Photo: Michael Moran
Modern Barn Residence | Wilton, CT
Specht Harpman Architects
Scott Specht and Louise Harpman began working together while classmates at the Yale School of Architecture. A small company with rigorous standards for modern design, the firm's award-winning work includes commercial, institutional and residential projects, as well as custom furniture. The firm maintains offices in New York City and Austin, Texas.
Specht Harpman was recognized in Wallpaper* magazine's Architects' Directory as one of the "top 50 up and coming architectural practices from around the world." The firm recently received an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects (Austin) for Doyle Hall at St. Edward's University. Specht Harpman has been listed among the "Emerging Voices" by the Architectural League of New York, "Tastemakers" by House and Garden magazine, and as one of New York City's "Top 100" architects by New York Magazine.
The firm has been honored with a number of design awards, including those from the Texas Society of Architects, New York AIA (American Institute of Architects), Austin AIA, and two Design Distinction awards from I.D. Magazine. The work of Specht Harpman has been published in many national and international publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Dwell, Metropolis, Architectural Record, Architecture, AD, Architectural Digest, Residential Architect, Interior Design, Texas Architect, Interiors, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, Wired, New York Magazine, and W magazine, as well as on HGTV.
Firm Portfolio
Photo: Taggart Sorensen
Westlake Residence | Austin, TX
This house renovation by Specht Harpman is nestled among live oak trees in the rolling hills of Westlake. Code and permitting regulations required the original slab and certain walls to be reused. The new house is articulated by cantilevered volumes, ribbon windows, two roof decks, a green roof and an infinity edge pool. The division between inside and out is purposefully blurred to take advantage of the spectacular natural setting.
Photo: Taggart Sorensen
Doyle Hall | St. Edward's University | Austin, TX
Specht Harpman was invited to renovate and add to an existing 1950's-era building on the university's main campus in South Austin. The addition exists as a bridge between two existing buildings, creating an active, lively, tree-shaded courtyard out of an unused adjacent field. The project includes a cafe, classrooms, offices for faculty and administrative staff, and psychology observation spaces.
Photo: Michael Moran
Eiche Residence | New York, NY
Specht Harpman used simple lines to organize the unconventional vertical movement through this three-level downtown apartment. Built-in storage throughout the residence allows small spaces to feel bigger and huge windows provide beautiful views and fill the space with light.
Photo: Michael Moran
Tribeca Loft Residence | New York, NY
This lower Manhattan loft in a former printing house was originally designed by Specht Harpman for a couple of television producers. When the new owners bought it, they hired us to create a new interior in which to showcase their contemporary art collection and to accommodate their young family.
Photo: Michael Moran
Benenson Warren Residence | New York, NY
In order to create an elegant family-friendly duplex, Specht Harpman combined and renovated two classic six apartments on the Upper West Side. The plan creates a series of appropriately-scaled and thoughtfully decorated rooms for this growing young family. Warm materials connect the children's play and dining spaces to the grown-up living spaces, all within a clean, modern design aesthetic.
Photo: Scott Specht
zeroHouse | live (comfortably) anywhere
The zeroHouse is a small, prefabricated house that can be easily shipped and quickly erected. It has all elements necessary to comfortably support four adults. The zeroHouse operates independently off-the-grid, without the need for any external utility or waste disposal connections.
Photo: Meg Mulloy
Beast Productions | Austin, TX
Specht Harpman outfitted this neglected single-story building on the edge of downtown Austin to house offices for a branch of a creative editing company. Using steel-framed windows as partitions and rough-sawn wood for wall treatments, Specht Harpman designed an interior that embraces local heritage while creating an open, collaborative work environment.
Photo: Michael Moran
Oasis Advertising | New York, NY
Oasis came to Specht Harpman, wanting to take advantage of our love for the urban vernacular. The collaboration resulted in an office plan that is designed to keep windows clear by centering enclosed private offices along the core of the space. Likewise, open workstations hug the perimeter and maintain a low datum to ensure unobstructed views to the Hudson River.
Photo: Michael Moran
Concrete Media | New York, NY
Concrete Media commissioned Specht Harpman to create a new headquarters that maintained the industrial character of the building they occupied. The existing loft-like floors reinforced their idea of a completely open and 'democratic' workplace, but spatial definition and privacy were also necessary. Translucent resin tanks were used throughout the interior, both as free-standing rooms and as attachments to interior walls, to achieve this.
Photo: Michael Moran
Modern Barn Residence | Wilton, CT
Specht Harpman was commissioned to reconstruct a historic gambrel hay barn which had been partially destroyed in a catastrophic fire.
While the volumes of the barn and grain silo remain contextual with the other buildings on the site, Specht Harpman radically restructured the interior, removing the entire second floor to create a free volume. What was formerly the lower level of the barn, used primarily for storage, is now the main social space of the house.
