in an architect and general contractor. In the design phase, Joe listened carefully to my preferences and drew his plans accordingly. He found clever ways to meet significant height limit and setback restrictions on my small, sloped lot. He was enormously patient with me on myriad design decisions, from basic layout to kitchen cabinet pulls. He made the process genuinely collaborative, and the result is a light-filled home that looks fabulous and functions perfectly.
FEATURED PROJECTS
- All Posts
- Featured
