Whitten Architects

When we signed up with Whitten Architects, we presented a long list of desired features for our "dream house" on the coast of Maine. As project architect, Jessie Carroll fulfilled every request. We specifically asked that our house take maximum advantage of our small but varied site. In collaboration with our landscape architect Soren Deniord, Jessie transformed our experience of our property. We contracted with Whitten for all three phases of its services and would recommend that all clients do so. Signing on for the third phase, Construction Administration, ensures that every element of the design is executed precisely according to plan. Jessie, our wonderful contractor Bowley Builders, construction supervisor Rusty Theriault, and the outstanding craftsmen who built our house worked as a fully integrated team. Communication among all parties, including, of course, us, was excellent, and every construction challenge was dealt with creatively, transparently, and immediately. We can't imagine a smoother build, which we especially appreciated because our full-time home is several thousand miles away. They brought the project in on time and on budget. Our house lifts the spirits of all who enter. It is luminous on even the cloudiest day, refreshing in summer, and cozy in winter. Every window frames a unique and inspiring view. Jessie and her team created a house of exquisite style and superlative function that has thoroughly exceeded our expectations and continues to pleasantly surprise us every day.

Our experience working with Rob Whitten, Jessie Carroll and Drew Bortles was really top-notch. It was a collaborative effort from beginning to end, in which we always felt like members of a team. As the chief architect on our project, Jessie Carroll was outstanding in her ability to combine her creativity with the need to be attentive to our unique “wish list” specifications, and in her excellent collaboration with the builder. And as a team, they were always there to help us find innovative solutions that would fit within our budget. The results speak for themselves; we love our house and everything about it! It’s an absolutely beautiful home, and within budget !

We selected Whitten to design our lakefront home after admiring their work for years -- and we could not be happier with the finished product. They spent a lot of time with us on site to understand the surrounding area and its history, and learn how we hoped to use the home. We had heard that Rob was very skilled at siting homes, and the orientation he and James recommended has been better than we could have hoped for -- it has optimized views, light, and privacy in a very considered way. The design process was collaborative. The first concept sketch did a terrific job capturing the key elements we discussed in our brainstorming sessions -- Whitten incorporated the specifics of the site (lake views, access to / interplay with another nearby family home, etc.) with our room and feature wish-lists and after an iterative process, we arrived at our near-final design. Throughout, Whitten provided helpful thoughts and advice when we weighed larger decisions like fireplace location, window sizes/locations, and material selection. Drew provided great help on interiors and then also provided thoughtful advice on builder selection...and we loved our builder. We LOVE our home -- thank you Whitten!

We fell in love with two acres in Maine. The site offered a spectacular views of Harpswell Sound but the steep slope and prominent ledge made it a “difficult” site on which to build. Rob Whitten walked the site and saw immediately how the house should be located to conform to the contours of the lot while making the most of the view and taking advantage of breezes in the summer and solar gain in the winter. Working with Rob and Will Fellis was a pleasure. They listened to us as we described a Cottage-style house where we could live on one floor, but which had room and privacy for many welcome visitors. And then they exceeded our expectations. More importantly they provided gentle direction when our ambitions outpaced our budget. Our experience with the process of building a house was more intense than we expected and Rob helped us through a particularly difficult passage. We needed to blast to build on the rock ledge. This generated concerns about the impact construction would have on nearby wells and foundations. At two meetings with neighbors Rob calmly described how the design greatly reduced the amount of blasting required and helped alleviate some of the natural worry that other property owners felt. Whitten Architects went beyond design, plans and specifications. They also suggested a builder (Thorner Building) and landscape architect (Callahan+LeBleu) who worked as a team to ensure that the project went smoothly. Today we enjoy a beautiful and solid house that sits comfortably on the site. In fair weather it is open to the environment and during winter storms it is tight and cozy. We couldn’t be happier.

Working with Russ Tyson and his team at Whitten Architects over the years has been a treat. His approach is thoughtful, thorough and rich with clever details. From a builder’s perspective, I am always impressed by his ability to translate an Owner’s concept into functional, practical spaces (with practical materials no less) while holding true to the overall design. This level of passion and professionalism is what separates Whitten Architects from the pack.

Rob and his team have proved to be a great partner on two projects. The first was as a burgeoning family and related to renovating our first and very much fixer-up home in Portland, ME. In a process that needed architectural insight and fixed budget, we landed on a home that accomplished both and is still missed.. The second engagement involved our permanent home to accommodate our growing family and was a more limited renovation, primarily focused on the key living areas: kitchen and family room. This again married outcome and budget and left our family with new nexus and a home that we greatly enjoy. I would recommend Whitten Architects to anyone looking for architectural support and look forward to the opportunity to work with this firm again.

Jesse and Rob were a pleasure to work with, they are sincerely committed to their work and very professional. There is much talent in the Whitten office, and it shows in the details of their projects.

