RUHL STUDIO Architects

We have had the pleasure of working with Ruhl Walker Architects for more than 20 years. In that time, we have completed many projects together that varied in scope: everything from large suburban new construction to compact urban renovations. In every instance, Will, Brad and their team have brought the same high level of professionalism, creativity, and fun. We can’t wait to work with them again!

We hired RuhlWalker as we felt an immediate click with Will Ruhl and Sandra Jahnes (and later on with Stacy Krieg when she joined the team). We needed an architect to help us to completely overhaul and renovate our historic house (from 1857) in Cambridge. While respecting the requests of the Historical Commission for the exterior of the house, we wanted RuhlWalker to help us to get the inside up to the 21st century and to create a contemporary home. It was a massive project (it took over a year) but the end result is absolutely fantastic. RuhlWalker helped us step by step, including discussing and 'defending' our project in front of the Historical commission during 2 of their monthly meetings. The project was complicated as the whole foundation of the house needed to be renewed (while being attached to another house). This was the most challenging part of the project and it took about 5 months but RuhlWalker worked very patiently with the contractor and engineers to get this to a good end. After the foundation was renewed all systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical - the whole lot) had to be renewed. All floors had to be renewed and most walls and ceilings as well. We also moved the kitchen from the back of the house to the front (and they helped us with EVERY detail !!) and RuhlWalker also designed a new powder room. They also designed the most fantastic deck. Will, Sandra and Stacy are extremely knowledgable (and very kind !), they helped us tremendously to keep an excellent overview of the project and at the same time they focussed on the very detail. They always were there for us if needed, they stayed calm (when we were panicking), they were very responsive, and they were on our side to discuss each step with the contractor As we had to manage the project from a far distance for the first 9 months we still felt very comfortable with RuhlWalker on our side as they were our eyes and ears. They have a very transparant system of invoicing and were constantly making an effort to keep the cost as low as possible. We can highly, highly recommend RuhlWalker. Give them a call !!

Ruhl Walker Architects designed and oversaw a renovation of my mid-century home, and they were wonderful to work with! After researching and interviewing other firms, we selected Ruhl Walker to work with, impressed by their portfolio and their work on mid-century homes. They led us through a collaborative, engaging (and fun!) design phase to a smooth construction phase, working with us at each step to make sure the end result met our goals. In fact, our renovation--which had multiple parts: a small addition, conversion of a screen porch to a 3-season sun porch, new foyer and front exterior, replacement of floor to ceiling windows, and conversion of a basement into an living space--exceeded our expectations. We're so happy with the final product, and recommend Ruhl Walker without hesitation.

Will, Lilly and Keith were a great team to work with as we built our home. It was our choice to build a home that is not at all big by today's standards, yet the Ruhl Walker team's design feels incredibly spacious, open, light, and airy. Each space within our home feels like it's ours, not someone else's design vision for how we should live in our home. Our neighbor's daughter summed it up best when she visited our home to trick-or-treat. Wide-eyed, she asked us, "Is this a REAL mansion?"

We hired Ruhl Walker Architects after interviewing other firms and we couldn't have been happier. Will and Kathryn were with us every step of the way throughout the complete redesign of our loft space. They brought great ideas to us but were all receptive to our ideas and input - it felt like a true collaborative process throughout and we are so happy with the results. They were so great to work with and their creativity and attentiveness made what can be a stressful process really fun. I'd happily work with them again for any other projects we have.

Bright, modern, big enough to comfortably raise our growing family - yet, thoughtfully designed to be a manageable "forever home". That's what we asked of Will and his team, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. Yes, our lot was a little unusual; but in the end, we're positioned so perfectly that it's hard to dispute that our property and our home were made for each other. Will listened to us. He listened so well in fact, that after our initial discussions in which we presented dozens of examples of homes and features that we liked, his first drawings were nearly spot-on. From the day we broke ground, the Ruhl-Walker team was always responsive, open-minded and respectful of our vision. They cared about our home, and loved it as much as we do. We couldn't have asked for more.

William T. Ruhl was the principal architect for the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility project in Kapaau, HI. The Hawaii Wildlife Center is a professional nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization serving the Hawaiian Islands, the endangered species capital of the world, and we needed a central facility to meet the needs of the native wildlife we care for. Will Ruhl and his team at Ruhl Walker Architects were able to take what we needed for a state-of-the-art wildlife response facility - the only one in the Pacific Islands region - and turn it into a building that is functional, efficient and beautiful. Now once an animal arrives in care, the process of treatment goes smoothly because of their dedication to understanding our mission and needs. They were able to take our vision, enhance it, translate it into a design plan, and produce something that far exceeded our expectations. The HWC facility has become a visual attraction in our community and a role model for other wildlife rehabilitation facilities nationwide. In addition, not only were Will Ruhl and Ruhl Walker Architects highly knowledgeable, skilled and dedicated, they were (and continue to be) a pleasure to work with and an amazing support system for us. They went above and beyond, absolutely embracing our mission to protect Hawaii's native species, and worked pro-bono on this project. They are true professionals in their field and wonderful individuals that support critical community projects like ours.

I really loved working with Will, Sandra, Nerijus, and the rest of the Ruhl Walker team on the design of our new beach house. They created the perfect house not only for our family but also for our beautiful but fragile coastal site, navigating us smoothly through the Conservation Commission process despite extensive constraints. Will brought so much energy and passion to the design and that has resulted in a house that is beautiful but also incredibly restful, modern but also intimate and warm. We had a lot of specific constraints on the project and rather than feeling like we had to compromise this brought out the teams creativity at ever turn. It is always an adventure to design a house from the ground up. I cannot imagine a better group of people to have had running this adventure. Everyone, including our neighbors, are thrilled with the outcome.

I worked on a project in Arlington, MA designed by Will Ruhl, Ruhl Walker Architects, as a construction manager. I have only great things to say about Will and his firm. Their modern design took advantage of site constraints to maximize space without sacrificing views to the adjourning lake. Will and his associates were always responsive to schedule and kept the budget on target. Will helped make a difficult project successful. I recommend Ruhl Walker Architects and look forward to working with them again. Steve Chafetz Wellen Construction

Will Ruhl designed our beautiful new house in Lincoln, Massachusetts. We spent quite a bit of time early on interviewing architects looking for someone sympathetic to our aesthetic and lifestyle. We were very happy with our choice - Will was great: easy to work with, upfront about issues and costs, and there for us when problems cropped up in the building phase. We have a house that's practical, easy to live in, and stunning inside and out.