Choosing to work with Rob and his team was the best decision we made for our house! We admired his design style and picked him from a number of other architects. We told them how we wanted to use the house and described our taste, we trusted the architects to make most of the decisions for us. They made the process so easy as they were both meticulous and efficient. The team was always responsive, open with communication and creative. From designing the structure of the house to making suggestions as to what color metal roof we should have or what materials we should use around the fireplace, the Whitten team was involved in both exterior and interior decisions. We did use an interior designer and she worked well with the Whitten group. There were no surprises with pricing and they kept us informed on any changes in the design or materials that might affect costs. They also stayed on task and kept to the timeline. The project ended exactly when the architects and builders said- right at the start of the summer. We were amazed. We had such a positive experience with the Whitten team - we highly recommend this firm!

This was the second house we have built but the first time we have used an architect. We had admired the work of Whitten Architects in Maine Home and Design magazine. Based on this, we scheduled a meeting with Whitten Architects. It was at our first meeting with Russ Tyson, who became the principal architect on our project, and Rob Whitten, that we knew we had found our architects. Russ listened to our hopes and dreams for our new home. Very important to us was sensitivity to the environment on our wooded lot, preservation of trees and siting the house to optimize natural lighting. With the help of photos of houses we admired and in-depth discussions where he came to know us, Russ designed a home with a Maine farmhouse feel, Asian influences, and lots of glass so that we are able to enjoy the outdoors from every room in the house. We were impressed with the structural design done in collaboration with Albert Putnam. Whitten guided us through the contractor selection process. We were very happy with the work of Merrymeeting Builders, the contractor we chose through this process. Rob Whitten joined many of the planning meetings we had with Russ. It was very apparent that there is close collaboration in this small firm to the benefit of the client. Both Rob and Russ were sensitive to our budget. Russ was unfailingly patient and professional, always available for our many questions and concerns. When challenges arose as they inevitably will, whether with the budget or construction, Russ suggested alternatives or found solutions. It was invaluable to have Whitten oversee the entire concept, design and construction process. Russ listened to us, understood what was important and of value and designed a home that we just love. And in the process we got to know and work with some of the nicest people you will ever meet. The experience of working with Whitten Architects will always be a highlight of our lives.

My wife and I actually chose Rob Whitten after seeing his projects on houzz. Everything of his spoke to us: his rustic sensibility; incorporation of the natural surroundings; materials. We gave Rob a lengthy list of must haves and he assessed our desires and came back with poetry based on our prose. Our project was to turn a drab 3-season Maine lakefront camp with structural problems into a beautiful, versatile, structurally sound, mechanically modern and comfortable family retreat. Rob assembled a great team including Will Fellis from his own office, Al Putnam (engineer) and Linwood Doble (builder). Rob guided us through shoreland zoning issues, significant structural and engineering challenges and, of course, a thorough design and specification process that streamlined the build. Rob and Will also capably managed the project to schedule and budget and served as the primary interface with Linwood. We couldn't be happier with the results. We are now the proud owners of a beautiful camp that will hopefully stay in our family for generations. Even now, a couple of years after completion, we marvel at some of the details: how the new windows frame the views; how the old and new blend; just how well the space works. We wholeheartedly recommend Rob and would use him again ourselves.

We hired Whitten Architects to re-design our two cottages in Higgins Beach - to "connect" them, both physically and intangibly. Given the difficult zoning issues and the challenging worksite, we were looking for an architect with similar experiences and projects. During our first meeting with Rob and Russ, we knew they were the right partners, not only based on their technical expertise, but from the personal connection we had with them as well. We were living overseas at the time, so for us it was extremely important to work with partners we felt were going to be communicative, efficient, and empathic. Doing a project of this scope is stressful - and they did an excellent job of navigating us through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the town council permit process, etc. We were extremely pleased and impressed with the plans - every possible detail was thought through - site design, environmental issues, maximization of ocean views, maximum utility of the space, etc. - plus a whimsical touch here and there. While we certainly had ideas of what we wanted to achieve, Rob and Russ came up with hugely value-add ideas that really brought the project to life. We engaged Whitten for all phases of design, builder bidding/selection, and implementation, and certainly felt that Rob and Russ were committed to the project being a complete success - they delivered 100%. I would not hesitate to recommend Whitten Architects as a company, and Rob Whitten and Russ Tyson individually. They were ideal partners and we are thrilled to have worked with them - while we look forward to generations of our family enjoying our cottages, if we ever decide to do another project we will only need to make one call.

We have completed two projects with Whitten Architects in the past 8 years. Our first was a stream-side camp which is warm, comfortable and blends in beautifully with its natural surroundings. We have just completed the second project - an extensive remodel of a 1960's cape. Rob Whitten and Eric Laszlo listened really well, helped us define our priorities and guided our thinking about best use of space. They helped us with the decision process that allowed us to choose a great builder (RP Morrison Inc) and provided several options of how we could engage their further services. They were there to assist us during the entire building process. We all wish we had the structural engineer (Al Putnam) come in earlier but his input and a creative response to his findings markedly enhanced the final design. We are very pleased.